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Finding Stock Corporate Action Data for a Family Tree

Article Quant Q&A · Author: Bill
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Summary

The document asks how to trace a stock’s corporate history, including splits, spinoffs, and mergers, either forward from a past date or backward from a later date. It seeks a graph or another structured representation and expresses a preference for an R-based or free online tool.

The response says that a ready-made visualization may be difficult to find and points toward sources of raw corporate action data that could support building one. It does not name or compare those sources in the text provided, explain how to assemble the history, or give an implementation method. The practical takeaway is that a custom family tree may need to be built from corporate action records; the answer itself offers only a pointer to further information, so it is not a complete guide.

Key ideas

  • A stock family tree can represent splits, spinoffs, and mergers over a chosen date range.
  • The requested history can be traced either forward from an earlier date or backward from a later date.
  • Building a custom tool may require sourcing raw corporate action data.
  • The response does not specify data providers or explain how to construct the visualization.

Tags

EquitiesEvent-driven
Full text
# Is there a straightforward way to get a "family tree" for a stock?


# Is there a straightforward way to get a "family tree" for a stock?












I would like to find a way to generate what might be called a "family tree" for a stock. Given a stock symbol and a future date, I'd like a graph (either literally or represented in list or other format) that shows stock splits, spinoffs, and mergers up to the present date or perhaps just to another specified date.

I'd also like to go backwards: given a stock symbol and a past date, I'd like a family tree that shows its ancestors from today (or perhaps a predefined date) back to the date I specify.

Does something like that exist? I tend to work in R a lot, so that would be nice, although I'm also open to Web sites that might offer such a service, preferably for free.

## Answer by AdB (score 1)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/45058

I think you will have a hard time finding a tool that visualizes it for you. However, this question covers sources of the raw data on corporate actions needed to create such a tool yourself.

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This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.