special purpose entity

…company were transferred to so-called special purpose entities (SPEs), which are essentially limited partnerships created with outside parties. Although many companies distributed assets to SPEs, Enron abused the practice by using SPEs as dump sites for its troubled assets. Transferring those assets to SPEs meant that they were kept off…

…EU, moreover, began developing a special purpose entity (SPE) to avoid penalties for European companies doing business with Iran, known as the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX). The sanctions went into effect on November 5, though the United States granted exemptions to China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South…