REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Summary List Placement Airbnb declined a merger with Bill Ackman's record-size acquisition company after early-stage talks, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The home-rental giant reportedly told Ackman it prefers entering public markets through a traditional IPO. Still, Airbnb hasn't completely ruled out a deal despite confidentially filing for an IPO in mid-August, sources told Bloomberg. Ackman's special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, made waves in July after its IPO raised a record-shattering $4 billion. Airbnb turned down a merger with Bill Ackman's special-purpose acquisition company, telling the hedge fund billionaire the firm would rather enter the market with an initial public offering, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.