Acacia Research Corp (NASDAQ: ACTG)

Sector: Industrials Industry: Business Equipment & Supplies CIK: 0000934549
Market Cap 322.33 Mn
P/B 0.60
P/E 66.67
P/S 1.14
ROIC (Qtr) 0.42
Div Yield % 0.00
Rev 1y % (Qtr) 155.02
Total Debt (Qtr) 102.73 Mn
Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.19
Add ratio to table...

About

Acacia Research Corporation, or ACTG, operates in the diverse industries of industrial, energy, technology, and healthcare. The company's primary business model involves acquiring undervalued companies to unlock their potential value, creating opportunities through the acquisition of operating businesses and strategic assets. ACTG's operations span across various business segments, each with its unique characteristics and opportunities. The company generates revenue from several sources, including the licensing and enforcement of patented technologies,...

Read more

Investment thesis

Bull case

  • Strong operating cash flow of 41.83M provides robust 0.41x coverage of total debt 102.73M, indicating excellent debt servicing capability and financial flexibility.
  • Strong tangible asset base of 687.72M provides 6.69x coverage of total debt 102.73M, indicating robust asset backing and low credit risk.
  • Operating cash flow of 41.83M provides exceptional 49.86x coverage of minority interest expenses 839000, showing strong core operations.
  • Tangible assets of 687.72M provide exceptional 806.23x coverage of deferred revenue 853000, showing strong service capability backing.
  • Robust free cash flow of 28.18M exceeds capital expenditure of 13.65M by 2.06x, indicating strong organic growth funding capability.

Bear case

  • Operating cash flow of 41.83M barely covers its investment activities of (110.59M), with a coverage ratio of -0.38, indicating heavy reliance on external financing for growth which may not be sustainable in a tighter credit environment.
  • Cash reserves of 301.78M provide limited coverage of acquisition spending of (86.45M), which is -3.49x, suggesting aggressive expansion might strain liquidity if market conditions deteriorate.
  • Operating earnings of 23.17M show weak coverage of depreciation charges of 44.73M, with a 0.52 ratio indicating high capital intensity and potential reinvestment needs.
  • High depreciation of 44.73M relative to operating cash flow of 41.83M, which is 1.07x suggests significant maintenance capital requirements affecting free cash flow.
  • Retained earnings of (257.52M) provide limited buffer against comprehensive income items of 231000, which is -1114.81x, indicating elevated exposure to market risks.

Peer comparison

Companies in the Business Equipment & Supplies
S.No. Ticker Company Market Cap P/E P/S Total Debt (Qtr)
1 EBF Ennis, Inc. 533.39 Mn 15.36 1.00 10.35 Mn
2 ACCO ACCO BRANDS Corp 461.15 Mn 7.23 0.25 962.30 Mn
3 ACTG Acacia Research Corp 322.33 Mn 66.67 1.14 102.73 Mn
4 EHGO EShallGo Inc. 4.41 Mn -0.41 0.33 -

Industry comparisons

Current Valuation Value Ind Avg Percentile
EV to Assets EV to Assets 0.15 0.61
EV to Cash from Ops. EV/CFO 2.81 5.43
EV to Debt EV to Debt 1.14 14.92
EV to EBIT EV/EBIT 5.07 6.11
EV to EBITDA EV/EBITDA 2.43 4.28
EV to Free Cash Flow [EV/FCF] EV/FCF 4.17 6.43
EV to Market Cap EV to Market Cap 0.36 1.21
EV to Revenue EV/Rev 0.41 0.59
Price to Book Value [P/B] P/B 0.60 0.73
Price to Earnings [P/E] P/E 66.67 22.21
Dividend Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Dividend Coverage Ratio Div Coverage (Qtr) 0.00 0.78
Dividend Payout Ratio % Div Payout % (Qtr) 0.00 32.43
Dividend per Basic Share Div per Share (Qtr) 0.00 0.33
FCF Dividend Payout Ratio % FCF Div Payout % (Qtr) 0.00 24.52
Interest Coverage Int. cover (Qtr) 1.72 -123.65
Growth Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Capex Growth (1y) % Capex 1y % (Qtr) 90.61 -6.93
Cash and Equivalents Growth (1y) % Cash & Equiv 1y % (Qtr) -16.18 -27.15
Dividend Growth (1y) % Div 1y % (Qtr) 0.00 -17.31
EBIAT Growth (1y) % EBIAT 1y % (Qtr) -79.70 -33,818.48
EBITDA Growth (1y) % EBITDA 1y % (Qtr) -25.67 -93.16
EBIT Growth (1y) % EBIT 1y % (Qtr) -55.04 -2,162.53
EBT Growth (1y) % EBT 1y % (Qtr) -79.46 -2,013.71
EPS Growth (1y) % EPS 1y % (Qtr) -91.89 8.97
FCF Growth (1y) % FCF 1y % (Qtr) 135.41 -27.76
Gross Profit Growth (1y) % Gross Profit 1y % (Qtr) -2.94 -10.90
Liquidity Ratios Value Ind Avg Percentile
Asset Utilization Ratio Asset Util Ratio (Qtr) 0.37 0.73
Cash Payout Ratio Cash Payout (Qtr) 0.00 0.19
Cash Ratio Cash Ratio (Qtr) 5.91 2.08
Current Ratio Curr Ratio (Qtr) 8.63 4.99
Debt to Equity Ratio Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.19 0.44
Interest Cover Ratio Int Coverage (Qtr) 1.72 -123.65
Times Interest Earned Times Interest Earned (Qtr) 1.72 -123.65
Profitability Value Ind Avg Percentile
EBITDA Margin % EBITDA Margin % (Qtr) 23.90 -5.38
EBIT Margin % EBIT Margin % (Qtr) 8.16 -12.49
EBT Margin % EBT Margin % (Qtr) 3.42 -14.33
Gross Margin % Gross Margin % (Qtr) 30.50 29.35
Net Profit Margin % Net Margin % (Qtr) 1.70 -16.23