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8-K - FORM 8-K - ACACIA RESEARCH CORPacacia_i8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

 

FOR RELEASE

 

November 9, 2020

Acacia Research Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

 

Company Fully Engaged in Executing Strategic Transactions in Collaboration with Starboard

 

New York, NY – November 9, 2020 - Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTG) today reported results for the three-month period ended September 30, 2020.

 

Clifford Press, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Since announcing our acquisition of the Woodford portfolio in June, we have completed dispositions that have recovered two-thirds of our purchase price. We continue to hold substantial value in the securities of public and private companies remaining in the portfolio.”

 

Holdings of the securities of life sciences companies in the Woodford portfolio as of September 30, 2020 include:

 

 

Public Company Securities (at market value at September 30, 2020)

 

Company Ticker Number of Shares Value
Arix Bioscience plc 1 LSE: ARIX 25.8 mm $37.0 mm
Sensyne Health plc AIM: SENS 15.2 mm $11.4 mm
Induction Healthcare Group plc AIM: INHC 4.2 mm $4.0 mm
Others     $2.1 mm

 

Total Public Holdings

    $54.5 mm

 

Private Company Securities (at September 30, 2020)
 
Company Ownership Percentage Value
Oxford Nanopore Technologies 2 6% $108.0 mm

 

Next 4 positions:

   
Immunocore 2 5% $31.0 mm
Viamet Pharmaceuticals 2, 3 26%
AMO Pharma 2, 4 18%
NovaBiotics 2, 4 4%
     
Total Private Holdings   $139.0 mm

 

1 To be transferred to the Company in the fourth quarter of 2020

2 Value of Oxford Nanopore Technologies securities based on observed transactions during the quarter; Remaining holdings of private company securities valued at cost.

3 To be transferred to the Company in the fourth quarter of 2020.

4 Transferred to the Company in October.

 

 

 

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Mr. Press added, “We are working intensively with Starboard to execute our investment strategy, leveraging our ready access to committed capital for strategic transactions borne of our expertise in corporate governance and operational restructuring.”

 

Al Tobia, Acacia’s Chief Investment Officer, added “We believe that structural inefficiencies in the small-cap value sector create opportunities for us. Our areas of focus remain mature technology, healthcare, industrial and certain financial services segments. We are continuing to see attractive market conditions in the IP market as well, and our team has recently completed an option agreement to add a new portfolio.”

 

Mr. Tobia continued, “In order to provide existing stockholders of Acacia the opportunity to invest alongside Starboard with substantially similar terms as the Senior Secured Notes and Series B Warrants issued to Starboard, today we expect to file a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC to facilitate the rights offering and provide flexibility to the Company.”

 

Third Quarter 2020 Financial Summary:

 

·Cash and short-term investments totaled $303.1 million at September 30, 2020, compared to $184.0 million at June 30, 2020 and $168.3 million at December 31, 2019.
·Debt, which represents the Senior Secured Notes issued to Starboard, was $115.0 million at September 30, 2020.
·Book value totaled $202.3 million as of September 30, 2020, compared to $175.0 million at December 31, 2019. Acacia’s current book value reflects issuance of Senior Secured Notes and liabilities associated with upfront funding of the life science portfolio acquisition, and reflects the allocated value based on U.S. GAAP of assets transferred as of September 30, 2020.
·Gross revenues were $19.5 million.
·General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2020 increased by $3.1 million or 66%, compared with the third quarter of 2019, due to business development and personnel expenses.
·Operating loss was $2.8 million.
·GAAP net income to common stockholders was $29.2 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(7.6 million), or $(0.15) per diluted share, in the third quarter last year.
·The third quarter of 2020 reflected:
oA net non-cash benefit of $20 million related to the change in the fair value of trading and investment securities, and securities derivatives and forward contracts; and
oIncome of $21 million related to the change in fair value of warrants and embedded derivatives.

 

Investor Conference Call:

 

The Company will host a conference call today, Monday, November 9, 2020 at 11 a.m. ET/ 8 a.m. PT to discuss these results and provide a business update.

 

To access the live call, please dial (877) 407-0778 (U.S. and Canada) or (201) 689-8565 (international). The conference call will also be simultaneously webcasted on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at http://acaciaresearch.com under the News & Events tab. Following the conclusion of the live call, a replay of the webcast will be available on the Company's website for at least 30 days.

 

 

 

 

 

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About Acacia Research Corporation

 

Founded in 1993, Acacia Research Corporation (ACTG) invests in Intellectual Property Assets and partners with inventors and patent owners to realize the financial value in their patented inventions. Acacia bridges the gap between invention and application, facilitating efficiency and delivering monetary rewards to the patent owner.

 

Information about Acacia Research Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.acaciaresearch.com.

 

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including the ability to successfully implement our strategic plan, the ability to successfully develop licensing programs and attract new business, changes in demand for current and future intellectual property rights, legislative, regulatory and competitive developments addressing licensing and enforcement of patents and/or intellectual property in general, general economic conditions, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the success of our investments. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent and forthcoming Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to the forgoing, and other SEC filings discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

 

The results achieved in the most recent quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results to be achieved by us in any subsequent quarters, as it is currently anticipated that Acacia Research Corporation’s financial results will vary, and may vary significantly, from quarter to quarter. This variance is expected to result from a number of factors, including risk factors affecting our results of operations and financial condition referenced above, and the particular structure of our licensing transactions, which may impact the amount of inventor royalties and contingent legal fees expenses we incur from period to period.

 

Acacia Research Investor Contact:

FNK IR

Rob Fink, 646-809-4048

rob@fnkir.com

 

 

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ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
    September 30,     September 30,  
    2020     2019     2020     2019  
                         
Revenues   $ 19,466     $ 1,711     $ 25,399     $ 10,558  
                                 
Portfolio operations:                                
Inventor royalties     5,772       776       6,843       4,752  
Contingent legal fees     6,609       35       6,855       587  
Litigation and licensing expenses - patents     1,001       987       3,497       6,643  
Amortization of patents     1,174       863       3,522       2,337  
Other portfolio expenses (income)           (475 )     (308 )     175  
Total portfolio operations     14,556       2,186       20,409       14,494  
Net portfolio income (loss)     4,910       (475 )     4,990       (3,936 )
General and administrative expenses     7,692       4,630       18,089       12,048  
Operating loss     (2,782 )     (5,105 )     (13,099 )     (15,984 )
                                 
Other income (expense):                                
Change in fair value of investment, net     (3,081 )     (4,266 )     3,704       9,622  
Loss on sale of investment           (915 )     (2,762 )     (8,147 )
Impairment of other investment                       (8,195 )
Gain on disposal of other investment           2,000             2,000  
Change in fair value of the Series A and B warrants and embedded derivatives     20,672             (46,612 )      
Change in fair value of equity securities derivative and forward contract     (64,011 )           17,542        
Gain on sale of prepaid investment and derivative     2,845             2,845        
Change in fair value of trading securities and equity securities - private     84,499       (482 )     81,907       132  
Gain (loss) on sale of trading securities     2,737       238       (4,272 )     226  
Loss on foreign currency exchange     (48 )     (106 )     (4,938 )     (106 )
Interest expense on Senior Secured Notes     (2,410 )           (3,178 )      
Interest income and other     10       1,028       811       3,012  
Total other income (expense)     41,213       (2,503 )     45,047       (1,456 )
                                 
Income (loss) before income taxes     38,431       (7,608 )     31,948       (17,440 )
                                 
Income tax benefit (expense)     (83 )           1,257       (323 )
                                 
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries     38,348       (7,608 )     33,205       (17,763 )
                                 
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries                       14  
                                 
Net income (loss) attributable to Acacia Research Corporation   $ 38,348     $ (7,608 )   $ 33,205     $ (17,749 )
                                 
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders - basic   $ 30,529     $ (7,608 )   $ 24,838     $ (17,749 )
                                 
Basic net income (loss) per common share   $ 0.63     $ (0.15 )   $ 0.51     $ (0.36 )
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic     48,467,885       49,828,361       48,949,706       49,727,385  
                                 
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders - diluted   $ 29,204     $ (7,608 )   $ 21,380     $ (17,749 )
                                 
Diluted net income (loss) per common share   $ 0.32     $ (0.15 )   $ 0.36     $ (0.36 )
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted     90,624,702       49,828,361       60,153,773       49,727,385  

 

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ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

    September 30,     December 31,  
    2020     2019  
             
ASSETS  
Current assets:                
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 162,564     $ 57,359  
Trading securities - debt           93,843  
Trading securities - equity     24,471       17,140  
Equity securities - private     116,009        
Equity securities derivative     17,818        
Equity securities forward contract     340        
Prepaid investment     42,900        
Accounts receivable     263       511  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     1,685       2,912  
Total current assets     366,050       171,765  
                 
Long-term restricted cash     35,000       35,000  
Investment at fair value     982       1,500  
Patents, net of accumulated amortization     18,071       7,814  
Leased right-of-use assets     1,101       1,264  
Other non-current assets     5,311       818  
Total assets   $ 426,515     $ 218,161  
                 
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK, AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY  
Current liabilities:                
Accounts payable   $ 2,707     $ 1,765  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities     4,849       7,265  
Accrued compensation     2,595       507  
Royalties and contingent legal fees payable     14,230       2,178  
Senior Secured Notes Payable - short-term     113,933        
Total current liabilities     138,314       11,715  
                 
Series A warrant liabilities     5,604       3,568  
Series A embedded derivative liabilities     25,682       17,974  
Series B warrant liabilities     42,796        
Long-term lease liabilities     1,101       1,264  
Other long-term liabilities     593       593  
Total liabilities     214,090       35,114  
                 
Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; stated value $100 per share; 350,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively; aggregate liquidation preference of $35,000 as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively     10,134       8,089  
                 
Stockholders' equity:                
Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding            
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 49,279,453 and 50,370,987 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively     49       50  
Treasury stock, at cost, 4,604,365 and 2,919,828 shares as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively     (43,270 )     (39,272 )
Additional paid-in capital     650,130       652,003  
Accumulated deficit     (406,451 )     (439,656 )
Total Acacia Research Corporation stockholders' equity     200,458       173,125  
                 
Noncontrolling interests     1,833       1,833  
                 
Total stockholders' equity     202,291       174,958  
                 
Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders' equity   $ 426,515     $ 218,161  

 

 

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