One of today’s biggest movers is Acacia Research (ACTG), an unusual company that makes money by partnering with investors and patent owners, then licensing the patents to corporate users, which is a nice way to say that they are “patent trolls,” who invent little but litigate much.
Acacia posted Q1 revenue of $39.77 million, up from $16.96 million a year ago, and well ahead of the Street at $17 million; the company earned 55 cents a share, which was pretty impressive considering the Street was looking for two cents.
The company said Q1 revenues reflect license fees from 40 new licensing agreements covering 29 of its technology licensing programs, including initial fees from 13 new licensing programs, up from 4 in the comparable year ago quarter.
Acacia’s patents cover a wide range of technologies – lighting, mapping, storage systems, credit-card fraud protection and many, many others. Acacia is apparently good at squeezing out value from patents – and at least in the current quarter, its holders are reaping big returns as a result.
ACTG is up$2.92, or 25.3%, to $14.47.
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