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Side-by-side financial comparison of ACACIA RESEARCH CORP (ACTG) and AstroNova, Inc. (ALOT). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
ACACIA RESEARCH CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($50.1M vs $39.2M, roughly 1.3× AstroNova, Inc.). ACACIA RESEARCH CORP runs the higher net margin — 6.8% vs 1.0%, a 5.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.6% vs -3.4%). Over the past eight quarters, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP's revenue compounded faster (43.6% CAGR vs 2.1%).
Acacia Research Corporation is a publicly traded American company based in New York City. It acquires and operates businesses in industries including the technology, energy, and industrial/manufacturing sectors. Acacia has a strategic relationship with Starboard Value, LP, the company's controlling shareholder. The company has been characterized as a patent troll.
AstroNova, Inc. is a global technology firm designing, manufacturing and distributing specialty data visualization products, including high-performance label printers, test and measurement equipment, and aerospace-grade data recording systems, serving aerospace, manufacturing, retail and healthcare markets worldwide.
ACTG vs ALOT — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $50.1M | $39.2M |
| Net Profit | $3.4M | $378.0K |
| Gross Margin | 12.8% | 36.2% |
| Operating Margin | -26.1% | 3.3% |
| Net Margin | 6.8% | 1.0% |
| Revenue YoY | 2.6% | -3.4% |
| Net Profit YoY | 125.5% | 221.5% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.03 | $0.05 |
Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.
8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend
Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.
| Q4 25 | $50.1M | $39.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $59.4M | $36.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $51.2M | $37.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $124.4M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $48.8M | $40.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $23.3M | $40.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $25.8M | $33.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $24.3M | $39.6M |
| Q4 25 | $3.4M | $378.0K | ||
| Q3 25 | $-2.7M | $-1.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-3.3M | $-376.0K | ||
| Q1 25 | $24.3M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-13.4M | $240.0K | ||
| Q3 24 | $-14.0M | $-311.0K | ||
| Q2 24 | $-8.4M | $1.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-186.0K | $2.7M |
| Q4 25 | 12.8% | 36.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 21.2% | 32.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.8% | 33.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 47.4% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 17.6% | 33.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.1% | 35.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 26.2% | 36.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 49.2% | 31.9% |
| Q4 25 | -26.1% | 3.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | -10.8% | -2.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | -24.2% | 1.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 30.8% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | -32.4% | 3.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | -44.1% | 2.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | -18.4% | 4.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | -8.6% | 9.9% |
| Q4 25 | 6.8% | 1.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | -4.6% | -3.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -6.4% | -1.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 19.5% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | -27.5% | 0.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | -60.0% | -0.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | -32.7% | 3.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | -0.8% | 6.8% |
| Q4 25 | $0.03 | $0.05 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.03 | $-0.16 | ||
| Q2 25 | $-0.03 | $-0.05 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.25 | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.14 | $0.03 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-0.14 | $-0.04 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-0.08 | $0.15 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.00 | $0.37 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $306.7M | $3.6M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $91.9M | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $543.5M | $76.9M |
| Total Assets | $771.0M | $140.8M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.17× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $306.7M | $3.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $301.8M | $3.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $316.7M | $5.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $272.0M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $273.9M | $4.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $410.9M | $4.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $441.9M | $4.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $498.4M | $4.5M |
| Q4 25 | $91.9M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
| Q4 25 | $543.5M | $76.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $537.6M | $75.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $538.6M | $76.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $540.2M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $514.8M | $92.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $540.2M | $91.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $560.7M | $91.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $568.3M | $90.3M |
| Q4 25 | $771.0M | $140.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $768.9M | $143.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $775.5M | $150.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $801.6M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $756.4M | $166.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $707.6M | $169.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $753.6M | $126.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $631.7M | $133.3M |
| Q4 25 | 0.17× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $75.2M | $3.4M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | $3.3M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | 8.5% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | 0.2% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 22.01× | 9.05× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $2.9M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $75.2M | $3.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $9.5M | $249.0K | ||
| Q2 25 | $50.1M | $4.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $50.1M | $-4.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-593.0K | $162.0K | ||
| Q2 24 | $16.1M | $6.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $54.8M | $6.5M |
| Q4 25 | — | $3.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $202.0K | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $4.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $335.0K | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-98.5M | $-5.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-2.8M | $-176.0K | ||
| Q2 24 | $-126.7M | $6.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $54.6M | $6.0M |
| Q4 25 | — | 8.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 11.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.3% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | -201.8% | -12.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | -12.1% | -0.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | -490.5% | 19.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 224.4% | 15.3% |
| Q4 25 | — | 0.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.7% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 304.4% | 0.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 9.6% | 0.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 553.0% | 1.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Q4 25 | 22.01× | 9.05× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.10× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | -19.76× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 5.85× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 2.38× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
ACTG
| Energy Operations | $16.0M | 32% |
| Transportation Safety | $10.4M | 21% |
| Office Storage And Display Solutions | $8.4M | 17% |
| Printers Consumables And Parts | $6.5M | 13% |
| Natural Gas Reserves | $5.1M | 10% |
| Natural Gas Liquids Reserves | $3.3M | 7% |
ALOT
| Public Utilities Inventory Supplies | $20.6M | 53% |
| Hardware Products | $12.7M | 32% |
| Service And Other | $5.9M | 15% |
