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Side-by-side financial comparison of ACACIA RESEARCH CORP (ACTG) and National CineMedia, Inc. (NCMI). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
National CineMedia, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($63.4M vs $50.1M, roughly 1.3× ACACIA RESEARCH CORP). ACACIA RESEARCH CORP runs the higher net margin — 6.8% vs 2.5%, a 4.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.6% vs 1.6%). Over the past eight quarters, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP's revenue compounded faster (43.6% CAGR vs -16.4%).
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.
National CineMedia, Inc. (NCM) is an American cinema advertising company. NCM displays ads to U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. NCM presents cinema advertising across a digital in-theater network, consisting of theaters owned by AMC Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, Regal Cinemas and other regional theater circuits.
ACTG vs NCMI — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $50.1M | $63.4M |
| Net Profit | $3.4M | $1.6M |
| Gross Margin | 12.8% | 95.0% |
| Operating Margin | -26.1% | -2.8% |
| Net Margin | 6.8% | 2.5% |
| Revenue YoY | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | 125.5% | 144.4% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.03 | $0.02 |
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 | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $59.4M | $63.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $51.2M | $51.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $124.4M | $34.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $48.8M | $86.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $23.3M | $62.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $25.8M | $54.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $24.3M | $37.4M |
| Q4 25 | $3.4M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $-2.7M | $1.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-3.3M | $-10.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $24.3M | $-30.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-13.4M | $24.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-14.0M | $-3.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-8.4M | $-8.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-186.0K | $-34.7M |
| Q4 25 | 12.8% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 21.2% | 95.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.8% | 93.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 47.4% | 91.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 17.6% | 96.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.1% | 94.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 26.2% | 93.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 49.2% | 90.4% |
| Q4 25 | -26.1% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | -10.8% | -2.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | -24.2% | -23.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 30.8% | -68.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | -32.4% | 23.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | -44.1% | -12.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | -18.4% | -17.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | -8.6% | -60.7% |
| Q4 25 | 6.8% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | -4.6% | 2.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | -6.4% | -20.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 19.5% | -88.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | -27.5% | 28.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | -60.0% | -5.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | -32.7% | -15.9% | ||
| Q1 24 | -0.8% | -92.8% |
| Q4 25 | $0.03 | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.03 | $0.02 | ||
| Q2 25 | $-0.03 | $-0.11 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.25 | $-0.32 | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.14 | $0.26 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-0.14 | $-0.04 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-0.08 | $-0.09 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.00 | $-0.36 |
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 | $29.9M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $91.9M | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $543.5M | $350.5M |
| Total Assets | $771.0M | $451.9M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.17× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $306.7M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $301.8M | $29.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $316.7M | $37.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $272.0M | $59.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $273.9M | $75.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $410.9M | $49.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $441.9M | $53.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $498.4M | $57.1M |
| Q4 25 | $91.9M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
| Q4 25 | $543.5M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $537.6M | $350.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $538.6M | $350.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $540.2M | $370.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $514.8M | $411.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $540.2M | $385.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $560.7M | $387.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $568.3M | $402.3M |
| Q4 25 | $771.0M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $768.9M | $451.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $775.5M | $462.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $801.6M | $503.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $756.4M | $568.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $707.6M | $526.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $753.6M | $527.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $631.7M | $538.6M |
| 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 | $-1.0M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | $-2.0M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | -3.2% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | 1.6% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 22.01× | -0.63× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $24.8M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $75.2M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $9.5M | $-1.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $50.1M | $-4.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4M | $6.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $50.1M | $30.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-593.0K | $-2.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $16.1M | $7.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $54.8M | $24.1M |
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $-2.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $-6.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $335.0K | $5.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-98.5M | $28.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-2.8M | $-2.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-126.7M | $6.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $54.6M | $22.6M |
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | -3.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | -12.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.3% | 15.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | -201.8% | 32.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | -12.1% | -4.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | -490.5% | 11.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 224.4% | 60.4% |
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.7% | 2.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 304.4% | 2.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 9.6% | 1.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | 553.0% | 2.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.1% | 4.0% |
| Q4 25 | 22.01× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | -0.63× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.10× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 1.23× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
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% |
NCMI
| National Advertising Revenue | $49.9M | 79% |
| Local Advertising Revenue | $9.6M | 15% |
| Founding Member Advertising Revenue From Beverage Concessionaire Agreements | $3.9M | 6% |
