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Side-by-side financial comparison of ACACIA RESEARCH CORP (ACTG) and STEM, INC. (STEM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

ACACIA RESEARCH CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($50.1M vs $47.1M, roughly 1.1× STEM, INC.). ACACIA RESEARCH CORP runs the higher net margin — 6.8% vs -33.9%, a 40.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.6% vs -15.6%). Over the past eight quarters, ACACIA RESEARCH CORP's revenue compounded faster (43.6% CAGR vs 36.1%).

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.

StemCells, Inc. is a public biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Newark, California, that is developing purified human neural stem cells (HuCNS-SCs) in the hopes of treating central nervous system disorders and paralysis. StemCells' HuCNS-SCs have the ability to differentiate into the three main types of cells found in the central nervous system: neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

ACTG vs STEM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ACTG
ACTG
1.1× larger
ACTG
$50.1M
$47.1M
STEM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ACTG
ACTG
+18.2% gap
ACTG
2.6%
-15.6%
STEM
Higher net margin
ACTG
ACTG
40.7% more per $
ACTG
6.8%
-33.9%
STEM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ACTG
ACTG
Annualised
ACTG
43.6%
36.1%
STEM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Revenue
$50.1M
$47.1M
Net Profit
$3.4M
$-16.0M
Gross Margin
12.8%
48.9%
Operating Margin
-26.1%
-17.7%
Net Margin
6.8%
-33.9%
Revenue YoY
2.6%
-15.6%
Net Profit YoY
125.5%
68.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.03
$-4.40

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.

Revenue
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$50.1M
$47.1M
Q3 25
$59.4M
$38.2M
Q2 25
$51.2M
$38.4M
Q1 25
$124.4M
$32.5M
Q4 24
$48.8M
$55.8M
Q3 24
$23.3M
$29.3M
Q2 24
$25.8M
$34.0M
Q1 24
$24.3M
$25.5M
Net Profit
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$3.4M
$-16.0M
Q3 25
$-2.7M
$-23.8M
Q2 25
$-3.3M
$202.5M
Q1 25
$24.3M
$-25.0M
Q4 24
$-13.4M
$-51.1M
Q3 24
$-14.0M
$-148.3M
Q2 24
$-8.4M
$-582.3M
Q1 24
$-186.0K
$-72.3M
Gross Margin
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
12.8%
48.9%
Q3 25
21.2%
35.5%
Q2 25
12.8%
33.4%
Q1 25
47.4%
32.4%
Q4 24
17.6%
-4.4%
Q3 24
10.1%
21.2%
Q2 24
26.2%
27.6%
Q1 24
49.2%
-95.0%
Operating Margin
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
-26.1%
-17.7%
Q3 25
-10.8%
-33.6%
Q2 25
-24.2%
-34.8%
Q1 25
30.8%
-65.0%
Q4 24
-32.4%
-84.4%
Q3 24
-44.1%
-493.2%
Q2 24
-18.4%
-1705.5%
Q1 24
-8.6%
-267.0%
Net Margin
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
6.8%
-33.9%
Q3 25
-4.6%
-62.2%
Q2 25
-6.4%
527.8%
Q1 25
19.5%
-76.9%
Q4 24
-27.5%
-91.6%
Q3 24
-60.0%
-506.3%
Q2 24
-32.7%
-1712.6%
Q1 24
-0.8%
-283.9%
EPS (diluted)
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$0.03
$-4.40
Q3 25
$-0.03
$-2.84
Q2 25
$-0.03
$-1.79
Q1 25
$0.25
$-0.15
Q4 24
$-0.14
$-15.29
Q3 24
$-0.14
$-18.24
Q2 24
$-0.08
$-71.81
Q1 24
$0.00
$-0.46

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$306.7M
$48.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$91.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$543.5M
$-249.4M
Total Assets
$771.0M
$308.9M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.17×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$306.7M
$48.9M
Q3 25
$301.8M
$43.1M
Q2 25
$316.7M
$40.8M
Q1 25
$272.0M
$58.6M
Q4 24
$273.9M
$56.3M
Q3 24
$410.9M
$75.4M
Q2 24
$441.9M
$89.6M
Q1 24
$498.4M
$112.8M
Total Debt
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$91.9M
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$543.5M
$-249.4M
Q3 25
$537.6M
$-235.7M
Q2 25
$538.6M
$-214.1M
Q1 25
$540.2M
$-417.5M
Q4 24
$514.8M
$-398.4M
Q3 24
$540.2M
$-344.1M
Q2 24
$560.7M
$-203.2M
Q1 24
$568.3M
$371.6M
Total Assets
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$771.0M
$308.9M
Q3 25
$768.9M
$362.6M
Q2 25
$775.5M
$379.2M
Q1 25
$801.6M
$405.1M
Q4 24
$756.4M
$437.4M
Q3 24
$707.6M
$537.8M
Q2 24
$753.6M
$691.5M
Q1 24
$631.7M
$1.3B
Debt / Equity
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
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
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$75.2M
$8.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
22.01×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
$75.2M
$8.2M
Q3 25
$9.5M
$11.4M
Q2 25
$50.1M
$-21.3M
Q1 25
$2.4M
$8.5M
Q4 24
$50.1M
$-14.7M
Q3 24
$-593.0K
$-9.4M
Q2 24
$16.1M
$-11.9M
Q1 24
$54.8M
$-621.0K
Free Cash Flow
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
$335.0K
Q4 24
$-98.5M
Q3 24
$-2.8M
Q2 24
$-126.7M
Q1 24
$54.6M
FCF Margin
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
0.3%
Q4 24
-201.8%
Q3 24
-12.1%
Q2 24
-490.5%
Q1 24
224.4%
Capex Intensity
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
1.7%
Q4 24
304.4%
Q3 24
9.6%
Q2 24
553.0%
Q1 24
1.1%
Cash Conversion
ACTG
ACTG
STEM
STEM
Q4 25
22.01×
Q3 25
Q2 25
-0.11×
Q1 25
0.10×
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ACTG
ACTG

Energy Operations$16.0M32%
Transportation Safety$10.4M21%
Office Storage And Display Solutions$8.4M17%
Printers Consumables And Parts$6.5M13%
Natural Gas Reserves$5.1M10%
Natural Gas Liquids Reserves$3.3M7%

STEM
STEM

Segment breakdown not available.

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