Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Acacia and its wholly and majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Noncontrolling interests in Acacia’s majority-owned and controlled operating subsidiaries (“noncontrolling interests”) are separately presented as a component of stockholders’ equity. Consolidated net income or (loss) is adjusted to include the net (income) or loss attributed to noncontrolling interests in the consolidated statements of operations. Refer to the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity for total noncontrolling interests.

In 2020, in connection with the transaction with Link Fund Solutions Limited, which is more fully described in Note 3, the Company acquired equity securities of Malin J1 Limited (“MalinJ1”). MalinJ1 is included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements because the Company, through its interest in the equity securities of MalinJ1, has the ability to control the operations and activities of MalinJ1. Viamet HoldCo LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Acacia, is the majority shareholder of MalinJ1.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Acacia is the general partner of the Acacia Intellectual Property Fund, L.P. (the “Acacia IP Fund”), which was formed in August 2010. The Acacia IP Fund has been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements since 2010, as Acacia’s wholly-owned subsidiary, the general partner of Acacia IP Fund, has the ability to control the operations and activities of the Acacia IP Fund. The Acacia IP Fund was terminated as of December 31, 2017 and dissolved in 2020.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Acacia believes that, of the significant accounting policies described herein, the accounting policies associated with revenue recognition, the valuation of the equity instruments, the valuation of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock (the “Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock”), embedded derivatives, Series A warrants (the “Series A Warrants”), Series B warrants (the “Series B Warrants”), stock-based compensation expense, impairment of patent-related intangible assets, the determination of the economic useful life of amortizable intangible assets, income taxes and valuation allowances against net deferred tax assets, require its most difficult, subjective or complex judgments.

Patent Portfolio Operations

Patent Portfolio Operations

Cost of revenues include the costs and expenses incurred in connection with Acacia’s patent licensing and enforcement activities, including inventor royalties paid to original patent owners, patent maintenance and prosecution costs, contingent legal fees paid to external patent counsel, other patent-related legal expenses paid to external patent counsel, licensing and enforcement related research, consulting and other expenses paid to third-parties and the amortization of patent-related investment costs. These costs are included under the caption “Patent portfolio operations” in the consolidated statements of operations.

Inventor Royalties and Contingent Legal Expenses

Inventor royalties are expensed in the consolidated statements of operations in the period that the related revenues are recognized. Patent costs, including any upfront advances paid to patent owners by Acacia’s operating subsidiaries, that are recoverable from future net revenues are amortized over the estimated economic useful life of the related patents, or as the prepaid royalties are earned by the inventor, as appropriate, and the related expense is included in amortization expense in the consolidated statements of operations. Any unamortized upfront advances recovered from net revenues are expensed in the period recovered and included in amortization expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Contingent legal fees are expensed in the consolidated statements of operations in the period that the related revenues are recognized. In instances where there are no recoveries from potential infringers, no contingent legal fees are paid; however, Acacia’s operating subsidiaries may be liable for certain out of pocket legal costs incurred pursuant to the underlying legal services agreement.

Inventor royalty and contingent legal agreements generally provide for payment by the Company of contractual amounts 30 days subsequent to the fiscal quarter end during which related license fee payments are received from licensees by the Company.

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

During 2019, the Company purchased shares of common stock of Drive Shack, Inc. (“Drive Shack”) for an aggregate purchase price of $2.4 million. At the time, Drive Shack and Clifford Press, Chief Executive Officer and director of Acacia, were related parties as Mr. Press was a board member of Drive Shack until June 2021. The market value of the investment was $1.4 million as of December 31, 2020. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company sold its investment receiving proceeds of $1.8 million and recognized a loss of $515,000.

Equity Securities at Fair Value

Equity Securities at Fair Value

Investments in equity securities are reported at fair value on a recurring basis, with related realized and unrealized gains and losses in the value of such securities recorded in the consolidated statements of operations in other income or (expense). Dividend income is included in the consolidated statements of operations in other income or (expense). Refer to Note 7 for additional information related to fair value measurements.

Equity securities at fair value for the periods presented were comprised of the following:

Schedule of equity securities
Security Type	Cost		Gross Unrealized Gain		Gross Unrealized Loss			Fair Value
	(In thousands)
September 30, 2021:
Equity securities - Life Sciences Portfolio (Note 3)	$	62,042	$	288,508	$	(1,812	)	$	348,738
Equity securities - other equity		35,178		3,289		(85	)		38,382
Total	$	97,220	$	291,797	$	(1,897	)	$	387,120

December 31, 2020:
Equity securities - Life Sciences Portfolio (Note 3)	$	32,765	$	72,689	$	(583	)	$	104,871
Equity securities - other equity		4,086		1,410		(1,264	)		4,232
Total	$	36,851	$	74,099	$	(1,847	)	$	109,103

Equity Method Investments

Equity Method Investments

Equity investments in common stock and in-substance common stock without readily determinable fair values in companies over which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Acacia includes its proportionate share of earnings and/or losses of its equity method investees in earnings on equity investment in joint venture in the consolidated statements of operations. Refer to Note 3 for additional information.

Impairment of Investments

Impairment of Investments

Acacia reviews its investments quarterly for indicators of other-than-temporary impairment. This determination requires significant judgment. In making this judgment, Acacia considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence in evaluating potential impairment of its investments. If the cost of an investment exceeds its fair value, Acacia evaluates, among other factors, general market conditions and the duration and extent to which the fair value is less than cost. Acacia also considers specific adverse conditions related to the financial health of and business outlook for the investee, including industry and sector performance, changes in technology, and operational and financing cash flow factors. Once a decline in fair value is determined to be other-than-temporary, an impairment charge is recorded in the consolidated statements of operations and a new cost basis in the investment is established.

Patents

Patents

Patents include the cost of patents or patent rights acquired from third-parties or obtained in connection with business combinations. Patent costs are amortized utilizing the straight-line method over their remaining economic useful lives. Refer to Note 5 for additional information.

Series A and B Warrants

Series A and B Warrants

The fair value of the Series A and B Warrants are estimated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Refer to Notes 6 and 7 for additional information related to the Series A and B Warrants and their fair value measurements.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received for an asset or the exit price that would be paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date, and also establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available. Refer to Note 7 for additional information.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award) which is generally one to three years. The fair value of restricted stock awards (“RSAs”) and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) are determined by the product of the number of shares or units granted and the grant date market price of the underlying common stock. The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur.

RSUs granted in September 2019 with market-based vesting conditions vest based upon the Company achieving specified stock price targets over a three-year period. The effect of a market condition is reflected in the estimate of the grant-date fair value of the options utilizing a Monte Carlo valuation technique. Compensation cost is recognized with a market-based vesting condition provided that the requisite service is rendered, regardless of when, if ever, the market condition is satisfied. Assumptions utilized in connection with the Monte Carlo valuation technique, that resulted in a fair value of $1.42 per unit, included: estimated risk-free interest rate of 1.38 percent; term of 3.00 years; expected volatility of 38 percent; and expected dividend yield of 0 percent. The risk-free interest rate was determined based on the yields available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues. The expected stock price volatility was determined using historical volatility. The expected dividend yield was based on expectations regarding dividend payments. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, 450,000 RSUs were forfeited, leaving 450,000 units with market-based vesting conditions outstanding and unvested at period end.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company granted 324,401 RSAs at a weighted average grant-date fair value of $5.56 per share, 473,000 RSUs at a weighted average grant-date fair value of $5.86 per unit and 393,750 non-qualified stock options at a grant-date fair value of $1.79 per share.

Stock-based compensation is reported in the consolidated statements of operations in general and administrative expenses. Total stock-based compensation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $300,000 and $1,279,000, respectively. Total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense as of September 30, 2021 was $5,952,000, which will be amortized over a weighted average remaining vesting period of 2.20 years. Total stock-based compensation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $488,000 and $1,243,000, respectively.

Profits Interest Units (“PIUs”) were accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718-10, “Compensation - Stock Compensation.” The vesting conditions did not meet the definition of service, market or performance conditions, as defined in ASC 718. As such, the PIUs were classified as liability awards. Compensation expense was adjusted for changes in fair value prorated for the portion of the requisite service period rendered. Initially, compensation expense was recognized on a straight-line basis over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award) which was five years. Upon full vesting of the award, which occurred during the three months ended September 30, 2017, previously unrecognized compensation expense was immediately recognized in the period. The Company has a purchase option to purchase the vested PIUs that are not otherwise forfeited after termination of continuous service. The exercise price of the purchase option is the fair market value of the PIUs on the date of termination of continuous service. The individuals holding PIUs are no longer employed by the Company. Included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the PIUs totaled $591,000, which was their fair value as of December 31, 2018 after termination of service.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted

In December of 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” The update removed certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 in U.S. GAAP. The Company adopted the update on January 1, 2021. The adoption of the update did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” to replace the incurred loss methodology with an expected credit loss model that requires consideration of a broader range of information to estimate credit losses over the lifetime of the asset, including current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in addition to historical loss information, to determine expected credit losses. Pooling of assets with similar risk characteristics and the use of a loss model are also required. Also, in April 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments,” to clarify the inclusion of recoveries of trade receivables previously written off when estimating an allowance for credit losses. The amendments in these updates will currently be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023, with early adoption permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact that the amendments in these updates may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity,” to simplify the accounting for convertible instruments by eliminating large sections of the existing guidance in this area. It also eliminates several triggers for derivative accounting, including a requirement to settle certain contracts by delivering registered shares. This update reduces the number of accounting models for convertible instruments, revises the derivatives scope exception, and provides targeted improvements for earnings per share. Upon adoption, companies have the option to apply a modified or full retrospective transition approach. The amendments in this update will currently be effective for the Company on January 1, 2024, with early adoption permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact that the amendments in this update may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers,” to require that an acquirer recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” At the acquisition date, an acquirer should account for the related revenue contracts in accordance with Topic 606 as if it had originated the contracts. The amendments in this update should be applied prospectively and will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023, with early adoption permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact that the amendments in this update may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.