ACACIA RESEARCH CORP

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. To the extent that statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not recitations of historical fact, such statements constitute forward-looking statements, which, by definition, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” or other forms of these words or similar words or expressions or the negative thereof, although not all forward-looking statements contain these terms. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, our business, operating, development, investment and finance strategies, our relationship with Starboard Value LP, acquisition and development activities, financial results of our acquired businesses, intellectual property ("IP"), licensing and enforcement activities, other related business activities, capital expenditures, earnings, litigation, regulatory matters, markets for our services, liquidity and capital resources and accounting matters. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our future business, financial condition, results of operations or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained herein. All of our forward-looking statements include assumptions underlying or relating to such statements and are subject to numerous factors that present considerable risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation:

•The ability of the parties to consummate the Revolution Transaction (as defined below);

•Any delay or failure to consummate the Revolution Transaction due to unsatisfied closing conditions or otherwise;

•Transaction costs associated with the Revolution Transaction;

•The risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the Revolution Transaction;

•Any inability to acquire additional operating businesses and intellectual property assets;

•Costs related to acquiring additional operating businesses and intellectual property;

•Any inability to retain employees and management team(s) at the Company and our operating businesses;

•Any inability to successfully integrate our operating businesses;

•Facts that are not revealed in the due diligence process in connection with new acquisitions;

•Any determination that we may be deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

•Disruptions or uncertainty caused by changes to the Company’s management team and board of directors;

•Disruptions, delays caused by outsourcing services to third-party service providers;

•Changes in legislation, regulations, and rules associated with patent and tax law;

•Cybersecurity incidents, including cyberattacks, breaches of security and unauthorized access to or disclosure of confidential information;

•Fluctuations in patent-related legal expenses;

•Findings by any relevant patent office that our patents are invalid or unenforceable;

•Our ability to retain legal counsel in connection with enforcement of our intellectual property;

•Delays in successful prosecution, enforcement, and licensing of our patent portfolio;

•Any inability of our operating businesses to protect their intellectual property;

•Any inability of our operating businesses to develop new products and enhance existing products;

•Any inability of Benchmark to execute its business strategy;

•The potential for oil and gas prices to decline or for the differential between benchmark prices of oil and the wellhead price to increase;

•Oil or natural gas production becoming uneconomic, causing write downs or adversely affecting Benchmark’s ability to borrow;

•Inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions or labor shortages;

•The ability of our Energy Operations Business to execute its hedging strategy;

•Our Energy Operations Business’ ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves;

•Risks, operational hazards, unforeseen interruptions and other difficulties involved in the production of oil and natural gas;

•The impact on our Energy Operations Business’ operations of seismic events;

•Climate change legislation, rules regulating air emissions, operational safety laws and regulations and any regulatory changes;

•The loss of any Printronix major customers that generates a large portion of its revenue or the decrease in demand for Printronix' products;

•Any supply chain interruption or inability to manage inventory levels of our operating businesses;

•Printronix’s inability to perform satisfactorily under service contracts; and

•Events that are outside of our control, such as political conditions and unrest in international markets, terrorist attacks, malicious human acts, hurricanes and other natural disasters, pandemics, and other similar events.

We have based our forward-looking statements on management’s current expectations and projections about trends affecting our business and industry and other future events. Although we do not make forward-looking statements unless we believe we have a reasonable basis for doing so, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. For additional information related to the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” herein. In addition, actual results may differ materially as a result of additional risks and uncertainties of which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business.

The forward-looking statements included herein and the above described risks, uncertainties and other factors speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein, to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto, or any other change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement.