Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) (ACTG) vs Research Frontiers (REFR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) (ACTG) has outperformed Research Frontiers (REFR) over the past year, gaining 29.6% versus a loss of 61.8%. Over five years, ACTG leads with a -20.7% price change compared with -70.4% for REFR. Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) is the larger company by market cap ($425.0 million vs $23.8 million), about 17.8 times the size.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ACTG | REFR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $4.36 | $0.6836 |
| Market cap | $424.99M | $23.84M |
| 1-day change | -0.34% | -4.59% |
| YTD return | +16.44% | -47.82% |
| 1-year return | +29.61% | -61.81% |
| 5-year return | -20.67% | -70.41% |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.16 | $-0.06 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $5.27 | $2.70 |
| 52-week low | $3.24 | $0.34 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -17.36% | -74.68% |
| Analyst consensus | none | — |
| Avg. price target upside | +37.77% | — |
| Average volume | 222.67K | 1.66M |
| Shares outstanding | 97.59M | 34.87M |
| Employees | 986 | — |
| Sector | Miscellaneous | Miscellaneous |
| Industry | Multi-Sector Companies | Multi-Sector Companies |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) is about 17.8 times larger than Research Frontiers by market value ($424.99M vs $23.84M).
- ACTG has outperformed REFR by 91.4 percentage points over the past year.
About Acacia Research (Acacia Tech)
ACTG stock →Acacia Research Corporation operates as an acquirer and operator of businesses across industrial, energy, and technology sectors in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through four segments: Intellectual Property Operations, Industrial Operations, Energy Operations, and Manufacturing Operations.
Miscellaneous · Multi-Sector Companies · 986 employees
ACTG vs REFR FAQ
Which is bigger, Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) or Research Frontiers?
Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) (ACTG) is larger, with a market capitalization of $424.99M compared with $23.84M for Research Frontiers (REFR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ACTG or REFR?
ACTG returned +29.61% over the past 12 months, compared with -61.81% for REFR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Acacia Research (Acacia Tech) and Research Frontiers in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Multi-Sector Companies industry within the Miscellaneous sector.