UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  April 14, 2022

ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code): (949) 480-8300

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).     o Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  o

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On April 14, 2022, Acacia Research Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) entered into a Seventh Supplemental Agreement (the “Seventh Supplemental Agreement”) with Merton Acquisition HoldCo LLC (“Merton”) and Starboard Value LP (the “Designee” or “Starboard Value”), on behalf of the certain buyers (the “Starboard Funds”) of the Notes issued pursuant to the previously reported Securities Purchase Agreement (as amended and supplemented, the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of November 18, 2019, to, primarily, (i) repay an aggregate of $50.0 million principal amount of the Notes, (ii) extend the maturity date of the remaining outstanding Notes to July 15, 2022, and (iii) amend the definitions of (a) “Permitted Investments” to permit certain types of derivative instruments and (b) “Permitted Debt” to permit certain guarantees in connection with such derivative instruments. After giving effect to the Seventh Supplemental Agreement, the total principal amount outstanding of the Notes is $115.0 million.

The foregoing description of the Seventh Supplemental Agreement is a summary of the material terms of such agreement, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Seventh Supplemental Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth under Item 1.01 regarding the terms of the Sixth Supplemental Agreement is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

(d)     Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.