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 FEBRUARY 19, 2004 DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED) ____________ ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter) Delaware 000-26068 95-4405754 -------- --------- ---------- (State or Other Jurisdiction (Commission (I.R.S. Employer of Incorporation) File Number) Identification No.) 500 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (949) 480-8300 Registrant's telephone number, including area code Not Applicable (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed since Last Report) ITEM 7. EXHIBITS. (c) Exhibits. 99.1 Press Release dated February 19, 2004 of the Registrant. ITEM 12. DISCLOSURE OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION. On February 19, 2004, Acacia Research Corporation issued a press release announcing its earnings for the three months and the year ended December 31, 2003. A copy of that release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report. The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K is being furnished and shall not be deemed "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. 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. ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION Date: February 19, 2004 By: /s/ Paul R. Ryan ------------------------------------------- Name: Paul R. Ryan Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer -2- Exhibit Index Exhibit Number Description -------------- ----------- 99.1 Press Release dated February 19, 2004, of the Registrant.