RE:RE:RE:RE:Apple settlement There is no rule. But track record and precedents matter.
They "signal" to the actually astute investor (not the cabbie sidekick that lurks around) what to expect. When they sign a license to a subset of a portfolio, you know it is small fry.
When there is a signing on the last day of the quarter and there is no pre announcement, it has historically been a very bad quarter.
The very good WiLan quarters in the last three years had a pre announcement. Do your homework.