Acme United Corporation. (ACU)
XASE:ACU
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Acme United
(NYSE MKT:ACU)
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Rating:54Neutral
Price Target:
$44.00
▲(18.76% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/12/26
The score is held back primarily by financial statement risk/uncertainty (very low reported 2025 equity and unusual cash flow vs. earnings) despite stable revenue and solid gross margins. Offsetting positives come from a constructive earnings call (record results, deleveraging, and strategic expansion), while technical indicators are neutral and valuation is reasonable but not exceptionally cheap.
Positive Factors
Strategic M&A and capacity expansion
Acquisitions and the Tennessee facility materially expand Acme's first aid and medical footprint, adding direct‑to‑consumer channels, incremental revenue and manufacturing capacity. These structural moves diversify revenue mix and create longer‑term cross‑sell and scale advantages.
Negative Factors
Extremely thin reported 2025 equity
A virtually nonexistent reported equity base magnifies leverage metrics and increases solvency and volatility risk. Even if due to accounting items, the thin capital cushion limits financial flexibility, heightens refinancing sensitivity and raises material downside risk in stress scenarios.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Strategic M&A and capacity expansion
Acquisitions and the Tennessee facility materially expand Acme's first aid and medical footprint, adding direct‑to‑consumer channels, incremental revenue and manufacturing capacity. These structural moves diversify revenue mix and create longer‑term cross‑sell and scale advantages.
Read all positive factors
Acme United (ACU) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$170.57M
Dividend Yield1.48%
Average Volume (3M)9.50K
Price to Earnings (P/E)15.0
Beta (1Y)0.60
Revenue Growth2.35%
EPS Growth-50.52%
CountryUS
Employees633
SectorConsumer Defensive
Sector Strength42
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.46
Shares Outstanding3,808,225
10 Day Avg. Volume11,184
30 Day Avg. Volume9,501
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-20.31
Price to Book (P/B)1.30
Price to Sales (P/S)0.78
P/FCF Ratio20.15
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.17
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.01
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit2.57
Enterprise Value/Ebitda9.24
Forecast
1Y Price TargetN/A
Price Target UpsideN/A
Rating ConsensusN/A
Number of Analyst Covering0
EPS Forecast (FY)3.17
Revenue Forecast (FY)$222.17M
Acme United Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Acme United Corporation supplies first aid and safety, cutting, sharpening, and measuring products to the school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods, and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company...
How the Company Makes Money
Acme United generates revenue through the sale of its wide range of products across various sectors. The company's revenue model is primarily based on direct sales to retailers, wholesalers, and distributors, as well as through e-commerce platform...
Acme United Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:Feb 26, 2026
(Q4-2025)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 17, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presents a generally positive outlook: the company achieved record sales and earnings, generated strong free cash flow, reduced net debt, grew in Canada and Europe, and made strategic investments (M&A, facilities, automation) to expand first aid and medical capabilities. However, growth is modest (1% year-over-year), U.S. revenues were flat to slightly down, Q4 gross margin saw slight compression, and the business faced meaningful tariff-related disruptions and integration risks from acquisitions. Overall, the operational execution, cash generation, margin discipline and strategic positioning outweigh the near-term headwinds and risks.Positive Updates
Record Sales and Earnings
Net sales for 2025 were $196.5 million (up from $194.5 million in 2024, +1%). Net income was $10.2 million ($2.49 diluted EPS) compared to $10.0 million ($2.45 EPS) in 2024, representing a 2% increase in net income and EPS for the year. Q4 net sales were $47.5 million (up 3% vs. Q4 2024) and Q4 net income was $1.9 million ($0.46 diluted EPS), up 10% in net income and 12% in diluted EPS versus Q4 2024.
Negative Updates
Modest Top-Line Growth
Full-year revenue growth was only 1% year-over-year despite record sales, indicating slower organic growth. U.S. net sales were flat in Q4 and declined 1% for the full year, reflecting softness in core markets.
Read all updates
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive
Negative
Record Sales and Earnings
Net sales for 2025 were $196.5 million (up from $194.5 million in 2024, +1%). Net income was $10.2 million ($2.49 diluted EPS) compared to $10.0 million ($2.45 EPS) in 2024, representing a 2% increase in net income and EPS for the year. Q4 net sales were $47.5 million (up 3% vs. Q4 2024) and Q4 net income was $1.9 million ($0.46 diluted EPS), up 10% in net income and 12% in diluted EPS versus Q4 2024.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Acme said its guidance is for growth in its first aid and medical segments and a return to more normal retail merchandising and promotion in 2026, and management expects to “deliver good results” in Q1 and the rest of the year as it leverages expanded domestic production and international sourcing. The company enters 2026 after record 2025 results — net sales $196.5M, net income $10.2M, EPS $2.49 — with Q4 sales of $47.5M (+3% YoY) and year sales up 1%; segment strength includes Europe +22% (quarter, local currency) and Canada +14% (quarter, local currency), while U.S. sales were flat in Q4 and down 1% for the year. Financial and strategic capacity to grow is supported by a 39.4% FY gross margin, Q4 operating profit up 27%, SG&A at $62.7M (32% of sales) for the year, interest expense down to $1.6M, bank debt less cash of $18.5M, $13M of free cash flow before the $6M Tennessee facility purchase (78,000 sq ft), recent acquisitions (My Medic: ~$19M 2025 revenue, $18.6M purchase price with ~$1M earn-out and ~$3M holdback; a Germany cutting line for $1.6M with ~$2M annual sales), and ongoing investments in robotics, Med‑Nap capacity, a microbiology lab and inventory optimization.Acme United Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
64
Positive
Balance Sheet
28
Negative
Cash Flow
22
Negative
| Breakdown | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 196.54M | 194.49M | 191.50M | 193.96M | 182.09M |
| Gross Profit | 77.41M | 76.35M | 72.21M | 63.56M | 64.80M |
| EBITDA | 21.57M | 20.44M | 30.90M | 10.59M | 20.30M |
| Net Income | 10.19M | 10.02M | 17.79M | 3.03M | 13.66M |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 174.60M | 162.17M | 149.24M | 164.38M | 144.44M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 3.60K | 6.40M | 4.80M | 6.10M | 4.84M |
| Total Debt | 28.72M | 32.84M | 25.51M | 63.42M | 47.48M |
| Total Liabilities | 56.99M | 55.19M | 51.34M | 85.35M | 67.36M |
| Stockholders Equity | 117.61M | 106.98M | 97.90M | 79.03M | 77.08M |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 7.58M | 4.83M | 23.92M | -1.71M | -1.23M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 18.23M | 11.98M | 28.90M | 2.89M | 5.14M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -12.30M | -12.94M | 7.43M | -14.23M | -6.37M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -8.88M | 2.00M | -38.44M | 14.28M | 2.04M |
Acme United Technical Analysis
Positive
37.05
Price Trends
43.74
Positive
41.43
Positive
40.97
Positive
Market Momentum
0.28
Negative
54.81
Neutral
71.40
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ACU, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 37.05 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 43.96, below the 50-day MA of 43.74, and below the 200-day MA of 40.97, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.28 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 54.81 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 71.40 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ACU.
Acme United Risk Analysis
Acme United disclosed 34 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Acme United reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Acme United Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
72 Outperform | $316.86M | 17.43 | 15.38% | ― | -5.47% | 13.42% | |
62 Neutral | $20.33B | 14.63 | -3.31% | 3.23% | 1.93% | -12.26% | |
55 Neutral | $356.62M | 2.96 | 20.36% | 2.39% | -12.10% | ― | |
54 Neutral | $170.57M | 14.99 | 8.95% | 1.48% | 2.35% | -50.52% | |
52 Neutral | $980.11M | -3.02 | -2.50% | 3.51% | -1.34% | -73.59% | |
48 Neutral | $98.89M | 62.88 | 10.50% | ― | 30.04% | -53.50% | |
45 Neutral | $115.66M | -5.47 | -15.42% | ― | -13.14% | 57.98% |
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
ACU
Acme United
44.79
9.09
25.46%
NUS
Nu Skin
7.41
1.34
22.16%
EPC
Edgewell Personal Care
20.98
-6.25
-22.94%
SLSN
Solesence
1.40
-0.33
-19.08%
SKIN
Beauty Health
0.91
-0.14
-13.40%
EWCZ
European Wax Center
5.81
2.30
65.53%
Acme United Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
Acme United Completes My Medic and Rapid Medical Acquisition
Positive
Jan 22, 2026
On January 15, 2026, Acme United Corporation acquired substantially all of the assets of SLED Distribution, LLC, doing business as My Medic, and Rapid Medical, LLC, Utah-based businesses that manufacture and sell emergency and first aid kits, medi...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.