📊 ACU Key Takeaways
Is Acme United Corp. (ACU) a Good Investment?
ACME UNITED faces fundamental operational challenges with stagnant growth (1.1% revenue expansion), negative operating cash flow (-$2.2M despite positive net income), and critically thin profitability margins (1.9% net, 3.3% operating). While the balance sheet provides defensive strength through low leverage and strong liquidity, the company is burning cash operationally and generating negligible returns on capital (ROE 0.8%, ROA 0.5%), indicating structural profitability issues rather than temporary headwinds.
ACME UNITED shows solid fundamental stability with healthy gross margins, positive free cash flow, and a conservatively levered balance sheet. Liquidity is strong and interest coverage is comfortable, which limits financial risk. However, revenue and earnings growth are modest, and free cash flow conversion remains only moderate, keeping the overall outlook balanced rather than strongly bullish.
Why Buy Acme United Corp. Stock? ACU Key Strengths
- Strong liquidity position with 4.57x current ratio and 1.83x quick ratio
- Conservative leverage at 0.28x debt-to-equity with adequate 3.6x interest coverage
- Reasonable gross margin of 39.7% suggests product-level economics are intact
- Strong balance sheet with low debt-to-equity and ample liquidity
- Consistent profitability supported by 39.4% gross margin and positive operating cash flow
- Positive free cash flow generation with manageable interest burden
ACU Stock Risks: Acme United Corp. Investment Risks
- Negative operating cash flow of -$2.2M despite positive net income signals working capital deterioration and earnings quality concerns
- Negative free cash flow of -$4.1M makes current operations unsustainable without external funding or asset liquidation
- Minimal revenue growth (1.1% YoY) combined with razor-thin net margin (1.9%) leaves no room for demand softness or cost pressures
- Extremely poor capital efficiency (ROE 0.8%, ROA 0.5%) indicates shareholders and assets are generating minimal returns
- Low cash balance ($4.2M) relative to $195M asset base limits financial flexibility
- Revenue and net income growth are only slightly above flat, limiting operating leverage
- Net margin and ROE are modest, suggesting limited efficiency upside at current scale
- Low cash balance relative to revenue means working capital execution remains important despite strong ratios
Key Metrics to Watch
- Operating cash flow trend—must return to positive to validate earnings sustainability
- Working capital changes and inventory/receivables levels—explaining the OCF deterioration
- Revenue growth acceleration—1.1% growth insufficient to support operational turnaround
- Free cash flow margin and cash conversion from earnings
- Revenue growth and operating margin expansion
Acme United Corp. (ACU) Financial Metrics & Key Ratios
💡 AI Analyst Insight
Strong liquidity with a 4.57x current ratio provides a solid financial cushion.
ACU Profit Margin, ROE & Profitability Analysis
ACU vs Market Sector: How Acme United Corp. Compares
How Acme United Corp. compares to Market sector averages
Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.
Is Acme United Corp. Stock Overvalued? ACU Valuation Analysis 2026
Based on fundamental analysis, Acme United Corp. has mixed fundamental signals relative to the Market sector in 2026.
Note: This is a fundamental analysis based on SEC filings. For P/E ratio, price targets, and market-based valuation, consult financial data providers. This is not investment advice.
Acme United Corp. Balance Sheet: ACU Debt, Cash & Liquidity
ACU Revenue & Earnings Growth: 5-Year Financial Trend
5-Year Trend Summary: Acme United Corp.'s revenue has shown modest growth of 8% over the 5-year period. The most recent EPS of $2.45 reflects profitable operations.
ACU Revenue Growth, EPS Growth & YoY Performance
ACU Quarterly Earnings & Performance
| Quarter | Revenue | Net Income | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | $46.0M | $985.0K | $0.24 |
| Q3 2025 | $48.2M | $1.9M | $0.46 |
| Q2 2025 | $54.0M | $4.5M | $1.09 |
| Q1 2025 | $45.0M | $1.6M | $0.39 |
| Q3 2024 | $48.2M | $2.2M | $0.54 |
| Q2 2024 | $53.3M | $3.4M | $0.96 |
| Q1 2024 | $45.0M | $990.0K | $0.28 |
| Q3 2023 | $49.7M | $64.0K | $0.02 |
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.
Acme United Corp. Dividends, Buybacks & Capital Allocation
ACU SEC Filings: Latest 10-K & 10-Q Analysis
Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Acme United Corp. (CIK: 0000002098)
📋 Recent SEC Filings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about ACU
What is the AI rating for ACU?
Acme United Corp. (ACU) has a Combined AI Rating of SELL from Claude (SELL) and ChatGPT (HOLD) with 76% combined confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.
What are ACU's key strengths?
Claude: Strong liquidity position with 4.57x current ratio and 1.83x quick ratio. Conservative leverage at 0.28x debt-to-equity with adequate 3.6x interest coverage. ChatGPT: Strong balance sheet with low debt-to-equity and ample liquidity. Consistent profitability supported by 39.4% gross margin and positive operating cash flow.
What are the risks of investing in ACU?
Claude: Negative operating cash flow of -$2.2M despite positive net income signals working capital deterioration and earnings quality concerns. Negative free cash flow of -$4.1M makes current operations unsustainable without external funding or asset liquidation. ChatGPT: Revenue and net income growth are only slightly above flat, limiting operating leverage. Net margin and ROE are modest, suggesting limited efficiency upside at current scale.
What is ACU's revenue and growth?
Acme United Corp. reported revenue of $52.3M.
Does ACU pay dividends?
Acme United Corp. pays dividends, with $0.6M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.
Where can I find ACU SEC filings?
Official SEC filings for Acme United Corp. (CIK: 0000002098) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.
What is ACU's EPS?
Acme United Corp. has a diluted EPS of $0.24.
How is the AI analysis conducted?
Two independent AI systems — Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) — analyze SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports. Each AI evaluates financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics. The combined rating reflects both perspectives for balanced insights.
Is ACU a good stock to buy right now?
Based on our AI fundamental analysis in May 2026, Acme United Corp. has a SELL rating with 76% confidence. Review the strengths and risks sections above before making a decision. This is not investment advice.
Is ACU stock overvalued or undervalued?
Valuation metrics for ACU: ROE of 0.8% (sector avg: 15%), net margin of 1.9% (sector avg: 12%). Compare these metrics with sector averages to assess valuation.
Should I buy ACU stock in 2026?
Our dual AI analysis gives Acme United Corp. a combined SELL rating for 2026. Revenue is data pending, with profitability at or below sector average. Always conduct your own research.
What is ACU's free cash flow?
Acme United Corp.'s operating cash flow is $-2.2M, with capital expenditures of $1.9M. FCF margin is -7.9%.
How does ACU compare to other Market stocks?
Vs Default sector averages: Net margin 1.9% (avg: 12%), ROE 0.8% (avg: 15%), current ratio 4.57 (avg: 1.8).