Acme United Corporation (ACU) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Consumer Defensive · Household & Personal Products
EV/EBITDA
↓
8.92
↓-13% vs avg
5yr avg: 10.20
30Y Low4.1·High80.0
P/FCF
↑
21.02
+5% vs avg
5yr avg: 20.00
30Y Low3.5·High199.3
P/B Ratio
↓
1.45
+1% vs avg
5yr avg: 1.44
30Y Low0.6·High4.3
ROE
↓
9.1%
↑-27% vs avg
5yr avg: 12.5%
30Y Low-40%·High37%
Debt/EBITDA
↓
1.36
↓-48% vs avg
5yr avg: 2.61
30Y Low0.5·High5.9
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
ACU Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Acme United Corporation trades at 16.8x earnings, 9% above its 5-year average of 15.3x, sitting at the 79th percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Consumer Defensive sector median P/E of 19.4x, the stock trades at a discount of 13%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 21.0x P/FCF, 5% above the 5-year average of 20.0x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $159M | $165M | $153M | $157M | $81M | $133M | $106M | $82M | $50M | $87M | $91M |
| Enterprise Value | $188M | $193M | $179M | $177M | $139M | $176M | $149M | $115M | $90M | $125M | $119M |
| P/E Ratio → | 16.80 | 16.19 | 15.24 | 8.82 | 26.71 | 9.77 | 13.04 | 14.87 | 10.96 | 21.47 | 15.59 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.81 | 0.84 | 0.79 | 0.82 | 0.42 | 0.73 | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.37 | 0.67 | 0.73 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.45 | 1.40 | 1.43 | 1.60 | 1.03 | 1.73 | 1.69 | 1.47 | 0.96 | 1.75 | 1.98 |
| P/FCF | 21.02 | 21.74 | 31.70 | 6.55 | — | — | 33.55 | 6.31 | 40.56 | — | 13.04 |
| P/OCF | 8.74 | 9.04 | 12.78 | 5.42 | 28.17 | 25.93 | 18.48 | 5.59 | 11.28 | 18.12 | 10.33 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
ACU EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Acme United Corporation's enterprise value stands at 8.9x EBITDA, 13% below its 5-year average of 10.2x. The Consumer Defensive sector median is 11.3x, placing the stock at a 21% discount on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.98 | 0.92 | 0.93 | 0.72 | 0.97 | 0.91 | 0.81 | 0.66 | 0.96 | 0.95 |
| EV / EBITDA | 8.92 | 9.18 | 8.88 | 9.72 | 12.84 | 10.36 | 9.79 | 9.66 | 8.43 | 11.62 | 10.91 |
| EV / EBIT | 12.77 | 12.71 | 12.48 | 6.87 | 22.90 | 10.93 | 13.86 | 13.71 | 12.13 | 15.96 | 14.17 |
| EV / FCF | — | 25.53 | 37.18 | 7.42 | — | — | 47.36 | 8.81 | 72.37 | — | 16.89 |
ACU Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Acme United Corporation earns an operating margin of 7.5%, above the Consumer Defensive sector average of 1.1%. ROE of 9.1% is modest. ROIC of 7.9% represents adequate returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 5.5%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 39.4% | 39.4% | 39.3% | 37.7% | 32.8% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 36.5% | 36.9% | 36.7% | 36.6% |
| Operating Margin | 7.5% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 6.9% | 3.2% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 6.0% | 6.8% |
| Net Profit Margin | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 9.3% | 1.6% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 4.7% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.8% | 20.1% | 3.9% | 19.5% | 13.7% | 10.2% | 9.0% | 8.4% | 13.1% |
| ROA | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.4% | 11.3% | 2.0% | 10.0% | 6.7% | 5.0% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 6.7% |
| ROIC | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 7.8% | 3.7% | 8.5% | 8.8% | 7.0% | 6.2% | 7.3% | 9.1% |
| ROCE | 10.1% | 10.1% | 10.8% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 10.9% | 11.2% | 8.9% | 7.7% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
ACU Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Acme United Corporation carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.4x, which is manageable (60% below the sector average of 3.4x). Net debt stands at $29M ($29M total debt minus $3596 cash). Interest coverage of 9.0x is adequate, though a cyclical earnings downturn could tighten the margin of safety.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.80 | 0.62 | 0.76 | 0.71 | 0.84 | 0.95 | 0.71 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.63 | 1.40 | 5.87 | 2.80 | 3.13 | 3.32 | 4.12 | 4.40 | 3.03 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.73 | 0.55 | 0.69 | 0.59 | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.59 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.31 | 1.13 | 5.30 | 2.51 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 3.70 | 3.53 | 2.49 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 3.79 | 5.48 | 0.87 | — | — | 13.82 | 2.50 | 31.81 | — | 3.85 |
| Interest Coverage | 9.05 | 9.05 | 6.90 | 8.34 | 2.53 | 17.46 | 11.41 | 4.58 | 3.93 | 5.78 | 9.63 |
ACU Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
Acme United Corporation's current ratio of 4.21x is well above the 1.0 safety threshold, indicating strong short-term liquidity with ample room to cover current liabilities. The current ratio has improved from 3.54x to 4.21x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 4.21 | 4.21 | 4.17 | 3.54 | 4.77 | 4.70 | 4.14 | 4.41 | 5.46 | 4.64 | 5.07 |
| Quick Ratio | 4.20 | 4.20 | 1.71 | 1.41 | 1.91 | 2.06 | 1.63 | 2.04 | 2.37 | 2.25 | 2.16 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.28 | 0.18 | 0.28 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.41 | 0.33 | 0.56 | 0.46 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 1.13 | 1.20 | 1.28 | 1.18 | 1.26 | 1.26 | 1.29 | 1.25 | 1.14 | 1.35 |
| Inventory Turnover | 1990.44 | 1990.44 | 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.06 | 2.19 | 2.06 | 2.30 | 2.10 | 2.06 | 2.12 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 0.05 | 52.99 | 50.00 | 61.35 | 68.60 | 60.48 | 65.30 | 66.72 | 72.73 | 58.66 |
ACU Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Acme United Corporation returns 1.4% to shareholders annually primarily through dividends. The payout ratio of 23.0% is conservative, leaving significant room for dividend growth or reinvestment. The earnings yield of 6.0% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Payout Ratio | 23.0% | 23.0% | 22.2% | 11.2% | 62.7% | 13.1% | 19.8% | 29.2% | 32.3% | 34.8% | 22.8% |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 6.0% | 6.2% | 6.6% | 11.3% | 3.7% | 10.2% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 9.1% | 4.7% | 6.4% |
| FCF Yield | 4.8% | 4.6% | 3.2% | 15.3% | — | — | 3.0% | 15.9% | 2.5% | — | 7.7% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 3.7% | 1.6% | 2.4% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $3M | $4M | $4M | $4M |
Peer Comparison
Compare ACU with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ACUYou | $159M | 16.8 | 8.9 | 21.0 | 39.4% | 7.5% | 9.1% | 7.9% | 1.4 |
 LCUT | $163M | -5.8 | 8.6 | 50.1 | 37.1% | 3.8% | -12.5% | 4.1% | 5.2 |
 LESL | $13M | -0.1 | 20.3 | — | 35.4% | 1.1% | — | 1.6% | 21.3 |
 SMID | $186M | 24.2 | 14.6 | — | 25.5% | 12.6% | 20.2% | 21.2% | 0.4 |
 ACCO | $375M | 9.2 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 29.8% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 5.1 |
 FONR | $124M | 15.3 | 6.5 | 16.6 | 81.7% | 11.1% | 5.3% | 6.1% | 2.4 |
 SWK | $12B | 30.3 | 11.7 | 18.1 | 29.9% | 7.6% | 4.5% | 5.8% | 3.8 |
 KMT | $3B | 34.7 | 13.2 | 26.6 | 30.4% | 7.3% | 7.1% | 5.9% | 2.3 |
 SPXC | $10B | 40.5 | 20.7 | 42.7 | 36.7% | 16.8% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 1.0 |
 TRS | $2B | 14.2 | 28.9 | 22.8 | 20.3% | 2.2% | 17.5% | 0.9% | 7.1 |
 MMM | $75B | 24.0 | 15.2 | 53.7 | 39.6% | 18.3% | 75.2% | 28.1% | 2.4 |
| Consumer Defensive Median | — | 19.4 | 11.3 | 15.0 | 40.1% | 1.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 3.4 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Start ComparisonACU — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ACU stock.
What is Acme United Corporation's P/E ratio?
Acme United Corporation's current P/E ratio is 16.8x. The historical average is 16.5x. This places it at the 79th percentile of its historical range.
What is Acme United Corporation's EV/EBITDA?
Acme United Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 8.9x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 11.6x.
What is Acme United Corporation's ROE?
Acme United Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 9.1%. The historical average is 11.0%.
Is ACU stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Acme United Corporation is trading at a P/E of 16.8x. This is at the 79th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What is Acme United Corporation's dividend yield?
Acme United Corporation's current dividend yield is 1.37% with a payout ratio of 23.0%.
What are Acme United Corporation's profit margins?
Acme United Corporation has 39.4% gross margin and 7.5% operating margin.
How much debt does Acme United Corporation have?
Acme United Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.4x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.