30 years of historical data (1995–2024) · Consumer Defensive · Household & Personal Products
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Acme United Corporation trades at 18.4x earnings, 25% above its 5-year average of 14.7x, sitting at the 81st percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Consumer Defensive sector median P/E of 21.6x, the stock trades at a discount of 15%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 35.5x P/FCF, 48% above the 5-year average of 23.9x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $171M | $153M | $157M | $81M | $133M | $106M | $82M | $50M | $87M | $91M | $64M |
| Enterprise Value | $198M | $179M | $177M | $139M | $176M | $149M | $115M | $90M | $125M | $119M | $88M |
| P/E Ratio → | 18.37 | 15.24 | 8.82 | 26.71 | 9.77 | 13.04 | 14.87 | 10.96 | 21.47 | 15.59 | 13.38 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.88 | 0.79 | 0.82 | 0.42 | 0.73 | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.37 | 0.67 | 0.73 | 0.58 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.72 | 1.43 | 1.60 | 1.03 | 1.73 | 1.69 | 1.47 | 0.96 | 1.75 | 1.98 | 1.49 |
| P/FCF | 35.50 | 31.70 | 6.55 | — | — | 33.55 | 6.31 | 40.56 | — | 13.04 | — |
| P/OCF | 14.31 | 12.78 | 5.42 | 28.17 | 25.93 | 18.48 | 5.59 | 11.28 | 18.12 | 10.33 | 59.42 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Acme United Corporation's enterprise value stands at 9.8x EBITDA, 5% below its 5-year average of 10.3x. The Consumer Defensive sector median is 12.3x, placing the stock at a 21% discount on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.92 | 0.93 | 0.72 | 0.97 | 0.91 | 0.81 | 0.66 | 0.96 | 0.95 | 0.80 |
| EV / EBITDA | 9.79 | 8.88 | 9.72 | 12.84 | 10.36 | 9.79 | 9.66 | 8.43 | 11.62 | 10.91 | 9.32 |
| EV / EBIT | 13.99 | 12.48 | 6.87 | 22.90 | 10.93 | 13.86 | 13.71 | 12.13 | 15.96 | 14.17 | 12.20 |
| EV / FCF | — | 37.18 | 7.42 | — | — | 47.36 | 8.81 | 72.37 | — | 16.89 | — |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Acme United Corporation earns an operating margin of 7.3%, above the Consumer Defensive sector average of 1.1%. Operating margins have expanded from 3.2% to 7.3% over the past 3 years, signaling improving operational efficiency. ROE of 9.8% is modest. ROIC of 8.4% represents adequate returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 5.7%.
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 39.3% | 39.3% | 37.7% | 32.8% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 36.5% | 36.9% | 36.7% | 36.6% | 36.0% |
| Operating Margin | 7.3% | 7.3% | 6.9% | 3.2% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 6.7% |
| Net Profit Margin | 5.2% | 5.2% | 9.3% | 1.6% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 9.8% | 9.8% | 20.1% | 3.9% | 19.5% | 13.7% | 10.2% | 9.0% | 8.4% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| ROA | 6.4% | 6.4% | 11.3% | 2.0% | 10.0% | 6.7% | 5.0% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 6.7% | 6.0% |
| ROIC | 8.4% | 8.4% | 7.8% | 3.7% | 8.5% | 8.8% | 7.0% | 6.2% | 7.3% | 9.1% | 8.6% |
| ROCE | 10.8% | 10.8% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 10.9% | 11.2% | 8.9% | 7.7% | 8.9% | 11.4% | 11.0% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Acme United Corporation carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.6x, which is manageable (50% below the sector average of 3.2x). Net debt stands at $26M ($33M total debt minus $6M cash). Interest coverage of 6.8x is adequate, though a cyclical earnings downturn could tighten the margin of safety.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.80 | 0.62 | 0.76 | 0.71 | 0.84 | 0.95 | 0.71 | 0.60 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.63 | 1.63 | 1.40 | 5.87 | 2.80 | 3.13 | 3.32 | 4.12 | 4.40 | 3.03 | 2.76 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.73 | 0.55 | 0.69 | 0.59 | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.59 | 0.54 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.31 | 1.31 | 1.13 | 5.30 | 2.51 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 3.70 | 3.53 | 2.49 | 2.50 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 5.48 | 0.87 | — | — | 13.82 | 2.50 | 31.81 | — | 3.85 | — |
| Interest Coverage | 6.79 | 6.79 | 4.26 | 2.62 | 13.85 | 12.09 | 4.61 | 3.94 | 5.81 | 9.71 | 12.89 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
Acme United Corporation's current ratio of 4.17x is well above the 1.0 safety threshold, indicating strong short-term liquidity with ample room to cover current liabilities. The quick ratio of 1.71x is notably lower than the current ratio, indicating a significant portion of current assets is tied up in inventory. The current ratio has declined from 4.77x to 4.17x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 4.17 | 4.17 | 3.54 | 4.77 | 4.70 | 4.14 | 4.41 | 5.46 | 4.64 | 5.07 | 5.00 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.71 | 1.71 | 1.41 | 1.91 | 2.06 | 1.63 | 2.04 | 2.37 | 2.25 | 2.16 | 2.02 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.18 | 0.28 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.41 | 0.33 | 0.56 | 0.46 | 0.20 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 1.20 | 1.28 | 1.18 | 1.26 | 1.26 | 1.29 | 1.25 | 1.14 | 1.35 | 1.35 |
| Inventory Turnover | 2.10 | 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.06 | 2.19 | 2.06 | 2.30 | 2.10 | 2.06 | 2.12 | 1.98 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 52.99 | 50.00 | 61.35 | 68.60 | 60.48 | 65.30 | 66.72 | 72.73 | 58.66 | 65.03 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Acme United Corporation returns 1.2% to shareholders annually primarily through dividends. The payout ratio of 22.2% is conservative, leaving significant room for dividend growth or reinvestment. The earnings yield of 5.4% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Payout Ratio | 22.2% | 22.2% | 11.2% | 62.7% | 13.1% | 19.8% | 29.2% | 32.3% | 34.8% | 22.8% | 25.0% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | FY 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 5.4% | 6.6% | 11.3% | 3.7% | 10.2% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 9.1% | 4.7% | 6.4% | 7.5% |
| FCF Yield | 2.8% | 3.2% | 15.3% | — | — | 3.0% | 15.9% | 2.5% | — | 7.7% | — |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 3.7% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $3M | $4M | $4M | $4M | $4M |
Compare ACU with 2 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACUYou | $171M | 18.4 | 9.8 | 35.5 | 39.3% | 7.3% | 9.8% | 8.4% | 1.6 |
| KVUE | $37B | 35.4 | 18.0 | 27.4 | 58.0% | 11.9% | 9.9% | 7.8% | 3.5 |
| SGI | $19B | 48.6 | 21.1 | 29.7 | 44.4% | 13.2% | 20.8% | 9.1% | 6.5 |
| Consumer Defensive Median | — | 21.6 | 12.3 | 16.4 | 40.7% | 1.1% | 7.8% | 5.7% | 3.2 |
Peers based on L4 peer group classification. Compare multiple stocks →
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Start ComparisonAcme United Corporation's current P/E ratio is 18.4x. The historical average is 16.5x. This places it at the 81th percentile of its historical range.
Acme United Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 9.8x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 11.7x.
Acme United Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 9.8%. The historical average is 8.6%.
Based on historical data, Acme United Corporation is trading at a P/E of 18.4x. This is at the 81th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Acme United Corporation's current dividend yield is 1.20% with a payout ratio of 22.2%.
Acme United Corporation has 39.3% gross margin and 7.3% operating margin.
Acme United Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.6x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.