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what it is
Acme United sells first-aid kits, medical supplies, and cutting tools to stores and businesses.
how it gets paid
FY2025 net sales were $196.5M (+1% vs. prior year). First-aid and cutting-tool brands remain the core mix; see the annual report for product-level detail.
why it's growing
Net sales grew 1% year over year. Q4 net sales rose 3% vs. Q4 2024. Full-year gross margin was 39.4% (Q4 2025 gross margin 38.2%).
what just happened
Q4 revenue hit $47.5M, and EPS landed at $0.46.
At a glance
B balance sheet — gets the job done, barely
40/100 earnings predictability — expect surprises
~17.6x trailing p/e on FY2025 diluted EPS of $2.49
1.5% dividend yield — cash in your pocket every quarter
8.2% return on capital — nothing to write home about
xvary composite: 53/100 — below average
What they do
Acme United sells first-aid kits, medical supplies, and cutting tools to stores and businesses.
Acme lives in 8 brands and 4 regions. That gives you shelf space in schools, offices, hardware stores, and industrial channels. Leaving is painful because customers reorder basics, not luxury goods.
How they make money
$196.5M
FY2025 net sales · +1% vs. FY2024 ($194.5M)
FY2025 net sales (consolidated)
$196.5M
+1%
Q4 2025 net sales
$47.5M
+3%
The products that matter
workplace first aid kits
First Aid Only®
inside ~$196.5M FY2025 net sales
It's one of the core brands inside a sub-$200M supplier. With FY2025 net sales up only 1%, reorder rates and shelf placement matter more than product buzz.
steady-demand category
online and catalog first aid
First Aid Central®
~7.5% FY2025 operating margin
This brand extends the first aid offering across direct and distribution channels. FY2025 operating income was about 7.5% of net sales, so channel efficiency matters — there is not much room for sloppy execution.
distribution leverage
medical and safety supplies
PhysiciansCare®
8.2% return on capital
the brand matters because this is a portfolio company, not a one-product story. An 8.2% return on capital says the portfolio earns money, but not enough to hide mistakes.
portfolio support
Key numbers
$0.2B
annual sales
You are looking at a sub-$200M business. That keeps every cost swing loud.
39.4%
gross margin (FY2025)
Gross margin is profit before overhead. At 39.4% for FY2025, the company kept about 39 cents of each sales dollar before rent and payroll.
1.5%
dividend yield
You are not buying income here. The payout is small, which leaves more cash inside the business.
~17.6x
trailing p/e
Rough check: price divided by FY2025 diluted EPS ($2.49). Pair with return on capital and balance-sheet leverage, not hype.
Financial health
B
strength
- balance sheet grade B — adequate — nothing special
- risk rank 3 — safer than 50% of stocks
- price stability 45 / 100
- long-term debt ~$21.3M bank + mortgage (LT) per 12/31/25 balance sheet; bank debt less cash $18.1M
B — functional but not a standout on the balance sheet.
Total return vs. market
Return history isn't available for ACU right now.
source: institutional data · return history unavailable
What just happened
beat estimates
Q4 revenue hit $47.5M, and EPS landed at $0.46.
Q4 2025 net sales were $47.5M vs. $45.9M in Q4 2024 (+3%). Q4 2025 gross margin was 38.2% vs. 38.7% prior-year quarter. Full-year 2025 diluted EPS was $2.49.
$47.5M
revenue
$0.46
eps
38.2%
Q4 gross margin
the number that mattered
The $0.46 EPS mattered most because it showed the business can still earn money on a small revenue base.
snap-source: Acme United Q4/FY2025 earnings release (Feb. 26, 2026) — GlobeNewswire
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What could go wrong
the top threat is tariffs and foreign trade barriers on imported first aid and cutting products.
med
tariffs and foreign trade barriers
The source material keeps circling back to trade friction. For a company with a high-single-digit operating margin, higher sourcing costs do not need to be dramatic to hurt.
flagged revenue exposure in the source: $30M–$49M
med
european regulatory and compliance friction
The risk feed also points to European Commission material. In plain English: product standards, import rules, or compliance costs can eat time and margin at a company this size.
flagged revenue exposure in the source: $30M–$49M
med
slow tariff pass-through
This is the quiet part loud. ACU carries modest bank and mortgage debt (see FY2025 release for bank debt less cash) on ~$197M-scale revenue, with no giant margin cushion. If costs rise before customers accept higher prices, the hit lands first in profit.
flagged revenue exposure in the source: $20M–$30M
med
shelf-space pressure and private label
A slow-growth company does not need a collapse to disappoint you. If branded products lose shelf space, ~1% growth can flip negative while margin comes under pressure at the same time.
pressure would hit both revenue and operating margin
The disclosed risk feed flags $20M–$49M slices of revenue across trade and compliance items. For a ~$197M net-sales business, that is not background noise.
source: institutional data · regulatory filings · risk analysis
Pay attention to
earnings
the next revenue print
FY2025 net sales grew about 1%. If the next update cannot beat that, your thesis is leaning even harder on cost control.
margin
operating margin holding near ~7–8% of sales
FY2025 operating income was about 7.5% of net sales. A slow grower can survive with okay growth or okay margin. Losing both is the problem.
risk
tariff and trade commentary
The risk feed keeps pointing back to foreign trade barriers. If management starts talking more about sourcing changes, listen closely.
price
the stock staying near the top of its range
At $43.80, ACU sits close to the top of its $35–$46 range. The market is treating it like a stable operator. Next results have to support that mood.
Analyst rankings
earnings predictability
40 / 100
That is below average. In human-speak: ACU's results swing more than you would expect from a business selling bandages, scissors, and safety supplies.
source: institutional data
Institutional activity
institutional ownership data for ACU is being compiled.
source: institutional data
Price targets
3-5 year target range
n/a
n/a
$44
current price
n/a
target midpoint · n/a from current
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