Key Points
- COO Brian Olschan sold 4,000 Acme United shares at an average price of $55.51, generating $222,040 and reducing his ownership by 7.83% to 47,099 shares.
- Acme United shares opened at $59.59, near their 12-month high of $60.07, and were trading well above their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The company maintains solid liquidity and moderate leverage, with current and quick ratios of 4.41 and 1.91, respectively.
- The company continues to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.16, equating to a 1.1% yield and a 26.9% payout ratio, while institutional investors own approximately 62.1% of the stock. However, additional insider selling by Olschan and a director near recent highs may signal caution.
Acme United Co. (NYSE:ACU - Get Free Report) COO Brian Olschan sold 339 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.39, for a total value of $19,794.21. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 41,172 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,404,033.08. This represents a 0.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.
Acme United Trading Up 3.9%
Shares of Acme United stock opened at $59.59 on Thursday. Acme United Co. has a 1 year low of $35.50 and a 1 year high of $60.07. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $49.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $45.59. The company has a market cap of $227.04 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.19 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a current ratio of 4.41, a quick ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30.
Acme United Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd were issued a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 2nd. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Acme United's dividend payout ratio is 26.89%.
Key Stories Impacting Acme United
Here are the key news stories impacting Acme United this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Institutional investors own approximately 62.1% of ACU. Bank of America significantly increased its position, while JPMorgan Chase, Mirae Asset, Raymond James and the New York State Common Retirement Fund initiated stakes during the second quarter. Other institutions, including Cetera Investment Advisers and First Trust Advisors, also added shares, potentially providing demand and credibility. Institutional trading and dividend report
- Positive Sentiment: Acme United continues to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.16, or $0.64 annually, yielding roughly 1.1%. Its payout ratio of about 26.9% indicates the dividend is currently supported by earnings.
- Neutral Sentiment: ACU trades well above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, reflecting strong recent momentum. Its current ratio of 4.41, quick ratio of 1.91 and debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30 indicate financial flexibility. Still, the stock is close to its 12-month high, which could increase the risk of profit-taking.
- Negative Sentiment: COO Brian S. Olschan sold 10,909 shares for approximately $616,449 in transactions from August 3 through August 12, reducing his holdings by roughly 21%. Director Rex Lynn Davidson also sold 3,684 shares worth about $208,072, cutting his direct ownership by 37.2%. The concentrated insider selling near recent highs is a cautionary signal, although the transactions may reflect personal liquidity needs. SEC insider ownership filing
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in shares of Acme United by 3,048.9% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,480 shares of the company's stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 1,433 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. acquired a new stake in Acme United during the second quarter worth about $65,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. acquired a new stake in Acme United during the second quarter worth about $75,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in Acme United during the second quarter valued at about $76,000. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund bought a new position in Acme United during the second quarter valued at about $104,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.10% of the company's stock.
Acme United Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
Acme United Corporation is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of cutting, measuring and safety products designed for consumer, professional and industrial end markets. The company's product portfolio spans shears, scissors, cutters, rulers, pencil sharpeners, first aid kits and medical products, as well as fishing knives, survival tools and related accessories. Acme United serves a wide range of end‐use channels, including office supply, school, hardware, mass merchandise and sporting goods retail.
Founded in the 19th century and headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, Acme United operates through a collection of well‐established brands.
Featured Stories

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from InsiderTrades.com in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].