Acme United (NYSE:ACU) COO Brian Olschan Sells 4,000 Shares of Stock

Acme United Co. (NYSE:ACU) COO Brian Olschan sold 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.51, for a total value of $222,040.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 47,099 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,614,465.49. This trade represents a 7.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Acme United Price Performance

Shares of NYSE ACU opened at $59.59 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 4.41 and a quick ratio of 1.91. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $49.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $45.59. Acme United Co. has a 1-year low of $35.50 and a 1-year high of $60.07. The company has a market cap of $227.04 million, a PE ratio of 12.19 and a beta of 0.47.

Acme United Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 23rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd were paid a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 2nd. Acme United’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.89%.

Key Headlines 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

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Acme United by 1.0% in the second quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 23,659 shares of the company’s stock valued at $981,000 after buying an additional 236 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in Acme United by 8.2% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 5,672 shares of the company’s stock worth $235,000 after acquiring an additional 428 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in Acme United by 0.4% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 116,558 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,235,000 after acquiring an additional 451 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Acme United by 5.5% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 10,647 shares of the company’s stock valued at $441,000 after acquiring an additional 551 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its position in shares of Acme United by 12.2% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 5,274 shares of the company’s stock worth $213,000 after purchasing an additional 575 shares in the last quarter. 62.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Acme United

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.