MARKET WIRECNBC • 2h ago
Here are 3 big things we're watching in the stock market in the week aheadThe market could use a few victories in the days ahead, which will be filled with more earnings, an election, and jobs data.
Why ACU Stock advanced +1.89% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
$68.11 +1.89% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot)
EXT / AFTER-HRS: $68.21
Acme United Corporation. (ACU) carries a Roarable Rating of C+ (Hold) with 66/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.
ROARABLE C+ • HOLD / WATCH
Cap $261.1M
INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:
EXT / AFTER-HRS: $68.21 (+0.15%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.52% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 15/20 (B) • 3.9% FCF Margin
Verify 90D Bucket Audit →📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 66/100 (C+) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+1.4% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 56.0% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).
Audit Bucket Track Record →RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C+
2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bullish
Cash
SEC
Whale
Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer
5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw C- · Rk B
Each axis scored 0–20
12M PRICE TARGET CONE+3.6% Base Target
WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for ACU)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±6%
Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (66/100 Composite)
🔍 WHY ACU SCORES 66/100 (C+) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag
▲ #1 Bullish Driver: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk+18/20 pts (27% of score)
Altman Z-Score 5.72 (FORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)) • Piotroski F-Score 8/9
▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+15/20 pts (23% of score)
SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 3.9% FCF Margin ($7.6M FCF) & 39.4% Gross Margin
▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Whale & Options Positioning8/20 pts (-12 pt drag)
Put hedging (50% put share) caps near-term gamma upside (-12 pts vs max)
📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current
Q1 (-3Q)Grade C$62.15-1% Next Q
58
Q2 (-2Q)Grade C$61.52+3.2% Next Q
61
Q3 (-1Q)Grade C+$63.48+7.3% Next Q
63
CurrentGrade C+$68.11+1.4% Hist 90D α
66
Trajectory: C (58) → C+ (66)Full Audit →
⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER
⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the ACU Bull Thesis Could Fail
Even with a 66/100 (C+) score, ACU faces multiple-compression risk if 25.6x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1
Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2
Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-1.52% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 36.9% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3
Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($62.83) or 200D SMA ($50.31) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($70.56) toward Bear Floor ($55.04).
🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $ACU• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite
Contract: “ACU Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”
AUTOMATED RQD QUANT DESK MOVER BRIEFINGFull Market News Desk →
Why ACU Stock advanced +1.89% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
Acme United Corporation. (ACU) advanced +1.89% to $68.11, trading at 95% of its 52-week range ($35.5 – $69.83). Solid 39% profit margin (9% return on capital), mixed timing at 26x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.
- ▸Technical Tape: Trading at 95% of its 52-week range ($35.5 – $69.83) with RSI-14 at 67.3 (BULLISH MOMENTUM).
- ▸Volatility Profile: Historical 20-day realized swing band of ±6% around $68.11 (no active unusual options sweep snapshot on file).
- ▸Fundamental Anchor: Roarable C+ (Hold) backed by 39.4% gross margin and $7.6M annual free cash flow.
Live ACU Headlines & Catalysts
MARKET WIRECNBC • 3h ago
Democratic Rep. Stevens endorses Rogers over El-Sayed in Michigan Senate electionHaley Stevens had lost the Democratic nomination for Senate in Michigan to Abdul El-Sayed earlier this year.
RISK WATCHReuters • 4h ago
Israeli strikes kill eight people in Gaza - medics say - ReutersIsraeli strikes kill eight people in Gaza - medics say Reuters
MARKET WIREReuters • 5h ago
Russia's FSB says minor detained over park attack threat after US tip-off - ReutersRussia's FSB says minor detained over park attack threat after US tip-off Reuters
MARKET WIREReuters • 6h ago
Iran, Qatari mediators hold third day of talks to end US-Iran war - ReutersIran, Qatari mediators hold third day of talks to end US-Iran war Reuters
CATALYSTReuters • 7h ago
Qatar surges, bucking Gulf market slide on Iran war concerns - ReutersQatar surges, bucking Gulf market slide on Iran war concerns Reuters
MARKET WIREReuters • 7h ago
OPEC+ keeps December oil output targets steady ahead of tougher call for 2027 - ReutersOPEC+ keeps December oil output targets steady ahead of tougher call for 2027 Reuters
MARKET WIREReuters • 7h ago
German ministers pledge tough action after rioters damage stores in Frankfurt - ReutersGerman ministers pledge tough action after rioters damage stores in Frankfurt Reuters
ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Quantitative Research Desk
Scheduled RQD Strong Buys & Whale Accumulation Briefing (ACU Tape Review)
- ✓Breakdown of the highest-scoring RQD Green-Light breakouts across our 5,200+ rated universe
- ✓Forensic Red-Light accounting & dilution traps to review on your watchlist
- ✓Includes downloadable .ics calendar invite & nightly RQD rating-change email alerts
RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED
Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?
ACU // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +67.10%▲ ASCENDING CHANNEL
2026-10-30O $69.00H $69.63L $67.26C $68.11VOL 33.8K
RES: $80.12SUP: $63.04SMA50: $62.83SMA200: $50.31
PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK
ACU Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure
Share Count & Dilution Monitor (#25)
Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).
Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle (#30)
19.3%/yr Implied 5Y Growth
vs. +1.1% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).
Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger (#33)
No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on ACU today. View full Setup Ledger →
🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections
Open Graph →
No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for ACU. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.
AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video
🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for ACU today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →
DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK
📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (ACU)
Consumer Discretionary Rank #270 of 1011
⚔️ GPRO vs ACU Full Matrix →
1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (ACU vs. GPRO, LCUT, EML, CIX)
Industry: Industrial Machinery/Components (208 Tracked Issuers)Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Acme United Corporation. (ACU) ranks #270 by composite RQD confidence (66/100, grade C+) and #662 by equity capitalization ($261.1M). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, CIX leads on earnings valuation at 22.6x trailing P/E, while CIX leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 21.1% ROIC and 30.4% gross margin. ACU currently leads its immediate peer cohort in composite quantitative strength at 66/100 (C+).
| Ticker / Company | Roarable Grade | RQD Score | Trailing P/E | Gross Margin | ROIC | 1D Change | Market Cap | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACU
ACTIVE
Acme United Corporation. | C+ | 66/100 | 25.6x | 39.4% | 9.2% | +1.89% | $261.1M | Benchmark Subject |
| GPRO GoPro Inc. (Class A) | E | 24/100 | — | 33.6% | -35.0% | -2.91% | $206.4M | /gpro-vs-acu → |
| LCUT Lifetime Brands Inc. | D | 44/100 | — | 37.1% | -3.8% | +1.82% | $192.9M | /lcut-vs-acu → |
| EML Eastern Company | C | 65/100 | 23.3x | 22.9% | 5.6% | +3.25% | $166.5M | /eml-vs-acu → |
| CIX CompX International Inc. | C | 65/100 | 22.6x | 30.4% | 21.1% | -0.75% | $440.2M | /cix-vs-acu → |
2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)
SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0000002098In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Acme United Corporation. (ACU) reported GAAP revenue of $196.5M (+1.1% vs. FY2024 revenue of $194.5M , and +2.6% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $10.2M, operating cash flow of $18.2M, and free cash flow of $7.6M (+57.0% YoY). On the balance sheet, ACU closed FY2025 with $171.0M in total assets against $11.9M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 5.72, Piotroski F-Score: 8/9).
| Fiscal Period | Filing Date | Revenue | Net Income | Operating Cash Flow | Free Cash Flow | Total Assets | Total Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (FY) | 2025-12-31 | $196.5M | $10.2M | $18.2M | $7.6M | $171.0M | $11.9M |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2024-12-31 | $194.5M | $10.0M | $12.0M | $4.8M | $162.2M | $17.6M |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2023-12-31 | $191.5M | $17.8M | $28.9M | $28.9M | — | — |
3. ACU Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)
✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLEDIs ACU stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?
As of 2026-11-01, Acme United Corporation. (NYSE: ACU) is rated C+ (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 66/100 at a spot price of $68.11 (+1.89% 1D, market cap $261.1M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 8/20, Executive Insider Alignment 18/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 13/20. Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, ACU ranks #270 in composite RQD confidence.
How does ACU compare to GPRO and LCUT in the Consumer Discretionary sector?
Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Industrial Machinery/Components), ACU carries a Roarable C+ (66/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 25.6x, gross margin of 39.4%, and ROIC of 9.2%. By comparison, GPRO (GoPro Inc. (Class A)) holds a E grade (24/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -35.0%, cap $206.4M) and LCUT (Lifetime Brands Inc.) posts a D grade (44/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -3.8%, cap $192.9M). Among the 5-stock peer group, CIX leads on earnings multiple (22.6x) while CIX leads on capital efficiency (21.1% ROIC).
What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ACU?
Per ACU's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0000002098), Acme United Corporation. generated $196.5M in revenue (+1.1% YoY), $10.2M in net income, and $7.6M in free cash flow against $171.0M in total assets and $11.9M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (39% profit margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Where is ACU trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?
ACU last traded at $68.11 (+1.89% on volume of 37,938 shares), positioning the stock +8.40% above its 50-day simple moving average ($62.83) and +35.38% above its 200-day simple moving average ($50.31). Across its 52-week range of $35.50 to $69.83, ACU sits at the 95.0% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 67.3 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±6.0% ($64.02 to $72.20).
ACU Investor FAQ & Complete 8-Part Research Index
100% OPEN ACCESS • SEC EDGAR × CBOE × FREDWhy is ACU stock moving today?
Why ACU Stock advanced +1.89% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash. Solid 39% profit margin (9% return on capital), mixed timing at 26x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.