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Side-by-side financial comparison of ACME UNITED CORP (ACU) and 3M (MMM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

3M is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($6.0B vs $52.3M, roughly 115.3× ACME UNITED CORP). 3M runs the higher net margin — 10.8% vs 1.9%, a 8.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACME UNITED CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.8% vs 1.3%). Over the past eight quarters, 3M's revenue compounded faster (-1.8% CAGR vs -2.9%).

Acme United Corporation is a supplier of cutting, measuring and safety products for the school, home, office, hardware and industrial markets. The company was organized as a partnership in 1867 and incorporated in 1873 under the laws of the State of Connecticut. It is publicly traded on the NYSE American with symbol ACU.

The 3M Company is an American multinational conglomerate operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, and consumer goods. Based in the Saint Paul suburb of Maplewood, the company produces over 60,000 products, including adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, personal protective equipment, window films, paint protection film, electrical, electronic connecting, insulating materials, car-care products, electronic circuits, and optical films. Among its best-known consume...

ACU vs MMM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MMM
MMM
115.3× larger
MMM
$6.0B
$52.3M
ACU
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ACU
ACU
+12.5% gap
ACU
13.8%
1.3%
MMM
Higher net margin
MMM
MMM
8.9% more per $
MMM
10.8%
1.9%
ACU
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MMM
MMM
Annualised
MMM
-1.8%
-2.9%
ACU

Income Statement — Q1 2026 vs Q1 2026

Metric
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Revenue
$52.3M
$6.0B
Net Profit
$985.0K
$653.0M
Gross Margin
39.7%
40.7%
Operating Margin
3.3%
23.2%
Net Margin
1.9%
10.8%
Revenue YoY
13.8%
1.3%
Net Profit YoY
-40.4%
-41.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.24
$1.23

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$52.3M
$6.0B
Q4 25
$47.5M
$6.1B
Q3 25
$49.1M
$6.5B
Q2 25
$54.0M
$6.3B
Q1 25
$46.0M
$6.0B
Q4 24
$45.9M
$6.0B
Q3 24
$48.2M
$6.3B
Q2 24
$55.4M
$6.3B
Net Profit
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$985.0K
$653.0M
Q4 25
$1.9M
$577.0M
Q3 25
$1.9M
$834.0M
Q2 25
$4.8M
$723.0M
Q1 25
$1.7M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.7M
$728.0M
Q3 24
$2.2M
$1.4B
Q2 24
$4.5M
$1.1B
Gross Margin
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
39.7%
40.7%
Q4 25
38.2%
33.6%
Q3 25
39.1%
41.8%
Q2 25
41.0%
42.5%
Q1 25
39.0%
41.6%
Q4 24
38.7%
51.7%
Q3 24
38.5%
42.1%
Q2 24
40.8%
42.9%
Operating Margin
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
3.3%
23.2%
Q4 25
6.1%
13.0%
Q3 25
6.1%
22.2%
Q2 25
11.8%
18.0%
Q1 25
5.3%
20.9%
Q4 24
5.0%
12.2%
Q3 24
6.1%
20.9%
Q2 24
11.5%
20.3%
Net Margin
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
1.9%
10.8%
Q4 25
3.9%
9.4%
Q3 25
3.9%
12.8%
Q2 25
8.8%
11.4%
Q1 25
3.6%
18.7%
Q4 24
3.7%
12.1%
Q3 24
4.6%
21.8%
Q2 24
8.0%
18.3%
EPS (diluted)
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$0.24
$1.23
Q4 25
$0.46
$1.07
Q3 25
$0.46
$1.55
Q2 25
$1.16
$1.34
Q1 25
$0.41
$2.04
Q4 24
$0.43
$1.33
Q3 24
$0.54
$2.48
Q2 24
$1.09
$2.07

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.2M
$3.7B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$33.0M
$10.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$116.7M
$3.3B
Total Assets
$195.2M
$35.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.28×
3.29×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$4.2M
$3.7B
Q4 25
$3.6M
Q3 25
$5.1M
Q2 25
$3.6M
Q1 25
$3.4M
Q4 24
$6.4M
Q3 24
$5.7M
Q2 24
$3.8M
Total Debt
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$33.0M
$10.9B
Q4 25
$12.6B
Q3 25
$12.6B
Q2 25
$13.1B
Q1 25
$13.5B
Q4 24
$13.0B
Q3 24
$13.2B
Q2 24
$13.1B
Stockholders' Equity
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$116.7M
$3.3B
Q4 25
$117.6M
$4.7B
Q3 25
$115.8M
$4.6B
Q2 25
$113.7M
$4.3B
Q1 25
$108.3M
$4.5B
Q4 24
$107.0M
$3.8B
Q3 24
$106.3M
$4.6B
Q2 24
$104.0M
$3.9B
Total Assets
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$195.2M
$35.4B
Q4 25
$171.0M
$37.7B
Q3 25
$173.0M
$37.6B
Q2 25
$170.9M
$38.0B
Q1 25
$163.0M
$40.0B
Q4 24
$162.2M
$39.9B
Q3 24
$165.5M
$40.9B
Q2 24
$173.5M
$43.4B
Debt / Equity
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
0.28×
3.29×
Q4 25
2.68×
Q3 25
2.72×
Q2 25
3.06×
Q1 25
3.02×
Q4 24
3.40×
Q3 24
2.84×
Q2 24
3.34×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$2.0B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
33.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$3.7B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
$8.2M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$7.1M
$1.8B
Q2 25
$6.3M
$-954.0M
Q1 25
$-3.3M
$-79.0M
Q4 24
$6.4M
$1.8B
Q3 24
$8.9M
$-1.8B
Q2 24
$6.9M
$1.0B
Free Cash Flow
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$7.3M
$1.3B
Q3 25
$301.0K
$1.5B
Q2 25
$4.7M
$-1.2B
Q1 25
$-4.7M
$-315.0M
Q4 24
$4.7M
$1.5B
Q3 24
$7.5M
$-2.0B
Q2 24
$4.4M
$752.0M
FCF Margin
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
33.6%
Q4 25
15.3%
21.8%
Q3 25
0.6%
23.6%
Q2 25
8.7%
-18.3%
Q1 25
-10.2%
-5.3%
Q4 24
10.2%
25.4%
Q3 24
15.6%
-32.3%
Q2 24
8.0%
12.0%
Capex Intensity
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.9%
4.0%
Q3 25
13.8%
3.3%
Q2 25
3.0%
3.3%
Q1 25
2.9%
4.0%
Q4 24
3.7%
4.8%
Q3 24
2.8%
3.9%
Q2 24
4.5%
4.3%
Cash Conversion
ACU
ACU
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.34×
2.74×
Q3 25
3.72×
2.11×
Q2 25
1.33×
-1.32×
Q1 25
-2.02×
-0.07×
Q4 24
3.73×
2.50×
Q3 24
3.99×
-1.30×
Q2 24
1.55×
0.89×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ACU
ACU

Segment breakdown not available.

MMM
MMM

Safety and Industrial business segment$2.9B49%
Transportation and Electronics business segment$1.8B31%
Consumer business segment$1.1B19%
Corporate$121.0M2%

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