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Side-by-side financial comparison of ACME UNITED CORP (ACU) and STEM, INC. (STEM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
ACME UNITED CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($52.3M vs $47.1M, roughly 1.1× STEM, INC.). ACME UNITED CORP runs the higher net margin — 1.9% vs -33.9%, a 35.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACME UNITED CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.8% vs -15.6%). Over the past eight quarters, STEM, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (36.1% 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.
StemCells, Inc. is a public biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Newark, California, that is developing purified human neural stem cells (HuCNS-SCs) in the hopes of treating central nervous system disorders and paralysis. StemCells' HuCNS-SCs have the ability to differentiate into the three main types of cells found in the central nervous system: neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
ACU vs STEM — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $52.3M | $47.1M |
| Net Profit | $985.0K | $-16.0M |
| Gross Margin | 39.7% | 48.9% |
| Operating Margin | 3.3% | -17.7% |
| Net Margin | 1.9% | -33.9% |
| Revenue YoY | 13.8% | -15.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | -40.4% | 68.8% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.24 | $-4.40 |
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.
| Q1 26 | $52.3M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $47.5M | $47.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $49.1M | $38.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $54.0M | $38.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $46.0M | $32.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $45.9M | $55.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $48.2M | $29.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $55.4M | $34.0M |
| Q1 26 | $985.0K | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.9M | $-16.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.9M | $-23.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.8M | $202.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.7M | $-25.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.7M | $-51.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.2M | $-148.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.5M | $-582.3M |
| Q1 26 | 39.7% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 38.2% | 48.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 39.1% | 35.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 41.0% | 33.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 39.0% | 32.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 38.7% | -4.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 38.5% | 21.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 40.8% | 27.6% |
| Q1 26 | 3.3% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 6.1% | -17.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.1% | -33.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 11.8% | -34.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 5.3% | -65.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 5.0% | -84.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 6.1% | -493.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 11.5% | -1705.5% |
| Q1 26 | 1.9% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 3.9% | -33.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.9% | -62.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.8% | 527.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.6% | -76.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.7% | -91.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.6% | -506.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.0% | -1712.6% |
| Q1 26 | $0.24 | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.46 | $-4.40 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.46 | $-2.84 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.16 | $-1.79 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.41 | $-0.15 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.43 | $-15.29 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.54 | $-18.24 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.09 | $-71.81 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $4.2M | $48.9M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $33.0M | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $116.7M | $-249.4M |
| Total Assets | $195.2M | $308.9M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.28× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | $4.2M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $3.6M | $48.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $5.1M | $43.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.6M | $40.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.4M | $58.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.4M | $56.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $5.7M | $75.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.8M | $89.6M |
| Q1 26 | $33.0M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — |
| Q1 26 | $116.7M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $117.6M | $-249.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $115.8M | $-235.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $113.7M | $-214.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $108.3M | $-417.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $107.0M | $-398.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $106.3M | $-344.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $104.0M | $-203.2M |
| Q1 26 | $195.2M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $171.0M | $308.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $173.0M | $362.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $170.9M | $379.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $163.0M | $405.1M | ||
| Q4 24 | $162.2M | $437.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $165.5M | $537.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $173.5M | $691.5M |
| Q1 26 | 0.28× | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | — | $8.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | — |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | — |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $8.2M | $8.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.1M | $11.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $6.3M | $-21.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-3.3M | $8.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.4M | $-14.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.9M | $-9.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $6.9M | $-11.9M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $7.3M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $301.0K | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.7M | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $-4.7M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $4.7M | — | ||
| Q3 24 | $7.5M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.4M | — |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 15.3% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.6% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.7% | — | ||
| Q1 25 | -10.2% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 10.2% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 15.6% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.0% | — |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.9% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 13.8% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.0% | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.9% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.7% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.8% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.5% | — |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 4.34× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.72× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.33× | -0.11× | ||
| Q1 25 | -2.02× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.73× | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.99× | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.55× | — |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
