(ACU) Company Report – November 14, 2015 Acme United Corporation Is a Worldwide Supplier of Cutting Devices
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Smallcaps Investment Research Acme United Corp. (ACU) Company Report – November 14, 2015 Acme United Corporation is a worldwide supplier of cutting devices, measuring instruments and first-aid products for school, home, office, industrial and hardware use. In the third quarter, ended September 30, 2015, Acme United achieved record back-to- school sales and record earnings. In addition, the Company is on course for a new annual sales and earnings record in 2015. Also 2016 looks very promising. The full optimization of the Company’s three first aid brands, will lead to cost savings of up to $1 million in 2016 and beyond. We also foresee plenty of growth for Acme’s other brands. Camillus, for example, is gaining market share with its knives, and camping & hunting gear. At Clauss, a number of market tests with large retail chains are ongoing with strong results so far. As for Westcott, we should start to see the full impact of the large Office Depot/Office Max scissors account for North America that Acme picked up a couple of months ago. Based on our outlook and calculations, we reiterate our buy recommendation for Acme United Corp. with a price target of $28.67, which is 68% above today’s stock price. The decline of the Canadian dollar and euro versus the U.S. dollar has stopped in recent months. Both segments are reducing costs with suppliers, trimming expenses, and increasing their selling prices to somewhat regain their margins. All these efforts should start to have a positive impact. The Cuda fishing tools brand has launched an entire line for fresh water fishing. The market for fresh water tools is about three times larger than the salt water market. These tools are being rolled out into stores worldwide, Market Data starting in the fourth quarter of this year, but Price $17.05 mostly in the first quarter of 2016. Production Sector Office Supplies for Cuda recently had to be substantially 52-Week Price Range $14.96 - $20.50 increased, as sales are strong. Shares Issued (m) 3.35 Market Cap (m) $63.04 Acme United’s growth story is supported by a Listings ACU (NYSE Mkt) 9 cents quarterly dividend, which is an Website http://www.acmeunited.com excellent way to show confidence in the business and the market. Acme United Corp. – Page 1 – Company Report Q3 2015 Smallcaps Investment Research $115 million, and an earnings per share THE COMPANY guidance of $1.38. If these numbers are reached, Acme will set another sales and Acme United Corporation is a supplier of earnings record. By comparison, in 2014 cutting, measuring and safety products for the Acme had revenues of $107.2 million and school, home, office, outdoors, fishing, earned $1.36 per share. As for 2016, Mr. hardware, and industrial markets. Its principal Johnsen expects sales to reach between $120 products are scissors, shears, rulers, pencil million and $123 million. sharpeners, knives and first aid kits. The Company’s products are organized under seven brands: Westcott, Clauss, Camillus, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, First Aid Only and Cuda. Both the number of products offered under these brands, as well as the number of physical and online stores where these products are available, continue to grow. Acme United again set a new all-time third Acme’s brands include Westcott, Clauss, Camillus, quarter earnings record. Especially PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, First Aid Only and Cuda. outstanding sales from iPoint pencil sharpeners, titanium scissors, and first aid Acme United succeeds in re-inventing kits contributed to the success. everyday products such as scissors, knives and school and office items by applying new Sales for the three months ended September and improved materials to them. For 30, 2015, reached $29.9 million, slightly down example, the blades on many of the compared with sales of $30.0 million in the Company’s products have a titanium third quarter of 2014. Net income in the third carbonitride coating, making them more than quarter of 2015 grew by 2% to $1.21 million, three times harder than stainless steel. Or or $0.33 per diluted share, versus $1.19 blades get a non-stick coating, making them million, or $0.34 per diluted share, in the useful in difficult environments like the floral comparable quarter last year. area for cutting and trimming flowers and bushes, or in the arts and crafts area, where As for the nine months ended September 30, lots of glue and paste is used. Also, some 2015, sales were $86.7 million, compared to school and office products have Microban $82.6 million in the comparable period of antimicrobial protection added during the 2014, an increase of 5%. Net income for the manufacturing process to prevent the growth nine months ended September 30, 2015 was of bacteria on the surface. $4.35 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, compared to $4.10 million, or $1.18 per Acme’s quest for innovation is also reflected diluted share, in the 2014 comparable period, by its on-going goal of generating 30% of its a 6% increase in net income. sales from products developed in the last 3 years. Therefore, the Company works with Acme’s Canadian and European business new, often proprietary, materials and adds segments continue to feel the significant new user-friendly features to existing tools. depreciation of their respective currencies versus the U.S. dollar. Both segments are The Company’s products are available at reducing costs with suppliers, trimming Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, United expenses, and increasing their selling prices Stationers, SP Richards, W.B. Mason, Home to somewhat regain their margins. Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Grainger, McMaster Carr, Meijer, Fred Meyer, During the conference call, following the WH Smith, and many other major chains. announcement of the third quarter results, Walter C. Johnsen, Acme United’s Chairman Acme United pays a quarterly dividend and and CEO, gave a sales guidance for 2015 of traditionally increases the amount by 1 cent Acme United Corp. – Page 2 – Company Report Q3 2015 Smallcaps Investment Research every 6 to 8 quarters. In July of 2014 the substantial line of quality cutting tools for quarterly dividend was increased from 8 to 9 professionals in the hardware & industrial, cents per share. lawn & garden, food processing, sewing, and housewares channels. BRANDS When the brand was re-introduced, shortly after it was acquired by Acme in 2004, it was Westcott, which began as a ruler company a simple scissors business, available in only a more than 140 years ago, annually sells handful of stores. A decade later, Clauss has between 60 and 80 million scissors, and gone through a complete transformation and between 15 and 18 million rulers. It’s the has become an established name in the leading scissors brand in the United States industry. It has developed into a broad and one of the leading ruler brands in North hardware line and is now available at Lowe’s, America. Home Depot, Sears, Granger, McMaster-Carr and many others. Westcott is also known for its line of iPoint electric pencil sharpeners. Their award- winning design* and ease of use make the iPoint one of Acme United's best selling products. In 2013, for example, the sharpener’s revenues reached about $11 million, while Acme’s total sales in that year were $89 million. * Back in 2006, Acme’s original iPoint battery powered pencil sharpener won a GOOD DESIGN award. In 2010, the iPoint Evolution achieved the same feat, and in 2014, the latest member of the iPoint family, called Orbit, again came out on top of the prestigious design competition. The Clauss 8.5" Titanium Detachable Chef Shears GOOD DESIGN Similar to Acme’s other brands, Clauss applies its proprietary coatings to everyday tools. The GOOD DESIGN is an award from the brand, for example, markets two lines of lawn Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of and gardening tools in partnership with The Architecture and Design, and is one of the ScottsMiracle-Gro Company. The SpeedPak oldest and most important design Utility Knife is another unique product by competitions worldwide. This year the Clauss. It features a cartridge with 10 Museum again received hundreds of titanium bonded double edged blades that submissions from over 40 countries. allows for quick, easy and safe blade changes. Recipients of the award included Apple, Or the Clauss chef shear that detaches for Hewlett Packard, BMW, and… Acme United. easy cleaning. The shears have a micro- serrated blade, making them ideal for cutting Other main Westcott products include TrimAir and trimming poultry, meat, fish, herbs, and paper trimmers with a titanium coating and a more. proprietary blade change system for rotary and personal trimmers, Westcott Ultra Soft Camillus is one of the oldest and best known Handle scissors with anti-microbial protection knife manufacturers in the United States. It and True Professional sewing shears. has roots dating back to 1876 and has always been a synonym for the finest knives Clauss has its roots dating back to 1877 as a available. Acme purchased the Camillus brand scissors, razors and kitchen knives name and intellectual property rights in 2007 manufacturer. Today, Clauss offers a and re-launched the brand in 2009. Since Acme United Corp. – Page 3 – Company Report Q3 2015 Smallcaps Investment Research then, numerous new knives have successfully Swedish distributor for the Camillus range in been brought to the market. Sweden and Norway. And a few weeks later, it signed a contract with a leading knife Late 2011, Acme United signed an agreement distributor for the German speaking countries. to manufacture and sell Camillus survival In the meanwhile, Camillus is being knives and tools, co-designed and promoted distributed in twelve European countries.