---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001564590-22-034822"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ACU"
cik: "0000002098"
company_name: "ACME UNITED CORP"
filed_at: "2022-10-21T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-23T02:03:55.275915+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Acme United Q3 EPS plummets to $0.02 from $0.50 on supply chain costs; sales up 4%

## Summary
- Q3 net sales $49.7M (+4% YoY); net income $64,000 ($0.02 diluted EPS) vs $2.0M ($0.50) in Q3 2021.
- Gross margin fell to 32.0% from 35.5% due to $1.3M in exceptional ocean freight and demurrage costs.
- Expects $900K supply chain expense in Q4 2022 and $400K in Q1 2023; total $4.4M across 2022-2023.
- Cost reduction initiatives targeted to generate over $5.0M in savings in 2023.
- Bank debt net of cash $64M (up from $38M); inventory increased $17M over 12 months for growth.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001564590-22-034822
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ACU
- cik: 0000002098
- company_name: ACME UNITED CORP
- filed_at: 2022-10-21T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2098/000156459022034822/0001564590-22-034822-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2098/000156459022034822/acu-8k_20221021.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-034822
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-034822.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-034822.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.