This week, I'm looking for the third industrials sector representative of eight for my Ivy portfolio.

That sector includes twenty-three industries all related to designing, fabricating and servicing stuff we want and use. The industrials industries range from aerospace and defense to waste management with all the transportation, business services, and equipment required in between.

Today I'm reviewing a nano-cap tools and accessories company, named Acme United Corporation. Its trading ticker symbol is ACU. I last reviewed this company October 26th, 2018.

Acme United Corp is a supplier of cutting, measuring, first aid and sharpening products to the school, office, hardware, sporting goods and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

The company offers a vast array of products through a dozen brand names :

It has sharpeners, trimmers, lettering, and math tools under the Westcott brand; cutting tools for hardware and industrial, lawn and garden, and food processing, clothing, and housewares channels under the Clauss brand; knives, tactical tools and trench multi-tool products under the Camillus brand name; pocket sharpeners under the Glide brand; fishing tools and knives under the Cuda brand; cut and puncture resistant gloves under Kevlar brand; and sharpening tools for all edges under the DMT brand;

In addition, it offers first aid kits, refills, and safety products under the First Aid Only brand; refills, and emergency medical travel and recreational kits under the Pac-Kit brand; head protection, and ergonomic supports and  over-the-counter medications, under the PhysiciansCare brand; and absorbents and clean up kits under the Spill Magic brand.

The company sells its products directly and through its independent manufacturer representatives to wholesale, contract, and retail distributors; office superstores; wholesale florists; mass market; e-commerce retailers; and hardware chains.

The company was formerly known as Acme Shear Company and changed its name to Acme United Corporation in 1971.

The company was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut.

I use three key data points to gauge the value of any dividend equity-like Acme United Corp:

(1) Price

(2) Dividends

(3) Returns

Besides those three, several other keys will finally unlock an equity or fund in which to invest.

Those first three primary keys, however, best tell whether a company has made, is making, and will make money.

ACU Price

Acme's price per share closed at $16.99 yesterday. A year ago its price was $22.35. Price fell $5.26 per share last year, or just over 23.5%.

Assuming Acme's stock trades in the range of $13 to $20 this year, Acme's recent $16.99 price could rise by $2.02 and go to $19.00 by early-March, 2020.

ACU Dividends

Acme's most recent Quarterly dividend was $0.12 declared November 14th and paid January 29th.

That $0.12 Q dividend equates to a $0.48 annual payout and a yield of 2.83% at yesterday's $16.99 closing price.

Gains For ACU?

Adding the $0.48 annual estimated dividend to my $2.01 Acme's estimated price upside shows a $2.49 potential gross annual gain, per share, which will be reduced by costs to trade those shares.

Say we put a little over $1,000.00 today at the $16.99 recent stock price would buy us 59 Acme United Corp shares.

A $10 broker fee paid half at purchase and half at sale costs $0.17 per share.

Subtract that $0.17 brokerage cost from the estimated $2.49 gross annual gain leaves a net gain of $2.32 X 59 shares

= $136.88 or 13.6% net gain on a $1,002.41 investment.

Therefore, Acme United Corp. whose trading ticker symbol is ACU now shows a possible net gain of 13.6% including a 2.83% dividend yield.

One broker covers this stock:

One broker says "buy" ACU.

Therefore, you can look at Acme United Corp and see it has made money, is making money, and could throw a net gain of 13.6% including a 2.83% dividend yield. It could be more, it could be less.

The above speculation is based on past year performance. The actual results remain to be seen to determine if Acme United Corp is worth your time and money.