A portfolio of stocks I've been building since September 3 is named Volio Folio. It will eventually hold 52 dividend dogs. Volio is the fifth portfolio I've built (at a one dividend dog per-week pace) since 2014. Five portfolios = V for Volio!

I'm reviewing today the fourth of five industrials stocks striving to be picked to join the Volio folio collection. This would be the sixth pick for Volio!

That industrials 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.

My subject today is a micro cap household & personal products firm, Acme United Corp. Their trading ticker symbol is ACU. This is my fourth report on Acme. Previously II reviewed Acme on 10/26/18, then again on 3/11/19 and most recently on 7/10/19, all as a candidate for the Ivy portfolio.

Acme United Corp is a US based company engaged in the supply of cutting devices, measuring, first aid, and sharpening products. It primarily offers these products to the school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods, and industrial markets.

'Business activity of the firm is operated by the United States, Canada, and Europe segment. Its product offerings across various segments include scissors, shears, knives, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and related products under the brands such as Westcott brand, First Aid Only, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, Spill Magic, Clauss, Camillus, Cuda, and Diamond Machining Technology. Geographically, it derives maximum revenue from the United States segment.

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 based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

I use three key data points to gauge dividend-paying equities or funds 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, or not.

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

ACU Price

Acme's price per share closed at $19.87 yesterday. A year ago its price was $20.98. So, in the past year, its price dropped $1.11 or 5.3%.

Assuming Acme's stock trades in the range of $12.00 to $25.00 this next year, Acme's recent $19.87 price could rise by $3.13 and get to $23.00 by early October 2020, when some solid upward momentum kicks-in.

ACU Dividends

Acme's latest declared quarterly dividend was $0.12, payable October 22nd.

That $0.12 Q dividend equated to $0.48 annually and yields 2.42% based on yesterday's $19.87 closing price.

ACU Gains?

Adding the $0.48 annual estimated dividend to my $3.13 estimate of Acme's price upside shows a $3.61 potential gross gain, per share, which will be reduced by costs to trade these shares.

Say we put a little under $1,000.00 today into Acme United Corp at its recent $19.87 price, we'd buy 50 shares of ACU.

A $10 broker fee paid half at purchase and half at sale will cost us $0.20 per share.

Subtract that $0.20 brokerage cost from the estimated $3.61 gross estimated gain leaves a net gain of $3.41 X 50 shares = $170.50 or a 17% net gain on a $998.50 investment.

Therefore, Acme United Corp, whose trading ticker symbol is ACU now shows a possible net gain of 17% including a 2.42% 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 learn if Acme United Corp is worth your time and money.