Acme United (NYSE:ACU) and SiBone (NASDAQ:SIBN) Critical Contrast

Acme United (NYSE:ACU) and SiBone (NASDAQ:SIBN) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, valuation and earnings.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Acme United and SiBone”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Acme United	$220.55 million	1.21	$17.79 million	$2.72	25.81
SiBone	$220.65 million	5.10	-$18.90 million	($0.31)	-80.45

Acme United has higher earnings, but lower revenue than SiBone. SiBone is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Acme United, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Acme United and SiBone, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Acme United	0	1	0	0	2.00
SiBone	1	0	7	0	2.75

Acme United presently has a consensus price target of $70.00, suggesting a potential downside of 0.28%. SiBone has a consensus price target of $25.00, suggesting a potential upside of 0.24%. Given SiBone’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe SiBone is more favorable than Acme United.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

62.1% of Acme United shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 98.1% of SiBone shares are owned by institutional investors. 29.5% of Acme United shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.0% of SiBone shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Acme United has a beta of 0.35, meaning that its stock price is 65% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, SiBone has a beta of 0.64, meaning that its stock price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Acme United and SiBone’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Acme United	10.25%	9.70%	6.10%
SiBone	-6.20%	-7.57%	-5.55%

About Acme United

Acme United Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of first aid and medical products, cutting instruments, measuring tools and school and office supplies. The company serves the consumer, industrial, medical, school and office markets through a portfolio of branded and private-label products. Its product offerings include workplace first aid cabinets and kits, medical and emergency supplies, scissors, shears, knives, sharpeners, rulers and other measuring instruments. Acme United markets products under brands such as PhysiciansCare, First Aid Only, Pac-Kit, Westcott and Clauss.

About SiBone

SI-BONE, Inc. is a medical technology company focused on surgical solutions for conditions affecting the sacroiliac (SI) joint and related pelvic anatomy. Founded in 2008, the company develops implants and instruments used by surgeons in procedures involving the SI joint. Its products include the iFuse Implant System, a minimally invasive approach to SI joint fusion, along with related implant systems designed for SI joint and pelvic fixation procedures. SI-BONE also offers surgical instruments and training resources for healthcare professionals.