ACU vs RVP vs WST Stock Comparison

Acme United, Retractable Technologies and West Pharmaceutical Services Prices as of Nov 2, 2026 Peers: Industry group
1 more company in this comparison (BDX) Create a free account to keep reading and compare up to 10 companies.
ACU Acme United Corp
$68.99 +8.5% 1M +81.5% 1Y
Market cap
$273.57M
P/E
27.9x
Revenue (TTM)
$211.60M
Div. yield
–
Medical Supplies Healthcare
6 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Acme United leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Acme United 6, West Pharmaceutical Services 5). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionACURVPWSTLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $273.57M $16.97M $28.81B WST
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 27.9x -4.7x 45.1x ACU
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 25.3x — 42.6x ACU
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +9.0% -11.2% +12.6% WST
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 4.6% -10.6% 18.8% WST
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 7.3% -31.4% 19.3% WST
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 1.1x 2.6x -0.3x WST
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +81.5% -35.1% +44.6% ACU
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +12.9%/yr -42.9%/yr -1.4%/yr ACU
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 30.8% 40.2% 31.3% ACU
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 70/100 53/100 69/100 ACU

Percentile Scorecard

ACURVPWST

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisACURVPWST
Valuation 94 #14 of 227 73 #63 of 227 47 #120 of 227
Growth 58 #93 of 220 34 #145 of 220 48 #114 of 220
Profitability 81 #41 of 209 38 #130 of 209 93 #15 of 209
Financial Health 57 #104 of 240 65 #84 of 240 79 #52 of 240
Shareholder Returns 58 #58 of 138 – 75 #35 of 138
Overall 70 53 69
  • ACU ranked among 247 companies in Medical Devices and Diagnostics
  • RVP ranked among 247 companies in Medical Devices and Diagnostics
  • WST ranked among 247 companies in Medical Devices and Diagnostics

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodACURVPWSTSPY
1 month +8.5%-18.6%+11.8% -2.3%
3 months +19.8%-14.9%+17.2% -0.7%
6 months +68.9%-12.3%+35.9% +4.8%
Year to date +71.1%-26.2%+48.3% +10.3%
1 year +81.5%-35.1%+44.6% +10.3%
3 years +108.5%-48.6%+21.8% +73.0%
3 years, per year +27.8%-19.9%+6.8% +20.1%
5 years +83.6%-93.9%-6.9% +61.9%
5 years, per year +12.9%-42.9%-1.4% +10.1%
10 years +220.9%-78.2%+448.1% +258.6%
10 years, per year +12.4%-14.1%+18.5% +13.6%

Risk

MeasureACURVPWSTSPY
Volatility, 1Y 30.8%40.2%31.3% 12.8%
Downside volatility, 1Y 24.5%44.8%30.8% 12.8%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.230.150.60 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 2.65-0.871.43 0.80
Max drawdown, 5Y -42.6%-93.9%-59.6% -25.4%
From 52-week high 0.0%-35.3%-1.9% -3.5%
52-week high $68.99$0.88$415.75 $779.14
52-week low $35.50$0.57$230.95 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleACURVPWST
P/E now vs peer median 26.8xmedian 28.4x -4.7xmedian 28.4x 45.0xmedian 28.4x
P/S now vs peer median 1.2xmedian 3.0x 0.5xmedian 3.0x 8.4xmedian 3.0x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 11.8xmedian 18.0x 1.5xmedian 18.0x 29.3xmedian 18.0x
P/FCF now vs peer median 17.1xmedian 25.0x -3.3xmedian 25.0x 62.8xmedian 25.0x
P/B now vs peer median 2.2xmedian 2.3x 0.2xmedian 2.3x 9.6xmedian 2.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.90median 0.93 0.22median 0.93 6.71median 0.93

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsACURVPWST
Revenue $211.60M $33.90M $3.40B
Gross profit $84.82M -$491.51K $1.28B
Operating income $14.48M -$22.68M $780.20M
Net income $9.82M -$3.37M $638.90M
Free cash flow $15.48M -$5.11M $453.40M
R&D – $682.03K $75.60M
EPS (diluted) $2.37 $-0.12 $9.02
Cash & equivalents $5.04M $2.64M $464.10M
Total debt $32.33M $715.92K $202.90M
Shares (diluted) 4.14M 29.94M 70.80M
Enterprise value $255.59M -$129.44M $26.60B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricACURVPWST
P/E 26.8x -4.7x 45.0x
P/FCF 17.1x -3.3x 62.8x
P/Operating cash flow 10.1x -3.4x 43.5x
P/S 1.2x 0.5x 8.4x
P/B 2.2x 0.2x 9.6x
P/Tangible book 3.0x 0.2x 9.6x
EV/EBITDA 11.8x 1.5x 29.3x
EV/EBIT 20.1x 1.0x 36.2x
EV/Revenue 1.4x -0.7x 8.3x
EV/FCF 18.8x 4.3x 62.2x
EV/Operating cash flow 11.2x 4.5x 43.1x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.90 0.22 6.71

Growth

14 metrics
MetricACURVPWST
Revenue growth (1Y) 9.0% -11.2% 12.6%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 3.1% -14.7% 5.1%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 11.0% 81.2% 18.9%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 8.5% -26.8% 4.7%
Operating income growth (1Y) 3.3% -2.3% 32.7%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 20.1% -11.7% 6.6%
Net income growth (1Y) -5.1% 61.4% 29.9%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 36.0% -23.9% 4.5%
EPS growth (1Y) -5.9% 59.8% 33.2%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 29.7% -21.9% 6.7%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 43.2% 58.8% -5.7%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 12.0% -16.8% -5.2%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 26.7% 62.3% 19.6%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 1.5% 20.0% 2.6%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricACURVPWST
Gross margin 40.1% -1.4% 37.6%
EBITDA margin 11.7% -43.9% 28.4%
Operating margin 6.8% -66.9% 23.0%
Pretax margin 5.9% -9.9% 23.2%
Net margin 4.6% -10.6% 18.8%
FCF margin 7.3% -15.1% 13.3%
Operating cash flow margin 12.3% -14.6% 19.3%
Return on equity 8.2% -4.7% 20.9%
Return on assets 5.0% -2.4% 15.3%
Return on invested capital 7.3% -31.4% 19.3%
Return on capital employed 8.9% -18.0% 22.8%
Asset turnover 1.1x 0.2x 0.8x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 2.7x 1.5x 1.0x
Stock comp / revenue 0.9% – 0.8%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricACURVPWST
Debt / assets 16.1% 0.5% 5.0%
Debt / equity 0.3x 0.0x 0.1x
Net debt / EBITDA 1.1x 2.6x -0.3x
Debt / FCF 2.1x -0.1x 0.4x
Liabilities / assets 39.5% 48.6% 26.9%
Equity / assets 60.5% 51.4% 73.1%
Interest coverage – -278.8x 96.3x
Current ratio 3.2x 4.9x 2.8x
Quick ratio 1.3x 3.7x 1.9x
Cash ratio 0.1x 3.0x 0.7x
Altman Z-score 4.50 0.43 19.12

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricACURVPWST
Dividend yield 0.9% – 0.2%
Net buyback yield -0.2% – 2.3%
Shareholder yield 0.7% – 2.5%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – 9.8%
Payout ratio (FCF) – – 13.9%
Dividend growth (1Y) – – 3.5%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – 3.7%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusACURVPWST
Forward P/E 25.3xFY2026 – 42.6xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $2.75FY2026 – $9.56FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +10.4%FY2026 – +31.1%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after +4.0% – +10.6%
Revenue, next fiscal year $217.65MFY2026 – $3.24BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +10.7%FY2026 – +5.6%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +0.7% – +16.8%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersACURVPWST
Held by institutions 73.5% 8.8% 99.5%
Institutions holding 84 32 835
Change in shares held, QoQ +1.3% +5.9% -0.9%
Institutions buying 47 10 450
Institutions selling 21 4 261
Buyers to sellers 2.24 2.50 1.72

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

ACURVPWST
ACU 1.00 0.06 0.13
RVP 0.06 1.00 0.03
WST 0.13 0.03 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, ACU, RVP and WST?

West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) is the largest by market capitalisation: Acme United (ACU) $273.57M, Retractable Technologies (RVP) $16.97M, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) $28.81B.

Which stock is cheaper, ACU, RVP and WST?

Acme United (ACU) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Acme United (ACU) 27.9x, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -4.7x, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 45.1x). On next year's consensus earnings, Acme United (ACU) is cheapest (Acme United (ACU) 25.3x, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 42.6x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Acme United (ACU) +9.0%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -11.2%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) +12.6%.

Which company is more profitable?

West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) has the highest net margin (Acme United (ACU) 4.6%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -10.6%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 18.8%). On return on invested capital, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) leads (Acme United (ACU) 7.3%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -31.4%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 19.3%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Acme United (ACU) returned the most: Acme United (ACU) +81.5%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -35.1%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) +44.6%. Over five years, Acme United (ACU) compounded fastest (Acme United (ACU) +12.9%/yr, Retractable Technologies (RVP) -42.9%/yr, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) -1.4%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Acme United (ACU) 0.00%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) 0.00%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 0.00%. Acme United (ACU) and Retractable Technologies (RVP) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Acme United (ACU) has been the steadiest (Acme United (ACU) 30.8%, Retractable Technologies (RVP) 40.2%, West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) 31.3%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, ACU, RVP and WST?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Acme United (ACU) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.