ACU vs. CERS
ACU (Acme United Corporation) and CERS (Cerus Corporation) are both stocks. ACU operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive), while CERS operates in Biotechnology (Healthcare). Over the past 10 years, ACU returned 11.78%/yr vs -6.86%/yr for CERS. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ACU vs. CERS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ACU achieves a 17.22% return, which is significantly lower than CERS's 49.03% return. Over the past 10 years, ACU has outperformed CERS with an annualized return of 11.78%, while CERS has yielded a comparatively lower -6.86% annualized return.
ACU
- 1D
- -1.52%
- 1M
- 2.95%
- 6M
- 9.17%
- YTD
- 17.22%
- 1Y
- 10.76%
- 3Y*
- 25.09%
- 5Y*
- 3.19%
- 10Y*
- 11.78%
CERS
- 1D
- -0.65%
- 1M
- 19.92%
- 6M
- 21.83%
- YTD
- 49.03%
- 1Y
- 111.72%
- 3Y*
- 8.25%
- 5Y*
- -8.51%
- 10Y*
- -6.86%
ACU vs. CERS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACU Acme United Corporation | 17.22% | 9.67% | -11.61% | 100.21% | -33.82% | 13.48% | 29.39% | 71.41% | -37.83% | -6.95% |
CERS Cerus Corporation | 49.03% | 33.77% | -28.70% | -40.82% | -46.40% | -1.59% | 63.98% | -16.77% | 50.00% | -22.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between ACU and CERS is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 1997 | 0.07 |
Over the past year, ACU and CERS have become more correlated (0.33) than their long-term average of 0.07, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
ACU:
$178.10M
CERS:
$615.13M
ACU:
$2.06
CERS:
-$0.05
ACU:
1.28
CERS:
2.72
ACU:
1.66K
CERS:
8.73
ACU:
$150.64M
CERS:
$216.56M
ACU:
$59.51M
CERS:
$114.76M
ACU:
$17.53M
CERS:
-$2.69M
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Return for Risk
ACU vs. CERS — Risk / Return Rank
ACU
CERS
ACU vs. CERS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Acme United Corporation (ACU) and Cerus Corporation (CERS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| ACU | CERS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.15 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.29 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.54 | 2.93 | -2.39 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.28 | 7.21 | -5.94 |
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Drawdowns
ACU vs. CERS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ACU drawdown since its inception was -91.05%, smaller than the maximum CERS drawdown of -99.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ACU and CERS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ACU | CERS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.05% | -99.28% | +8.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.05% | -38.32% | +18.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.71% | -62.21% | +29.50% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.45% | -85.37% | +36.92% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.47% | -86.45% | +33.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.18% | -96.19% | +92.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -38.86% | -81.43% | +42.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 15.57% | -7.10% |
Volatility
ACU vs. CERS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Acme United Corporation (ACU) is 6.87%, while Cerus Corporation (CERS) has a volatility of 14.20%. This indicates that ACU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CERS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ACU | CERS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.87% | 14.20% | -7.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.70% | 54.55% | -34.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 31.27% | 74.95% | -43.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.36% | 69.83% | -29.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 42.37% | 63.26% | -20.89% |
Dividends
ACU vs. CERS - Dividend Comparison
ACU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.37%, while CERS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACU Acme United Corporation | 1.37% | 1.54% | 1.61% | 1.31% | 2.47% | 1.54% | 1.59% | 2.02% | 3.09% | 1.79% | 1.56% | 2.07% |
CERS Cerus Corporation | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
ACU vs. CERS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Acme United Corporation and Cerus Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
ACU vs. CERS - Profitability Comparison
ACU - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Acme United Corporation reported a gross profit of 20.79K and revenue of 52.30K. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 39.7%.
CERS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Cerus Corporation reported a gross profit of 27.89M and revenue of 53.66M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 52.0%.
ACU - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Acme United Corporation reported an operating income of 1.75K and revenue of 52.30K, resulting in an operating margin of 3.3%.
CERS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Cerus Corporation reported an operating income of -354.00K and revenue of 53.66M, resulting in an operating margin of -0.7%.
ACU - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Acme United Corporation reported a net income of 985.00 and revenue of 52.30K, resulting in a net margin of 1.9%.
CERS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Cerus Corporation reported a net income of -1.64M and revenue of 53.66M, resulting in a net margin of -3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ACU and CERS have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CERS has higher volatility (14.20%) compared to ACU (6.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ACU dropped -91.05% vs CERS's -99.28%.
CERS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.50 vs 0.35), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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