ACME United director exercises 4,000 stock options

ACME UNITED CORP director Brian Barker reported option-related transactions on Common Stock dated 2026-08-11.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

ACME UNITED CORP director Brian Barker reported option-related transactions on Common Stock dated 2026-08-11. He exercised 4,000 Employee Stock Options at $21.20 per share, resulting in 17,500 derivative securities (options) remaining after the exercise. The exercise generated 4,000 Common Shares, and 1,479 Common Shares at $57.35 per share were delivered or withheld for payment of exercise price or tax liability. According to a footnote, the option exercise was effected on a net share settlement basis.

Insider Trade Summary

4,000 shares exercised/converted

Exercise 3 txns

Insider BARKER BRIAN

Role Director

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Exercise	Employee Stock Option	4,000	$21.20	$85K
Exercise	Common Stock	4,000	$21.20	$85K
Exercise Price or Tax Liability	Common Stock F1	1,479	$57.35	$85K

Holdings After Transaction: Employee Stock Option — 17,500 contracts (Direct); Common Stock — 3,821 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (1)

1. F1. The exercise of the subject option was effected on a net share settlement basis.

Key Figures

Options exercised: 4,000 shares Option exercise price: $21.20 per share Shares used for exercise price or tax: 1,479 shares +4 more

7 metrics

Options exercised 4,000 shares Employee Stock Options exercised into Common Stock on 2026-08-11

Option exercise price $21.20 per share Exercise price for 4,000 Employee Stock Options

Shares used for exercise price or tax 1,479 shares Common Shares delivered or withheld at $57.35 per share

Price of shares delivered/withheld $57.35 per share Value per share of 1,479 Common Shares used for exercise price or tax liability

Derivative securities after transaction 17,500 options Employee Stock Options beneficially owned following the exercise

Option grant exercise date 2022-04-22 Exercise date associated with the Employee Stock Option grant

Option expiration date 2029-04-22 Expiration date of the Employee Stock Option grant

Key Terms

Employee Stock Option, net share settlement basis, derivative security, Payment of exercise price or tax liability

4 terms

Employee Stock Option financial

"security_title is reported as "Employee Stock Option" for the derivative transaction"

An employee stock option is a promise that lets a worker buy company shares later at a predetermined price, often after they stay for a certain period or meet performance goals — think of it like a coupon that locks in today's price for a future purchase. It matters to investors because options align employees’ incentives with company performance, can increase the number of shares outstanding (dilution) when exercised, and represent a compensation cost that affects reported profits and shareholder value.

net share settlement basis financial

"footnote states the exercise of the subject option was effected on a net share settlement basis"

derivative security financial

"described as an Exercise or conversion of derivative security in the code description"

A derivative security is a financial contract whose value comes from the price or performance of something else, such as a stock, bond, commodity, or market index. For investors it acts like an insurance policy or a wager: it can be used to protect against losses, lock in prices, or amplify gains and losses, so it can change a portfolio’s risk and potential return without owning the underlying asset directly.

Payment of exercise price or tax liability financial

"transaction_code F is defined as Payment of exercise price or tax liability by delivering or withholding securities"

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did ACU director Brian Barker report in this Form 4?

Brian Barker reported exercising 4,000 Employee Stock Options at $21.20 into Common Stock and a related disposition of 1,479 Common Shares at $57.35 to cover exercise price or tax liability on a net share settlement basis.

How many options did Brian Barker exercise and at what price for ACU?

Brian Barker exercised 4,000 Employee Stock Options at $21.20 per share on 2026-08-11. These options converted into an equivalent number of Common Shares as part of a derivative exercise transaction reported in the filing.

How many derivative securities does Brian Barker hold after this ACU transaction?

Following the reported option exercise, Brian Barker holds 17,500 derivative securities (Employee Stock Options). This figure is disclosed as the total derivative securities beneficially owned after the transaction involving the 4,000-option exercise.

What is the significance of the 1,479 ACU Common Shares in this Form 4?

The Form 4 shows 1,479 Common Shares at $57.35 per share were delivered or withheld as payment of the option exercise price or tax liability. A footnote explains the option exercise was handled on a net share settlement basis.

Was the ACU Form 4 transaction by Brian Barker under a Rule 10b5-1 plan?

The filing’s Rule 10b5-1 checkbox is not marked as affirmative. There is no footnote indicating a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, so the reported transactions are not described as executed under such a plan.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Available on EDGAR 08/12/2026 - 04:30 PM Accepted by SEC EDGAR 08/12/2026 - 04:30 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

BARKER BRIAN

(Last) (First) (Middle)

1 WATERVIEW DRIVE

(Street)

SHELTON CONNECTICUT 06484

(City) (State) (Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ACME UNITED CORP [ ACU ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/11/2026

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	08/11/2026	08/11/2026	M		4,000	A	$21.2	5,300	D
Common Stock	08/11/2026	08/11/2026	F		1,479(1)	D	$57.35	3,821	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option	$21.2	08/11/2026	08/11/2026	M			4,000	04/22/2022	04/22/2029	Common Stock	4,000	$21.2	17,500	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The exercise of the subject option was effected on a net share settlement basis.

	/s/ Brian Barker	08/12/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)