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Proto Labs Inc. (PRLB)
NYSE:PRLB
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Proto Labs (PRLB) AI Stock Analysis

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PRLB

Proto Labs

(NYSE:PRLB)

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Outperform 71 (OpenAI - Gpt-5.6Sol)
Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:
$88.00
▲(10.36% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:08/24/26
The score is driven primarily by strong financial resilience (near-zero leverage and solid free cash flow) and a positive earnings outlook (raised full-year growth guidance and improving margins). Offsetting factors are a pricey valuation (high P/E with no dividend support) and a weaker near-term technical picture with the stock below key short-term moving averages.
Positive Factors
Exceptionally low leverage
Near-zero leverage materially reduces solvency risk and interest burden, giving Proto Labs flexibility to fund capacity, technology, and operational initiatives through industry cycles.
Negative Factors
Low returns on capital
Despite recovery, low ROE and historically modest revenue growth show that the large equity base is not yet producing robust returns, limiting the durability of current earnings improvement.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Exceptionally low leverage
Near-zero leverage materially reduces solvency risk and interest burden, giving Proto Labs flexibility to fund capacity, technology, and operational initiatives through industry cycles.
Read all positive factors

Proto Labs Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Geography
Revenue by Geography
Breaks down Proto Labs' sales across regions to show where revenue is concentrated, highlighting growth opportunities and exposure to local economic or currency risks that can affect overall performance.
Chart InsightsProto Labs' U.S. revenue shows strong growth, particularly in CNC machining, with a 24% year-over-year increase, driven by demand in aerospace and defense. However, European revenue is struggling, declining by 5% due to weak manufacturing activity. Japan's revenue remains stagnant, with no recent contributions. Despite these challenges, the company achieved record quarterly revenue, highlighting strategic growth in key sectors and improved revenue per customer. The focus on advanced CNC capabilities and strong cash generation underscores Proto Labs' resilience and strategic positioning amidst regional disparities.
Data provided by:The Fly

Proto Labs (PRLB) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Proto Labs Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description
Proto Labs, Inc., together with its affiliated companies, functions as a global, e-commerce-driven digital manufacturer, specializing in the rapid creation of custom prototypes and on-demand production components. The firm provides a comprehensive...
How the Company Makes Money
Proto Labs makes money by charging customers for the manufacture and delivery of custom parts and related services, typically ordered through its digital quoting platforms. Its core revenue streams come from (1) in-house manufacturing services—whe...

Proto Labs Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 31, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 30, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call highlighted multiple strong operating and financial metrics — record revenue ($149.3M), double-digit growth, margin expansion (gross margin 46.8%), higher adjusted EBITDA and a 45% increase in adjusted EPS — driven by acceleration in Injection Molding, continued CNC strength, expanding wallet share with larger customers, and early progress in Europe. Lowlights were limited and largely transitional: modest decline in 3D printing (especially in Europe), Europe still needing profitability optimization, flat network revenue, and sustained near-term investments driving elevated SG&A. On balance the positive financial results, margin improvement, cash generation, raised full-year guidance and strategic progress materially outweigh the headwinds, though the company is still investing for future growth.
Positive Updates
Record Quarter — Revenue and Growth
Second quarter revenue of $149.3 million, a company record, up 10.2% year-over-year in constant currencies; management reported double-digit top-line growth and three consecutive quarters of growth.
Negative Updates
3D Printing Revenue Decline
3D printing revenue declined 2.7% year-over-year in constant currencies, driven primarily by a 6.7% decline in Europe; company is investing to add capacity in strong U.S. DMLS and MJF demand areas.
Read all updates
Q2-2026 Updates
Negative
Record Quarter — Revenue and Growth
Second quarter revenue of $149.3 million, a company record, up 10.2% year-over-year in constant currencies; management reported double-digit top-line growth and three consecutive quarters of growth.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Proto Labs guided third-quarter 2026 revenue of $145 million to $153 million (midpoint implying roughly 10% year‑over‑year growth), and raised full‑year 2026 revenue growth expectations to 8%–10% year‑over‑year after a 10% first‑half pace; they said FX should be about $0.4 million unfavorable versus Q3 2025, expect Q3 non‑GAAP EPS of $0.56–$0.64 with non‑GAAP add‑backs including approximately $4.2 million of stock‑based compensation and $0.9 million of amortization, and a non‑GAAP tax rate of about 23%–24% (noting slight expected sequential declines in both gross margin and revenue into Q3 consistent with typical seasonality).

Proto Labs Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong overall financial quality supported by an exceptionally low-leverage balance sheet (debt-to-equity ~0.004) and solid cash generation (TTM operating cash flow ~$78.5M; free cash flow ~$71.7M). Profitability is improving (TTM net margin ~4.7%, EBIT margin ~6.7%), but growth is modest (TTM revenue growth ~2.6%) and returns on equity remain subdued (~3.8%), indicating earnings power is improving but not yet robust.
Income Statement
74
Positive
Balance Sheet
90
Very Positive
Cash Flow
82
Very Positive
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue560.54M533.13M500.89M503.88M488.40M488.10M
Gross Profit254.60M237.14M223.20M221.99M215.47M222.69M
EBITDA75.65M64.88M60.68M66.58M-58.45M80.67M
Net Income30.48M21.24M16.59M17.22M-103.46M33.37M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets791.30M783.71M743.51M772.35M802.17M928.58M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments142.78M128.12M103.09M102.80M80.13M77.51M
Total Debt2.24M3.05M3.52M5.48M21.35M7.44M
Total Liabilities99.56M109.78M73.36M77.06M104.52M100.09M
Stockholders Equity691.73M673.93M670.15M695.29M697.65M828.49M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow61.99M59.66M68.66M45.16M40.39M21.03M
Operating Cash Flow78.52M74.50M77.83M73.27M62.08M55.24M
Investing Cash Flow-21.83M-13.41M-13.58M-4.55M-43.09M-94.66M
Financing Cash Flow-19.08M-40.37M-58.55M-41.86M-27.92M-22.20M

Proto Labs Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price79.74
Price Trends
50DMA
80.44
Positive
100DMA
76.01
Positive
200DMA
66.08
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.70
Positive
RSI
50.72
Neutral
STOCH
66.74
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PRLB, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 79.74 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 83.12, below the 50-day MA of 80.44, and above the 200-day MA of 66.08, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.70 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.72 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 66.74 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for PRLB.

Proto Labs Risk Analysis

Proto Labs disclosed 35 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Proto Labs reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Proto Labs Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$1.04B21.2812.16%15.12%50.31%
71
Outperform
$1.95B64.134.49%10.20%110.80%
68
Neutral
$271.17M8.0815.30%8.39%14.97%8162.28%
64
Neutral
$605.14M16.729.92%3.58%17.06%16.89%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
48
Neutral
$501.34M-23.69-6.63%11.77%-196.68%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
PRLB
Proto Labs
81.44
31.19
62.07%
IIIN
Insteel Industries
31.26
-6.24
-16.64%
NWPX
Northwest Pipe Company
107.68
55.56
106.59%
TG
Tredegar
7.76
-0.12
-1.52%
MEC
Mayville Engineering Company
19.66
4.65
30.98%

Proto Labs Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Proto Labs Names New Chief Operations Officer
Positive
Aug 24, 2026
On August 24, 2026, Protolabs announced the appointment of Sam Ramahi as Chief Operations Officer, effective August 31, 2026, placing him in charge of global operations, supply chain, quality, sourcing, and continuous improvement while reporting t...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 24, 2026