Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) Releases Q3 2026 Earnings Guidance

Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) issued an update on its third quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 0.560-0.640 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 0.480. The company issued revenue guidance of $145.0 million-$153.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $145.9 million.

Proto Labs Price Performance

NYSE PRLB traded down $0.63 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $74.51. 286,606 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 195,156. Proto Labs has a 52-week low of $40.84 and a 52-week high of $83.15. The company has a market capitalization of $1.77 billion, a PE ratio of 70.29 and a beta of 1.38. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $76.94 and its 200-day moving average is $66.64.

Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The industrial products company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.06. Proto Labs had a return on equity of 4.15% and a net margin of 4.71%.The business had revenue of $149.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $144.53 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.41 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Proto Labs has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.640 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Proto Labs will post 1.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on PRLB. Weiss Ratings raised Proto Labs from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Zacks Research lowered Proto Labs from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 3rd. Benchmark boosted their price target on shares of Proto Labs from $70.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Proto Labs from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $65.33.

Insider Transactions at Proto Labs

In other news, Director Sven Wehrwein sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.28, for a total value of $154,560.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 32,505 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,511,986.40. The trade was a 5.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Michael R. Kenison sold 16,030 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.49, for a total transaction of $1,113,924.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 18,683 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,298,281.67. This represents a 46.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 25,663 shares of company stock valued at $1,804,727. Company insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Proto Labs

Here are the key news stories impacting Proto Labs this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations. Proto Labs reported earnings of $0.60 per share, ahead of the $0.54 consensus estimate and up from $0.41 a year earlier. Revenue reached a record $149.3 million, exceeding expectations of $144.5 million and increasing approximately 10.5% year over year. Proto Labs Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operating momentum remained healthy. Total revenue per customer contact rose 16.7% year over year, while CNC machining revenue increased 13.6%, supporting the company’s growth profile. Protolabs Reports Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Q3 EPS guidance was notably above expectations. Management forecast earnings of $0.56 to $0.64 per share, compared with the $0.48 analyst consensus, implying continued earnings strength.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue guidance was broadly in line. The Q3 revenue outlook of $145 million to $153 million has a midpoint slightly above the $145.9 million consensus, but does not signal a major upside surprise on sales.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation may be limiting the reaction. Proto Labs trades at roughly 70 times earnings, leaving the stock vulnerable to profit-taking when forward revenue growth is moderate, even after the quarterly beat. The company’s net margin was 4.71%, which also underscores the importance of sustained margin improvement.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Proto Labs

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PRLB. Group One Trading LLC purchased a new position in Proto Labs during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in Proto Labs by 7,380.0% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 748 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 738 shares during the period. Aquatic Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Proto Labs during the third quarter worth about $64,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its position in shares of Proto Labs by 363.0% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,806 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $112,000 after purchasing an additional 2,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of Proto Labs by 477.4% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 3,072 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $123,000 after purchasing an additional 2,540 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.54% of the company’s stock.

Proto Labs Company Profile

Proto Labs, Inc is a digital manufacturing company that offers on-demand production services for custom parts and prototypes. Utilizing technologies such as 3D printing (additive manufacturing), CNC machining and injection molding, the company transforms digital CAD designs into functional parts on accelerated timelines. Its platform-driven process combines automated quoting, rapid tool generation and manufacturing execution to serve product developers, engineers and small- to medium-sized production runs.

Founded in 1999 by Larry Lukis, Proto Labs has championed the application of digital workflows to traditional manufacturing methods.