2026-10-25
Proto Labs, clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
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latest tape · as of 18:05 UTC
The Screen · Industrials · Metal Fabrication
Proto Labs, Inc.
PRLB · the NYSE · USD · Market cap $1.6B · 2,280 employees
Proto Labs, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a digital manufacturer of custom parts in the United States and Europe.
Not yet scored65.69 USD
Price as of 6 Nov 2026Daily close, not a live quote
Screened 2026-11-06 · the tape above runs as of 18:05 UTC · two dates, stated on purpose · verdict and workings shown in full · never trimmed
Key facts today
- Price65.69 USD at the 6 Nov 2026 close
- Our value readFair vs our fair value, as of 6 Nov 2026
- Our regime readDistribution, as of 7 Nov 2026
- Ethical screenNot yet scored
- OptionsOpen interest leans heavily to calls (put/call 0.29)
- Last reviewed6 Nov 2026 (1 days ago)
- Release timesRelease and earnings times on your chart: Event Guard Mentor
A summary of the dated readings below, not a live quote and not advice.
PRICE · ONE YEAR
Our fair-value range: $61.62 to $70.86, base estimate $61.62 (screen dated 2026-11-06).
- Trend Distribution
- Insiders insiders sold, $476,605, latest filing 2026-09-24
- Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
- Options put/call open interest 0.29, read 2026-11-05
- Ethical screen not yet scored
Price65.69 USD
Fair value61.62
Ethical score70.0/100
Value readFairas of 6 Nov 2026
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-11-05Read Distribution66.48-1.2% to today ✓Markdown gives way to Distribution after a 26% slide in 2 weeks
2026-10-22Read Markdown89.69-26.8% to today ✓Accumulation gives way to Markdown
2026-10-21Read Accumulation87.41-24.8% to today Markup gives way to Accumulation first Accumulation read since July
2026-10-02Read Markup87.68-25.1% to today Distribution gives way to Markup after a 9% rise in 3 weeks
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
The full research record, in depth, below
This name holds its distribution label.
Proto Labs, Inc. holds its Distribution at $65.69. The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 2 days.
| Phase | Distribution · caution |
| Quantitative state | The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 2 days |
| Price at the screen | $65.69 |
| Valuation | 44.92 trailing · 26.46 forward price to earnings |
| Values screen | Not scored · score 70.0 |
| Beta | 1.50 |
Five Screens, Shown in Full
This security has not been fully scored against the values screen yet.
| Test | Figure | Limit | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business activity | Permissible | Core business clean | Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. | Pass |
| Debt load | 0.40% | Below 33% | Interest-bearing debt is just 0.4% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money. | Pass |
| Interest-bearing cash | 1.87% | Below 33% | Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 1.9% of assets, under the one-third limit. | Pass |
| Receivables | 24.86% | Below 49% | Money owed to the company is 24.9% of assets, under the 49% limit. | Pass |
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical ReadThe Read, in Plain English
Proto Labs, clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
Read as at 2026-11-07. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
2026-09-24
Clears
Proto Labs, clears all five screens. Its business is in a permissible area, its debt is near-nil, and almost none of its income is interest, so it passes.
Earlier reads, kept as written. The ethical profile is tracked over time, not overwritten.
What the Numbers Say It Is WorthThe Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads Fair vs our fair value, as of 6 Nov 2026: it trades above our $61.62 fair value estimate, 14.00% revenue growth.
How a fair value is estimated: discounted cash flow (DCF).
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-11-06 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. The price runs 6.6% above the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 4 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits +55% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Our more conservative model reads it as roughly fairly valued here, while the Street is more bullish: a quality-at-a-fair-price name rather than a deep-value one.
Price History & ProjectionsWhere our models see it going: fair-value estimate $61.62, with a range of $61.62 to $70.86, dated to the 2026-11-06 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain WordsCustom parts maker trades far above its worth
Picture a workshop turning out one-off metal brackets or plastic prototypes for engineers racing against deadlines. Proto Labs sits in that niche, yet the shares sit at 77 dollars against a fair value nearer 55. Forward earnings trade at 35 times while returns on equity crawl at just 4 percent and net margins sit at 5 percent. This is not a bargain hiding in plain sight.
The business grows revenue at 10 percent a year and clears the ethical screen, yet the gap between price and value leaves no margin of safety. In a cyclical metal-fabrication industry, high multiples often flag peak-cycle earnings rather than durable strength. Three analysts see a median target near 91, but that optimism collides with thin returns and unknown competitive protection.
Valuation risk dominates here. Paying up for modest growth in a sector prone to sharp swings has caught investors out before. Analysis, not advice.
| Forward P/E | 26.5xpriced for continued growth |
| Trailing P/E | 44.9xexpensive: the price assumes strong growth ahead |
| EPS, trailing | 1.48 |
| EPS, forward | 2.51 |
| Revenue growth | +14.0%steady growth |
| Profit margin | 6.0%thin but positive margins |
| Return on equity | 5.1%a modest return on shareholder capital |
| FCF yield | 2.40% |
| Debt to equity | 0.56moderate, manageable leverage |
| Current ratio | 3.65comfortably covers its short-term bills |
| Beta | 1.50moves a little more than the market |
| Short interest, float | 0.04% |
| 52-week range | 46.07 - 99.96 |
| Market cap | $1.6B |
| Employees | 2,280 |
Another profit measure, before interest, tax and non-cash costs: EBITDA.
The risks · The things to watch: it's a small-cap, so the share price can swing harder than the market; it already moves more than the market on an average day.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to TradePRLB trades on the NYSE. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
Every Entry, As Written
2026-11-05
Distribution · changed $66.48
-22.3% Entry 17
The framework has shifted from markdown to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 22.3% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 18% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. Since the last review it its composite score rose.
2026-10-29
Markdown $85.61
-4.5% Entry 16
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 4.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 18% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-28
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 15
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 18% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-27
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 14
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 18% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-26
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 13
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 18% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-25
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 12
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-24
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 11
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-23
Markdown $89.69
+0.0% Entry 10
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-22
Markdown · changed $89.69
+2.6% Entry 9
The framework has shifted from accumulation to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved up 2.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-21
Accumulation · changed $87.41
-6.9% Entry 8
The framework has shifted from markup to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 6.9% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 89%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 38%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $76. Insiders have been net sellers over the past quarter.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
- PRLB Q3 deep dive: manufacturing investments drive growth, but margins and outlook raise questions Yahoo Finance · 7d ago
- Proto Labs (PRLB) Stock Price Drops As Q3 Earnings Meet Valuation Doubts Yahoo Finance · 7d ago
- What Proto Labs (PRLB) Said on Its Q3 Earnings Call Yahoo Finance · 8d ago
- 3 small-cap stocks we find risky Yahoo Finance · 8d ago
- Proto Labs Sinks 15% as “Higher Raw Material Costs” Squeeze Margins Despite Record Quarter Yahoo Finance · 8d ago
Headlines from third-party outlets, linked for reference: not our reporting, not advice.
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| Date | Insider | Title | Type | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-24 | Schumacher Daniel | CFO | S - Sale | 5,000 | $476,605 |
Public filings, recorded as found. The full tape lives at Insider Intelligence.
| Period | Price then | Price return | Divs per share | $1,000 became | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $70.95 | +4.4% | · | $1,044 | +4.4% |
| 2 months | $61.40 | +20.6% | · | $1,206 | +20.6% |
| 3 months | $55.23 | +34.1% | · | $1,341 | +34.1% |
| 6 months | $53.22 | +39.1% | · | $1,391 | +39.1% |
| 1 year | $39.25 | +88.6% | · | $1,886 | +88.6% |
| 2 years | $31.87 | +132.3% | · | $2,323 | +132.3% |
| 3 years | $35.16 | +110.6% | · | $2,106 | +110.6% |
| 5 years | $87.23 | -15.1% | · | $849 | -15.1% |
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever PRLB does next, these words stay.
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