Quick Summary
• Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB) kicked off 2026 with a strong quarter, showing steady growth, better margins, and improving customer engagement, even though some parts of the business, especially 3D printing in...
Additional Context
Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB) kicked off 2026 with a strong quarter, showing steady growth, better margins, and improving customer engagement, even though some parts of the business, especially 3D printing in Europe, are still weak. The company is gaining larger customers, but its 3D printing business is still mixed. Metal printing in the U.S. is strong, but demand is weaker in other regions.
In the first quarter, Protolabs reported record quarterly revenue of $139.3 million, up 10.4% year over year. Most of that growth came from CNC machining, which was up 17.6%. Injection molding and sheet metal grew at slower rates of 3.5% and 2.3%, respectively.
Profit also improved. Net income was $8.1 million, or 33 cents per share, compared with $3.6 million, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier. Meanwh