Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE:PRLB) reported fourth-quarter results that topped market expectations, powered by robust momentum in its CNC Machining business, sending the company’s shares sharply higher.
The digital manufacturing services provider’s stock jumped more than 14% in U.S. premarket trading on Friday following the release. Proto Labs posted adjusted earnings of $0.44 per share for the quarter, well ahead of the analyst consensus of $0.35. Revenue climbed to a record $136.5 million, beating expectations of $128.99 million and rising 12.1% from the same period a year earlier.
CNC Machining stood out as the key growth driver, with segment revenue increasing 25% year on year. The company also highlighted a 23.2% rise in revenue per customer contact compared with the fourth quarter of 2024, pointing to larger and higher-value orders across its customer base.
“Protolabs closed 2025 with strong momentum, delivering accelerated growth, record revenue, and solid earnings in the fourth quarter,” said President and CEO Suresh Krishna in a statement.
Looking ahead, Proto Labs issued first-quarter 2026 guidance that also came in ahead of Wall Street forecasts. The company expects adjusted earnings in the range of $0.36 to $0.44 per share, above the $0.35 consensus estimate. Revenue is projected between $130 million and $138 million, with the midpoint of $134 million slightly exceeding analyst expectations of $132.6 million.
For the full year 2025, Proto Labs reported record revenue of $533.1 million, up 6.4% from 2024. Network fulfillment revenue delivered particularly strong growth, rising 15.7% year on year to $116.2 million, while factory fulfillment revenue increased 4.1% to $416.9 million.
CFO Dan Schumacher said, “We delivered solid results in 2025 with record revenue and strong cash flow. As we move through 2026, we are implementing targeted changes to improve efficiency and build a more scalable operating model.”
For fiscal 2026, the company expects revenue growth in the range of 6% to 8%, underlining management’s confidence in continued demand across its digital manufacturing platform.