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Proto LabsWBO:PRLB -0.99%66 Forward PE Ratio is 37.66 as of Jul. 14, 2026. GuruFocus rates WBO:PRLB with a GF Score™ of 66/100 and a GF Value™ of €38.52 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,283 Industrial Products companies, Proto Labs ranks worse than 77.86% on this metric.
Proto Labs (WBO:PRLB) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Proto Labs Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Proto Labs Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Proto Labs's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Proto Labs Forward PE Ratio Chart
Proto Labs Annual Data
Trend
2019-12
2020-12
2021-12
2022-12
2024-12
2025-12
Forward PE Ratio
34.84
56.18
34.36
24.88
26.78
31.34
Proto Labs Quarterly Data
2019-06
2019-09
2019-12
2020-03
2020-06
2020-09
2020-12
2021-03
2021-06
2021-09
2021-12
2022-03
2022-06
2022-09
2022-12
2023-03
2023-06
2024-12
2025-03
2025-06
2025-09
2025-12
2026-03
Forward PE Ratio
31.35
32.26
34.84
33.00
54.95
51.81
56.18
47.39
48.54
33.22
34.36
32.47
27.03
20.33
24.88
32.26
30.96
26.78
24.70
28.27
30.83
31.34
32.34
WBO:PRLB vs RYZ, WOR, MEC: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Metal Fabrication subindustry, Proto Labs's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Proto Labs Forward PE Ratio vs Industrial Products Industry
For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, Proto Labs's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Proto Labs's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Proto Labs (WBO:PRLB) has a Forward PE Ratio of 37.66 as of Jul. 14, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Proto Labs and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Proto Labs ranks #999 out of 1283 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 77.9%.
Is Proto Labs' Forward PE Ratio too high?
Proto Labs' current Forward PE Ratio is 37.66. The Industrial Products industry median Forward PE Ratio is 19.58. Proto Labs' value of 37.66 is 92.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Proto Labs ranks #999 out of 1283 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Proto Labs has a GF Score™ of 66/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Proto Labs' Forward PE Ratio compare to RYZ and WOR?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, Proto Labs ranks #999 out of 1283 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Proto Labs in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 19.58. Proto Labs' value of 37.66 is 92.3% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for an Industrial Products company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Industrial Products companies is 19.58, based on 1,283 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Proto Labs's current Forward PE Ratio of 37.66 is 92.3% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Proto Labs and its competitors. For the Industrial Products industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 19.58 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Proto Labs's current Forward PE Ratio is 37.66. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Proto Labs stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Proto Labs (WBO:PRLB) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €38.52, compared to a current price of €65.00 — trading 68.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 37.66 and 92.3% above the Industrial Products industry median of 19.58. Proto Labs' overall GF Score™ is 66/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Proto Labs (WBO:PRLB), the current Forward PE Ratio is 37.66 as of Jul. 14, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Proto Labs (WBO:PRLB) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Proto Labs stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €65.00 is trading 68.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of €38.52.
GuruFocus considers Proto Labs to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for WBO:PRLB:
Forward PE Ratio: 37.66
GF Value™: €38.52 vs. price of €65.00 (68.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 92.3% above the Industrial Products median (#999 of 1283)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WBO:PRLB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Proto Labs Inc is an on-demand manufacturer of custom parts for prototyping and short-run production. The company offers developers and engineers quick-turn production services to reduce the time to market. The Lab uses injection molding, computer numerical control machining, and 3-D printing, and sheet metal to manufacture custom parts for its clients. The company services clients' needs for prototype solutions, parts for testing procedures, bridge production capabilities during disruptions in manufacturing processes, limited-quantity requests, and end-of-life production support. Geographically, a majority of the company's revenue is derived from the United States and the rest from Europe.
66GF Score
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