Mesa LaboratoriesMLAB +3.92%77 Gross Margin % is 66.23% as of Mar. 2026, which is 10% above its 10-year median of 60.10. GuruFocus rates MLAB with a GF Score™ of 77/100 and a GF Value™ of $116.05 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,449 Hardware companies, Mesa Laboratories ranks better than 95.1% on this metric.
Warren Buffett believes that firms with excellent long term economics tend to have consistently higher margins.
Durable competitive advantage creates a high Gross Margin % because of the freedom to price in excess of cost. Companies can be categorized by their Gross Margin %
1. Greater than 40% = Durable competitive advantage
2. Less than 40% = Competition eroding margins
3. Less than 20% = no sustainable competitive advantage
Consistency of Gross Margin is key
Mesa Laboratories had a gross margin of 66.23% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => Durable competitive advantage
Be Aware
If a company loses its competitive advantages, usually its gross margin declines well before its sales declines. Watching Gross Margin % and Operating Margin % closely helps avoid value trap situations.
Mesa Laboratories Gross Margin % Related Terms
Mesa Laboratories Gross Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Mesa Laboratories's Gross Margin % 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.
MLAB vs AERG, MVIS, ARBE: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Scientific & Technical Instruments subindustry, Mesa Laboratories's Gross Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Gross Margin % 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.
Mesa Laboratories Gross Margin % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Mesa Laboratories's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Mesa Laboratories's Gross Margin % falls into.
* 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.
A positive Gross Profit is only the first step for a company to make a net profit. The gross profit needs to be big enough to also cover related labor, equipment, rental, marketing/advertising, research and development and a lot of other costs in selling the products.
Mesa Laboratories (MLAB) has a Gross Margin % of 66.23% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Mesa Laboratories and its competitors. This is 10% above median its historical median of 60.10. Over the past decade, Mesa Laboratories' Gross Margin % has ranged from 55.54 to 64.97. According to the industry distribution chart, Mesa Laboratories ranks #120 out of 2449 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 4.9%.
Is Mesa Laboratories' Gross Margin % too high?
Mesa Laboratories' current Gross Margin % of 66.23% is 10% above median its 10-year median of 60.10. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 55.54 to a high of 64.97. The Hardware industry median Gross Margin % is 24.52. Mesa Laboratories' value of 66.23% is 170.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Mesa Laboratories ranks #120 out of 2449 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Mesa Laboratories has a GF Score™ of 77/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Mesa Laboratories' Gross Margin % compare to AERG and MVIS?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Mesa Laboratories ranks #120 out of 2449 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Mesa Laboratories in the top 5% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Gross Margin % is 24.52. Mesa Laboratories' value of 66.23% is 170.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Mesa Laboratories' own Gross Margin % has ranged from 55.54 to 64.97 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 60.10 vs. the industry median of 24.52, Mesa Laboratories has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Gross Margin % for a Hardware company?
The median Gross Margin % among Hardware companies is 24.52, based on 2,449 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Gross Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Gross Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Mesa Laboratories's current Gross Margin % of 66.23% is 170.1% 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 Gross Margin % mean?
A high Gross Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Mesa Laboratories and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Gross Margin % is 24.52 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Mesa Laboratories's current Gross Margin % is 66.23%, which is 10% above median its own 10-year median of 60.10. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Mesa Laboratories stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Mesa Laboratories (MLAB) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $116.05, compared to a current price of $98.18 — trading 15.4% below its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 66.23%, which is 10% above median its 10-year median of 60.10 and 170.1% above the Hardware industry median of 24.52. Mesa Laboratories' overall GF Score™ is 77/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Gross Margin % calculated?
Gross Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Mesa Laboratories (MLAB), the current Gross Margin % is 66.23% as of Mar. 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 Mesa Laboratories (MLAB) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Mesa Laboratories stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $98.18 is trading 15.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of $116.05.
GuruFocus considers Mesa Laboratories to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for MLAB:
Gross Margin %: 66.23% (10% above median its 10-year median of 60.10)
GF Value™: $116.05 vs. price of $98.18 (15.4% below fair value)
Industry Position: 170.1% above the Hardware median (#120 of 2449)
No single metric tells the full story. See the MLAB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Mesa Laboratories Inc manufactures life sciences tools and critical quality control solutions. It operates in four divisions: i) Sterilization and Disinfection Control, which manufactures and sells biological, chemical, and cleaning indicators used to assess the effectiveness of sterilization, decontamination, disinfection, and cleaning processes. ii) Clinical Genomics division develops, manufactures, and sells sensitive, low-cost, high-throughput genetic analysis tools and related consumables. iii) The Biopharmaceutical Development division develops, manufactures, and sells automated systems for protein analysis (immunoassays) and peptide synthesis solutions. iv) The Calibration Solutions division develops, manufactures, sells, and services quality control products.
77GF Score
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