Head to Head Comparison: Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) & JBT Marel (NYSE:JBTM)

Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) and JBT Marel (NYSE:JBTM) are both industrials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, institutional ownership and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Proto Labs and JBT Marel’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Proto Labs	6.04%	5.40%	4.73%
JBT Marel	5.00%	9.00%	4.97%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Proto Labs and JBT Marel, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Proto Labs	0	3	3	0	2.50
JBT Marel	0	3	4	0	2.57

Proto Labs currently has a consensus target price of $100.50, indicating a potential upside of 45.27%. JBT Marel has a consensus target price of $157.60, indicating a potential upside of 24.48%. Given Proto Labs’ higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Proto Labs is more favorable than JBT Marel.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Proto Labs and JBT Marel”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Proto Labs	$533.13 million	3.10	$21.24 million	$1.43	48.38
JBT Marel	$3.80 billion	1.70	-$50.50 million	$3.75	33.76

Proto Labs has higher earnings, but lower revenue than JBT Marel. JBT Marel is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Proto Labs, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

84.5% of Proto Labs shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 98.9% of JBT Marel shares are held by institutional investors. 1.3% of Proto Labs shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of JBT Marel shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility & Risk

Proto Labs has a beta of 1.52, indicating that its share price is 52% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, JBT Marel has a beta of 0.93, indicating that its share price is 7% less volatile than the S&P 500.

About Proto Labs

Proto Labs, Inc. is a digital manufacturing company that helps businesses make custom parts for product development and production. Its services connect customers with manufacturing capabilities through an online platform, supporting projects from prototypes to production runs. The company offers injection molding, computer numerical control (CNC) machining, 3D printing and sheet metal fabrication. Customers can submit designs online for review and receive quotes and feedback intended to help them assess and refine parts before manufacturing.

About JBT Marel

JBT Marel Corporation provides equipment, automation, software and services for food and beverage processing. Its solutions help producers handle, prepare, process, package and transport products across the production chain. The company serves customers in sectors including meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables, prepared foods, and beverages. Its offerings include processing and packaging systems, filling and sterilization technologies, automated production lines, and aftermarket support.