This AI-Enabled Manufacturer’s Business Is Booming.

Proto Labs reported a beat in Q1 results — $0.54 EPS on $139.4M sales, up 10.4% YoY — and issued Q2 guidance ($0.54 EPS, $144M sales) above prior Street EPS expectations, driven by AI-enabled expansion from prototyping into production. Despite the beat, shares swung intraday (pre-market pop to >$68, intraday low $57.67, closed $65.17) as investors weighed lofty valuation (about 35x forward earnings vs. 25x a year ago) after strong YTD (+28%) and 12‑month (+81%) gains. The report signals positive demand and execution for AI-driven digital manufacturing, but market reaction shows investor caution on stretched multiples.