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Proto Labs Inc receives a 3-star quantitative star rating, reflecting our opinion that this share class is a balanced choice, but prudent investors should consider looking elsewhere. The stock currently trades at a 8% premium over our quantitative fair value estimate of $91.46 per share; however, this estimate should be taken with a pinch of salt due to its high uncertainty rating.

The company's valuation metrics weaken our fair value estimate. A company's valuation metrics provide insights into the market's expectations for its future growth and profitability. For example, the firm's enterprise value to EBITDA ratio of 24.8 sits in the top 30% globally. This suggests that the value of its enterprise value, or the value of its shares and debt, is a high multiple of the generated EBITDA. We believe this is a sign that shares could be overvalued.

On a different note, the firm's solid growth is reassuring. Consistent revenue and earnings growth indicates a company's potential for increased market share and profitability. The firm's EBIT 3-year growth of 48.7%, for example, sits in the top 10% globally. Earnings before interest and taxes growth over the past three years has proved robust, bolstering the long-term value of the business. Despite our unfavorable price/fair value ratio, this characteristic is a positive attribute.

In addition to the aforementioned drivers, our model considers momentum as part of its comprehensive analysis. This share class has outperformed the broader universe over the past year. This outperformance may signify a bull trap, in light of other detractors from our model.

The company's narrow economic moat rating suggests it should be able to maintain robust profitability for a decade or longer before competition erodes its advantage. In addition, the company's moderate financial health score is decent and doesn't seriously concern us with regard to financial distress.