10 Best 3D Printing Stocks To Buy

In this article, we will be looking at the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy. If you want to skip our detailed analysis on these stocks, you can go directly to the 5 Best 3D Printing Stocks to Buy.

3D printing, sometimes referred to as additive manufacturing, is the sequential layering of materials to create three dimensional objects and shapes using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) technology. This phenomenon is just one of the many technological advancements witnessed by the world, and more recently, has caught the eye of investors. Although the technology has been around for a few years now, it has experienced exceptional growth as an industry these past years, due to its limitless applications in commercial manufacturing and large-scale projects.

Considered to be a profitable market among investors, the industry is set to reach greater heights. According to the data provided by Statista, the global 3D printing products and services market is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 17% till 2023, with values expected to reach $37.2 billion by the year 2026. Based on another report, the market size is predicted to reach $62.79 billion, witnessing a CAGR of 21% between the current year and the year 2028. Additionally, global shipments of ‘industrial’ 3D printing machines, between Q2 2020 and 2021, jumped 61%, while those of ‘design’ systems rose by 43%.

Having made its way into most, if not all, industries, 3D printing, as an additive technology, has been proven to be most effective in the Healthcare industry, due to its applications regarding the manufacture of precise prosthetics for amputees, fitted perfectly to the required specifications of each individual. More recently, the FDA made extensive use of 3D printing in their Rapid Response Plan, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, manufacturing medical and personal protection equipment.

With the global 3D printing market primed for growth, investors looking to make a profit stand to gain much from investing into stocks like Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), HP In. (NYSE:HPQ), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX) and Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE:DM), among others discussed in detail below.

10 Best 3D Printing Stocks To Buy

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Our Methodology

Let us now analyze our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy. We took into account hedge fund sentiment, analysts’ ratings, long-term growth potential, and fundamentals while choosing these stocks.

Why should we pay attention to hedge fund sentiment while choosing stocks? Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 86 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and July 2021, our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 186.1%, vs. 100.1% for the S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 86 percentage points (see the details here). That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

Best 3D Printing Stocks To Buy

10. Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 11

Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM) is an Israel-based 3D printing company that is involved in the research and development of 3D printed electronics, including printers dedicated to printing multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs), and the development of nanotechnology based inks. The company ranks tenth on our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy.

This October 5, Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM) announced that it had met the final milestone to complete the delivery of its Fabrica 2.0 System for micro precision additive manufacturing to a Western Homeland Security Agency. Additionally, the company’s collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation back in September 7 generated more than $2.77 billion through contract research.

By the end of the second quarter of 2021, 11 elite hedge funds out of the 873 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM). The total value of their stakes came up to roughly $173.9 million. The number of hedge funds remained the same for the first and second quarters of 2021.

For the fiscal second quarter of 2021, Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM) reported a revenue amounting to $0.81 million, growing about 179.3% from the prior-year quarter. Catherine Wood’s ARK Capital Management is the company’s leading shareholder with 16.3 million shares.

Much like Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), HP In. (NYSE:HPQ), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX) and Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE:DM), Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNDM) is a notable 3D printing stock to buy.

9. Materialise N.V (NASDAQ:MTLS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14

Based in Belgium, Materialise N.V (NASDAQ:MTLS) is one of the largest independent companies in the 3D printing involved in the design and manufacture of rapid 3D printed prototypes. Operating through its three segments, namely Materialise Software, Materialise Medical, and Materialise Manufacturing, the company ranks ninth on our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy.

On September 2, Stifel analyst Noelle Dilts initiated coverage of Materialise N.V (NASDAQ:MTLS) with a Buy rating and $30 price target on the company’s shares.

The firm last issued its second quarter earnings report on July 29, with a declared EPS of $0.08, beating market estimates by $0.11. The revenue for the quarter came in at $60.30 million, surpassing the predicted revenue by $2.03 million.

By the end of the second quarter of 2021, 14 hedge funds out of the 873 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Materialise N.V (NASDAQ:MTLS). The total value of their stakes came up to roughly $201 million, up from 8 hedge funds in the preceding quarter that held stakes worth approximately $290.9 million.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Catherine Wood’s ARK Capital Management is the leading shareholder in the company, with 6.18 million shares worth $149 million.

8. Proto labs, Inc. (NYSE:PRLB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19

Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE: PRLB) operates as an e-commerce driven manufacturer of custom prototypes and 0n-demand production parts globally. Headquartered in Minnesota, the company ranks eighth on our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy.

On July 29, the firm posted earnings for the second quarter, reporting earnings per share of $0.39, missing market predictions by $0.05. The revenue over the period was $123 million, up 15% year-on-year.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm D. E. Shaw is among the major shareholders in Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE: PRLB). The firm increased its stake in the company by 583% in the second quarter of 2021, with over 172,506 shares worth more than $15.8 million.

Of the 873 elite funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 19 were long in Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE:PRLB) at the end of June with stakes worth roughly $361 million, up from 18 in the first quarter of 2021.

Just like Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), HP In. (NYSE:HPQ), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX) and Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE:DM), Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE:PRLB) is a notable 3D printing stock to buy.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Harding Loevner, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE:PRLB) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“Shares of Protolabs, a provider of 3D printing and other rapid prototyping and mold machining services for manufacturing, extended their strong performance from last year and soared early in January after the company announced its intention to acquire another on-demand digital manufacturing platform. We took advantage of their runup to sell our position.”

7. 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 20

3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) is a provider of 3D printing and digital manufacturing services, including stereolithography, selective laser sintering, direct metal printing and multi-jet printing through the use of the company’s 3D printers. It ranks seventh on our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy.

The company issued its quarterly earnings report for the second quarter of 2021 on August 9, with earnings per share declared at -$0.08, falling short of the estimates by $0.02. The revenue, on the other hand, was reported at $162.56 million, surpassing the estimated revenue by $19.28 million. This August, Loop Capital analyst Ananda Baruah raised the price target on 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) to $33 from $24, and kept a Hold rating on the shares of the company.

Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies is one of the biggest stakeholders of 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) as of the end of the second quarter, according to the data tracked by Insider Monkey. Overall, 20 hedge funds were bullish on 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) by the end of the June quarter, compared to 16 in the preceding quarter.

Much like Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), HP In. (NYSE:HPQ), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX) and Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE:DM), 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) is a notable stock to buy.

6. Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21

Founded in Minnesota, and based in Israel, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) is a manufacturer of 3D printers and 3D production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing solutions. Ranked sixth on our list of the 10 best 3D printing stocks to buy, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) has a market capitalization of $1.77 billion.

On October 6, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) had acquired all the remaining shares of Xaar 3D Ltd., accelerating the company’s growth in production-scale 3D printing. At the start of September, Craig-Hallum analyst Greg Palm raised his price target on Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) to $27 from $25, and kept a Hold rating on its shares, after the company received a $20 million contract from the Department of Defense.

In the second quarter of 2021, Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) had an EPS valued at -$0.02, compared to the estimates of -$0.07, and brought in $147 million in revenue, beating the predicted revenues by $10.90 million.

Of the 873 elite funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 21 were long in Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) at the end of June, compared to 24 in the first quarter of 2021. Catherine Wood’s ARK Capital Management is the leading shareholder in the company, with 8.8 million shares worth $229.4 million.