Filing Flows

Filing Flows › Companies › Proto Labs › Cash flow

Proto Labs cash flow, quarter by quarter

Latest: Q3 2026 · from the cash-flow statements filed with the SEC

Free cash flow$17.0M in Q3 2026 · $48.6M over twelve months

Operating cash flow$22.8M
Capital spending−$5.8M
Free cash flow+$17.0M
Cash / net income1.9×
Cash conversion cycle53 days

Analysis

In Q3 2026, Proto Labs generated $22.8M of operating cash flow and spent $5.8M on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of $17.0M. That is $8.1M less than in Q3 2025 ($25.0M).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $72.2M; the largest uses were capital spending ($23.6M), buybacks ($16.3M), other investing ($7.6M); besides operations, cash came from shares issued ($10.2M), asset & business sales ($1.3M); the cash balance rose by $29.4M.

Operating cash flow was $22.8M against net income of $11.8M — 1.9× profit, cash ran ahead of reported earnings. The largest differences: depreciation & amortization +$8.1M, accrued liabilities +$7.0M, receivables −$5.2M.

Its cash conversion cycle was 53 days (receivables 58 + inventory 17 − payables 22).

Free cash flow

Proto Labs: free cash flow by quarterProto Labs: free cash flow by quarter$16.5MQ4 2024$17.1MQ1 2025$9.1MQ2 2025$25.0MQ3 2025$8.4MQ4 2025$14.0MQ1 2026$9.2MQ2 2026$17.0MQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
Proto Labs: operating cash flow against capital spendingProto Labs: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$17.3M$830KQ4 2024$18.4M$1.3MQ1 2025$10.6M$1.5MQ2 2025$29.1M$4.1MQ3 2025$16.5M$8.1MQ4 2025$17.5M$3.5MQ1 2026$15.4M$6.2MQ2 2026$22.8M$5.8MQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $22.8M, Capital spending $5.8M.

Capital allocation, year by year

Proto Labs: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearProto Labs: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedAsset salesCapital spendingAcquisitionsBuybacksFY2021: Operating cash flow $55.2MFY2021: Net borrowing −$552KFY2021: Shares issued $5.9MFY2021: Capital spending −$34.2MFY2021: Acquisitions −$127MFY2021: Buybacks −$23.3M$61.1MFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $62.1MFY2022: Net borrowing −$531KFY2022: Shares issued $4.0MFY2022: Asset sales $4.1MFY2022: Capital spending −$21.7MFY2022: Buybacks −$29.7M$70.1MFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow $73.3MFY2023: Net borrowing −$306KFY2023: Shares issued $3.8MFY2023: Asset sales $699KFY2023: Capital spending −$28.1MFY2023: Buybacks −$44.0M$77.8MFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $77.8MFY2024: Net borrowing −$296KFY2024: Shares issued $4.0MFY2024: Asset sales $34KFY2024: Capital spending −$9.2MFY2024: Buybacks −$60.3M$81.9MFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $74.5MFY2025: Net borrowing −$309KFY2025: Shares issued $6.3MFY2025: Asset sales $834KFY2025: Capital spending −$14.8MFY2025: Buybacks −$43.0M$81.7MFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $343M; the largest uses were buybacks ($200M) and acquisitions ($127M). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$151M
Debtnone
Net cash$151M

Proto Labs funds itself: free cash flow was $48.6M over the last twelve months, with $151M of cash and investments and no debt on the balance sheet.

Where the cash came from and went

Proto Labs: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Proto Labs: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Operating cash flow$22.8MOther investing−$6.5MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$5.9MCapital spending−$5.8MBuybacks−$5.0MShares issued$746KExchange rates−$170KTaxes on employees’ shares−$132KNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$27K
Proto Labs: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Proto Labs: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Operating cash flow$72.2MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$29.4MCapital spending−$23.6MBuybacks−$16.3MShares issued$10.2MOther investing−$7.6MTaxes on employees’ shares−$6.4MAsset & business sales$1.3MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$265KExchange rates−$165K

From profit to cash

Proto Labs: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Proto Labs: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income$11.8MDepreciation & amortization$8.1MStock-based pay$3.4MDeferred taxes$1.5MGains on disposals−$30KReceivables−$5.2MInventory−$1.1MPayables−$2.6MAccrued liabilities$7.0MPrepaid and other assets−$643KIncome taxes payable$654KOperating cash flow$22.8M
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.
QuarterReceivable daysInventory daysPayable daysCash conversion cycle
Q3 202658172253
Q2 202655172349
Q1 202653172150
Q4 202553172050
Q3 202553172049
Q2 202551161948
Q1 202550162046
Q4 202451162048

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingBuybacksNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Shares issuedCash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$22.8M−$5.8M−$5.0M−$27K$746K−$5.9M$17.0M
Q2 2026$15.4M−$6.2M−$5.0M−$81K$3.7M−$3.9M$9.2M
Q1 2026$17.5M−$3.5M—−$79K$3.6M−$13.1M$14.0M
Q4 2025$16.5M−$8.1M−$6.2M−$78K$2.1M−$6.4M$8.4M
Q3 2025$29.1M−$4.1M−$12.8M−$78K$2.1M−$14.0M$25.0M
Q2 2025$10.6M−$1.5M−$3.1M−$77K$1.8M−$7.7M$9.1M
Q1 2025$18.4M−$1.3M−$20.9M−$76K$287K$6.4M$17.1M
Q4 2024$17.3M−$830K−$14.3M−$76K$1.9M−$1.2M$16.5M

Proto Labs: income statement and cash flow

Proto Labs, Q3 2026: revenue $154M (+14% year over year), operating margin 9.4%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

Proto Labs: every quarter, Q/Q and Y/Y → Open in the app

Read automatically from the company’s XBRL cash-flow statements; quarterly figures for the fourth quarter are the year less the first three. Errors are possible. Not investment advice.