Investing in 3D Printing Stocks

3D printing stocks refer to shares of publicly traded companies that are involved in the 3D printing industry, which includes businesses that produce 3D printers, supply 3D printing materials, and provide 3D printing services.

Back in the early 2010s, stocks were booming for 3D printing -- also known as additive manufacturing, a computer-controlled process in which three-dimensional objects are made. But the boom was followed by a bust as many pure-play 3D printing companies didn't immediately deliver on lofty expectations.

Rumors of the manufacturing technology's demise are clearly premature. These days, 3D printing is a high-growth niche that is steadily reshaping the manufacturing and industrial sectors. Fortune Business Insights estimates that the additive manufacturing market size was valued at $19.3 billion in 2024, and it's expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.4% from a projected $23.4 billion in 2025 to $101.7 billion in 2032. Even growth investor Cathie Wood offers a fund focused on manufacturing tech, The 3D Printing ETF (PRNT 0.59%), via her company ARK Invest.

Here's what you need to know about 3D printing and additive manufacturing stocks for 2025.

Investing in 3D printing stocks

Investing in 3D printing stocks in 2025

The manufacturing of products in all corners of the economy is being revolutionized by 3D printing, from healthcare equipment to metal fabrication to housing construction. It's invading so many sectors that tech giants such as Microsoft (MSFT -0.56%), Autodesk (ADSK 1.0%), and HP (HPQ 0.34%) have launched products aimed at 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Other engineering and software outfits such as Dassault Systemes (OTC:DASTY), ANSYS (NASDAQ:ANSS), and Trimble (TRMB -1.12%) have also gotten involved in 3D printing technology.   

Here are five key players that are more focused on 3D printing.

1 - 3

1. Nano Dimension

Since its initial public offering (IPO) in 2016, Nano Dimension has provided investors with an opportunity to invest in a 3D printing company that specializes in the additive manufacturing of electronics, as well as ceramics and metals. Its product portfolio grew even more robust with the acquisition of 3D printing peer Desktop Metal -- an all-cash transaction that had been slowed by litigation but seems poised to move forward. Nano Dimension further strengthened its position with the $116 million acquisition of Markforged in April 2025. According to management, the transaction provides Nano Dimension with "a strong foothold in metal and composite manufacturing solutions and a leap forward in AI-enhanced manufacturing."

As its name implies, Desktop Metal develops 3D printing hardware and accompanying design software for metal and carbon fiber parts. The company's smaller systems can handle prototyping and one-off parts, and larger printers are production-grade-designed for manufacturing facilities. Desktop Metal serves companies operating in automotive, consumer goods, and heavy industrial equipment businesses.

Management contended in an investor presentation that as a result of acquiring Desktop Metal, Nano Dimension will become the "first AM [additive manufacturing] provider covering the full gamut of customer needs from prototyping to production across a range of critical and high-performance applications."

In the first quarter of 2025, Nano Dimension (excluding contributions from Desktop Metal and Markforged) reported revenue of $14.4 million, an 8% year-over-year increase. At the bottom of the income statement, the company reported a $24 million net loss, a slimmer loss than the negative $35 million net income it reported in Q1 2024.

2. Stratasys

Stratasys was part of the early 2010s 3D printing stock boom and bust, but its business has endured. Currently, management is looking to strengthen the company's financial health with a cost-savings initiative that is showing success. In the second quarter of 2025, Stratasys reported an adjusted net income margin of 1.6%, a turnaround from the negative 2.2% adjusted net income margin it reported during the same period in 2024.

Stratasys serves a diverse set of customers, including aerospace and automotive parts manufacturers, medical and dental companies, and makers of basic consumer products. And these relationships aren't superficial either. Stratsys has a partnership with General Motors that has lasted over two decades.

In addition to a wide array of 3D printer models, Stratasys develops software to help users accelerate the time between design and final printing.  

It isn't the highest-growth name on this list, but the company expects stronger operating cash flow in 2025, and its balance sheet remains strong, boasting a net cash position of $255 million as of June 30, 2025.

3. Xometry

One of the younger 3D printing stocks on the list, Xometry, completed its initial public offering (IPO) over the summer of 2021, raising almost $350 million in cash in the process.

Xometry is a marketplace for on-demand manufacturing of prototyping and mass production. It has a network of more than 4,375 suppliers that companies can call on to meet their fabrication needs. Among the suppliers on the Xometry platform are 3D printing companies, injection molding, and automated machining. The company reported having more than 74,000 active buyers utilizing its platform at the end of the second quarter 2025, a 22% year-over-year increase.

Although it isn't profitable yet, Xometry's unique approach to the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry is growing fast. From 2021 to 2024, the number of customers with accounts who have spent more than $50,000 during the prior 12-month period grew at a 28% CAGR. 

Another indication of the company's success is its achievement of record quarterly revenue -- $163 million -- in Q2 2025. And it wasn't only the top of the income statement, where the company impressed. Xometry also reported a record quarterly gross profit of $65.2 million, representing a more than 23% year-over-year increase.

4 - 5

4. 3D Systems

3D Systems was another early player in the 3D printing industry, and while it suffered through the boom-and-bust period of the early 2010s, its business has held steady for much of the past decade.

The company develops printers and design software for all sorts of materials and industries (medical device makers, dental labs, semiconductor designers, aerospace, and automotive manufacturers). It claims leadership among independent 3D printing companies (as measured by sales). As the 3D printing industry expands in the coming years, 3D Systems thinks it will be able to attract lots of new business with its extensive experience and global reach.

As an established tech outfit in the manufacturing sector, 3D Systems offers investors the prospect of more stable growth, along with profitability. In early 2025, management revealed a cost-saving initiative that is expected to produce annualized savings of $50 million in expenses. There are signs that the initiative is bearing fruit. In the second quarter of 2025, 3D Systems reported $47 million in operating expenses compared to $64 million in the second quarter of 2024. Management projects further improvements, forecasting operating expenses in the low $40 million range at the end of 2025.

5. PTC

By far the largest company on this list, PTC is a longtime technology partner of manufacturing and industrial enterprises. PTC projects fiscal 2025 revenue to top $2.57 billion to $2.63 billion with about $850 million in free cash flow. Highly profitable, PTC forecasts fiscal 2025 earnings per share of $4.77 to $5.23. It has all the tools needed to digitally transform industrial businesses.

Besides 3D printing computer-aided design software (ANSYS is a peer and software partner that also operates in this space), PTC specializes in augmented reality, industrial IoT (Internet of Things), and product lifecycle management software. Most of its revenue is subscription-based (including its Creo software that enables 3D printing), making for a stable and steadily growing business model that generates ample cash flow. PTC puts spare cash to work developing new products for its partners and makes bolt-on acquisitions of other software companies that enhance its overall portfolio.  

As a larger company, PTC won't be the fastest-growing stock in the additive manufacturing and 3D printing space. However, the company has established itself as a leader in industrial technology and should be a primary beneficiary as the production of manufactured goods gets more efficient.

Why invest?

Why invest in 3D printing stocks?

While many may recognize the numerous opportunities to gain 3D printing stock exposure, they may be questioning why they're a worthwhile investment. Here are some of the more compelling reasons why now's a great time to click the buy button on a 3D printing stock:

• From healthcare to industrials, businesses from a variety of sectors are embracing 3D printing technology, so there is the potential for strong growth.
• Investing in 3D printing stocks may help with your portfolio diversification.
• As 3D printing companies continue to innovate, there will likely be new applications for the technology that emerge.

Criteria for selecting the best stocks

Criteria for selecting the best 3D printing stocks

When evaluating which 3D printing stocks are good fits for your portfolio, there are some things to bear in mind. For one, investors will want to see that the companies are growing revenue. If a business is failing to grow the top line, it could be a big red flag. Similarly, investors should look for companies that are progressing towards profitability. Just because a company is unprofitable doesn't mean it's not worthy of an investment, but investors should look for movement towards shrinking their net losses.

Similarly, investors will want to see that the companies aren't weighing down their balance sheets with debt in order to keep the lights on. Many 3D printing companies are still struggling to generate profits. If they're choosing to issue debt to raise capital, it could impede their ability to spend on research and development and result in them lagging behind peers in innovations.

Lastly, it's important to see that a 3D printing company retains a competitive advantage over its peers. This could come in a variety of ways, but one, in particular, that is important is strong intellectual property (IP). 3D Systems, for example, has been granted more than 1,000 patents over the past 10 years.

How to invest

How to invest in 3D printing stocks

Understanding the technology that underlies 3D printing may be hard, but buying 3D printing stocks is easy, requiring only a few basic steps.

1. Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
2. Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
3. Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
4. Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
5. Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
6. Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

Related investing topics

The future of 3D printing

The future of 3D printing

Manufacturing technology is making inroads throughout the global economy by reducing the cost of production and localizing and speeding up the time it takes to deliver customer orders. This is far from mere hype. Nevertheless, as is the case with all technology investments, progress won't go straight up. Expect twists and turns in these stocks as they develop new methods to design and make products.

If you decide to invest, do so in a measured way. Maintain a diversified portfolio, be wary of stocks benefiting from investor over-optimism, and always leave spare cash to invest more when there are inevitable dips. Given enough time -- years and decades -- investing in 3D printing could eventually provide a big payoff.