In this article, we will look at the 10 Worst 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Stocks To Buy.
The Global 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing Market
3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that creates three-dimensional objects by layering materials. This technology offers a range of benefits, including the ability to use various materials such as plastics, metals, and biomaterials. It has diverse applications across engineering, healthcare, and entertainment industries and employs different processes like stereolithography and digital light processing. Notably, 3D printing enables the production of parts with high precision and reliability and allows for the creation of customized parts with intricate geometric structures.
According to a report by Precedence Research, the global 3D printing market was valued at $24.61 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $117.78 billion by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of 19%. North America accounts for over 34% of revenue share, whereas the European market experienced the fastest growth in 2023. Europe is poised to emerge as a hub for additive manufacturing, driven by the presence of numerous industry players who possess in-depth technical expertise in additive manufacturing techniques. In terms of printer type, industrial printers led the way, generating more than 77% of total revenues. Stereolithography technology, which uses ultraviolet (UV) light to create objects from liquid resin, played a significant role, contributing over 11% of total revenues.
The 3D printing market revealed a strong presence of prototyping applications, which emerged as the largest segment, accounting for over 55% of total revenues. This indicates that the technology is being widely adopted to create prototypes, which is a critical stage in the product development process. The prototyping segment’s dominance can be attributed to the ability of 3D printing to rapidly produce complex designs, test, and iterate on them, and refine the final product. This has led to increased adoption in various industries, with the automotive sector being a prime example. The automotive vertical was the leading industry, capturing over 25% of revenue share, as 3D printing is being used to create complex car parts, tooling, and prototypes. Furthermore, the market also saw a significant contribution from metal materials, which dominated the market, accounting for over 53% of global revenue.
ARK Invest Forecasts 40% Annual Growth for 3D Printing Industry
According to Tasha Keen, Director of Investment Analysis and Institutional Strategies at ARK Invest, 3D printing will scale at a 40% annually to reach $180 billion by 2030. With its potential to disrupt industries worth over $4 trillion in revenue, Keen is confident that 3D printing will become a transformative technology that revolutionizes how industries manufacture and produce goods.
According to Keen, 3D printing is already being used extensively in prototyping, tooling, and production, with the latter being the largest addressable opportunity. The automotive industry, in particular, is embracing 3D printing, with companies such as Tesla experimenting with printing entire vehicle underbodies. The technology has the potential to simplify supply chains, reduce labour costs, and improve product strength by eliminating joints. Moreover, 3D printing can significantly reduce automotive development time and design validation costs.
Beyond automotive, 3D printing is also transforming the medical industry, enabling breakthroughs in surgeries and improving patient outcomes. Using patient-specific 3D printed tools and moulds has improved surgical accuracy and results by 40-50% and reduced operating time by 30%. While the 3D printing industry itself has grown slower than expected, Keen believes that software-enabled 3D printers will be a game-changer. These machines, equipped with sensors, can collect data on each print and send it back to manufacturers, enabling them to improve the print process over time. Keen forecasts that this could lead to higher margins for printer manufacturers and create a more sustainable business model.
The 3D printing market is poised for significant growth, driven by its diverse applications across various industries, including engineering, healthcare, and entertainment. The technology’s ability to produce parts with high precision and reliability, as well as its capacity to create customized parts with geometric structures, has made it an attractive solution for companies looking to innovate and improve their product development processes. With that in context, let’s take a look at the 10 worst 3d printing and additive manufacturing stocks to buy.
Our Methodology
For this article, we used online rankings and ETFs to find 15 prominent companies in 3D printing and additive manufacturing. From that list, we shortlisted companies with the highest short interest. The list is sorted in ascending order of their short interest. We have also added the hedge fund sentiment around each stock, as of Q2 2024.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
10 Worst 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Stocks To Buy
10. Carpenter Technology (NYSE:CRS)
Short % of Float: 3.07%
Number of Hedge Fund Investors in Q2 2024: 50
Carpenter Technology (NYSE:CRS) is a global leader in high-performance alloy-based materials and process solutions. It serves industries such as aerospace, transportation, defence, energy, industrial, medical, and consumer electronics. The company’s product portfolio includes over 500 specialty alloys, end-to-end manufacturing capabilities, distributed alloys, and value-added services. Carpenter Technology (NYSE:CRS) offers a variety of 3D printing and additive manufacturing services and has an additive manufacturing facility in Alabama.
Carpenter Technology’s (NYSE:CRS) BioDur 108 is an FDA-approved nickel and cobalt-free stainless steel alloy used as an alternative to other stainless steel options. It is ideal for medical implants and other applications where nickel sensitivity is a concern. The alloy is also strong and corrosion-resistant, with a non-magnetic, austenitic phase structure maintained by manganese and a relatively high nitrogen content. This structure provides significant advantages compared to traditional stainless steel, including improved corrosion resistance and strength.
Carpenter Technology’s (NYSE:CRS) titanium alloys, particularly Ti64 ELI Grade 23, is widely used in biomedical applications due to their high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. The company has developed Ti64 Grade 23+, an innovative additive manufacturing solution that combines controlled powder chemistry with lower oxygen content and optimized print parameters. This solution provides a 15-20% improvement in mechanical properties, delivers consistent, high-quality results, and enables state-of-the-art device designs through improved mechanical properties and topology optimization.
Carpenter Technology’s (NYSE:CRS) innovative materials and additive manufacturing solutions, such as BioDur 108 and Ti64 Grade 23+, are revolutionizing the medical device industry with their unique properties and capabilities. These materials enable the creation of complex, high-performance devices that meet the most stringent requirements. Despite 3.07% of shares being shorted, 50 hedge funds showed a bullish stance on the stock as of the second quarter and own stocks worth $498.70 million. Hawk Ridge Management is the largest shareholder in the company, holding $65.91 million worth of stock as of June 30.
9. HP (NYSE:HPQ)
Short % of Float: 3.17%
Number of Hedge Fund Investors in Q2 2024: 41
HP (NYSE:HPQ) is a global technology company known for printing, personal computing, and imaging solutions. Although the company is widely recognised for traditional printers, it has also invested significantly in 3D printing technologies.
HP’s (NYSE:HPQ) 3D printing business is a key growth driver for the company. Its Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology offers up to 50% faster print speeds and significantly lower costs than traditional 3D printing methods. With its advanced 3D printing solutions, HP (NYSE:HPQ) enables companies to produce customised products with minimal waste and energy consumption.
One key driver of HP’s success in the 3D printing market is its partnership with leading companies in the industry. For example, HP has partnered with Materialise, a leading 3D printing software and services provider, to develop innovative solutions for the aerospace and defence industries. The company has also partnered with Autodesk, a leading design and engineering software provider, to develop integrated solutions for the 3D printing market.
In March, HP introduced a new material, HP 3D HR PA 12 S, for its industrial 3D polymer solutions. This new material sets a new benchmark for surface finish while reducing customer costs using HP’s Jet Fusion 5200 Series 3D printing solutions. Due to its cost-effectiveness, this new material offers a supreme surface finish and is ideal for producing aesthetic parts.
Several customers, including Accel Digital Solutions, Decathlon, Erpro Group, and Materialise, have already adopted the new material. They use it to produce aesthetic parts with enhanced surface finishes and lower production costs. These customers have reported significant benefits from using the new material, including improved print quality, reduced part roughness, and increased productivity.
With its advanced 3D printing solutions, HP enables companies to produce complex products with unprecedented speed and accuracy, opening up new opportunities for innovation and growth. Despite 3.17% of shares being shorted, 41 hedge funds showed a bullish stance on the stock as of the second quarter and own stocks worth $654.99 million. AQR Capital Management is the largest shareholder in the company, holding $186.92 million worth of stock as of June 30.