PRLB vs. IIIN
PRLB (Proto Labs, Inc.) and IIIN (Insteel Industries, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Metal Fabrication industry within the Industrials sector. Over the past 10 years, PRLB returned 3.25%/yr vs 2.68%/yr for IIIN. Their 0.37 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
PRLB vs. IIIN - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PRLB achieves a 48.35% return, which is significantly higher than IIIN's -3.03% return. Over the past 10 years, PRLB has outperformed IIIN with an annualized return of 3.25%, while IIIN has yielded a comparatively lower 2.68% annualized return.
PRLB
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- -1.77%
- 6M
- 42.55%
- YTD
- 48.35%
- 1Y
- 73.77%
- 3Y*
- 31.41%
- 5Y*
- -0.82%
- 10Y*
- 3.25%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.92%
IIIN
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- 2.44%
- 6M
- -7.33%
- YTD
- -3.03%
- 1Y
- -10.03%
- 3Y*
- 3.66%
- 5Y*
- 0.74%
- 10Y*
- 2.68%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.28%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.49M | $9.15M | $9.60M | |
PRLB Proto Labs, Inc. | $12.19M | $15.36M | $16.54M |
PRLB vs. IIIN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PRLB Proto Labs, Inc. | 48.35% | 29.42% | 0.33% | 52.60% | -50.28% | -66.53% | 51.06% | -9.97% | 9.50% | 100.58% |
IIIN Insteel Industries, Inc. | -3.03% | 21.53% | -26.77% | 50.01% | -25.64% | 88.28% | 10.88% | -10.98% | -13.93% | -20.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between PRLB and IIIN is 0.45, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.43 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 24, 2012 | 0.37 |
The correlation between PRLB and IIIN shifts across timeframes, from 0.37 (all time) to 0.49 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PRLB:
$1.79B
IIIN:
$593.33M
PRLB:
$1.26
IIIN:
$1.86
PRLB:
59.72
IIIN:
16.47
PRLB:
3.25
IIIN:
0.85
PRLB:
2.64
IIIN:
1.61
PRLB:
$560.54M
IIIN:
$707.68M
PRLB:
$254.60M
IIIN:
$83.27M
PRLB:
$58.87M
IIIN:
$61.04M
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
PRLB vs. IIIN — Risk / Return Rank
PRLB
IIIN
PRLB vs. IIIN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Proto Labs, Inc. (PRLB) and Insteel Industries, Inc. (IIIN). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PRLB | IIIN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.92 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.85 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 0.99 | +0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.82 | -0.34 | +4.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.76 | -0.67 | +11.44 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
PRLB vs. IIIN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PRLB drawdown since its inception was -91.22%, smaller than the maximum IIIN drawdown of -96.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PRLB and IIIN.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| PRLB | IIIN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.22% | -96.63% | +5.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.51% | -35.83% | +16.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -33.56% | -36.98% | +3.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -72.92% | -47.32% | -25.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -91.22% | -74.37% | -16.85% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -70.16% | -19.92% | -50.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -43.50% | -38.70% | -4.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.90% | 17.81% | -10.91% |
Volatility
PRLB vs. IIIN - Volatility Comparison
Proto Labs, Inc. (PRLB) has a higher volatility of 11.96% compared to Insteel Industries, Inc. (IIIN) at 9.84%. This indicates that PRLB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IIIN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| PRLB | IIIN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.96% | 9.84% | +2.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.20% | 35.40% | -0.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 46.39% | 42.93% | +3.46% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 50.48% | 39.12% | +11.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 47.86% | 43.83% | +4.03% |
Dividends
PRLB vs. IIIN - Dividend Comparison
PRLB has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IIIN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.65%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IIIN Insteel Industries, Inc. | 3.65% | 3.54% | 4.15% | 6.84% | 7.70% | 5.33% | 7.27% | 0.56% | 0.49% | 0.42% | 3.84% | 5.35% |
PRLB Proto Labs, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
PRLB vs. IIIN - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Proto Labs, Inc. and Insteel Industries, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
PRLB vs. IIIN - Profitability Comparison
PRLB - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Proto Labs, Inc. reported a gross profit of 69.34M and revenue of 149.34M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 46.4%.
IIIN - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Insteel Industries, Inc. reported a gross profit of 20.10M and revenue of 197.66M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 10.2%.
PRLB - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Proto Labs, Inc. reported an operating income of 11.36M and revenue of 149.34M, resulting in an operating margin of 7.6%.
IIIN - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Insteel Industries, Inc. reported an operating income of 11.51M and revenue of 197.66M, resulting in an operating margin of 5.8%.
PRLB - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Proto Labs, Inc. reported a net income of 9.15M and revenue of 149.34M, resulting in a net margin of 6.1%.
IIIN - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Insteel Industries, Inc. reported a net income of 9.02M and revenue of 197.66M, resulting in a net margin of 4.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PRLB and IIIN have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PRLB has higher volatility (11.96%) compared to IIIN (9.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PRLB dropped -91.22% vs IIIN's -96.63%.
PRLB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.64 vs -0.28), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for PRLB and IIIN
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer