Mesa Laboratories (MLAB)
Market Price (12/4/2025): $77.46 | Market Cap: $427.0 MilSector: Information Technology | Industry: Electronic Equipment & Instruments
Mesa Laboratories (MLAB)
Market Price (12/4/2025): $77.46Market Cap: $427.0 MilSector: Information TechnologyIndustry: Electronic Equipment & Instruments
Investment Highlights
Why It Matters
Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?
1. Generates cash flow
The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.
2. Riding a trend
Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 17%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 15% | Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -62%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -127% | Yield minus risk free rate is negativeERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -3.6% |
| Valuation becoming less expensiveP/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is -44% | ||
| Attractive yieldFCF Yield is 10% | ||
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, and Water Infrastructure. Themes include Advanced Diagnostics, Biopharmaceutical R&D, Show more. |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 17%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 15% |
| Valuation becoming less expensiveP/S 6M Chg %Price/Sales change over 6 months. Declining P/S indicates valuation has become less expensive. is -44% |
| Attractive yieldFCF Yield is 10% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, and Water Infrastructure. Themes include Advanced Diagnostics, Biopharmaceutical R&D, Show more. |
| Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -62%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -127% |
| Yield minus risk free rate is negativeERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -3.6% |
Valuation, Metrics & Events
MLAB Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are five key points explaining Mesa Laboratories' (MLAB) stock movement for the approximate time period from August 31, 2025, to December 4, 2025:
1. Weak Q1 Fiscal Year 2026 Earnings: The announcement in early August 2025, just prior to the specified period, that Mesa Laboratories missed its Q1 FY26 earnings and revenue estimates, likely created a negative sentiment that extended into the beginning of the requested timeframe.
2. Execution of Strategic Financing Plan: On August 18, 2025, Mesa Laboratories successfully repaid $97.5 million of its convertible senior notes, utilizing funds from its existing credit agreement. This strategic financial maneuver was intended to optimize the company's capital structure and reduce potential shareholder dilution, a move generally perceived as positive by investors.
Stock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| MLAB Return | 15% | 15% | -49% | -37% | 27% | -42% | -69% |
| Peers Return | 142% | 15% | -18% | 9% | -10% | -4% | 116% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 112% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| MLAB Win Rate | 75% | 58% | 17% | 33% | 50% | 30% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 43% | 48% | 37% | 47% | 40% | 50% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 70% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| MLAB Max Drawdown | -23% | -18% | -64% | -49% | -19% | -56% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -34% | -6% | -29% | -13% | -24% | -14% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: MVIS, USBC, ROP, KEYS, TDY.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)
How Low Can It Go
| Event | MLAB | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Inflation Shock | ||
| % Loss | -74.6% | -25.4% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 293.2% | 34.1% |
| Time to Breakeven | Not Fully Recovered days | 464 days |
| 2020 Covid Pandemic | ||
| % Loss | -29.4% | -33.9% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 41.7% | 51.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 198 days | 148 days |
| 2018 Correction | ||
| % Loss | -28.7% | -19.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 40.2% | 24.7% |
| Time to Breakeven | 225 days | 120 days |
| 2008 Global Financial Crisis | ||
| % Loss | -45.1% | -56.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 82.1% | 131.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 287 days | 1480 days |
Compare to MVIS, USBC, ROP, KEYS, TDY
In The Past
Mesa Laboratories's stock fell -74.6% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 12/27/2021. A -74.6% loss requires a 293.2% gain to breakeven.
Preserve Wealth
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
Trade Ideas
Select past ideas related to MLAB. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | ENPH | Enphase Energy | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 0.9% | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 11262025 | PD | PagerDuty | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| 11212025 | CRM | Salesforce | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 3.3% | 3.3% | -0.1% |
| 11212025 | HUBS | HubSpot | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 5.1% | 5.1% | 0.0% |
| 11212025 | FIVN | Five9 | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 4.0% | 4.0% | 0.0% |
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | ENPH | Enphase Energy | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 0.9% | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 11262025 | PD | PagerDuty | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| 11212025 | CRM | Salesforce | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | 3.3% | 3.3% | -0.1% |
| 11212025 | HUBS | HubSpot | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 5.1% | 5.1% | 0.0% |
| 11212025 | FIVN | Five9 | Dip Buy | DB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow YieldBuying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap | 4.0% | 4.0% | 0.0% |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons for Mesa Laboratories
| Peers to compare with: |
Financials
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Price | 141.50 |
| Mkt Cap | 23.6 |
| Rev LTM | 2,744 |
| Op Inc LTM | 452 |
| FCF LTM | 538 |
| FCF 3Y Avg | 480 |
| CFO LTM | 593 |
| CFO 3Y Avg | 533 |
Growth & Margins
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Rev Chg LTM | 7.4% |
| Rev Chg 3Y Avg | 3.6% |
| Rev Chg Q | 6.7% |
| QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM | 1.6% |
| Op Mgn LTM | 17.0% |
| Op Mgn 3Y Avg | 18.4% |
| QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM | 0.1% |
| CFO/Rev LTM | 19.1% |
| CFO/Rev 3Y Avg | 17.8% |
| FCF/Rev LTM | 17.3% |
| FCF/Rev 3Y Avg | 16.0% |
Valuation
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Cap | 23.6 |
| P/S | 5.4 |
| P/EBIT | 23.4 |
| P/E | 33.6 |
| P/CFO | 18.3 |
| Total Yield | 1.9% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.0% |
| FCF Yield 3Y Avg | 4.2% |
| D/E | 0.2 |
| Net D/E | 0.1 |
Returns
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| 1M Rtn | -1.7% |
| 3M Rtn | -6.5% |
| 6M Rtn | -21.3% |
| 12M Rtn | 0.2% |
| 3Y Rtn | 2.2% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | -1.6% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | -4.1% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | -36.0% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | -15.5% |
| 3Y Excs Rtn | -65.8% |
Returns Analyses
SEC Filings
Expand for More| Report Date | Filing Date | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| 9302025 | 11062025 | 10-Q 9/30/2025 |
| 6302025 | 8052025 | 10-Q 6/30/2025 |
| 3312025 | 5282025 | 10-K 3/31/2025 |
| 12312024 | 2042025 | 10-Q 12/31/2024 |
| 9302024 | 11072024 | 10-Q 9/30/2024 |
| 6302024 | 8052024 | 10-Q 6/30/2024 |
| 3312024 | 6282024 | 10-K 3/31/2024 |
| 12312023 | 2052024 | 10-Q 12/31/2023 |
| 9302023 | 11062023 | 10-Q 9/30/2023 |
| 6302023 | 8032023 | 10-Q 6/30/2023 |
| 3312023 | 5302023 | 10-K 3/31/2023 |
| 12312022 | 2062023 | 10-Q 12/31/2022 |
| 9302022 | 11032022 | 10-Q 9/30/2022 |
| 6302022 | 8042022 | 10-Q 6/30/2022 |
| 3312022 | 5312022 | 10-K 3/31/2022 |
| 12312021 | 2032022 | 10-Q 12/31/2021 |
External Quote Links
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| YCharts | Perplexity Finance |
| FinViz |