3D Systems Earnings Cannot Overcome Lower EPS Guidance

3D Systems raised its full-year revenue guidance from a prior range of $485 million to $510 million to a new range of $500 million to $530 million. However it lowered its EPS guidance from a range of $1.05 to $1.20 to a new range of $0.93 to $1.03. The company said its profits will be cut as it increases spending on R&D, marketing and retail field operations, and retail channel expansion. Coupled with its secondary stock offering of 7.5 million shares last May, the hit to profits will not sit well with investors.

The company’s CEO said:

We are very pleased to report another record revenue quarter on unprecedented printer units demand that more than tripled last year’s unit sales. Stronger materials sales, increased advanced manufacturing activities and meaningful consumer products revenue contribution fueled our growth.

We noted just last week that the planned entry of Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) could have a big impact on 3D printing companies. Short sellers, including the AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF (NYSEMKT: HDGE), have been betting against the stock precisely because it is time for the 3D printing firms to expand and that costs money, and that money will have to come either from cash flow or borrowing or more share issues.

Shares of 3D Systems were down about 3.4% in premarket trading Tuesday, at $55.05 in a 52-week range of $24.35 to $59.10. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $59.30 before these results were announced.