Materialise (Euronext and NASDAQ: MTLS) started 2026 with stable revenue, stronger margins, and better operating profit, helped by growth in medical and improved profitability in software.The Belgian 3D printing company also continued reshaping parts of its manufacturing business as it puts more focus on medical, software, and other steadier areas of additive manufacturing (AM).Shares of Materialise fell roughly 4% following the earnings release, with MTLS trading between $5.34 and $5.45 in morning trading, even after the company reported stronger margins and improved operating profit.
Printed, molded parts are removed for further processing at the ACTec foundry.Image courtesy of Materialise.For the first quarter of 2026, Materialise reported revenue of €66.3 million, nearly unchanged from €66.4 million during the same period last year.
While overall revenue stayed flat, Materialise said growth in its medical business was partly offset by continued weakness in manufacturing, particularly in automotive and prototyping demand.The company’s medical segment was the strongest performer.Medical revenue rose 6.7% to €33.2 million, compared to €31.1 million a year earlier.
The segment remains Materialise’s largest business and one of its most important growth areas, helped by demand for personalized medical devices, surgical planning tools, and hospital-based 3D printing applications.Materialise’s new personalized PEEK CMF implant.Image courtesy of Materialise.
Materialise’s software revenue was weaker, slipping 1.4% to €9.6 million from €9.8 million a year ago, though the company said foreign exchange pressure from the weaker U.S.dollar affected results during the quarter.On a constant-currency basis, Materialise said software revenue would have grown year over year.
Profitability in the segment also improved sharply, with adjusted EBITDA rising 87.4% to €1.1 million.Manufacturing was the weakest segment.Revenue fell 8.1% to €23.5 million, down from €25.5 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Even so, the segment’s adjusted EBITDA improved to €281,000, compared to a loss of €377,000 a year earlier.Manufacturing was the weakest segment.Revenue fell 8.1% to €23.5 million, down from €25.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting continued weakness in automotive and prototyping demand.
Still, the business improved sequentially compared to the previous three quarters, helped by growth in aerospace, defense, and semiconductor applications.The segment’s adjusted EBITDA also improved to €281,000, compared to a loss of €377,000 a year earlier.In Q1, the firm reported a net profit of €1.8 million, or 3 cents per share, compared to a loss during the same period last year.
The company also said stronger margins and tighter cost controls helped improve overall profitability during the quarter.Brigitte de Vet-Veithen from Materialise speaks at AMS 2025.Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com According to CEO Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, the company continues to see very different conditions across industries and regions.
Europe, particularly the automotive sector, remains soft, while aerospace and defense are showing stronger momentum.“In our aerospace market, we see further investments in our end markets that also benefit the additive industry, including us.Defense is another industry where budgets are being freed up now and where we see positive dynamics.
It’s a very diverse picture where the U.S.markets are showing a more positive trend than the European markets,” noted de Vet-Veithen during an earnings call with investors. Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet-Veithen at Additive Manufacturing Strategies 2024.Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com/Ashley Alleyne.
Materialise also announced the spin-offs of both its RapidFit and Eyewear businesses, transferring the operations to their respective management teams as independent companies.RapidFit specializes in 3D printed jigs, fixtures, and quality control tools for the automotive industry.Over the years, the business grew into a specialized manufacturing operation serving automotive customers with custom tooling and inspection solutions.
Eyewear, meanwhile, developed into a separate consumer-focused business centered on customized 3D printed eyewear products. According to Materialise, both businesses will continue operating under their existing leadership teams, giving them more flexibility to focus on their own markets while allowing Materialise to concentrate more heavily on its core software, medical, and manufacturing operations.The company said the changes will help the businesses operate “closer to its customers and markets” as they enter “their next phase of growth.” Along with the operational changes, Materialise continued its share buyback program during the quarter.It ended the period with a net cash position of €72.8 million, up from €71.3 million at the end of 2025.
Materialise HQ in Belgium.Image courtesy of Materialise.The results come at a time when much of the 3D printing industry is still dealing with slower industrial spending and weaker customer demand.
Several publicly traded AM companies have spent the last two years cutting costs, reorganizing parts of their businesses, or focusing more on markets that have remained steadier.For Materialise, healthcare continues to play a major role in that strategy.Medical applications remain one of the most commercially established parts of the 3D printing industry, particularly in areas like surgical guides, personalized devices, and hospital-based manufacturing.
During the quarter, the company expanded its medical portfolio with new patient-specific PEEK implants and launched OrthoView 3D Hip, a CT-based surgical planning platform for hip procedures.In fact, de Vet-Veithen said the company remains focused on integrating new tools into a single workflow for hospitals and surgeons: “Until now, surgeons working with Materialise had titanium as their patient-specific option.With this launch, they have an additional choice.
The new offering integrates seamlessly into our existing digital workflow and completes our offering. She then added that “the healthcare market at large globally remains a healthy environment.The exception would be academic markets, where we see primarily in the U.S., the impact of funding cuts that have been issued already last year, and they’re continuing this year.” L-R: Dominic Stoerkle, Evonik; Bryan Dow, Cantor Fitzgerald; Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, Materialise; Joe Calmese, ADDMAN; Matteo Rigamonti, Weerg.Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com.
At the same time, the company appears increasingly focused on improving efficiency across the business.While revenue was mostly flat during the quarter, higher margins and stronger adjusted EBIT showed signs of better operational performance.For the full year, Materialise reaffirmed its 2026 guidance.
The company expects revenue for the year between €273 million and €283 million, with adjusted EBIT expected to range between €10 million and €12 million.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.Print Services Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
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