Out Fox The $treet

After the close, 3D Systems (DDD) reported the delayed Q4 results. The 3D printing company has finally completed a turnaround and returned to growth though the stock trades far off the lows already.

Along with Q413 earnings , 3D Systems ( DDD ) made the proclamation that it would reach revenue of $1 billion during 2015. While the news generated a great deal of buzz, especially considering analysts only forecast revenue of around $900 million, the real deal is that the company will again print the revenue via acquisitions instead of organic growth. As with the guidance for declining earnings in 2014, the company continues to focus on growth over profits. The company is a leading provider of 3-D printers, print materials, and on-demand customer parts for professionals and consumers. After a recent stock slide, 3D Systems has a market value of nearly $8 billion, with revenue forecasted to average $700 million in 2014. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details. 

A recent report by the Feedonia group is bullish on 3-D printing growth through 2017 , but industry numbers make one question the valuations of 3-D printing stocks. Typically, investors are willing to pay up for fast-growing stocks, but in certain scenarios the price paid can rob growth from future years. Review the Internet bubble years and see how even the top stocks spent years -- if not the next decade -- with revenue growing and the share price flat to down. In this case, the top 3-D printing stocks --  3D Systems ( NYSE: DDD     ) , Stratasys ( NASDAQ: SSYS     ) , and ExOne ( NASDAQ: XONE     )  -- trade at earnings and revenue multiples suggestive of explosive growth. In reality, industry demand is expected to grow around 20% according to Feedonia through 2017, or at about the same rate as the last five years. Other widely respected industry resources, such as Wohlers, place the growth at higher rates. Either way, th...

The combination of 3D printing projected to grow annually at 20% and the substantial stock gains in 3D Systems ( DDD ) should already concern longs. The sector is undoubtedly hot and growing sharply, but new investors are paying up front for years of 30% growth long into the future. 3D Systems is a leading provider of 3D printers, print materials, and on-demand customer parts for professionals and consumers. The company has a market value approaching $10 billion, but revenue is only set to reach $515 million in 2013. Even more concerning is the stock price sitting near $100 and earnings per share likely to not even reach a $1. The stock has even gained so much in the last few months that the chart below even shows it out of touch with fellow competitor Stratasys ( SSYS ) . Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details. 

As mentioned prior, the 3D printing sector has appealing growth potential, but the valuations of the two main players have typically been at elevated levels. The stocks of 3D Systems (DDD) and Stratasys, Inc. (SSYS) were expensive in spite of the fast growth rates until the September swoon. Now 3D Systems can add a short attack to the equation. The company is a leading provider of 3D content-to-print solutions including 3D printers, print materials and on-demand custom parts services for professionals and consumers alike. As written back on October 10th with the stock around $34, the sell-off provided a good entry point into the stock and the sector. A great Q3 earnings report helped counter the short theory and sent the stock surging to over $42 before the market closed for two days. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details. 

Impressive stuff from 3D Systems (DDD). Watch the below video as the CEO showcases the new 3D home printer with Blomberg West. Definitely need to keep an eye on this stock along with Proto Labs (PRLB) that recently went public. This real time printing and creation of manufacturing products has the potential for huge growth. Right now though, 3D Systems trades at 24x forward earnings with only 15% long term earnings growth. Clearly for now the stock doesn't match the growth rate. The question is whether the company has created a product that will dramatically increase growth or whether this product is ultimately a novelty product. This is clearly worth more research. Maybe a weekend project. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please read the disclaimer page for more details.