MLAB
TechnologyMesa Laboratories, Inc. · Hardware, Equipment & Parts · $600M
What is Mesa Laboratories, Inc.?
Mesa Laboratories develops and sells life sciences tools and quality control products across the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Its work touches sterilization validation, biopharmaceutical development, and precision calibration.
Mesa generates revenue across three segments. The Sterilization and Disinfection Control segment sells biological and chemical indicators used to verify sterilization effectiveness in hospitals and medical device manufacturing. The Biopharmaceutical Development segment provides automated protein analysis systems and peptide synthesis equipment. The Calibration Solutions segment offers instruments and monitoring systems that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and related parameters for regulated laboratory and healthcare environments.
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, Mesa Laboratories has built a multi-segment portfolio serving healthcare and pharmaceutical markets.
- Biological and chemical sterilization indicators
- Automated protein analysis and immunoassay systems
- Peptide synthesizers for research and therapy development
- Calibration instruments and continuous monitoring systems
Is MLAB a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates MLAB as Below Average overall.
Among MLAB's five pillars, Valuation stands out as Attractive, suggesting the market may be pricing in considerable pessimism relative to the company's fundamentals. Growth registers as Neutral, indicating the business is neither contracting sharply nor expanding rapidly.
Quality, Moat, and Risk all carry Weak ratings, reflecting challenges in profitability durability, competitive positioning, and balance-sheet or operational risk factors.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does MLAB pay dividends?
Yes — Mesa Laboratories, Inc. pays a dividend.
Mesa Laboratories pays a regular dividend, which is relatively uncommon among small-cap technology and life sciences companies. This suggests management's commitment to returning capital to shareholders even while operating across multiple niche segments. Income-focused investors should weigh the dividend against the Weak Risk pillar rating before drawing conclusions.
When does MLAB report earnings?
Mesa Laboratories reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Across its three segments, Mesa's results reflect the mixed dynamics of niche life sciences markets — sterilization demand tied to healthcare activity, biopharmaceutical development cycles, and calibration spending in regulated industries. Growth has been Neutral at the composite level.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit Mesa Laboratories' investor relations page directly.
MLAB Price History
-57.7% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Mesa Laboratories, Inc.?
Based on Mesa Laboratories, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
MLAB Long-term Outlook
With a Neutral Growth pillar, Mesa's near-term trajectory appears stable rather than accelerating. The Weak Risk pillar introduces uncertainty around execution and financial flexibility. The Attractive Valuation pillar suggests downside may be partially priced in, but a meaningful re-rating would likely require improvement in quality metrics or competitive positioning.
Growth drivers
- Ongoing demand for sterilization validation in pharmaceutical and hospital settings
- Expansion of peptide therapy research driving biopharmaceutical development tool adoption
- Regulatory requirements sustaining calibration and monitoring product demand
Key risks
- Weak Moat rating signals limited pricing power against larger life sciences tool competitors
- Weak Risk pillar may reflect leverage or cash flow variability across segments
- Small-cap scale constrains R&D investment relative to better-capitalized peers
MLAB vs Peers
Mesa Laboratories operates in a fragmented niche, and the following companies share some overlap in the small-cap technology and instrumentation space.
LightPath focuses on optical components and infrared solutions, serving defense and industrial markets rather than life sciences quality control.
Kopin develops wearable display and communication technologies, competing in a different end-market but sharing the small-cap instrumentation landscape.
LSI Industries provides lighting and display solutions for commercial environments, representing a distinct business model from Mesa's laboratory and healthcare focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mesa Laboratories do?
Mesa Laboratories develops and sells quality control products across three segments: sterilization and disinfection indicators for hospitals and pharma, automated protein analysis and peptide synthesis tools for biopharmaceutical development, and calibration instruments for regulated laboratory and healthcare environments.
Does MLAB pay dividends?
Yes, Mesa Laboratories pays a regular dividend. This is notable for a small-cap life sciences tools company. Investors should review the current yield and payout sustainability in the context of MLAB's Weak Risk pillar rating before making income-focused decisions.
When does MLAB report earnings?
Mesa Laboratories follows a standard quarterly earnings cadence. The company does not pre-announce specific dates far in advance. Check Mesa Laboratories' investor relations page or your brokerage platform for the most current schedule.
Is MLAB a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates MLAB as Below Average, driven by Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, and Risk pillars. The Valuation pillar is Attractive, which may interest contrarian investors. The complete pillar breakdown is available to UQS Pro members for a deeper assessment.
Is MLAB overvalued?
Based on the UQS Valuation pillar, MLAB is rated Attractive — meaning the market appears to be pricing in significant headwinds relative to the company's fundamentals. Whether that discount is warranted depends on how Quality and Risk concerns resolve over time.
How does MLAB compare to its competitors?
Mesa's peers in the small-cap technology space — including LightPath Technologies, Kopin Corporation, and LSI Industries — operate in different end-markets. Mesa's differentiation lies in its focus on regulated life sciences quality control, though its Weak Moat rating suggests limited competitive insulation even within that niche.
What is MLAB's market cap bracket?
Mesa Laboratories is classified as a small-cap company. This means it carries higher volatility and liquidity risk compared to mid- or large-cap peers, which is consistent with the Weak Risk pillar in its UQS profile.
Who founded Mesa Laboratories?
Mesa Laboratories was founded in 1984. Detailed founding history, including founder names, is publicly available through the company's official corporate history and SEC filings.
Is MLAB a long-term quality indicator?
As a long-term quality indicator, MLAB's Below Average UQS Score — particularly the Weak Quality and Moat pillars — suggests the business currently lacks the durable competitive advantages typically associated with compounding long-term returns. The Attractive Valuation may offer a margin of safety, but sustained improvement across pillars would be needed.
What sector does MLAB belong to?
Mesa Laboratories is classified in the Technology sector, though its products and customers are deeply embedded in life sciences, healthcare, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. This cross-sector positioning means it can be influenced by both technology spending cycles and healthcare regulatory trends.
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Pro Analysis
MLAB — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2026 | 40.3 | 26.1 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 88.9 | -0.5 |
| May 16, 2026 | 40.8 | 26.7 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 91.0 | +1.0 |
| May 7, 2026 | 39.8 | 25.9 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 85.7 | -0.2 |
| May 3, 2026 | 40.0 | 25.9 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 86.6 | -0.2 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 40.2 | 25.9 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 88.3 | +0.3 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 39.9 | 25.9 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 86.2 | -0.5 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 40.4 | 26.8 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 88.4 | -0.7 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 41.1 | 26.8 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 92.9 | -0.1 |
| Apr 12, 2026 | 41.2 | 26.8 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 93.8 | -0.4 |
| Apr 11, 2026 | 41.6 | 26.8 | 22.0 | 45.7 | 38.9 | 96.0 | 0.0 |
MLAB — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 25.4/100 (25%)Mesa Laboratories, Inc. currently shows below-average quality metrics, suggesting challenges with profitability.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 45.7/100 (20%)Mesa Laboratories, Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 38.9/100 (15%)Mesa Laboratories, Inc. has some risk factors including moderate leverage or solvency concerns.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 86.1/100 (15%)Mesa Laboratories, Inc. appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 22/100 (25%)Mesa Laboratories, Inc. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for MLAB.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the MLAB UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Mesa Laboratories, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Mesa Laboratories, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Mesa Laboratories, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.