• Materialise NV (NASDAQ:MTLS) has a Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 1.95%, significantly lower than its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 10.35%.
• Proto Labs, Inc. (PRLB) shows a slightly more efficient use of capital with the highest ROIC to WACC ratio among peers.
• 2U, Inc. (TWOU) and Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) have ROICs significantly below their WACCs, indicating major inefficiencies in capital utilization.

Materialise NV (NASDAQ:MTLS) is a company that specializes in 3D printing solutions, offering software and services to a variety of industries including healthcare, automotive, and aerospace. The company is headquartered in Belgium and competes with other firms in the 3D printing and technology sectors, such as Proto Labs, Inc. and Stratasys Ltd.

In evaluating Materialise's financial performance, the Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is a key metric. Materialise's ROIC stands at 1.95%, which is significantly lower than its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 10.35%. This indicates that the company is not generating returns that exceed its cost of capital, which is a concern for investors.

When comparing Materialise to its peers, Proto Labs, Inc. (PRLB) has a similar ROIC of 1.94% but a higher WACC of 11.04%. Despite this, Proto Labs has the highest ROIC to WACC ratio among the peers at 0.18, suggesting it is slightly more efficient in using its capital compared to others in the group.

Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) and Stratasys Ltd. (SSYS) also show ROIC figures that are below their respective WACCs. Veracyte's ROIC is 1.27% against a WACC of 13.30%, while Stratasys has a negative ROIC of -10.19% with a WACC of 10.40%. These figures highlight the challenges these companies face in generating sufficient returns on their investments.

2U, Inc. (TWOU) and Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) present even more concerning figures, with ROICs of -59.36% and -37.74% respectively, both well below their WACCs. This indicates significant inefficiencies in capital utilization, suggesting a need for strategic changes to improve financial performance.