It's 'All About Execution For 3D Systems,' Morgan Stanley Says

In a report published Wednesday, Morgan Stanley analysts maintained their Equal-weight rating on 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE: DDD). The analysts expect the stock to remain under pressure till there are signs of sustainable improvement in execution.In its recent analyst meeting, the company announced various goals, including high product quality, technology leadership and strong company partnerships. "While these are great goals, the company needs to prove it can execute on this strategy given its missteps over the last year," the analysts said.During the meeting, 3D Systems also highlighted the benefits of its wide product portfolio and diverse revenue model, which includes software, hardware and services. "However, these strengths have failed to protected results recently as even consumable revenue declined 8% last quarter," according to the Morgan Stanley report.In addition, while the company also emphasized the "unique value proposition" of 3D printing, the management did not address concerns regarding the market size and the slower than anticipated adoption rate. This makes the analysts believe that the company's growth is unlikely to improve in the near term.3D Systems also intends to improve its go-to-market capabilities via new partnerships. It also expressed its intention to improve time-to-market for new products. At the same time, the company expected its opex to decline after reaching peak levels in 2Q15, with a large part of the cost savings coming from integrating previous acquisitions.However, given that the company's opex levels are almost $100 million less than its closest competitor, the analysts expressed their concern regarding whether the company is "still underinvesting to support the growth potential of the industry."