Harvard Bioscience Inc logo

Harvard Bioscience Inc(HBIO)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL RECENCY
1-STAR RATING
Consider higher Upturn Star rating
BUY for 44 days
PROFIT SINCE LAST BUY
+28.95% ▲
LAST CLOSE
$8.24
10/09/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
  • ALL
  • 1Y
  • 1M
  • 1W
  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • PASS (Skip)
Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for HBIO

10/09/2026: HBIO (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.

Harvard Bioscience is a specialized manufacturer of life science instrumentation, catering to pharmaceutical companies and academic research institutions. The company's strengths lie in its legacy brand recognition and its niche focus on critical research tools like electrophysiology and telemetry systems. Its primary growth story revolves around adapting its portfolio to modern research needs, such as cell analysis and organ-on-a-chip technologies. However, the company faces significant risks, including intense competition from larger life science conglomerates, inconsistent profitability, and dependence on variable research funding cycles. This stock may suit investors interested in niche life sciences, provided they can tolerate high price volatility and a company currently in a multi-year effort to refine its operations.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitThe company lacks consistent, high-velocity revenue growth required for aggressive growth strategies.
Momentum investorWeak fitThe stock lacks the consistent trend of price appreciation usually required for momentum strategies.
Value investorMixed fitThe company may appear cheap, but its inconsistent profitability makes value assessment difficult.
Dividend investorWeak fitHarvard Bioscience does not pay a dividend, making it unsuitable for income-focused portfolios.
Low-risk investorWeak fitHigh volatility and operational challenges make this an unsuitable choice for risk-averse investors.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityHighThe stock is susceptible to significant price swings due to its small-cap nature and thin trading volume.
Valuation riskMediumInconsistent earnings make it challenging to establish a reliable floor for valuation.
Competition risk (Consolidated Life Science Conglomerates)HighLarger peers have significant advantages in distribution and R&D budgets.
Business qualityMediumThe company occupies a niche, but struggles to achieve the scale necessary for high-margin dominance.
Dividend incomeLow / noneThere is no dividend income for investors to rely on.
Execution riskMedium / highOngoing efforts to streamline operations and integrate past acquisitions carry significant execution risk.

Price Behavior

Strong Uptrend
PRICE PATH

Strong Uptrend

The stock has maintained a strong upward price trend across the last three quarters.

Highly Choppy
PRICE STABILITY

Highly Choppy

The stock has experienced frequent, large price swings that make its near-term movement less predictable.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -17.09%
Avg. Invested days 28
Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 3.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/09/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
HBIO receives a 3-star rating based on the available scored pillars. The rating is constrained by soft unit economics, soft analyst coverage, and weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
HBIO has moderate overall fundamentals (3 stars), with moderate financial health, moderate growth momentum, and solid ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, solid cash generation (FCF margin 6.5%) is partially offset by negative earnings growth (-357.1%), negative revenue growth (-8.1%), weak profitability (net margin -65.5%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
HBIO's financial health is supported by solid liquidity, including working-capital and asset support (WC/assets 32.8%). Profitability is soft (2 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Free-cash-flow growth is HBIO's strongest growth driver at +408.0% FY2025 versus FY2024 (strong, 5 stars). By comparison, while revenue growth (-8.1%, negative) and earnings growth (-357.1%, negative) hold the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 41.9% and approximately 80.4% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 9.40% supports management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

Weber Capital Management LLC 6.83%
Meros Investment Management, LP 4.02%
Acadian Asset Management LLC 3.95%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 3.73%
NANO CAP NEW MILLENNIUM GROWTH FUND L P 3.14%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
HBIO generates approximately $530 of gross profit, $-7 of operating income, and $65 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Operating losses explain the 2-star rating, with weak cash conversion and weak capital efficiency.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 1.20%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
HBIO has a liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while valuation that is moderately attractive rather than deeply discounted.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

High VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 37.51M USD
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 7.5
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 7.5
Volume (30-day avg) 18.8K shares
Beta 1.51
52 Weeks Range 3.75 - 9.40
Updated Date 10/11/2026
52 Weeks Range 3.75 - 9.40
Updated Date 10/11/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) -2.31

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Life Science InstrumentsIncludes cell analysis, electrophysiology, and fluidics hardware.The company sells specialized laboratory tools to researchers who need precise, custom instruments.
GeographyRevenue generated primarily from North America, Europe, and China.The company relies on global demand from academic and pharma research hubs.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Valuation

Trailing PE -
Forward PE 15.06
Enterprise Value 74.28M
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.43
Enterprise Value 74.28M
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.43
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.85
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 179.26
Shares Outstanding 4.55M
Shares Floating 3.66M
Shares Outstanding 4.55M
Shares Floating 3.66M
Percent Insiders 9.4
Percent Institutions 41.91

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.