Diamond Hill Capital Small Cap Strategy’s Views on Mesa Laboratories (MLAB)

Core Insights - Diamond Hill Capital's "Small Cap Strategy" underperformed the Russell 2000 Index in Q3 2025, returning 7.93% compared to the index's over 12% gain [1] - The underperformance was attributed to the rally being driven by sectors not typically held in the portfolio [1] Company Overview: Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLAB) - Mesa Laboratories, Inc. is a provider of life sciences tools and quality control products and services [2][3] - The stock experienced a one-month return of -0.22% and a 52-week loss of 33.24%, closing at $77.74 with a market capitalization of $429.304 million on November 24, 2025 [2] Performance Analysis - In Q3 2025, Mesa Laboratories was among the bottom contributors to the portfolio, facing challenges such as currency impacts, tariffs, and order timing delays [3] - Despite these challenges, the sterilization and disinfection control segment showed solid core growth, indicating resilience in the company's diversified portfolio [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Mesa Laboratories was held by 12 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2025, an increase from 8 in the previous quarter [4] - While the company has potential as an investment, certain AI stocks are viewed as offering greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]