Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Three Reasons to Avoid SBUX and One Stock to Buy Instead

SBUX Cover Image

Starbucks has had an impressive run over the past six months as its shares have beaten the S&P 500 by 23.1%. The stock now trades at $92.68, marking a 27.8% gain. This performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.

Is there a buying opportunity in Starbucks, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? See what our analysts have to say in our full research report, it’s free.

We’re glad investors have benefited from the price increase, but we're sitting this one out for now. Here are three reasons why you should be careful with SBUX and a stock we'd rather own.

Why Is Starbucks Not Exciting?

Started by three friends in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is a globally-renowned coffeehouse chain that offers a wide selection of high-quality coffee, beverages, and food items.

1. Long-Term Revenue Growth Disappoints

A company’s long-term sales performance signals its overall quality. Even a bad business can shine for one or two quarters, but a top-tier one grows for years. Over the last five years, Starbucks grew its sales at a mediocre 6.4% compounded annual growth rate. This fell short of our benchmark for the restaurant sector. Starbucks Quarterly Revenue

2. Operating Margin Falling

Operating margin is a key measure of profitability. Think of it as net income - the bottom line - excluding the impact of taxes and interest on debt, which are less connected to business fundamentals.

Analyzing the trend in its profitability, Starbucks’s operating margin decreased by 1.4 percentage points over the last year. Even though its historical margin is high, shareholders will want to see Starbucks become more profitable in the future. Its operating margin for the trailing 12 months was 15%.

Starbucks Operating Margin (GAAP)

3. EPS Barely Growing

We track the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) because it highlights whether a company’s growth is profitable.

Starbucks’s EPS grew at an unimpressive 3.2% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, lower than its 6.4% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded.

Starbucks Trailing 12-Month EPS (Non-GAAP)

Final Judgment

Starbucks isn’t a terrible business, but it doesn’t pass our quality test. With its shares topping the market in recent months, the stock trades at 26× forward price-to-earnings (or $92.68 per share). This valuation tells us a lot of optimism is priced in - we think there are better investment opportunities out there. We’d recommend looking at Wabtec, a leading provider of locomotive services benefiting from an upgrade cycle.

Stocks We Would Buy Instead of Starbucks

The elections are now behind us. With rates dropping and inflation cooling, many analysts expect a breakout market to cap off the year - and we’re zeroing in on the stocks that could benefit immensely.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years.

Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,691% between September 2019 and September 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Comfort Systems (+783% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.