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.

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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

3 Cash-Burning Stocks We Think Twice About

GPRO Cover Image

Rapid spending isn’t always a sign of progress. Some cash-burning businesses fail to convert investments into meaningful competitive advantages, leaving them vulnerable.

Just because a company is spending heavily doesn’t mean it’s on the right track, and StockStory is here to separate the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three cash-burning companies that don’t make the cut and some better opportunities instead.

GoPro (GPRO)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: -10.7%

Known for sponsoring extreme athletes, GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) is a camera company known for its POV videos and editing software.

Why Do We Pass on GPRO?

  1. Annual revenue declines of 3.9% over the last five years indicate problems with its market positioning
  2. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam
  3. Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution

At $2.15 per share, GoPro trades at 0.5x trailing 12-month price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including GPRO in your portfolio.

Beyond Meat (BYND)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: -41.6%

A pioneer at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution, Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) is a food company specializing in alternatives to traditional meat products.

Why Is BYND Risky?

  1. Declining unit sales over the past two years show it’s struggled to move its products and had to rely on price increases
  2. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last year as its free cash flow margin decreased by 18.5 percentage points
  3. Short cash runway increases the probability of a capital raise that dilutes existing shareholders

Beyond Meat is trading at $0.70 per share, or 0.2x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering BYND for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

U-Haul (UHAL)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: -30.6%

Founded by a husband and wife duo, U-Haul (NYSE: UHAL) is a provider of rental trucks and storage facilities.

Why Do We Think UHAL Will Underperform?

  1. Flat sales over the last two years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
  2. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions
  3. Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders

U-Haul’s stock price of $55.54 implies a valuation ratio of 1.8x trailing 12-month price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why UHAL doesn’t pass our bar.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

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StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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