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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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

3 Mid-Cap Stocks We Keep Off Our Radar

U Cover Image

Mid-cap stocks often strike the right balance between having proven business models and market opportunities that can support $100 billion corporations. However, they face intense competition from scaled industry giants and can be disrupted by new innovative players vying for a slice of the pie.

Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. That said, here are three mid-cap stocks to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Unity (U)

Market Cap: $14.67 billion

Powering over half of the world's mobile games and expanding into industries from automotive to architecture, Unity (NYSE: U) provides software tools and services that allow developers to create, run, and monetize interactive 2D and 3D content across multiple platforms.

Why Do We Think U Will Underperform?

  1. Customers had second thoughts about committing to its platform over the last year as its billings averaged 6% declines
  2. Extended payback periods on sales investments suggest the company’s platform isn’t resonating enough to drive efficient sales conversions
  3. Suboptimal cost structure is highlighted by its history of operating margin losses

Unity’s stock price of $34.30 implies a valuation ratio of 7.7x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with U, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

GameStop (GME)

Market Cap: $10.27 billion

Drawing gaming fans with demo units set up with the latest releases, GameStop (NYSE: GME) sells new and used video games, consoles, and accessories, as well as pop culture merchandise.

Why Do We Avoid GME?

  1. GameStop’s brick-and-mortar engine keeps stalling as gamers migrate to digital downloads, and management is closing more outlets after shuttering hundreds of stores last year
  2. The share price remains an unpredictable meme-stock roller-coaster, and the purchase of thousands of Bitcoins have fueled huge swings
  3. On the bright side, the company has a large cash pile that gives CEO Ryan Cohen room to buy more Bitcoin or fund its collectibles and trading-card push

GameStop is trading at $23.01 per share, or 26.4x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why GME doesn’t pass our bar.

Hyatt Hotels (H)

Market Cap: $13.77 billion

Founded in 1957, Hyatt Hotels (NYSE: H) is a global hospitality company with a portfolio of 20 premier brands and over 950 properties across 65 countries.

Why Are We Hesitant About H?

  1. Revenue per room has underperformed over the past two years, suggesting it may need to develop new facilities
  2. Operating margin of 4.9% falls short of the industry average, and the smaller profit dollars make it harder to react to unexpected market developments
  3. Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction

At $144.20 per share, Hyatt Hotels trades at 47.8x forward P/E. If you’re considering H for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like More

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. 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).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

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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