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.

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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

1 Safe-and-Steady Stock for Long-Term Investors and 2 We Find Risky

UFPI Cover Image

Low-volatility stocks may offer stability, but that often comes at the cost of slower growth and the upside potential of more dynamic companies.

Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. That said, here is one low-volatility stock that could offer consistent gains and two that may not keep up.

Two Stocks to Sell:

UFP Industries (UFPI)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.79

Beginning as a lumber supplier in the 1950s, UFP Industries (NASDAQ: UFPI) is a holding company making building materials for the construction, retail, and industrial sectors.

Why Is UFPI Risky?

  1. Declining unit sales over the past two years imply it may need to invest in improvements to get back on track
  2. Falling earnings per share over the last two years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term
  3. Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

UFP Industries is trading at $90.43 per share, or 15.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including UFPI in your portfolio.

CME Group (CME)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.15

Born from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange founded in 1898 as a butter and egg trading venue, CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) operates the world's largest derivatives marketplace where traders can buy and sell futures and options contracts across interest rates, equities, currencies, commodities, and more.

Why Does CME Worry Us?

  1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 4.7% annual growth was below the typical financials company
  2. Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 8.6% annually

CME Group’s stock price of $263.43 implies a valuation ratio of 23.5x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with CME, check out our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

One Stock to Buy:

NMI Holdings (NMIH)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.66

Founded in the aftermath of the 2008 housing crisis to bring new capacity to the mortgage insurance market, NMI Holdings (NASDAQ: NMIH) provides mortgage insurance that protects lenders against losses when homebuyers default on their mortgage loans.

Why Should You Buy NMIH?

  1. 9.8% annualized net premiums earned expansion over the last two years exceeded the sector average as its policies appealed to customers
  2. Combined ratio improved by 14.4 percentage points over the last four years as it scaled
  3. Balance sheet strength has increased this cycle as its 16% annual book value per share growth over the last five years was exceptional

At $36.04 per share, NMI Holdings trades at 1.1x forward P/B. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active Edge members.

Stocks We Like Even More

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 6 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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