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

1 Industrials Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 to Avoid

WTS Cover Image

Industrials businesses quietly power the physical things we depend on, from cars and homes to e-commerce infrastructure. Still, their generally high capital requirements expose them to the ups and downs of economic cycles, and the market seems confused about where we could go next. This uncertainty has led to a flat return for the industry over the past six months while the S&P 500 was up 6.4%.

The elite companies can churn out earnings growth under any circumstance, however, and our mission at StockStory is to help you find them. Keeping that in mind, here is one industrials stock boasting a durable advantage and two we’re passing on.

Two Industrials Stocks to Sell:

KB Home (KBH)

Market Cap: $4.56 billion

The first homebuilder to be listed on the NYSE, KB Home (NYSE: KB) is a homebuilding company targeting the first-time home buyer and move-up buyer markets.

Why Do We Think Twice About KBH?

  1. Product roadmap and go-to-market strategy need to be reconsidered as its backlog has averaged 25.5% declines over the past two years
  2. Anticipated sales growth of 3.2% for the next year implies demand will be shaky
  3. Earnings per share have contracted by 4% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

KB Home’s stock price of $63.19 implies a valuation ratio of 7.2x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with KBH, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Gates Industrial Corporation (GTES)

Market Cap: $5.47 billion

Helping create one of the most memorable moments for the iconic “Jurassic Park” film, Gates (NYSE: GTES) offers power transmission and fluid transfer equipment for various industries.

Why Are We Wary of GTES?

  1. Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion
  2. Estimated sales for the next 12 months are flat and imply a softer demand environment
  3. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

Gates Industrial Corporation is trading at $21.70 per share, or 14.3x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why GTES doesn’t pass our bar.

One Industrials Stock to Watch:

Watts Water Technologies (WTS)

Market Cap: $7.17 billion

Founded in 1874, Watts Water (NYSE: WTS) specializes in manufacturing water products and systems for residential, commercial, and industrial applications globally.

Why Are We Positive On WTS?

  1. Offerings are difficult to replicate at scale and result in a premier gross margin of 44.7%
  2. Operating profits and efficiency rose over the last five years as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage
  3. Share repurchases over the last five years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 16.8% to outpace its revenue gains

At $215.49 per share, Watts Water Technologies trades at 24x forward price-to-earnings. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

The elections are now behind us. With rates dropping and inflation cooling, many analysts expect a breakout market - 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 (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like United Rentals (+322% 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.