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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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 Small-Cap Stocks in the Doghouse

BARK Cover Image

Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings. However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats.

The downside that can come from buying these securities is precisely why we started StockStory - to isolate the long-term winners from the losers so you can invest with confidence. That said, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

Bark (BARK)

Market Cap: $255.4 million

Making a name for itself with the BarkBox, Bark (NYSE: BARK) specializes in subscription-based, personalized pet products.

Why Are We Wary of BARK?

  1. Number of orders has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
  2. Suboptimal cost structure is highlighted by its history of operating losses
  3. Low free cash flow margin of 1.3% for the last two years gives it little breathing room, constraining its ability to self-fund growth or return capital to shareholders

At $1.51 per share, Bark trades at 113.4x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why BARK doesn’t pass our bar.

TTM Technologies (TTMI)

Market Cap: $2.25 billion

With its name derived from "Time To Market" – highlighting its focus on rapid production capabilities, TTM Technologies (NASDAQ: TTMI) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and specialized RF components for aerospace, defense, automotive, and telecommunications industries.

Why Do We Steer Clear of TTMI?

  1. Sales tumbled by 1.1% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Earnings per share were flat over the last two years and fell short of the peer group average
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

TTM Technologies’s stock price of $22.05 implies a valuation ratio of 11.4x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with TTMI, check out our full research report (it’s free).

ScanSource (SCSC)

Market Cap: $845.6 million

Operating as a crucial link in the technology supply chain since 1992, ScanSource (NASDAQ: SCSC) is a hybrid technology distributor that connects hardware, software, and cloud services from leading tech suppliers to resellers and business customers.

Why Is SCSC Risky?

  1. Sales tumbled by 10.4% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 11.7% annually, worse than its revenue
  3. ROIC of 7.8% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

ScanSource is trading at $36.53 per share, or 9.8x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering SCSC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like 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 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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 Axon (+711% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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