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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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

ASUR 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.

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

Asure (ASUR)

Market Cap: $266.6 million

Created from the merger of two small workforce management companies in 2007, Asure (NASDAQ: ASUR) provides cloud based payroll and HR software for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Why Is ASUR Not Exciting?

  1. Average billings growth of 6.9% over the last year was subpar, suggesting it struggled to push its software and might have to lower prices to stimulate demand
  2. Costs have risen faster than its revenue over the last year, causing its operating margin to decline by 6.4 percentage points
  3. Cash-burning history makes us doubt the long-term viability of its business model

At $10 per share, Asure trades at 1.9x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including ASUR in your portfolio.

Olaplex (OLPX)

Market Cap: $844.1 million

Rising to fame on TikTok because of its “bond building" hair products, Olaplex (NASDAQ: OLPX) offers products and treatments that repair the damage caused by traditional heat and chemical-based styling goods.

Why Are We Wary of OLPX?

  1. Products aren't resonating with the market as its revenue declined by 10.9% annually over the last three years
  2. Inability to adjust its cost structure while its revenue declined over the last year led to a 7.8 percentage point drop in the company’s operating margin
  3. Earnings per share decreased by more than its revenue over the last three years, showing each sale was less profitable

Olaplex is trading at $1.31 per share, or 10.8x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering OLPX for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Dun & Bradstreet (DNB)

Market Cap: $3.68 billion

Known for its proprietary D-U-N-S Number that serves as a unique identifier for businesses worldwide, Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB) provides business decisioning data and analytics that help companies evaluate credit risks, verify suppliers, enhance sales productivity, and gain market visibility.

Why Does DNB Fall Short?

  1. Muted 3.5% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its business services peers
  2. Earnings per share have dipped by 1.1% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
  3. ROIC of 0.2% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

Dun & Bradstreet’s stock price of $8.38 implies a valuation ratio of 7.6x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why DNB doesn’t pass our bar.

Stocks We Like More

The Trump trade may have passed, but rates are still dropping and inflation is still cooling. Opportunities are ripe for those ready to act - and we’re here to help you pick them.

Get started 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.

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