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

2 Consumer Stocks with Exciting Potential and 1 to Brush Off

LANC Cover Image

Consumer staples are considered safe havens in turbulent markets due to their inelastic demand profiles. Unfortunately, the sector hasn’t provided much protection lately as it pulled back by 10.4% over the past six months. This drop was disheartening since the S&P 500 held steady.

Despite the lackluster result, a few diamonds in the rough can produce earnings growth no matter what, and we started StockStory to help you find them. With that said, here are two resilient consumer stocks we’ve added to our cart and one we’re steering clear of.

One Consumer Staples Stock to Sell:

Lancaster Colony (LANC)

Market Cap: $4.88 billion

Known for its frozen garlic bread and Parkerhouse rolls, Lancaster Colony (NASDAQ: LANC) sells bread, dressing, and dips to the retail and food service channels.

Why Does LANC Give Us Pause?

  1. Muted 6.7% annual revenue growth over the last three years shows its demand lagged behind its consumer staples peers
  2. Smaller revenue base of $1.9 billion means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
  3. Gross margin of 23% is below its competitors, leaving less money to invest in areas like marketing and production facilities

Lancaster Colony is trading at $176.91 per share, or 25.7x forward price-to-earnings. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than LANC.

Two Consumer Staples Stocks to Watch:

Monster (MNST)

Market Cap: $55.29 billion

Founded in 2002 as a natural soda and juice company, Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST) is a pioneer of the energy drink category, and its Monster Energy brand targets a young, active demographic.

Why Do We Love MNST?

  1. Healthy operating margin of 27% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes
  2. Strong free cash flow margin of 21.6% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently, and its recently improved profitability means it has even more resources to invest or distribute
  3. Stellar returns on capital showcase management’s ability to surface highly profitable business ventures

At $56.80 per share, Monster trades at 31.2x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

Anheuser-Busch (BUD)

Market Cap: $114.6 billion

Born out of a complicated web of mergers and acquisitions, Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) boasts a powerhouse beer portfolio of Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona, and local favorites around the world.

Why Are We Positive On BUD?

  1. Enormous revenue base of $59.77 billion provides significant negotiating leverage in retail partnerships
  2. Unique products and pricing power lead to a top-tier gross margin of 54.6%
  3. Excellent operating margin of 24.9% highlights the efficiency of its business model, and it turbocharged its profits by achieving some fixed cost leverage

Anheuser-Busch’s stock price of $62.42 implies a valuation ratio of 8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even 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 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. 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.

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.