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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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

3 Small-Cap Stocks Walking a Fine Line

WDFC Cover Image

Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.

Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. That said, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

WD-40 (WDFC)

Market Cap: $3.12 billion

Short for “Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try”, WD-40 (NASDAQ: WDFC) is a renowned American consumer goods company known for its iconic and versatile spray, WD-40 Multi-Use Product.

Why Does WDFC Worry Us?

  1. 6.6% annual revenue growth over the last three years was slower than its consumer staples peers
  2. Subscale operations are evident in its revenue base of $603.6 million, meaning it has fewer distribution channels than its larger rivals
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last year as its free cash flow margin decreased by 7.1 percentage points

At $232.99 per share, WD-40 trades at 42x forward price-to-earnings. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than WDFC.

Nexstar Media (NXST)

Market Cap: $5.4 billion

Founded in 1996, Nexstar (NASDAQ: NXST) is an American media company operating numerous local television stations and digital media outlets across the country.

Why Do We Think Twice About NXST?

  1. 1.9% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its consumer discretionary peers
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 7.8% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
  3. Projected 4.5 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin next year reflects the company’s plans to increase its investments to defend its market position

Nexstar Media is trading at $178.01 per share, or 13x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with NXST, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Methode Electronics (MEI)

Market Cap: $238.4 million

Founded in 1946, Methode Electronics (NYSE: MEI) is a global supplier of custom-engineered solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Why Is MEI Risky?

  1. Sales stagnated over the last five years and signal the need for new growth strategies
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 19.6 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

Methode Electronics’s stock price of $6.66 implies a valuation ratio of 10.1x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering MEI 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 Sterling Infrastructure (+1,096% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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