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

1 Stock Under $50 with Exciting Potential and 2 to Ignore

KRT Cover Image

Stocks in the $10-50 range offer a sweet spot between affordability and stability as they’re typically more established than penny stocks. But their headline prices don’t guarantee quality, and investors should exercise caution as some have shaky business models.

This is precisely where StockStory comes in - we do the heavy lifting to identify companies with solid fundamentals so you can invest with confidence. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock under $50 with massive upside potential and two best left ignored.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

GXO Logistics (GXO)

Share Price: $37.79

With notable customers such as Nike and Apple, GXO (NYSE: GXO) manages outsourced supply chains and warehousing for various companies.

Why Are We Hesitant About GXO?

  1. Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion
  2. Earnings per share were flat over the last two years and fell short of the peer group average
  3. 6× net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio shows it’s overleveraged and increases the probability of shareholder dilution if things turn unexpectedly

GXO Logistics is trading at $37.79 per share, or 12.5x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with GXO, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Royalty Pharma (RPRX)

Share Price: $33.86

Founded in 1996, Royalty Pharma (NASDAQ: RPRX) acquires pharmaceutical royalties and funds late-stage clinical trials, offering a unique revenue model centered on financing innovative drug development.

Why Does RPRX Worry Us?

  1. Sales stagnated over the last two years and signal the need for new growth strategies
  2. Revenue base of $2.26 billion puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
  3. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its adjusted operating margin fell by 18.1 percentage points

Royalty Pharma’s stock price of $33.86 implies a valuation ratio of 7x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why RPRX doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock Under $50 to Watch:

Karat Packaging (KRT)

Share Price: $29.20

Founded as Lollicup, Karat Packaging (NASDAQ: KRT) distributes and manufactures environmentally-friendly disposable foodservice packaging solutions.

Why Do We Like KRT?

  1. Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last three years as its EPS has compounded at 27.3% annually
  2. Free cash flow margin expanded by 18.5 percentage points over the last five years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends
  3. ROIC punches in at 17.3%, illustrating management’s expertise in identifying profitable investments

At $29.20 per share, Karat Packaging trades at 8.9x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself 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 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 Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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