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

3 Reasons to Avoid MTRX and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

MTRX Cover Image

Matrix Service’s 25.9% return over the past six months has outpaced the S&P 500 by 20.3%, and its stock price has climbed to $11.86 per share. This run-up might have investors contemplating their next move.

Is there a buying opportunity in Matrix Service, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Get the full stock story straight from our expert analysts, it’s free.

Despite the momentum, we don't have much confidence in Matrix Service. Here are three reasons why there are better opportunities than MTRX and a stock we'd rather own.

Why Do We Think Matrix Service Will Underperform?

Founded in Oklahoma, Matrix Service (NASDAQ: MTRX) provides engineering, fabrication, construction, and maintenance services primarily to the energy and industrial markets.

1. Revenue Spiraling Downwards

A company’s long-term performance is an indicator of its overall quality. While any business can experience short-term success, top-performing ones enjoy sustained growth for years. Over the last five years, Matrix Service’s demand was weak and its revenue declined by 12.9% per year. This was below our standards and is a sign of poor business quality.

Matrix Service Quarterly Revenue

2. Low Gross Margin Reveals Weak Structural Profitability

Gross profit margin is a critical metric to track because it sheds light on its pricing power, complexity of products, and ability to procure raw materials, equipment, and labor.

Matrix Service has bad unit economics for an industrials business, signaling it operates in a competitive market. As you can see below, it averaged a 4.4% gross margin over the last five years. Said differently, Matrix Service had to pay a chunky $95.64 to its suppliers for every $100 in revenue.

Matrix Service Trailing 12-Month Gross Margin

3. EPS Trending Down

We track the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) because it highlights whether a company’s growth is profitable.

Sadly for Matrix Service, its EPS declined by more than its revenue over the last five years, dropping 24.5% annually. This tells us the company struggled because its fixed cost base made it difficult to adjust to shrinking demand.

Matrix Service Trailing 12-Month EPS (Non-GAAP)

Final Judgment

Matrix Service doesn’t pass our quality test. With its shares beating the market recently, the stock trades at 17.3× forward price-to-earnings (or $11.86 per share). This valuation tells us a lot of optimism is priced in - we think there are better investment opportunities out there. We’d suggest looking at one of our top software and edge computing picks.

Stocks We Would Buy Instead of Matrix Service

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 Comfort Systems (+751% 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.