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 Value Stocks Skating on Thin Ice

BAND Cover Image

Value investing has created more billionaires than any other strategy, like Warren Buffett, who built his fortune by purchasing wonderful businesses at reasonable prices. But these hidden gems are few and far between - many stocks that appear cheap often stay that way because they face structural issues.

This distinction between true value and value traps can challenge even the most skilled investors. Luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you uncover exceptional companies. That said, here are three value stocks with poor fundamentals and some alternatives you should consider instead.

Bandwidth (BAND)

Forward P/S Ratio: 0.6x

Started in 1999 by David Morken who was later joined by Henry Kaestner as co-founder in 2001, Bandwidth (NASDAQ: BAND) provides thousands of customers with a software platform that uses its own global network to provide phone numbers, voice, and text connectivity.

Why Do We Avoid BAND?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 15.1% over the last three years was below our standards for the software sector
  2. Projected sales are flat for the next 12 months, implying demand will slow from its three-year trend
  3. Bad unit economics and steep infrastructure costs are reflected in its gross margin of 37.4%, one of the worst among software companies

At $15.25 per share, Bandwidth trades at 0.6x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than BAND.

Solo Brands (DTC)

Forward P/E Ratio: 1.9x

Started through a Kickstarter campaign, Solo Brands (NYSE: DTC) is a provider of outdoor and recreational products.

Why Do We Think DTC Will Underperform?

  1. Annual revenue declines of 2.1% over the last two years indicate problems with its market positioning
  2. Performance over the past four years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 18.1% annually
  3. Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management’s prior nor current bets are going as planned

Solo Brands is trading at $0.72 per share, or 1.9x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with DTC, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Oshkosh (OSK)

Forward P/E Ratio: 9x

Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK) manufactures specialty vehicles for the defense, fire, emergency, and commercial industry, operating various brand subsidiaries within each industry.

Why Does OSK Fall Short?

  1. New orders were hard to come by as its average backlog growth of 7.5% over the past two years underwhelmed
  2. Estimated sales decline of 1.8% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 8.4 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

Oshkosh’s stock price of $95.37 implies a valuation ratio of 9x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering OSK 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 6 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 United Rentals (+322% 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.