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.

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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 Profitable Stocks with Questionable Fundamentals

AEO Cover Image

A company with profits isn’t always a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.

Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that’s why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. That said, here are three profitable companies that don’t make the cut and some better opportunities instead.

American Eagle (AEO)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 8%

With a heavy focus on denim, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) is a specialty retailer offering an assortment of apparel and accessories to young adults.

Why Does AEO Worry Us?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 4.3% over the last five years was below our standards for the consumer retail sector
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 2.7% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
  3. ROIC of 2.6% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

American Eagle’s stock price of $11.14 implies a valuation ratio of 6.4x forward price-to-earnings. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including AEO in your portfolio.

Mondelez (MDLZ)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 17.4%

Founded as Nabisco in 1903, Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a packaged snacks powerhouse best known for its Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, Ritz, and Trident brands.

Why Do We Think Twice About MDLZ?

  1. Estimated sales growth of 3.4% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
  2. Free cash flow margin didn’t grow over the last year
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

At $65.50 per share, Mondelez trades at 20.5x forward price-to-earnings. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MDLZ.

Steelcase (SCS)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 3.5%

Founded in 1912 when metal office furniture was replacing wooden alternatives, Steelcase (NYSE: SCS) is a global office furniture manufacturer that designs and produces workplace solutions including desks, chairs, architectural products, and services.

Why Should You Sell SCS?

  1. Annual sales declines of 3.2% for the past five years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Earnings per share have contracted by 5.8% annually over the last five years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
  3. ROIC of 6.4% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

Steelcase is trading at $9.94 per share, or 9.1x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why SCS doesn’t pass our bar.

Stocks We Like More

Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth.

While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we’re leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market 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 Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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