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 Consumer Stocks with Questionable Fundamentals

FND Cover Image

Retailers are evolving to meet the expectations of modern, tech-savvy shoppers. But many seem to be moving too slowly as their demand is lagging, causing the industry to underperform the market - over the past six months, retail stocks have shed 13.6%. This drawdown was worse than the S&P 500’s 5.1% loss.

Investors should tread carefully as many companies in this space can be value traps. On that note, here are three consumer stocks we’re steering clear of.

Floor And Decor (FND)

Market Cap: $7.82 billion

Operating large, warehouse-style stores, Floor & Decor (NYSE: FND) is a specialty retailer that specializes in hard flooring surfaces for the home such as tiles, hardwood, stone, and laminates.

Why Are We Wary of FND?

  1. Poor same-store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new shoppers into its brick-and-mortar locations
  2. Subscale operations are evident in its revenue base of $4.46 billion, meaning it has fewer distribution channels than its larger rivals
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities, and its decreasing returns suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Floor And Decor’s stock price of $74 implies a valuation ratio of 36.3x forward price-to-earnings. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FND.

Nordstrom (JWN)

Market Cap: $4.03 billion

Known for its exceptional customer service that features a ‘no questions asked’ return policy, Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) is a high-end department store chain.

Why Do We Pass on JWN?

  1. Poor same-store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new shoppers into its brick-and-mortar locations
  2. Responsiveness to unforeseen market trends is restricted due to its substandard operating profitability
  3. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

Nordstrom is trading at $24.16 per share, or 11.6x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with JWN, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Urban Outfitters (URBN)

Market Cap: $4.76 billion

Founded as a purveyor of vintage items, Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) now largely sells new apparel and accessories to teens and young adults seeking on-trend fashion.

Why Are We Hesitant About URBN?

  1. Muted 6.9% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its consumer retail peers
  2. Smaller revenue base of $5.55 billion means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
  3. ROIC of 9.5% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

At $51.41 per share, Urban Outfitters trades at 11.8x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering URBN for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Stocks We Like More

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like 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 Sterling Infrastructure (+1,096% 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.