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

1 Stock Under $50 Worth Your Attention and 2 to Avoid

ASAN 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. That said, here is one stock under $50 with huge potential and two that may have trouble.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

Asana (ASAN)

Share Price: $16.55

Founded in 2008 by Facebook’s co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, Asana (NYSE: ASAN) is a cloud-based project management software, where you can plan and assign tasks to employees and monitor and discuss progress of work.

Why Are We Hesitant About ASAN?

  1. Offerings struggled to generate meaningful interest as its average billings growth of 9.4% over the last year did not impress
  2. Customers have churned over the last year due to the commoditized nature of its software, as reflected in its 97.5% net revenue retention rate
  3. Operating losses show it sacrificed profitability while scaling the business

Asana is trading at $16.55 per share, or 4.8x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ASAN.

The Pennant Group (PNTG)

Share Price: $25.62

Spun off from The Ensign Group in 2019 to focus on non-skilled nursing healthcare services, Pennant Group (NASDAQ: PNTG) operates home health, hospice, and senior living facilities across 13 western and midwestern states, serving patients of all ages including seniors.

Why Does PNTG Worry Us?

  1. Revenue base of $695.2 million puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
  2. 3.6 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

The Pennant Group’s stock price of $25.62 implies a valuation ratio of 23.5x forward price-to-earnings. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including PNTG in your portfolio.

One Stock Under $50 to Watch:

United Parks & Resorts (PRKS)

Share Price: $43.65

Parent company of SeaWorld and home of the world-famous Shamu, United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS) is a theme park chain featuring marine life, live entertainment, roller coasters, and waterparks.

Why Are We Positive On PRKS?

  1. Healthy operating margin of 26.7% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes
  2. Performance over the past five years was turbocharged by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
  3. Returns on capital are climbing as management makes more lucrative bets

At $43.65 per share, United Parks & Resorts trades at 8.9x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even 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 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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