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

1 Consumer Stock to Target This Week and 2 to Approach with Caution

JJSF Cover Image

Consumer staples are considered safe havens in turbulent markets due to their inelastic demand profiles. Surprisingly, the sector hasn’t played its shielding role over the past six months as it tumbled 13.7%. This drop was worse than the S&P 500’s 5.5% loss.

Despite the lackluster result, a few diamonds in the rough can produce earnings growth no matter what, and we started StockStory to help you find them. With that said, here is one resilient consumer stock we’ve added to our cart and two best left ignored.

Two Consumer Staples Stocks to Sell:

J&J Snack Foods (JJSF)

Market Cap: $2.26 billion

Best known for its SuperPretzel soft pretzels and ICEE frozen drinks, J&J Snack Foods (NASDAQ: JJSF) produces a range of snacks and beverages and distributes them primarily to supermarket and food service customers.

Why Are We Cautious About JJSF?

  1. Modest revenue base of $1.59 billion gives it less fixed cost leverage and fewer distribution channels than larger companies
  2. Estimated sales growth of 2.8% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
  3. ROIC of 6.6% reflects management’s challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities

At $116.75 per share, J&J Snack Foods trades at 22.8x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than JJSF.

Post (POST)

Market Cap: $6.17 billion

Founded in 1895, Post (NYSE: POST) is a packaged food company known for its namesake breakfast cereal and healthier-for-you snacks.

Why Does POST Give Us Pause?

  1. Shrinking unit sales over the past two years show it’s struggled to move its products and had to rely on price increases
  2. Demand will likely fall over the next 12 months as Wall Street expects flat revenue
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

Post is trading at $113.97 per share, or 15.6x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why POST doesn’t pass our bar.

One Consumer Staples Stock to Buy:

Philip Morris (PM)

Market Cap: $264.1 billion

Founded in 1847, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) manufactures and sells a wide range of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, including cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and oral nicotine pouches.

Why Do We Love PM?

  1. Products are seeing elevated demand as its unit sales averaged 3% growth over the past two years
  2. Differentiated product offerings are difficult to replicate at scale and lead to a best-in-class gross margin of 64.8%
  3. PM is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders, and its growing cash flow gives it even more resources to deploy

Philip Morris’s stock price of $170.05 implies a valuation ratio of 22.6x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? 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 176% over the last five years.

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% 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.