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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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  • 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
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2 Cash-Producing Stocks on Our Watchlist and 1 to Question

By: StockStory

POWL Cover Image

Generating cash is essential for any business, but not all cash-rich companies are great investments. Some produce plenty of cash but fail to allocate it effectively, leading to missed opportunities.

Cash flow is valuable, but it’s not everything - StockStory helps you identify the companies that truly put it to work. That said, here are two cash-producing companies that excel at turning cash into shareholder value and one that may face some trouble.

One Industrials Stock to Sell:

H&E Equipment Services (HEES)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 14.6%

Founded after recognizing a growth trend along the Mississippi River and opportunities developing in the earthmoving and construction equipment business, H&E (NASDAQ: HEES) offers machinery for companies to purchase or rent.

Why Does HEES Give Us Pause?

  1. 2.1% annual revenue growth over the last five years was slower than its industrials peers
  2. Earnings per share have contracted by 16% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
  3. Poor free cash flow margin of 0.5% for the last five years limits its freedom to invest in growth initiatives, execute share buybacks, or pay dividends

H&E Equipment Services’s stock price of $95.18 implies a valuation ratio of 6.4x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including HEES in your portfolio.

Two Industrials Stocks to Watch:

Powell (POWL)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 4.7%

Originally a metal-working shop supporting local petrochemical facilities, Powell (NYSE: POWL) has grown from a small Houston manufacturer to a global provider of electrical systems.

Why Are We Fans of POWL?

  1. Market share has increased this cycle as its 34.8% annual revenue growth over the last two years was exceptional
  2. Operating profits and efficiency rose over the last five years as it benefited from some fixed cost leverage
  3. Earnings per share grew by 209% annually over the last two years, massively outpacing its peers

At $194.65 per share, Powell trades at 13.2x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Primoris (PRIM)

Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 6.8%

Listed on the NASDAQ in 2008, Primoris (NYSE: PRIM) builds, maintains, and upgrades infrastructure in the utility, energy, and civil construction industries.

Why Does PRIM Stand Out?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 16.2% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
  2. Sales pipeline is in good shape as its backlog averaged 148% growth over the past two years
  3. Earnings per share grew by 26.7% annually over the last two years, massively outpacing its peers

Primoris is trading at $77.20 per share, or 17.1x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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 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.

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