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.

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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 in the Doghouse

PPC 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.

Pilgrim's Pride (PPC)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 9.2%

Offering everything from pre-marinated to frozen chicken, Pilgrim’s Pride (NASDAQ: PPC) produces, processes, and distributes chicken products to retailers and food service customers.

Why Does PPC Worry Us?

  1. Sizable revenue base leads to growth challenges as its 4.5% annual revenue increases over the last three years fell short of other consumer staples companies
  2. Demand will likely fall over the next 12 months as Wall Street expects flat revenue
  3. Easily substituted products (and therefore stiff competition) result in an inferior gross margin of 10.7% that must be offset through higher volumes

Pilgrim's Pride is trading at $47.40 per share, or 9.5x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including PPC in your portfolio.

Light & Wonder (LNW)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 21%

With names as crazy as Ultimate Fire Link Power 4 for its products, Light & Wonder (NASDAQ: LNW) is a gaming company supplying the casino industry with slot machines, table games, and digital games.

Why Are We Hesitant About LNW?

  1. Products and services fail to spark excitement with consumers, as seen in its flat sales over the last five years
  2. Estimated sales growth of 9.1% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

Light & Wonder’s stock price of $84.50 implies a valuation ratio of 14.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with LNW, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Mayville Engineering (MEC)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 6.9%

Originally founded solely on tool and die manufacturing, Mayville Engineering Company (NYSE: MEC) specializes in metal fabrication, tube bending, and welding to be used in various industries.

Why Do We Think MEC Will Underperform?

  1. Products and services are facing end-market challenges during this cycle, as seen in its flat sales over the last two years
  2. Competitive supply chain dynamics and steep production costs are reflected in its low gross margin of 12.5%
  3. Revenue growth over the past five years was nullified by the company’s new share issuances as its earnings per share fell by 11.1% annually

At $15.40 per share, Mayville Engineering trades at 4.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why MEC doesn’t pass our bar.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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 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 Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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