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 Volatile Stocks Walking a Fine Line

STKL Cover Image

A highly volatile stock can deliver big gains - or just as easily wipe out a portfolio if things go south. While some investors embrace risk, mistakes can be costly for those who aren’t prepared.

Navigating these stocks isn’t easy, which is why StockStory helps you find Comfort In Chaos. That said, here are three volatile stocks to avoid and some better opportunities instead.

SunOpta (STKL)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.23

Committed to clean-label foods, SunOpta (NASDAQ: STKL) is a sustainability-focused food and beverage company specializing in the sourcing, processing, and packaging of organic products.

Why Do We Think Twice About STKL?

  1. Sales tumbled by 4.2% annually over the last three years, showing consumer trends are working against its favor
  2. Revenue base of $742.7 million puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
  3. Easily substituted products (and therefore stiff competition) result in an inferior gross margin of 16% that must be offset through higher volumes

SunOpta’s stock price of $5.76 implies a valuation ratio of 29.2x forward P/E. If you’re considering STKL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

LSI (LYTS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.28

Enhancing commercial environments, LSI (NASDAQ: LYTS) provides lighting and display solutions for businesses and retailers.

Why Is LYTS Not Exciting?

  1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 4.5% annual growth was below the typical industrials company
  2. Issuance of new shares over the last two years caused its earnings per share growth of 2.7% to lag its revenue gains
  3. 5.9 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

LSI is trading at $16.40 per share, or 13x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including LYTS in your portfolio.

DistributionNOW (DNOW)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.28

Spun off from National Oilwell Varco, DistributionNOW (NYSE: DNOW) provides distribution and supply chain solutions for the energy and industrial end markets.

Why Do We Steer Clear of DNOW?

  1. Sales tumbled by 2.8% annually over the last five years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Earnings per share have contracted by 6.3% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 4.8 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

At $14.56 per share, DistributionNOW trades at 10x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why DNOW 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 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

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-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.

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