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

3 Unpopular Stocks with Mounting Challenges

TTWO Cover Image

Wall Street’s bearish price targets for the stocks in this article signal serious concerns. Such forecasts are uncommon in an industry where maintaining cordial corporate relationships often trumps delivering the hard truth.

Whatever the consensus opinion may be, our team at StockStory cuts through the noise by conducting independent analysis to determine a company’s long-term prospects. That said, here are three stocks facing legitimate challenges and some alternatives worth exploring instead.

Take-Two (TTWO)

Consensus Price Target: $243.05 (5.7% implied return)

Best known for its Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K franchises, Take Two (NASDAQ: TTWO) is one of the world’s largest video game publishers.

Why Are We Hesitant About TTWO?

  1. EBITDA margin dropped by 8.3 percentage points over the last few years as the company focused on expansion rather than profitability
  2. Performance over the past three years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 109% annually
  3. Increased cash burn over the last few years raises questions about the return timeline for its investments

At $230 per share, Take-Two trades at 19.4x forward EV/EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with TTWO, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Starwood Property Trust (STWD)

Consensus Price Target: $21.43 (7.1% implied return)

With a diverse portfolio spanning commercial properties, residential mortgages, infrastructure loans, and real estate servicing, Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD) is a real estate investment trust that originates, acquires, and manages commercial mortgages, residential loans, and other real estate investments.

Why Do We Think STWD Will Underperform?

  1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 5.5% annually over the last two years
  2. Annual tangible book value per share declines of 3.8% for the past two years show its capital management struggled during this cycle
  3. Annual interest expenses are high relative to its profits, increasing the probability of its failure to meet certain borrowing obligations

Starwood Property Trust’s stock price of $20.00 implies a valuation ratio of 1.1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including STWD in your portfolio.

Rocket Companies (RKT)

Consensus Price Target: $13.86 (0.7% implied return)

Born in Detroit during the 1980s and evolving into a tech-driven financial powerhouse, Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT) is a fintech company that provides digital mortgage lending, real estate services, and personal finance solutions through its technology platform.

Why Do We Think Twice About RKT?

  1. Annual sales declines of 4% for the past five years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Falling earnings per share over the last four years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term
  3. High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 12× increases the risk of forced asset sales or dilutive financing if operational performance weakens

Rocket Companies is trading at $13.77 per share, or 3x forward P/B. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why RKT doesn’t pass our bar.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025.

While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we’re homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver’s seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. 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 Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

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.