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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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 Volatile Stocks Walking a Fine Line

CHWY 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.

At StockStory, our job is to help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on the right side of the trade. Keeping that in mind, here are three volatile stocks to avoid and some better opportunities instead.

Chewy (CHWY)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.23

Founded by Ryan Cohen, who later became known for his involvement in GameStop, Chewy (NYSE: CHWY) is an online retailer specializing in pet food, supplies, and healthcare services.

Why Are We Hesitant About CHWY?

  1. Sizable revenue base leads to growth challenges as its 9.3% annual revenue increases over the last three years fell short of other consumer internet companies
  2. Estimated sales growth of 5.2% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
  3. Gross margin of 29% is below its competitors, leaving less money to invest in areas like marketing and R&D

Chewy’s stock price of $41.50 implies a valuation ratio of 23.7x forward EV/EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with CHWY, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Insteel (IIIN)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.25

Growing from a small wire manufacturer to one of the largest in the U.S., Insteel (NYSE: IIIN) provides steel wire reinforcing products for concrete.

Why Do We Think IIIN Will Underperform?

  1. Annual sales declines of 13.4% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Earnings per share decreased by more than its revenue over the last two years, showing each sale was less profitable
  3. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam

At $34.70 per share, Insteel trades at 17.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why IIIN doesn’t pass our bar.

Citigroup (C)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.46

With operations in nearly 160 countries and a history dating back to 1812, Citigroup (NYSE: C) is a global financial services company that provides banking, investment, wealth management, and payment solutions to consumers, corporations, and governments.

Why Does C Fall Short?

  1. Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual net interest income increases of 5.7% for the last four years
  2. Estimated net interest income growth of 2.6% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its four-year trend
  3. Net interest margin of 2.4% reflects its high servicing and capital costs

Citigroup is trading at $77.90 per share, or 0.7x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including C in your portfolio.

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 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 Tecnoglass (+1,754% 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

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