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

1 Industrials Stock with Solid Fundamentals and 2 to Avoid

CNM Cover Image

Whether you see them or not, industrials businesses play a crucial part in our daily activities. Unfortunately, this role also comes with a demand profile tethered to the ebbs and flows of the broader economy, and investors seem to be forecasting a downturn - over the past six months, the industry has pulled back by 1.8%. This performance was disheartening since the S&P 500 held steady.

Only some companies are subject to these dynamics, however, and a handful of high-quality businesses can deliver earnings growth in any environment. Keeping that in mind, here is one industrials stock boasting a durable advantage and two we’re steering clear of.

Two IndustrialsStocks to Sell:

Rush Enterprises (RUSHA)

Market Cap: $3.96 billion

Headquartered in Texas, Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ: RUSH.A) provides truck-related services and solutions, including sales, leasing, parts, and maintenance for commercial vehicles.

Why Are We Out on RUSHA?

  1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 2.2% annual growth was below the typical industrials company
  2. Estimated sales decline of 1.5% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
  3. Earnings per share have dipped by 10% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term

Rush Enterprises’s stock price of $50.50 implies a valuation ratio of 8.1x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than RUSHA.

Avery Dennison (AVY)

Market Cap: $13.81 billion

Founded as Kum Kleen Products, Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) is a manufacturer of adhesive materials, display graphics, and packaging products, serving various industries.

Why Should You Sell AVY?

  1. Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 3.7 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging

Avery Dennison is trading at $176.60 per share, or 17.2x forward P/E. If you’re considering AVY for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

One Industrials Stock to Watch:

Core & Main (CNM)

Market Cap: $11.17 billion

Formerly a division of industrial distributor HD Supply, Core & Main (NYSE: CNM) is a provider of water, wastewater, and fire protection products and services.

Why Are We Positive On CNM?

  1. Market share has increased this cycle as its 17.1% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
  2. Operating margin improvement of 3.8 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
  3. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 19.2%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last two years

At $58.90 per share, Core & Main trades at 23.8x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

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 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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

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.