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.

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The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

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The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

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Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

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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

1 Stock Under $50 with Competitive Advantages and 2 to Question

STNG Cover Image

The $10-50 price range often includes mid-sized businesses with proven track records and plenty of growth runway ahead. They also usually carry less risk than penny stocks, though they’re not immune to volatility as many lack the scale advantages of their larger peers.

These dynamics can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock under $50 that could 10x and two that may have trouble.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

Scorpio Tankers (STNG)

Share Price: $40.50

Operating one of the youngest fleets in the industry, Scorpio Tankers (NYSE: STNG) is an international provider of marine transportation services, specializing in the shipment of refined petroleum.

Why Are We Hesitant About STNG?

  1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of total vessels has underwhelmed
  2. Sales are projected to tank by 7.3% over the next 12 months as its demand continues evaporating
  3. Earnings per share have contracted by 31.6% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

Scorpio Tankers’s stock price of $40.50 implies a valuation ratio of 6.3x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why STNG doesn’t pass our bar.

ManpowerGroup (MAN)

Share Price: $40.88

Founded during the post-World War II economic boom when businesses needed temporary workers, ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) connects millions of people to employment opportunities through its global network of staffing, recruitment, and workforce management services.

Why Do We Pass on MAN?

  1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 2.3% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall even further
  3. Sales were less profitable over the last five years as its earnings per share fell by 19.7% annually, worse than its revenue declines

ManpowerGroup is trading at $40.88 per share, or 9.8x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MAN.

One Stock Under $50 to Watch:

Royalty Pharma (RPRX)

Share Price: $33.84

Pioneering a unique business model in the pharmaceutical industry since 1996, Royalty Pharma (NASDAQ: RPRX) acquires rights to receive portions of sales from successful biopharmaceutical products, providing funding to drug developers without conducting research itself.

Why Are We Positive On RPRX?

  1. Projected revenue growth of 22.4% for the next 12 months is above its two-year trend, pointing to accelerating demand
  2. Adjusted operating margin improved by 60 percentage points over the last two years as it eliminated redundant costs
  3. Free cash flow margin expanded by 28.7 percentage points over the last five years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends

At $33.84 per share, Royalty Pharma trades at 6.9x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

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 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.

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