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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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 Services Stocks Worth Your Attention

CPRT Cover Image

Business services providers use their specialized expertise to help enterprises streamline operations and cut costs. But cutbacks in corporate spending and the threat of new AI products have kept sentiment in check, and over the past six months, the industry has tumbled by 2.1%. This performance was disappointing since the S&P 500 climbed 5.4%.

Only some companies are subject to these dynamics, however, and a handful of high-quality businesses can deliver earnings growth in any environment. With that said, here are three services stocks boasting durable advantages.

Copart (CPRT)

Market Cap: $45.57 billion

Starting as a single salvage yard in California in 1982, Copart (NASDAQ: CPRT) operates an online auction platform that connects sellers of damaged and salvage vehicles with buyers ranging from dismantlers and rebuilders to used car dealers and exporters.

Why Are We Bullish on CPRT?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 15.6% over the last five years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
  2. Incremental sales over the last five years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 19.6% annually, topping its revenue gains
  3. CPRT is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders, and its growing cash flow gives it even more resources to deploy

Copart’s stock price of $47.34 implies a valuation ratio of 27.5x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Barrett (BBSI)

Market Cap: $1.12 billion

Operating as a professional employer organization (PEO) that serves over 8,000 companies with more than 120,000 worksite employees, Barrett Business Services (NASDAQ: BBSI) provides management solutions that help small and mid-sized businesses handle human resources, payroll, workers' compensation, and other administrative functions.

Why Could BBSI Be a Winner?

  1. Operating margin improvement of 1.1 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
  2. Market-beating returns on capital illustrate that management has a knack for investing in profitable ventures, and its returns are climbing as it finds even more attractive growth opportunities
  3. Improving returns on capital reflect management’s ability to monetize investments

Barrett is trading at $43.61 per share, or 19.3x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

IMAX (IMAX)

Market Cap: $1.50 billion

Originally developed for World Expo '67 in Montreal as an innovative projection system, IMAX (NYSE: IMAX) provides proprietary large-format cinema technology and systems that deliver immersive movie experiences with enhanced image quality and sound.

Why Should You Buy IMAX?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 19.7% over the past five years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
  2. Free cash flow flipped to positive over the last five years, indicating the company has passed a significant test
  3. Returns on capital are increasing as management’s prior bets are starting to bear fruit

At $27.78 per share, IMAX trades at 22.3x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% 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

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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