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

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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.

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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 Profitable Stocks with Open Questions

POOL Cover Image

Even if a company is profitable, it doesn’t always mean it’s a great investment. Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies to avoid and some better opportunities instead.

Pool (POOL)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 11.1%

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Louisiana, Pool (NASDAQ: POOL) is one of the largest wholesale distributors of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products.

Why Does POOL Give Us Pause?

  1. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
  2. Demand will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street’s estimates imply tepid growth of 1.8%
  3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

Pool’s stock price of $292.50 implies a valuation ratio of 25.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including POOL in your portfolio.

CTS (CTS)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 15.1%

With roots dating back to 1896 and a global manufacturing footprint, CTS (NYSE: CTS) designs and manufactures sensors, connectivity components, and actuators for aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and transportation markets.

Why Do We Pass on CTS?

  1. Annual sales declines of 6.1% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Smaller revenue base of $515.8 million means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
  3. Earnings per share have contracted by 5.8% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

At $41.50 per share, CTS trades at 19.1x forward P/E. If you’re considering CTS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Vulcan Materials (VMC)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 18.9%

Founded in 1909, Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC) is a producer of construction aggregates, primarily crushed stone, sand, and gravel.

Why Does VMC Fall Short?

  1. Sales stagnated over the last two years and signal the need for new growth strategies
  2. Performance surrounding its tons shipped has lagged its peers
  3. 5.6 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position

Vulcan Materials is trading at $260.62 per share, or 31.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with VMC, check out 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 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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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