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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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 Profitable Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 We Question

CXM Cover Image

Not all profitable companies are built to last - some rely on outdated models or unsustainable advantages. Just because a business is in the green today doesn’t mean it will thrive tomorrow.

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here is one profitable company that balances growth and profitability and two that may struggle to keep up.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Sprinklr (CXM)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2%

Initially focused only on social media management, Sprinklr (NYSE: CXM) is a leading provider of unified customer experience management software.

Why Do We Think CXM Will Underperform?

  1. Products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy may need some adjustments as its 4% average billings growth over the last year was weak
  2. Estimated sales growth of 3.4% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its three-year trend
  3. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 3.6 percentage points

Sprinklr’s stock price of $8.90 implies a valuation ratio of 2.8x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than CXM.

Illumina (ILMN)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 35.3%

Pioneering the ability to read the human genome at unprecedented speed and affordability, Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) develops and sells advanced DNA sequencing and microarray technologies that allow researchers and clinicians to analyze genetic variations and functions.

Why Should You Sell ILMN?

  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. Incremental sales over the last five years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 8.9% annually while its revenue grew
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

At $96.01 per share, Illumina trades at 20.8x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ILMN doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock to Buy:

Sea (SE)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 5.8%

Founded in 2009 and a publicly traded company since 2017, Sea (NYSE: SE) started as a gaming platform and has since expanded to offer a variety of services such as e-commerce, digital payments, and financial services across Southeast Asia.

Why Do We Love SE?

  1. Paying Users have grown by 10.2% annually, allowing for more profitable cross-selling opportunities if it can build complementary products and features
  2. Platform’s growing usage and its ability to increase user spending by 16.6% annually showcases its high switching costs
  3. Free cash flow margin grew by 27.2 percentage points over the last few years, giving the company more chips to play with

Sea is trading at $168.76 per share, or 44.6x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s April 2024 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out 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

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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