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.

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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

1 Mid-Cap Stock on Our Buy List and 2 We Avoid

MDB Cover Image

Mid-cap stocks have the best odds of scaling into $100 billion corporations thanks to their tested business models and large addressable markets. But the many opportunities in front of them attract significant competition, spanning from industry behemoths with seemingly infinite resources to small, nimble players with chips on their shoulders.

This is precisely where StockStory comes in - we do the heavy lifting to identify companies with solid fundamentals so you can invest with confidence. Keeping that in mind, here is one mid-cap stock with a long growth runway and two that could be down big.

Two Mid-Cap Stocks to Sell:

MongoDB (MDB)

Market Cap: $18.33 billion

Started in 2007 by the team behind Google’s ad platform, DoubleClick, MongoDB offers database-as-a-service that helps companies store large volumes of semi-structured data.

Why Are We Cautious About MDB?

  1. Operating losses show it sacrificed profitability while scaling the business
  2. Poor free cash flow margin of 7.6% for the last year limits its freedom to invest in growth initiatives, execute share buybacks, or pay dividends

MongoDB is trading at $225 per share, or 7.7x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MDB.

Viatris (VTRS)

Market Cap: $10.84 billion

Created through the 2020 merger of Mylan and Pfizer's Upjohn division, Viatris (NASDAQ: VTRS) is a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and distributes branded and generic medicines across more than 165 countries worldwide.

Why Do We Pass on VTRS?

  1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 4.8% annually over the last two years
  2. Revenue growth over the past five years was nullified by the company’s new share issuances as its earnings per share fell by 11.2% annually
  3. Negative returns on capital show management lost money while trying to expand the business, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam

At $9.15 per share, Viatris trades at 4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including VTRS in your portfolio.

One Mid-Cap Stock to Buy:

Erie Indemnity (ERIE)

Market Cap: $19.04 billion

Operating under a unique business model dating back to 1925, Erie Indemnity (NASDAQ: ERIE) serves as the attorney-in-fact for Erie Insurance Exchange, managing policy issuance, claims handling, and investment services for this reciprocal insurer.

Why Are We Backing ERIE?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 15.6% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
  2. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 34.9% outpaced its revenue gains
  3. Industry-leading 26.8% return on equity demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments

Erie Indemnity’s stock price of $369.97 implies a valuation ratio of 4.9x trailing 12-month price-to-sales. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth 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 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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