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.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

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

Laser Processing Product Watch

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

Get Published!

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.

Photonics Hot List

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 Low-Volatility Stocks That Fall Short

GIII Cover Image

Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.

Luckily for you, StockStory helps you navigate which companies are truly worth holding. That said, here are three low-volatility stocks to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

G-III (GIII)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.26

Founded as a small leather goods business, G-III (NASDAQ: GIII) is a fashion and apparel conglomerate with a diverse portfolio of brands.

Why Do We Think GIII Will Underperform?

  1. Products and services fail to spark excitement with consumers, as seen in its flat sales over the last two years
  2. Sales are projected to tank by 1.3% over the next 12 months as demand evaporates further
  3. Underwhelming 8.3% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

At $23.65 per share, G-III trades at 6.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including GIII in your portfolio.

ICU Medical (ICUI)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.66

Founded in 1984 and named for its initial focus on intensive care units, ICU Medical (NASDAQ: ICUI) develops and manufactures medical products for infusion therapy, vascular access, and vital care applications used in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Why Do We Steer Clear of ICUI?

  1. Muted 2.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its healthcare peers
  2. Sales are projected to tank by 12.3% over the next 12 months as demand evaporates
  3. Earnings per share fell by 1.1% annually over the last five years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable

ICU Medical is trading at $125.47 per share, or 17.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ICUI.

Universal Health Services (UHS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.68

With a network spanning 39 states and three countries, Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS) operates acute care hospitals and behavioral health facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico.

Why Are We Wary of UHS?

  1. Poor comparable store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new patients into its facilities
  2. Efficiency has decreased over the last five years as its adjusted operating margin fell by 1.3 percentage points
  3. Poor free cash flow margin of 4.1% for the last five years limits its freedom to invest in growth initiatives, execute share buybacks, or pay dividends

Universal Health Services’s stock price of $165.44 implies a valuation ratio of 8.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with UHS, check out our full research report (it’s free).

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2024, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at 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.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.