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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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 Safe-and-Steady Stock to Keep an Eye On and 2 We Brush Off

ASYS 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.

Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. Keeping that in mind, here is one low-volatility stock providing safe-and-steady growth and two stuck in limbo.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Amtech (ASYS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.54

Focusing on the silicon carbide and power semiconductor sectors, Amtech Systems (NASDAQ: ASYS) produces the machinery and related chemicals needed for manufacturing semiconductors.

Why Is ASYS Risky?

  1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 7.9% annually over the last two years
  2. Suboptimal cost structure is highlighted by its history of operating margin losses
  3. Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction, and its falling returns suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

Amtech’s stock price of $4.59 implies a valuation ratio of 17.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ASYS doesn’t pass our bar.

Universal Technical Institute (UTI)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.92

Founded in 1965, Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) is a leading provider of technical training programs, specializing in automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle, and marine technicians.

Why Does UTI Worry Us?

  1. Operating margin of 7.8% falls short of the industry average, and the smaller profit dollars make it harder to react to unexpected market developments
  2. Capital intensity will likely increase as its free cash flow margin is anticipated to drop by 1.6 percentage points over the next year
  3. Underwhelming 9.2% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

At $31.58 per share, Universal Technical Institute trades at 14.5x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including UTI in your portfolio.

One Stock to Watch:

Watts Water Technologies (WTS)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.87

Founded in 1874, Watts Water (NYSE: WTS) specializes in manufacturing water products and systems for residential, commercial, and industrial applications globally.

Why Is WTS Interesting?

  1. Superior product capabilities and pricing power lead to a stellar gross margin of 45%
  2. Operating margin improvement of 4.5 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
  3. Share repurchases have amplified shareholder returns as its annual earnings per share growth of 16.6% exceeded its revenue gains over the last five years

Watts Water Technologies is trading at $262.32 per share, or 28.3x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2024 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum 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 Exlservice (+354% 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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