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.

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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 Small-Cap Stock on Our Watchlist and 2 We Brush Off

SFIX Cover Image

Investors looking for hidden gems should keep an eye on small-cap stocks because they’re frequently overlooked by Wall Street. Many opportunities exist in this part of the market, but it is also a high-risk, high-reward environment due to the lack of reliable analyst price targets.

These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. That said, here is one small-cap stock that could be the next big thing and two that may have trouble.

Two Small-Cap Stocks to Sell:

Stitch Fix (SFIX)

Market Cap: $583.3 million

One of the original subscription box companies, Stitch Fix (NASDAQ: SFIX) is an online personal styling and fashion service that curates personalized clothing selections for customers.

Why Do We Think SFIX Will Underperform?

  1. Number of active clients has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
  2. Persistent operating margin losses suggest the business manages its expenses poorly
  3. Eroding returns on capital from an already low base indicate that management’s recent investments are destroying value

At $4.47 per share, Stitch Fix trades at 12.5x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why SFIX doesn’t pass our bar.

TreeHouse Foods (THS)

Market Cap: $940.8 million

Whether it be packaged crackers, broths, or beverages, Treehouse Foods (NYSE: THS) produces a wide range of private-label foods for grocery and food service customers.

Why Are We Out on THS?

  1. Falling unit sales over the past two years suggest it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth
  2. Commoditized products, bad unit economics, and high competition are reflected in its low gross margin of 16.5%
  3. Underwhelming 1.5% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

TreeHouse Foods is trading at $18.63 per share, or 9.4x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with THS, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Small-Cap Stock to Watch:

BancFirst (BANF)

Market Cap: $4.03 billion

Operating as a "super community bank" with a decentralized management approach that emphasizes local responsiveness, BancFirst Corporation (NASDAQ: BANF) operates as a financial holding company providing commercial banking services to retail customers and small to medium-sized businesses primarily in Oklahoma and Texas.

Why Should BANF Be on Your Watchlist?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 8.7% over the last five years beat the sector average and underscores the unique value of its offerings
  2. Additional sales over the last five years increased its profitability as the 15% annual growth in its earnings per share outpaced its revenue
  3. Impressive 11% annual tangible book value per share growth over the last five years indicates it’s building equity value this cycle

BancFirst’s stock price of $121.68 implies a valuation ratio of 2.2x forward P/B. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, 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 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% 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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