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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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 S&P 500 Stocks We Find Risky

WDAY Cover Image

While the S&P 500 (^GSPC) includes industry leaders, not every stock in the index is a winner. Some companies are past their prime, weighed down by poor execution, weak financials, or structural headwinds.

Some large-cap stocks are past their peak, and StockStory is here to help you separate the winners from the laggards. Keeping that in mind, here are three S&P 500 stocks that don’t make the cut and some better choices instead.

Workday (WDAY)

Market Cap: $59.53 billion

Founded by industry veterans Aneel Bushri and Dave Duffield after their former company PeopleSoft was acquired by Oracle in a hostile takeover, Workday (NASDAQ: WDAY) provides cloud-based software for organizations to manage and plan finance and human resources.

Why Does WDAY Fall Short?

  1. 17.2% annual revenue growth over the last three years was slower than its software peers

Workday’s stock price of $224.25 implies a valuation ratio of 6.1x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why WDAY doesn’t pass our bar.

Constellation Brands (STZ)

Market Cap: $30.03 billion

With a presence in more than 100 countries, Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) is a globally renowned producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits.

Why Are We Hesitant About STZ?

  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. Sales are projected to tank by 6.8% over the next 12 months as demand evaporates
  3. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 31.8 percentage points

Constellation Brands is trading at $170.37 per share, or 13.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including STZ in your portfolio.

Mondelez (MDLZ)

Market Cap: $80.47 billion

Founded as Nabisco in 1903, Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a packaged snacks powerhouse best known for its Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, Ritz, and Trident brands.

Why Are We Cautious About MDLZ?

  1. Flat unit sales over the past two years show it’s struggled to move its products and had to rely on price increases
  2. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 4.7 percentage points
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 2.3 percentage points over the last year, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

At $62.26 per share, Mondelez trades at 19.3x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MDLZ, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Stocks We Like More

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "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 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 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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