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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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

1 S&P 500 Stock with Impressive Fundamentals and 2 We Question

META Cover Image

The S&P 500 (^GSPC) is often seen as a benchmark for strong businesses, but that doesn’t mean every stock is worth owning. Some companies face significant challenges, whether it’s stagnating growth, heavy debt, or disruptive new competitors.

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 is one S&P 500 stock that could deliver good returns and two that could be in trouble.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Comcast (CMCSA)

Market Cap: $121.5 billion

Formerly known as American Cable Systems, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a multinational telecommunications company offering a wide range of services.

Why Do We Think CMCSA Will Underperform?

  1. Performance surrounding its domestic broadband customers has lagged its peers
  2. Anticipated sales growth of 2.4% for the next year implies demand will be shaky
  3. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

Comcast’s stock price of $33 implies a valuation ratio of 7.4x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CMCSA in your portfolio.

Principal Financial Group (PFG)

Market Cap: $17.4 billion

Founded in 1879 by a Civil War veteran seeking to provide financial security for families, Principal Financial Group (NASDAQGS:PFG) provides retirement solutions, asset management, and employee benefits to businesses, individuals, and institutional clients globally.

Why Do We Pass on PFG?

  1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 1.1% annually over the last five years
  2. 1.8% annual declines in net premiums earned for the past five years indicates policy sales struggled this cycle
  3. Book value per share tumbled by 1.7% annually over the last five years, showing insurance sector trends are working against its favor during this cycle

At $78.42 per share, Principal Financial Group trades at 1.5x forward P/B. If you’re considering PFG for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

One Stock to Buy:

Meta (META)

Market Cap: $1.96 trillion

Famously founded by Mark Zuckerberg in his Harvard dorm, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) operates a collection of the largest social networks in the world - Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, along with its metaverse focused Reality Labs.

Why Do We Love META?

  1. Monetization efforts are paying off as its average revenue per user has grown by 14.5% annually over the last two years
  2. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 31.8%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last three years
  3. Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends

Meta is trading at $781.25 per share, or 16.8x forward EV/EBITDA. 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

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 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.

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