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 Stocks Under $50 We Think Twice About

ANGI Cover Image

The $10-50 price range often includes mid-sized businesses with proven track records and plenty of growth runway ahead. They also usually carry less risk than penny stocks, though they’re not immune to volatility as many lack the scale advantages of their larger peers.

This is precisely where StockStory comes in - we do the heavy lifting to identify companies with solid fundamentals so you can invest with confidence. That said, here are three stocks under $50 to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Angi (ANGI)

Share Price: $18.45

Created by IAC’s mergers of Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor, ANGI (NASDAQ: ANGI) operates the largest online marketplace for home services in the US.

Why Are We Wary of ANGI?

  1. Struggled with new customer acquisition as its service requests averaged 22.5% declines
  2. Projected sales decline of 1.6% over the next 12 months indicates demand will continue deteriorating
  3. Expensive marketing campaigns hurt its profitability and make us wonder what would happen if it let up on the gas

Angi’s stock price of $18.45 implies a valuation ratio of 6x forward EV/EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including ANGI in your portfolio.

Cushman & Wakefield (CWK)

Share Price: $15.13

With expertise in the commercial real estate sector, Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a global Chicago-based real estate firm offering a comprehensive range of services to clients.

Why Is CWK Risky?

  1. Products and services fail to spark excitement with consumers, as seen in its flat sales over the last two years
  2. Performance over the past five years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 4.3% annually
  3. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital

Cushman & Wakefield is trading at $15.13 per share, or 12.7x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CWK doesn’t pass our bar.

Fastenal (FAST)

Share Price: $49.90

Founded in 1967, Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) provides industrial and construction supplies, including fasteners, tools, safety products, and many other product categories to businesses globally.

Why Are We Hesitant About FAST?

  1. 3.6% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its industrials peers
  2. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last two years as they only grew by 2.8% annually
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 4.8 percentage points

At $49.90 per share, Fastenal trades at 46.4x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with FAST, check out our full research report (it’s free).

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 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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