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.

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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

2 Stocks Under $50 to Target This Week and 1 We Brush Off

SOFI Cover Image

Stocks in the $10-50 range offer a sweet spot between affordability and stability as they’re typically more established than penny stocks. But their headline prices don’t guarantee quality, and investors should exercise caution as some have shaky business models.

These dynamics 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 are two stocks under $50 with huge potential and one that could be down big.

One Stock Under $50 to Sell:

TTM Technologies (TTMI)

Share Price: $40.06

As one of the world's largest printed circuit board manufacturers with facilities spanning North America and Asia, TTM Technologies (NASDAQ: TTMI) manufactures printed circuit boards (PCBs) and radio frequency (RF) components for aerospace, defense, automotive, and telecommunications industries.

Why Is TTMI Not Exciting?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 4.4% over the last five years was below our standards for the business services sector
  2. 6.1 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position
  3. Underwhelming 5% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

At $40.06 per share, TTM Technologies trades at 17.9x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why TTMI doesn’t pass our bar.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Buy:

SoFi (SOFI)

Share Price: $22.55

Starting as a student loan refinancing company founded by Stanford business school students in 2011, SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) operates a digital financial platform offering lending, banking, investing, and other financial services to help members borrow, save, spend, invest, and protect their money.

Why Will SOFI Outperform?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 28.5% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
  2. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were extremely profitable, as its annual earnings per share growth of 75.9% outpaced its revenue gains

SoFi’s stock price of $22.55 implies a valuation ratio of 60.7x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

BellRing Brands (BRBR)

Share Price: $40.50

Spun out of Post Holdings in 2019, Bellring Brands (NYSE: BRBR) offers protein shakes, nutrition bars, and other products under the PowerBar, Premier Protein, and Dymatize brands.

Why Do We Love BRBR?

  1. Unit sales were phenomenal over the past two years, showing demand is robust and retailers can’t stock enough of its products
  2. Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 27.8%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last three years
  3. Industry-leading 46.6% return on capital demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments

BellRing Brands is trading at $40.50 per share, or 16.8x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in 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 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-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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