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.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

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

1 Surging Stock to Own for Decades and 2 We Ignore

LRN Cover Image

Great things are happening to the stocks in this article. They’re all outperforming the market over the last month because of positive catalysts such as a new product line, constructive news flow, or even a loyal Reddit fanbase.

But not every company with momentum is a long-term winner, and plenty of investors have lost money betting on short-term fads. On that note, here is one stock with lasting competitive advantages and two not so much.

Two Momentum Stocks to Sell:

Zurn Elkay (ZWS)

One-Month Return: +20.7%

Claiming to have saved more than 30 billion gallons of water, Zurn Elkay (NYSE: ZWS) provides water management solutions to various industries.

Why Is ZWS Risky?

  1. Organic sales performance over the past two years indicates the company may need to make strategic adjustments or rely on M&A to catalyze faster growth
  2. Performance over the past five years was negatively impacted by new share issuances as its earnings per share dropped by 6.1% annually, worse than its revenue
  3. Free cash flow margin dropped by 5.5 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up

At $44.42 per share, Zurn Elkay trades at 31.4x forward P/E. If you’re considering ZWS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

NCR Atleos (NATL)

One-Month Return: +42.6%

Spun off from NCR Voyix in 2023 to focus exclusively on self-service banking technology, NCR Atleos (NYSE: NATL) provides self-directed banking solutions including ATM and interactive teller machine technology, software, services, and a surcharge-free ATM network for financial institutions and retailers.

Why Are We Out on NATL?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 1.8% over the last two years was below our standards for the financials sector
  2. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 11.8% annually

NCR Atleos is trading at $38.30 per share, or 8.5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than NATL.

One Momentum Stock to Buy:

Stride (LRN)

One-Month Return: +28.7%

Formerly known as K12, Stride (NYSE: LRN) is an education technology company providing education solutions through digital platforms.

Why Do We Love LRN?

  1. Increase in enrollments shows customers are eagerly embracing its offerings
  2. Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 56.8% annually, topping its revenue gains
  3. Free cash flow margin expanded by 8.6 percentage points over the last five years, providing additional flexibility for investments and share buybacks/dividends

Stride’s stock price of $167 implies a valuation ratio of 21.4x 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 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.