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

3 Unprofitable Stocks That Fall Short

SJM Cover Image

Unprofitable companies face headwinds as they struggle to keep operating expenses under control. Some may be investing heavily, but the majority fail to convert spending into sustainable growth.

Finding the right unprofitable companies is difficult, which is why we started StockStory - to help you navigate the market. Keeping that in mind, here are three unprofitable companiesto steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

J. M. Smucker (SJM)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -7.7%

Best known for its fruit jams and spreads, J.M Smucker (NYSE: SJM) is a packaged foods company whose products span from peanut butter and coffee to pet food.

Why Are We Out on SJM?

  1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
  2. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 23.7 percentage points
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam

J. M. Smucker is trading at $113.18 per share, or 11x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including SJM in your portfolio.

Malibu Boats (MBUU)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -1.2%

Founded in California in 1982, Malibu Boats (NASDAQ: MBUU) is a manufacturer of high-performance sports boats and luxury watercrafts.

Why Do We Think MBUU Will Underperform?

  1. Number of boats sold has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
  2. Sales over the last five years were less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 17.4% annually while its revenue was flat
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

At $35.94 per share, Malibu Boats trades at 12.1x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MBUU.

Heartland Express (HTLD)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: -3.6%

Founded by the son of a trucker, Heartland Express (NASDAQ: HTLD) offers full-truckload deliveries across the United States and Mexico.

Why Should You Dump HTLD?

  1. Annual sales declines of 14.2% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 12.7 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

Heartland Express’s stock price of $8.21 implies a valuation ratio of 7.5x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why HTLD doesn’t pass our bar.

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 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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