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

3 Small-Cap Stocks Walking a Fine Line

PLNT Cover Image

Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings. However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats.

Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

Planet Fitness (PLNT)

Market Cap: $8.8 billion

Founded by two brothers who purchased a struggling gym, Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) is a gym franchise that caters to casual fitness users by providing a friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

Why Are We Wary of PLNT?

  1. Poor same-store sales performance over the past two years indicates it’s having trouble bringing new shoppers into its stores
  2. Projected 3.5 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin next year reflects the company’s plans to increase its investments to defend its market position
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

At $103.75 per share, Planet Fitness trades at 33.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why PLNT doesn’t pass our bar.

Standex (SXI)

Market Cap: $2.53 billion

Holding over 500 patents globally, Standex (NYSE: SXI) is a manufacturer and distributor of industrial components for various sectors.

Why Is SXI Not Exciting?

  1. Muted 3.3% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its industrials peers
  2. Earnings growth over the last two years fell short of the peer group average as its EPS only increased by 7.8% annually
  3. 4.2 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

Standex’s stock price of $209.41 implies a valuation ratio of 24.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than SXI.

OceanFirst Financial (OCFC)

Market Cap: $1.04 billion

Tracing its roots back to 1902 when it began serving coastal New Jersey communities, OceanFirst Financial (NASDAQ: OCFC) operates as a regional bank holding company that provides commercial and consumer banking services primarily in New Jersey and surrounding metropolitan areas.

Why Do We Pass on OCFC?

  1. Muted 1.9% annual net interest income growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its banking peers
  2. 41.3 basis point (100 basis points = 1 percentage point) decline in its net interest margin over the last two years reflects the firm’s willingness to accept lower profitability to defend its market position
  3. Earnings per share fell by 5.1% annually over the last five years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable

OceanFirst Financial is trading at $18.10 per share, or 0.6x forward P/B. If you’re considering OCFC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check 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-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.

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.