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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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 Profitable Stock with Impressive Fundamentals and 2 We Find Risky

TOL Cover Image

Not all profitable companies are built to last - some rely on outdated models or unsustainable advantages. Just because a business is in the green today doesn’t mean it will thrive tomorrow.

Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that’s why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. That said, here is one profitable company that leverages its financial strength to beat the competition and two that may face some trouble.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Toll Brothers (TOL)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 17%

Started by two brothers who started by building and selling just one home in Pennsylvania, today Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) is a luxury homebuilder across the United States.

Why Are We Cautious About TOL?

  1. Sales pipeline suggests its future revenue growth won’t meet our standards as its backlog averaged 6.3% declines over the past two years
  2. Earnings per share have contracted by 1.4% annually over the last two years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 6.5 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

Toll Brothers is trading at $138.83 per share, or 9.8x forward P/E. If you’re considering TOL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Ares Capital (ARCC)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 48.7%

As one of the largest business development companies in the United States with over $20 billion in assets, Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) is a business development company that provides financing solutions to middle-market companies, primarily through direct loans and equity investments.

Why Do We Pass on ARCC?

  1. Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 3.6% annually

Ares Capital’s stock price of $22.28 implies a valuation ratio of 11.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ARCC doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock to Buy:

DexCom (DXCM)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 16%

Founded in 1999 and receiving its first FDA approval in 2006, DexCom (NASDAQ: DXCM) develops and sells continuous glucose monitoring systems that allow people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels without repeated finger pricks.

Why Will DXCM Outperform?

  1. Existing business lines can expand without risky acquisitions as its organic revenue growth averaged 17.8% over the past two years
  2. Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last five years as its EPS has compounded at 17.5% annually
  3. Free cash flow margin grew by 8.6 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more chips to play with

At $76.40 per share, DexCom trades at 32.7x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

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 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.

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