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 Profitable Stocks That Fall Short

MAT Cover Image

While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

Mattel (MAT)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 13.8%

Known for the creation of iconic toys such as Barbie and Hotwheels, Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT) is a global children's entertainment company specializing in the design and production of consumer products.

Why Does MAT Fall Short?

  1. Sales trends were unexciting over the last two years as its 2.7% annual growth was below the typical consumer discretionary company
  2. Estimated sales growth of 2.5% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
  3. Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

Mattel is trading at $18.55 per share, or 11.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MAT.

ABM (ABM)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2.5%

With roots dating back to 1909 as a window washing company, ABM Industries (NYSE: ABM) provides integrated facility management, infrastructure, and mobility solutions across various sectors including commercial, manufacturing, education, and aviation.

Why Do We Avoid ABM?

  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. Incremental sales over the last two years were less profitable as its earnings per share were flat while its revenue grew
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 8.3 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

At $48.89 per share, ABM trades at 12.6x forward P/E. If you’re considering ABM for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Brookdale (BKD)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 1.9%

With a network of over 650 communities serving approximately 59,000 residents across 41 states, Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD) operates senior living communities across the United States, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities.

Why Are We Hesitant About BKD?

  1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 3.8% annually over the last five years
  2. Low returns on capital reflect management’s struggle to allocate funds effectively

Brookdale’s stock price of $7.73 implies a valuation ratio of 4x forward EV-to-EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with BKD, check out our full 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 9 Market-Beating Stocks. 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.

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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