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 Unpopular Stocks We Approach with Caution

CROX Cover Image

Wall Street’s bearish price targets for the stocks in this article signal serious concerns. Such forecasts are uncommon in an industry where maintaining cordial corporate relationships often trumps delivering the hard truth.

At StockStory, we look beyond the headlines with our independent analysis to determine whether these bearish calls are justified. Keeping that in mind, here are three stocks where the outlook is warranted and some alternatives with better fundamentals.

Crocs (CROX)

Consensus Price Target: $90.92 (5.1% implied return)

Founded in 2002, Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX) sells casual footwear and is known for its iconic clog shoe.

Why Does CROX Give Us Pause?

  1. Underwhelming constant currency revenue performance over the past two years suggests its product offering at current prices doesn’t resonate with customers
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 4% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
  3. Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

At $86.49 per share, Crocs trades at 6.8x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why CROX doesn’t pass our bar.

Acushnet (GOLF)

Consensus Price Target: $75.86 (-2.8% implied return)

Producer of the acclaimed Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, Acushnet (NYSE: GOLF) is a design and manufacturing company specializing in performance-driven golf products.

Why Is GOLF Not Exciting?

  1. 2.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its consumer discretionary peers
  2. Projected sales growth of 1.1% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand
  3. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam

Acushnet is trading at $78.02 per share, or 20.8x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with GOLF, check out our full research report (it’s free).

KB Home (KBH)

Consensus Price Target: $62.75 (-0.4% implied return)

The first homebuilder to be listed on the NYSE, KB Home (NYSE: KB) is a homebuilding company targeting the first-time home buyer and move-up buyer markets.

Why Do We Steer Clear of KBH?

  1. Sales pipeline suggests its future revenue growth won’t meet our standards as its backlog averaged 20.8% declines over the past two years
  2. Projected sales decline of 10.4% over the next 12 months indicates demand will continue deteriorating
  3. Earnings per share decreased by more than its revenue over the last two years, showing each sale was less profitable

KB Home’s stock price of $63 implies a valuation ratio of 9.1x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including KBH in your portfolio.

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 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.

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