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 Value Stocks We Approach with Caution

CMCSA Cover Image

The low valuation multiples for value stocks provide a margin of safety that growth stocks rarely offer. However, the challenge lies in determining whether these cheap assets are genuinely undervalued or simply on sale due to their potentially deteriorating business models.

This distinction between true value and value traps can challenge even the most skilled investors. Luckily for you, we started StockStory to help you uncover exceptional companies. That said, here are three value stocks with poor fundamentals and some alternatives you should consider instead.

Comcast (CMCSA)

Forward P/E Ratio: 7.5x

Formerly known as American Cable Systems, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is a multinational telecommunications company offering a wide range of services.

Why Should You Sell CMCSA?

  1. Sluggish trends in its domestic broadband customers suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
  2. Estimated sales growth of 2.4% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
  3. Underwhelming 8.6% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities

At $33.60 per share, Comcast trades at 7.5x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including CMCSA in your portfolio.

Kyndryl (KD)

Forward P/E Ratio: 11.8x

Born from IBM's managed infrastructure services business in a 2021 spinoff, Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider that designs, builds, and manages technology environments for enterprise customers.

Why Does KD Fall Short?

  1. Sales tumbled by 4.6% annually over the last five years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Ability to fund investments or reward shareholders with increased buybacks or dividends is restricted by its weak free cash flow margin of 1.4% for the last five years
  3. Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired

Kyndryl’s stock price of $31.80 implies a valuation ratio of 11.8x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why KD doesn’t pass our bar.

Ares Capital (ARCC)

Forward P/E Ratio: 11.1x

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 Avoid ARCC?

  1. Incremental sales over the last two years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 3.6% annually while its revenue grew

Ares Capital is trading at $22.31 per share, or 11.1x forward P/E. If you’re considering ARCC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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-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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