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.

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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

2 Safe-and-Steady Stocks to Target This Week and 1 We Question

ADBE Cover Image

A stock with low volatility can be reassuring, but it doesn’t always mean strong long-term performance. Investors who prioritize stability may miss out on higher-reward opportunities elsewhere.

Finding the right balance between safety and returns isn’t easy, which is why StockStory is here to help. Keeping that in mind, here are two low-volatility stocks that could offer consistent gains and one stuck in limbo.

One Stock to Sell:

NV5 Global (NVEE)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.60

Operating from over 100 locations across the U.S. and internationally, NV5 Global (NASDAQ: NVEE) provides engineering, environmental, geospatial, and technical consulting services to public and private sector clients for infrastructure and building projects.

Why Are We Wary of NVEE?

  1. Earnings per share fell by 2.8% annually over the last two years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 13.7 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Underwhelming 6.6% return on capital reflects management’s difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities, and its decreasing returns suggest its historical profit centers are aging

NV5 Global is trading at $22.56 per share, or 17x forward P/E. If you’re considering NVEE for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Two Stocks to Watch:

Adobe (ADBE)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.94

Originally named after Adobe Creek that ran behind co-founder John Warnock's house, Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) develops software products used for digital content creation, document management, and marketing solutions across desktop, mobile, and cloud platforms.

Why Are We Fans of ADBE?

  1. Software is difficult to replicate at scale and leads to a best-in-class gross margin of 89.2%
  2. Excellent operating margin of 36.4% highlights the efficiency of its business model, and it turbocharged its profits by achieving some fixed cost leverage
  3. ADBE is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders

At $356.23 per share, Adobe trades at 6.2x forward price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

Federated Hermes (FHI)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.65

With roots dating back to 1955 and a pioneering role in money market funds, Federated Hermes (NYSE: FHI) is an investment management firm that offers a wide range of funds and strategies for institutional and individual investors.

Why Could FHI Be a Winner?

  1. Performance over the past two years was boosted by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
  2. ROE punches in at 24.7%, illustrating management’s expertise in identifying profitable investments

Federated Hermes’s stock price of $53.10 implies a valuation ratio of 11.6x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

When Trump unveiled his aggressive tariff plan in April 2025, markets tanked as investors feared a full-blown trade war. But those who panicked and sold missed the subsequent rebound that’s already erased most losses.

Don’t let fear keep you from great opportunities and take a look at 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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