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 Small-Cap Stocks That Fall Short

ETSY Cover Image

Investors looking for hidden gems should keep an eye on small-cap stocks because they’re frequently overlooked by Wall Street. Many opportunities exist in this part of the market, but it is also a high-risk, high-reward environment due to the lack of reliable analyst price targets.

These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. Keeping that in mind, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

Etsy (ETSY)

Market Cap: $5.91 billion

Founded by a struggling amateur furniture maker Robert Kalin and his two friends, Etsy (NASDAQ: ETSY) is one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, focusing on handmade or vintage items.

Why Does ETSY Give Us Pause?

  1. Active Buyers have stagnated over the last two years, indicating its platform may be struggling to differentiate itself from competitors
  2. Sales are projected to remain flat over the next 12 months as demand decelerates from its three-year trend
  3. Earnings per share were flat over the last three years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were less profitable

Etsy’s stock price of $59.09 implies a valuation ratio of 9.9x forward EV/EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including ETSY in your portfolio.

1-800-FLOWERS (FLWS)

Market Cap: $334.6 million

Founded in 1976, 1-800-FLOWERS (NASDAQ: FLWS) is an online retailer of flowers, gifts, and gourmet foods, serving customers globally.

Why Do We Avoid FLWS?

  1. Annual sales declines of 8.6% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market
  2. Shrinking returns on capital from an already weak position reveal that neither previous nor ongoing investments are yielding the desired results
  3. Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution

At $5.29 per share, 1-800-FLOWERS trades at 0.2x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why FLWS doesn’t pass our bar.

Installed Building Products (IBP)

Market Cap: $7.39 billion

Founded in 1977, Installed Building Products (NYSE: IBP) is a company specializing in the installation of insulation, waterproofing, and other complementary building products for residential and commercial construction.

Why Is IBP Not Exciting?

  1. Muted 3.5% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its industrials peers
  2. Estimated sales decline of 3.1% for the next 12 months implies a challenging demand environment
  3. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last two years as they only grew by 5.3% annually

Installed Building Products is trading at $272.21 per share, or 27.3x forward P/E. If you’re considering IBP for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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 6 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 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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