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.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

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

5 Insightful Analyst Questions From Planet Labs’s Q2 Earnings Call

PL Cover Image

Planet Labs delivered a notable Q2, with results surpassing Wall Street's expectations and the market responding with a significant positive reaction. Management attributed the outperformance primarily to strong execution in defense and intelligence contracts, rapid uptake of AI-enabled solutions, and success in expanding satellite services engagements. CEO Will Marshall highlighted, “Planet’s Q2 financial results reflect the team’s excellent execution in delivering integrated global insights through AI-enabled solutions and rapidly expanding our satellite services business.”

Is now the time to buy PL? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Planet Labs (PL) Q2 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $73.39 million vs analyst estimates of $65.99 million (20.1% year-on-year growth, 11.2% beat)
  • Adjusted EPS: -$0.03 vs analyst estimates of -$0.04 ($0.01 beat)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $6.41 million vs analyst estimates of -$3.50 million (8.7% margin, significant beat)
  • The company lifted its revenue guidance for the full year to $285 million at the midpoint from $272.5 million, a 4.6% increase
  • EBITDA guidance for the full year is -$3.5 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of -$9.08 million
  • Operating Margin: -24.5%, up from -64.8% in the same quarter last year
  • Backlog: $736.1 million at quarter end
  • Market Capitalization: $3.01 billion

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From Planet Labs’s Q2 Earnings Call

  • Colin Canfield (Cantor Fitzgerald) pressed for details on the backlog composition from the Germany and JSAT contracts and asked about working capital implications. CFO Ashley Johnson noted these contracts are fully included in backlog and tend to be working capital positive, with milestone payments structured across contract lifecycles.
  • Trevor Walsh (JMP Securities) asked about the execution capacity for satellite services contracts and pipeline maturation. CEO Will Marshall emphasized trusted partnerships, strong global demand, and the synergistic effect of satellite expansion on both core and new customers.
  • Mike Latimore (Northland) sought clarification on customer usage trends and their sustainability. Johnson replied that elevated usage in government remains unpredictable and guidance assumes a return to historical patterns, though some early renewals are possible.
  • Ryan Koontz (Needham) inquired about the percentage of satellite capacity allocated to dedicated service deals and updates on maritime domain awareness. Marshall explained that such deals use only a small fraction of total capacity and highlighted ongoing product expansion with partners like SynMax and NATO.
  • Gregory Pendy (Clear Street) requested an update on the Anthropic AI partnership and Tanager fleet monetization plans. Marshall described progress in AI model fine-tuning on satellite imagery, with early commercial and government applications for methane detection and emissions monitoring.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

Looking ahead, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) continued backlog conversion into recognized revenue, especially from defense and satellite services contracts; (2) progress on next-generation satellite fleet launches and commissioning milestones; and (3) adoption rates for AI-enabled solutions in both government and commercial sectors. Expansion of commercial use cases and the pace of new contract signings will also be critical to sustaining growth.

Planet Labs currently trades at $9.73, up from $6.55 just before the earnings. At this price, is it a buy or sell? The answer lies in our full research report (it’s free).

Our Favorite Stocks Right Now

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 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.

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.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.