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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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

1 Volatile Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 Facing Challenges

WK Cover Image

Volatility cuts both ways - while it creates opportunities, it also increases risk, making sharp declines just as likely as big gains. This unpredictability can shake out even the most experienced investors.

These stocks can be a rollercoaster, and StockStory is here to guide you through the ups and downs. Keeping that in mind, here is one volatile stock that could deliver huge gains and two best left to the gamblers.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Workiva (WK)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.11

Nicknamed "the Excel killer" by some finance professionals for its ability to eliminate spreadsheet chaos, Workiva (NYSE: WK) provides a cloud-based platform that enables organizations to streamline financial reporting, ESG, and compliance processes with connected data and automation.

Why Do We Think Twice About WK?

  1. Operating margin failed to increase over the last year, indicating the company couldn’t optimize its expenses
  2. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital

Workiva is trading at $80.54 per share, or 4.8x forward price-to-sales. If you’re considering WK for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.69

With amenities like a full go-kart race track built into its ships, Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE: NCLH) is a premier global cruise company.

Why Does NCLH Give Us Pause?

  1. Sluggish trends in its passenger cruise days suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
  2. Cash burn makes us question whether it can achieve sustainable long-term growth
  3. Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders

Norwegian Cruise Line’s stock price of $25.44 implies a valuation ratio of 11.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than NCLH.

One Stock to Watch:

SPX Technologies (SPXC)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.35

SPX Technologies (NYSE: SPXC) is an industrial conglomerate catering to the energy, manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace sectors.

Why Are We Fans of SPXC?

  1. Annual revenue growth of 12.5% over the last two years was superb and indicates its market share increased during this cycle
  2. Operating margin improvement of 8.1 percentage points over the last five years demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
  3. Earnings per share grew by 22.2% annually over the last two years and trumped its peers

At $190.48 per share, SPX Technologies trades at 28.8x 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 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 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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