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

3 Consumer Stocks with Questionable Fundamentals

VSCO Cover Image

Retailers are overhauling their operations as technology redefines the shopping experience. This includes developing an online presence to fend off e-commerce competitors, a strategy that has helped the industry maintain steady demand by giving it more sales channels. In turn, retail stocks were up 22.7% over the past six months compared to 16.8% for the S&P 500.

Although these companies have produced results lately, investors must be mindful as many companies in this space face structural headwinds. With that said, here are three consumer stocks we’re swiping left on.

Victoria's Secret (VSCO)

Market Cap: $2.21 billion

Spun off from L Brands in 2020, Victoria’s Secret (NYSE: VSCO) is an intimate clothing and beauty retailer that sells its own brands of lingerie, undergarments, and personal fragrances.

Why Should You Sell VSCO?

  1. Disappointing same-store sales over the past two years show customers aren’t responding well to its product selection and store experience
  2. Subpar operating margin of 4.5% constrains its ability to invest in process improvements or effectively respond to new competitive threats
  3. Earnings per share have contracted by 23.9% annually over the last three years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

Victoria's Secret is trading at $27.45 per share, or 14.8x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with VSCO, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Shoe Carnival (SCVL)

Market Cap: $621.6 million

Known for its playful atmosphere that features carnival elements, Shoe Carnival (NASDAQ: SCVL) is a retailer that sells footwear from mainstream brands for the entire family.

Why Do We Steer Clear of SCVL?

  1. Lagging same-store sales over the past two years suggest it might have to change its pricing and marketing strategy to stimulate demand
  2. Revenue base of $1.15 billion puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
  3. 6 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last year reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position

At $22.80 per share, Shoe Carnival trades at 14x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering SCVL for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Sally Beauty (SBH)

Market Cap: $1.54 billion

Catering to both everyday consumers as well as salon professionals, Sally Beauty (NYSE: SBH) is a retailer that sells salon-quality beauty products such as makeup and haircare products.

Why Do We Think SBH Will Underperform?

  1. Lagging same-store sales over the past two years suggest it might have to change its pricing and marketing strategy to stimulate demand
  2. Revenue base of $3.69 billion puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale
  3. Earnings per share have dipped by 2.7% annually over the past six years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term

Sally Beauty’s stock price of $15.56 implies a valuation ratio of 8.2x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than SBH.

Stocks We Like 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.

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.