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

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

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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 Profitable Stocks We Keep Off Our Radar

GETY Cover Image

While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".

Profits are valuable, but they’re not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies that don’t make the cut and some better opportunities instead.

Getty Images (GETY)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 16.5%

With a vast library of over 562 million visual assets documenting everything from breaking news to iconic historical moments, Getty Images (NYSE: GETY) is a global visual content marketplace that licenses photos, videos, illustrations, and music to businesses, media outlets, and creative professionals.

Why Are We Out on GETY?

  1. 1.3% annual revenue growth over the last two years was slower than its business services peers
  2. Efficiency has decreased over the last five years as its adjusted operating margin fell by 3.9 percentage points
  3. Free cash flow margin shrank by 12.1 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive

Getty Images is trading at $2.06 per share, or 2.9x forward EV-to-EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with GETY, check out our full research report (it’s free).

MasterCraft (MCFT)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 4%

Started by a waterskiing instructor, MasterCraft (NASDAQ: MCFT) specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling sport boats.

Why Is MCFT Not Exciting?

  1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of boats sold has underwhelmed
  2. Sales were less profitable over the last five years as its earnings per share fell by 7% annually, worse than its revenue declines
  3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

MasterCraft’s stock price of $22.44 implies a valuation ratio of 18.9x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MCFT in your portfolio.

Taboola (TBLA)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2.5%

Often appearing as those "You May Also Like" or "Recommended For You" boxes at the bottom of news articles, Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA) operates a digital platform that recommends personalized content to users across publisher websites, helping both publishers monetize their sites and advertisers reach target audiences.

Why Does TBLA Worry Us?

  1. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last three years as they only grew by 2% annually
  2. 2,406.2 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position
  3. Negative returns on capital show that some of its growth strategies have backfired

At $3.55 per share, Taboola trades at 8.6x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why TBLA doesn’t pass our bar.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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 Strong Momentum 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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