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 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.

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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

3 Volatile Stocks We Keep Off Our Radar

TER 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.

At StockStory, our job is to help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on the right side of the trade. Keeping that in mind, here are three volatile stocks to steer clear of and a few better alternatives.

Teradyne (TER)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.37

Sporting most major chip manufacturers as its customers, Teradyne (NASDAQ: TER) is a US-based supplier of automated test equipment for semiconductors as well as other technologies and devices.

Why Is TER Not Exciting?

  1. Products and services are facing end-market challenges during this cycle, as seen in its flat sales over the last five years
  2. Efficiency has decreased over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 14.4 percentage points
  3. Performance over the past five years shows each sale was less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 4.4% annually

At $119.53 per share, Teradyne trades at 30x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than TER.

Ryder (R)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.22

As one of the first companies to introduce the idea of leasing trucks, Ryder (NYSE: R) provides rental vehicles to businesses and delivers packages directly to homes or businesses.

Why Are We Out on R?

  1. Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 3% for the last two years
  2. Earnings per share have dipped by 7.4% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 9.5 percentage points

Ryder’s stock price of $185.63 implies a valuation ratio of 13.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including R in your portfolio.

Fulton Financial (FULT)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.30

Tracing its roots back to 1882 in the heart of Pennsylvania, Fulton Financial (NASDAQ: FULT) is a financial holding company that provides banking, lending, and wealth management services to consumers and businesses across five Mid-Atlantic states.

Why Do We Think Twice About FULT?

  1. Estimated net interest income growth of 1.9% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its five-year trend
  2. Projected 2.8 percentage point efficiency ratio increase over the next year signals its day-to-day expenses will rise
  3. Capital trends were unexciting over the last five years as its 4.3% annual tangible book value per share growth was below the typical banking firm

Fulton Financial is trading at $19.47 per share, or 1.1x forward P/B. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FULT.

Stocks We Like More

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 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-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% 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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