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

3 Volatile Stocks with Warning Signs

FROG 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. That said, here are three volatile stocks best left to the gamblers and some better opportunities instead.

JFrog (FROG)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.07

Named after the amphibian that continuously evolves from egg to tadpole to adult, JFrog (NASDAQ: FROG) provides a platform that helps organizations securely create, store, manage, and distribute software packages across any system.

Why Does FROG Give Us Pause?

  1. Historical operating margin losses show it had an inefficient cost structure while scaling
  2. Projected 8.9 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin next year reflects the company’s plans to increase its investments to defend its market position

JFrog is trading at $49.41 per share, or 10.4x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than FROG.

Microchip Technology (MCHP)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.89

Spun out from General Instrument in 1987, Microchip Technology (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontrollers and integrated circuits used mainly in the automotive world, especially in electric vehicles and their charging devices.

Why Do We Think MCHP Will Underperform?

  1. Sales tumbled by 4.2% annually over the last five years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Operating margin declined by 17.6 percentage points over the last five years as its sales cratered
  3. 15.8 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

Microchip Technology’s stock price of $65.38 implies a valuation ratio of 37.6x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MCHP, check out our full research report (it’s free).

T. Rowe Price (TROW)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.13

Founded in 1937 by Thomas Rowe Price Jr., who pioneered the growth stock investing approach, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW) is an investment management firm that offers mutual funds, advisory services, and retirement planning solutions to individuals and institutions.

Why Does TROW Worry Us?

  1. Muted 4.3% annual revenue growth over the last five years shows its demand lagged behind its financials peers
  2. Annual earnings per share growth of 2.8% underperformed its revenue over the last five years, showing its incremental sales were less profitable

At $107.01 per share, T. Rowe Price trades at 13.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including TROW in your portfolio.

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-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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