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.

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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 Small-Cap Stock to Target This Week and 2 That Underwhelm

GATX Cover Image

Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings. However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats.

These trade-offs can cause headaches for even the most seasoned professionals, which is why we started StockStory - to help you separate the good companies from the bad. That said, here is one small-cap stock that could be the next big thing and two that could be down big.

Two Small-Cap Stocks to Sell:

GATX (GATX)

Market Cap: $6.27 billion

Originally founded to ship beer, GATX (NYSE: GATX) provides leasing and management services for railcars and other transportation assets globally.

Why Are We Wary of GATX?

  1. Number of active railcars has disappointed over the past two years, indicating weak demand for its offerings
  2. Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments
  3. Unfavorable liquidity position could lead to additional equity financing that dilutes shareholders

At $175.95 per share, GATX trades at 19.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why GATX doesn’t pass our bar.

Vishay Precision (VPG)

Market Cap: $436.4 million

Emerging from Vishay Intertechnology in 2010, Vishay Precision (NYSE: VPG) operates as a global provider of precision measurement and sensing technologies.

Why Do We Pass on VPG?

  1. Annual sales declines of 10.2% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
  2. Incremental sales over the last five years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 17.4% annually while its revenue grew
  3. Shrinking returns on capital from an already weak position reveal that neither previous nor ongoing investments are yielding the desired results

Vishay Precision’s stock price of $32.86 implies a valuation ratio of 32.2x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than VPG.

One Small-Cap Stock to Buy:

QuinStreet (QNST)

Market Cap: $963.4 million

Founded during the dot-com era in 1999 and specializing in high-intent consumer traffic, QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST) operates digital performance marketplaces that connect clients in financial and home services with consumers actively searching for their products.

Why Are We Backing QNST?

  1. Market share has increased this cycle as its 37.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years was exceptional
  2. Sales outlook for the upcoming 12 months implies the business will stay on its desirable two-year growth trajectory
  3. Earnings per share have massively outperformed its peers over the last two years, increasing by 160% annually

QuinStreet is trading at $16.77 per share, or 15.8x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 6 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-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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