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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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 of Wall Street’s Favorite Stocks We Find Risky

EPC Cover Image

Wall Street has set ambitious price targets for the stocks in this article. While this suggests attractive upside potential, it’s important to remain skeptical because analysts face institutional pressures that can sometimes lead to overly optimistic forecasts.

Luckily for you, we at StockStory have no conflicts of interest - our sole job is to help you find genuinely promising companies. Keeping that in mind, here are three stocks where Wall Street’s enthusiasm may be misplaced and some other investments worth exploring instead.

Edgewell Personal Care (EPC)

Consensus Price Target: $26 (30.3% implied return)

Boasting brands such as Banana Boat, Schick, and Skintimate, Edgewell Personal Care (NYSE: EPC) sells personal care products in the skin and sun care, shave, and feminine care categories.

Why Do We Pass on EPC?

  1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
  2. Performance over the past three years shows each sale was less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 2.6% annually
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last year as its free cash flow margin decreased by 4.9 percentage points

Edgewell Personal Care’s stock price of $19.95 implies a valuation ratio of 6.2x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including EPC in your portfolio.

Sabre (SABR)

Consensus Price Target: $2.76 (48.3% implied return)

Originally a division of American Airlines, Sabre (NASDAQ: SABR) is a technology provider for the global travel and tourism industry.

Why Does SABR Worry Us?

  1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of central reservation system transactions has underwhelmed
  2. Cash-burning tendencies make us wonder if it can sustainably generate shareholder value
  3. Short cash runway increases the probability of a capital raise that dilutes existing shareholders

Sabre is trading at $1.86 per share, or 5.8x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with SABR, check out our full research report (it’s free).

LGI Homes (LGIH)

Consensus Price Target: $75.67 (35.4% implied return)

Based in Texas, LGI Homes (NASDAQ: LGIH) is a homebuilding company specializing in constructing affordable, entry-level single-family homes in desirable communities across the United States.

Why Is LGIH Risky?

  1. Demand cratered as it couldn’t win new orders over the past two years, leading to an average 10.4% decline in its backlog
  2. Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging
  3. Limited cash reserves may force the company to seek unfavorable financing terms that could dilute shareholders

At $55.89 per share, LGI Homes trades at 8.4x forward P/E. If you’re considering LGIH for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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 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 Tecnoglass (+1,754% 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

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