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.

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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

1 Cash-Heavy Stock on Our Watchlist and 2 We Find Risky

ASAN Cover Image

A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always. Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow.

Financial flexibility is valuable, but it’s not everything - at StockStory, we help you find the stocks that can not only survive but also outperform. Keeping that in mind, here is one company with a net cash position that balances growth with stability and two best left off your watchlist.

Two Stocks to Sell:

Asana (ASAN)

Net Cash Position: $222.9 million (6.6% of Market Cap)

Born from the founders' frustration with the inefficiencies of email-based collaboration at Facebook, Asana (NYSE: ASAN) provides a work management platform that helps organizations track projects, set goals, and manage workflows in a centralized digital workspace.

Why Do We Think ASAN Will Underperform?

  1. Offerings struggled to generate meaningful interest as its average billings growth of 9.6% over the last year did not impress
  2. Platform has low switching costs as its net revenue retention rate of 95.7% demonstrates high turnover
  3. Complex implementation process for enterprise clients means customers take longer to ramp up, as seen in its extended payback periods

Asana is trading at $14.21 per share, or 4.1x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ASAN.

Dime Community Bancshares (DCOM)

Net Cash Position: $290.2 million (21.7% of Market Cap)

With roots dating back to 1910 and a name that evokes the historic "dime savings banks" of America's past, Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ: DCOM) is a New York-based bank holding company that provides commercial banking and financial services to businesses and consumers throughout Greater Long Island.

Why Are We Cautious About DCOM?

  1. Sales tumbled by 5.5% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Net interest margin of 2.6% is well below other banks, signaling its loans aren’t very profitable
  3. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 26.7% annually, worse than its revenue

Dime Community Bancshares’s stock price of $30.52 implies a valuation ratio of 1x forward P/B. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including DCOM in your portfolio.

One Stock to Watch:

Atlassian (TEAM)

Net Cash Position: $1.70 billion (3.9% of Market Cap)

Started by two Australian university friends who funded their startup with credit cards, Atlassian (NASDAQ: TEAM) provides software tools that help teams plan, track, collaborate, and share knowledge across organizations.

Why Could TEAM Be a Winner?

  1. Market share has increased as its 21.5% annual revenue growth over the last two years was exceptional
  2. Software is difficult to replicate at scale and results in a premier gross margin of 82.8%
  3. Software platform has product-market fit given the rapid recovery of its customer acquisition costs

At $165.82 per share, Atlassian trades at 7.1x forward price-to-sales. 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 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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

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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