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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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 Russell 2000 Stocks We Think Twice About

VICR Cover Image

The Russell 2000 (^RUT) is home to many small-cap stocks, offering investors the chance to uncover hidden gems before the broader market catches on. However, these companies often come with higher volatility and risk, as their smaller size makes them more vulnerable to economic downturns.

Picking the right small caps isn’t easy, and that’s exactly why StockStory exists - to help you focus on the best opportunities. Keeping that in mind, here are three Russell 2000 stocks that don’t make the cut and some better choices instead.

Vicor (VICR)

Market Cap: $2.37 billion

Founded by a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vicor (NASDAQ: VICR) provides electrical power conversion and delivery products for a range of industries.

Why Does VICR Fall Short?

  1. New orders were hard to come by as its backlog was flat over the past two years
  2. Efficiency has decreased over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 10.9 percentage points
  3. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam

Vicor is trading at $52.80 per share, or 42.2x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why VICR doesn’t pass our bar.

ArcBest (ARCB)

Market Cap: $1.58 billion

Historically owning furniture, banking, and other subsidiaries, ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) offers full-truckload, less-than-truckload, and intermodal deliveries of freight.

Why Should You Dump ARCB?

  1. Flat unit sales over the past two years show it’s struggled to increase its sales volumes and had to rely on price increases
  2. Performance over the past two years shows each sale was less profitable as its earnings per share dropped by 28.1% annually, worse than its revenue
  3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

At $69.38 per share, ArcBest trades at 11.2x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ARCB.

Home Bancshares (HOMB)

Market Cap: $5.63 billion

Founded in Conway, Arkansas in 1998 and growing through strategic acquisitions across the Southeast, Home Bancshares (NYSE: HOMB) operates as the bank holding company for Centennial Bank, providing commercial and retail banking services to businesses and individuals across multiple states.

Why Does HOMB Give Us Pause?

  1. Products and services are facing end-market challenges during this cycle, as seen in its flat sales over the last two years
  2. Estimated net interest income growth of 2.3% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its five-year trend
  3. Efficiency ratio is forecasted to remain flat over the next year, suggesting its fixed cost leverage is currently maxed out

Home Bancshares’s stock price of $28.31 implies a valuation ratio of 1.3x forward P/B. If you’re considering HOMB 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 5 Strong Momentum 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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% 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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