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 Small-Cap Stocks Walking a Fine Line

MYPS 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.

Luckily for you, our mission at StockStory is to help you make money and avoid losses by sorting the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three small-cap stocks to avoid and some other investments you should consider instead.

PlayStudios (MYPS)

Market Cap: $120.1 million

Founded by a team of former gaming industry executives, PlayStudios (NASDAQ: MYPS) offers free-to-play digital casino games.

Why Do We Steer Clear of MYPS?

  1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of daily active users has underwhelmed
  2. Suboptimal cost structure is highlighted by its history of operating margin losses
  3. Earnings per share have contracted by 12.6% annually over the last three years, a headwind for returns as stock prices often echo long-term EPS performance

At $0.97 per share, PlayStudios trades at 2.4x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MYPS.

Dine Brands (DIN)

Market Cap: $375.6 million

Operating a franchise model, Dine Brands (NYSE: DIN) is a casual restaurant chain that owns the Applebee’s and IHOP banners.

Why Do We Avoid DIN?

  1. Disappointing same-store sales over the past two years show customers aren’t responding well to its menu offerings and dining experience
  2. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last year as its operating margin fell by 4.6 percentage points
  3. High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 6× could force the company to raise capital at unfavorable terms if market conditions deteriorate

Dine Brands is trading at $24.42 per share, or 5x forward P/E. If you’re considering DIN for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

MGP Ingredients (MGPI)

Market Cap: $531 million

Headquartered in Atchison, Kansas, MGP Ingredients (NASDAQ: MGPI) is a leading supplier of high-quality ingredients to the food and beverage industry

Why Should You Sell MGPI?

  1. Annual revenue declines of 6% over the last three years indicate problems with its market positioning
  2. Sales are projected to tank by 15.8% over the next 12 months as its demand continues evaporating
  3. Operating profits fell over the last year as its sales dropped and it struggled to adjust its fixed costs

MGP Ingredients’s stock price of $25.41 implies a valuation ratio of 9.5x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MGPI, check out our full research report (it’s free).

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-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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