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.

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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 Stocks Under $50 We Keep Off Our Radar

AMKR Cover Image

Stocks trading between $10 and $50 can be particularly interesting as they frequently represent businesses that have survived their early challenges. However, investors should remain vigilant as some may still have unproven business models, leaving them vulnerable to the ebbs and flows of the broader market.

These dynamics 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. Keeping that in mind, here are three stocks under $50 to swipe left on and some alternatives you should look into instead.

Amkor (AMKR)

Share Price: $29.59

Operating through a largely Asian facility footprint, Amkor Technologies (NASDAQ: AMKR) provides outsourced packaging and testing for semiconductors.

Why Are We Wary of AMKR?

  1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 4.4% annually over the last two years
  2. Gross margin of 14.4% is below its competitors, leaving less money to invest in areas like marketing and R&D
  3. Low free cash flow margin of 6.1% for the last two years gives it little breathing room, constraining its ability to self-fund growth or return capital to shareholders

At $29.59 per share, Amkor trades at 22.2x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why AMKR doesn’t pass our bar.

Bally's (BALY)

Share Price: $10.50

Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Bally's Corporation (NYSE: BALY) is a diversified global casino-entertainment company that owns and manages casinos, resorts, and online gaming platforms.

Why Do We Think BALY Will Underperform?

  1. Lackluster 2.9% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates the company is losing ground to competitors
  2. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions
  3. Short cash runway increases the probability of a capital raise that dilutes existing shareholders

Bally’s stock price of $10.50 implies a valuation ratio of 1.3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with BALY, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Dentsply Sirona (XRAY)

Share Price: $12.48

With roots dating back to 1877 when it introduced the first dental electric drill, Dentsply Sirona (NASDAQ: XRAY) manufactures and sells professional dental equipment, technologies, and consumable products used by dentists and specialists worldwide.

Why Should You Sell XRAY?

  1. Constant currency growth was below our standards over the past two years, suggesting it might need to invest in product improvements to get back on track
  2. Negative returns on capital show management lost money while trying to expand the business, and its decreasing returns suggest its historical profit centers are aging
  3. Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management’s past and current investment decisions

Dentsply Sirona is trading at $12.48 per share, or 6.4x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than XRAY.

Stocks We Like More

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 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-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% 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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