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

1 Stock Under $50 with Exciting Potential and 2 We Brush Off

CPRT 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.

This is precisely where StockStory comes in - we do the heavy lifting to identify companies with solid fundamentals so you can invest with confidence. That said, here is one stock under $50 with huge potential and two that may have trouble.

Two Stocks Under $50 to Sell:

MasterCraft (MCFT)

Share Price: $21.81

Started by a waterskiing instructor, MasterCraft (NASDAQ: MCFT) specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling sport boats.

Why Are We Wary of MCFT?

  1. Sluggish trends in its boats sold suggest customers aren’t adopting its solutions as quickly as the company hoped
  2. Earnings per share decreased by more than its revenue over the last five years, showing each sale was less profitable
  3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

MasterCraft’s stock price of $21.81 implies a valuation ratio of 18.4x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MCFT, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Trinity (TRN)

Share Price: $28.04

Operating under the trade name TrinityRail, Trinity (NYSE: TRN) is a provider of railcar products and services in North America.

Why Do We Think TRN Will Underperform?

  1. Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 2% annually over the last five years
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 9.4% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
  3. Free cash flow margin dropped by 9.3 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up

Trinity is trading at $28.04 per share, or 6.1x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why TRN doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock Under $50 to Buy:

Copart (CPRT)

Share Price: $44.98

Starting as a single salvage yard in California in 1982, Copart (NASDAQ: CPRT) operates an online auction platform that connects sellers of damaged and salvage vehicles with buyers ranging from dismantlers and rebuilders to used car dealers and exporters.

Why Will CPRT Outperform?

  1. Market share has increased this cycle as its 16.1% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional
  2. Additional sales over the last five years increased its profitability as the 20% annual growth in its earnings per share outpaced its revenue
  3. Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends, and its recently improved profitability means it has even more resources to invest or distribute

At $44.98 per share, Copart trades at 26.4x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even 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 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

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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