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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The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

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If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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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 We Think Twice About

POWI Cover Image

Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.

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

Power Integrations (POWI)

Market Cap: $2.50 billion

A leading supplier of parts for electronics such as home appliances, Power Integrations (NASDAQ: POWI) is a semiconductor designer and developer specializing in products used for high-voltage power conversion.

Why Are We Out on POWI?

  1. Flat sales over the last five years suggest it must find different ways to grow during this cycle
  2. Day-to-day expenses have swelled relative to revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 15.7 percentage points
  3. Earnings per share fell by 2.1% annually over the last five years while its revenue was flat, showing each sale was less profitable

Power Integrations’s stock price of $43.76 implies a valuation ratio of 24.7x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with POWI, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Compass (COMP)

Market Cap: $4.67 billion

Fueled by its mission to replace the "paper-driven, antiquated workflow" of buying a house, Compass (NYSE: COMP) is a digital-first company operating a residential real estate brokerage in the United States.

Why Does COMP Worry Us?

  1. Demand for its offerings was relatively low as its number of principal agents has underwhelmed
  2. Poor expense management has led to operating margin losses
  3. Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital

Compass is trading at $8.97 per share, or 20.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why COMP doesn’t pass our bar.

Resideo (REZI)

Market Cap: $5.00 billion

Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: REZI) is a manufacturer and distributor of technology-driven products and solutions for home comfort, energy management, water management, and safety and security.

Why Are We Cautious About REZI?

  1. Estimated sales growth of 2.4% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend
  2. Ability to fund investments or reward shareholders with increased buybacks or dividends is restricted by its weak free cash flow margin of 3.9% for the last five years
  3. Waning returns on capital imply its previous profit engines are losing steam

At $33.35 per share, Resideo trades at 12.2x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering REZI for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

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 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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