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.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

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

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

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.

Photonics Hot List

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

1 Unpopular Stock That Deserves Some Love and 2 Facing Headwinds

DECK Cover Image

Wall Street’s bearish price targets for the stocks in this article signal serious concerns. Such forecasts are uncommon in an industry where maintaining cordial corporate relationships often trumps delivering the hard truth.

At StockStory, we look beyond the headlines with our independent analysis to determine whether these bearish calls are justified. That said, here is one stock poised to prove Wall Street wrong and two where the skepticism is well-placed.

Two Stocks to Sell:

D.R. Horton (DHI)

Consensus Price Target: $162.60 (-7.6% implied return)

One of the largest homebuilding companies in the U.S., D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI) builds a variety of new construction homes across multiple markets.

Why Does DHI Fall Short?

  1. Sales pipeline suggests its future revenue growth won’t meet our standards as its backlog averaged 17% declines over the past two years
  2. Earnings per share have dipped by 5.8% annually over the past two years, which is concerning because stock prices follow EPS over the long term
  3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

D.R. Horton’s stock price of $176.03 implies a valuation ratio of 15x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with DHI, check out our full research report (it’s free).

BD (BDX)

Consensus Price Target: $208 (8.7% implied return)

With a history dating back to 1897 and a presence in virtually every hospital around the globe, Becton Dickinson (NYSE: BDX) develops and manufactures medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products used by healthcare institutions and professionals worldwide.

Why Are We Hesitant About BDX?

  1. Scale is a double-edged sword because it limits the company’s growth potential compared to its smaller competitors, as reflected in its below-average annual revenue increases of 5.5% for the last five years
  2. Free cash flow margin shrank by 10.1 percentage points over the last five years, suggesting the company is consuming more capital to stay competitive
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

At $191.29 per share, BD trades at 13.3x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why BDX doesn’t pass our bar.

One Stock to Watch:

Deckers (DECK)

Consensus Price Target: $129.28 (5% implied return)

Established in 1973, Deckers (NYSE: DECK) is a footwear and apparel conglomerate with a portfolio of lifestyle and performance brands.

Why Are We Fans of DECK?

  1. Constant currency growth averaged 18.2% over the past two years, showing it can expand globally regardless of the macroeconomic environment
  2. Free cash flow margin is on track to jump by 2.3 percentage points next year, meaning the company will have more resources to pursue growth initiatives, repurchase shares, or pay dividends
  3. Rising returns on capital show management is finding more attractive investment opportunities

Deckers is trading at $123.10 per share, or 20.4x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our 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 Kadant (+351% 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.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.