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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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

2 Cash-Heavy Stocks to Consider Right Now and 1 We Find Risky

DDOG Cover Image

Companies with more cash than debt can be financially resilient, but that doesn’t mean they’re all strong investments. Some lack leverage because they struggle to grow or generate consistent profits, making them unattractive borrowers.

Financial flexibility is valuable, but it’s not everything - at StockStory, we help you find the stocks that can not only survive but also outperform. That said, here are two companies with net cash positions that balance growth with stability and one that may struggle.

One Stock to Sell:

Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC)

Net Cash Position: $91.18 million (1% of Market Cap)

A global leader in its category, Lattice Semiconductor (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a semiconductor designer specializing in customer-programmable chips that enhance CPU performance for intensive tasks such as machine learning.

Why Does LSCC Give Us Pause?

  1. Customers postponed purchases of its products and services this cycle as its revenue declined by 17.8% annually over the last two years
  2. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 15 percentage points
  3. Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 5.2% annually

Lattice Semiconductor is trading at $66.03 per share, or 52.5x forward P/E. If you’re considering LSCC for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Two Stocks to Watch:

Datadog (DDOG)

Net Cash Position: $2.65 billion (5.8% of Market Cap)

Named after a database the founders had to painstakingly look after at their previous company, Datadog (NASDAQ: DDOG) provides a software platform that helps organizations monitor and secure their cloud applications, infrastructure, and services.

Why Does DDOG Stand Out?

  1. Ability to secure long-term commitments with customers is evident in its 26% ARR growth over the last year
  2. Software platform has product-market fit given the rapid recovery of its customer acquisition costs
  3. DDOG is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders

At $131.71 per share, Datadog trades at 13x forward price-to-sales. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)

Net Cash Position: $5.33 billion (3.3% of Market Cap)

Pioneering minimally invasive surgery since its first da Vinci system was FDA-cleared in 2000, Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) develops and manufactures robotic-assisted surgical systems that enable minimally invasive procedures across various medical specialties.

Why Is ISRG Interesting?

  1. Products are reaching more customers as its system placement averaged 11.4% growth over the past two years
  2. Sales outlook for the upcoming 12 months implies the business will stay on its desirable two-year growth trajectory
  3. Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last five years as its EPS has compounded at 17.7% annually

Intuitive Surgical’s stock price of $453.50 implies a valuation ratio of 54.3x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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 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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