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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Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

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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

3 of Wall Street’s Favorite Stocks We Keep Off Our Radar

ENTG Cover Image

Wall Street has set ambitious price targets for the stocks in this article. While this suggests attractive upside potential, it’s important to remain skeptical because analysts face institutional pressures that can sometimes lead to overly optimistic forecasts.

Unlike the investment banks, we created StockStory to provide independent analysis that helps you determine which companies are truly worth following. That said, here are three stocks where Wall Street may be overlooking some important risks and some alternatives with better fundamentals.

Entegris (ENTG)

Consensus Price Target: $99 (23.5% implied return)

With fabs representing the company’s largest customer type, Entegris (NASDAQ: ENTG) supplies products that purify, protect, and generally ensure the integrity of raw materials needed for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Why Should You Sell ENTG?

  1. Sales tumbled by 7.5% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle
  2. Estimated sales growth of 2.2% for the next 12 months is soft and implies weaker demand
  3. Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 6.7 percentage points

Entegris is trading at $80.13 per share, or 24.7x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than ENTG.

Lovesac (LOVE)

Consensus Price Target: $30.17 (50.8% implied return)

Known for its oversized, premium beanbags, Lovesac (NASDAQ: LOVE) is a specialty furniture brand selling modular furniture.

Why Do We Think Twice About LOVE?

  1. Muted 1.7% annual revenue growth over the last two years shows its demand lagged behind its consumer discretionary peers
  2. Low free cash flow margin of 1% for the last two years gives it little breathing room, constraining its ability to self-fund growth or return capital to shareholders
  3. Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up

Lovesac’s stock price of $20 implies a valuation ratio of 5.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why LOVE doesn’t pass our bar.

Manitowoc (MTW)

Consensus Price Target: $13 (29.2% implied return)

Contracted by the United States Navy during WWII, Manitowoc (NYSE: MTW) provides cranes and lifting equipment.

Why Do We Avoid MTW?

  1. Demand cratered as it couldn’t win new orders over the past two years, leading to an average 15.3% decline in its backlog
  2. Earnings per share fell by 17.6% annually over the last five years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 6.7 percentage points

At $10.06 per share, Manitowoc trades at 20.6x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MTW in your portfolio.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our 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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