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.

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 That Fall Short

ICFI Cover Image

Investors looking for hidden gems should keep an eye on small-cap stocks because they’re frequently overlooked by Wall Street. Many opportunities exist in this part of the market, but it is also a high-risk, high-reward environment due to the lack of reliable analyst price targets.

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.

ICF International (ICFI)

Market Cap: $1.74 billion

Operating at the intersection of policy, technology, and implementation for over five decades, ICF International (NASDAQ: ICFI) provides professional consulting services and technology solutions to government agencies and commercial clients across energy, health, environment, and security sectors.

Why Should You Sell ICFI?

  1. Backlog has dropped by 1.2% on average over the past two years, suggesting it’s losing orders as competition picks up
  2. Forecasted revenue decline of 2.3% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall off a cliff
  3. Below-average returns on capital indicate management struggled to find compelling investment opportunities

ICF International is trading at $94.32 per share, or 13.9x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ICFI doesn’t pass our bar.

Valmont (VMI)

Market Cap: $7.45 billion

Credited with an invention in the 1950s that improved crop yields, Valmont (NYSE: VMI) provides engineered products and infrastructure services for the agricultural industry.

Why Do We Think Twice About VMI?

  1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
  2. Demand will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street’s estimates imply tepid growth of 2.9%
  3. Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last two years as its EPS grew by just 6.8% annually

Valmont’s stock price of $377.48 implies a valuation ratio of 23.3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. If you’re considering VMI for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.

Bio-Techne (TECH)

Market Cap: $8.23 billion

With a catalog of hundreds of thousands of specialized biological products used in laboratories worldwide, Bio-Techne (NASDAQ: TECH) develops and manufactures specialized reagents, instruments, and services that help researchers study biological processes and enable diagnostic testing and cell therapy development.

Why Do We Steer Clear of TECH?

  1. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
  2. Smaller revenue base of $1.22 billion means it hasn’t achieved the economies of scale that some industry juggernauts enjoy
  3. 12 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company’s increased investments to defend its market position

At $53.87 per share, Bio-Techne trades at 25.7x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than TECH.

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 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-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.

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