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

Q2 Rundown: Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE:AMG) Vs Other Custody Bank Stocks

AMG Cover Image

Looking back on custody bank stocks’ Q2 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG) and its peers.

Custody banks safeguard financial assets and provide services like settlement, accounting, and regulatory compliance for institutional investors. Growth opportunities stem from increasing global assets under custody, demand for data analytics, and blockchain technology adoption for settlement efficiency. Challenges include fee pressure from large clients, substantial technology investment requirements, and competition from both traditional players and fintech firms entering the space.

The 13 custody bank stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 5.4% on average since the latest earnings results.

Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG)

Using a partnership approach that preserves entrepreneurial culture at its portfolio companies, Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG) is an investment firm that acquires stakes in boutique asset management companies while allowing them to maintain operational independence.

Affiliated Managers Group reported revenues of $493.2 million, down 1.4% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 2.8%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with some shareholders anticipating a better outcome.

Affiliated Managers Group Total Revenue

Interestingly, the stock is up 10.7% since reporting and currently trades at $233.05.

Read our full report on Affiliated Managers Group here, it’s free.

Best Q2: Voya Financial (NYSE: VOYA)

Originally spun off from Dutch financial giant ING in 2013 and rebranded with a name suggesting "voyage," Voya Financial (NYSE: VOYA) provides workplace benefits and savings solutions to U.S. employers, helping their employees achieve better financial outcomes through retirement plans and insurance products.

Voya Financial reported revenues of $1.9 billion, up 2.2% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 13.5%. The business had a stunning quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ AUM estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Voya Financial Total Revenue

Voya Financial pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 14.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $77.62.

Is now the time to buy Voya Financial? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Slowest Q2: Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN)

Operating under the widely recognized Franklin Templeton brand since 1947, Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) is a global investment management organization that offers financial services and solutions to individuals, institutions, and wealth advisors worldwide.

Franklin Resources reported revenues of $1.59 billion, down 3.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 18.8%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Franklin Resources delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 7.4% since the results and currently trades at $25.74.

Read our full analysis of Franklin Resources’s results here.

Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP)

Founded in 1894 and spun off from American Express in 2005, Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP) provides financial planning, wealth management, asset management, and insurance products to help individuals and institutions achieve their financial goals.

Ameriprise Financial reported revenues of $4.34 billion, up 3.9% year on year. This print met analysts’ expectations. Zooming out, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ Asset Management segment estimates.

The stock is down 4.5% since reporting and currently trades at $511.90.

Read our full, actionable report on Ameriprise Financial here, it’s free.

BNY Mellon (NYSE: BK)

Tracing its roots back to 1784 when it was founded by Alexander Hamilton, BNY Mellon (NYSE: BK) is a global financial institution that provides asset servicing, wealth management, and investment services to institutions, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.

BNY Mellon reported revenues of $5.03 billion, up 9.4% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. It was a very strong quarter as it also logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is up 10.7% since reporting and currently trades at $105.40.

Read our full, actionable report on BNY Mellon here, it’s free.

Market Update

As a result of the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has come down from frothy levels post-pandemic. The general rise in the price of goods and services is trending towards the Fed’s 2% goal as of late, which is good news. The higher rates that fought inflation also didn't slow economic activity enough to catalyze a recession. So far, soft landing. This, combined with recent rate cuts (half a percent in September 2024 and a quarter percent in November 2024) have led to strong stock market performance in 2024. The icing on the cake for 2024 returns was Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. Presidential Election in early November, sending major indices to all-time highs in the week following the election. Still, debates around the health of the economy and the impact of potential tariffs and corporate tax cuts remain, leaving much uncertainty around 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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.