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nLIGHT Inc (LASR)
NASDAQ:LASR
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nLIGHT (LASR) AI Stock Analysis

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LASR

nLIGHT

(NASDAQ:LASR)

Rating:61Neutral
Price Target:
$28.00
▼(-2.03% Downside)
nLIGHT's strong earnings call performance, particularly in the Aerospace and Defense segment, significantly boosts its overall score. However, financial challenges and valuation concerns weigh down the score. The technical analysis shows bullish momentum, but the overbought conditions suggest caution.
Positive Factors
Aerospace/Defense Growth
The firm revised up its year-over-year sales growth expectation for Aerospace/Defense from 25% to 40%, showcasing strong performance in this sector.
Financial Performance
NLIGHT reported upside results driven by higher-than-anticipated margins and solid execution, with sales exceeding company guidance.
Strategic Partnerships
LASR is believed to be working with key players in Israel on the Iron Beam system, indicating strategic partnerships in directed energy weapons.
Negative Factors
Industrial Sales
Industrial sales were down 26%, indicating a decline in this segment.
Product Sales
Product sales of $35.7 million were down from the prior quarter and year-ago period, highlighting a decrease in sales performance.

nLIGHT (LASR) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

nLIGHT Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionnLIGHT, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductor and fiber lasers for industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace and defense applications. It operates in two segments, Laser Products and Advanced Development. The company also provides fiber amplifiers, and beam combination and control systems for use in high-energy laser systems in directed energy applications. It sells its products through direct sales force in the United States, China, South Korea, and European countries, as well as through various independent sales representatives and distributors in Asia, Europe, and South America. The company was formerly known as nLight Photonics Corporation and changed its name to nLIGHT, Inc. in January 2016. nLIGHT, Inc. was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Camas, Washington.
How the Company Makes MoneynLIGHT generates revenue through the sale of its laser products and systems, which are utilized across multiple industries including manufacturing, aerospace, and defense. The company has established key revenue streams from its semiconductor and fiber laser products, which are in high demand for applications such as cutting, welding, and medical procedures. Additionally, nLIGHT benefits from long-term contracts and partnerships with major corporations and government entities, enhancing its earnings stability. The company also invests in research and development to expand its product offerings and maintain competitive advantages, which further contributes to its revenue growth.

nLIGHT Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 07, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 39.62%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 30, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a strong quarter driven by record revenues in aerospace and defense and significant gross margin improvement. Non-GAAP net income returned to positive territory, and significant progress was reported in key defense programs and international expansion. However, challenges remain in the commercial market with declining year-over-year revenue and the complete move out of China impacting operations. Nevertheless, the highlights significantly outweigh the lowlights, showing a positive overall sentiment.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Aerospace and Defense Revenue Growth
Aerospace and Defense (A&D) revenue was a record $40.7 million in the quarter, up 48.6% year-over-year and 24% sequentially. A&D accounted for 66% of total sales, up from 54% the previous year.
Record Development Revenue
Development revenue reached a record $20.9 million, growing more than 30% sequentially and year-over-year.
Gross Margin Improvement
Total gross margin rose to 29.9% compared to 23.5% in the second quarter of 2024, driven by higher factory absorption and a favorable business mix.
Non-GAAP Net Income
Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter was $2.9 million or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $4.6 million or $0.10 per share in the second quarter of 2024.
Successful Execution in HELSI-2 Program
Significant progress in the HELSI-2 program, a $171 million Department of Defense project, contributing to record defense product revenue.
International Expansion in Directed Energy
Shipping started to a new international customer, and a growing pipeline of global opportunities in directed energy was reported.
Negative Updates
Commercial Market Challenges
Commercial revenue was down 9% year-over-year, although it increased 11% sequentially. The company does not expect sustained improvement in overall demand in industrial applications.
Decline in Manufacturing Operations in China
No longer has any manufacturing operations in China, which may have impacted revenue from the commercial sector, specifically industrial and microfabrication.
Company Guidance
In the second quarter of 2025, nLIGHT, Inc. exceeded expectations with total revenue of $61.7 million, marking a 22% year-over-year increase. This was largely driven by a record $40.7 million in Aerospace and Defense (A&D) revenue, which rose 48.6% from the previous year. The growth was fueled by increased deliveries of directed energy products, particularly for the HELSI-2 program, a $171 million Department of Defense initiative. Gross margin improved to 29.9% from 23.5% a year ago, thanks to higher factory absorption and a favorable business mix. The company also reported a non-GAAP net income of $2.9 million, or $0.06 per share, turning around from a loss of $4.6 million a year earlier. For the third quarter of 2025, nLIGHT expects revenues between $62 million and $67 million, with A&D revenue anticipated to continue growing sequentially and year-over-year.

nLIGHT Financial Statement Overview

Summary
nLIGHT faces financial difficulties with declining revenues, persistent losses, and negative cash flows. The company's reliance on equity over debt provides some stability, but the operating inefficiencies and declining asset base present significant risks. Strategic improvements and cost management are essential for sustainable growth.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
nLIGHT's financial performance shows a declining trend in revenue and profitability. The TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) gross profit margin is 19.12%, and the net profit margin stands at -26.80%, indicating significant losses. Revenue decreased by approximately 3.45% from 2023 to 2024 and by 3.44% from 2024 to TTM. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are negative, reflecting consistent operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
58
Neutral
The company's balance sheet displays a relatively healthy equity position with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15 in TTM. However, stockholders' equity and total assets have been declining. The equity ratio is 73.36%, indicating a strong reliance on equity financing, which provides some financial stability.
Cash Flow
40
Negative
Negative operating cash flow and free cash flow highlight liquidity challenges. The TTM free cash flow is -$22.41 million, showing a worsening trend compared to previous periods. The free cash flow to net income ratio is unfavorable, and the operating cash flow to net income ratio is negative, signaling inefficiencies in cash generation relative to net losses.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue216.91M198.55M209.92M242.06M270.15M222.79M
Gross Profit45.94M33.02M46.11M50.82M77.31M59.36M
EBITDA-42.09M-43.75M-29.92M-35.54M-15.16M-7.36M
Net Income-46.98M-60.79M-41.67M-54.58M-29.67M-20.93M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets295.25M270.24M306.80M329.23M373.62M283.64M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments113.70M100.70M112.88M108.22M146.53M102.28M
Total Debt32.00M12.13M14.16M15.61M17.68M13.05M
Total Liabilities79.25M53.81M52.38M58.39M71.48M63.73M
Stockholders Equity216.00M216.43M254.42M270.85M302.13M219.91M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-19.81M-10.29M4.75M-36.26M-29.00M-11.31M
Operating Cash Flow-10.91M-2.36M10.09M-14.54M-7.44M13.04M
Investing Cash Flow21.25M16.69M-14.10M-72.38M-21.85M-24.54M
Financing Cash Flow18.98M-1.30M-859.00K-1.31M73.74M-3.77M

nLIGHT Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price28.58
Price Trends
50DMA
21.13
Positive
100DMA
16.15
Positive
200DMA
13.27
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
2.18
Negative
RSI
71.75
Negative
STOCH
81.05
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For LASR, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 28.58 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 24.39, above the 50-day MA of 21.13, and above the 200-day MA of 13.27, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 2.18 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 71.75 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 81.05 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for LASR.

nLIGHT Risk Analysis

nLIGHT disclosed 36 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. nLIGHT reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

nLIGHT Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
61
Neutral
$35.48B7.36-10.33%1.90%8.86%-10.35%
61
Neutral
$1.40B-20.63%9.79%10.28%
59
Neutral
$3.47B-9.89%-14.77%-261.91%
55
Neutral
$998.72M-36.20%-7.49%-64.33%
52
Neutral
$1.32B-32.05%-25.65%-130.95%
47
Neutral
$287.74M-0.92%-6.09%97.33%
40
Underperform
$213.21M-739.86%-6.14%-63.68%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
LASR
nLIGHT
28.58
16.98
146.38%
WOLF
Wolfspeed
1.32
-10.93
-89.22%
IPGP
IPG Photonics
81.71
12.60
18.23%
INDI
indie Semiconductor
4.58
0.46
11.17%
NVTS
Navitas Semiconductor
6.20
3.11
100.65%
XPER
Xperi Inc
6.22
-2.72
-30.43%

nLIGHT Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
nLIGHT Concludes Annual Stockholders Meeting with Key Decisions
Neutral
Jun 13, 2025

On June 10, 2025, nLIGHT, Inc. held its annual meeting of stockholders where 87.79% of the shares entitled to vote participated. During the meeting, the election of Class I directors was completed, the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm was ratified, and the compensation for named executive officers was approved.

The most recent analyst rating on (LASR) stock is a Buy with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on nLIGHT stock, see the LASR Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board Changes
nLIGHT Appoints Mark Hartman to Board of Directors
Neutral
Jun 13, 2025

On June 12, 2025, nLIGHT, Inc. announced the resignation of Douglas Carlisle from its Board of Directors, where he served since 2001, and the appointment of Mark Hartman as a Class III director with a term expiring in 2027. Hartman, a retired CFO from Woodward Inc., brings extensive experience in financial management and the aerospace and defense sectors, aligning with nLIGHT’s focus on growth opportunities in these markets.

The most recent analyst rating on (LASR) stock is a Buy with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on nLIGHT stock, see the LASR Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 14, 2025