nLIGHT (LASR) vs Photronics (PLAB)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
nLIGHT (LASR) has outperformed Photronics (PLAB) over the past year, gaining 33.5% versus a gain of 29.3%. Over five years, PLAB leads with a +128.5% price change compared with +51.6% for LASR. nLIGHT is the larger company by market cap ($2.30 billion vs $1.78 billion), about 1.3 times the size.
On valuation, Photronics trades at a lower forward P/E (14.5x vs 63.3x for nLIGHT).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | LASR | PLAB |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $39.88 | $30.11 |
| Market cap | $2.30B | $1.78B |
| 1-day change | -0.37% | -2.30% |
| YTD return | +6.32% | -5.91% |
| 1-year return | +33.51% | +29.34% |
| 5-year return | +51.58% | +128.45% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 10.72 |
| Forward P/E | 63.30 | 14.50 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.25 | $2.81 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $86.95 | $56.00 |
| 52-week low | $28.05 | $20.05 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -54.13% | -46.23% |
| Analyst consensus | none | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +118.48% | +37.26% |
| Average volume | 1.20M | 1.11M |
| Shares outstanding | 57.69M | 59.00M |
| Employees | 800 | 1,908 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Semiconductors |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
About nLIGHT
LASR stock →nLIGHT, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of semiconductor and fiber lasers for aerospace and defense, industrial, and microfabrication applications.
Technology · Semiconductors · 800 employees
About Photronics
PLAB stock →Photronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of photomask products and services in the United States, Taiwan, China, Korea, Europe, and internationally. It offers photomasks that are used in the manufacture of integrated circuits and flat panel displays (FPDs); and to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers, and FDP substrates.
Technology · Semiconductors · 1,908 employees
LASR vs PLAB FAQ
Which is bigger, nLIGHT or Photronics?
nLIGHT (LASR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $2.30B compared with $1.78B for Photronics (PLAB).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, LASR or PLAB?
LASR returned +33.51% over the past 12 months, compared with +29.34% for PLAB (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are nLIGHT and Photronics in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Semiconductors industry within the Technology sector.