What Does Stifel Think About nLight (LASR) After Sitting Down With Its Executives?

nLight, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) is one of the best optical networking stocks to buy according to analysts. On May 21, Stifel analyst Ruben Roy raised his price target on nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) to $85 from $75, maintaining a Buy rating. Roy made the call after his firm hosted nLight’s executives.

The analyst noted that the key takeaway from the meeting was his firm’s growing faith in nLight’s directed energy portfolio, particularly the newly launched HADES product line. This product line is a range of high-power lasers designed for military applications.

Further, Stifel was encouraged by the opportunity for nLight to expand its laser sensing business. Here, Roy stated, nLight has the potential to substantially grow the volume of its components deployed across defense and industrial systems.

Stifel also came away more optimistic about international sales growth, said Roy. He noted that nLight has a credible path to winning additional programs outside the US This is because rising allied defense spending is creating a fertile environment for the company to extend its reach beyond domestic contracts.

The analyst also highlighted nLight’s Q1 FY2026 earnings, which the company shared on May 7. Quarterly revenue was $80.2 million, and adjusted EPS reached $0.22. In Q1 FY2025, the EPS was a loss of $0.04. Roy noted that these results validated nLight’s pivot with the launch of the HADES directed energy product line.

nLight, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) is a photonics and laser technology company that is tied to the optical networking and broader optical communications ecosystem through its high-power semiconductor lasers. The company designs and manufactures semiconductor and fiber lasers used in industrial, defense, and advanced manufacturing applications.

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