What Happened?
Shares of laser company nLIGHT (NASDAQ: LASR) jumped 5.8% in the afternoon session after investors focused on a $627 million defense contract, allowing the stock to rally against a broader selloff in the technology sector. The stock experienced significant volatility following a sharp rally driven by its Joint Laser Weapon System deal with the Department of Defense.
While some traders were locking in gains, the magnitude of the contract appeared to maintain investor interest. nLIGHT's move was notable as it occurred while the broader chip sector faced pressure, with the Nasdaq experiencing a selloff amid concerns about high valuations in AI-related stocks. Analysts noted the long-term appeal of nLIGHT's growing defense business, suggesting that multi-year laser weapon programs could provide steady, higher-margin revenue.
The shares closed the day at $69.39, up 5.6% from the previous close.
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What Is The Market Telling Us
nLIGHT’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 66 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 11 months ago when the stock gained 23.4% on the news that the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and issued strong forward-looking guidance. The laser technology specialist reported revenue of $61.74 million, a 22.2% year-over-year increase that beat analyst estimates. Additionally, the company posted an adjusted profit of $0.06 per share, a significant turnaround from a loss of $0.10 per share in the same period last year and well above consensus estimates for a $0.09 loss. Looking ahead, the company issued upbeat third-quarter revenue guidance of $64.5 million, which was nearly 14% above analyst expectations. The company also provided optimistic full-year EBITDA guidance, expecting $4 million at the midpoint, which blew past analyst projections of a loss. Overall, it was a strong quarter that impressed investors with better-than-expected profitability and an optimistic outlook.
nLIGHT is up 80.8% since the beginning of the year, but at $69.38 per share, it is still trading 18.3% below its 52-week high of $84.95 from May 2026. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of nLIGHT’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $2,229.
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