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nLIGHT, Inc.

LASR · NASDAQ

Market closed$69.25$3.56 (+5.42%)After hours $69.50 · +0.36%

Key statistics

Previous close$65.69
Open$62.31
Day high$71.56
Day low$62.19
52-week high$86.95
52-week low$18.51
Market cap3.91B
Volume847.06K
Average volume1.27M
P/E ratio144.27
Forward P/E—
EPS0.48
Dividend yield0.00%

Market context

Why it moved

nLight surged after the company reported a strong earnings beat, with EPS significantly exceeding expectations and revenue growing over 55% year over year, alongside investor enthusiasm over a major Pentagon contract worth up to $627 million in potential funding — outweighing a downgrade from Wall Street Zen and a broadly negative market session driven by AI sector weakness and rising oil prices.

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What is happening

Recent company-specific developments and publisher coverage.

July 18, 2026nLIGHT surged Friday, bucking a broad semiconductor sector sell-off that wiped trillions from chip stocks, as investors refocused on the company's landmark $627 million Joint Laser Weapon System contract awarded by the U.S. Department of War on July 9. The defense-driven narrative — anchored by nLIGHT's 70kW-class laser platform, a strategic pivot away from low-margin industrial markets, and surging A&D segment revenue — continues to separate the stock from AI-exposed semiconductor peers. Analysts at Craig-Hallum and Needham have raised price targets to $100 and $90, respectively, reflecting confidence in the company's directed-energy weapons pipeline even as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions underscore urgent global demand for cost-effective laser countermeasures.

5.4194

July 17, 2026nLIGHT shares fell amid a broad semiconductor sector selloff, even as company-specific momentum remains strong following its landmark $627 million Joint Laser Weapon System contract win announced July 9. The sector-wide pressure stemmed from TSMC's record Q2 earnings being overshadowed by a capex reset to $60–$64 billion and margin warnings, triggering profit-taking across chip stocks despite robust AI demand. Analysts at Craig-Hallum and Needham recently raised price targets to $100 and $90, respectively, citing nLIGHT's defense pivot, while Simply Wall St frames shares as ~25% undervalued versus a consensus fair value of $90.71.

-3.1407

July 16, 2026nLIGHT tumbled after profit-taking set in following its explosive 29% surge on July 9, when the company announced a landmark Joint Laser Weapon System contract with the U.S. Department of War worth up to $627 million for next-generation cruise missile defense. Despite bullish analyst support—Craig-Hallum raised its price target to $100 and Needham lifted to $90—and Jim Cramer calling it a 'speculative buy,' shares retreated sharply as the broader semiconductor sector faced renewed pressure from profit-taking and peak-cycle valuation concerns ahead of Big Tech Q2 earnings.

-5.1203

July 15, 2026nLIGHT advanced nearly 4% as investors continued to digest the company's landmark $44M–$627M Joint Laser Weapon System contract awarded July 9, with Jim Cramer calling it a 'speculative buy' on CNBC's Mad Money and analysts at Craig-Hallum and Needham raising price targets to $100 and $90, respectively. The session's gains came despite a modest pullback from the prior close, supported by a cooler-than-expected June CPI print that lifted growth and defense-tech names, as nLIGHT's directed-energy positioning remains in sharp focus amid ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

3.9105

July 14, 2026nLIGHT shares tumbled, giving back gains from its landmark $627M laser weapons contract win as broader semiconductor weakness and renewed U.S.-Iran tensions pressured the stock. The broader chip selloff—with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down over 11% from June highs—weighed on the name even as Needham reiterated a Buy rating with a $90 target and Jim Cramer called LASR 'a speculative buy' on Mad Money. Some valuation concern has also emerged, with analysts noting the stock may be fully pricing in its 387% three-year run despite a potentially transformative defense contract.

-4.5246

July 11, 2026nLIGHT fell nearly 4% on Friday as traders faded the previous session's explosive 28% surge, which was driven by the company's $627 million Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) contract win from the Pentagon. The pullback came despite a pair of analyst upgrades — Craig-Hallum raised its target to $100 (Buy) and Needham lifted its target to $90 (Buy) — as high-beta defense-tech names gave back gains amid a tech sector slip. The broader S&P 500 closed modestly higher, underscoring LASR's underperformance on the day.

-3.5604

July 10, 2026nLIGHT surged sharply after winning a landmark Pentagon contract for the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) program, with an initial award of $44 million and a total program ceiling of up to $627 million. The deal, structured under an Other Transaction Authority agreement, tasks nLIGHT with developing containerized high-energy laser weapons—starting at 150 kW and scaling to 300–500 kW—aimed at cruise missile and drone defense. Craig-Hallum responded by raising its price target to $100 from $80 while maintaining a Buy rating, underscoring conviction in the company's transition from defense prototype supplier to a production-scale platform.

27.3177

July 9, 2026nLIGHT closed modestly lower, pressured by a confluence of stock-specific and macro headwinds. Most notably, the company was removed from multiple Russell indices — including the Russell 3000E, Russell 2000 Value, and Russell Microcap — triggering forced rebalancing and short-term selling pressure that has pushed shares down roughly 15% over the past week from recent highs. Compounding the selloff, a regulatory filing revealed that Stephens Investment Management Group slashed its position by ~35%, which the market read as a confidence signal. The broader backdrop remains challenging, with semiconductor stocks under pressure following Samsung's earnings and renewed U.S.-Iran geopolitical tensions driving a risk-off tone on Wall Street.

-0.5592

Simply Wall Street · July 18, 2026nLIGHT (LASR) Stock Trades At A Premium To Cash Flow And SalesTradingView · July 17, 2026nLIGHT (LASR) Stock Trades Up, Here Is WhyKavout | AI · July 17, 2026Why is nLIGHT (LASR) Surging in the Defense SectorCamas-Washougal Post-Record · July 16, 2026$44 million defense contract has Camas-based laser manufacturer nLIGHT looking to growCNBC · July 13, 2026Cramer's lightning round: nLIGHT 'is a speculative buy here'Investor's Business Daily · July 9, 2026NLight Flashes Buy Signal On U.S. Laser Weapon Contract WinStock Titan · July 9, 2026nLIGHT lands up to $627M U.S. laser weapon programU.S. Department of War (.gov) · July 9, 2026Department of War Announces Awards $86 Million Joint Laser Weapon System Agreements to Sca
Benzinga · July 14, 2026Jim Cramer: This Tech Stock Is A ‘Speculative Buy’ Here
Benzinga · July 10, 2026Analysts Turn Bullish on nLIGHT After $627M Defense Deal
Benzinga · July 10, 2026Needham Maintains Buy on nLight, Raises Price Target to $90
Mt Newswire · July 9, 2026nLight Wins Laser Weapon Contract From US Department of Defense
Benzinga · July 9, 2026Craig-Hallum Maintains Buy on nLight, Raises Price Target to $100
Benzinga · July 9, 2026nLIGHT Stock Skyrockets on Laser Weapon System Contract Win
Benzinga · July 9, 2026UPDATE: nLIGHT Secures $44M Initial U.S. Defense Laser Weapons Award With Program Worth Up To $627M
Benzinga · July 9, 2026nLIGHT Secures $44M Initial U.S. Defense Laser Weapons Award With Program Worth Up To $627M

Peers

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