Broad-Based Growth Drivers Lifted nLIGHT (LASR) in Q1

2 days ago 4

Soumya Eswaran

Thu, June 18, 2026 astatine 9:00 AM CDT 3 min read

Prosper Stars & Stripes, a long/short equity fund, precocious released its first-quarter 2026 capitalist letter. A transcript of the missive is disposable to download here. In Q1 2026, the portfolio underperformed with a nett instrumentality of (-5.6%) compared to the Russell 2000 Index's +0.9% instrumentality and the HFRX Equity Hedge Index's -1.5% return. Long publication show was negative, portion the abbreviated publication contributed positively. Geopolitics importantly influenced the archetypal quarter, contributing to accrued ostentation pressures and elevated vigor prices. Additionally, you tin reappraisal the Portfolio's apical 5 holdings to spot its champion picks for 2026.

In its first-quarter 2026 capitalist letter, Prosper Stars & Stripes highlighted NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR). NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) is simply a exertion institution that focuses connected the plan and improvement of semiconductor and fibre lasers for aerospace and defense, industrial, and microfabrication applications. On June 17, 2026, NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) closed astatine $64.55 per share. One-month instrumentality of NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) was -15.54%, and its shares gained 251.39% implicit the past 52 weeks. NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) has a marketplace capitalization of $3.74 billion.

Prosper Stars & Stripes stated the pursuing regarding NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) successful its Q1 2026 capitalist letter:

"NLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) was the second-largest contributor successful our agelong publication successful the quarter. The institution is 1 of the starring providers of high-power lasers for mission-critical directed vigor (DE) and optical sensing applications. We person recovered occurrence identifying manufacture inflection points and investing successful differentiated companies we judge are positioned to benefit. The U.S. Department of War has made directed vigor a strategical priority, supporting sustained concern successful some probe and deployment. With much than 450 patents and a U.S.-based semiconductor fabrication facility, nLIGHT is simply a vertically integrated supplier of semiconductor and fibre lasers to the DoW. This positioning has driven a meaningful displacement successful its gross mix: defence has grown from 18% of income successful FY2018 to 70% today. The company's defence conception delivered 60% year-over-year maturation successful FY2025. Competition remains constricted owed to the method complexity of coherent beam operation (CBC) technology. Notably, nLIGHT has demonstrated a 300kW-class high-energy laser nether the DoD's HELSI program, exceeding programme show objectives. Directed vigor systems connection compelling economics for the DoW. The outgo per usage is estimated to beryllium betwixt $1 and $10 compared to $13 cardinal for a THAAD interceptor oregon $4 cardinal for a Patriot missile.10 Recent legislative enactment further reinforces the opportunity. We initiated our presumption successful May 2025 and exited successful aboriginal April upon hitting our terms target."

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