LASR vs. KTOS
LASR (nLIGHT, Inc.) and KTOS (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.) are both stocks. LASR operates in Semiconductors (Technology), while KTOS operates in Aerospace & Defense (Industrials). Over the past 5 years, LASR returned 15.13%/yr vs 13.71%/yr for KTOS. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
LASR vs. KTOS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LASR achieves a 73.82% return, which is significantly higher than KTOS's -32.70% return.
LASR
- 1D
- 0.73%
- 1M
- -16.99%
- YTD
- 73.82%
- 6M
- 70.50%
- 1Y
- 274.71%
- 3Y*
- 62.77%
- 5Y*
- 15.13%
- 10Y*
- —
KTOS
- 1D
- -5.76%
- 1M
- -9.06%
- YTD
- -32.70%
- 6M
- -37.34%
- 1Y
- 18.51%
- 3Y*
- 54.44%
- 5Y*
- 13.71%
- 10Y*
- 29.08%
LASR vs. KTOS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LASR nLIGHT, Inc. | 73.82% | 257.58% | -22.30% | 33.14% | -57.66% | -26.65% | 61.00% | 14.06% | -22.70% |
KTOS Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. | -32.70% | 187.76% | 30.01% | 96.61% | -46.80% | -29.27% | 52.30% | 27.82% | 29.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between LASR and KTOS is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 26, 2018 | 0.38 |
Fundamentals
LASR:
$3.91B
KTOS:
$9.17B
LASR:
-$0.28
KTOS:
$0.17
LASR:
11.82
KTOS:
6.16
LASR:
9.11
KTOS:
2.69
LASR:
$289.84M
KTOS:
$1.42B
LASR:
$90.68M
KTOS:
$259.40M
LASR:
-$3.27M
KTOS:
$78.30M
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Return for Risk
LASR vs. KTOS — Risk / Return Rank
LASR
KTOS
LASR vs. KTOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (KTOS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| LASR | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.28 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.56 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.10 | +0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 10.56 | 0.31 | +10.26 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 32.80 | 0.60 | +32.20 |
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Drawdowns
LASR vs. KTOS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LASR drawdown since its inception was -85.66%, smaller than the maximum KTOS drawdown of -99.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LASR and KTOS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LASR | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -85.66% | -99.81% | +14.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.19% | -60.92% | +34.73% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -58.69% | -60.92% | +2.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -82.47% | -69.39% | -13.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -72.74% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -23.25% | -96.76% | +73.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -52.58% | -95.93% | +43.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.42% | 30.99% | -22.57% |
Volatility
LASR vs. KTOS - Volatility Comparison
nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) has a higher volatility of 24.28% compared to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (KTOS) at 22.73%. This indicates that LASR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KTOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LASR | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 24.28% | 22.73% | +1.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 60.96% | 57.03% | +3.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 78.44% | 72.41% | +6.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 65.38% | 52.46% | +12.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 66.61% | 50.89% | +15.72% |
Dividends
LASR vs. KTOS - Dividend Comparison
Neither LASR nor KTOS has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
LASR vs. KTOS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between nLIGHT, Inc. and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
LASR vs. KTOS - Profitability Comparison
LASR - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, nLIGHT, Inc. reported a gross profit of 26.51M and revenue of 80.18M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 33.1%.
KTOS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported a gross profit of 34.70M and revenue of 371.00M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 9.4%.
LASR - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, nLIGHT, Inc. reported an operating income of -719.00K and revenue of 80.18M, resulting in an operating margin of -0.9%.
KTOS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported an operating income of 4.70M and revenue of 371.00M, resulting in an operating margin of 1.3%.
LASR - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, nLIGHT, Inc. reported a net income of 645.00K and revenue of 80.18M, resulting in a net margin of 0.8%.
KTOS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported a net income of 11.90M and revenue of 371.00M, resulting in a net margin of 3.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
LASR and KTOS have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LASR has higher volatility (24.28%) compared to KTOS (22.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LASR dropped -85.66% vs KTOS's -99.81%.
LASR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.53 vs 0.26), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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