Head to Head

ALAB vs LASR: which is the better buy in 2026?

On Alexandria's Compass, Astera Labs, Inc. has the edge with a 94/100 score versus 90/100 for LASR. Here is how they stack up, factor by factor.

Astera Labs, Inc.

NASDAQ:ALAB

Edge
94/100 Compass
True NorthAccumulate$75.4B

The connectivity tax on every AI rack is real, but you're paying for three years of perfect execution at today's price.

Full ALAB analysis

nLIGHT, Inc.

NASDAQ:LASR

90/100 Compass
True NorthAccumulate$3.7B

Directed energy is finally graduating from PowerPoint to procurement, and LASR is the picks-and-shovels play with defense department fingerprints all over it.

Full LASR analysis

Factor by factor

FactorALABLASR
Revenue Growth9898
Profitability7427
Valuation1046
Momentum9067
Theme Purity7477
Moat5650
Catalysts7984
Market Position5550

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Frequently asked questions

Is ALAB or LASR the better buy in 2026?

By Compass Score, Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) edges it at 94/100 versus 90/100 for LASR. Both scores update weekly and reflect a contrarian, forward-looking read, not a recommendation.

How does Alexandria compare ALAB and LASR?

Each company is scored 1-100 on eight factors: revenue growth, profitability, valuation, momentum, theme purity, moat, catalysts, and market position. The Compass Score is the composite, and the comparison below shows where each name wins factor by factor.

Compass Scores are proprietary editorial research from publicly available data, not investment advice or a recommendation regarding any security. Rankings update weekly.