What I’d Buy Instead of Chasing the “Magnificent 7”

The Magnificent 7 used to feel like the market’s cheat code. Lately, it looks like a crowded door. Prices rose, expectations ballooned, and now investors want proof, not promises. When everyone owns the same handful of U.S. giants, even a small crack in the story can hit fast. So, should Canadians start looking elsewhere?

What happened

Over the last year, the Magnificent 7 wrestled with a tricky mix of success and scrutiny. It still delivered big profits and strong earnings growth, but the pace has started to cool as comparisons get tougher. Analysts expected the Magnificent 7 to grow Q4 earnings about 21.5%, yet that marks the slowest pace since 2023, even as the absolute dollar haul stays huge.

The market also started to focus on what it costs to stay on top. The biggest names keep pouring money into artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, chips, and power-hungry infrastructure, and investors are now asking when that spending will turn into cleaner margins. The recent slide was linked to mega-cap tech and fears that heavy AI spending will not pay back quickly enough, leading to sharp drops in market value across names like Microsoft and Amazon.

Then comes the policy noise. European regulators have kept pressure on the largest platforms, and the Digital Markets Act has already produced formal findings against Apple and Meta. Add U.S. election-year rhetoric and antitrust chatter, and you get another layer of uncertainty that can spook a crowded trade.

Consider CSU

If I wanted an alternative to chasing the Magnificent 7, I would look north to Constellation Software (TSX:CSU). It may not sell phones, ads, or cloud subscriptions to the masses. Instead, it buys small, sticky software businesses that run quietly in the background, often in narrow industries where customers hate switching. That strategy fits a choppy market because it does not rely on one blockbuster product cycle.

Constellation also keeps creating its own catalysts. It keeps buying, integrating, and improving vertical market software, and it funds that machine with cash flow rather than hype. In its third-quarter 2025 update, it said it completed acquisitions with $281 million in cash consideration, plus deferred payments that lift total consideration to about $415 million.

The earnings numbers back up the story. Constellation grew revenue 16% year over year to US$3 billion in Q3 2025. It grew net income attributable to common shareholders 28% to US$210 million, or US$9.89 per diluted share. Cash flows from operations rose 33% to US$685 million, and free cash flow (FCF) available to shareholders rose 46% to US$529 million. Those figures tell you it can keep investing while it still sends money back to shareholders through its quarterly dividend.

Looking ahead, the business case stays straightforward. Companies still need software that handles billing, scheduling, compliance, and operations, even when budgets tighten. Constellation can also benefit when founders of niche software firms want an exit and buyers with discipline show up. The main risk sits in valuation and execution. The market rarely gives this stock a cheap price, and higher interest rates can raise the hurdle for acquisitions. It also carries meaningful debt, which makes cash flow quality matter even more.

Bottom line

So, could Constellation replace the Magnificent 7 for other investors? It can, if you want compounding driven by acquisition discipline and unglamorous software demand. It might not if you crave splashy AI upside or you need a bargain multiple today. The Magnificent 7 can still win, but now asks investors to trust massive spending and constant regulation risk. Constellation asks you to trust a repeatable playbook, and in 2026, that may look smarter.

The post What I’d Buy Instead of Chasing the “Magnificent 7” appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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More reading

• A Top-Performing U.S. Stock That Canadian Investors Really Should Own
• 3 Red Flags That Could Trigger a CRA Audit on Your TFSA
• Missed Out on Nvidia? My Best AI Stocks to Buy and Hold
• If I Could Only Buy and Hold One Stock, This Would Be It
• Where Will Enbridge Stock Be in 3 Years?

Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe has positions in Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon, Apple, Constellation Software, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.