Why These 2 Canadian Stocks Could Be Huge Winners This Year

Huge winners usually have two things going for them: a strong business trend and fresh numbers to back up the excitement. In this market, investors are watching companies tied to artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, critical metals, and precious metals.

Those themes still have momentum, but the best opportunities need more than a good story. They need revenue growth, improving earnings, and a clear path for more upside. These two stocks both fit that screen, though each comes with risks investors shouldn’t ignore.

CLS

Celestica (TSX:CLS) has turned into one of Canada’s most talked-about technology stocks, and for good reason. Celestica stock helps design, manufacture, and supply hardware for major customers across data centres, cloud computing, aerospace, defence, health tech, and industrial markets. Its biggest growth engine right now comes from AI infrastructure. As companies spend heavily on servers, networking equipment, and high-performance computing, Celestica stock has found itself in the right place at the right time.

The last year brought a sharp shift in how investors view the stock. Celestica stock no longer looks like a quiet manufacturing name, but a major AI infrastructure play. Its Connectivity and Cloud Solutions segment keeps driving growth, helped by demand from large cloud and data-centre customers. The company also won a program tied to a co-packaged optics Ethernet switch for a hyper-scaler customer, with production expected to ramp in 2027. That gives investors another reason to look beyond this year’s results.

Those results look impressive. In the first quarter of 2026, revenue jumped 53% year over year to US$4.05 billion, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose to US$2.16 from US$1.20. Adjusted operating margin hit 8%, a fresh milestone for the company. Celestica stock also raised its 2026 outlook to US$19 billion in revenue and US$10.15 in adjusted EPS. The catch? Valuation has already climbed. The stock recently traded around 51 times trailing earnings, so investors are paying up for growth. If AI spending slows, shares could pull back fast.

AYA

Aya Gold & Silver (TSX:AYA) gives investors a very different kind of upside. It’s a Canadian precious metals company focused on Morocco, with its key asset being the Zgounder silver mine. Silver has attracted more attention as investors look at both precious metal demand and industrial demand from solar, electronics, and electrification. Aya sits in a sweet spot because it offers silver exposure, production growth, and a developing project pipeline.

The last year changed the story in a big way. Aya completed the ramp-up of Zgounder, turning stronger production into record financial results. It also advanced Boumadine, a project with major long-term potential. The company’s 2025 preliminary economic assessment for Boumadine outlined a base-case post-tax net present value of US$1.5 billion and an internal rate of return of 47%. That’s the kind of project data that can keep growth investors interested, especially when silver prices stay firm.

The earnings show real progress. Full-year 2025 revenue reached US$202 million, up fivefold from 2024. Net income came in at US$46 million, or US$0.32 per diluted share, compared with a loss the year before. Operating cash flow hit US$72 million, while cash and equivalents reached US$136 million at year-end. The stock isn’t cheap, though. Investors are already pricing in a lot of growth at 54.7 times earnings. Aya still needs strong silver prices, smooth mine execution, and steady progress at Boumadine to justify that optimism.

Bottom line

In short, Celestica stock offers a direct way to invest in AI infrastructure growth, backed by surging revenue and stronger guidance. Aya offers silver exposure with improving earnings and a bigger development story. Both stocks could be huge winners this year if their trends keep moving in the right direction. But neither one is a bargain-bin pick. Investors should treat them as exciting growth stocks, not risk-free rides.

The post Why These 2 Canadian Stocks Could Be Huge Winners This Year appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

Should you invest $1,000 in Aya Gold & Silver right now?

Before you buy stock in Aya Gold & Silver, consider this:

The Motley Fool Canada team has identified what they believe are the top 10 TSX stocks for 2026… and Aya Gold & Silver wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 … if you invested $1,000 in the “eBay of Latin America” at the time of our recommendation, you’d have over $18,000!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor Canada’s total average return is 94%* – a market-crushing outperformance compared to 85%* for the S&P/TSX Composite Index. Don’t miss out on our top 10 stocks, available when you join our mailing list!

Get the 10 stocks instantly #start_btn6 { background: #0e6d04 none repeat scroll 0 0; color: #fff; font-size: 1.2em; font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-weight: 600; height: auto; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 30px 0; max-width: 350px; text-align: center; width: auto; box-shadow: 0 1px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), 0 1px 0 #fff inset, 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); border-radius: 5px; } #start_btn6 a { color: #fff; display: block; padding: 20px; padding-right:1em; padding-left:1em; } #start_btn6 a:hover { background: #FFE300 none repeat scroll 0 0; color: #000; } @media (max-width: 480px) { div#start_btn6 { font-size:1.1em; max-width: 320px;} } margin_bottom_5 { margin-bottom:5px; } margin_top_10 { margin-top:10px; }

* Returns as of April 20th, 2026

More reading

• This Stellar Canadian Stock Is Up 341% This Past Year and There’s More Growth Ahead
• The Canadian Companies at the Heart of the AI Infrastructure Buildout
• 1 Canadian Stock That Comes Close to Perfect as a Long-Term Hold
• 3 Canadian Growth Stocks Worth Adding to a TFSA This Year
• Revealed: Here’s the Only Canadian Stock I’d Refuse to Sell

Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celestica. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.