One of the best ways to find a winning Canadian stock for the future is to find a stock that has won in the past. Companies that have demonstrated a track record of creating value for shareholders are likely to keep doing that in the future.
Look for Canadian stocks with strong balance sheets, long-term managers, great execution, a smart strategy, and high-quality products/services. Hold these winning companies for the long run and you can do exceptionally well. Here are three unstoppable Canadian stocks to keep holding for the next decade.
An industrial compounder with an excellent record
TerraVest Industries (TSX:TVK) is a mid-cap Canadian stock that has created life-changing value for shareholders. Its stock has earned an 836% total return in the past five years. While it has had very strong momentum, this $2.4 billion stock could still have more upside.
TerraVest acquires extremely mundane manufacturing and industrial businesses. These include specialized tanks, trailers, energy and water services, and boiler/HVAC companies. These are not exciting businesses.
The magic is in how TerraVest allocates capital, efficiently operates its businesses, and uses scale to maximize profits and cash flows. The company still has many targets it can acquire.
With a young, highly intelligent CEO and an invested executive team, this Canadian stock could still have many good years ahead.
A Canadian software stock stacked for growth
Descartes Systems Group (TSX:DSG) has been a steady compounder for a decade or more. Its stock is up 178% in the past five years and 846% in the past 10 years. This stock is by no means cheap after a 38% rise in 2024.
DSG trades with an enterprise value-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) ratio of 30 times. However, the company is well-positioned for the year ahead.
The global trade environment is about to be further disrupted by U.S. tariffs. That just means suppliers, shippers, and logistics providers are going to really need Descartes’ innovative routing, compliance, and networking solutions.
The company has done a great job of regularly growing earnings and cash flows by a mid-teens rate. This Canadian stock has a cash-rich balance sheet it can use to acquire market-expanding software companies. If this stock pulls back at all in 2025, it would be a good stock to add for a long-term hold.
A Canadian software stock operating globally
Another stock ready to charge forward is Topicus.com (TSXV:TOI). This tech stock is one of Canada’s hidden gems. Despite an $11 billion market cap, not many Canadians have heard of this company.
That is because it operates mainly in Europe. However, many Canadian investors will have heard of its parent company, Constellation Software. Topicus is completing a similar serial acquisition strategy of small, specialized software businesses.
What makes it unique is that Topicus also has a strong software development platform. It has supported mid-to-high single-digit organic growth. In 2025, the Topicus acquisition engine has been revving.
It has already made five acquisitions and one of those is a substantial software provider in Belgium. This Canadian stock is just getting going. With a strong balance sheet, an excellent management team, and a smart strategy, this is a promising stock for the decade ahead.