3 Kinds of Stocks Every Investor Must Own

When building a portfolio, it’s important to ensure that investors aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket. Find out how you can boost your portfolio.

When building a portfolio, it’s important to ensure that investors aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket. One way of doing that is by holding different types of stocks. By this, I mean building a portfolio that features blue-chip, income, and growth stocks. This strategy could give investors a lot of stability, while providing a bit of passive income and having that potential for tremendous growth over time.

In this article, I’ll discuss three stocks that every investor should consider owning.

Happy shoppers look at a cellphone.

Source: Getty Images

Choose this stock for its stable performance

I believe every stock portfolio should feature some blue-chip stocks. Generally, this term is used to describe an established company that leads its industry. These stocks tend to be popular among investors due to their stability. Compared to growth stocks, blue-chip stocks usually see less fluctuation, and their industry-leading positioning gives investors a bit of added confidence in these companies. With that said, Brookfield Asset Management (TSX:BAM.A) is the first stock that investors should consider adding to their portfolios.

With a portfolio consisting of more than $750 billion of assets under management, Brookfield is one of the largest alternative asset management firms in the world. Through its subsidiaries, it has exposure to the infrastructure, insurance, real estate, renewable utility, and private equity market. Led by a world class chief executive officer, Brookfield has managed to grow its portfolio at a compound annual growth rate of 26% over the past four years. That has been reflected in its stock, which has gained nearly 50% over that period.

A great dividend stock for passive income

Investors should also consider holding dividend stocks in their portfolio. This could provide you with a source of passive income, which will hopefully grow over time. Dividend stocks are also useful as a way of ensuring yourself of some sort of returns when stock markets take a dive. It’s for that reason that investors tend to buy dividend stocks heavily during market downturns. If you’re looking for a dividend stock to buy today, consider Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS).

What interests me about Bank of Nova Scotia is its long history of paying a dividend. This company has paid shareholders a portion of its earnings in each of the past 189 years. That means it has managed to pay dividends through the Great Depression, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic, among many other major global events. As an added bonus, Bank of Nova Scotia offers investors a very attractive forward dividend yield of 6.43%.

This growth stock should be in your portfolio

Finally, investors should ensure to hold growth stocks in their portfolios, even if it only accounts for a small proportion of the total holdings. Doing so could help you create larger returns over the long run. It’s important to note that although growth stocks can be lucrative, they do come with a lot of risk. This is because growth stocks tend to be younger companies, which are operating in highly competitive industries.

If I could only buy one Canadian growth stock today, it would be Shopify (TSX:SHOP). This company is a leader within the global e-commerce industry. It provides merchants of all sizes with a platform and many of the tools necessary to operate online stores. One of Shopify’s greatest selling points is its outstanding enterprise partnership network. Through that network, merchants can easily sell on Walmart, Meta Platforms, Spotify, YouTube, and many other platforms.

Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Fool contributor Jed Lloren has positions in BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, Shopify, and Spotify Technology. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. CL.A LV, Meta Platforms, Inc., Spotify Technology, and Walmart Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

More on Stocks for Beginners

investor looks at volatility chart
Tech Stocks

Prediction: The Dip in This TSX Stock Is a Buying Opportunity

Shopify’s big pullback could be a chance to buy a still-fast-growing platform while sentiment cools.

Read more »

Silver coins fall into a piggy bank.
Stocks for Beginners

The Simplest Way to Put $21,000 in a TFSA to Work in 2026

Just buy XEQT and call it a day.

Read more »

ETF is short for exchange traded fund, a popular investment choice for Canadians
Stocks for Beginners

2 Canadian ETFs I’d Lock Into a TFSA and Never Touch

Here's why these two top Canadian ETFs are so reliable that you can buy them in your TFSA and hold…

Read more »

man touches brain to show a good idea
Stocks for Beginners

The TSX Stocks I’d Use to Anchor a More Defensive 2026 Portfolio

If you don't like stock market volatility, these two defensive TSX stocks could be safe anchors to hold through the…

Read more »

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund
Stocks for Beginners

3 Canadian ETFs I’d Seriously Consider Adding to My Portfolio in 2026

The idea is to dollar-cost average into your selected core long-term ETFs over time to build long-term wealth.

Read more »

people ride a downhill dip on a roller coaster
Stocks for Beginners

The Smartest TSX Stock to Buy With $500 Right Now

A $500 bet on Cineplex lets you ride a Canadian brand’s recovery while the stock still reflects plenty of skepticism.

Read more »

oil pumps at sunset
Energy Stocks

Oil Is Back in Focus: 3 Canadian Stocks to Watch Now

Oil’s back in the spotlight, and these three TSX names offer a mix of producer upside and pipeline stability.

Read more »

man gives stopping gesture
Stocks for Beginners

A Year Later: 3 TSX Stocks That Proved the Doubters Wrong

Today, we'll look at these three rebounding names.

Read more »