When you are a beginner Canadian stock investor, it is a wise idea to start out with a diversified mix of stocks. It takes time to discover your investing preferences and style. You can only discover that through practice, experience, and experimentation.
A diversified portfolio helps you discover what works for you. The good news is, you don’t need a lot of cash to build a diversified portfolio. In fact, placing $4,000 across four stocks can provide ample diversification to a mix of sectors, geographies, and market categories.
If you are looking for ideas, here are four diverse Canadian stocks to buy in 2025.
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A top Canadian energy stock for dividends
Many new investors like to own dividend stocks. Dividends provide a stream of tangible cash income. If you own good dividend stocks, you can collect a nice dividend return even when the market dips. One great Canadian dividend stock is Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ).
Resources stocks are generally volatile and not recommended for new investors. However, Canadian Natural is an entirely different story. It has become Canada’s largest energy producer. With scale and operating prowess, it can produce energy at a low cost and high profitability.
It generates a tonne of cash that has steadily been returned to shareholders over decades. This stock yields 4.8% right now. It has a 25-year history of annually growing its dividend. That dividend growth shouldn’t stop any time soon.
A Canadian tech stock with plenty of growth ahead
Another stock Canadian investors should look at is Topicus.com (TSXV:TOI). This is not a household name in Canada because it operates entirely in Europe. It is a spin-off from the highly acclaimed compounder Constellation Software.
Despite having an $11 billion market cap, Topicus is still in the early stages of its software acquisition strategy. Not only is it a great acquirer, but it also has a strong software development segment. While Europe is its main market, it is making moves in Southeast Asia and South America.
It has already made some big acquisitions in 2025. It’s a strong bet for long-term, compounding growth.
A small cap with more upside
New investors are smart to own a couple of small-cap stocks (stocks between $100 million and $1 billion). These stocks can be more volatile, but they can also have considerable upside. Sangoma Technologies (TSX:STC) is one Canadian stock that could have wings in 2025.
After a few challenging years, the company is turning a corner. It has a new management team focused on cleaning up its balance sheet, improving profitability, and expanding its sales funnel.
The company yields a significant amount of cash. It trades at a wide discount to peers, so it could enjoy a nice uplift if it continues to execute.
A top North American railroad
On the flip side of small caps, it is also a good idea to have some large-cap exposure. Solid blue-chip companies can serve as safe anchors in a portfolio. With a market cap of $107 billion, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP) is an attractive stock.
CP has a rail network that spans North America. Not only has it been one of the most profitable railroads in 2024, but it is projecting mid-teens earnings-per-share growth in 2025.
The company has an efficient operating platform, a quickly improving balance sheet, a highly competitive network, and multiple levers for growth. It’s a solid, defensive Canadian stock ideal for a new investor’s portfolio today.
