Long-term Foolish investing has always been one of the simplest yet most effective ways to build wealth. While everyday headlines related to emerging tech trends may tempt you into short-term trades, the real magic often lies in buying great businesses and holding on — for years, or even decades. The Toronto Stock Exchange has no shortage of fundamentally solid companies, but only some of them stand out as truly “buy-and-hold-forever” stocks.
Lately, I’ve noticed two TSX-listed stocks that are riding sector tailwinds in clean energy and semiconductor materials and posting strong financial results. When you’re thinking long term, these are exactly the kind of businesses that can deliver. Let me walk you through these two TSX stocks that could be ideal for a buy-and-hold approach today.
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Ballard Power stock
First up is Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLDP) — a company that’s spent years laying the foundation for growth, and it’s finally starting to see results. Based in Burnaby, this firm is known for its proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology used in buses, trains, and stationary power systems.
After years of weak performance, BLDP stock has seen a spectacular recovery lately, surging 143% over the last eight months. With this, the stock now trades at $3.94 per share with a market cap of around $1.2 billion.
A large part of the recent rebound in this TSX stock could mainly be attributed to its improved execution. In the third quarter this year, the company’s total revenue jumped 120% YoY (year over year) to US$32.5 million, powered by strong demand from its bus and rail customers. For the quarter, Ballard’s gross margin also turned positive at 15% compared to a negative 56% a year ago.
That turnaround is largely driven by the restructuring efforts, which helped it reduce operating expenses by 36% and lower cash burn. As a result, its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) also showed big progress, narrowing losses from US$60.1 million a year ago to US$31.2 million this quarter.
With over US$525 million in cash and no debt on the balance sheet, Ballard is well-capitalized to support its product rollout and ramp up long-term projects. As more governments and industries shift toward clean hydrogen and low-emission transport in the years to come, BLDP could become a solid long-term pick in the fuel cell sector for buy-and-hold investors.
5N Plus stock
Now, let’s take a look at 5N Plus (TSX: VNP), a TSX stock that’s delivering record-breaking results in a niche but fast-growing sector. To put it simply, this Montréal-based firm produces specialty semiconductors and advanced performance materials used in space, solar energy, and medical imaging.
VNP stock has been one of the top-performing TSX stocks this year — now trading at $19.89 per share with a market cap of about $1.77 billion, after surging 214% in the past year.
This rally is clearly backed by its strong financials. In the latest quarter ended in September 2025, 5N Plus delivered a 33% YoY jump in its revenue to US$104.9 million — the highest in 10 years. This top-line growth led to an outstanding 86% increase in its adjusted quarterly EBITDA to US$29.1 million, driven by strong demand in the renewable energy and space sectors, and better pricing in its bismuth-based product line.
Interestingly, 5N also has one of the healthiest balance sheets in its sector, with a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of just 0.74. That gives it the flexibility to keep expanding its operations while delivering value to long-term investors. With high-margin growth, rising demand across core sectors, and clear earnings momentum, this TSX stock could be a great buy-and-hold opportunity for long-term investors.
