While it might take a little bit of research and a shift in perspective to see where markets are heading, some investment opportunities become clearer once you zoom out. As we approach 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond experiments and into large-scale deployment in various sectors ranging from finance and healthcare to natural resources and logistics. And that transition requires infrastructure spending on things like servers, storage systems, and networking gear.
Canadian investors looking ahead to 2026 may want to pay close attention to this change. In this article, I’ll explain how AI infrastructure is becoming a powerful investment trend and why Celestica (TSX: CLS) is emerging as one of the most interesting stocks tied to that rapid growth.
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Why AI infrastructure spending is accelerating
To understand why this AI infrastructure trend matters to long-term investors, let’s first look at what large AI systems actually need to operate at scale. In general, training and running advanced AI models require huge compute power, fast networking, and reliable storage. This is one of the key reasons why many global tech giants are willing to spend billions on data centre hardware.
In late October 2025, Celestica highlighted that global data centre IT capital spending is expected to surpass US$1 trillion by 2028. Much of that growth is tied to AI workloads, which demand higher bandwidth networking and more advanced system-level designs. As AI deployments expand, infrastructure developers who can deliver complete platform solutions are becoming increasingly valuable. And this trend is likely to accelerate further in 2026.
A closer look at Celestica’s business
This is exactly where Celestica fits into the picture. If you’re not already familiar with it, this Toronto-headquartered firm mainly designs and manufactures hardware platforms and provides supply chain solutions for data centres and advanced technology markets. Its business is split between connectivity and cloud solutions (CCS) and advanced technology solutions (ATS) segments.
Celestica shares recently traded at $415.77 per share, giving it a market cap of about $47.8 billion. Despite some short-term volatility, CLS stock has climbed more than 196% over the last year.
The company’s CCS segment plays an important role in AI infrastructure. It includes servers, storage platforms, and high-bandwidth networking equipment used in data centres. In the third quarter of 2025, this segment’s revenue surged 43% YoY (year-over-year) to US$2.4 billion due mainly to strong demand from communications and enterprise customers.
Financial trends reflect long-term growth potential
Over the trailing 12 months, Celestica posted revenue growth of about 22% and adjusted earnings growth of nearly 48%. Similarly, its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) rose more than 31% over the same period.
Recently, the company raised its full-year outlook for 2025 to US$12.2 billion in revenue and US$5.90 per share in adjusted earnings. Looking ahead to 2026, Celestica expects its revenue to reach US$16 billion and adjusted earnings to climb to US$8.20 per share. This solid outlook is mainly supported by continued AI data centre investments from the company’s largest customers.
Readying for the AI-driven future
Meanwhile, Celestica is also investing to stay ahead of technical demands. In November 2025, the company introduced the SD6300 ultra-dense storage platform, designed specifically for AI data ingest and archiving workloads. This product highlights how the company is addressing real infrastructure challenges related to AI growth.
With its expanding exposure to hyperscalers, growing market share in high-bandwidth networking, and a clear roadmap closely tied to AI infrastructure, Celestica could continue to benefit as this megatrend continues into 2026 and beyond.
