It can be tough to time the breakout moment for stocks that may be going sideways, lower, or a mix of the two. Either way, this piece will look into two reasonably-priced stocks that might be overdue for a wave of outperformance after experiencing more-recent volatility.
While technical analysis might point you in the direction of such breakout names as they look to make a move to break through a past ceiling of resistance, it’s the fundamental story and valuation that should have most investors‘ attention.
Either way, there’s no shame in playing the strong technicals, provided you’ve done the fundamental homework first. Without further ado, let’s get into the names that I’d look to have a moment in 2026.
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Aritzia
Aritzia (TSX: ATZ) has to be one of my favourite growth stocks with a market cap of less than $15 billion. After gaining 78% in the past year, shares still have ample long-term momentum intact.
Zooming in, and you’ll see shares have looked rather toppy so far this year, with a brief entry into bear market territory back in January. While shares are moving in both directions, I still think the women’s clothing retailer has its best days ahead of it as it looks to continue expanding in the U.S. market.
At home, the company is firing on all cylinders as well, and there’s still room to increase the footprint. With the firm recently moving into a massive 40,000 square-foot location in Vancouver, it will be interesting to see how the firm’s recent success translates as the firm tackles a much larger store.
While the new location won’t be the largest Aritzia (that title goes to a Chicago-based location), I think the larger-store model could be key to taking things to the next level, as Aritzia looks to become a retail experience, rather than a clothing store at the local mall.
Despite the growth profile, the valuation doesn’t leave much room for error. The stock already trades at more than 30 times forward price to earnings (P/E). And if you’re less encouraged by consumer spending trends, perhaps waiting for a pullback could be the better move.
Either way, Aritzia might just be able to take enough market share such that it can side-step a consumer-spending downturn. As a relatively small fish in a massive market, perhaps ATZ stock remains a great buy, even at today’s heights. Moving ahead, I expect another strong quarter with momentum in the U.S., and that might be enough to fuel a breakout to new highs.
Leon’s Furniture
Leon’s Furniture (TSX: LNF) has been consolidating for around three quarters now, with a slight bit of negative momentum. Of course, the Canadian furniture retailer, which sports a $1.9 billion market cap, has been standing tall in recent years, but with the potential for retail headwinds to weigh, investors seem mostly mixed on the name, especially as growth grinds to a bit of a slowdown.
Either way, Leon’s is a dominant force in furnishings, and with bets to improve upon behind-the-scenes efficiencies, I think the firm looks well-equipped for the next upcycle. For now, the housing market could stay on ice for a while longer. But for the patient, there’s a 3.5% dividend yield to collect. Perhaps the main attraction to LNF stock has to be the modest 10.9 times trailing P/E multiple. In short, Leon’s has one of the cheapest, durable dividends around!
