The TSX has been a bit of a rollercoaster this March. With geopolitical jitters in the Middle East and intermittent sell-offs cooling down some of last year’s hot performers, this could be the clearance event for long-term-oriented investors to get in on high-quality stocks to buy in 2026, at a discount.
If you are focused on building long-term wealth, you don’t need to time the bottom of the market. You just need to buy exceptional companies when they go on sale. With $1,000 ready to deploy, you have the chance to secure positions in Shopify (TSX: SHOP) stock and Dollarama (TSX: DOL) stock while short-term fear obscures their long-term value. Let’s break down why these TSX titans are screaming buys right now — and why waiting for the “all-clear” signal could mean missing the boat entirely
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Top stock to Buy: Dollarama stock in rare 9% flash sale
A surprise 9.8% drop in Dollarama stock after earnings on March 24 gives long-term investors a good entry point on the defensive stock right now. The flash sale happened despite a 13.1% annual sales growth rate and a 13.7% surge in earnings per share (EPS) during the past 12 months, because traders focused on a deceleration in comparable store sales.
Dollarama is one of the best defensive stocks to buy with $1,000 right now. The market overreacted to adverse weather events that slowed foot traffic last quarter, and the “slow” four-year build-up and transformation in Australia operating efficiency as the value retailer establishes itself in the new market, yet the fundamental thesis for holding DOL stock hasn’t changed.
Revenue growth is combining with earnings efficiency to drive DOL stock’s market value higher. Dollarama’s operating margins have expanded to 26.7% over the past three years, gross margins hold above 45%, and the company is expanding its business footprint, targeting 2,200 stores by 2034, up from 1,691 recently.
A growth-oriented Dollarama remains Canada’s undisputed discount king, providing a critical safety net for consumers in tough economic environments and good times alike. With a 13.4% dividend hike just announced — marking 15 years of consecutive dividend growth — this recent dip is a prime entry point at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28 for defensive-minded investors.
Shopify stock: The Canadian tech king
E-commerce platform vendor Shopify has had a volatile start to 2026, dropping nearly 26% year to date as investors balked at its “pricey” valuation in a turbulent market. But you still have to pay up for high-quality growth.
Shopify is championing agentic commerce as artificial intelligence (AI) rejuvenates its already robust offerings to merchants of all sizes, accelerating its revenue growth rate beyond 30% in 2025 while operating margins expanded to 12.7% during the past 12 months. Over the past decade, operating income growth has overtaken revenue growth since 2024. The company is making more profits per dollar of revenue than it used to a few years back. This makes SHOP stock more valuable.
SHOP Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts
Double-digit growth rates may linger as Shopify successfully onboards massive enterprise brands. More importantly, Shopify is becoming the infrastructure layer for AI-driven commerce, integrating checkout experiences directly into tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
New investors can scoop up Shopify stock as a 26% discount to its late 2025 prices. At a forward P/E of 71.2, shares remain pricey, but justifiably so as SHOP’s revenue growth rates look set to sustain above 20% annually into the foreseeable future.
Investor takeaway
A $1,000 investment today won’t just buy you a few shares of these industry leaders — it buys you a stake in the future of Canadian commerce.
Buying Dollarama stock secures a defensive fortress with a widening economic moat and growing dividends. By investing in Shopify stock, you capture the undisputed king of Canadian tech, currently trading at a 26% discount to its recent highs as it pivots to dominate the AI-driven commerce revolution.
In a decade, you likely won’t remember the geopolitical jitters of March 2026. What you will remember is the decision to act while others hesitated. The market rewards patience, but it rewards courage, backed by research, even more.
