Retire Richer: 2 Canadian Stocks for a TFSA Built to Last

Do you want to supercharge your TFSA for decades, not days? These two shipment-powered Canadian stocks could help you compound through retirement.

Amy Legate-Wolfe

Author Bio Amy became interested in investing in 2018 after having her first daughter. After receiving a masters degree in journalism from Western University, she became frustrated that the finance industry remained a confusing place for Canadians like her: new parents, millennials, and other young people who needed to understand their finances. Now, Amy focuses on tech companies and renewable energy for growth opportunities, coupling that with long-term investing strategies and equities. She also provides investors with a daily newsletter, Canada Stock Digest, for daily market updates. Her work can also be found at Canada's National Observer, where she writes on the business side of climate action. Before joining Motley Fool Canada, Amy wrote for major news organizations including HuffPost, CTVNews.ca, and CBC. When she’s not researching investing strategies, Amy’s time is pretty much monopolized by her two wild daughters, but in what little spare time she has she loves to do yoga, go on walks with her dog, and travel with her husband. Social Media Follow Amy on LinkedIn and Canada Stock Digest. Favorite Investment Quote “October: This is one of the particularly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.” – Mark Twain

Published May 15, 9:30 am EDT

| More on: KXSTFII

Key Points

TFSAs shine when you hold quality businesses long term and let gains compound tax-free.
TFI International looks built for a freight rebound while still generating cash flow and paying a growing dividend.
Kinaxis is a high-margin, recurring-revenue supply-chain software grower that’s designed for steady long-term compounding.

Canadians planning for retirement might get a bit too focused on their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Certainly, you’ll want to use this for your savings. But the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is just as important. A TFSA works best when investors think in decades, not weeks. Plus, the account’s real magic comes from sheltering long-term gains, dividends, and compounding from taxes.

That’s why today we’re going to look at two Canadian stocks built to last not just until retirement, but far onto the other side.

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins — Source: Getty Images

TFII

TFI International (TSX:TFII) is one of North America’s major transportation and logistics companies. The Canadian stock operates across Canada, the United States, and Mexico through less-than-truckload, truckload, logistics, and package and courier businesses.

TFII stock’s last year was shaped by a soft freight market, acquisitions, and cost discipline. Management kept using the weaker cycle to buy assets and strengthen its portfolio — all while still supporting dividends and capital returns.

The first quarter of 2026 came in soft but stable. Q1 2026 revenue of US$1.95 billion, compared with US$1.96 billion a year earlier, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) at US$241.4 million. This was down from US$259.0 million last year. Yet even in a tough freight market, TFI generated US$123.7 million in free cash flow in one quarter.

Looking ahead for investors, there are a few items to note. The quarterly dividend rose 4%, now with a 1.4% yield. However, it trades at about 37.5 times earnings at writing, so not exactly a steal. Even so, management expects a major rebound in the second quarter, so if you’re looking for a rebound while collecting dividends, TFII stock could be an excellent choice for your long-term TFSA.

KXS

Speaking of the supply chain, Kinaxis (TSX:KXS) is another part to pay attention to. The Ottawa-based software company helps companies plan supply chains, manage demand, respond to disruptions, and make faster decisions. So, if TFI moves goods physically, Kinaxis stock helps companies figure out how to move them smarter.

The company had a record first quarter for 2026, with software as a service (SaaS) revenue rising 21%, and annual recurring revenue (ARR) climbed 20% to US$447 million. This record new business helped drive the stronger ARR growth. Total revenue rose 25% to US$165.6 million, adjusted EBITDA jumped 62% to US$53.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 32% from 25%. Furthermore, profit rose 85% to US$29.4 million, or US$1.04 per diluted share.

Now, we’re not talking about some undervalued stock going to the moon here. Kinaxis stock recently traded at about 34.4 times earnings, and there is no dividend to speak of. However, investors are paying for stability and growth over the long haul. With recurring revenue, high margins, and cash flow growth, it’s a solid long-term hold for any investor.

Bottom line

The TFSA works best when you hold for the long haul. When it comes to TFII stock and Kinaxis stock, these are two parts of the same story: shipments. Neither is some undervalued stock or high-yielder, but both could certainly suit a TFSA built for long-term compounding. So, if the goal is to retire richer, investors may want businesses that can grow through cycles, not just stocks that pay the biggest dividend today.