Despite easing geopolitical concerns following progress on the U.S.-Iran peace deal, Canadian equity markets have remained under pressure in recent trading sessions due to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance on interest rates.
Nevertheless, market volatility can create attractive buying opportunities, and I believe the following two Canadian stocks stand out thanks to their strong business fundamentals, solid financial performance, and promising long-term growth prospects.
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Dollarama
Dollarama (TSX:DOL) recently reported strong fiscal 2027 first-quarter performance, with revenue rising 21.4% year over year to $1.9 billion. Sales growth was driven by the addition of 81 net new stores in Canada over the last four quarters, a healthy same-store sales increase of 5.6%, and contributions from its acquisition of The Reject Shop in Australia. However, the inclusion of the lower-margin Australian operations weighed on profitability, with gross margin declining 30 basis points to 43.9%. Meanwhile, SG&A (general, administrative, and store) expenses as a percentage of revenue rose 120 basis points to 16.5%, reflecting higher operating costs associated with the Australian business.
Supported by strong revenue growth, Dollarama’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) increased 17.4% year over year. However, higher operating expenses led to a 100-basis-point decline in its EBITDA margin to 31.6%. Meanwhile, the company’s share of earnings from its 60.1% stake in Dollarcity rose 27.1% to $51.2 million, driven by robust same-store sales growth and the addition of 108 net new stores over the past four quarters. Backed by these solid contributions, Dollarama’s net income increased 10.4% to $302.3 million, while its diluted earnings per share climbed 13.3% to $1.11.
Looking ahead, Dollarama remains focused on expansion, targeting 2,200 stores in Canada by fiscal 2034 and 700 stores in Australia. Combined with Dollarcity’s plan to reach 1,050 stores by 2031, these growth initiatives should support continued revenue and earnings growth. Given its strong execution, scalable business model, and attractive long-term growth opportunities, Dollarama appears well-positioned to deliver solid returns despite an uncertain economic environment.
Celestica
Celestica (TSX:CLS) is another stock that I am bullish on. Over the last three years, the company has delivered exceptional returns, with its share price surging by approximately 4,950%. This remarkable performance has been driven by strong financial growth and its increasing exposure to the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) market.
The growing adoption of AI by enterprises, governments, and consumers has fueled demand for computing power, prompting hyperscalers and cloud service providers to invest heavily in data centre infrastructure. As a key supplier of networking and hardware solutions, Celestica is well-positioned to benefit from this long-term trend. The company is also developing innovative products and expanding its manufacturing capabilities, including a new facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to support the fast-growing data centre market and other high-value technology segments.
Looking ahead, management expects revenue and adjusted earnings per share to grow by 53.3% and 67.8%, respectively, in 2026, while operating margin could expand by 60 basis points to 8.1%. Supported by its strong execution, robust financial outlook, and exposure to secular growth trends in AI and cloud infrastructure, Celestica appears well-positioned to continue creating shareholder value, making it an attractive stock to buy today.
