It’s hard to find stocks worthy of holding onto for a few years, let alone for a lifetime. That said, I do think that there are strong candidates worth careful consideration, given their ability to pivot and keep on raising the growth bar over time.
Undoubtedly, with time-tested economic moats and the ability to keep breaking into new markets, I do find the following pair of names worthy of contemplation for investors seeking a permanent (or at least semi-permanent) mainstay for their TFSA or RRSP portfolios.
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CN Rail
CN Rail (TSX: CNR) shares have been red-hot this year, gaining just over 30% year-to-date. Of course, the huge upside surge was sharper than the drawn-out bear market that spanned much of 2024 and 2025.
And while the railway giant is facing resistance in the low-$180 range, I do think that the firm remains on the high track as macro headwinds lift and the firm looks to pad its margins. With a strong quarter in the books, with Q3 sales soaring 14% year over year, it feels like the CN Rail of old is back.
While the easiest of the recovery gains have already been made, my guess is that there’s still ample room to run. As the firm expands the network while relations between Canada and the U.S. look to improve (tariff tensions might finally ease), CN Rail might just have what it takes to break out to new heights.
With a long history of dividend hikes and a very smart repurchase program implemented at a time of relative undervaluation, I’d be tempted to hold the name for decades to come. The dividend sits at around 2.1% with a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 22.6 times. A fair price for a solid, growing dividend!
Apple
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock has been standing on firm ground as the AI trade wobbled in recent quarters. Indeed, Apple has become the safe stock to own amid growing AI anxieties.
With AI stocks on the ropes and fellow Mag Seven firms posting relatively weak results in the past year, it should come as no surprise that the narrative that “Apple is behind in AI” isn’t as loud as it once was.
As hyperscalers pour money into AI infrastructure, Apple continues to invest in a more cautious manner that investors can surely appreciate in an era where rates could fly higher. As Siri AI gets smarter and the firm looks to monetize the technology, it’s hard not to imagine Apple in the winner’s circle in this AI race as AI-related names continue to endure a painful correction. Apple doesn’t need to break the bank to make money from the technology.
With the firm adding the ability to buy “intelligence usage packs” in Creator Studio, questions linger as to whether it can do the same once its Siri agent is ready to go. Could more “intelligence packs” on other AI services be in the future? I’d argue it’s likely.
If a personalized agent hits the spot, my guess is that such an AI innovation could be the next big driver of services. Whether Apple chooses to nudge AI to power hardware sales or services growth, it’s clear that the company has more than one way to monetize a technology that it’s not breaking the bank to advance.
As the firm powers AI ROIs, my guess is that some very respectable dividend hikes and buybacks will be on the way.
