Don't Get Cute: Just Buy These 3 Canadian Stocks and Never Sell

2026-03-02 21:00:00 ET

Canadian investors looking past the short?term noise can still find a few durable compounders trading at reasonable valuations right now. With interest?rate uncertainty and softer consumer sentiment, the focus should be on companies with strong balance sheets, pricing power, and sustainable cash?flow profiles.

Here are three such Canadian stocks I think are worth buying in March and never selling.

Bank of Nova Scotia

Bank of Nova Scotia ( TSX:BNS ) looks like a compelling long?term hold in March 2026, thanks to improving profitability and a still?attractive dividend yield.

Scotiabank’s Q1 2026 net income jumped to about $2.3 billion, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations coming in around $1.73. These numbers were driven by broad?based growth across the lender’s Canadian Banking, International, and Wealth Management segments.

Impressively, Scotiabank’s trailing?12?month net profit margin has expanded to roughly 26.3%, reflecting better cost control and a higher mix of wealth and fee revenue. This is all the while the bank’s CET1 capital ratio sits near 13.3%, giving management room to keep investing and returning capital.

Trading around 13 times forward earnings with a dividend yield near 4.3%, Scotiabank’s management team has reaffirmed its $1.10 annual payout while hinting at steady EPS and revenue growth into 2028. That’s what makes Scotiabank a solid core holding for income?oriented investors with a multi?year horizon.

Alimentation Couche-Tard

Alimentation Couche?Tard ( TSX:ATD ) remains a powerful long?term growth story, combining everyday?traffic scale with disciplined international expansion.

The company now operates more than 17,200 locations across 29 countries under brands like Couche?Tard and Circle K, with fuel?related retail and in?store convenience driving steady cash flow. Analysts remain bullish on this stock, despite its recent decline. Indeed, I’m inclined to agree with that view, considering the company’s long-term compounding prowess.

Fundamentally, Couche-Tard’s business benefits from high?margin fuel margins, recurring customer visits, and a resilient snack?and?beverage basket. These fundamentals are supported by a debt?to?equity ratio that (while elevated at roughly 100%) sits within manageable levels for a capital?intensive retail?fuel operator.

For patient investors, that combination of scale, global footprint, and recurring demand makes Couche?Tard a core growth?and?cash?flow holding in a diversified Canadian portfolio.

Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial ( TSX:MFC ) stands out as a long?term winner in the world of insurance and wealth management companies.

Indeed, Manulife has become a steady compounder benefitting from both rising asset values and a pivot toward higher?margin fee income. The company reported trailing?12?month revenue of roughly $32 billion and net income of about $5.4 billion. These numbers were supported by day a hefty net profit margin around 16.9% and a manageable debt?to?equity ratio of roughly 43%.

The insurance giant’s management recently bumped the quarterly common dividend by 10.2%, reinforcing its commitment to shareholders while continuing to expand fee?based wealth and asset?management capabilities. These include the acquisition of Comvest Credit Partners to strengthen its private?markets platform.

That shift toward capital?light, recurring revenue streams should support stronger core EPS and return?on?equity trends over time, even as the broader life?insurance and investment business remains sensitive to interest?rate and equity?market swings. For Canadian investors willing to hold through volatility, Manulife offers a mix of capital appreciation potential, growing dividends, and diversified exposure across North America and Asia.

The post Don’t Get Cute: Just Buy These 3 Canadian Stocks and Never Sell appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada .

Fool contributor Chris MacDonald has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alimentation Couche-Tard. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of Nova Scotia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

2026