One of the pleasant surprises for investors this year came from stocks that many believed faced a more uncertain path.
alphabet.
Google's parent company was one of the best-performing large-cap companies in 2025 as confidence in its artificial intelligence strategy returned and its core advertising business continued steady growth.
On the latest episode of Ticker Take, I spoke to Matt Weinschenk of Stansberry Research about Alphabet's recovery and how investors can look for a similar redemption story in 2026.
Alphabet's resurgence wasn't about a single product launch. It was about execution. Google helped develop the transformer technology that powers modern AI, and its Gemini model has steadily improved over the past year.
Just as importantly, Alphabet has the business to support it. Advertising continues to generate significant cash flow, allowing the company to invest heavily in AI. Its products reach billions of users across Search, YouTube, Android, Maps, and Gmail, giving Alphabet a distribution advantage that few companies can match.
The combination is important.
The next AI winner won't start from scratch, Weinschenk said. They will already have strong balance sheets, large customer bases, and platforms that allow them to add AI rather than bolt-on it.
Using that framework, he highlighted three stocks to watch heading into 2026. This is not financial advice, but rather a look at how professional investors think about next steps.
Adobe (ADBE)
Adobe is lagging behind as investors worry that generative AI could replace creative software.
Weinschenk believes the opposite is happening. Adobe is building AI directly into the tools professionals already use, helping them work faster and more efficiently. With its subscription model, recurring revenue, and early signs of increasing momentum, Adobe remains well-positioned as AI becomes part of creative workflows.
Salesforce (CRM)
Salesforce is at the center of customer data for thousands of companies.
While some feared that AI would reduce the need for large enterprise platforms, Weinschenk says complexity works in Salesforce's favor. Companies are more likely to add AI within the systems they already rely on, rather than rebuilding from scratch. As such, AI is not a disruptive force, but a potential driver of growth.
Synopsis (SNPS)
Synopsis plays an important role behind the scenes.
The company provides software used to design and test semiconductor chips. As demand for custom chips built for AI workloads increases, those tools will become even more valuable. The acquisition of Ansys expands the company's scope into broader engineering and simulation and strengthens its long-term position.
ticker take
Alphabet's strong year was a reminder that scale still matters in AI. Capital matters. Distribution is important.
As investors look ahead to 2026, the next redemption story may come from companies that are quietly integrating AI into the products and platforms people already use.
John Erlichman is a BNN Bloomberg contributor and Host of Ticker Take on YouTube.
