On our latest episode of Ticker Take, we spoke with Matt Weinschenk of Stansberry Research about Alphabet’s rebound and how investors can look for similar redemption stories in 2026.
One of the pleasant surprises for investors this year came from a stock many believed was facing a more uncertain path.
Alphabet.
Google’s parent company turned into one of the stronger large cap performers of 2025 as confidence returned around its artificial intelligence strategy and its core advertising business continued to deliver steady growth.
On our latest episode of Ticker Take, I spoke with Matt Weinschenk of Stansberry Research about Alphabet’s rebound and how investors can look for similar redemption stories in 2026.
Alphabet’s comeback was not about one product launch. It was about execution. Google helped develop the transformer technology that powers modern AI, and its Gemini models have improved steadily over the past year.
Just as important, Alphabet has the business to support it. Advertising continues to generate massive 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 few companies can match.
That combination matters.
According to Weinschenk, the next AI winners will not be starting from scratch. They will already have strong balance sheets, large customer bases and platforms where AI can be added, not bolted on.
Using that framework, he highlighted three stocks to watch heading into 2026. This is not financial advice, but a look at how professional investors are thinking about the next phase.
Adobe (ADBE)
Adobe has lagged as investors worried that generative AI could replace creative software.
Weinschenk believes the opposite is happening. Adobe is building AI directly into tools professionals already use, helping them work faster and more efficiently. With a subscription model, recurring revenue and early signs of improving momentum, Adobe remains well positioned as AI becomes part of creative workflows.
Salesforce (CRM)
Salesforce sits at the center of customer data for thousands of businesses.
While some feared AI would reduce the need for large enterprise platforms, Weinschenk says complexity works in Salesforce’s favour. Businesses are more likely to add AI inside systems they already rely on than rebuild from scratch. That makes AI a potential growth driver, not a disruption.
Synopsys (SNPS)
Synopsys plays a critical role behind the scenes.
The company provides software used to design and test semiconductor chips. As demand grows for custom chips built for AI workloads, those tools become more valuable. Its acquisition of Ansys expands its reach into broader engineering and simulation, strengthening its long term position.
The Ticker Take
Alphabet’s strong year was a reminder that in AI, scale still matters. Capital matters. Distribution matters.
As investors look ahead to 2026, the next redemption stories may come from companies quietly integrating AI into products and platforms people already use.
Jon Erlichman is a BNN Bloomberg contributor and the host of Ticker Take on YouTube.