3 Growth Stocks That Could Skyrocket in 2026 and Beyond | Colorful fool
Their recent weakness only increases their potential growth in the coming year.
Although 2025 isn’t technically over yet, most of what was supposed to happen, for or with stocks, has already happened. It’s time to start looking to 2026 after the proverbial slate is wiped clean by flipping the calendar.
With that background, here’s a closer look at three growth stocks that have underperformed recently, but could do much better next year thanks to catalysts or just the market realizing that these companies are doing things right.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Roblox
Most of the 30% pull back that Roblox (RBLX +1.12%) shares have suffered since their September peak and reflect concerns about slowing growth and declining profitability, which third-quarter numbers released in late October confirmed. While the 48% year-over-year revenue growth is numerically impressive, Roblox’s report warned, “Our operating margin could decrease slightly year-over-year due to a combination of higher DevEx rates and the impact of infrastructure and security investments catching up to rapid booking growth in the back half of 2025.”
For a company that not only remains in the red after years of operating, but also doesn’t seem to be making any real progress, even a subtle warning is too big to ignore. But the likely reality is that Roblox’s tipping point will come sooner rather than later. It could even happen as early as next year if it continues to grow as it has and is expected to going forward.
Today’s Change
(1.12%$1.07
Current price
$96.28
Key data points
Market capitalization
68 billion dollars
Daily range
$94.14 -$97.92
Range 52 weeks
$50.10 -$150.59
Volume
6.8 million
Avg. flight
7.5 million
Gross margin
25.41%
Dividend yield
ON
The key to this growth is what makes this video game platform unique. It’s not a video game per se. Rather, it’s a video game design platform that allows developers to build their own virtual game rooms and then monetize their work. This is why the platform’s user base continues to grow, where other online games end up facing headwinds of attrition – Roblox’s offerings are constantly renewed by the players themselves. This technological know-how is also used by brands that want to offer consumers their own immersive meta-versions.
Superficially nothing changes to how the platform works, to be clear, other than more robust age verification measures. However, there is a change that the players apparently cannot see. This is a successful implementation of artificial intelligence in and out of the game. This will slowly but surely allow Roblox to do more for less, which should be clear sometime next year. This is why most analysts still maintain that this ticker is a strong buy with a target price of $146.28, which is more than 50% above the current share price.
2. RocketLab
Relatively young (and relatively small and still losing) stocks Rocket Lab (RKLB 0.64%) remain easily pushed by headlines, good and bad. That’s why this stock has pulled back so much since the beginning of last month. In early November, the Orbital Launch Group announced that the first flight of a new, larger rocket expected this year had been pushed back to early next year. Disappointed investors expressed this disappointment in the form of stock dumping.
Today’s Change
(-0.64%$-0.32
Current price
$49.05
Key data points
Market capitalization
26 billion dollars
Daily range
$47.70 -$49.70
Range 52 weeks
$14.71 -$73.97
Volume
15 million
Avg. flight
22 million
Gross margin
28.93%
Dividend yield
ON
However, nothing has really changed on the missile’s readiness timeline. Rocket Labs will still enter the so-called medium-lift segment of orbital launches, which Global Market Insights believes will grow at an average annual rate of nearly 15% through 2034, now that technology has made both rocket and communications satellites more efficient for more companies. The only major change is the share price – it is now trading around 25% lower than it was before the decision.
That being said, know that Rocket Lab isn’t just about getting things into space. It manufactures much of the technology that resides on and in satellites, plus the communications solutions needed to operate them and the software to manage them. That business accounts for roughly two-thirds of its current revenue, and it won’t go away regardless of when the company finally launches its new mid-lift truck.
3. MercadoLibre
Finally add MercadoLibre (THEY SHOULD 3.42%) to your list of growth stocks that could rise in 2026 and beyond. It’s called thAmazon from Latin America, and for good reason.
Although the continent’s e-commerce industry is much more fragmented than in North America, MercadoLibre is still the market leader. Like Amazon, it has become so because it offers all-encompassing solutions such as logistics and payment processing. In fact, its fintech arm is almost as big as its business arm.
The parallels don’t end there either. Like Amazon in its infancy, MercadoLibre is very much in the right place at the right time. The rapid expansion of high-speed broadband and smartphones currently underway in South America is leading to the same degree of online shopping there as here. That’s why researcher Americas Market Intelligence believes the region’s e-commerce industry will grow 21% year-on-year this year, doubling in size between 2023 and 2027.
Today’s Change
(-3.42%$-73.14
Current price
$2066.42
Key data points
Market capitalization
105 billion dollars
Daily range
$2051.04 -$2163.00
Range 52 weeks
$1646.00 -$2645.22
Volume
669 thousand
Avg. flight
528 thousand
Gross margin
45.14%
Dividend yield
ON
All of this seemingly good news begs the question: Why is the stock down nearly 20% since mid-year? The answer is mostly due to an unexpected increase in spending and subsequent quarterly earnings losses associated with a free shipping promotion offered to Brazilian consumers around the same time. Investors just weren’t ready for it, and now that they see it, they’re not sure they like it, even though trading revenue improved 38% on a constant currency basis last quarter.
Just don’t lose sight of the bigger picture here. Amazon has spent a ridiculous amount of money on perks like free shipping, which has led to profit margins (if not regular losses) for a long, long time. Ultimately, this short-term frustration paid off for patient shareholders in the long run. More investors should connect these dots for MercadoLibre in the foreseeable future.