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3 Sales Growth Picks to Bet on for Steady Returns in 2026
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Key Takeaways
MKSI, AEE and OGS are highlighted for robust 2026 sales growth and strong financial fundamentals.
MKSI expects 2026 sales growth of 6.9%, while AEE projects 7.2% and OGS forecasts a 5% increase.
These stocks also feature high cash flow, solid operating margins and favorable valuation metrics.
As 2026 begins, now is an ideal time to review your portfolio and fine-tune it for stronger returns. Several key themes from 2025 are still shaping markets — optimism around AI, the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook, geopolitical tensions and tariff-related risks. In this environment, interpreting market signals can be difficult for retail investors, making a disciplined, well-adjusted strategy more important than ever.
Hence, the traditional method of choosing stocks is a good idea. Sales growth provides a more reliable view for evaluating stocks compared with earnings-focused metrics. Stocks like MKS Inc. (MKSI - Free Report) , Ameren Corporation (AEE - Free Report) and ONE Gas, Inc. (OGS - Free Report) are worth betting on.
Sales growth is one of the clearest indicators of a company’s underlying momentum. Unlike earnings, which can be shaped by accounting decisions or short-term cost actions, revenues reflect actual demand for a firm’s products and services. When sales rise consistently, it often signals a strengthening market share, an expanding customer base, or successful entry into new markets. As a result, healthy revenue trends can serve as an early clue to potential earnings upside, improving operating leverage and sustained long-term value creation.
That said, sales performance is most useful when viewed in context, benchmarked against peers, industry trends and broader economic conditions. Durable growth typically supports more predictable cash flows, giving management greater flexibility to reinvest, pursue strategic initiatives and preserve balance sheet strength without leaning excessively on debt. Tracking these patterns can help investors identify companies with resilient competitive advantages and a long runway for expansion.
Selecting the Potential Winning Stocks
To shortlist stocks with impressive sales growth and a high cash balance, we have selected 5-Year Historical Sales Growth (%) greater than X-Industry and Cash Flow of more than $500 million as our main screening parameters.
But sales growth and cash strength are not the absolute criteria for selecting stocks. Hence, we have added other factors to arrive at a winning strategy.
P/S Ratio less than X-Industry: This metric determines the value placed on each dollar of a company’s revenues. The lower the ratio, the better it is for picking a stock since the investor is paying less for each unit of sales.
% Change F1 Sales Estimate Revisions (four weeks) greater than X-Industry: Estimate revisions, better than the industry, are often seen to trigger an increase in stock price.
Operating Margin (average last five years) greater than 5%: Operating margin measures how much every dollar of a company's sales translates into profits. A high ratio indicates that the company has good cost control and sales are increasing faster than costs — an optimal situation.
Return on Equity (ROE) greater than 5%: This metric will ensure that sales growth is translated into profits and the company is not hoarding cash. A high ROE means that the company is spending wisely and is, in all likelihood, profitable.
Andover, MA-based MKS is a global provider of instruments, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power and control critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes. MKSI reports results via three business segments: Vacuum and Analysis, Photonics Solutions and Materials Solutions.
MKSI’s expected sales growth rate for 2026 is 6.9%. MKS carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Ameren is a utility company that generates and distributes electricity and natural gas. AEE has four business segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas and Ameren Transmission.
Ameren’s expected sales growth rate for 2026 is 7.2%. AEE currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Based in Tulsa, OK, ONE Gas is a 100% regulated natural gas distribution utility. OGS provides natural gas distribution services in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
OGS’ sales are expected to rise 5% in 2026. ONE Gas carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
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3 Sales Growth Picks to Bet on for Steady Returns in 2026
Key Takeaways
As 2026 begins, now is an ideal time to review your portfolio and fine-tune it for stronger returns. Several key themes from 2025 are still shaping markets — optimism around AI, the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook, geopolitical tensions and tariff-related risks. In this environment, interpreting market signals can be difficult for retail investors, making a disciplined, well-adjusted strategy more important than ever.
Hence, the traditional method of choosing stocks is a good idea. Sales growth provides a more reliable view for evaluating stocks compared with earnings-focused metrics. Stocks like MKS Inc. (MKSI - Free Report) , Ameren Corporation (AEE - Free Report) and ONE Gas, Inc. (OGS - Free Report) are worth betting on.
Sales growth is one of the clearest indicators of a company’s underlying momentum. Unlike earnings, which can be shaped by accounting decisions or short-term cost actions, revenues reflect actual demand for a firm’s products and services. When sales rise consistently, it often signals a strengthening market share, an expanding customer base, or successful entry into new markets. As a result, healthy revenue trends can serve as an early clue to potential earnings upside, improving operating leverage and sustained long-term value creation.
That said, sales performance is most useful when viewed in context, benchmarked against peers, industry trends and broader economic conditions. Durable growth typically supports more predictable cash flows, giving management greater flexibility to reinvest, pursue strategic initiatives and preserve balance sheet strength without leaning excessively on debt. Tracking these patterns can help investors identify companies with resilient competitive advantages and a long runway for expansion.
Selecting the Potential Winning Stocks
To shortlist stocks with impressive sales growth and a high cash balance, we have selected 5-Year Historical Sales Growth (%) greater than X-Industry and Cash Flow of more than $500 million as our main screening parameters.
But sales growth and cash strength are not the absolute criteria for selecting stocks. Hence, we have added other factors to arrive at a winning strategy.
P/S Ratio less than X-Industry: This metric determines the value placed on each dollar of a company’s revenues. The lower the ratio, the better it is for picking a stock since the investor is paying less for each unit of sales.
% Change F1 Sales Estimate Revisions (four weeks) greater than X-Industry: Estimate revisions, better than the industry, are often seen to trigger an increase in stock price.
Operating Margin (average last five years) greater than 5%: Operating margin measures how much every dollar of a company's sales translates into profits. A high ratio indicates that the company has good cost control and sales are increasing faster than costs — an optimal situation.
Return on Equity (ROE) greater than 5%: This metric will ensure that sales growth is translated into profits and the company is not hoarding cash. A high ROE means that the company is spending wisely and is, in all likelihood, profitable.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform, irrespective of the market environment. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
3 Stocks With Robust Sales Growth to Buy
Andover, MA-based MKS is a global provider of instruments, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power and control critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes. MKSI reports results via three business segments: Vacuum and Analysis, Photonics Solutions and Materials Solutions.
MKSI’s expected sales growth rate for 2026 is 6.9%. MKS carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Ameren is a utility company that generates and distributes electricity and natural gas. AEE has four business segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas and Ameren Transmission.
Ameren’s expected sales growth rate for 2026 is 7.2%. AEE currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Based in Tulsa, OK, ONE Gas is a 100% regulated natural gas distribution utility. OGS provides natural gas distribution services in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
OGS’ sales are expected to rise 5% in 2026. ONE Gas carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.