Wall Street investment firm Accuvest Global Advisors has identified key AI and retail stocks positioned for significant growth in 2026, according to Eric Clark, the firm’s CIO and portfolio manager overseeing $1.2 billion in assets. Clark’s investment thesis centers on secular tailwinds driving both artificial intelligence adoption and e-commerce expansion, rather than short-term market catalysts.
Amazon and Mercado Libre emerge as top e-commerce picks, with Clark projecting 30% upside potential for both companies. Amazon has gained 5% year-to-date, while Mercado Libre has surged 18%. Clark highlights Mercado Libre’s rapid expansion throughout Latin America and its new financing capabilities as strategic advantages that mirror Amazon’s ecosystem approach. Both companies are benefiting from AI-enhanced shopping experiences that drive higher engagement and larger cart sizes through predictive purchasing algorithms.
ServiceNow stands out as Clark’s premier AI deployment stock for 2026, despite the cloud computing and software company’s 27% decline in 2025. Clark views this downturn as a buying opportunity, emphasizing that every company will need to deploy AI in some format and that comprehensive deployment requires expert assistance. ServiceNow serves as the critical connector between AI deployment and cloud/data providers, positioning it uniquely in the enterprise AI adoption wave.
In the retail sector, Walmart and TJX Companies (parent of TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and HomeGoods) remain strong picks despite already posting gains of 24% and 28% respectively. Clark predicts Walmart will join the exclusive $1 trillion market cap club in 2026, while TJX continues serving an expanding demographic seeking value.
Warby Parker emerges as Clark’s comeback stock, down 9% year-to-date but positioned for significant upside. The eyewear retailer’s partnership with Google for smart glasses—similar to Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban—represents a major AI-driven growth catalyst that Clark believes could drive the stock to multiples of its current value. Clark previously identified Warby Parker as his top gift stock for Christmas 2025.
The investment strategy emphasizes platform businesses with fast-expanding ecosystems and undervalued growth stocks positioned to benefit from multi-year trends in AI integration and digital commerce transformation.
Key Quotes
Structural tailwinds for online shopping and AI enhanced shopping are driving more engagement and higher cart sizes as these engines know more about your needs and start predicting your next purchases
Eric Clark, CIO of Accuvest Global Advisors, explains how AI algorithms are fundamentally transforming e-commerce by creating personalized, predictive shopping experiences that increase both customer engagement and purchase volumes—a key driver behind his bullish stance on Amazon and Mercado Libre.
We know every company will deploy AI in some format and that the more comprehensive the deployment, the better the results, but that’s complex, and companies need help to deploy properly. That’s where NOW comes in as the connector between AI deployment and all the cloud and data providers.
Clark articulates the investment thesis for ServiceNow, identifying a critical market opportunity in AI deployment complexity. This quote highlights why ServiceNow is positioned as the top AI stock pick despite its recent decline, as enterprises increasingly need sophisticated platforms to navigate AI integration.
Warby Parker partnered with Google for Google glasses like Meta and Ray-Ban, and this category has significant growth ahead that will pull shoppers into Warby stores. This stock over time is worth multiples higher than it is today if they execute well.
Clark reveals his most contrarian pick, explaining how Warby Parker’s strategic partnership with Google positions the eyewear company at the intersection of AI-powered wearable technology and retail, potentially creating exponential value if the smart glasses category achieves mainstream adoption.
Our Take
Clark’s investment framework reveals a sophisticated understanding of AI’s dual role as both a technology enabler and business transformer. The ServiceNow pick is particularly insightful—while many investors chase flashy AI model developers, Clark recognizes that enterprise AI deployment infrastructure may offer more reliable returns as companies struggle with implementation complexity. The retail selections demonstrate how AI is becoming embedded in consumer experiences, from predictive shopping algorithms to smart wearables. What’s notable is the multi-year perspective rather than chasing short-term AI hype. The Warby Parker-Google partnership represents a bet on AI-powered augmented reality becoming mainstream, similar to how Meta is positioning Ray-Ban smart glasses. This analysis suggests that AI winners in 2026 won’t just be pure-play AI companies, but established businesses successfully integrating AI to enhance their core value propositions.
Why This Matters
This investment analysis highlights the convergence of AI technology with traditional retail and enterprise software sectors, signaling how artificial intelligence is becoming a fundamental driver of business value across industries. The emphasis on AI-enhanced shopping experiences and enterprise AI deployment reflects the mainstream adoption phase of AI technology, moving beyond experimental use cases to core business operations.
ServiceNow’s positioning as an AI deployment facilitator addresses a critical market need: bridging the complexity gap between AI capabilities and practical implementation. As companies race to integrate AI, the demand for platforms that simplify deployment will likely accelerate, making this a key investment theme for 2026.
The retail picks demonstrate how AI is transforming consumer experiences through predictive algorithms and personalized shopping, while partnerships like Warby Parker-Google showcase AI’s expansion into wearable technology. For businesses and investors, this analysis underscores that AI integration is no longer optional but essential for competitive advantage, with significant market rewards awaiting companies that execute successfully on AI-driven strategies.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-retail-stocks-to-buy-2026-amzn-meli-wrby-wmt-2025-12