These are the top 6 retail and AI stock picks for 2026, according to a fund manager overseeing $1.2 billion

• Eric Clark of Accuvest Global Advisors is focused on tech and retail stocks as 2026 kicks off.
• The portfolio manager is particularly bullish on stocks that can offer investors exposure to both.
• Amazon and Mercado Libre are among the companies he sees as likely winners in the new year.

The prevailing sentiment on Wall Street is that the positive market momentum that defined 2025 will continue into 2026.

Eric Clark — CIO and portfolio manager at Accuvest Global Advisors, which oversees $1.2 billion — is specifically focused on retail and AI stocks heading into the new year.

His macro outlook on the two sectors centers around secular tailwinds, not just short-term catalysts. He favors both platform businesses that boast fast-expanding ecosystems, and undervalued growth stocks that believes will benefit from broader market trends on a multi-year basis.

Here are his firm's top retail and AI stock picks:

Amazon: +5% year-to-date
Mercado Libre: +18% year-to-date
These two e-commerce giants are Clark's two top picks for their sector, and he sees 30% upside for both. He compares Mercado Libre, a Brazilian business and tech leader leader to Amazon, noting its rapid expansion through Latin America and new financing capabilities, which he sees as a key strategic maneuver.

"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," Clark said.

ServiceNow: -27% year-to-date
This cloud computing and software stock has struggled this year, but Clark isn't worried. His firm thinks tech and AI usage will be a key 2026 market theme and that ServiceNow is the top stock to buy for it.

"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," Clark noted. "That's where NOW comes in as the connector between AI deployment and all the cloud and data providers."

He added that his firm is highly bullish on software stocks in general, naming Intuit as another likely winner.

Walmart: +24% year-to-date
TJX Companies: +28% year-to-date
Clark's firm remains bullish on both Walmart and TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshall's and HomeGoods. Both discount retailers enjoyed a strong trading year but he maintains that their growth isn't done.

"We still love Walmart and think they reach the $1T market cap club in 2026 and TJX continues to serve a growing demographic," he stated.

Warby Parker: -9% year-to-date
Clark sees this trendy eyewear maker as a likely winner primed for a comeback. He previously told Business Insider that if he could gift someone one stock at Christmas 2025, it would be Warby Parker.

"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," he said. "This stock over time is worth multiples higher than it is today if they execute well."

Clark also noted that he's bullish on fellow retailer Five Below, even after the stock's breakout year, marked by almost 80% gains.