Picking Aussie stocks that could surge in the near term is never easy. Markets are influenced by countless factors, and even strong businesses can go through periods where their share prices move sideways.
However, from time to time, certain stocks appear well-positioned for the next phase of growth. Right now, I think a couple of ASX names stand out as having the potential to deliver strong gains in 2026 if things go their way.
Here are two Aussie stocks that I believe investors may want to keep on their watchlists.
Image source: Getty Images
NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)
When investors think about artificial intelligence (AI), most of the attention goes to chipmakers and software companies. But one of the biggest beneficiaries could actually be the infrastructure providers that power the entire ecosystem.
That's where NextDC fits in.
The company operates a growing network of high-performance data centres across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. These facilities provide the critical power, cooling, connectivity, and security needed to run cloud platforms, enterprise IT systems, and increasingly AI workloads.
What makes the investment case compelling right now is the scale of demand that appears to be building.
NextDC recently reported strong half-year results, with total revenue rising 13% to $231.8 million and underlying EBITDA increasing to $115.3 million.
More importantly, the company's contracted utilisation surged to 416.6MW, with a forward order book of 296.8MW expected to ramp into billing over FY26 to FY29.
In other words, a significant portion of future growth is already locked in.
Management also highlighted that strong demand from cloud providers, hyperscalers, and AI deployments is driving new capacity expansion and long-term customer commitments.
To me, this suggests the market may still be underestimating how large NextDC's earnings could become over the next several years. With long-term contracts, expanding infrastructure, and a large pipeline of demand, the company appears well-positioned to benefit from the continued build-out of the digital economy.
Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)
The story around Telix Pharmaceuticals over the past year has been far less smooth.
Despite building a strong position in the fast-growing radiopharmaceuticals market, the company has experienced a number of regulatory setbacks and delays. That has weighed on sentiment and, in my view, kept the share price from reflecting the underlying potential of the business.
But this is where things could start to change.
Telix already has a commercial product on the market and continues to expand its pipeline of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals targeting cancers such as prostate, kidney, and brain tumours.
The key issue over the past 12 months has largely been regulatory progress, particularly in the United States.
If the company can secure positive feedback or approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration for upcoming products or label expansions, the market's perception of the business could shift quickly.
That's why I see Telix as a potential re-rating candidate.
Healthcare companies often trade based on future pipeline value rather than current earnings alone. When a regulatory hurdle is cleared or a key trial result lands, sentiment can change very quickly.
With an expanding pipeline and a growing commercial footprint, Telix could be one of those companies that surprises investors if the regulatory outlook improves.
Foolish Takeaway
NextDC and Telix operate in very different industries, but both are tied to powerful long-term themes.
NextDC is helping build the infrastructure behind cloud computing and artificial intelligence, while Telix is developing next-generation cancer diagnostics and treatments.
Both businesses also have clear catalysts ahead. For NextDC, it is the conversion of its large contracted capacity pipeline into revenue and earnings. For Telix, it is progress with regulators and the continued expansion of its product portfolio.
If those catalysts fall into place, I think these two Aussie stocks could be well positioned to surge in 2026.
