Throughout 2025, Midas has discovered both emerging companies brimming with potential and established giants that seem undervalued.

We’ve celebrated several successes, ranging from mining ventures to UK-based tech firms. In certain instances, those who heeded our advice could have seen their investments double or even more.

While not all our selections have risen this year, many have shown promise. As investing is a long-term endeavor, some choices may still prove fruitful. Let’s explore our most significant triumphs of 2025 and highlight where we see opportunities for the coming year.

Shining metals

2025 witnessed a stellar performance from silver and gold markets globally, making our mining and precious metals selections particularly rewarding.

In March, we highlighted gold miner Pan African Resources, then trading at 38p, thanks to a savvy acquisition in Australia.

Investors who placed £1,000 in this stock at the time would now see their investment grow to over £3,100. Valterra Platinum also emerged as a notable success.

The South African platinum business was spun off from mining giant Anglo American in June, and has benefited from soaring prices for the metal, which is used in catalytic converters.

A slower than expected shift from petrol to electric cars has also helped. Now at £65, tipped at £29.72, buyers have made nearly £1,190 of profit on £1,000 of shares.

In a year when silver and gold were standout performers across the globe, some of our best tips were in mining and precious metals

Terrific tech

We are all concerned by the US AI bubble, but it’s a tech business closer to home that’s shot the lights out for Midas.

Aurrigo International, from Coventry, makes self-driving vehicles that are far less controversial than those being trialled by Musk et al, because they simply drive baggage around airports.

Auto-Dolly Tugs may not sound as exciting as a Waymo or a Tesla, but they’ve certainly accelerated the wealth of Midas readers who invested when they were tipped at 47p in April. Readers who put in £1,000 have made around £600 of profit.

Shareholders who bought into Ceres Power on our recommendation in July are also celebrating. 

The fuel cell business’s shares were languishing after Bosch pulled out of a deal, but Midas reckoned the shares were still too cheap at £1.01 given the potential for green fuel technology to power data centres. Shares are now at £2.25.

Traditional businesses

Midas did well out of ratcatchers Rentokil, tipped in July as a possible beneficiary from a warming world as we deal with new pests both domestic and agricultural. The shares, then at £3.51, are now at £4.42.

Engineers at Weir Group were also winners. The firm, founded in 1871, originally provided industrial solutions for oil and gas but has switched its focus to mining, slurry pumps and industrial recycling equipment.

Midas tipped the shares at £21.48; they’re now at £28.52.

UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is seen as having exciting prospects, thanks to a strong portfoilo of new drugs

What 2026 will bring…

Picking winners for the uncertain year ahead is a tricky task. Many analysts are optimistic for the UK stock market, believing it is still undervalued even after a strong run this year.

The difficulty for stock pickers is working out which companies and sectors will benefit most if the FTSE continues to outperform. 

There are certainly plenty of issues weighing on the economy, from higher wages hampering business to growing unemployment and the expectation that interest rates will fall only gradually in the coming months. Despite all of this, here are some of our picks for 2026.

AstraZeneca

One of Britain’s two drug giants, AstraZeneca is seen as the one with the most exciting prospects for 2026 and beyond, thanks to a stronger pipeline of new drugs than rival GSK.

Analysts at JP Morgan reckon it has one of the strongest portfolios of emerging drugs in the sector worldwide, including for breast and lung cancer, heart failure and asthma.

As the world’s focus hopefully shifts away from US President Donald Trump’s demands over drug pricing and towards excitement over new cures and treatments, companies that can pump out good news on this front should thrive in 2026, the bank believes.

The company is also entering the weight loss market with a possible pill after a deal with Eccogene. The potential for treating obesity without injections is a tantalising one and AstraZeneca could well benefit from a piece of this action.

AZ trades on about 18 times future earnings, which means that investors are willing to pay £18 for every £1 of the company’s expected future earnings per share over the next 12 months. 

This makes AstraZeneca more expensive than rival GSK, but that reflects the expected good news to come out of the stock.

It yields almost 2 per cent, thanks to its dividend income for investors.

The cyber attack on M&S earlier this year cost the company billions… but before then it had been flying high, so 2026 could see a recovery for the high street stalwart

Marks & Spencer

The retail giant had an annus horribilis in 2025, with a cyber attack costing it almost every penny of profit for the first half as online sales were knocked out and supply chains disrupted. 

But it has struggled to its feet and, after a year when its shares lost 15 per cent of their value, it is hoping the only way is up. Before the attack, it had been flying high, with fashionistas excited about its styles.

In its absence, Next forged ahead. Next trades on around 17 times forward earnings while M&S trades on just 12 to 13 times. 

If M&S can prove that it can push ahead in a similar way to its rival, 2026 could see a recovery that closes that gap, despite weak consumer confidence in the UK. Buy.

This year is a good time to snap up stock in Bunzl for the long term

Bunzl

Down 36 per cent this year, boring Bunzl has been a bit too exciting for most of its investors of late. 

Bunzl provides the things we need but rarely think about – rubber gloves, paper cups, food wrapping – for a huge number of sectors.

Its strategy has always been to grow by acquisition, but investors have been worrying that it has bitten off too much recently, leading to it being the second-worst performer in the FTSE-100 this year after advertising giant WPP, which has now fallen out of the index.

Investors worry about falling margins and a bleaker outlook from boss Frank van Zanten in its last trading update.

However, Bunzl is still expected to meet its profit guidance for April, and most of its customers – including the NHS – are not expected to stop needing its goods. 

The shares now trade on 14 times forward earnings, where they’ve recently been nearer 16 times. This weakness makes 2026 a good time to snap up the stock for the long term.

Have you made money from Midas tips? Let us know: money@mailonsunday.co.uk

DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS

AJ Bell

AJ Bell

Easy investing and ready-made portfolios

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

Free fund dealing and investment ideas

interactive investor

interactive investor

Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month

Freetrade

Freetrade

Investing Isa now free on basic plan

Trading 212

Trading 212

Free share dealing and no account fee

Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.

Compare the best investing account for you