Every new investing year comes with noise.
2026 is no different.
But beneath the predictions and headlines, something quieter is happening.
Earnings are stabilising.
Balance sheets are cleaner.
The five stocks in this list do the hard things well: generating cash, absorbing volatility, and returning capital to shareholders.
China Sunsine Chemical Holdings (SGX: QES) — Cash-Rich, Quietly Compounding
China Sunsine is heading into 2026 in better shape than its top-line numbers let on.
In the first half of 2025 (1H2025), revenue dipped 3% year on year (YoY) to RMB1.69 billion, mostly because of strong competition dragging down average selling prices.
But sales volume jumped 4%, setting a new half-year record, and pushed net profit up 29% to RMB242.7 million.
Gross margin slipped just 0.2 percentage points to 24.6%.
As of 30 June 2025, China Sunsine had zero debt and S$0.42 net cash per share.
For 1H2025, the company declared an interim dividend of S$0.005 per share.
At S$0.81 per share on 15 January 2026, China Sunsine trades at about 9 times trailing earnings.
Several expansion projects are set to move out of trial and into full commercial production by early 2026.
For investors with an eye on strong balance sheets and earnings that can weather a tougher environment, China Sunsine would be a solid small-cap to own.
Q & M Dental Group (Singapore) Limited (SGX: QC7) — Defensive Demand, Near-Term Noise
Q & M Dental’s 1H2025 numbers might not look promising at first glance, with headline net profit diving 60% to S$3.9 million.
However, this was almost entirely due to one-off, non-cash accounting adjustments and the group’s strategic exit from its medical laboratory business.
The underlying reality is far more robust: the core dental business grew 4% YoY, and when stripping out one-off items, adjusted profit actually rose 5% to S$8.3 million.
More impressively, the group’s operating cash flow hit S$15 million, and cash and equivalents surged 37% to S$47.1 million, providing a significant war chest for 2026.
Trading at S$0.53 with a steady 2.1% yield and a vastly improved balance sheet, Q&M offers a resilient, cash-rich entry point into the healthcare sector.
Nordic Group Limited (SGX: MR7) – Steady Dividend Payer with Work Locked In
Nordic Group gave a strong performance in 1H2025.
Revenue jumped 11% YoY to S$84.8 million, thanks to a 24% surge in Project Services, with strong contributions from projects in Singapore and China.
Operating profit after tax climbed 14% to S$10.3 million, but net profit dipped 3% to S$8.3 million, largely due to foreign exchange losses of S$1.4 million.
The board declared an interim dividend of S$0.0083 per share, matching payouts with the company’s earnings.
With a share price at S$0.43 on 15 Jan 2026, that works out to an annualised yield of about 3.8%.
By end-June 2025, its order book hit S$184.9 million, after landing S$48.7 million in new contracts in 1H2025.
In December, the group secured another S$70.3 million in contracts.
For investors looking ahead to 2026 who care more about steady results than hype, Nordic quietly earns its spot.
Pan-United Corporation Ltd (SGX: P52) – A Low-Carbon Concrete Supplier Riding Singapore’s Build Cycle
Pan-United had a solid 1H2025.
Revenue hit S$401.1 million, up 4% from a year ago, while net profit for shareholders jumped 11% to S$20.6 million.
Earnings per share came in at S$0.0295, beating last year’s S$0.0266.
The board lifted the interim dividend to S$0.01 per share, up from S$0.007 a year ago.
With shares at S$1.19 on 15 Jan 2026, that puts the trailing yield near 2.8%.
At end-June 2025, Pan-United sat on nearly S$83 million in cash and equivalents, with borrowings sitting at approximately S$13.2 million.
On the business front, Pan-United landed S$430 million worth of contracts for Changi Airport Terminal 5 over the next five years.
The concrete supplier shows rising profits, a growing dividend, and might give what income investors need going in 2026.
The Straits Trading Company Limited (SGX: S20) – Asset-backed with Steady Dividends
Straits Trading Company (STC) sits on a diversified portfolio spanning resources, hospitality, and property, anchored by its controlling stake in Malaysia Smelting Corporation and its interest in Far East Hospitality.
The group reported a headline loss of S$20.4 million in 1H2025, driven by ESR Group’s delisting in mid-2025.
While this might deter surface-level investors, it masks a transformative year of capital recycling.
The privatization of ESR injected roughly S$360 million in cash into the group, allowing STC to aggressively de-leverage.
At S$1.71 as of 15 January 2026, the company offers a trailing dividend yield of about 4.7%, backed by recurring dividends of S$0.08 per share in the past three years.
For investors heading into 2026 looking for steady income, asset backing, and quiet compounding, this is the kind of stock that earns its place.
Get Smart: Position Before Results Hit the Headlines
Smart investing in 2026 is about recognising strength before it becomes fashionable — cash before growth, execution before narratives, dividends before reratings.
The companies highlighted here share a common thread.
They are already generating profits, paying dividends, and putting capital to work with restraint.
This could be the fastest way to jump from a “newbie” investor to a seasoned pro. Our beginner’s guide shows everything you need to know to buy your first stock and beyond. Click here to download it for free today.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses!
Disclosure: Joseph G. does not own any of the shares mentioned.
