Core Viewpoint - The article discusses potential candidates for stock splits in 2026, highlighting companies with high share prices and strong financial performance that may consider splitting their stocks to enhance accessibility for retail investors [1]. Group 1: Potential Stock Split Candidates - **MercadoLibre (MELI)**: Currently trading at approximately $1,997, it is the highest-priced major growth stock without a split history. The company reported Q3 2025 revenue of $7.41 billion, a 39% year-over-year increase, with total payment volume up 41% to $71.2 billion. Its stock has appreciated 1,910% over the past decade, making it a strong candidate for a split [1]. - **AutoZone (AZO)**: Trading near $3,745, AutoZone has not split its stock in over 30 years. The company generated $6.24 billion in Q4 2025 revenue and repurchased 117,000 shares for $446.7 million. The stock has surged 390% over the past decade, and its high price may eventually lead to a reconsideration of its split policy [1]. - **Costco (COST)**: Currently trading near $988, Costco has not split its stock since 2000. The company reported Q1 FY2026 revenue of $67.31 billion, with comparable sales up 6.4%. The stock has climbed 681% over the past decade, suggesting that management may consider a split as it approaches four-digit territory [1]. - **Meta Platforms (META)**: Trading at around $645, Meta has never split its stock despite a market cap of $1.63 trillion. The company reported Q4 2025 revenue of $59.89 billion, a 23.78% year-over-year increase. With significant share buybacks and strong financial performance, Meta has the flexibility to execute a split [1]. - **Microsoft (MSFT)**: Trading at approximately $398, Microsoft has not split its stock since February 2003. The company reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of $81.27 billion, up 16.72% year-over-year. With a market cap of $2.96 trillion and a stock price increase of 759% over the past decade, Microsoft may consider a split as analyst targets suggest further upside [1]. Group 2: Characteristics of Split Candidates - The five companies mentioned share common characteristics that typically precede stock splits: elevated share prices that create accessibility barriers, strong financial performance supporting continued appreciation, and large market capitalizations providing operational flexibility [1]. - While stock splits do not alter the fundamental value of a company, they can broaden the investor base and improve trading liquidity, which may encourage management teams to consider splits as a means to maintain retail investor participation in their growth stories [1].

Group 1 - MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ:MELI) is recognized as one of billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller's top stock picks [1] - JPMorgan upgraded MercadoLibre from Neutral to Overweight on February 12, citing reduced competition, lower risk earnings projections, and strong growth in Brazil [1] - The firm noted that competition pressures have diminished as Shopee increased its take rates to levels similar to MercadoLibre's for higher-end items [1] Group 2 - JPMorgan no longer expects significant downside to market projections for 2026 and 2027 financial results, with estimates having been significantly reduced since mid-2025 due to competition concerns [3] - The firm projects continued growth in Brazil, MercadoLibre's largest market, with GMV expected to rise by over 30% in local currency during Q4, driven by clearer comparisons and increased app usage [4] - Revenue, operating profit, and earnings are anticipated to grow by 35%, 34%, and 41% in 2026, respectively, due to currency appreciation in Brazil and Mexico, margin improvements, and rapid credit growth [4] Group 3 - MercadoLibre operates an online commerce platform and related services across four geographical segments: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Other Countries [5]

Core Insights - TenCore Partners, LP increased its stake in MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) by 2,025 shares, valued at approximately $4.25 million, during Q4 2025 [2] - The value of MercadoLibre's position rose by $2.80 million at quarter-end due to both the purchase and market price movements [2] Company Overview - MercadoLibre is a leading technology company in Latin America, offering a comprehensive ecosystem of e-commerce and fintech solutions [6] - The company operates various platforms including Mercado Libre Marketplace, Mercado Pago, and Mercado Envios, generating revenue through online marketplace transactions, financial technology services, and logistics solutions [9] Financial Metrics - Revenue (TTM) stands at $26.19 billion, with a net income (TTM) of $2.08 billion [4] - As of February 9, 2026, MercadoLibre shares were priced at $2,035.59, reflecting a one-year price change of 2.0% [4][8] Investment Implications - The purchase of MercadoLibre stock represents 6.16% of TenCore Partners, LP's 13F reportable AUM, indicating a significant commitment to the company [8] - MercadoLibre has a history of leveraging economic and political challenges in Latin America to its advantage, particularly through its fintech and logistics arms [10]

If you have $2,000 available for investing that isn't needed for an emergency fund or to pay off monthly bills, there are several attractive stocks out there to take a closer look at. If you are looking at the consumer sector, these three stocks, in particular, are worth considering right now. Image source: Getty Images Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia ...

Wall Street analysts expect MercadoLibre (MELI) to post quarterly earnings of $11.77 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year decline of 6.7%. Revenues are expected to be $8.52 billion, up 40.5% from the year-ago quarter.Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted upward by 2.5% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.Prior to a company's earnings r ...

Core Insights - The podcast revisits a five-stock sampler from February 10, 2016, titled "Five Stocks to Feed the Bear," to evaluate performance over the past decade against the S&P 500, which returned 274.3% during that period [1][6][32] - The analysis includes lessons learned from the performance of these stocks, emphasizing the importance of long-term investing and the impact of market conditions on stock performance [3][34] Stock Performance Summary Stock 1: Carter's (Ticker: CRI) - Carter's stock price decreased from $85.04 to $38.07, resulting in a 55% decline, significantly underperforming the market [8][9] - The decline is attributed to a decreasing U.S. birth rate and challenges in the apparel retail sector, including increased costs due to tariffs and declining sales [8][9] Stock 2: IPG Photonics (Ticker: IPGP) - IPG Photonics' stock rose from $81.59 to $113.26, marking a 39% increase, but still lagging behind the market [12][13] - The company faced four consecutive years of declining revenue, which negatively impacted investor sentiment despite recent signs of recovery [12][13] Stock 3: Ellie Mae (Ticker: ELLI) - Ellie Mae was acquired for $99 per share in 2019, resulting in a 65% gain from the initial cost basis of $59.78, outperforming the market during its trading period [18][19] - The acquisition by Thoma Bravo and subsequent sale to Intercontinental Exchange highlighted the potential missed opportunities for early investors [19][20] Stock 4: Planet Fitness (Ticker: PLNT) - Planet Fitness' stock surged from $13.86 to $92.72, achieving a remarkable 569% increase, significantly outperforming the market [23][32] - The company demonstrated consistent revenue growth and resilience, even during the pandemic, which contributed to its strong performance [23][24] Stock 5: Mercado Libre - Mercado Libre's stock skyrocketed from $87.71 to $2,041.50, representing a staggering 2,227.6% increase, far exceeding the market return [26][32] - The company's growth was driven by its dominant position in the Latin American e-commerce market and the increasing shift of retail to online platforms [26][29] Overall Performance - The average return of the five stocks was 568.5%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 274.3% return over the same period [32] - The performance of Mercado Libre was pivotal in achieving this average, illustrating the power of a few high-performing stocks to drive overall portfolio success [31][32]

Core Insights - International stocks outperformed U.S. stocks in 2025 after a decade of U.S. dominance, driven by currency fluctuations and a changing geopolitical environment [1] - Three international stocks are highlighted as potential strong performers in 2026: Restaurant Brands, Alibaba, and MercadoLibre [1] Group 1: Restaurant Brands (QSR) - Restaurant Brands was formed from a merger between Tim Horton's and Burger King, and has since acquired Popeye's and Firehouse Subs [1] - The company has shown slight weakness in recent quarters but is expected to benefit from a trade-down trend in dining due to inflation, potentially increasing foot traffic and margins [1] - The stock is considered a defensive growth option, currently trading at a discount to historical levels despite year-over-year revenue and earnings growth [1] Group 2: Alibaba (BABA) - Alibaba is a leading global growth stock with significant potential, driven by its core e-commerce business and artificial intelligence initiatives [1] - The company reported an 8% year-over-year revenue growth, with over 20% growth in its international e-commerce segment, which is a high-margin area [1] - Free cash flow margins reached 20% due to cost discipline, indicating strong financial health and future growth prospects [1] Group 3: MercadoLibre (MELI) - MercadoLibre is a major e-commerce and fintech player in Latin and South America, providing exposure to approximately $1 trillion in GDP [1] - The company achieved 35% year-over-year growth in its e-commerce business, supported by a 40% growth in its Mercado Pago segment [1] - With around $5 billion in annual free cash flow and world-class margins of about 12%, MercadoLibre is viewed as a strong investment opportunity [1]

Core Insights - MercadoLibre is focusing on logistics and fintech in Latin America, achieving a 39% revenue growth and generating $2.2 billion in free cash flow, while Alibaba is investing heavily in AI and cloud infrastructure, resulting in a 5% revenue growth but a significant net income drop of 53% [1] Financial Performance - MercadoLibre reported Q3 2025 revenue of $7.41 billion, a 39% year-over-year increase, with total payment volume reaching $71.2 billion, up 41% [1] - Alibaba's Q2 2026 revenue was $34.81 billion, only a 5% increase, with a net income decline of 53% and free cash flow turning negative at $3.1 billion [1] Strategic Focus - MercadoLibre is expanding its logistics network and investing in free shipping and social commerce initiatives, while maintaining positive cash flow [1] - Alibaba is prioritizing AI infrastructure and quick commerce, framing its current profitability challenges as investments for future growth [1] Market Positioning - MercadoLibre holds a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 48.5 and a forward multiple of 29.6, indicating strong investor confidence in its market share growth potential [1] - Alibaba trades at 20.5x trailing earnings and 17.2x forward earnings, which appears cheap but is overshadowed by a 51.8% year-over-year earnings decline [1] Risk-Reward Profiles - MercadoLibre's strategy is seen as less risky due to its positive cash flow and growth potential in a less penetrated e-commerce market [1] - Alibaba's investment thesis hinges on the stabilization of China's regulatory environment and the success of its AI investments, presenting a higher risk profile [1]

Core Insights - MercadoLibre's logistics network is evolving from a cost burden to a driver of operating leverage, with improved shipping efficiency and reduced per-unit delivery costs in Brazil and record-low fulfillment costs in Mexico, indicating a shift towards profitability [1][10] Logistics Efficiency - Structural efficiency gains are being realized through robotics deployment and optimized warehouse workflows, which enhance productivity and lower long-term operating costs [2] - The logistics network successfully managed a 28% year-over-year increase in shipments in Q3 without service disruptions, showcasing improved capacity utilization typical of scaled platforms [2][10] Delivery Speed and Order Density - Faster delivery speeds, including greater penetration of same- and next-day shipping, are enhancing conversion rates and buyer engagement, which in turn increases order density [3] - Rising transaction volumes allow fixed logistics costs to be spread over a larger base, while companywide expenses become progressively diluted [3] Future Outlook - The logistics investments are entering a return phase, with previous margin pressures now generating structural efficiency gains; sustained order growth could establish the delivery network as a long-term competitive advantage [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects 2026 revenues of $37.27 billion, reflecting approximately 30% year-over-year growth [4] Competitive Landscape - MercadoLibre faces increasing competitive pressure in logistics from Sea Limited and JD.com, both of which are enhancing their logistics capabilities [5] - Sea Limited is building a localized delivery network with SPX Express, improving customer adoption and seller loyalty through fast and low-cost shipping [6] - JD.com is applying pressure with its fully integrated supply-chain network, offering reliable service and competitive pricing, thus emerging as a premium logistics competitor [7] Share Price and Valuation - MercadoLibre's shares have declined 15.9% over the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Internet-Commerce industry and the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector [8] - The current forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for MercadoLibre is 31.42X, which is higher than the industry average of 21.06X, indicating that shares may be overvalued [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is $59.48 per share, reflecting a 49.45% year-over-year increase [15]

Core Insights - The article highlights several hyper-growth tech stocks that have shown strong performance in recent years, suggesting they could be valuable additions to investment portfolios. Group 1: Nvidia - Nvidia has been a leader in the semiconductor industry, particularly benefiting from the AI boom, with significant investments from major tech companies in AI infrastructure [3] - The company is set to release a new chip, the Rubin, designed for AI inference processes, which is expected to enhance its competitive edge [5] - Nvidia's current forward P/E ratio is 24.3, significantly lower than its five-year average of 37.4, indicating an appealing valuation [6] Group 2: Palantir Technologies - Palantir specializes in AI-driven data mining and analytics, with a notable customer base including the U.S. government, and reported a 70% year-over-year revenue increase in its fourth quarter [7] - The company's "Rule of 40" metric has improved from 81% to 127%, indicating strong profitability relative to its revenue growth [9] - Despite its growth potential, Palantir faces challenges in expanding its workforce to capitalize on international opportunities, and its shares have seen a 20% decline year-to-date, making them more attractively priced [10] Group 3: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre is a leading e-commerce and fintech platform in Latin America, reporting a 39% year-over-year revenue growth and a net profit margin of 5.7% [11] - The company has 115 million unique buyers and 72 million monthly active users in its fintech services, marking its 27th consecutive quarter of revenue growth above 30% [11] - Concerns about competition from Sea Limited's Shopee in Brazil have impacted its stock performance, but the e-commerce market in Latin America is projected to grow faster than the global average [12] Group 4: Vanguard Information Technology ETF - The Vanguard Information Technology ETF includes major growth stocks like Microsoft, Apple, and Nvidia, providing a diversified investment option in the tech sector [14]