MELI Dips 16% in 6 Months: Should Investors Hold or Fold the Stock?

Core Insights - MercadoLibre (MELI) shares have decreased by 15.6% over the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector and the Zacks Internet-Commerce industry's growth of 4.3% and 5.2% respectively [1][7] Performance Overview - The decline in MELI's performance is attributed to investor concerns regarding margin compression due to aggressive strategic investments, heightened competitive intensity, and macroeconomic volatility in Latin America [2] - MELI's operational strategy focuses on market share expansion over short-term profitability, leading to significant volume growth but pressuring margins in both commerce and fintech segments [4] - In Q3 2025, Brazil's free-shipping threshold reduction resulted in record items sold, yet operating margin fell to 9.8%, down 70 basis points year-over-year, as logistics and fulfillment costs increased faster than revenue [4] Financial Metrics - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q4 2025 revenues is projected at $8.45 billion, reflecting a 39.5% year-over-year increase, indicating continued top-line momentum despite constrained margins [4] - In Q3, MELI's Net Income Margin decreased to 5.7% from 7.5% the previous year, while Net Interest Margin After Losses remained at 21%, highlighting the impact of higher funding costs and expanding younger credit cohorts [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q4 total payment volume is expected to reach $81.67 billion, up 38.6% year-over-year, indicating ongoing activity but a larger credit base to manage [5] Competitive Landscape - The Latin American e-commerce and fintech markets are increasingly competitive, with major players like Amazon and Sea Limited intensifying price and delivery competition, forcing MELI to increase spending on logistics and incentives [6][8] - MELI's forward price-to-earnings multiple stands at 34.91x, significantly above the Zacks Industry average of 24.37x and the broader sector multiple of 24.95x, indicating high expectations for sustained revenue growth and margin recovery [9] User Growth and Monetization Potential - Despite margin pressures, MELI's investment strategy is successfully expanding its user base, with unique active buyers growing 26% year-over-year to 76.8 million and monthly active fintech users increasing 29% to 72.2 million [12] - The potential for monetization exists through cross-selling opportunities between commerce and fintech services, with the credit card business in Brazil showing signs of profitability as older cohorts mature [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share is projected at $40.27, reflecting expectations for modest earnings growth despite ongoing margin pressures [12] Conclusion - MELI's investment case presents a balance of margin pressures against user growth momentum, with an expanding user base offering long-term potential while near-term profitability remains uncertain [14]