BABA vs SE vs MELI vs JD

For growth investors, MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is the stronger pick with 39. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 9% for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA). JD. com, Inc. (JD) offers the better valuation at 7. 5x trailing P/E (1. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) a "Buy" — based on 59 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, JD.

com, Inc. (JD) is the cheapest at 7. 5x versus Sea Limited at 115. 7x. On forward P/E, JD. com, Inc. is actually cheaper at 1. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) delivered a total return of +18. 7%, compared to -65. 5% for Sea Limited (SE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1339% versus JD's +40. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), JD.

com, Inc. (JD) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 06β versus Sea Limited's 1. 45β — meaning SE is approximately 36% more volatile than JD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 169% for MercadoLibre, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is pulling ahead at 39. 1% versus 5. 9% for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sea Limited grew EPS 192. 0% year-over-year, compared to 4. 5% for MercadoLibre, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, MELI leads at 38. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the more profitable company, earning 13.

1% net margin versus 2. 6% for Sea Limited — meaning it keeps 13. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BABA leads at 14. 1% versus 3. 3% for JD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MELI leads at 44. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, JD.

com, Inc. (JD) trades at 1. 5x forward P/E versus 38. 6x for MercadoLibre, Inc. — 37. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SE: 74. 8% to $147. 67.

In this comparison, JD (2.

7% yield), BABA (1. 3% yield) pay a dividend. SE, MELI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 20), +1339% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MELI: +1339%, SE: +429. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BABA is a large-cap deep-value stock; SE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; MELI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; JD is a mid-cap deep-value stock. BABA, JD pay a dividend while SE, MELI do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.