Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) vs Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) vs Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) vs PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) vs MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PDD | 59.0% revenue growth vs CPNG's -72.8% |
| Value | PDD | Lower P/E (1.2x vs 30.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | PDD | 24.4% net margin vs CPNG's 2.5% |
| Stability / Safety | PDD | Beta 0.82 vs AMZN's 1.31, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BABA | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; CPNG, AMZN, PDD, MELI pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | BABA | +10.2% vs CPNG's -19.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PDD | 16.7% ROA vs CPNG's 1.2%, ROIC 40.3% vs 3.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Coupang is a South Korean e-commerce giant that operates a massive online marketplace and delivery network. It makes money primarily through product sales — generating over 90% of revenue from its core e-commerce segment — with additional income from its growing initiatives like video streaming and food delivery. The company's key advantage is its proprietary "Rocket Delivery" logistics network that enables same-day or next-day delivery across South Korea, creating a formidable operational moat.
Alibaba is a Chinese e-commerce and technology conglomerate that operates digital marketplaces connecting buyers and sellers. It generates revenue primarily from its core commerce segments — China Commerce (~65%) and International Commerce (~10%) — along with cloud services (~10%) and logistics through Cainiao. Its key competitive advantage is its massive ecosystem network effect, where its platforms like Taobao and Tmall create a self-reinforcing cycle of merchants and consumers that's difficult for competitors to replicate.
Amazon is a global e-commerce and technology giant that operates online marketplaces, physical stores, and cloud computing services. It generates revenue primarily from online retail sales (~80% of total), Amazon Web Services cloud computing (~15%), and advertising/subscription services like Prime. Its key competitive advantage is an immense logistics network and data infrastructure moat—including AWS's dominant cloud position—that creates massive scale economies and ecosystem lock-in.
PDD Holdings operates Pinduoduo and Temu, two major e-commerce platforms that connect consumers directly with manufacturers and merchants. It generates revenue primarily through online marketing services—where merchants pay for advertising and promotions—and transaction fees from sales on its platforms. The company's key advantage lies in its deep integration of social commerce features and aggressive pricing strategies that drive high user engagement and network effects.
MercadoLibre is the dominant e-commerce and fintech platform across Latin America, operating online marketplaces and financial services. It generates revenue primarily from marketplace commissions and advertising fees (roughly 60%) and fintech services including payments, credit, and digital wallets (roughly 40%). The company's moat comes from its integrated ecosystem—combining e-commerce, payments, logistics, and credit—which creates powerful network effects and high switching costs across Latin America's fragmented markets.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PDD leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CPNG leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BABA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.01T annually — 123.1x CPNG's $8.2B. PDD is the more profitable business, keeping 24.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CPNG's 2.5%. On growth, MELI holds the edge at +44.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.2B | $1.01T | $716.9B | $418.5B | $28.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $976M | $114.6B | $126.3B | $93.0B | $4.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $208M | $123.4B | $77.7B | $102.3B | $2.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $531M | $2.6B | $7.7B | $111.4B | $10.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -196.7% | +41.2% | +50.3% | +56.6% | +44.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.8% | +10.9% | +11.2% | +22.1% | +11.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +2.5% | +12.2% | +10.8% | +24.4% | +6.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.5% | +0.3% | +1.1% | +26.6% | +35.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -3.2% | +4.8% | +13.6% | +9.0% | +44.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -120.3% | -52.0% | +4.8% | +16.5% | -12.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.4x trailing earnings, PDD trades at a 95% valuation discount to CPNG's 173.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CPNG's 1.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BABA's 104.2x.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.0B | $2.66T | $2.25T | $577.6B | $89.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $787M | $2.67T | $2.32T | $570.8B | $96.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 173.45x | 18.44x | 29.29x | 9.36x | 44.62x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 45.46x | 3.42x | 27.03x | 1.18x | 30.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | 1.05x | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.66x | 104.23x | 18.38x | 35.88x | 24.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.37x | 18.33x | 3.14x | 10.06x | 3.08x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.58x | 2.19x | 5.55x | 3.36x | 13.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 5.78x | 233.68x | 292.96x | 32.76x | 8.27x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MELI delivers a 29.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $30 in annual profit, vs $1 for CPNG. PDD carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MELI's 1.69x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BABA scores 7/9 vs MELI's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +0.9% | +11.1% | +18.9% | +26.1% | +29.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.2% | +6.5% | +9.5% | +16.7% | +4.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.2% | +9.6% | +14.7% | +40.3% | +20.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.9% | +10.4% | +15.3% | +42.4% | +28.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.18x | 0.23x | 0.37x | 0.03x | 1.69x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$2.2B | $66.8B | $66.2B | -$47.2B | $7.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $6.3B | $181.7B | $86.8B | $57.8B | $3.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4.1B | $248.5B | $153.0B | $10.6B | $11.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.45x | 15.74x | 42.78x | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth $13,349 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,874 for CPNG. Over the past 12 months, BABA leads with a +10.2% total return vs CPNG's -19.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMZN at 30.6% vs PDD's 5.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.4% | -7.5% | -7.3% | -10.4% | -10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -19.5% | +10.2% | -1.1% | -8.8% | -17.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.0% | +69.4% | +122.9% | +18.2% | +44.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.3% | -38.5% | +33.5% | -44.3% | +2.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.3% | +116.1% | +660.0% | +288.5% | +1628.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.1% | +19.2% | +30.6% | +5.7% | +12.9% |
Risk & Volatility
PDD is the less volatile stock with a 0.82 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMZN's 1.31 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMZN currently trades 81.2% from its 52-week high vs CPNG's 56.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.06x | 0.90x | 1.31x | 0.82x | 0.88x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $34.08 | $192.67 | $258.60 | $139.41 | $2645.22 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.74 | $95.73 | $161.38 | $87.11 | $1665.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +56.0% | +74.8% | +81.2% | +74.4% | +66.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.9 | 33.4 | 39.9 | 49.5 | 28.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 20.7M | 10.2M | 40.7M | 7.1M | 418K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: CPNG as "Buy", BABA as "Buy", AMZN as "Buy", PDD as "Buy", MELI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 59.9% upside for MELI (target: $2810) vs 30.9% for BABA (target: $189). BABA is the only dividend payer here at 1.23% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CPNGCoupang, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. | PDDPDD Holdings Inc. | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $27.67 | $188.62 | $283.97 | $145.75 | $2810.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 58 | 94 | 27 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 | — | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $12.14 | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) | 100 | 40.69 | -59.3% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 100 | 75.05 | -24.9% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 100 | 153.72 | +53.7% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) | 100 | 71.88 | -28.1% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 100 | 142.15 | +42.2% |
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) returned +33% over 5 years vs Coupang, Inc. (CPNG)'s -61%. A $10,000 investment in AMZN 5 years ago would be worth $13,349 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) | $4.1B | $8.2B | +102.8% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | $101.1B | $996.3B | +885.1% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | $136.0B | $716.9B | +427.2% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) | $505M | $393.8B | +77908.4% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | $844M | $28.9B | +3321.7% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's revenue grew from $101.1B (2016) to $996.3B (2025) — a 28.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) | -27.1% | 2.5% | +109.3% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 70.7% | 13.1% | -81.5% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 1.7% | 10.8% | +521.4% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) | -57.8% | 28.5% | +149.4% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 16.1% | 6.9% | -57.2% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's net margin went from 71% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) | 21.6 | 214.5 | +893.1% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 8.8 | 2.7 | -69.3% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 188.6 | 32.2 | -82.9% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) | 10.7 | 1.3 | -87.9% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 88.8 | 51.1 | -42.5% |
Coupang, Inc. has traded in a 22x–261x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~173x. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has traded in a 2x–9x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) | -0.69 | 0.11 | +115.9% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 34 | 53.6 | +57.6% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 0.25 | 7.17 | +2768.0% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) | -0.34 | 76 | +22452.9% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 3.09 | 39.39 | +1174.8% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's EPS grew from $34.00 (2016) to $53.60 (2025) — a 5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Coupang, Inc. generated $522M FCF in 2025 (+148% vs 2021). Alibaba Group Holding Limited generated $78B FCF in 2025 (-57% vs 2021).
CPNG vs BABA vs AMZN vs PDD vs MELI: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI a better buy right now?
PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) offers the better valuation at 9.4x trailing P/E (1.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) a "Buy" — based on 16 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.
02Which has the better valuation — CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI?
On trailing P/E, PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) is the cheapest at 9.4x versus Coupang, Inc. at 173.5x. On forward P/E, PDD Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 1.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI?
Over the past 5 years, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) delivered a total return of +33.5%, compared to -61.3% for Coupang, Inc. (CPNG). A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1628% versus CPNG's -61.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.82β versus Amazon.com, Inc.'s 1.31β — meaning AMZN is approximately 59% more volatile than PDD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 169% for MercadoLibre, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI?
PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) is the more profitable company, earning 28.5% net margin versus 2.5% for Coupang, Inc. — meaning it keeps 28.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PDD leads at 27.5% versus 5.8% for CPNG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PDD leads at 60.9%, 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.
06Is CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) trades at 1.2x forward P/E versus 45.5x for Coupang, Inc. — 44.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MELI: 59.9% to $2810.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI?
In this comparison, BABA (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. CPNG, AMZN, PDD, MELI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CPNG or BABA or AMZN or PDD or MELI better for a retirement portfolio?
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 0.88), +1628% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MELI: +1628%, CPNG: -61.3%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CPNG and BABA and AMZN and PDD and MELI?
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: CPNG is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BABA is a mega-cap quality compounder stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock; PDD is a large-cap deep-value stock; MELI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. BABA pays a dividend while CPNG, AMZN, PDD, 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.
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