HEPS vs SE vs KO vs MELI vs BABA

For growth investors, D-Market Elektronik Hizmetler ve Ticaret A.

S. (HEPS) is the stronger pick with 61. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) offers the better valuation at 17. 3x trailing P/E (2. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sea Limited (SE) a "Buy" — based on 44 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, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the cheapest at 17.

3x versus MercadoLibre, Inc. at 40. 4x. On forward P/E, Alibaba Group Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 2. 6x.

Over the past 5 years, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) delivered a total return of +65.

6%, compared to -79. 2% for D-Market Elektronik Hizmetler ve Ticaret A. S. (HEPS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1093% versus HEPS's -79. 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), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

20β versus Sea Limited's 1. 58β — meaning SE is approximately -888% more volatile than KO 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), D-Market Elektronik Hizmetler ve Ticaret A.

S. (HEPS) is pulling ahead at 61. 0% versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sea Limited grew EPS 245. 2% year-over-year, compared to -286. 4% for D-Market Elektronik Hizmetler ve Ticaret A. S.. 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.

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the more profitable company, earning 27.

3% net margin versus -6. 7% for D-Market Elektronik Hizmetler ve Ticaret A. S. — meaning it keeps 27. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KO leads at 28. 7% versus -2. 4% for HEPS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KO leads at 61. 6%, 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, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) trades at 2.

6x forward P/E versus 40. 2x for MercadoLibre, Inc. — 37. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SE: 68. 4% to $139. 67.

In this comparison, KO (2.

5% yield), BABA (1. 8% yield) pay a dividend. HEPS, SE, MELI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

20), 2. 5% yield, +121. 1% 10Y return). Sea Limited (SE) carries a higher beta of 1. 58 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (KO: +121. 1%, SE: +417. 8%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (HEPS (Consumer Cyclical) and SE (Consumer Cyclical) and KO (Consumer Defensive) and MELI (Consumer Cyclical) and BABA (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: HEPS is a small-cap high-growth stock; SE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; KO is a large-cap quality compounder stock; MELI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; BABA is a large-cap deep-value stock. KO, BABA pay a dividend while HEPS, 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.