Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Jumia Technologies AG (JMIA) 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 | MELI | 39.1% revenue growth vs JMIA's 12.8% |
| Quality / Margins | MELI | 6.9% net margin vs JMIA's -32.6% |
| Stability / Safety | MELI | Beta 0.88 vs JMIA's 2.17 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | JMIA | +235.9% vs MELI's -17.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MELI | 4.7% ROA vs JMIA's -46.1%, ROIC 20.8% vs -32.6% |
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
Jumia operates Africa's leading e-commerce marketplace, connecting sellers with consumers across the continent. It generates revenue primarily from marketplace commissions — taking a percentage of each sale — along with logistics fees for delivery services and advertising income from sellers. Its key advantage is being the first and largest pan-African e-commerce platform with established logistics and payment infrastructure in markets where online retail is still developing.
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 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
MELI leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MELI is the larger business by revenue, generating $28.9B annually — 152.9x JMIA's $189M. MELI is the more profitable business, keeping 6.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to JMIA's -32.6%. On growth, MELI holds the edge at +44.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $189M | $28.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$55M | $4.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$62M | $2.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$53M | $10.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +53.9% | +44.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -33.5% | +11.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -32.6% | +6.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -27.8% | +35.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +34.4% | +44.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +100.0% | -12.5% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.0B | $89.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $943M | $96.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | — | 44.62x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 30.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 24.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.33x | 3.08x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 13.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 8.27x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MELI delivers a 29.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $30 in annual profit, vs $-2 for JMIA. JMIA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.46x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MELI's 1.69x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MELI scores 5/9 vs JMIA's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.4% | +29.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -46.1% | +4.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -32.6% | +20.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -96.6% | +28.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.46x | 1.69x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$65M | $7.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $77M | $3.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $12M | $11.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -9.01x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MELI five years ago would be worth $10,259 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,750 for JMIA. Over the past 12 months, JMIA leads with a +235.9% total return vs MELI's -17.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors JMIA at 34.7% vs MELI's 12.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -35.9% | -10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +235.9% | -17.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +144.2% | +44.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -82.5% | +2.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -67.7% | +1628.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +34.7% | +12.9% |
Risk & Volatility
MELI is the less volatile stock with a 0.88 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than JMIA's 2.17 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MELI currently trades 66.4% from its 52-week high vs JMIA's 55.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.17x | 0.88x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $14.72 | $2645.22 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.60 | $1665.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +55.9% | +66.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 32.2 | 28.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.5M | 418K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates JMIA as "Buy" and MELI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 106.6% upside for JMIA (target: $17) vs 59.9% for MELI (target: $2810).
| Metric | JMIAJumia Technologie… | MELIMercadoLibre, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.00 | $2810.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumia Technologies … (JMIA) | 100 | 309.77 | +209.8% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 100 | 334.4 | +234.4% |
MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) returned +3% over 5 years vs Jumia Technologies … (JMIA)'s -82%. A $10,000 investment in MELI 5 years ago would be worth $10,259 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumia Technologies … (JMIA) | $131M | $189M | +44.2% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | $844M | $28.9B | +3321.7% |
MercadoLibre, Inc.'s revenue grew from $844M (2016) to $28.9B (2025) — a 48.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumia Technologies … (JMIA) | -173.6% | -32.6% | +81.2% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 16.1% | 6.9% | -57.2% |
MercadoLibre, Inc.'s net margin went from 16% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2022 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 88.8 | 51.1 | -42.5% |
MercadoLibre, Inc. has traded in a 45x–89x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~45x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumia Technologies … (JMIA) | -2.98 | 0 | +100.0% |
| MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) | 3.09 | 39.39 | +1174.8% |
MercadoLibre, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.09 (2016) to $39.39 (2025) — a 33% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Jumia Technologies AG generated $-53M FCF in 2025 (+71% vs 2021). MercadoLibre, Inc. generated $11B FCF in 2025 (+2930% vs 2021).
JMIA vs MELI: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is JMIA or MELI a better buy right now?
MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) offers the better valuation at 44.6x trailing P/E (30.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Jumia Technologies AG (JMIA) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 is the better long-term investment — JMIA or MELI?
Over the past 5 years, MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) delivered a total return of +2.6%, compared to -82.5% for Jumia Technologies AG (JMIA). A $10,000 investment in MELI five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1628% versus JMIA's -67.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — JMIA or MELI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.88β versus Jumia Technologies AG's 2.17β — meaning JMIA is approximately 146% more volatile than MELI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Jumia Technologies AG (JMIA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 46% versus 169% for MercadoLibre, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — JMIA or MELI?
MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) is the more profitable company, earning 6.9% net margin versus -32.6% for Jumia Technologies AG — meaning it keeps 6.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MELI leads at 11.1% versus -33.5% for JMIA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — JMIA leads at 53.9%, 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.
05Is JMIA or MELI more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for JMIA: 106.6% to $17.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — JMIA or MELI?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is JMIA 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). Jumia Technologies AG (JMIA) carries a higher beta of 2.17 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MELI: +1628%, JMIA: -67.7%), 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.
08What are the main differences between JMIA 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. 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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