PAGS vs STNE vs MELI vs NU vs MA

For growth investors, Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) is the stronger pick with 44. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -74. 0% for StoneCo Ltd. (STNE). StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) offers the better valuation at 6. 6x trailing P/E (1. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (PAGS) a "Buy" — based on 24 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, StoneCo Ltd.

(STNE) is the cheapest at 6. 6x versus MercadoLibre, Inc. at 47. 5x. On forward P/E, StoneCo Ltd. is actually cheaper at 1. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: StoneCo Ltd. wins at 0. 04x versus Mastercard Incorporated's 1. 22x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) delivered a total return of +38. 0%, compared to -78. 3% for StoneCo Ltd. (STNE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1370% versus PAGS's -62. 7%. 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), Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

67β versus PagSeguro Digital Ltd. 's 1. 70β — meaning PAGS is approximately 154% more volatile than MA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 2% for Mastercard Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) is pulling ahead at 44. 8% versus -74. 0% for StoneCo Ltd. (STNE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: StoneCo Ltd. grew EPS 265. 9% 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.

StoneCo Ltd.

(STNE) is the more profitable company, earning 68. 6% net margin versus 6. 9% for MercadoLibre, Inc. — meaning it keeps 68. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MA leads at 59. 2% versus -90. 2% for STNE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MA leads at 83. 4%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 04x versus Mastercard Incorporated's 1. 22x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) trades at 1. 0x forward P/E versus 39. 2x for MercadoLibre, Inc. — 38. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for STNE: 72. 1% to $19. 00.

In this comparison, PAGS (4.

1% yield), MA (0. 6% yield) pay a dividend. STNE, MELI, NU do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

67), 0. 6% yield, +437. 2% 10Y return). StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) carries a higher beta of 1. 67 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MA: +437. 2%, STNE: -56. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (PAGS (Technology) and STNE (Technology) and MELI (Consumer Cyclical) and NU (Financial Services) and MA (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: PAGS is a small-cap deep-value stock; STNE is a small-cap deep-value stock; MELI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; NU is a mid-cap high-growth stock; MA is a large-cap high-growth stock. PAGS, MA pay a dividend while STNE, MELI, NU 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.