SE vs MELI vs AMZN vs BABA vs META

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). Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) offers the better valuation at 17. 9x trailing P/E (4. 1x 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.

9x versus Sea Limited at 121. 5x. On forward P/E, Alibaba Group Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 4. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Meta Platforms, Inc. wins at 1. 11x versus Amazon. com, Inc. 's 1. 24x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Meta Platforms, Inc.

(META) delivered a total return of +94. 8%, compared to -63. 1% for Sea Limited (SE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MELI returned +1370% versus BABA's +83. 4%. 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), MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 20β versus Meta Platforms, Inc. 's 1. 59β — meaning META is approximately 33% more volatile than MELI 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 -1. 6% for Meta Platforms, 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.

Meta Platforms, Inc.

(META) is the more profitable company, earning 30. 1% net margin versus 2. 6% for Sea Limited — meaning it keeps 30. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: META leads at 41. 4% versus 3. 9% for SE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — META leads at 82. 0%, 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, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 11x versus Amazon. com, Inc. 's 1. 24x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) trades at 4. 1x forward P/E versus 39. 2x for MercadoLibre, Inc. — 35. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SE: 66. 5% to $147. 67.

In this comparison, BABA (1.

3% yield), META (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. SE, MELI, AMZN 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), +1370% 10Y return). Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) carries a higher beta of 1. 59 — 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: +1370%, META: +421. 2%), 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 (SE (Consumer Cyclical) and MELI (Consumer Cyclical) and AMZN (Consumer Cyclical) and BABA (Consumer Cyclical) and META (Communication Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; MELI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock; BABA is a large-cap deep-value stock; META is a mega-cap high-growth stock. BABA pays a dividend while SE, MELI, AMZN, META 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.