MercadoLibre and Walmart Are Both Down This Year. Which Stock Should Investors Buy?
Key Points
MercadoLibre's revenue grew 49% year over year in the first quarter of 2026.
Walmart's advertising business increased 37% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027.
Strong financial results don't always translate into share price appreciation, and no one knows this better than MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT). Both stocks have frustrated investors this year. Market worries and short-term pressures, including tariffs and inflation, have overshadowed the strong fundamentals of both companies.
The question now is, amid this pullback, which stock is the better buy?
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Walmart's first-quarter fiscal 2027 (ended April 30, 2026) revenue grew a little more than 7% year over year. More impressively, Walmart's global advertising business grew 37%, while e-commerce jumped up 26%. Walmart reported negative free cash flow of $1.9 billion, largely due to ongoing investments in automation and technology.
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MercadoLibre's revenue skyrocketed 49% year over year in its fiscal 2026 Q1, but operating margins fell as the company invested heavily in logistics. Growth is so strong across all of MercadoLibre's markets that the company justified its higher operating costs by stating in the quarterly letter to shareholders, "When your business is behaving like this, we believe the right response is not to harvest -- it is to invest."
MercadoLibre's fintech arm, Mercado Pago, is where the greatest growth opportunity lies. The company's credit portfolio reached $14.6 billion, an 87% year-over-year increase as of the latest quarter. Assets under management also hit $20 billion, a 77% jump from the year prior.
There are challenges, as MercadoLibre operates in emerging markets with limited digital commerce and banking infrastructure. The company also has to deal with regulatory obstacles in each Latin American country.
Which stock you should buy depends on your objectives. If it's long-term growth you're looking for, MercadoLibre is the clear winner. The omnichannel giant is expanding rapidly across Latin America in both e-commerce and fintech.
Walmart, while still trading at a premium, is the more reliable and steady bet. Both stocks have their place in various portfolios. Still, if I'm looking at this through a purely growth lens, MercadoLibre has an incredible opportunity in emerging markets.
Catie Hogan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends MercadoLibre and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.