MercadoLibre ( MELI ) has been hurt by near-term margin pressure and long-term competitive concerns


Barron’s Capital, an investment management firm, issued a Q4 2025 letter for its “Barron’s Global Opportunity Fund”. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Barron’s Global Opportunity Fund reported a strong fourth quarter and an outstanding year. The fund grew 6.5% (administrative shares) in Q4, compared to a 3.3% return for the MSCI ACWI Index (Index) and a 2.8% gain for the MSCI ACWI Growth Index, the fund’s benchmarks. For 2025, the fund was up 27.5%, outpacing returns of 22.3% and 22.4%, respectively. For the fund, the year was defined by the challenges of globalization and support from easing Federal Reserve policies, the start of the AI ​​investment cycle, and its investment in SpaceX. The fund ended the year with 42 investments, up from 38 last year, with 35 stocks accounting for 99.3% of its net assets. Please review the fund’s top five holdings for 2025 to gain insight into their key picks.

In a letter to investors in the fourth quarter of 2025, Barron’s Global Opportunity Fund bought MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) highlighted as a leading contender. MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI) is a leading online commerce platform that operates the Mercado Libre Marketplace and Mercado Pago FinTech platforms. On March 04, 2026, MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) stock closed at $1,769.03 per share. MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI)’s one-month return was -13.06%, and its shares lost 13.51% of their value in the past three months. MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) has a market capitalization of $89.685 billion.

Barron’s Global Opportunity Fund owns MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) said the following in its fourth quarter 2025 investor letter:

“MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI) is the leading e-commerce marketplace in Latin America. MercadoLibre shares fell 13.8% in the quarter (though ended the year up 18.5%) on near-term concerns about margin pressure and long-term concerns about competition. The intensity of competition in Brazil increased in the second half of the year, as Amazon and Shopee increased promotional activity, prioritizing growth over margins. In parallel, MercadoLibre decided to expand its free shipping range, and increase marketing costs, raising fears of near-term margin compression. Investors are also increasingly concerned that agentic AI could slow GMV growth and push prices by slowing marketing product discovery and top-line advertising revenue growth. Continued volatility in Argentina, one of MercadoLibre’s highest-margin and fastest-growing markets, has fueled further concerns that slower economic growth will lead to slower profit growth. While these factors led to near-term stock weakness, as nearly all of the shortfall in the quarter was driven by multiple contractions, we maintain confidence in MercadoLibre’s long-term opportunity as the company is positioned to capture a large share of Latin America’s underserved e-commerce and fintech markets, providing it with superior talent, a strong brand system and significant credibility. competitive advantage.”

Does MercadoLibre, Inc. ( MELI ) is one of the aggressive stocks picked by hedge funds?
Does MercadoLibre, Inc. ( MELI ) is one of the aggressive stocks picked by hedge funds?

MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) is number 37 on our list of the 40 most popular stocks among hedge funds. According to our database, 113 hedge fund portfolios held MercadoLibre, Inc. at the end of the fourth quarter. (NASDAQ: MELI ) was in charge, up from 109 in the previous quarter. MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) reported a 45% year-over-year increase in fourth-quarter revenue, driven by a continued focus on customer experience. While we have MercadoLibre, Inc. as an investment. (NASDAQ: MELI) potential, we believe some AI stocks offer high potential and low risk. If you’re looking for the most undervalued AI stocks that stand to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the offshore trend, check out our free report Best short-term AI stocks.

In another article, we look at MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI ) covered and shared a list of the best GARP stocks to buy according to analysts. Additionally, please see our Hedge Fund Investor Letters Q4 2025 page for other investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.

Read more: The best and worst Dow stocks for the next 12 months and 10 unstoppable stocks that can double your money.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published on Insider Monkey.

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