MELI vs. SW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at MELI and SW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | MercadoLibre, Inc. | Smurfit Westrock Plc |
| Country | Uruguay | Ireland |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Materials |
| GICS Industry | Broadline Retail | Containers & Packaging |
| Market Capitalization | 118.43 billion USD | 21.90 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 10, 2007 | June 17, 2008 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of MELI and SW by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.70% | -4.05% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -9.40% | -9.57% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 13.06% | -23.24% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 15.19% | -3.54% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.60% | -5.48% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 37.38% | -22.11% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.33M | 4.11M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.36M | 3.61M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 26.33% | 31.62% |
| Beta | 1.51 | 1.10 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
MELI
43.06%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.17%
- Q3
- 28.98%
- Median
- 19.22%
- Q1
- 10.86%
- Min
- -11.14%
In the upper quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, MELI’s Return on Equity of 43.06% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
SW
2.94%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 41.66%
- Q3
- 20.76%
- Median
- 14.35%
- Q1
- 6.55%
- Min
- 3.64%
A Return on Equity of 2.94% places SW below the typical range for the Containers & Packaging industry. This suggests challenges in efficiently using shareholder capital to generate profit, which could point to operational issues or a conservative capital structure.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
MELI
8.52%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 19.78%
- Q3
- 11.90%
- Median
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 5.21%
- Min
- 0.82%
MELI’s Net Profit Margin of 8.52% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
SW
1.18%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 11.61%
- Q3
- 8.17%
- Median
- 4.91%
- Q1
- 4.20%
- Min
- 0.08%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s Net Profit Margin of 1.18% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
MELI
12.30%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 27.23%
- Q3
- 15.96%
- Median
- 11.13%
- Q1
- 8.31%
- Min
- 1.77%
MELI’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.30% is around the midpoint for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
SW
4.20%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 22.03%
- Q3
- 13.17%
- Median
- 8.87%
- Q1
- 6.86%
- Min
- 0.07%
SW’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.20% is in the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 43.06% | 2.94% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.57% | 1.17% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.52% | 1.18% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.30% | 4.20% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.87% | 19.46% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
MELI
1.20
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.54
- Q3
- 2.42
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 1.22
- Min
- 0.67
MELI’s Current Ratio of 1.20 falls into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
SW
1.45
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 1.27
- Q1
- 1.13
- Min
- 0.58
SW’s Current Ratio of 1.45 aligns with the median group of the Containers & Packaging industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
MELI
1.28
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.14
- Q3
- 1.34
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
MELI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.28 is typical for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
SW
0.79
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 4.50
- Q3
- 2.23
- Median
- 1.22
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.23
SW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.79 is typical for the Containers & Packaging industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
MELI
13.22
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 37.34
- Q3
- 20.63
- Median
- 11.28
- Q1
- 4.22
- Min
- -19.29
MELI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 13.22 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SW
2.41
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 13.16
- Q3
- 8.10
- Median
- 3.61
- Q1
- 2.94
- Min
- 1.06
In the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.41 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.20 | 1.45 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.18 | 0.95 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.28 | 0.79 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 13.22 | 2.41 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
MELI
0.00%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.46%
- Q3
- 2.38%
- Median
- 0.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MELI currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
SW
3.50%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 7.37%
- Q3
- 4.07%
- Median
- 3.33%
- Q1
- 1.72%
- Min
- 0.00%
SW’s Dividend Yield of 3.50% is consistent with its peers in the Containers & Packaging industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
MELI
0.00%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 131.17%
- Q3
- 63.48%
- Median
- 29.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MELI has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
SW
85.87%
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 221.20%
- Q3
- 119.52%
- Median
- 58.05%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
SW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 85.87% is within the typical range for the Containers & Packaging industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 3.50% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 85.87% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
MELI
58.41
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 66.12
- Q3
- 35.17
- Median
- 16.29
- Q1
- 10.47
- Min
- 5.94
A P/E Ratio of 58.41 places MELI in the upper quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
SW
41.59
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 35.98
- Q3
- 27.87
- Median
- 16.15
- Q1
- 14.38
- Min
- 8.20
At 41.59, SW’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Containers & Packaging industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
MELI
4.98
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.40
- Q3
- 3.33
- Median
- 2.04
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- 0.16
MELI’s P/S Ratio of 4.98 is in the upper echelon for the Broadline Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
SW
0.49
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 2.91
- Q3
- 1.67
- Median
- 0.83
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.30
In the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry, SW’s P/S Ratio of 0.49 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
MELI
23.19
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.06
- Q3
- 5.22
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 1.90
- Min
- 0.74
At 23.19, MELI’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Broadline Retail industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
SW
1.23
Containers & Packaging Industry
- Max
- 5.28
- Q3
- 3.30
- Median
- 2.35
- Q1
- 1.57
- Min
- 0.89
SW’s P/B Ratio of 1.23 is in the lower quartile for the Containers & Packaging industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | MELI | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 58.41 | 41.59 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.98 | 0.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 23.19 | 1.23 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 16.24 | 42.07 |