Sara-Bay Financial Makes Big Bet on MercadoLibre, Adds $12 Million Worth of Stock
Key Points
Sara-Bay acquired 6,288 shares of MercadoLibre; estimated transaction value $12.13 million based on quarterly average price.
Quarter-end position value rose $10.82 million, reflecting both added shares and stock price movement.
Change equates to a 3.65% increase in 13F reportable assets under management.
Post-trade: 6,468 shares held, valued at $11.18 million.
Stake now represents 3.36% of AUM, making it the fund's 9th-largest holding.
- 10 stocks we like better than MercadoLibre ›
What happened
According to its SEC filing dated April 17, 2026, Sara-Bay Financial increased its position in MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) by 6,288 shares during the first quarter. The estimated value of this purchase is $12.13 million, based on the average closing price over the quarter. At quarter-end, the position was valued at $11.18 million, an increase of $10.82 million from the prior filing period, reflecting both additional shares and price movement.
What else to know
Sara-Bay Financial added to its MercadoLibre position, bringing the stake to 3.36% of 13F reportable AUM.
- Top holdings after the filing:
- Helios Technologies: $74.67 million (22.5% of AUM)
- Nvidia: $55.55 million (16.7% of AUM)
- Centrus Energy: $26.72 million (8.0% of AUM)
- JPMorgan Chase: $17.47 million (5.3% of AUM)
- Meta Platforms: $16.13 million (4.9% of AUM)
As of April 16, 2026, MercadoLibre shares were trading at $1,822.13, down 10% over the past year and underperforming the S&P 500 by 45 percentage points.
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price (as of market close 2026-04-16) | $1,822.13 |
| Market Capitalization | $94.55 billion |
| Revenue (TTM) | $28.89 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | $2.00 billion |
Company snapshot
MercadoLibre:
- Operates the Mercado Libre Marketplace, Mercado Pago fintech platform, Mercado Envios logistics, and additional digital commerce solutions across Latin America.
- Generates revenue primarily through transaction fees, payment processing, logistics services, advertising, and financial products for merchants and consumers.
- Serves businesses, merchants, and individual consumers throughout Latin America, with a focus on e-commerce and digital financial services.
MercadoLibre is a leading e-commerce and fintech platform in Latin America, leveraging its integrated marketplace and payment infrastructure to drive growth at scale. The company combines online retail, digital payments, and logistics to create a comprehensive ecosystem for both buyers and sellers. Its broad reach and continuous innovation in financial technology provide a significant competitive advantage in a rapidly expanding digital market.
What this transaction means for investors
I’ve seen several firms adding MercadoLibre shares recently, and I love to see Sara-Bay Financial do the same, since I am a shareholder. Sara-Bay has held numerous positions since 2020, so it typically takes a long-term view, which is nice to see as a Foolish investor. While it made small adds to MELI stock in Q3 and Q4 last year, it ramped up its bet in a major way in Q1, making the company its 9th-largest holding now.
MercadoLibre’s stock remains 29% below its 52-week high, but I’d argue that its operations look as strong as ever, so I’ll also continue to “buy the dip” on this long-term outperformer. Growing sales, unique active buyers, and fintech monthly active users by 45%, 24%, and 27%, respectively, MercadoLibre continues to fire on all cylinders, even though its stock has taken a breather.
Currently trading at 37 times forward earnings, MELI stock looks reasonably priced considering its persistent growth and remaining growth optionality. With e-commerce penetration in Latin America roughly half that of the U.S. and China -- and basic banking services not yet near 100% for the population throughout the region -- MercadoLibre’s growth story is still probably in its early chapters. MELI stock is a 66-bagger since 2007, and Sara-Bay seems to think the good times should return over time -- and I can’t help but agree .
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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Josh Kohn-Lindquist has positions in MercadoLibre and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, MercadoLibre, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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