Sara-Bay Financial Makes Big Bet on MercadoLibre, Adds $12 Million in Capital

According to its SEC filing dated April 17, 2026, Sara-Bay Financial raised its position MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) by 6,288 shares in the first quarter. The estimated value of this transaction is $12.13 billion, based on the average closing price during the quarter. At the end of the quarter, the position was valued at $11.18 million, an increase of $10.82 million from the previous filing period, reflecting both additional shares and price movement.

Sara-Bay Financial added to its MercadoLibre position, making the holdings 3.36% of 13F reported 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 percent.

MercadoLibre:

• It operates Mercado Libre Market, Mercado Pago fintech platform, Mercado Envios logistics, and additional digital commerce solutions throughout Latin America.

• It generates revenue primarily through transaction fees, payment processing, logistics services, advertising, and financial products for merchants and consumers.

• It serves businesses, retailers, and individual consumers throughout Latin America, with a focus on e-commerce and digital financial services.

MercadoLibre is the leading e-commerce and fintech platform in Latin America, leveraging its integrated marketplace and payment infrastructure to drive growth at scale. The company integrates online retail, digital payments, and logistics to create a complete ecosystem for both buyers and sellers. Its broad reach and continuous innovation in financial technology provide a significant competitive advantage in the rapidly growing digital market.

I’ve seen a few firms add MercadoLibre shares recently, and I’d like to see Sara-Bay Financial do the same, since I’m a shareholder. Sara-Bay has held many positions since 2020, so it takes a long-term view, which is good to see as a naive investor. Although it made small additions to MELI stock in Q3 and Q4 last year, it increased its bet in a big way in Q1, making the company the 9th largest now.

MercadoLibre stock remains 29% below its 52-week high, but I would argue that its performance looks as strong as ever, so I will continue to “buy the dip” on this long-term performer. Growing sales, active unique buyers, and active monthly fintech 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 continued growth and remaining growth options. With e-commerce penetration in Latin America roughly half that of the US and China — and basic banking services still not close to 100% of people across the region — MercadoLibre’s growth story is probably in its early stages. MELI’s stock has been a 66-bagger since 2007, and Sara-Bay seems to think that good times have to come back in time — and I can’t help but agree.

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JPMorgan Chase is the 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 policy of disclosure.

Sara-Bay Financial Takes Big Bet on MercadoLibre, Adds R12 Million Worth of Stock was first published by Motley Fool