MELI vs. CAT
MELI (MercadoLibre, Inc.) and CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) are both stocks. MELI operates in Internet Retail (Consumer Cyclical), while CAT operates in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, MELI returned 28.09%/yr vs 31.33%/yr for CAT. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MELI vs. CAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MELI achieves a -21.08% return, which is significantly lower than CAT's 59.62% return. Over the past 10 years, MELI has underperformed CAT with an annualized return of 28.09%, while CAT has yielded a comparatively higher 31.33% annualized return.
MELI
- 1D
- -1.27%
- 1M
- 1.77%
- YTD
- -21.08%
- 6M
- -21.15%
- 1Y
- -32.89%
- 3Y*
- 9.54%
- 5Y*
- 2.68%
- 10Y*
- 28.09%
CAT
- 1D
- 1.44%
- 1M
- 0.92%
- YTD
- 59.62%
- 6M
- 52.94%
- 1Y
- 154.99%
- 3Y*
- 57.16%
- 5Y*
- 35.17%
- 10Y*
- 31.33%
MELI vs. CAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MELI MercadoLibre, Inc. | -21.08% | 18.46% | 8.20% | 85.71% | -37.24% | -19.51% | 192.90% | 95.30% | -6.93% | 101.99% |
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 59.62% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between MELI and CAT is 0.18, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 10, 2007 | 0.36 |
The correlation between MELI and CAT shifts across timeframes, from 0.18 (1 year) to 0.36 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MELI:
$80.59B
CAT:
$424.14B
MELI:
$37.87
CAT:
$20.07
MELI:
41.97
CAT:
45.37
MELI:
0.25
CAT:
3.00
MELI:
2.63
CAT:
6.04
MELI:
11.07
CAT:
22.73
MELI:
$30.67B
CAT:
$70.76B
MELI:
$13.95B
CAT:
$23.01B
MELI:
$3.11B
CAT:
$15.31B
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Return for Risk
MELI vs. CAT — Risk / Return Rank
MELI
CAT
MELI vs. CAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MELI | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -5.27 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -6.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.86 | 1.65 | -0.78 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.81 | 11.24 | -12.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.42 | 36.80 | -38.21 |
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Drawdowns
MELI vs. CAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MELI drawdown since its inception was -89.49%, which is greater than CAT's maximum drawdown of -73.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MELI and CAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MELI | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -89.49% | -73.43% | -16.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -40.82% | -13.88% | -26.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -40.82% | -34.05% | -6.77% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -68.64% | -34.05% | -34.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -69.12% | -43.36% | -25.76% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -39.18% | -3.18% | -36.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.58% | -19.73% | -3.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 23.24% | 4.23% | +19.01% |
Volatility
MELI vs. CAT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI) is 9.96%, while Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a volatility of 13.16%. This indicates that MELI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MELI | CAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.96% | 13.16% | -3.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 29.79% | 28.37% | +1.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 39.48% | 35.19% | +4.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 49.65% | 30.79% | +18.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 48.88% | 30.98% | +17.90% |
Dividends
MELI vs. CAT - Dividend Comparison
MELI has not paid dividends to shareholders, while CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.66%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.66% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
MELI MercadoLibre, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.19% | 0.38% | 0.36% |
Financials
MELI vs. CAT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between MercadoLibre, Inc. and Caterpillar Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
MELI vs. CAT - Profitability Comparison
MELI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MercadoLibre, Inc. reported a gross profit of 3.86B and revenue of 7.72B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 50.1%.
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.11B and revenue of 17.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
MELI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MercadoLibre, Inc. reported an operating income of 611.00M and revenue of 7.72B, resulting in an operating margin of 7.9%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
MELI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MercadoLibre, Inc. reported a net income of 417.00M and revenue of 7.72B, resulting in a net margin of 5.4%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MELI and CAT have a correlation of 0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (13.16%) compared to MELI (9.96%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MELI dropped -89.49% vs CAT's -73.43%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.43 vs -0.84), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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