Key Points
MercadoLibre is growing quickly, and its stock is cheap.
Amazon looks attractive given its market leadership and growth opportunities.
E.l.f. has a huge opportunity with its recent acquisition.
If you have $2,000 available for investing that isn't needed for an emergency fund or to pay off monthly bills, there are several attractive stocks out there to take a closer look at. If you are looking at the consumer sector, these three stocks, in particular, are worth considering right now.
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1. MercadoLibre
While you're only getting one share with a $2,000 investment, MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) looks like a smart buy at current levels. The so-called Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN) of Latin America has been growing quickly and now trades at one of its lowest ever historical valuations. While its forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 33 times may not seem cheap, based on 2027 estimates, the multiple falls to 23.5 times based on 2027 estimates.
The company has grown its revenue year over year by 30% or more every quarter for nearly seven years. More importantly, MercadoLibre is seeing strong operating leverage, as its logistics network is now more mature, and it has a strong moat, with an ability to deliver about three-quarters of the items it sells within 48 hours.
MercadoLibre also has another growth engine with its fintech arm, Mercado Pago. The company has transitioned Mercado Pago from simply a checkout tool to a full-scale financial service provider, reaching the large unbanked population of South America. Monthly user growth has been strong, and default rates have been improving.
2. Amazon
If investing in a Latin American company sounds too risky, sticking with Amazon is another strong option. (The irony being that the Amazon River is in South America, where MercadoLibre operates.)
The company has been seeing solid revenue from its e-commerce and very strong operating leverage. Amazon has built out the largest logistics operations in the world, and with robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), the company is becoming even more efficient, which is driving strong operating income growth.
At the same time, it is also the market share leader in cloud computing with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The company created the infrastructure-as-a-service industry, and today it is actually its most profitable segment. The operation is also its fastest-growing segment, as AWS benefits from the current insatiable demand for computing power and AI services.
With demand currently outstripping capacity, Amazon plans to spend aggressively building more data centers. The company has also developed its own AI chips, which can help give it an edge in the space.
From a valuation perspective, Amazon is attractive, trading at a forward P/E of just below 26 times 2026 analyst estimates. Given its leadership position in both e-commerce and cloud computing, and strong growth opportunities, the stock is a buy. With a $2,000 investment, you could add about 10 shares.
3. e.l.f. Beauty
While its stock has been on a roller coaster ride the past year, e.l.f. Beauty(NYSE: ELF) is one of the most intriguing growth names in the consumer space. Meanwhile, the stock is cheap, trading at a forward P/E of just 26 times 2026 analyst estimates and a price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of below 0.45 (a PEG under 1 is typically considered undervalued).
The company's namesake brand has long been taking share in mass-market cosmetics, and that continued last quarter when it gained another 130 basis points of share in the U.S. With it getting more shelf space at Ulta Beauty this spring and launching at DM in Germany, the brand should continue to see solid growth. And its Naturium skincare brand should get a boost when it hits the shelves at Walmart later this year.
That said, the company's biggest opportunity is with its recently acquired Rhode brand. Hailey Bieber's Rhode has been one of the hottest skincare labels, reaching $200 million in sales in three years with limited marketing and a small product lineup, just selling through its own website.
Under e.l.f., it has a huge opportunity to grow the brand through increased distribution, expanded marketing, and introducing new products. This potential makes the stock a buy. With $2,000, investors could buy over 20 shares.
Should you buy stock in MercadoLibre right now?
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Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Amazon, MercadoLibre, and e.l.f. Beauty. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, MercadoLibre, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, and e.l.f. Beauty. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
