Both of these stocks are growing by leaps and bounds.
MercadoLibre boasts a cohesive ecosystem that is driving revenue and profits forward.
Eli Lilly has a growing portfolio of GLP-1 drugs, but there’s more for investors to be excited about.
These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›
Growth stocks can be found across a wide range of industries and sectors. These are companies that tend to grow faster than the overall market or their industry peers, and often control a specific niche within a profitable, expanding addressable market.
While growth stocks can be hit hard in market downturns, quality businesses with strong fundamentals that fit into this category can enrich your portfolio through the power of compounding returns over the long run. On that note, if you have $5,000 to invest in stocks right now, here are two names to consider the next time you go shopping for stocks.
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MercadoLibre(NASDAQ: MELI) is the clear leader in both e-commerce and digital financial services across more than a dozen countries in Latin America. Its established brand and extensive operational scale are significant competitive advantages that are difficult for new entrants to replicate.
It’s also the case that e-commerce penetration in Latin America is years behind developed markets like the U.S., so MercadoLibre retains a significant and durable growth runway as more economic activity moves online.
The region also has a large underbanked population that provides a substantial, growing addressable opportunity for the company’s fintech services. MercadoLibre’s various services reinforce each other and create a flywheel effect. For example, Mercado Pago (the company’s fintech arm) increases conversion rates for sellers.
Meanwhile, Mercado Envíos (the logistics network) provides faster shipping that boosts customer satisfaction and incentivizes repeat purchases. Mercado Crédito (the credit arm) offers loans to both consumers and merchants that’s driving higher transaction volumes overall. And the cycle continues.
Management has consistently reinvested in its infrastructure, including logistics hubs and technology upgrades to maintain its competitive edge and drive its long-term expansion. MercadoLibre’s financial growth continues to impress as well.
In the third quarter, the company’s net revenue came to $7.4 billion, a 40% year-over-year (YoY) hike from one year ago and the 27th consecutive quarter of over 30% YoY growth. Income from operations reached $724 million, up 30% from one year ago, and adjusted free cash flow was $206 million. Total gross merchandise volume (GMV) reached $16.5 billion, and total payment volume (TPV) was $71.2 billion — respective increases of 28% and 41% from one year ago.
If you’re a growth-oriented investor looking for a no-brainer stock to buy with a rock-solid balance sheet and a track record of delivering on its growth goals, now could be a great time to scoop up at least a few shares of MercadoLibre.
Eli Lilly(NYSE: LLY) has garnered more investor attention the last few years because of the phenomenal success of its GLP-1 treatments. However, it’s worth noting that Eli Lilly is one of the world’s oldest pharmaceutical companies with a long history of growth and a diverse portfolio beyond its popular GLP-1 drugs, which include other successful treatments in neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.
The company was founded in 1876, so it has a long track record of innovation and has been recognized for significant contributions, such as its role in mass-producing penicillin in the 1940s. Fast-forward to the present, and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss) became the world’s best-selling drug in Q3 2025.
Sales growth has been exceptional, and the company’s Q3 revenue soared 54% year over year. The healthcare company now holds a leading market share in a weight-loss market projected to be worth north of $100 billion by 2030. This success recently propelled the company to a market capitalization of over $1 trillion, making Eli Lilly the first healthcare company to reach this milestone.
Beyond its current blockbusters, Lilly has a promising pipeline of new drugs across numerous disease areas. The company’s pipeline includes novel radiopharmaceuticals, targeted small molecules, and antibody therapies. Now, a key GLP-1 catalyst for its portfolio is orforglipron, an oral GLP-1 treatment that offers a more convenient option than injections and is expected to launch next year pending approval.
Most currently available GLP-1 medications are peptides, which are large protein-like molecules that would be broken down by stomach acids and enzymes if taken orally. The only currently available oral GLP-1 medication on the market is Novo Nordisk‘s Rybelsus, which is still a peptide but includes an absorption enhancer to prevent its breakdown in the stomach.
Orforglipron’s structure as a small molecule allows it to be taken as a once-daily pill without the need for an absorption enhancer or specific food and water restrictions. This difference in chemical structure could make orforglipron cheaper and easier to manufacture and distribute than peptide-based treatments.
The company is making massive investments in manufacturing to meet the unprecedented demand for its current and future drugs and avoid supply bottlenecks. It’s also leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate drug development and is building one of the most powerful supercomputers in the pharmaceutical industry with Nvidia‘s help. There’s so much to like about this business and where it’s going that makes this stock just begging to be bought.
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*Stock Advisor returns as of November 24, 2025
Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends MercadoLibre and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
These Are 2 of the Smartest Growth Stocks to Invest $5,000 in Today was originally published by The Motley Fool
