SAO PAULO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Latin American e-commerce

giant MercadoLibre ( MELI ) posted on Thursday a

better-than-expected quarterly net profit, up nearly four-fold

from the same period a year earlier.

MercadoLibre ( MELI ), Latin America's largest company by market

value, said its net income for the October to December quarter

came in at $639 million, rising 287% year-on-year and well above

the $401.5 million expected by analysts in a LSEG poll.

Net revenue came in at $6.1 billion, above estimates of $5.9

billion and up 37% year-on-year.

The company, which operates an online marketplace in close

to 20 countries and runs fintech Mercado Pago, posted earnings

before interest and taxes (EBIT) at $820 million in the quarter,

up 144% from a year earlier and also above analysts'

expectations of $612 million.

MercadoLibre ( MELI ) profit growth also benefited from a tax hit

that the firm recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023, which

dragged down its results at the time.