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Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
At Winnipeg's House of Saturn tattoos, the goal is make customers feel at home in their bodies
According to astrologers, a rite of passage occurs when Saturn returns to the same celestial position it occupied on the day you were born. This period coincides with the late 20s and is said to bring on intense bouts of self-reflection, growth and transformation. For Kiana Delos Santos, the ringed planet offered a fitting metaphor for her new cosmetic tattoo business, House of Saturn. 'It's really about becoming your true form,' says the permanent makeup artist and casual horoscope follower. 'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves.'–Delos Santos Delos Santos, 28, and partner Jesse Ojenma, 33, opened House of Saturn last October in a sunny sixth-floor suite at 70 Arthur St. The art-filled studio has huge arched windows — the trim painted lime green — and several stations, where the couple offers long-lasting makeup, areola reconstruction, scar revision and tattoo removal. Two tattoo artists also rent space in the shop. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District. The duo's goal is to enhance what's already there, restore what's been lost and remove what no longer resonates. Delos Santos traces her interest in cosmetics to childhood sleepovers with her older cousins, who often treated her as their makeover guinea pig. They also introduced her to the positive power of brow shaping. 'People would not shut up about (my eyebrows) when I got them done,' she says. 'It really does change your look completely.' After watching a YouTube tutorial, Delos Santos learned how to thread her own brows and, as a teen, started offering the service to others. She trained with a local brow artist and launched her own permanent makeup career in 2018. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.' Permanent makeup, also called micropigmentation, employs a handheld machine, similar to a tattoo gun, to recreate the look of makeup. It's a practice that's been around for decades but has experienced a popularity boom in recent years. While Delos Santos specializes in brows, eyeliner, lip blush and freckles, her scar and areola work is equally meaningful. With scar restoration, she uses a tattoo pen to bring blood flow to the area and encourage further healing. With areola reconstruction, she creates highly realistic nipple tattoos for clients who've undergone breast cancer or gender-affirming top surgery. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery. 'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves,' she says, adding permanent makeup can create a similar reaction. 'They're feeling fresh and they don't have to think about their appearance, which is something people may struggle with on a day-to-day basis.' Delos Santos sees many people hoping to fix their pencil-thin ''90s brows,' which never grew back after being plucked to oblivion. 'I wouldn't have a career if that era didn't exist,' she says with a laugh. Since trends are fleeting, subtlety is the name of the game. Delos Santos uses application techniques that allow the makeup to fade over two or three years as the skin naturally regenerates. Sun exposure, skin-care routines and pigmentation can also impact longevity. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes. 'I would rather people come every few years to get things updated than be stuck with something for many years,' she says, adding the industry is slowly moving away from heavy lines and deep application for fashionable and practical reasons. These days, Delos Santos prefers crafting nano brows — using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes — over microblading, a waning trend in which pigment is dropped into the skin through tiny incisions. If the ink is deposited too deeply, it can get trapped in the oil-producing layer of the skin and become discoloured over time. 'When you see someone with blue or green eyebrows, it's usually a depth issue,' she says. 'That's actually why we have Jesse doing brow removal now.' Originally from Brampton, Ont., Ojenma moved to Winnipeg after meeting Delos Santos while she was vacationing in Ontario. The pair have been together for nine years and are now co-workers, with Ojenma handling shop logistics and tattoo removals. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Lip blush KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Lip blush The couple often do consultations together, since pairing both procedures can make natural-looking results more achievable. Ojenma uses a pico laser, which delivers short pulses to break up tattoo ink. 'When the laser hits the ink, it blows up into tiny particles,' he says. 'It could take six to eight weeks to see results, because it goes through your (lymph system) and your body has to flush it out.' Complete removal can take multiple sessions, which can become slightly more painful as the laser frequency increases. True to the shop's namesake, opening House of Saturn has been a transformative experience for Delos Santos, who is Filipina and was diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. 'As someone who's both neurodivergent and a minority, I didn't always see people like me owning businesses,' she says. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos Running her own space has allowed her to explore other forms of artful body modification, such as traditional tattooing and Filipino hand-poking, called batok. She and Ojenma also regularly host community events, such as sound baths, pottery workshops and drop-in art programming. Find more information about House of Saturn on Instagram (@ Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MELI Q1 Earnings Call: E-Commerce and Fintech Momentum Amid Strategic Investments
Latin American e-commerce and fintech company MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) reported Q1 CY2025 results beating Wall Street's revenue expectations , with sales up 37% year on year to $5.94 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $9.74 per share was 21.9% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy MELI? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $5.94 billion vs analyst estimates of $5.49 billion (37% year-on-year growth, 8.1% beat) Adjusted EPS: $9.74 vs analyst estimates of $7.99 (21.9% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $935 million vs analyst estimates of $784.9 million (15.8% margin, 19.1% beat) Operating Margin: 12.9%, in line with the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 12.8%, down from 43.2% in the previous quarter Unique Active Buyers: 67 million, up 13.5 million year on year Market Capitalization: $122.2 billion MercadoLibre's management attributed the latest quarter's financial performance to balanced growth across its core e-commerce and fintech divisions, with notable gains driven by expanding user engagement, enhanced logistics infrastructure, and a focus on user experience improvements. CFO Martin de los Santos highlighted that brand preference metrics reached new highs across major markets, while the credit portfolio grew significantly without a rise in delinquencies. Argentina was called out as a particularly strong contributor, with stabilization in its macroeconomic environment supporting improved margins and higher operating income. Looking ahead, management emphasized its plans to continue investing in both technology and user acquisition across Latin America, even as it faces rising competition and evolving market dynamics. De los Santos explained, 'We do not manage the business to a short-term margin goal; our emphasis is on capturing long-term growth opportunities in commerce and fintech.' Management acknowledged that further investments—especially in logistics, credit products, and promotional activity—could lead to short-term margin pressures, but views these as necessary to sustain the company's growth trajectory. Management's remarks provided context for the quarter's outperformance, driven by innovation in financial products, improved logistics, and strategic focus on high-growth categories. They outlined how operational efficiencies and market-specific adaptations have begun to pay off, especially in Argentina and across the fintech segment. Argentina's Margin Expansion: Management credited Argentina's performance to a combination of macroeconomic stabilization, effective cost management, and increased adoption of both e-commerce and fintech services. Improved asset quality and higher transaction volume enabled better fixed cost absorption. Supermarket Category Acceleration: The supermarket segment grew faster than any other, enabled by better product selection, enhanced shopping features, and increased share of first-party (1P) inventory, which delivered more favorable unit economics than third-party (3P) sales. Fintech User Growth and Engagement: Monthly active users in the fintech division surpassed 64 million, with 'yielding account' features and competitive remuneration rates reinforcing user loyalty, particularly in Brazil and Mexico. Credit Portfolio Expansion: The credit card business scaled rapidly, with credit quality improving. Management attributed this to refined risk models, a shift toward higher-quality borrowers, and region-specific strategies. Argentina's credit quality was noted as especially robust, due to historically low private sector debt. Investments in Logistics and Branding: Continued investment in logistics infrastructure and the unification of the Mercado Pago brand color scheme were described as steps toward building a single, integrated ecosystem. Management reported that logistics investments remained consistent as a percentage of revenue, supporting ongoing marketplace growth. Management expects future performance to hinge on continued user growth and deeper fintech adoption, while remaining cautious about short-term margin headwinds from ongoing investments and competitive pressures. Marketplace Expansion: The company sees significant headroom in e-commerce penetration across Latin America, especially in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and underpenetrated markets such as Mexico. Fintech Product Adoption: Management anticipates that expanded digital banking offerings—including high-yield accounts and credit cards—will increase user engagement and cross-sell opportunities, supporting both revenue and margin growth over time. Margin Management and Competitive Risks: While the focus remains on growth, management cautioned that margin expansion may be constrained in the near term by logistics investments, credit portfolio scaling, and intensified competition from new entrants, particularly in Brazil and Mexico. Andrew Ruben (Morgan Stanley): Asked about the sustainability of Argentina's contribution margin, management cited both easier comps and genuine operational improvements, emphasizing cost efficiencies and expanding credit business profitability. Irma Sgarz (Goldman Sachs): Inquired about drivers behind first-party (1P) sales growth and margin evolution, with management highlighting technology investments in automatic pricing and selection, and the strategic importance of 1P in supermarkets. Marcelo Santos (JPMorgan): Sought updates on logistics expansion, especially in Brazil; management confirmed no major changes to previously announced plans and stressed logistics' role as a key enabler for future growth. Neha Agarwala (HSBC): Asked for details on credit asset quality trends, to which management responded that asset quality remains solid, aided by a move upmarket and particularly strong results in Argentina. Craig Maurer (FT Partners): Questioned the evolving competitive environment, especially from new digital banks and Asian e-commerce entrants. Management said competition remains intense but unchanged, and that new entrants often help grow the overall online market. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will monitor (1) the pace of fintech user adoption and whether new product launches like credit cards in Argentina gain traction, (2) the ability of MercadoLibre to maintain margin discipline as it scales logistics and expands into new categories, and (3) competitive dynamics in Mexico and Brazil—particularly the impact of new entrants in digital banking and e-commerce. The rollout of enhanced marketplace features and ongoing improvements in asset quality will also be important markers of execution. MercadoLibre currently trades at a forward EV/EBITDA ratio of 28.1×. Should you load up, cash out, or stay put? See for yourself in our free research report. Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Sterling Infrastructure (+1,096% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
