AES Corp vs United Microelectronics Corp — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.72 (market cap $10.51B), while United Microelectronics Corp trades at $19.3 (market cap $47.80B). The key difference: United Microelectronics Corp is far larger — about 4.5× AES Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.78%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | UMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $47.80B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $28.02 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $6.58 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | $44.92B |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | 2.13% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, up 0.2% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong profitability with a net income margin of 14.34% and ROE of 45.05% for 2025, though Q2 2026 EPS missed expectations. A pending $33.4 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, approved by stockholders, dominates recent developments, alongside a consistent dividend payout.
The acquisition offers a near-term catalyst with a capped upside at the buyout price of $15 per share, presenting a low-risk arbitrage opportunity. Risks include deal completion uncertainty amid shareholder complaints and regulatory scrutiny. Analyst consensus is mixed with 43% buy ratings, reflecting cautious optimism tied to the acquisition's successful closure and the company's strategic shift toward renewable energy investments.
UMC trades at $18.72, down 2.5% today, amid a bearish technical signal with key resistance at $19. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating EPS estimates with $0.54 vs. $0.16 expected, and announced fab expansions in Singapore and Taiwan to meet AI-driven demand. Revenue growth is projected to rise to $250.7B in 2026, with a net income margin of 32.75%, though profit margins have declined from 2022 peaks. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with 26.7% buy ratings but a majority hold consensus.
The outlook for UMC is cautiously optimistic, driven by AI expansion and solid profitability, but risks include competitive pressures and margin compression. Near-term price action hinges on breaking resistance at $19, with support at $18. Institutional activity shows mixed positioning, reflecting uncertainty over execution amid capital expenditure increases.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Founded in 1980, United Microelectronics is the world's third-largest dedicated chip foundry, with 7% market share in 2021, according to Gartner, after TSMC and GlobalFoundries. UMC's headquarters are in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and it operates 12 fabs in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan and Singapore, with additional sales offices in Europe, the U.S. and South Korea. UMC features a diverse customer base including Texas Instruments, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Xilinx and Realtek, supplying a wide range of products applied in communications, display, memory, automotive and more. UMC employs about 20,000 people.
Read more on UMC →