Applied Materials, Inc. vs United Microelectronics Corp — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $552.68 (market cap $417.31B), while United Microelectronics Corp trades at $19.46 (market cap $47.81B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 8.7× United Microelectronics Corp's market cap, and United Microelectronics Corp pays the higher dividend (2.12%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | UMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $47.81B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $28.02 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $6.58 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $44.93B |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 2.12% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $522.12, down 3.16% on the day, amid a neutral technical signal with support at $510 and resistance at $546. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 surpassing the $2.68 forecast. Strong profitability is evident with a net margin of 29.31% and ROE of 39.69%, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 49.45 are elevated. Recent news highlights robust AI-driven demand in semiconductor equipment, with CEO Gary Dickerson calling it the industry's strongest period ever (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
The outlook remains positive given analyst consensus with a $662.82 price target and 76.9% buy ratings, but risks include high valuation sensitivity and cyclical semiconductor capital spending. Revenue growth to $29.0B in 2026 with a projected 29.31% net margin supports upside, though investors should monitor competitive pressures and macroeconomic impacts on tech spending.
UMC trades at $19.40, up 3.25% with a neutral technical signal. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates with $0.54 EPS, and announced fab expansions in Singapore and Taiwan to meet AI demand. Revenue growth is projected to rise to $250.7 billion in 2026, with net income margin improving to 32.75%. Cash flow turned positive in 2025 at $5.66 billion, supporting strategic investments.
Outlook is positive due to AI-driven demand and operational execution, but risks include competitive pressures and capital expenditure volatility. Analysts show mixed sentiment with 26.7% buy ratings, highlighting cautious optimism amid expansion plans.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Materials is the world's largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing materials engineering solutions to help make nearly every chip in the world. The firm's systems are used in nearly every major process step with the exception of lithography. Key tools include those for chemical and physical vapor deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer- and reticle-inspection, critical dimension measurement, and defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes.
Read more on AMAT →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 →