Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA vs United Microelectronics Corp — how do they compare? Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA trades at $28.62 (market cap $157.51B), while United Microelectronics Corp trades at $19.18 (market cap $47.80B). The key difference: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA is far larger — about 3.3× United Microelectronics Corp's market cap, and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA pays the higher dividend (3.8%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BBVA | UMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $157.51B | $47.80B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $28.36 | $28.02 |
52-Week Low | $17.96 | $6.58 |
Dividend Yield | 3.8% | 2.13% |
Enterprise Value | — | $44.92B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BBVA trades at $28.35, up 0.75% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong fundamental performance. The bank reported Q2 2026 net profit growth of 11.4% year-over-year, driven by Mexico operations, and announced a $2.3 billion buyback. Revenue reached $39.42 billion in 2025, with net income margin at 26.13% and ROE of 18.5%, though cash flow was negative in 2024.
Outlook is positive with raised profitability guidance (ROTE ~21%) and analyst consensus leaning buy (54%), but risks include a Spanish court trial for spying allegations and antitrust probes. The stock offers value with a P/E of 12.98, yet investors should monitor legal overhangs and macroeconomic volatility in core markets like Spain and Mexico.
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
Despite its Spanish origins, BBVA generates three quarters of its profits in emerging markets, especially Mexico that contributes nearly half of BBVA's net profit. BBVA is overwhelmingly a retail and commercial bank with corporate and investment banking forming a smaller part of the overall business.
Read more on BBVA →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.
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