First Solar, Inc. vs United Microelectronics Corp — how do they compare? First Solar, Inc. trades at $228.35 (market cap $25.89B), while United Microelectronics Corp trades at $19.42 (market cap $47.81B). The key difference: United Microelectronics Corp is the larger of the two by market cap, and United Microelectronics Corp pays a 2.12% dividend while First Solar, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| FSLR | UMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.89B | $47.81B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $318.30 | $28.02 |
52-Week Low | $180.05 | $6.58 |
Enterprise Value | $24.36B | $44.93B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.12% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
First Solar (FSLR) trades at $227.36, down 5.0% on the day, as the stock faces headwinds from multiple class action lawsuits alleging securities fraud during the February 2025-2026 period. Despite the legal overhang, the company maintains strong fundamentals with revenue growing from $2.6B in 2022 to $5.2B in 2025 and net income reaching $1.53B. Technical indicators show a bullish moving average signal but neutral oscillators, with key support at $230 and resistance at $245. Recent analyst upgrades provide optimism, with Baird raising its price target to $318 on August 11, 2026.
The investment outlook remains cautiously optimistic given FSLR's robust profitability metrics (32.5% net margin, 18.5% ROE) and analyst consensus price target of $282 representing 24% upside potential. However, significant legal risks from ongoing securities litigation and potential regulatory headwinds from solar trade policies create near-term uncertainty. Long-term growth prospects in renewable energy remain intact, but investors should weigh legal resolution timelines against fundamental strength.
UMC trades at $19.50, up 3.78% today, with neutral technical signals and strong fundamental performance. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.54 significantly exceeding the $0.16 expectation. Recent announcements include fab expansions in Singapore and Taiwan to meet AI-driven demand, supported by growing silicon photonics production. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 18.55 and P/S of 6.02, with robust profitability margins including 32.75% net income margin.
Outlook remains positive with projected revenue growth to $250.7B in 2026 and net income rebound to $82.1B. Key risks include semiconductor cycle volatility and execution challenges from capacity expansion. Analyst consensus shows mixed sentiment with 26.7% buy ratings versus 20% sell recommendations, suggesting cautious optimism amid expansion initiatives.
Trailing returns across standard periods
First Solar designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic panels, modules, and systems for use in utility-scale development projects. The company's solar modules use cadmium telluride to convert sunlight into electricity. This is commonly called thin-film technology. First Solar is the world's largest thin-film solar module manufacturer. It has production lines in Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, and a new factory under construction in India.
Read more on FSLR →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 →