iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF vs United Microelectronics Corp — how do they compare? iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF trades at $96.9, while United Microelectronics Corp trades at $21.21 (market cap $51.00B). The key difference: United Microelectronics Corp pays a 2.03% dividend while iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF pays none, and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, United Microelectronics Corp nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| IEFA | UMC | |
|---|---|---|
Sector | Broad Market / Factor | Technology |
52-Week High | $98.56 | $28.02 |
52-Week Low | $81.70 | $6.58 |
Market Cap | — | $51.00B |
Enterprise Value | — | $48.57B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.03% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
IEFA trades at $95.57, down 0.71% today amid a bearish technical signal. The ETF focuses on developed international equities excluding the U.S. and Canada, offering a 3.30% dividend yield with a low 0.07% expense ratio. Recent news highlights its role in diversification away from S&P 500 concentration risks. Key support and resistance levels are tightly clustered around $96-$97.
The outlook remains mixed; IEFA provides cost-effective exposure to stable international markets but faces headwinds from currency fluctuations and central bank policy shifts. Its bearish technical trend and neutral oscillators suggest near-term consolidation, while long-term investors may value its dividend income and geographic diversification benefits.
UMC trades at $20.41, down 3.95% for the day, with a bearish technical signal but oversold RSI readings. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $0.20, beating expectations, and maintains strong profitability with a 20.25% net margin. Recent news highlights mass production of silicon photonics ICs and a new 14nm eHV platform, signaling innovation in semiconductor technology.
Outlook is mixed: analyst consensus leans Hold (53%) amid high valuation multiples (P/E 34.5), but earnings beats and specialty tech growth offer upside. Risks include competitive pressures and margin compression from 32.1% in 2022 to 17.0% in 2025. Cash flow improved to $5.66B net in 2025, supporting dividend payments.
Trailing returns across standard periods
IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE Investable Market Index, offering broad exposure to large, mid, and small-cap stocks in developed markets across Europe, Australasia, and the Far East. It serves as a low-cost core holding for international diversification, excluding the U.S. and Canada.
Read more on IEFA →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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