CSCO vs. UMC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CSCO and UMC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
CSCO is a standard domestic listing, while UMC trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cisco Systems, Inc. | United Microelectronics Corporation |
| Country | United States | Taiwan |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Communications Equipment | Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 268.50 billion USD | 18.21 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 16, 1990 | September 19, 2000 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CSCO and UMC by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.30% | -2.23% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.09% | 0.23% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 10.06% | -1.79% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 29.08% | 8.46% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.73% | -3.73% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 14.73% | 1.86% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 17.47M | 77.27M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 19.67M | 45.90M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.80% | 20.67% |
| Beta | 0.87 | 0.31 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CSCO
22.18%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 32.30%
- Q3
- 20.90%
- Median
- 9.10%
- Q1
- 4.29%
- Min
- -13.50%
In the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, CSCO’s Return on Equity of 22.18% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
UMC
10.76%
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 47.13%
- Q3
- 23.50%
- Median
- 9.94%
- Q1
- 0.86%
- Min
- -20.69%
UMC’s Return on Equity of 10.76% is on par with the norm for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
17.97%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 12.56%
- Median
- 5.62%
- Q1
- 2.50%
- Min
- -3.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.97% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
UMC
16.69%
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 52.41%
- Q3
- 23.88%
- Median
- 10.17%
- Q1
- 1.21%
- Min
- -32.15%
UMC’s Net Profit Margin of 16.69% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
20.76%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 25.23%
- Q3
- 13.72%
- Median
- 6.44%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -10.95%
An Operating Profit Margin of 20.76% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
UMC
19.65%
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 58.09%
- Q3
- 27.54%
- Median
- 11.18%
- Q1
- 3.31%
- Min
- -28.36%
UMC’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.65% is around the midpoint for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 22.18% | 10.76% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.37% | 7.00% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.97% | 16.69% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.76% | 19.65% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 64.94% | 29.94% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
1.00
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.33
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.91
CSCO’s Current Ratio of 1.00 falls into the lower quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
UMC
1.77
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.58
- Q3
- 4.24
- Median
- 2.73
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 1.02
UMC’s Current Ratio of 1.77 falls into the lower quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
0.60
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.44
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.22
- Min
- 0.00
CSCO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.60 is typical for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
UMC
0.20
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.09
- Q3
- 0.48
- Median
- 0.25
- Q1
- 0.01
- Min
- 0.00
UMC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.20 is typical for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
22.76
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 55.49
- Q3
- 34.19
- Median
- 7.59
- Q1
- 3.73
- Min
- -9.94
CSCO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.76 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
UMC
313.16
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 174.00
- Q3
- 74.71
- Median
- 26.06
- Q1
- 6.43
- Min
- -7.80
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 313.16, UMC demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.00 | 1.77 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.91 | 1.44 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.60 | 0.20 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.76 | 313.16 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CSCO
2.40%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.13%
- Q3
- 3.29%
- Median
- 0.94%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Yield of 2.40% is consistent with its peers in the Communications Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
UMC
6.83%
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.72%
- Q3
- 1.51%
- Median
- 0.69%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UMC’s Dividend Yield of 6.83% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
63.23%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 111.16%
- Q3
- 70.91%
- Median
- 30.78%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.23% is within the typical range for the Communications Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
UMC
163.64%
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 205.27%
- Q3
- 88.01%
- Median
- 27.13%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UMC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 163.64% is in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.40% | 6.83% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 63.23% | 163.64% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
26.38
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 103.74
- Q3
- 61.65
- Median
- 26.20
- Q1
- 18.12
- Min
- 4.19
CSCO’s P/E Ratio of 26.38 is within the middle range for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
UMC
13.87
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 106.30
- Q3
- 61.93
- Median
- 38.96
- Q1
- 23.71
- Min
- 13.06
In the lower quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, UMC’s P/E Ratio of 13.87 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
4.74
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.86
- Q3
- 6.24
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.48
CSCO’s P/S Ratio of 4.74 aligns with the market consensus for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
UMC
2.32
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 19.99
- Q3
- 10.21
- Median
- 5.23
- Q1
- 2.88
- Min
- 1.13
In the lower quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, UMC’s P/S Ratio of 2.32 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
5.74
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.28
- Q3
- 5.73
- Median
- 3.32
- Q1
- 2.02
- Min
- 0.42
CSCO’s P/B Ratio of 5.74 is in the upper tier for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
UMC
1.65
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry
- Max
- 14.22
- Q3
- 6.94
- Median
- 4.29
- Q1
- 1.99
- Min
- 0.67
UMC’s P/B Ratio of 1.65 is in the lower quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | UMC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 26.38 | 13.87 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.74 | 2.32 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.74 | 1.65 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.21 | 14.99 |