FSLR vs. UMC: First Solar vs. United Microelectronics Stock Comparison

Company Profile

First Solar (FSLR) and United Microelectronics (UMC) are both classified in the Semiconductors sub-industry within the broader Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

First Solar (FSLR) trades as ordinary local shares, while United Microelectronics (UMC) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 18.71% and United Microelectronics (UMC) at 20.37% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

For every dollar of sales, both First Solar (FSLR) at 37.12% and United Microelectronics (UMC) at 31.95% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

First Solar (FSLR) at 44.37% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of United Microelectronics (UMC) at 25.09%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 24.09% and United Microelectronics (UMC) at 2.26% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 18.22% and United Microelectronics (UMC) at -12.57% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 2.57 and United Microelectronics (UMC) at 3.27 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

First Solar (FSLR) at 0.03 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while United Microelectronics (UMC) at 0.17 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

First Solar (FSLR) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile United Microelectronics (UMC) reports a yield of 19.43%, ranking against industry peers normally.

First Solar (FSLR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile United Microelectronics (UMC) reports a payout of 37.46%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 11.63 and United Microelectronics (UMC) at 13.07 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

United Microelectronics (UMC) at 0.13 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while First Solar (FSLR) at 4.31 prices around its industry’s middle — UMC costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

First Solar (FSLR) at 1.99 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while United Microelectronics (UMC) at 2.39 is valued near its industry’s middle — FSLR is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

Valuation Metrics