Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM – Get Free Report) and United Microelectronics (NYSE:UMC – Get Free Report) are both large-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations and profitability.
Dividends
Qualcomm pays an annual dividend of $3.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. United Microelectronics pays an annual dividend of $0.37 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.2%. Qualcomm pays out 73.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. United Microelectronics pays out 68.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Qualcomm has raised its dividend for 23 consecutive years. United Microelectronics is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of recent recommendations for Qualcomm and United Microelectronics, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Qualcomm | 3 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 2.31 |
| United Microelectronics | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.40 |
Insider & Institutional Ownership
74.4% of Qualcomm shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 5.1% of United Microelectronics shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of Qualcomm shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 8.0% of United Microelectronics shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares Qualcomm and United Microelectronics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Qualcomm | 11.96% | 44.09% | 20.50% |
| United Microelectronics | 17.60% | 11.45% | 7.45% |
Risk and Volatility
Qualcomm has a beta of 1.28, indicating that its share price is 28% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, United Microelectronics has a beta of 1.16, indicating that its share price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Qualcomm and United Microelectronics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Qualcomm | $44.28 billion | 3.28 | $5.54 billion | $4.84 | 28.14 |
| United Microelectronics | $7.57 billion | 3.86 | $1.34 billion | $0.54 | 21.55 |
Qualcomm has higher revenue and earnings than United Microelectronics. United Microelectronics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Qualcomm, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Qualcomm beats United Microelectronics on 13 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated engages in the development and commercialization of foundational technologies for the wireless industry worldwide. It operates through three segments: Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT); Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL); and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI). The QCT segment develops and supplies integrated circuits and system software based on 3G/4G/5G and other technologies for use in wireless voice and data communications, networking, computing, multimedia, and position location products. The QTL segment grants licenses or provides rights to use portions of its intellectual property portfolio, which include various patent rights useful in the manufacture and sale of wireless products comprising products implementing CDMA2000, WCDMA, LTE and/or OFDMA-based 5G standards and their derivatives. The QSI segment invests in early-stage companies in various industries, including 5G, artificial intelligence, automotive, consumer, enterprise, cloud, IoT, and extended reality, and investments, including non-marketable equity securities and, to a lesser extent, marketable equity securities, and convertible debt instruments. It also provides development, and other services and related products to the United States government agencies and their contractors. The company was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
About United Microelectronics
United Microelectronics Corporation operates as a semiconductor wafer foundry in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides circuit design, mask tooling, wafer fabrication, and assembly and testing services. It serves fabless design companies and integrated device manufacturers. United Microelectronics Corporation was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
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