Investors Purchase High Volume of United Microelectronics Call Options (NYSE:UMC)

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock investors acquired 103,219 call options on the company. This is an increase of 626% compared to the average daily volume of 14,223 call options.

United Microelectronics Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UMC traded up $1.12 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $22.73. 3,897,326 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,453,948. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $20.41 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $17.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $57.24 billion, a PE ratio of 21.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 1.59. United Microelectronics has a 12 month low of $6.82 and a 12 month high of $28.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 1.81 and a current ratio of 2.17.

United Microelectronics (NYSE:UMC) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, June 30th. The semiconductor company reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter. United Microelectronics had a net margin of 33.18% and a return on equity of 21.00%. The business had revenue of $2.16 billion for the quarter. Equities research analysts expect that United Microelectronics will post 1.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Microelectronics Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 8th were paid a $0.4122 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, July 8th. This represents a dividend yield of 166.0%. This is an increase from United Microelectronics’s previous annual dividend of $0.37. United Microelectronics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.97%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of United Microelectronics from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Arete Research raised shares of United Microelectronics from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. BNP Paribas Exane reissued an “underperform” rating on shares of United Microelectronics in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. Wall Street Zen upgraded United Microelectronics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded United Microelectronics from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $8.60.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Matthews International Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Microelectronics during the 1st quarter worth approximately $8,779,000. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new position in United Microelectronics in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $3,550,000. Nykredit A S bought a new position in United Microelectronics in the second quarter valued at approximately $9,525,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in United Microelectronics by 13.2% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,849,737 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $25,591,000 after acquiring an additional 333,011 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Delta Global Management LP acquired a new stake in United Microelectronics during the 1st quarter worth $1,435,000. 5.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About United Microelectronics

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC) is a Taiwan-based semiconductor foundry that manufactures integrated circuits for customers that design and market their own chips. The company provides wafer fabrication services rather than selling semiconductor products under its own consumer brand.

UMC supports a broad range of applications, including communications, automotive systems, industrial equipment, consumer electronics and computing. Its manufacturing portfolio includes logic and mixed-signal technologies, radio-frequency processes, embedded high-voltage solutions, display-driver chips, image sensors and other specialty semiconductor technologies.