East West Bancorp (EWBC) Q1 2026 earnings summary

Executive summary

• Net income for Q1 2026 reached $358 million, or $2.57 diluted EPS, up 23% year-over-year.

• Achieved record levels in loans ($58.1 billion) and deposits ($68.9 billion) as of March 31, 2026, with deposits up 9% and loans up 7% year-over-year.

• Fee income reached a record $103 million, up 12% year-over-year, driven by wealth management and deposit account fees.

• Return on average common equity was 16%, and return on average tangible common equity was 16.92%.

• Book value per share increased 14% year-over-year to $65.70.

Financial highlights

• Total revenue for Q1 2026 was $774 million, up 12% year-over-year and 2% sequentially.

• Net interest income rose to $671 million, up 12% year-over-year, aided by balance sheet growth and lower deposit costs.

• Efficiency ratio was 36.2%, reflecting strong cost control.

• Allowance for loan losses increased to $836 million (1.44% of total loans).

• Nonperforming assets ratio remained stable at 0.26% of total assets as of March 31, 2026.

Outlook and guidance

• Full-year 2026 managed income guidance raised to 6%-8% growth, up from 5%-7%.

• Loan growth guidance reiterated at 5%-7% for the year.

• Net charge-offs projected to be 15-25 basis points for the full year.

• Operating noninterest expense expected to rise 7%-9% year-over-year.

• Net interest margin and NII expected to be flat to positive, benefiting from a higher-for-longer rate environment.