Jack Liu Sells 1,000 Shares of East West Bancorp (NASDAQ:EWBC) Stock

East West Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:EWBC) Director Jack Liu sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.02, for a total transaction of $135,020.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 13,709 shares in the company, valued at $1,850,989.18. The trade was a 6.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

East West Bancorp Price Performance

EWBC opened at $135.96 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.94. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $130.86 and its 200-day simple moving average is $121.22. East West Bancorp, Inc. has a one year low of $92.67 and a one year high of $136.35.

East West Bancorp (NASDAQ:EWBC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.61 by $0.02. East West Bancorp had a net margin of 30.45% and a return on equity of 16.07%. The firm had revenue of $789.98 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $784.47 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.24 EPS. East West Bancorp’s revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that East West Bancorp, Inc. will post 10.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

East West Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.80 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 3rd. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. East West Bancorp’s payout ratio is presently 30.77%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on East West Bancorp from $128.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. DA Davidson upped their target price on shares of East West Bancorp from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $150.00 target price on shares of East West Bancorp in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of East West Bancorp from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of East West Bancorp in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $141.77.

Institutional Trading of East West Bancorp

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Asset One Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in East West Bancorp during the second quarter valued at approximately $4,565,000. Infrastructure Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in East West Bancorp in the second quarter worth $702,000. Cibc World Market Inc. acquired a new stake in East West Bancorp in the second quarter worth $643,000. Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of East West Bancorp during the second quarter worth $3,577,000. Finally, Solstein Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of East West Bancorp during the second quarter worth $27,000. 89.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about East West Bancorp

Here are the key news stories impacting East West Bancorp this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple EPS forecasts for EWBC. The firm increased its FY2026 estimate to $10.57 from $10.40, FY2027 to $11.14 from $10.58, and FY2028 to $11.93 from $11.79. It also lifted estimates for several upcoming quarters, suggesting expectations for stronger profitability. The FY2026 forecast is close to the $10.59 consensus estimate.
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo maintained a Buy rating on East West Bancorp. Continued support from a major bank analyst reinforces the favorable Wall Street view and may help sustain investor demand. The broader analyst consensus is Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $141.77. Wells Fargo remains a Buy on East West Bancorp
• Positive Sentiment: East West Bancorp’s dividend supports the investment case. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.80, equivalent to $3.20 annually and a yield of approximately 2.4%. Its payout ratio of about 31% indicates room for continued distributions, assuming earnings remain healthy.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating results provide a strong backdrop. EWBC’s latest quarterly earnings exceeded estimates, with EPS of $2.63 versus the $2.61 consensus and revenue of $789.98 million. Revenue increased 12.5% year over year, while net margin and return on equity remained robust.
• Negative Sentiment: Director Jack Liu sold 1,000 shares at an average price of $135.02 for approximately $135,020. He retained 13,709 shares, making the transaction relatively small, but insider selling can modestly pressure sentiment. East West Bancorp insider sale

About East West Bancorp

East West Bancorp, Inc is a bank holding company and the parent of East West Bank, one of the largest independent banks headquartered in Southern California. As a full-service commercial bank, it provides a broad range of financial products and services to business and individual customers, including commercial and residential real estate lending, working capital lines of credit, trade finance, and deposit and treasury management services. The company caters to both large and middle-market businesses, leveraging its expertise to serve clients engaged in cross-border trade and investment between the United States and Greater China.

Founded in Los Angeles in the early 1970s, East West Bank has grown steadily through organic expansion and strategic branch openings.