EWBC Stock Dips Despite Q4 Earnings Beat, Revenues & Costs Rise Y/Y

Core Insights - East West Bancorp, Inc. (EWBC) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.52, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.48, and reflecting a 21.2% increase year-over-year [1][10] Financial Performance - The increase in net interest income (NII) and non-interest income, along with lower provisions, contributed to the positive earnings performance, although higher non-interest expenses negatively impacted the results [2][10] - Quarterly net revenues reached $758.3 million, a 12.2% year-over-year increase, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $748.4 million [4] - For the full year 2025, net revenues totaled $2.93 billion, also up 12.2% year-over-year, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.92 billion [4] Income and Expenses - Quarterly NII was $657.8 million, an 11.9% increase year-over-year, with the net interest margin (NIM) expanding by 17 basis points to 3.41% [5] - Total non-interest income was $100.4 million, up 13.9% year-over-year, driven by increases in most components except for a few specific areas [6] - Non-interest expenses totaled $261.3 million, a 4.5% increase from the prior-year quarter, with the efficiency ratio improving to 34.46% from 36.99% [7] Loan and Deposit Growth - As of December 31, 2025, net loans held for investment (HFI) were $56.1 billion, reflecting a 2% sequential rise, while total deposits increased by 0.7% to $67.1 billion [8] Credit Quality - Annualized quarterly net charge-offs were 0.08% of average loans HFI, down 40 basis points year-over-year, with provisions for credit losses decreasing by 57.1% to $30 million [9] Capital and Profitability Ratios - The common equity Tier 1 capital ratio improved to 15.10% from 14.27% year-over-year, and the total risk-based capital ratio rose to 16.42% from 15.48% [12] - Return on average assets was 1.77%, up from 1.55%, and return on average tangible equity increased to 17.03% from 16.07% [12] Share Repurchase and Dividend - In the reported quarter, the company repurchased 10,000 shares for $1 million, with $215 million remaining available for repurchase as of December 31, 2025 [13] - The board declared a common stock dividend of 80 cents per share, a 33% increase from the previous payout, to be paid on February 17 [14] Overall Outlook - The company is positioned for organic growth with improvements in loans and solid deposit balances, although rising expenses and mixed asset quality may pose challenges [15]