18,000 Shares in East West Bancorp, Inc. $EWBC Bought by Assenagon Asset Management S.A.

Key Points

• Assenagon Asset Management acquired 18,000 East West Bancorp shares in the second quarter, valued at approximately $2.32 million. Institutional investors collectively own 89.53% of EWBC.
• East West Bancorp reported quarterly EPS of $2.63, narrowly exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 12.5% year over year to $789.98 million. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.80, representing an annualized yield of about 2.4%.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $141.77. However, company insiders sold 33,511 shares worth approximately $4.31 million during the last quarter.

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new position in shares of East West Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:EWBC - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 18,000 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $2,324,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of EWBC. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in shares of East West Bancorp in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors bought a new position in East West Bancorp during the third quarter worth $31,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its holdings in shares of East West Bancorp by 44.7% during the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 366 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the period. Quarry LP boosted its position in shares of East West Bancorp by 35.4% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 390 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of East West Bancorp during the 4th quarter worth about $51,000. 89.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at East West Bancorp

In other news, Director Jack C. Liu sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.02, for a total transaction of $135,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 13,709 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,850,989.18. This represents a 6.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Vice Chairman Douglas Paul Krause sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total transaction of $1,235,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 46,974 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,801,289. The trade was a 17.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 33,511 shares of company stock worth $4,312,741 in the last quarter. 0.94% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

East West Bancorp Stock Performance

Shares of EWBC stock opened at $135.96 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $130.86 and a 200-day moving average of $121.22. The company has a market cap of $18.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.88. 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 - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.61 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $789.98 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $784.47 million. East West Bancorp had a net margin of 30.45% and a return on equity of 16.07%. The firm's revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.24 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that East West Bancorp, Inc. will post 10.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

East West Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 3rd will be paid a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 3rd. East West Bancorp's dividend payout ratio is 30.77%.

East West Bancorp News Summary

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on East West Bancorp in a report on Monday. They set an "overweight" rating and a $155.00 price objective for the company. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of East West Bancorp from $125.00 to $138.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of East West Bancorp from $137.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of East West Bancorp in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of East West Bancorp from $128.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, East West Bancorp has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $141.77.

East West Bancorp Company Profile

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source