East West Bank’s fourth quarter results came in above Wall Street’s revenue and non-GAAP profit expectations, as management credited strong deposit inflows and fee income expansion for the company’s performance. CEO Dominic Ng emphasized the importance of disciplined loan and deposit growth, highlighting growth in both C&I and residential mortgage lending. Fee income growth was supported by increased wealth management activity and investments in the global treasury group. Management noted, “We grew end-of-period deposits by 6% year-over-year with significant traction in both non-interest-bearing and time deposits,” underscoring the bank’s ability to attract core customers even as the broader industry faces volatility.

Is now the time to buy EWBC? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From East West Bank’s Q4 Earnings Call

• Ebrahim Poonawala (Bank of America) asked why loan growth guidance for 2026 is not more aggressive given industry momentum; CFO Christopher Del Moral-Niles emphasized “recognizing the pattern that we saw last year” and a desire to set achievable targets.
• David Rochester (Cantor Fitzgerald) asked if fee income growth could accelerate beyond last year’s pace; Del Moral-Niles responded that the bank aspires to maintain double-digit growth, supported by ongoing hiring and platform investments.
• Casey Haire (Autonomous Research) questioned the sustainability of the 60% deposit beta and future cost trends; Del Moral-Niles stated, “Our betas will exceed 0.5 and we’re very happy to deliver 0.6 so far,” while cautioning that incremental gains will be harder as rates fall.
• David Chiaverini (Jefferies) sought clarity on net interest margin positioning and deposit mix sustainability; Del Moral-Niles highlighted the focus on growing non-interest-bearing balances and said this would remain a central strategy in a declining rate environment.
• David Smith (Truist Securities) asked about potential inorganic fee income opportunities and use of blockchain; Del Moral-Niles said capital is not a constraint for acquisitions, but the bar for deals is high, and CEO Dominic Ng noted blockchain adoption remains early and will be monitored for future application.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

Going forward, the StockStory team will monitor (1) sustained momentum in commercial deposit and loan growth, (2) the trajectory of fee income as new hires and digital platforms ramp, and (3) the impact of rising operating expenses on efficiency ratios. We will also watch for signs of credit quality trends and whether management’s disciplined approach to expansion continues to differentiate East West Bank from peers.

East West Bank currently trades at $114.13, down from $115.30 just before the earnings. Is the company at an inflection point that warrants a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

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