East West Bancorp, Inc. (“East West” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: EWBC), parent company of East West Bank, today reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2021. Net income for the second quarter of 2021 was $224.7 million, or $1.57 per diluted share. Second quarter 2021 return on average assets was 1.56% and return on average equity was 16.6%.

“East West had a very strong quarter of robust growth, expanding profitability and improving asset quality,” stated Dominic Ng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of East West. “As of June 30, 2021, our total loans reached a record $40.1 billion and our total deposits reached a record $52.6 billion.”

“Excluding the impact of the Paycheck Protection Program, loans grew by 12% annualized in the second quarter, with solid growth across our residential mortgage, commercial, and commercial real estate loan portfolios. Total deposits grew by 25% annualized, and noninterest-bearing demand deposits reached 41% of total deposits as of June 30, 2021. Our diversified growth reflects the strength of our business model, our commercial and consumer customer mix, and our geographic footprint in dynamic metropolitan areas of the United States.”

“Quarter-over-quarter, our revenue grew by 17% annualized and operating expenses decreased, driving adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income growth of 33% annualized and expanding profitability,” continued Ng. “Our solid financial performance for the second quarter resulted in adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision profitability¹ of 2.0% and a return on average tangible equity² of 18.3%.”

“Asset quality continues to be healthy. Criticized loans fell by 15% quarter-over-quarter; net charge-offs were 0.13% of average loans, annualized, and the nonperforming assets ratio declined by seven basis points to 0.38% of total assets. Accordingly, we recorded a negative $15.0 million provision for credit losses in the second quarter.”

“We are pleased with our results this quarter and are positive about our outlook for the rest of the year,” concluded Ng. “The hard work and outstanding execution by all our associates builds a strong foundation for East West’s continued growth and success in the years to come. We are well poised to help our communities and customers thrive as the economy expands.”

BALANCE SHEET

• Record Assets – Total assets reached $59.9 billion as of June 30, 2021, up by $3.0 billion, or 21% annualized, from $56.9 billion as of March 31, 2021.
  
  
  
  Second quarter 2021 average interest-earning assets of $54.9 billion grew by $2.0 billion, or 16% linked quarter annualized. The growth in average interest-earning assets consisted of a $1.5 billion increase in average available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities, an $893.0 million increase in average loans, and a $667.7 million increase in average assets purchased under resale agreements (“resale agreements”), partially offset by a $1.0 billion decrease in average interest-bearing cash and deposits with banks. The increase in average AFS debt securities and resale agreements largely reflected activity during the first quarter of 2021; on an end-of-period basis, AFS debt securities increased by $610.2 million and resale agreements increased by $139.1 million between June 30, 2021, and March 31, 2021.

• Record Loans – Total loans reached $40.1 billion as of June 30, 2021, up by $484.6 million, or 5% annualized, from $39.6 billion as of March 31, 2021. Excluding Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans of $1.4 billion as of June 30, 2021, total loans grew by $1.1 billion, or 12% linked quarter annualized. During the second quarter of 2021, $695.5 million of PPP loans outstanding were forgiven by the Small Business Administration. The Company funded 5,523 new PPP loans totaling $896.5 million in the first half of 2021.
  
  
  
  Second quarter 2021 average loans of $39.6 billion grew by $893.0 million, or 9% linked quarter annualized. Excluding PPP loans, average loans grew by $953.6 million, or 10% annualized, from the first quarter of 2021. The strong loan growth during the quarter was broad-based, with the strongest growth from average residential mortgage loans, which increased by 19% linked quarter annualized. Average total CRE loans grew by 8% linked quarter annualized, and average C&I loans, excluding PPP, grew by 6% linked quarter annualized.

• Record Deposits – Total deposits reached $52.6 billion as of June 30, 2021, up by $3.0 billion, or 25% annualized, from $49.5 billion as of March 31, 2021. Noninterest-bearing demand deposits reached a record $21.8 billion as of June 30, 2021, up by $2.9 billion, or 61% annualized, from $18.9 billion as of March 31, 2021. Noninterest-bearing demand deposits made up 41% of total deposits as of June 30, 2021, up from 38% as of March 31, 2021, or 34% as of June 30, 2020.
  
  
  
  Second quarter 2021 average deposits of $50.2 billion grew by $2.3 billion, or 20% linked quarter annualized. Growth in the second quarter was led by noninterest-bearing demand deposits, which increased by 36% linked quarter annualized. Time deposits decreased quarter-over-quarter, reflecting run-off of higher rate certificates of deposit.

• Capital Levels – Capital levels for East West are strong. As of June 30, 2021, stockholders’ equity was $5.5 billion, or $39.10 per common share, and tangible equity³ per common share was $35.75. As of June 30, 2021, the tangible equity to tangible assets ratio³ was 8.54%, the common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital ratio was 12.8%, and the total risk-based capital ratio was 14.3%.

OPERATING RESULTS

Second Quarter Earnings – Second quarter 2021 net income was $224.7 million, or $1.57 per diluted share, an increase of 10% from $205.0 million, or $1.44 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2021.

Second Quarter 2021 Compared to First Quarter 2021

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income (“NII”) totaled $376.5 million, an increase of 26% annualized from $353.7 million. Net interest margin (“NIM”) of 2.75% increased by four basis points from 2.71%.

• Excluding the impact of PPP loans, adjusted NII⁴ totaled $361.1 million, an increase of 27% annualized from $338.7 million. Adjusted NIM⁴ of 2.73% expanded by three basis points from 2.70%. PPP loans contributed $15.4 million to NII in the second quarter, compared with $15.0 million in the first quarter.
• NII growth reflected higher interest income, due to average loan, AFS debt securities and resale agreement volume growth, and decreased interest expense, due to a lower cost of deposits, a reduction of time deposit balances and pay off of FHLB advances. During the second quarter, $400.0 million of FHLB advances with an average rate of 2.25% matured.
• The yield on average earning assets of 2.92% was relatively stable quarter-over-quarter, contracting by one basis point from 2.93%. The average loan yield of 3.57% was likewise relatively stable, contracting by one basis point from 3.58%. Quarter-over-quarter, yields on AFS debt securities and resale agreements were lower, but the overall mix of earning assets was higher yielding due to a reduction of average interest-bearing cash and deposits with banks.
• The average cost of deposits of 0.14% decreased by four basis points from 0.18%. The average cost of interest-bearing deposits of 0.24% decreased by six basis points from 0.30%. The decrease in the cost of deposits primarily reflects continued downward repricing of time deposits to market rates, and a reduction in rates paid on money market accounts.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income totaled $68.4 million in the second quarter, down from $72.9 million in the first quarter. Quarter-over-quarter growth in foreign exchange income, lending fees, deposit account fees, and wealth management fees drove a 15% increase in customer-driven fee income. However, the growth in customer-driven fee income was offset by an unfavorable change in the credit valuation adjustment of interest rate contracts and other derivatives.

• Included in interest rate contracts and other derivative income are fair value changes primarily due to the quarter-over-quarter change in the credit valuation adjustment. These fair value changes amounted to a $5.4 million loss in the second quarter, reflecting a quarter-over-quarter decline in long-term benchmark interest rates. In the first quarter, the comparable amount was a $14.1 million gain, reflecting an increase in long-term benchmark interest rates during the period.
• Other investment income totaled $7.6 million in the second quarter, up from $0.9 million in the first quarter, reflecting increased valuations of Community Reinvestment Act-related investments.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense totaled $189.5 million. Second quarter noninterest expense consisted of $161.5 million of adjusted noninterest expense⁵, $27.3 million in amortization of tax credit and other investments, and $0.7 million in amortization of core deposit intangibles.

• Adjusted noninterest expense of $161.5 million decreased by 2% from $165.0 million in the first quarter. Compensation and employee benefits expense decreased from a seasonally higher first quarter.
• Amortization of tax credit and other investments totaled $27.3 million, an increase from $25.4 million in the first quarter. Second quarter amortization of tax credit and other investments included $0.9 million of recoveries related to DC Solar tax credit investments. These recoveries amounted to $0.6 million after tax.
• The adjusted efficiency ratio⁵ was 36.3% in the second quarter, an improvement from 38.7% in the first quarter.

TAX RELATED ITEMS

Second quarter 2021 income tax expense was $45.6 million and the effective tax rate was 17%. Year-to-date for the first six months of 2021, the effective tax rate was 15%. For the full year, the Company expects the effective tax rate to be approximately 15%.

ASSET QUALITY

• Quarter-over-quarter, criticized loans fell by $184.9 million, or 15%, with decreases of 23% in special mention and 9% in classified loans. The allowance for loan losses (“ALLL”) totaled $585.7 million, or 1.46% of loans held-for-investment (“HFI”), as of June 30, 2021, compared with $607.5 million, or 1.53% of loans HFI, as of March 31, 2021.
• Quarter-over-quarter, the ALLL decreased by $21.8 million, and the ALLL coverage ratio of loans HFI decreased by seven basis points. The change in the ALLL reflects an improved macroeconomic forecast, improved loan risk ratings, and lower expected losses over the expected life of the loans.
• As a result of the improvements noted above, during the second quarter of 2021, the Company recorded a negative $15.0 million provision for credit losses.
• Second quarter 2021 net charge-offs were $13.3 million, or annualized 0.13% of average loans HFI, down by $131 thousand, or one basis point, from $13.4 million, or annualized 0.14% of average loans HFI, for the first quarter of 2021.
• As of June 30, 2021, criticized loans totaled $1,032.0 million, or 2.58% of loans HFI, an improvement of 49 basis points from $1,216.9 million, or 3.07% of loans HFI, as of March 31, 2021. Special mention loans decreased by 23% to $386.8 million as of June 30, 2021, down from $504.2 million as of March 31, 2021. Classified loans decreased by 9% to $645.2 million as of June 30, 2021, down from $712.7 million as of March 31, 2021.
• Nonperforming assets were $225.7 million, or 0.38% of total assets, as of June 30, 2021, compared with $258.1 million, or 0.45% of total assets, as of March 31, 2021.

CAPITAL STRENGTH

Capital levels for East West are strong. The following table presents the regulatory capital ratios as of June 30, 2021, March 31, 2021, and June 30, 2020.

DIVIDEND PAYOUT AND CAPITAL ACTIONS

East West’s Board of Directors has declared third quarter 2021 dividends for the Company’s common stock. The common stock cash dividend of $0.33 per share is payable on August 16, 2021, to stockholders of record on August 2, 2021.

On March 3, 2020, East West’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $500 million of East West’s common stock. East West did not repurchase any shares during the second quarter of 2021, and has not repurchased any shares since the first quarter of 2020, under this authorization.

Conference Call

East West will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2021 earnings with the public on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. ET. The public and investment community are invited to listen as management discusses second quarter 2021 results and operating developments.

• The following dial-in information is provided for participation in the conference call: calls within the U.S. – (877) 506-6399; calls within Canada – (855) 669-9657; international calls – (412) 902-6699.
• A presentation to accompany the earnings call will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at www.eastwestbank.com/investors.
• A listen-only live broadcast of the call will also be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at www.eastwestbank.com/investors.
• A replay of the conference call will be available on July 22, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. PT through August 22, 2021. The replay numbers are: within the U.S. – (877) 344-7529; within Canada – (855) 669-9658; international calls – (412) 317-0088; and the replay access code is: 10157563.

About East West

East West Bancorp, Inc. is a public company with total assets of $59.9 billion and is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “EWBC”. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, East West Bank, is one of the largest independent banks headquartered in California, operating over 120 locations in the United States and in China. The Company’s markets in the United States include California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas and Washington. In China, East West’s presence includes full service branches in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shantou and Shenzhen, and representative offices in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Xiamen. For more information on East West, visit the Company’s website at www.eastwestbank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters set forth herein (including any exhibits hereto) contain forward-looking statements that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for such statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, the Company may make forward-looking statements in other documents that it files with, or furnishes to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and management may make forward-looking statements to analysts, investors, media members and others. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond the Company’s control, such as the future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These statements relate to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and/or business. They usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking language, such as “likely result in,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “intends to,” “assumes,” “believes,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continues,” “remains,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “can,” or similar expressions, and the negative thereof. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those described in the documents incorporated by reference. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements the Company may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to the Company.

There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, include, but are not limited to: changes in the U.S. economy, including an economic slowdown, inflation, deflation, housing prices, employment levels, rate of growth and general business conditions; changes in local, regional and global business, economic and political conditions and geopolitical events; the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and any other pandemic, epidemic or health-related crisis; changes in laws or the regulatory environment including regulatory reform initiatives and policies of the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the SEC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation - Division of Financial Institutions, and the SBA; the changes and effects thereof in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China; changes in the commercial and consumer real estate markets; changes in consumer spending and savings habits; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; changes in income tax laws and regulations; the Company’s ability to compete effectively against financial institutions in its banking markets and other entities, including as a result of emerging technologies; the soundness of other financial institutions; success and timing of the Company’s business strategies; the Company’s ability to retain key officers and employees; impact on the Company’s funding costs, net interest income and net interest margin from changes in key variable market interest rates, competition, regulatory requirements and the Company’s product mix; changes in the Company’s costs of operation, compliance and expansion; the Company’s ability to adopt and successfully integrate new technologies into its business in a strategic manner; impact of the benchmark interest rate reform in the U.S. including the transition away from USD LIBOR to alternative reference rates; impact of a communications or technology disruption, failure in, or breach of, the Company’s operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties with whom the Company does business, including as a result of cyber-attacks, and other similar matters which could result in, among other things, confidential and/or proprietary information being disclosed or misused and materially impact the Company’s ability to provide services to its clients; adequacy of the Company’s risk management framework, disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting; future credit quality and performance, including the Company’s expectations regarding future credit losses and allowance levels; impact of adverse changes to the Company’s credit ratings from major credit rating agencies; impact of adverse judgments or settlements in litigation; impact on the Company’s international operations due to political developments, disease pandemics, wars or other hostilities that may disrupt or increase volatility in securities or otherwise affect economic conditions; heightened regulatory and governmental oversight and scrutiny of the Company’s business practices, including dealings with consumers; impact of reputational risk from negative publicity, fines and penalties and other negative consequences from regulatory violations and legal actions and from the Company’s interactions with business partners, counterparties, service providers and other third parties; impact of regulatory enforcement actions; changes in accounting standards as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies and their impact on critical accounting policies and assumptions; impact of other potential federal tax changes and spending cuts; the Company’s capital requirements and its ability to generate capital internally or raise capital on favorable terms; impact on the Company’s liquidity due to changes in the Company’s ability to pay dividends and repurchase common stock and to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; any future strategic acquisitions or divestitures; changes in the equity and debt securities markets; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; impact of climate change, social and sustainability concerns; significant turbulence or disruption in the capital or financial markets, which could result in, among other things, a reduction in the availability of funding or increases in funding costs, a reduction in investor demand for mortgage loans and declines in asset values and/or recognition of allowance for credit losses on securities held in the Company’s AFS debt securities portfolio; and impact of natural or man-made disasters or calamities, such as wildfires and earthquakes, which are particular to California, or conflicts, terrorism or other events that may directly or indirectly result in a negative impact on the Company’s financial performance.

For a more detailed discussion of some of the factors that might cause such differences, see the Company’s 2020 Form 10-K under the heading Item 1A. Risk Factors and the information set forth under Item 1A. Risk Factors in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law.

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¹ See reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in Table 12.

² See reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in Table 13.

³ See reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in Table 13.

⁴ See reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in Table 14.

⁵ See reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in Table 12.