East West Bancorp Director Sells Shares: What You Need to Know

East West Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:EWBC) has seen some recent activity from its directors regarding stock sales. On January 28th, Director Jack C. Liu executed a transaction in which he sold 725 shares of the company’s stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.50, amounting to a total transaction value of $75,762.50. After this sale, Liu holds 15,832 shares in East West Bancorp, which are currently valued at approximately $1,654,444. This recent sale represents a 4.38% reduction in Liu's stake in the company. Details of the transaction were filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and can be accessed through official channels.

East West Bancorp Stock Performance

As of Wednesday, East West Bancorp shares opened at $103.02. The company has demonstrated stable performance with a 50-day moving average of $101.28 and a longer-term 200-day moving average of $91.70. Financial metrics indicate a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The current and quick ratios for the company are both at 0.92, illustrating its liquidity position. Over the past year, East West Bancorp has experienced stock price fluctuations, reaching a low of $67.27 and a high of $113.95. With a current market capitalization of $14.28 billion, the company's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 13.01, while the price-to-earnings growth (P/E/G) ratio is 2.85. The firm also has a beta of 1.30, indicating its volatility relative to the market.

Dividend Increase Announced

In addition to stock activities, East West Bancorp recently announced an increase in its quarterly dividend. The company will distribute a dividend of $0.60 per share to stockholders on record as of February 3rd. This dividend will be payable on February 17th. The ex-dividend date is also February 3rd. With this increase from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.55, shareholders can expect an annualized dividend of $2.40, leading to a dividend yield of 2.33%. The current dividend payout ratio (DPR) stands at 28.81%, indicating a sustainable approach to dividend distribution.

Institutional Trading Updates

There have been significant changes to institutional holdings in East West Bancorp in recent months. Entropy Technologies LP raised its stake by an impressive 416.8% during the fourth quarter, now owning 24,289 shares worth approximately $2,326,000 after acquiring an additional 19,589 shares. Another firm, Vest Financial LLC, increased its position by 6.8%, now owning 366,863 shares valued at $35,131,000 after purchasing 23,507 additional shares. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. also boosted its holdings by 18.2%, currently holding 100,320 shares worth $9,699,000, following a purchase of 15,475 shares. Other firms such as RBA Wealth Management LLC and JB Capital LLC have also ramped up their investments. Overall, institutional investors control approximately 89.53% of the company's stock, indicating strong institutional confidence in East West Bancorp.

Analyst Opinions on East West Bancorp

Recent assessments from financial analysts concerning East West Bancorp have yielded varied perspectives. Notably, Compass Point raised its price target from $110.00 to $125.00, endorsing the stock with a “buy” rating as of December 10th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods adjusted their price target from $96.00 to $128.00, categorizing the stock as “outperform” based on their analysis. Conversely, Stephens downgraded East West Bancorp shares from “overweight” to “equal weight.” Other analysts, including Wells Fargo & Company and Citigroup, have provided positive revisions to their price targets as well. The overall consensus is favorable, with the stock receiving a moderate buy rating and an average target price of $110.38 according to MarketBeat.com.

About East West Bancorp

East West Bancorp, Inc. serves as the holding company for East West Bank, which provides a variety of personal and commercial banking services. The company operates through three primary segments: Consumer and Business Banking, Commercial Banking, and Other services. Its focus remains on delivering comprehensive banking options to both businesses and individuals across the United States.

Insider, Selling, Investment