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EWBC vs. FCNCA: East West Bancorp vs. First Citizens BancShares Stock Comparison

How do East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) both belong to the Banks industry, though EWBC is classified under Regional Banks while FCNCA falls under Diversified Banks.

Company profile comparison for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
Profile ItemEWBCFCNCA
NameEast West Bancorp Inc.First Citizens BancShares, Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization17.65 billion USD25.15 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 3, 1999October 22, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EWBC
FCNCA
GSPC
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Total Return (1Y)30.57%27.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)36.90%18.91%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.56%22.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EWBC
FCNCA
GSPC
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.01%27.19%
Beta (5Y)0.980.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.06%-43.60%
Avg. Volume (3M)807.94K68.57K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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EWBC and FCNCA are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.140.84
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.691.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 16.57% sits in the top ROE quartile, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 10.98% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for EWBC.

EWBC

Banks industry group

16.57%

Max
19.84%
EWBC
16.57%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%

FCNCA

Banks industry group

10.98%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
FCNCA
10.98%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 50.06% retains an above-range share of revenue as profit, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 25.21% keeps a bottom-quartile share — a wide gap in how much each sales dollar survives to the bottom line.

EWBC

Banks industry group

50.06%

EWBC
50.06%
Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%

FCNCA

Banks industry group

25.21%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
FCNCA
25.21%
Min
14.93%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their net margin against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) in Banks, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
ROE (TTM)16.57%10.98%
ROA (TTM)1.76%1.01%
Net Margin (TTM)50.06%25.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.86% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at -2.61% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 14.29% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at -12.76% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.86%-2.61%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.70%26.91%
EPS Growth (YoY)14.29%-12.76%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.33%34.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) in Banks both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) in Banks run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 2.32% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 0.36% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

EWBC

Banks industry group

2.32%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
EWBC
2.32%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%

FCNCA

Banks industry group

0.36%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
FCNCA
0.36%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 28.52% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 4.31% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

EWBC

Banks industry group

28.52%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
EWBC
28.52%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%

FCNCA

Banks industry group

4.31%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
FCNCA
4.31%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%0.36%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.52%4.31%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.25 and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 11.68 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

EWBC

Banks industry group

12.25

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
EWBC
12.25
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49

FCNCA

Banks industry group

11.68

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
FCNCA
11.68
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

P/S ratio is set aside for both East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) in Banks: without a conventional revenue line, pricing per dollar of sales isn’t meaningful, and book- or earnings-based multiples make the better comparison.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) at 1.29 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 1.95 carries an above-peer premium to book — EWBC is pricier on assets.

EWBC

Banks industry group

1.95

Max
2.28
EWBC
1.95
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59

FCNCA

Banks industry group

1.29

Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
FCNCA
1.29
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA)
MetricEWBCFCNCA
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.2511.68
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.951.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----