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EWBC vs. HSBC: East West Bancorp vs. HSBC Stock Comparison

How do East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC) both belong to the Banks industry, though EWBC is classified under Regional Banks while HSBC falls under Diversified Banks.

East West Bancorp (EWBC) trades as ordinary local shares, while HSBC (HSBC) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC)
Profile ItemEWBCHSBC
NameEast West Bancorp Inc.HSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization17.65 billion USD297.66 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateFebruary 3, 1999July 16, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EWBC
HSBC
GSPC
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC), 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 HSBC (HSBC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC). 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
Total Return (1Y)30.57%32.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)36.90%43.61%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.56%33.35%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EWBC
HSBC
GSPC
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC), 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 HSBC (HSBC). 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.01%28.54%
Beta (5Y)0.980.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.06%-31.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)807.94K1.58M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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EWBC and HSBC 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.140.97
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.691.52

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 16.57% and HSBC (HSBC) at 14.22% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

EWBC

Banks industry group

16.57%

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

HSBC

Banks industry group

14.22%

Max
19.84%
HSBC
14.22%
Q3
13.67%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 50.06% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and HSBC (HSBC) at 41.16% also retains a top-quartile share.

EWBC

Banks industry group

50.06%

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

HSBC

Banks industry group

41.16%

Max
47.19%
HSBC
41.16%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
ROE (TTM)16.57%14.22%
ROA (TTM)1.76%0.84%
Net Margin (TTM)50.06%41.16%
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 HSBC (HSBC) at 5.38% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): 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 HSBC (HSBC) at -3.23% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.86%5.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.70%9.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)14.29%-3.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.33%17.49%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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 HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
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 HSBC (HSBC) at 0.86% 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%

HSBC

Banks industry group

0.86%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
Q1
1.20%
HSBC
0.86%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 28.52% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while HSBC (HSBC) at 53.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

EWBC

Banks industry group

28.52%

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

HSBC

Banks industry group

53.57%

Max
70.75%
HSBC
53.57%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%0.86%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.52%53.57%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.25 and HSBC (HSBC) at 11.38 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

HSBC

Banks industry group

11.38

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
Median
11.81
HSBC
11.38
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): 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 HSBC (HSBC) 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)

Both look rich against book: East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 1.95 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and HSBC (HSBC) at 6.87 prices even higher, above its industry range.

EWBC

Banks industry group

1.95

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

HSBC

Banks industry group

6.87

HSBC
6.87
Max
2.28
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. HSBC (HSBC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and HSBC (HSBC)
MetricEWBCHSBC
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.2511.38
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.956.87
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----