EWBC vs. ITUB: East West Bancorp vs. Itaú Unibanco Stock Comparison

Company Profile

East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) both belong to the Banks industry, though EWBC is classified under Regional Banks while ITUB falls under Diversified Banks.

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

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) is heavily traded at around 31.15M shares per day, whereas East West Bancorp (EWBC) sees a more moderate 807.94K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 20.96% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 16.57% also sits in the top quartile.

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 50.06% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 32.46% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

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

Profitability Metrics

Growth

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.86% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 4.21% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 14.29% and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 9.21% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) 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-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) 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

Dividends

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 2.32% pays an industry-typical yield; Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 40.54% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 28.52% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 70.75% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 9.12 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.25 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for ITUB, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

P/S ratio is set aside for both East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) 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.

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 1.95 and Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) at 1.79 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

Valuation Metrics