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EWBC vs. WFC: East West Bancorp vs. Wells Fargo Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
Profile ItemEWBCWFC
NameEast West Bancorp Inc.Wells Fargo & Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupBanksBanks
GICS IndustryBanksBanks
GICS Sub-IndustryRegional BanksDiversified Banks
Market Capitalization17.65 billion USD251.98 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateFebruary 3, 1999June 1, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC). 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Total Return (1Y)30.57%2.40%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)36.90%31.75%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.56%14.35%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EWBC
WFC
GSPC
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC), 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 Wells Fargo (WFC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Wells Fargo (WFC) is heavily traded at around 14.10M 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 profile metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.01%26.11%
Beta (5Y)0.980.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.06%-37.10%
Avg. Volume (3M)807.94K14.10M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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EWBC and WFC 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.14-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.69-0.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 16.57% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Wells Fargo (WFC) at 12.91% 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%

WFC

Banks industry group

12.91%

Max
19.84%
Q3
13.67%
WFC
12.91%
Median
11.49%
Q1
9.50%
Min
3.64%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their ROE against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 50.06% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Wells Fargo (WFC) at 27.64% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

EWBC

Banks industry group

50.06%

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

WFC

Banks industry group

27.64%

Max
47.19%
Q3
35.25%
Median
31.21%
WFC
27.64%
Q1
27.11%
Min
14.93%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
ROE (TTM)16.57%12.91%
ROA (TTM)1.76%1.08%
Net Margin (TTM)50.06%27.64%
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 Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.70% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 14.29% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 16.57% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.86%1.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.70%4.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)14.29%16.57%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.33%25.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Banks and Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 2.32% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 2.19% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

EWBC

Banks industry group

2.32%

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

WFC

Banks industry group

2.19%

Max
5.79%
Q3
3.18%
Median
2.39%
WFC
2.19%
Q1
1.20%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 28.52% and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 26.09% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

EWBC

Banks industry group

28.52%

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

WFC

Banks industry group

26.09%

Max
70.75%
Q3
41.28%
Median
29.26%
WFC
26.09%
Q1
18.98%
Min
0.00%
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%2.19%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.52%26.09%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 12.25 and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 11.84 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

WFC

Banks industry group

11.84

Max
18.16
Q3
13.75
WFC
11.84
Median
11.81
Q1
10.64
Min
6.49
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): 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 Wells Fargo (WFC) 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 East West Bancorp (EWBC) at 1.95 and Wells Fargo (WFC) at 1.59 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

EWBC

Banks industry group

1.95

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

WFC

Banks industry group

1.59

Max
2.28
WFC
1.59
Q3
1.58
Median
1.32
Q1
1.10
Min
0.59
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East West Bancorp (EWBC) vs. Wells Fargo (WFC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Banks industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for East West Bancorp (EWBC) and Wells Fargo (WFC)
MetricEWBCWFC
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.2511.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)----
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.951.59
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----