The Gotianun-led bank reported a net income of P1.9 billion for the January-to-March period, up from P1.8 billion in the same quarter last year.
Revenue growth
EastWest said total revenues increased 15 percent to P13.3 billion, driven by the sustained expansion of its core businesses despite a challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop.
Net interest income rose 20 percent to P11.1 billion on the back of higher loan volumes and improved funding cost management.
Non-interest income reached P2.2 billion, although trading-related revenues weakened due to market volatility. Fee-based income, however, climbed 8 percent to P1.9 billion, reflecting continued customer activity across the bank’s products and services.
“The bank’s revenue generation capacity remains strong despite market volatility impacting trading-related revenues across the industry. This highlights the stability of our earnings base even in an uncertain operating environment,” EastWest chief executive officer Jerry G. Ngo said in a statement.
Excluding trading-related income affected by market swings, EastWest said core income expanded 19 percent to P13.6 billion, underscoring the strength of its recurring revenue base.
Cost discipline
Operating expenses rose only 1 percent to P6.4 billion, mainly due to volume-related costs, while the bank continued investing in manpower and technology initiatives.
Pre-provision operating profit (PPOP) jumped 32 percent to P6.9 billion, while cost-to-income ratio improved to 47.9 percent, indicating operational efficiency.
Despite the earnings growth, EastWest booked P4.7 billion in provisions for credit losses as part of its conservative stance amid lingering macroeconomic uncertainties.
The bank’s non-performing loan (NPL) coverage ratio stood at 85 percent, reflecting what it described as a prudent approach to credit risk management.
Balance sheet
EastWest’s total assets grew 11 percent year-on-year to P588.9 billion, supported mainly by healthy lending activity.
Gross loans expanded 14 percent to P390.4 billion, while deposits likewise increased 14 percent to P455.3 billion.
The bank maintained a strong funding profile, with its current and savings account (CASA) ratio staying at 78 percent.
Meanwhile, EastWest’s capital position remained above regulatory requirements, with capital adequacy ratio at 12.8 percent and common equity tier 1 ratio at 12.0 percent.
“We strive to remain steady through changing market conditions. By remaining disciplined, we preserve our flexibility and resilience, allowing us to support customers and capture growth opportunities as conditions become more favorable,” Ngo said.
Industry Recognition
Beyond financial performance, EastWest also received several recognitions for customer experience and wealth management.
Its AI-powered chatbot ESTA won three awards at the Digital CX Awards 2026, including Best Use of AI for Customer Experience in the Philippines and Outstanding Chatbot Customer Experience.
The bank was likewise named Philippines’ Best for Discretionary Portfolio Management at the 2026 Euromoney Private Banking Awards, marking its second straight win in the category. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
