MANILA, Philippines – East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) reported a net income of P1.9 billion for the first three months of 2026, driven by the sustained performance of the Bank’s core businesses amid a challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical environment.
Revenues increased by 15% to P13.3 billion, supported by the continued expansion of the Bank’s core businesses. Net interest income rose by 20% to P11.1 billion, reflecting higher loan volumes and effective funding cost management. Non-interest income stood at P2.2 billion, tempered by softer trading performance amid volatile markets, even as fee income grew by 8% to P1.9 billion, underscoring sustained customer activity.
“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,” said EastWest Chief Executive Officer Jerry G. Ngo.
Excluding the impact of market volatility on trading-related income, core income grew by 19% to P13.6 billion, underscoring the strength of the Bank’s recurring earnings base.
Operating expenses increased marginally by 1% to P6.4 billion, driven mainly by volume-related costs, while the Bank maintained disciplined investments in people and technology. Pre-Provision Operating Profit (PPOP) remained resilient, rising by 32% to P6.9 billion and registering an efficient cost-to-income ratio (CIR) of 47.9%.
Provisions for credit losses amounted to P4.7 billion, reflecting the Bank’s conservative and forward-looking approach to credit risk management, should macroeconomic challenges persist. NPL coverage stood at 85%, reflecting the Bank’s measured approach to managing credit risk.
EastWest’s assets increased by 11% to P588.9 billion, mainly from healthy lending expansion, with loans growing by 14% to P390.4 billion. This was supported by similar growth in funding, with deposits increasing by 14% to P455.3 billion. CASA ratio remained robust at 78%, highlighting the Bank’s stable funding base.
The Bank also maintained solid capital buffers, with a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 12.8% and CET1 ratio of 12.0%, both well above regulatory standards, providing sufficient capacity to navigate uncertainty and support growth.
“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 concluded.
Beyond its financial performance, EastWest also continued to gain recognition for customer experience, digital innovation, and wealth management. ESTA earned three honors at the Digital CX Awards 2026: Best Use of AI for Customer Experience – Philippines, Best Use of Gen AI for Customer Experience – Philippines, and Outstanding Chatbot Customer Experience, highlighting the Bank’s continued use of AI and digital tools to make banking more responsive, accessible, and customer-focused.
EastWest was also named the Philippines’ Best for Discretionary Portfolio Management at the 2026 Euromoney Private Banking Awards, securing a second consecutive win in the category and affirming the Bank’s disciplined investment approach for affluent, high-net-worth, institutional, and Priority clients.
