Cathay General Bancorp announced unaudited financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2025.

Cathay General Bancorp (the “Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) (Nasdaq: CATY), the holding company for Cathay Bank, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2025. The Company reported net income of $315.1 million, or $4.54 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2025 and net income of $90.5 million, or $1.33 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2025.

HIGHLIGHTS

Net interest margin increased to 3.36% during the fourth quarter from 3.31% in the third quarter.

Total loans, excluding loans held for sale, increased to $20.15 billion, or 4.0%, from $19.38 billion in 2024.

Total deposits increased $1.20 billion, or 6.1%, to $20.89 billion in 2025, from $19.69 billion in 2024.

“We are pleased by the continued increase in the net interest margin compared to the third quarter of 2025 and fourth quarter of 2024. During the fourth quarter of 2025, we repurchased 1,099,803 shares at an average cost of $47.15 per share for a total of $51.9 million,” commented Chang M. Liu, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

INCOME STATEMENT REVIEW

FOURTH QUARTER 2025 COMPARED TO THE THIRD QUARTER 2025

Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, was $90.5 million, an increase of $12.8 million, or 16.5%, compared to net income of $77.7 million for the third quarter of 2025. Diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2025 was $1.33 per share compared to $1.13 per share for the third quarter of 2025.

Return on average stockholders’ equity was 12.27% and return on average assets was 1.49% for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, compared to a return on average stockholders’ equity of 10.60% and a return on average assets of 1.29% in the third quarter of 2025.

Net interest income before provision for credit losses

Net interest income before provision for credit losses increased $5.4 million, or 2.9%, to $195.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to $189.6 million in the third quarter of 2025. The increase was due primarily to a decrease in interest deposit expense, partially offset by a decrease in interest income from loans and securities.

The net interest margin was 3.36% for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 3.31% for the third quarter of 2025.

For the fourth quarter of 2025, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 5.74%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 3.14%, and the cost of average interest-bearing deposits was 3.12%. In comparison, for the third quarter of 2025, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 5.84%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 3.32%, and the cost of average interest-bearing deposits was 3.28%. The decrease in the yield on average interest-bearing liabilities resulted mainly from lower interest rates on deposits driven by the lower repricing of maturing time deposits in the fourth quarter. The decrease in the yield on average interest-earning assets resulted mainly from lower interest rates on loans due to the decreasing rate environment. The net interest spread, defined as the difference between the yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities, was 2.60% for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 2.52% for the third quarter of 2025.

Provision for credit losses

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $17.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to $28.7 million in the third quarter of 2025. As of December 31, 2025, the allowance for credit losses increased by $11.9 million to $208.4 million, or 1.03% of gross loans, compared to $196.5 million, or 0.98% of gross loans as of September 30, 2025.

Non-interest income

Non-interest income, which includes revenues from depository service fees, letters of credit commissions, securities gains (losses), wealth management fees, and other sources of fee income, was $27.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of $6.8 million, or 32.2%, compared to $21.0 million for the third quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $6.4 million in unrealized gains on equity securities, when compared to the third quarter of 2025.

Non-interest expense

Non-interest expense increased $4.1 million, or 4.6%, to $92.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to $88.1 million in the third quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits costs driven by higher performance-based incentive accruals. The efficiency ratio, defined as non-interest expense divided by the sum of net interest income before provision for loan losses plus non-interest income, was 41.36% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 41.84% for the third quarter of 2025.

Income taxes

The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2025 was 20.23% compared to 17.18% for the third quarter of 2025. The effective tax rate for the third and fourth quarter of 2025 includes the impact of low-income housing tax credits.

BALANCE SHEET REVIEW

Gross loans were $20.15 billion as of December 31, 2025, an increase of $771.2 million, or 4.0%, from $19.38 billion as of December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increases of $530.9 million, or 5.3%, in commercial real estate loans, $143.0 million, or 2.5%, in residential mortgage loans, $86.6 million, or 2.8%, in commercial loans and $17.9 million, or 5.6%, in construction loans offset by a decrease of $3.6 million, or 1.5%, in home equity loans. For the fourth quarter of 2025, gross loans increased by $42.5 million, or 0.9% annualized.

ASSET QUALITY REVIEW

As of December 31, 2025, total non-accrual loans were $112.4 million, a decrease of $56.8 million, or 33.6%, from $169.2 million as of December 31, 2024, and a decrease of $53.2 million, or 32.1%, from $165.6 million as of September 30, 2025.

The allowance for loan losses was $195.9 million and the allowance for off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments was $12.4 million as of December 31, 2025. The allowances represent the amount estimated by management to be appropriate to absorb expected credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio, including unfunded credit commitments. The allowance for loan losses represented 0.97% of period-end gross loans, and 172.82% of non-performing loans as of December 31, 2025. The comparable ratios were 0.83% of period-end gross loans, and 93.39% of non-performing loans as of December 31, 2024.

The ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.59% as of December 31, 2025, compared to 0.85% as of December 31, 2024. Total non-performing assets decreased $52.6 million, or 26.8%, to $143.7 million as of December 31, 2025, compared to $196.3 million as of December 31, 2024, primarily due to a decrease of $56.8 million, or 33.6%, in non-accrual loans, and $3.1 million, or 75.3%, in accruing loans past due 90 days or more, offset by an increase of $7.3 million, or 31.5%, in other real estate owned.

CAPITAL ADEQUACY REVIEW

As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 13.27%, total risk-based capital ratio of 14.93%, and Tier 1 leverage capital ratio of 10.91%, calculated under the Basel III capital rules, continue to place the Company in the “well capitalized” category for regulatory purposes, which is defined as institutions with a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio equal to or greater than 8%, a total risk-based capital ratio equal to or greater than 10%, and a Tier 1 leverage capital ratio equal to or greater than 5%. As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was 13.54%, total risk-based capital ratio was 15.08%, and Tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 10.96%.

FULL YEAR REVIEW

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $315.1 million, an increase of $29.1 million, or 10.2%, compared to net income of $286.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. Diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $4.54 compared to $3.95 per share for the year ended December 31, 2024. The net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2025, was 3.30% compared to 3.04% for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Return on average stockholders’ equity was 10.87% and return on average assets was 1.33% for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to a return on average stockholders’ equity of 10.18% and a return on average assets of 1.22% for the year ended December 31, 2024. The efficiency ratio for the year ended December 31, 2025, was 43.41% compared to 51.35% for the year ended December 31, 2024.

CONFERENCE CALL

Cathay General Bancorp will host a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and year-end 2025 financial results this afternoon, Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time.

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