CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP (CATY)

Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and are based upon its unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues, and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Quarterly Statement of Operations Review

Financial Performance

Net Income

Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2026, was $92.2 million, an increase of $14.7 million, or 19.0% compared to net income of $77.5 million for the same period in 2025. Diluted earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2026, was $1.37 per share compared to $1.10 per share for the same period in 2025.

Return on average stockholders’ equity was 12.21% and return on average assets was 1.52% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a return on average stockholders’ equity of 10.72% and a return on average assets of 1.33% for the same period in 2025.

Net Interest Income Before Provision for Credit Losses

Net interest income before provision for credit losses increased $19.7 million, or 10.9%, to $200.9 million during the second quarter of 2026, compared to $181.2 million during the same quarter in 2025. The increase was primarily due to a lower interest expense on deposits, partially offset by a lower interest income on deposits with other banks.

The net interest margin was 3.48% for the second quarter of 2026 compared to 3.27% for the second quarter of 2025.

For the second quarter of 2026, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 5.66%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 2.89%, and the average cost of interest-bearing deposits was 2.86%. In comparison, for the second quarter of 2025, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 5.83%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 3.37%, and the average cost of interest-bearing deposits was 3.35%. The decrease in the cost on average interest-bearing liabilities resulted mainly from lower interest rates paid on deposits, while the decrease in the yield on average interest-earning assets resulted mainly from lower interest rates earned on loans. 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 2.77% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, compared to 2.46% for the same quarter in 2025.

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The following table sets forth information concerning average interest-earning assets, average interest-bearing liabilities, and the average yields earned on those assets and rates paid on those liabilities for the three months ended June 30, 2026, and 2025. The average outstanding amounts included in the table are daily averages.

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The following table summarizes the changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and changes in interest rates for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025:

Provision for credit losses

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $11.2 million in the second quarter of 2026 compared to $11.2 million in the second quarter of 2025. As of June 30, 2026, the allowance for loan losses increased $23.0 million to $218.9 million, or 1.06% of total loans compared to $195.9 million, or 0.97% of total loans as of December 31, 2025.

The following table sets forth the charge-offs and recoveries for the periods indicated:

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 $21.4 million for the second quarter of 2026, an increase of $6.0 million, or 39.0%, compared to $15.4 million for the second quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily due to a $13.0 million increase in net gains from equity securities and a $3.0 million increase in wealth management fees, partially offset by a $10.6 million net loss on the sale of available-for-sale investment securities related to investment securities repositi

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Item 7.         Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

General

The following discussion is intended to provide information to facilitate the understanding and assessment of the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Bancorp and its subsidiaries for the year ended December 31,2025, as compared to 2024. It should be read in conjunction with this Annual Report and the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report. For discussion and analysis of the Company’s 2024 results, as compared to 2023, refer to Part II - Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 28, 2025. The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. See “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors Summary.” Actual results could differ materially because of various factors, including but not limited to those discussed in “Risk Factors,” under Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report.

The financial information presented herein includes the accounts of the Bancorp, its subsidiaries, including the Bank, and the Bank’s consolidated subsidiaries. All material transactions between these entities are eliminated.

Critical Accounting Policies

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Certain accounting policies that are fundamental to understanding our financial condition and results of operations involve significant judgments and assumptions by management that have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities. Management considers such accounting policies to be critical accounting policies. The judgments and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Management believes the following are critical accounting policies that require the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements:

Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”) on Loans Held for Investment

The Bank maintains the allowance for credit losses at a level that the Bank considers appropriate to absorb the estimated and known risks in the loan portfolio and off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments. Allowance for credit losses is comprised of the allowance for loan losses and the reserve for off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments. With this risk management objective, the Bank’s management has an established monitoring system that it believes is designed to identify individually evaluated and potential problem loans, and to permit periodic evaluation of impairment and the appropriate level of the allowance for credit losses in a timely manner.

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In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors has established a written credit policy that includes a credit review and control system that the Board of Directors believes should be effective in ensuring that the Bank maintains an appropriate allowance for credit losses. The Board of Directors provides oversight for the allowance evaluation process, including quarterly evaluations, and determines whether the allowance is appropriate to absorb losses in the credit portfolio. The determination of the amount of the allowance for credit losses and the provision for credit losses are based on management’s current judgment about the credit quality of the loan portfolio and takes into consideration known relevant internal and external factors that affect collectability when determining the appropriate level for the allowance for credit losses. The nature of the process by which the Bank determines the appropriate allowance for credit losses requires the exercise of considerable judgment.

Additions to the allowance for credit losses are made by charges to the provision for credit losses. While management utilizes its business judgment based on the information available, the ultimate appropriateness of the allowance is dependent upon a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the Bank’s control, including but not limited to the performance of the Bank’s loan portfolio, the economy and market conditions, macroeconomic forecasts, and the view of the regulatory authorities toward loan classifications. Identified credit exposures that are determined to be uncollectible are charged against the allowance for credit losses. Recoveries of previously charged off amounts, if any, are credited to the allowance for credit losses. A weakening of the economy or other factors that adversely affect asset quality could result in an increase in the number of delinquencies, bankruptcies, or defaults, and a higher level of non-performing assets, net charge-offs, and provision for credit losses in future periods.

The allowance for loan losses was $195.9 million and the allowance for off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments was $12.4 million at December 31, 2025, which represented the amount believed by management to be appropriate to absorb lifetime credit losses 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 at December 31, 2025. The comparable ratios were 0.83% of period-end gross loans and 93.39% of non-performing loans at December 31, 2024.

The allowance for credit losses is discussed in more detail in “Risk Elements of the Loan Portfolio — Allowance for Credit Losses” below. Management has reviewed the foregoing critical accounting policies and related disclosures with the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

Results of Operations

Overview

For the year ended December 31, 2025, we reported net income of $315.1 million, or $4.54 per diluted share, compared to net income of $286.0 million, or $3.95 per diluted share, in 2024, and net income of $354.1 million, or $4.86 per diluted share, in 2023. The $29.1 million increase in net income from 2024 to 2025 was primarily the result of an increase in net interest income and non interest income and a decrease in non interest expense, offset by an increase in provision for credit losses. The return on average assets in 2025 was 1.33%, compared to 1.22% in 2024, and to 1.56% in 2023. The return on average stockholders’ equity was 10.87% in 2025, compared to 10.18% in 2024, and to 13.56% in 2023.

Highlights

Net income available to common stockholders and key financial performance ratios are presented below for the three years indicated:

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Net Interest Income

Comparison of 2025 with 2024

Net interest income increased $68.4 million, or 10.1%, from $674.1 million in 2024 to $742.5 million in 2025.  The increase in net interest income was due primarily to the decrease in interest expense from time deposits partially offset by a decrease in interest income from loans.

Average loans for 2025 were $19.72 billion, a $287.8 million, or a 1.5% increase from $19.43 billion in 2024.  Compared with 2024, average commercial real estate loans increased $418.0 million, or 4.2%, average residential mortgage loans decreased $68.7 million, or 1.2%, average construction loans decreased $29.1 million, or 8.2%, and average commercial loans decreased $25.2 million, or 0.8%. Average investment securities were $1.59 billion in 2025, a decrease of $28.8 million, or 1.8%, from 2024. Average interest-bearing cash on deposits with financial institutions increased $63.4 million, or 5.8%, to $1.16 billion in 2025 from $1.10 billion in 2024.

Average interest-bearing deposits were $16.78 billion in 2025, an increase of $253.7 million, or 1.5%, from $16.53 billion in 2024, primarily due to an increase of $352.4 million, or 11.1% in money market, $242.0 million, or 21.0%, in savings accounts, and $6.4 million, or 0.3%, in interest bearing demand deposits offset by a decreases of $347.1 million, or 3.5%, in time deposits.

Interest income decreased $25.7 million, or 1.9%, from $1.33 billion in 2024 to $1.31 billion in 2025 primarily due to decreases in loan rates:

Interest expense decreased by $94.1 million, or 14.2%, to $566.8 million in 2025, compared with $660.9 million in 2024. The overal

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