East West Banking Corporation (EastWest Bank) projects low- to mid-teen growth in assets and loans in 2026, citing strong performance last year.
The bank has yet to release its full-year 2025 results, but as of end-October, net income rose 14 percent to P6.6 billion, revenues increased 16 percent to P37.3 billion, and consumer lending grew 17 percent.
Assets climbed 11 percent to P552.9 billion, supported by a 12-percent rise in low-cost deposits to P415.8 billion.
EastWest chief executive officer Jerry Ngo said loan growth remains aligned with funding growth, driven by expanding low-cost deposits.
“The growth of our loan book was almost the same as the loan funding cycle. Low-cost is growing quite nicely also. So when you’re able to achieve that, it’s okay, rather than getting long-term fundings which you have to pay for the tenor premium,” he told reporters Wednesday night.
Ngo said an ideal loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) is around 70 to 80 percent, adding that balanced growth on both sides reflects a robust trajectory.
“If my growth on both sides are approximating each other, then it’s a good growth. It’s robust,” he said.
The bank has maintained the same growth strategy for the past three years and does not plan to change it in the near term, Ngo said, underscoring the importance of sustaining growth over time.