03:55 PM EDT, 07/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- CFRA, an independent research provider, has provided MT Newswires with the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

EWBC is our top pick among regional banks with under $100 billion in assets. The bank delivered exceptional Q2 results, posting record revenue, loan balances, and deposits while demonstrating strong credit quality with sequential improvements in net charge-offs, nonperforming assets, and criticized loans. Management raised their net interest income guidance to 7% growth from the prior 4%-6% range, though we see further upside potential as loan growth momentum builds. While EWBC serves a significant Chinese-American customer base, their direct China exposure remains limited, and we view management's updated net charge-off guidance of 15 bps-25 bps (down 10 bps from prior guidance) as reasonable and achievable. We increase our 12-month target price by $25 to $145, 14.8x our 2026 EPS estimate, a wider risk premium than the peer average of 11.0x given demographic advantages and expected market share gains. We raise our 2025 EPS view by $0.20 to $9.07 and 2026's by $0.20 to $9.79.