EastWest Bank chair Jonathan Gotianun buys more EW shares amid price dip
East West Banking Corp. (EastWest Bank) Chairman Jonathan T. Gotianun is taking advantage of a dip in the bank’s stock price to near its lowest level this year to increase his stake in the lender.
Based on the bank’s disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Thursday, July 2, Gotianun bought a total of 397,900 EW shares worth ₱4.84 million last week, on June 26 and June 29, at ₱12.16 and ₱12.18 per share, respectively, with a volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of ₱12.1625 apiece.
EW shares are currently trading at ₱12.10 each, lower than this year’s intraday high of ₱14.30 reached last April 27. The stock opened the year at ₱11.60 per share.
Gotianun increased his stake in the bank indirectly through an acquisition by a corporation in which he is a shareholder. He now owns a total of 24.13 million EW shares, equivalent to a 10.7-percent interest in the bank.
EastWest Bank reported a net income of ₱1.9 billion for the first three months of 2026, driven by the sustained performance of its core businesses amid a challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical environment.
Revenues increased by 15 percent to ₱13.3 billion, supported by the continued expansion of the bank’s core businesses. Net interest income rose by 20 percent to ₱11.1 billion, reflecting higher loan volumes and effective funding cost management.
Non-interest income stood at ₱2.2 billion, tempered by softer trading performance amid volatile markets, even as fee income grew by eight percent to ₱1.9 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 Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jerry G. Ngo.
Excluding the impact of market volatility on trading-related income, core income grew by 19 percent to ₱13.6 billion, underscoring the strength of the bank’s recurring earnings base.