8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

May 24, 2024

EAST WEST BANCORP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

000-24939

(Commission File Number)

95-4703316

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

135 N Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor, Pasadena, California 91101

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(626) 768-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On May 24, 2024, East West Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) held its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). The Company’s stockholders considered three proposals at the Annual Meeting, each of which was described in more detail in the Company’s definitive proxy statement (the “2024 Proxy Statement”) for the Annual Meeting, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11, 2024. There were 125,430,533 shares of common stock represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by valid proxies, which was approximately 90.16% of the shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The final results of the voting for each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders at the Annual Meeting are as set forth below.

Proposal 1: Election of Directors

The Company’s stockholders elected the eleven director nominees named in the 2024 Proxy Statement for a one-year term until the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders and to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified. The voting results were as follows:

Proposal 2: Advisory Vote to Approve Executive Compensation

The advisory vote to approve the Company’s executive compensation (“say-on-pay”) for 2023 was approved by the Company’s stockholders by the vote set forth in the table below.

Proposal 3: Ratification of Auditors

The Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 by the vote set forth in the table below.

No other matters were submitted for stockholder action.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.