SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* TANG ANTHONY M (Last) (First) (Middle) 777 NORTH BROADWAY (Street) LOS ANGELES CA 90012 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP [ CATY ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) EVP
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/14/2012
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	12/14/2012		A		341(1)	A	$0	4,668	D
Common Stock								350,584	D
Common Stock								88,771	I	By ESOP
Common Stock								1,722,225.25(2)	I	By spouse

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option	$19.925							01/16/2004(3)	01/16/2013	Common Stock	47,500		47,500	D
Stock Option	$24.8							11/20/2004(3)	11/20/2013	Common Stock	105,140		152,640	D
Stock Option	$37							02/17/2006(3)	02/17/2015	Common Stock	39,820		192,460	D
Stock Option	$36.24							01/25/2007(3)	01/25/2016	Common Stock	42,690		235,150	D
Stock Option	$23.37							02/21/2009(4)	02/21/2018	Common Stock	44,000		279,150	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)							(6)	(6)	Common Stock	4,846		283,996	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)							(7)	(7)	Common Stock	6,047		290,043	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)							(8)	(8)	Common Stock	4,819		294,862	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Shares of Cathay General Banorp (the "Company") common stock acquired under the Company's 2005 Incentive Plan. As a condition to receiving these shares, the reporting person agreed to hold and not transfer, for the entire period during which the Company has any obligations outstanding under the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (disregarding any warrants to purchase common stock of the Company that the U.S. Treasury may hold) (the "Restriction Period"), all of the shares received. This transfer restriction will terminate upon the earlier of the end of the Restriction Period or the date of the reporting person's death or permanent disability.

2. Includes 660.678 shares acquired through dividend reinvestment year-to-date.

3. The option is fully exercisable.

4. The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/09.

5. Consists of long term restricted stock units within the meaning of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder ("EESA"). Each unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of CATY Common Stock.

6. These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on March 23, 2013, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.

7. These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 15, 2013, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.

8. These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on May 8, 2014, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.

Remarks:

	Monica Chen, attorney-in-fact	12/18/2012
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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