BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Consolidation

The unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-Q include the accounts of East West Bancorp, Inc. (referred to herein on an unconsolidated basis as “East West” and on a consolidated basis as the “Company”) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, East West Bank and subsidiaries (referred to herein as “East West Bank” or the “Bank”) and East West Insurance Services, Inc. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. As of September 30, 2015, East West has six wholly-owned subsidiaries that are statutory business trusts (the “Trusts”), one of which was the result of the acquisition of MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc. (“MetroCorp”) during the three months ended March 31, 2014, as discussed in Note 3 — Business Combination to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 810, the Trusts are not consolidated into the Company.

Basis of Accounting

The unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), applicable guidelines prescribed by regulatory authorities, and general practices within the banking industry, reflect all adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for fair statement of the interim period financial statements. Certain prior year balances and notes have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation.

Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects. ASU 2014-01 permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for their investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, the Company amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the amortization expense in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2015 with retrospective application to all periods presented. See Note 10 — Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Partnerships, Tax Credit and Other Investments, Net to the Consolidated Financial Statements for details regarding this adoption.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04, Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure. ASU 2014-04 clarifies when an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs that would require a transfer of mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate properties to other real estate owned (“OREO”). The guidance also requires disclosure of the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in residential real estate mortgage loans that are in process of foreclosure. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2015 with prospective application. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements as this guidance was consistent with the Company’s prior practice. See Note 9 — Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses to the Consolidated Financial Statements for details regarding this adoption.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The new guidance replaces existing revenue recognition guidance for contracts to provide goods or services to customers and amends existing guidance related to recognition of gains and losses on the sale of certain nonfinancial assets such as real estate.  ASU 2014-09 establishes a principles-based approach to recognizing revenue that applies to all contracts other than those covered by other authoritative GAAP guidance. Quantitative and qualitative disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are also required.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and is applied on either a modified retrospective or full retrospective basis. Early adoption is not permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis to improve targeted areas of the consolidation guidance and reduce the number of consolidation models. The Company may either apply the amendments retrospectively or use a modified retrospective approach. ASU 2015-02 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. ASU 2015-03 simplifies the presentation of debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The Company should apply the new guidance retrospectively to all prior periods. ASU 2015-03 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted if the guidance is applied as of the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. ASU 2015-05 amends ASC 350-40 and requires the Company to determine whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If the arrangement contains a software license, the Company should account for the fees related to the software license element consistent with how the acquisition of other software licenses are accounted for under ASC 350-40. If the arrangement does not contain a software license, the Company should account for the arrangement as a service contract. The Company may either apply the new guidance prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date, or retrospectively. ASU 2015-05 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.