FRME vs. EWBC
FRME (First Merchants Corporation) and EWBC (East West Bancorp, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — FRME in Banks - Regional, EWBC in Banks - Diversified. Over the past 10 years, FRME returned 8.59%/yr vs 16.95%/yr for EWBC. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
FRME vs. EWBC - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FRME achieves a 11.97% return, which is significantly lower than EWBC's 16.44% return. Over the past 10 years, FRME has underperformed EWBC with an annualized return of 8.59%, while EWBC has yielded a comparatively higher 16.95% annualized return.
FRME
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- 3.57%
- YTD
- 11.97%
- 6M
- 8.52%
- 1Y
- 18.95%
- 3Y*
- 18.76%
- 5Y*
- 2.87%
- 10Y*
- 8.59%
EWBC
- 1D
- 1.83%
- 1M
- 4.88%
- YTD
- 16.44%
- 6M
- 13.11%
- 1Y
- 39.31%
- 3Y*
- 41.59%
- 5Y*
- 15.46%
- 10Y*
- 16.95%
FRME vs. EWBC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRME First Merchants Corporation | 11.97% | -2.55% | 11.82% | -5.82% | 1.11% | 14.99% | -6.93% | 24.62% | -16.93% | 13.63% |
EWBC East West Bancorp, Inc. | 16.44% | 20.31% | 36.76% | 12.75% | -14.44% | 57.98% | 7.23% | 14.34% | -27.44% | 21.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between FRME and EWBC is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 8, 1999 | 0.54 |
The correlation between FRME and EWBC shifts across timeframes, from 0.54 (all time) to 0.75 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FRME:
$2.51B
EWBC:
$17.94B
FRME:
$3.40
EWBC:
$10.02
FRME:
12.10
EWBC:
12.89
FRME:
14.28
EWBC:
1.05
FRME:
2.30
EWBC:
4.88
FRME:
0.94
EWBC:
1.99
FRME:
$1.05B
EWBC:
$3.68B
FRME:
$484.80M
EWBC:
$2.18B
FRME:
$217.48M
EWBC:
$1.59B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
FRME vs. EWBC — Risk / Return Rank
FRME
EWBC
FRME vs. EWBC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Merchants Corporation (FRME) and East West Bancorp, Inc. (EWBC). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| FRME | EWBC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.81 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.26 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.21 | 2.51 | -1.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.51 | 6.77 | -4.25 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
FRME vs. EWBC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FRME drawdown since its inception was -81.31%, smaller than the maximum EWBC drawdown of -92.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FRME and EWBC.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| FRME | EWBC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.31% | -92.14% | +10.83% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.73% | -15.71% | -0.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.94% | -35.77% | +11.83% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.72% | -54.06% | +10.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -53.03% | -67.67% | +14.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.81% | -2.64% | -1.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.22% | -22.79% | +3.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.55% | 5.82% | +1.73% |
Volatility
FRME vs. EWBC - Volatility Comparison
First Merchants Corporation (FRME) has a higher volatility of 7.32% compared to East West Bancorp, Inc. (EWBC) at 6.35%. This indicates that FRME's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EWBC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| FRME | EWBC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.32% | 6.35% | +0.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.56% | 17.83% | -1.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.60% | 26.15% | -1.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.93% | 36.17% | -6.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.81% | 37.95% | -5.14% |
Dividends
FRME vs. EWBC - Dividend Comparison
FRME's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.52%, more than EWBC's 2.17% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWBC East West Bancorp, Inc. | 2.17% | 2.14% | 2.30% | 2.67% | 2.43% | 1.68% | 2.17% | 2.17% | 1.98% | 1.32% | 1.57% | 1.92% |
FRME First Merchants Corporation | 3.52% | 3.82% | 3.48% | 3.61% | 3.04% | 2.70% | 2.78% | 2.40% | 2.45% | 1.64% | 1.43% | 1.61% |
Financials
FRME vs. EWBC - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between First Merchants Corporation and East West Bancorp, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
Frequently Asked Questions
FRME and EWBC have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FRME has higher volatility (7.32%) compared to EWBC (6.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FRME dropped -81.31% vs EWBC's -92.14%.
EWBC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.51 vs 0.78), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for FRME and EWBC
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer