EWBC vs FBP Stock Comparison
Compare EWBC and FBP across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between EWBC and FBP?
FBP leads the current stock comparison as First BanCorp., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
East West Bancorp, Inc. vs First BanCorp.
FBP leads
FBP leads by 9 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, and the lead has widened from 6 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors EWBC on target upside.
Competitive: 4 of 6 evidence groups support FBP, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
East West Bancorp, Inc.
First BanCorp.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors FBP over EWBC, 62 versus 53 as of Sep 6, 2026. FBP's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience. FBP also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors EWBC. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor FBP today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. FBP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 6 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
Compare East West Bancorp, Inc. and First BanCorp. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare EWBC and FBP against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum25%35 vs 50FBP +15
- Risk Resilience15%66 vs 77FBP +11
- Quality30%68 vs 78FBP +10
- Value30%47 vs 47Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor FBP. FBP’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-05, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-04.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
FBP's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — EWBC and FBP both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
FBP (First BanCorp.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
EWBC (East West Bancorp, Inc.): the counter-case, on analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
FBPFBP on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
FBPFBP on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
FBPFBP on the Momentum factor, by 15 points.
Lower downside
FBPFBP on Risk Resilience, by 11 points.
Analyst upside
EWBCEWBC on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors FBP, analyst targets favor EWBC. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | EWBC | FBP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +8.4% | +1.7% | EWBC has more room |
| Target dispersion | +22.6% | +27.6% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 8 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor FBP. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | FBP | 53 vs 62 |
| Fundamentals | FBPon balance | revenue growth 2.4% vs 1.8%; EPS growth 2.3% vs 10.5%; TTM ROE 16.2% vs 19%; gross margin 62.2% vs 74.8%; operating margin 39.4% vs 35.3% — FBP takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | Even | Value 47 vs 47 |
| Technicals | FBP | Price vs 50-day -0.4% vs 1.7%; vs 200-day 9% vs 20.1% |
| Risk Resilience | FBP | Risk Resilience 66 vs 77 |
| Analyst expectations | EWBC | Target upside 8.4% vs 1.7% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of EWBC and FBP and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 9 points.
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on FBP.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 24 – Sep 5FBP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 6 to 9 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- FBP +9
- 53 vs 62
- 7 sessions ago
- FBP +12
- 50 vs 62
- 30 sessions ago
- FBP +6
- 62 vs 68
- 90 sessions ago
- FBP +12
- 56 vs 68
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (9.49%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
2 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (18.15%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
FBP leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.12%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.21%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1EWBC closes the Momentum gap — currently 15 points behind, the largest single contributor to FBP's edge.
- 2EWBC's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3FBP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
FBP leads on balance| Metric | EWBC | FBP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 2.3% | 10.5% |
| Gross margin | 62.2% | 74.8% |
| Operating margin | 39.4% | 35.3% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 16.2% | 19% |
| Debt to equity | 0.43 | 0.1 |
Performance
FBP leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | EWBC | FBP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1% | 1.8% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -0.7% | -0.6% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 3.8% | 17.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 23% | 38% |
| Year to date | 16.4% | 37.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 22.8% | 29.3% |
Technicals
FBP has the stronger structure| Metric | EWBC | FBP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 35.1 | 36.4 |
| ADX (14) | 15.5 | 24.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | -0.4% | 1.7% |
| Price vs 200-day | 9% | 20.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 18.9% | 18% |
Risk
FBP is the more resilient| Metric | EWBC | FBP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.81 | 0.48 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.72 | 0.95 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.98 | 1.42 |
| Max drawdown | -15.7% | -13.8% |
| Current drawdown | -4.3% | -4% |
| Annualized volatility | 24.8% | 24.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.1% | -2.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, EWBC or FBP?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, FBP is the stronger of the two as of Sep 6, 2026, scoring 62 against EWBC's 53. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is EWBC or FBP the better buy right now?
FBP carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 6, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor FBP over EWBC?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. FBP leads Momentum by 15 points; FBP leads Risk Resilience by 11 points; FBP leads Quality by 10 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, EWBC or FBP?
Analyst price targets imply +8.4% upside for EWBC and +1.7% for FBP, so the Street currently favors EWBC. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors FBP. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, EWBC or FBP?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, EWBC or FBP?
FBP on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, EWBC or FBP?
FBP on the Momentum factor, by 15 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, EWBC or FBP?
FBP is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. FBP on Risk Resilience, by 11 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is EWBC more profitable than FBP?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 62.2% vs 74.8%; operating margin 39.4% vs 35.3%; ttm roe 16.2% vs 19%. EWBC leads on one measure and FBP on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is FBP's lead over EWBC getting stronger or weaker?
FBP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 6 to 9 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-24 and 2026-09-05. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the EWBC vs FBP verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: EWBC closes the Momentum gap — currently 15 points behind, the largest single contributor to FBP's edge; EWBC's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; FBP's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about EWBC and FBP?
EWBC: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. FBP: 2 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on EWBC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On FBP it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare EWBC and FBP with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.