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): October 19, 2009

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-18630	95-4274680
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

777 North Broadway, Los Angeles, California	90012
(Address of principal executive Office)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (213) 625-4700

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01 Other Events

     On October 19, 2009, Cathay General Bancorp announced, in a press release, that it has completed its previously announced offering of 7,614,571 shares of its common stock and that the underwriter for the offering exercised in full its over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,142,185 shares of common stock. That press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

     The foregoing information and the attached exhibit are intended to be furnished only and shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)	Exhibit No.	Description
	99.1	Press Release of Cathay General Bancorp dated October 19, 2009.

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 thereunto duly authorized.

Date: October 19, 2009

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP 

By:  /s/ Heng W. Chen                                                      

      Heng W. Chen
        Executive Vice President and Chief
        Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number	Exhibit
99.1	Press Release of Cathay General Bancorp dated October 19, 2009.

EX-99.1

Cathay General Bancorp Closes $76.0 Million Public Offering of Common Stock

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cathay General Bancorp (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CATY), the holding company for Cathay Bank, today announced that it has completed its previously announced offering of 7,614,571 shares of its common stock and that the underwriter for the offering has exercised in full its over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1,142,185 shares of common stock. The net proceeds from the offering to the Company were approximately $76.0 million.

BofA Merrill Lynch acted as sole bookrunner for the offering.

This press release is neither an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities of the Company, and there shall not be any sale of securities of the Company in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to these securities may be obtained by contacting BofA Merrill Lynch, Attention: Prospectus Department, 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080.

ABOUT CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

Cathay General Bancorp is the holding company for Cathay Bank, a California state-chartered bank. Founded in 1962, Cathay Bank offers a wide range of financial services. Cathay Bank currently operates 31 branches in California, eight branches in New York State, one in Massachusetts, two in Texas, three in Washington State, three in the Chicago, Illinois area, one in New Jersey, one in Hong Kong, and a representative office in Shanghai and in Taipei.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER NOTICES

The information contained in this press release is not intended as a solicitation to buy Cathay General Bancorp stock or any other securities and is provided for information only. Statements made in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding management’s beliefs, projections, and assumptions concerning future results and events. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, such words as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “hopes,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “seeks,” “shall,” “should,” “will,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and variations of these words and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates, beliefs, projections, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s historical experience and the Company’s present expectations or projections. Such risks and uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, adverse developments or conditions related to or arising from: significant volatility and deterioration in the credit and financial markets; adverse changes in general economic conditions; the effects of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and any changes or amendments thereto; deterioration in asset or credit quality; the availability of capital; the impact of any goodwill impairment that may be determined; acquisitio ns of other banks, if any; fluctuations in interest rates; the soundness of other financial institutions; expansion into new market areas; earthquakes, wildfires, or other natural disasters; competitive pressures; changes in laws, regulations, and accounting rules, or their interpretations; legislative, judicial, or regulatory actions and developments against the Company; and general economic or business conditions in California and other regions where Cathay Bank has operations, including, but not limited to, adverse changes in economic conditions resulting from the continuation or worsening of the current economic downturn.

These risks and uncertainties and other factors are further described in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 13, 2009, the Company’s other reports filed with the SEC, and other filings the Company makes with the SEC from time to time, including the prospectus related to the offering described above. Actual results in any future period may also vary from the past results discussed in this press release. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which

speak to the date of this press release. Cathay General Bancorp has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect future developments or events, except as required by law.

Cathay General Bancorp’s filings with the SEC are available at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov, or by request directed to Cathay General Bancorp, 9650 Flair Drive, El Monte, California 91731, Attention: Investor Relations (626) 279-3286.

CONTACT: Heng W. Chen of Cathay General Bancorp, +1-626-279-3652