SEC FORM 5

SEC Form 5

FORM 5

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

ANNUAL 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

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Form 3 Holdings Reported.

Form 4 Transactions Reported.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

CHENG DUNSON K

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

777 NORTH BROADWAY

(Street)

LOS ANGELES

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)
	Chairman, President & CEO

3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2010

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 at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
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)	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	03/10/2010		J⁽¹⁾	84.118	A	$9.3131	0	D
Common Stock	06/10/2010		J⁽¹⁾	74.838	A	$10.4792	0	D
Common Stock	09/10/2010		J⁽¹⁾	83.104	A	$9.4459	0	D
Common Stock	11/18/2010		J⁽²⁾	388,721	D	$0	0	D
Common Stock	11/18/2010		J⁽²⁾	388,721	A	$0	628,029	I	Husband & Wife Trust
Common Stock	12/31/2010		J⁽³⁾	385	A	$10.4285	101,935	I	By ESOP

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)
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)	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Stock Option	$15.0475						01/18/2002⁽⁴⁾	01/18/2011	Common Stock	74,160		74,160	D
Stock Option	$16.275						02/21/2003⁽⁴⁾	02/21/2012	Common Stock	79,320		153,480	D
Stock Option	$19.925						01/16/2004⁽⁴⁾	01/16/2013	Common Stock	153,060		306,540	D
Stock Option	$24.8						11/20/2004⁽⁴⁾	11/20/2013	Common Stock	246,940		553,480	D
Stock Option	$37						02/17/2006⁽⁴⁾	02/17/2015	Common Stock	154,940		708,420	D
Stock Option	$32.47						03/22/2005⁽⁴⁾	03/22/2015	Common Stock	245,060		953,480	D
Stock Option	$33.54						11/20/2005⁽⁴⁾	05/12/2015	Common Stock	264,694		1,218,174	D
Stock Option	$36.24						01/25/2007⁽⁵⁾	01/25/2016	Common Stock	154,940		1,373,114	D
Stock Option	$23.37						02/21/2009⁽⁶⁾	02/21/2018	Common Stock	154,970		1,528,084	D
Stock Option	$23.37						02/21/2009⁽⁴⁾	02/21/2018	Common Stock	100,000		1,628,084	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Dividend Reinvestment.

2. Transferred from individual direct ownership account to the Trust account as indirect ownership

3. ESOP earning allocation.

4. The option is fully exercisable.

5. The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/25/07.

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

Remarks:

	Dunson K. Cheng	02/10/2011
	** 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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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