Note 4 - Earnings per Share (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]

	For the three months ended June 30,						For the six months ended June 30,
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)	2012			2011			2012			2011
Net income attributable to Cathay General Bancorp	$	29,861		$	24,302		$	58,774		$	46,365
Dividends on preferred stock		(4,121	)		(4,107	)		(8,238	)		(8,212	)
Net income available to common stockholders	$	25,740		$	20,195		$	50,536		$	38,153
Weighted-average shares:
Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding		78,710,279			78,635,324			78,694,462			78,622,464
Dilutive effect of weighted-average outstanding common share equivalents
Stock options		1,893			1,784			6,690			13,905
Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding		78,712,172			78,637,108			78,701,152			78,636,369
Average stock options and warrants with anti-dilutive effect		6,092,332			6,303,432			6,159,778			6,251,149
Earnings per common share:
Basic	$	0.33		$	0.26		$	0.64		$	0.49
Diluted	$	0.33		$	0.26		$	0.64		$	0.49