CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP — Director's Dealing 2011

Jan 19, 2011

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP (CATY)
CIK: 0000861842
Period of Report: 2011-01-18

Reporting Person: CHENG DUNSON K (Director, Chairman, President, & CEO)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2011-01-18	Common Stock	M	74160	$15.0475	Acquired	74160	Direct

Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Exercise Price	Code	Shares	A/D	Expiration	Underlying	Ownership
2011-01-18	Stock Option	$15.0475	M	74160	Acquired	2011-01-18	Common Stock (0)	Direct

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	101550	Indirect
Common Stock	628029	Indirect

Holdings (Derivative)

Security	Exercise Price	Expiration	Underlying	Shares	Ownership
Stock Option	$16.275	2012-02-21	Common Stock (79320)	79320	Direct
Stock Option	$19.925	2013-01-16	Common Stock (153060)	232380	Direct
Stock Option	$24.80	2013-11-20	Common Stock (246940)	479320	Direct
Stock Option	$37.00	2015-02-17	Common Stock (154940)	634260	Direct
Stock Option	$32.47	2015-03-22	Common Stock (245060)	879320	Direct
Stock Option	$33.54	2015-05-12	Common Stock (264694)	1144014	Direct
Stock Option	$36.24	2016-01-25	Common Stock (154940)	1298954	Direct
Stock Option	$23.37	2018-02-21	Common Stock (154970)	1453924	Direct
Stock Option	$23.37	2018-02-21	Common Stock (100000)	1553924	Direct

Footnotes

F1: 388,721 shares were transferred to the Trust account on 11/18/10 as indirect ownership.

F2: The option is fully exercisable.

F3: The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/25/07.

F4: The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/09.

F5: The option vests in 2 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/09