Cathay General Bancorp to Announce Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2009 Financial Results

Cathay General Bancorp (the "Company”) (NASDAQ: CATY), the holding company for Cathay Bank (the "Bank”), is scheduled to announced its fourth quarter and year-end 2009 financial results after the markets close on Thursday, January 28, 2010.

Cathay General Bancorp has scheduled a conference call as set forth below. Analysts and investors may participate in the question-and-answer session.

Conference Call, Webcast, and Replay Information:

Telephone Access: Participants should join the live conference call 5 to 10 minutes before its scheduled start. The dial-in number is (866) 202-4683, and the Participant Passcode is 19183671.

Webcast Access: A listen-only live Webcast of the call will be available at www.cathaygeneralbancorp.com. A recorded version for replay will be available within 24 hours after the end of the call until January 28, 2011.

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. Cathay Bank’s website is found at http://www.cathaybank.com. Cathay General Bancorp's website is found at http://www.cathaygeneralbancorp.com. Information set forth on such websites is not incorporated into this press release.