Company Description
Hope Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOPE) is a financial holding company in the commercial banking industry and the parent of Bank of Hope. According to the company’s public disclosures, Bank of Hope is described as the only regional Korean American bank in the United States and, following the addition of Territorial Savings as a division of Bank of Hope, the company states that it became the largest regional bank catering to multicultural customers across the continental United States and Hawaii. The bank is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and operates within the finance and insurance sector with a focus on commercial banking activities.
Hope Bancorp’s primary operating subsidiary, Bank of Hope, offers what it characterizes as a full suite of commercial, corporate and consumer loans, deposit products and fee-based banking services. Company materials describe key lending categories that include commercial lending, commercial real estate lending, Small Business Administration (SBA) lending, residential mortgage lending and other consumer lending. On the deposit and services side, the bank highlights treasury management services, foreign currency exchange solutions, interest rate derivative products and international trade finance services.
Regional footprint and branch network
Hope Bancorp reports that Bank of Hope operates an extensive branch network across multiple U.S. states. Under the Bank of Hope banner, the bank operates full-service branches in California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Texas, Illinois, Alabama and Georgia. In Hawaii, it operates branches under the Territorial Savings banner, which is a division of Bank of Hope. Company announcements reference dozens of full-service branches across these markets, reflecting a regional banking footprint that spans both the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.
In addition to full-service retail branches, Bank of Hope operates specialized loan production offices. These include SBA loan production offices, commercial loan production offices and residential mortgage loan production offices located throughout the United States, as described in the company’s news releases. The bank also maintains a representative office in Seoul, South Korea, which supports its international and cross-border banking activities as disclosed by the company.
Business focus and customer base
Hope Bancorp positions Bank of Hope as a regional institution with a specific heritage and focus on Korean American and multicultural customers. Company communications emphasize that Bank of Hope is the only regional Korean American bank in the United States and that, after integrating Territorial Savings as a division, the institution describes itself as the largest regional bank serving multicultural customers across the continental United States and Hawaii. This positioning reflects the bank’s stated emphasis on serving diverse communities and business owners within its markets.
Within commercial banking, the bank highlights commercial and commercial real estate lending, SBA lending and international trade finance as important parts of its activities. Residential mortgage lending and other consumer lending are also noted as part of the product mix, alongside deposit products and fee-based services such as treasury management, foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives. These disclosures indicate a focus on both business and consumer clients, with an emphasis on lending and related banking services.
Regulatory status and charter
According to the company’s public descriptions, Bank of Hope is a California-chartered bank. The bank states that its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to the extent provided by law. Hope Bancorp’s common stock is registered under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol HOPE, as reflected in the company’s Form 8-K filings.
The company’s SEC filings also confirm that Hope Bancorp, Inc. is the registrant and that its common stock has a par value of $0.001 per share. The filings identify NASDAQ Global Select Market as the exchange on which the common stock is listed. These regulatory disclosures provide the formal framework under which the company operates as a publicly traded bank holding company.
Growth through acquisition and Territorial Savings division
Hope Bancorp has disclosed that it completed the acquisition of Territorial Bancorp Inc., the holding company of Territorial Savings Bank, effective April 2, 2025. Following this transaction, Territorial Savings operates as a division of Bank of Hope. Company news releases state that this acquisition expanded Hope Bancorp’s presence into the Hawaii market and contributed to the bank’s residential mortgage portfolio and deposit base.
With the addition of Territorial Savings, the company reports that Bank of Hope operates branches in Hawaii under the Territorial Savings banner, while maintaining the Bank of Hope brand across its mainland U.S. markets. Public communications from the company indicate that this combination supported diversification of the loan portfolio, including residential mortgage loans, and provided access to a lower-cost deposit base associated with Territorial’s franchise.
Financial profile and capital position (structural overview)
Hope Bancorp regularly reports its financial condition and results of operations through quarterly earnings releases and Form 8-K filings. These disclosures cover items such as net interest income, noninterest income, noninterest expense, loan and deposit composition, credit quality metrics, allowance for credit losses and capital ratios. The company has reported that its capital ratios exceed regulatory thresholds generally associated with the definition of a well-capitalized financial institution.
In its public communications, the company describes a loan portfolio that includes commercial real estate loans, commercial and industrial loans, and residential mortgage and other loans. Deposit disclosures reference noninterest-bearing demand deposits, money market, interest-bearing demand and savings deposits, and time deposits. The company also reports on criticized loans, nonperforming assets, net charge-offs and allowance for credit losses as part of its regular financial updates.
Dividends and shareholder returns framework
Hope Bancorp’s board of directors has, in multiple public announcements, declared quarterly cash dividends on the company’s common stock. The company uses Form 8-K filings to report these dividend declarations as material events, including the dividend amount and relevant record and payment dates. These disclosures illustrate that returning capital to common shareholders through cash dividends is part of the company’s approach to capital management, subject to board approval and regulatory considerations.
Corporate governance and leadership developments
The company reports significant corporate governance events through Form 8-K filings. For example, an 8-K filing dated August 26, 2025, disclosed the planned retirement of the Honorary Chairman and board member, noting that the decision was not the result of any disagreement with the company on matters relating to operations, policies or practices. The filing also indicated that, following this retirement, the board of directors was expected to be fixed at ten directors. Such disclosures provide insight into board composition and governance changes over time.
Community and heritage context
Company news releases highlight the historical role of Korean American banking institutions that ultimately combined to form Hope Bancorp and Bank of Hope, including legacy entities such as Wilshire Bancorp, Inc. and Wilshire Bank. The company credits long-serving board members for their involvement in the creation of what it describes as the first and only Korean American regional bank in the United States. These references underscore the bank’s heritage and long-standing involvement in serving Korean American and broader multicultural communities.
Stock information and investor communications
Hope Bancorp communicates with investors through earnings releases, conference calls, investor presentations and SEC filings. The company routinely announces the timing of its quarterly and annual financial results and hosts conference calls and webcasts for institutional investors, analysts and other interested parties. Form 8-K filings often reference accompanying earnings presentations and specify that certain furnished materials are not deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act.
Investors researching HOPE stock can review these public disclosures to understand the company’s commercial banking focus, regional footprint, loan and deposit mix, capital position, dividend practices and governance developments. All such information is subject to the detailed terms and limitations described in the company’s official filings and news releases.