Here are 1-3 analogies for Hope Bancorp (HOPE):

• A regional Bank of America, focused on serving individuals and small to medium-sized businesses.
• Similar to a smaller US Bank, offering comprehensive banking services for individuals and commercial clients across multiple states.

• Deposit Accounts: The company offers various personal and business checking, money market, savings, time deposit, and individual retirement accounts.
• Commercial Loans: Hope Bancorp provides loans to businesses for purposes such as working capital, inventory purchase, debt refinancing, and acquisitions.
• Real Estate Loans: The bank offers financing secured by real estate for various needs.
• SBA Loans: Hope Bancorp provides Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loans to support small businesses.
• Consumer Loans: This category includes single-family mortgage, home equity, auto, credit card, and personal loans for individuals.
• Trade Finance Services: The company offers services like issuing and negotiating letters of credit and handling documentary collections to facilitate trade.
• Warehouse Lines of Credit: Hope Bancorp extends lines of credit specifically to mortgage loan originators.
• Commercial Equipment Lease Financing: Businesses can access financing for commercial equipment through lease arrangements.
• Cash Management Services: The bank provides services such as remote deposit capture, lock box, and ACH origination to help businesses manage their cash flow.
• Investment and Wealth Management Services: Clients can access services for investment and wealth management.
• Foreign Exchange Services: The bank facilitates foreign currency exchange transactions.
• Safe Deposit Boxes: Customers can rent safe deposit boxes for secure storage of valuables.

Hope Bancorp (symbol: HOPE) primarily serves both individuals and other companies (businesses). Its major customer categories are:

1. Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs): These customers utilize the company's commercial loans (for working capital, inventory, debt refinancing, business acquisitions, etc.), real estate loans, Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, trade finance services, warehouse lines of credit, commercial equipment lease financing, business checking/savings accounts, and cash management services.
2. Individuals: This category of customers uses a range of personal banking services, including personal checking, money market, savings, time deposit, and individual retirement accounts. They also access consumer loan products such as single-family mortgages, home equity loans, auto loans, credit cards, and personal loans, as well as investment and wealth management services.

Kevin S. Kim Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer

Kevin S. Kim spearheaded the merger of Center Financial Corporation and Nara Bancorp, Inc. to create BBCN Bancorp, Inc. in 2011. He then led BBCN through another merger with Wilshire Bancorp, Inc. in 2016, which resulted in the formation of Hope Bancorp and Bank of Hope. Prior to his executive roles in banking, Mr. Kim practiced law for 18 years, specializing in corporate and business transactions, business acquisitions, tax planning, and real estate transactions. He began his professional career as a certified public accountant, working for approximately 10 years at prominent public accounting firms such as Arthur Andersen, LLP and KPMG, LLP.

Julianna Balicka Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Julianna Balicka was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hope Bancorp, Inc. and Bank of Hope effective April 17, 2023. Before joining Hope Bancorp, she served as Senior Vice President, Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Finance at East West Bank, a subsidiary of East West Bancorp, Inc. Her responsibilities at East West Bank included overseeing investor relations, corporate finance/M&A strategy, consolidated financial statement forecasting, and contributing to balance sheet management. From 2005 to 2016, Ms. Balicka was a Managing Director in Equity Research at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, where she was the lead research analyst for California SMID-cap banks, Asian American banks, and marketplace lenders. She started her career as an investment banking analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Peter J. Koh Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Peter J. Koh was promoted to Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2022, having previously served as Executive Vice President and Deputy Chief Operating Officer. In his role as COO, he is responsible for the oversight of strategy, operations, information technology, human resources, and credit administration. Following the merger that created Bank of Hope on July 29, 2016, Mr. Koh was named Chief Credit Officer, overseeing credit administration, appraisal, and special assets departments. He held the same position at Wilshire Bank prior to the merger, which he initially joined in 2001.

Lisa K. Pai Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel

Lisa K. Pai was named Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Hope Bancorp, Inc. and Bank of Hope upon the merger of BBCN Bancorp, Inc. and Wilshire Bancorp, Inc. in July 2016. Prior to this, from December 2012, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal & Human Resources Officer and Corporate Secretary for Wilshire Bancorp and Wilshire Bank. Before her tenure at Wilshire, Ms. Pai was Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer at BBCN Bancorp following the merger of Nara Bancorp and Center Financial Corporation in 2011. From 2007 to 2011, she held the position of Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Center Financial Corporation. Before entering the banking industry in 1994, Ms. Pai practiced law.

Jason K. Kim Senior Executive Vice President, Western Regional President of Bank of Hope

Jason K. Kim was promoted to Senior Executive Vice President in April 2020 and has served as Western Regional President of Bank of Hope since July 1, 2019. In this capacity, he is responsible for the oversight of all commercial lending functions and retail branches in California, as well as the Bank's Small Business Administration (SBA) department. Before this role, effective May 1, 2017, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Banking Officer, where he was responsible for the SBA department and shared oversight of commercial and commercial real estate lending in the Western Region.

The clear emerging threats for Hope Bancorp are:

• The rise of digital-only challenger banks (neobanks) and specialized fintech lenders. These companies leverage technology to offer a superior user experience, often lower fees, and faster processing for various banking products, including deposits, small business loans, and consumer loans. This model directly challenges the traditional, branch-centric banking model by attracting customers through digitally native solutions and competitive pricing.
• The increasing prevalence of embedded finance, where non-financial companies (such as e-commerce platforms, accounting software providers, or major tech companies) integrate financial services directly into their core offerings. This trend disintermediates traditional banks by allowing customers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to access loans, payment processing, and other financial tools directly from the platforms they already use for their primary business operations.

Hope Bancorp (NASDAQ: HOPE) anticipates several key drivers to fuel its revenue growth over the next two to three years:

1. Loan Growth, particularly in Commercial & Industrial (C&I) and Commercial Real Estate (CRE): Management projects high single-digit loan growth for 2026, driven by a broad-based expansion across commercial real estate, residential mortgage, and commercial and industrial loans. The company is strategically targeting growth in C&I loan originations and expanding into manufacturing and trade sectors.
2. Net Interest Margin (NIM) Expansion due to Lower Funding Costs and Loan Repricing: Hope Bancorp expects continued net interest margin expansion in 2026. This is primarily attributed to the downward repricing of time deposits and the upward repricing of maturing commercial real estate loans to current market rates, thereby reducing funding costs and improving profitability.
3. Increased Fee Income from Diverse Services: The company is focused on achieving strong fee income growth. This includes a focus on growing customer-level swap fees, which saw significant increases in 2025, and a resurgence in SBA secondary market sales. Furthermore, Hope Bancorp is expanding its Global Banking and Residential Mortgage Warehouse Lending services to develop fee income streams that are less sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, with a target of fee income comprising at least 15% of net revenue by 2026.
4. Strategic Geographic Expansion: Following the acquisition of Territorial Bancorp in April 2025, Hope Bancorp is expanding its presence in Hawaii. Additionally, the bank is prioritizing expansion into new markets such as Texas, Georgia, and Alabama for 2025–2026, aligning with Korean-American population migration and the growth of manufacturing sectors in these regions.
5. Strengthening Customer Relationships and Deposit Base: While not a direct revenue driver, the company's strategy of building a durable deposit base by expanding primary customer relationships and improving funding efficiency is crucial. This approach, including a focus on multi-ethnic market penetration and deepening client engagements, supports overall loan growth and helps optimize funding costs, thereby contributing to net interest income.

Share Repurchases

• Hope Bancorp reinstated a share buyback authorization with $35 million available for future repurchases as of Q4 2025.
• Between 2024 and early 2025, the company repurchased over $50 million in shares, which increased the ownership percentage for remaining shareholders.

Share Issuance

• In April 2025, Hope Bancorp issued 6,976,754 shares, valued at $73.3 million, as part of the stock-for-stock acquisition of Territorial Bancorp.

Outbound Investments

• Hope Bancorp signed a definitive merger agreement in March 2024 to acquire Territorial Bancorp, a $2.2 billion savings bank headquartered in Hawai'i.
• The acquisition of Territorial Bancorp was completed on April 2, 2025, expanding Hope Bancorp's presence into Hawaii and diversifying its deposit and loan base.

Capital Expenditures

• In 2025, Hope Bancorp allocated 12.5% of its non-interest expenses towards core and mobile upgrades to enhance digital capabilities and customer experience.