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Hope Bancorp Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income rose to $30.8 million: Net income was $30.8 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, up 28% from a year earlier. The second quarter had a net loss of $27.9 million, or $(0.22) per diluted share. Source
  • Excluding notable items, earnings rose 26%: Net income excluding notable items was $31.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, up 26% from $25.2 million a year earlier and up 29% from $24.5 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Net interest income grew 8% sequentially: Net interest income before provision was $126.6 million, up $9.1 million from $117.5 million in the second quarter. Management described it as the highest linked-quarter organic growth in three years. Source
  • Net interest margin widened 20 basis points: Net interest margin was 2.89%, up from 2.69% in the second quarter. Management said the expansion was its widest linked-quarter increase since 2012. Source
  • Deposits fell on lower brokered balances: Total deposits were $15.83 billion, down 1% from $15.94 billion. The company linked the decline to lower brokered deposits, partly offset by customer deposit growth. Source
  • Criticized loans down 10%: Criticized loans were $372.9 million, down from $414.7 million at June 30, 2025. The company cited improvement in C&I criticized loans, which fell 17%. The ratio to total loans was 2.56%. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to 0.14%: Net charge-offs were $5.1 million, or 0.14% annualized, compared with $12.0 million, or 0.33%, in the second quarter. The company said the improvement reflects lower C&I charge-offs. Source

“Highlights this quarter included diversified loan growth, lower cost of deposits and improved asset quality with a 10% reduction in criticized loans from June 30, 2025.”

Kevin S. Kim, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • Ended: Bank of Hope full-service branches are stated as 45 in this release, down from 46 in the prior release. The branch list no longer includes the second New York and New Jersey entries. Source
  • Ended: No securities repositioning loss was recorded in the third quarter. The second quarter included a $38.9 million pre-tax net loss on sales of available-for-sale securities. Source

Results and earnings growth

  • Net income rose to $30.8 million: Net income was $30.8 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, up 28% from a year earlier. The second quarter had a net loss of $27.9 million, or $(0.22) per diluted share. Source
  • Excluding notable items, earnings rose 26%: Net income excluding notable items was $31.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, up 26% from $25.2 million a year earlier and up 29% from $24.5 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Third-quarter notable items were merger expenses: Notable items in the third quarter were merger-related expenses. Second-quarter notable items were a securities restructuring loss, merger-related items, and an impact of the California state tax law change. Source
  • Reported tax rate was 15.4%: Income tax provision was $5.6 million, compared with a $2.0 million benefit in the second quarter. The reported effective tax rate was 15.4% for the third quarter. Source

Net interest income and margin

  • Net interest income grew 8% sequentially: Net interest income before provision was $126.6 million, up $9.1 million from $117.5 million in the second quarter. Management described it as the highest linked-quarter organic growth in three years. Source
  • Net interest margin widened 20 basis points: Net interest margin was 2.89%, up from 2.69% in the second quarter. Management said the expansion was its widest linked-quarter increase since 2012. Source
  • Loan growth and deposit costs drove margin: The company attributed the increase in net interest income and margin primarily to average loan growth, higher earning-asset yields, and a lower cost of interest-bearing deposits. Source
  • Securities yield rose after repositioning: The yield on average investment securities rose 52 basis points to 3.77%, which the company linked to the securities portfolio repositioning executed in the second quarter. Source
  • Loan and deposit yields moved modestly: The average loan yield was 5.93%, up five basis points sequentially. The cost of average interest-bearing deposits was 3.69%, down eight basis points sequentially. Source

“The linked quarter net interest margin expansion of 20 basis points for the third quarter of 2025 was our widest since 2012.”

Kevin S. Kim, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Noninterest income and fees

  • Noninterest income rose to $15.4 million: Noninterest income was $15.4 million, compared with a $23.0 million loss in the second quarter. Excluding the second-quarter securities loss, third-quarter income decreased $515 thousand quarter-over-quarter. Source
  • Fee lines grew while swap and SBA gains fell: Deposit service, international service, loan-related, foreign exchange and wire fees grew. Customer swap fee income and net gains on SBA loan sales decreased. Source
  • SBA loan sales declined: The company sold $48.1 million of SBA loans in the third quarter, down from $67.4 million sold in the second quarter. Source

Noninterest expense and efficiency

  • Reported expense fell on lower merger costs: Noninterest expense was $96.9 million, down from $109.5 million. Excluding merger-related expenses, noninterest expense was $95.9 million, up 4% from $92.2 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Compensation rose on talent investment: The increase in expense excluding notable items was primarily driven by compensation-related costs, which the company linked to sustained investment in talent to support growth. Source
  • Operating leverage improved efficiency ratio: Revenue growth outpaced expense growth. The efficiency ratio excluding notable items was 67.5% for the third quarter, compared with 69.1% for the second quarter. Source

“We have been making sustained investments in talent at Bank of Hope to strengthen our loan production capabilities, and we remain focused on enhancing our deposit mix and reducing our cost of funds.”

Kevin S. Kim, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Loans and deposits

  • Gross loans grew 1.2% in the quarter: Gross loans were $14.62 billion at September 30, 2025, up 1.2%, or 4.8% annualized, from $14.45 billion at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Residential mortgage led loan growth: All major loan segments grew. Residential mortgage and other loans increased 4.6% quarter-over-quarter, the largest increase among the segments. Source
  • Deposits fell on lower brokered balances: Total deposits were $15.83 billion, down 1% from $15.94 billion. The company linked the decline to lower brokered deposits, partly offset by customer deposit growth. Source
  • Brokered deposits down 18%: Brokered deposits decreased $139.5 million in the quarter, down 18% quarter-over-quarter. Noninterest-bearing demand deposits grew 1% quarter-over-quarter. Source
  • Loan-to-deposit ratio rose to 92.3%: The gross loan-to-deposit ratio was 92.3% at September 30, 2025, up from 90.6% at June 30, 2025, and 92.6% a year earlier. Source

Credit quality and allowance

  • Criticized loans down 10%: Criticized loans were $372.9 million, down from $414.7 million at June 30, 2025. The company cited improvement in C&I criticized loans, which fell 17%. The ratio to total loans was 2.56%. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to 0.14%: Net charge-offs were $5.1 million, or 0.14% annualized, compared with $12.0 million, or 0.33%, in the second quarter. The company said the improvement reflects lower C&I charge-offs. Source
  • Provision fell to $8.7 million: The provision for credit losses was $8.7 million, compared with $15.0 million in the second quarter, which included $4.5 million of merger-related provision. Source
  • Nonperforming assets held near $112 million: Nonperforming assets were $112.2 million, or 0.61% of total assets, compared with $112.9 million, or 0.61%, at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Allowance coverage edged up to 1.05%: The allowance for credit losses was $152.5 million, equal to 1.05% of loans receivable, up from 1.04% at June 30, 2025. Source

Capital and balance sheet

  • All capital ratios increased in quarter: The company said all capital ratios increased from June 30, 2025. Territorial's April 2025 completion affected the year-over-year ratio comparisons. Source
  • CET1 ratio rose to 12.12%: The common equity Tier 1 ratio was 12.12%, up from 12.06% at June 30, 2025, and 13.07% a year earlier. The well-capitalized guideline is 6.50%. Source
  • Stockholders' equity rose to $2.26 billion: Total stockholders' equity was $2.26 billion, up 1% from $2.22 billion. Tangible common equity per share was $13.51, up from $13.26, and the TCE ratio was 9.63%. Source
  • Total assets were roughly flat: Total assets were $18.51 billion, compared with $18.55 billion at June 30, 2025. Cash and due from banks fell 34% to $454.9 million. Source

Strategy, people and integration

  • Talent investment to support loan production: Management described sustained investment in talent to strengthen loan production capabilities, alongside a focus on enhancing the deposit mix and reducing the cost of funds. Source
  • Territorial division serves Hawaii since April: Territorial Savings became a division of Bank of Hope effective April 2, 2025, with 29 branches in Hawaii. The company describes itself as the largest regional bank catering to multicultural customers across the continental United States and Hawaii. Source
  • Quarter described as progress on priorities: Management said the quarter reflects progress on strategic priorities to improve financial performance, and cited diversified loan growth, lower deposit costs, and a 10% reduction in criticized loans. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source2.89%
Net interest income Source$126.6 million
Loans and loan growth Source$14.62 billion; up 1.2% in the quarter
Deposits Source$15.83 billion
Deposit costs Source3.69% cost of average interest-bearing deposits
Provision for credit losses Source$8.7 million
Net charge-offs Source$5.1 million; 0.14% annualized
Nonperforming assets Source$112.2 million; 0.61% of total assets
CET1 ratio Source12.12%
Efficiency ratio Source67.52% excluding notable items; 68.20% reported

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company previously announced an investor conference call for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time to review the third-quarter results. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.