Hope Bancorp Director Scott Whang Retires, Impacting Governance Structure
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 16 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Board Member Change: Hope Bancorp Director Scott Whang has announced he will not stand for re-election and will retire at the 2026 Annual Meeting, reducing the board size to nine directors, which may impact the company's governance structure.
- Leadership Contribution: Serving on the board since 2007 and as Chairman from 2017 to 2019, Whang's leadership has been instrumental in transforming Bank of Hope from a community bank to a regional bank, highlighting his significance in the company's growth.
- Industry Recognition: Whang has received numerous accolades for his success in the publishing industry, including the 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award' from the Korean American Chamber of Commerce, showcasing his exemplary achievements as a minority entrepreneur.
- Company Asset Size: As of September 30, 2025, Bank of Hope reported total assets of $18.51 billion, making it the largest regional bank serving multicultural customers in the U.S., demonstrating its competitive strength and market influence.
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Analyst Views on HOPE
Wall Street analysts forecast HOPE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for HOPE is 12.00 USD with a low forecast of 12.00 USD and a high forecast of 12.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
1 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 11.760
Low
12.00
Averages
12.00
High
12.00
Current: 11.760
Low
12.00
Averages
12.00
High
12.00
About HOPE
Hope Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company of Bank of Hope (the Bank). The Bank provides a full suite of commercial, corporate and consumer loans, deposit and fee-based products and services, including commercial and commercial real estate lending, small business administration (SBA) lending, residential mortgage and other consumer lending, treasury management services, foreign currency exchange solutions, interest rate derivative products, and international trade financing, among others. The Bank operates approximately 46 full-service branches in California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Georgia under the Bank of Hope banner, and over 29 branches in Hawaii under the Territorial Savings banner. The Bank also operates SBA loan production offices, commercial loan production offices, and residential mortgage loan production offices throughout the United States, and a representative office in Seoul, South Korea.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Hope Bancorp Reports Strong Q4 2025 Earnings Growth and Strategic Outlook
- Net Income Growth: In Q4 2025, net income reached $34 million, a 42% year-over-year increase and a 12% quarter-over-quarter rise, driven by growth in net interest income and customer fee income, indicating strong market performance.
- Loan Production Momentum: Fourth quarter loan production volumes surged 39% year-over-year, totaling $14.8 billion with a 1% quarter-over-quarter increase, reflecting ongoing expansion in loan business and robust market demand.
- Shareholder Return Plan: The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share and reinstated a $35 million share repurchase authorization, demonstrating management's confidence in future profitability and commitment to shareholders.
- 2026 Outlook: Management expects high single-digit loan growth and revenue growth between 15% and 20% for 2026, showcasing a proactive strategy in ongoing expansion and market integration.
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Hope Bancorp Q4 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Hope Bancorp reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.27, exceeding expectations by $0.01, indicating the company's stable profitability and growth potential.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved $145.8 million in revenue for Q4, a 23.5% year-over-year increase, surpassing expectations by $2.9 million, reflecting strong business expansion and market demand.
- Improved Net Interest Margin: The net interest margin for Q4 increased to 2.90%, up 1 basis point from Q3 and 40 basis points year-over-year, demonstrating enhanced management capabilities and profitability in the current interest rate environment.
- Positive Investment Rating: Seeking Alpha's quant rating on Hope Bancorp highlights its decent valuation and stable credit quality, further boosting market confidence in its future performance.
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