Christopher McGratty's questions to Hope Bancorp Inc (HOPE) leadership • Q4 2024
Question
Christopher McGratty asked for clarification on the $15 million Territorial accretion guidance, questioning if it included securities accretion. He also inquired about potential balance sheet restructuring post-merger to accelerate ROA goals and the company's latest thoughts on share buybacks.
Answer
CFO Julianna Balicka clarified that the $15 million in accretion is specific to loans, with securities income included in the overall net interest income guidance. She noted that discussing broader balance sheet restructuring is premature while the transaction is pending. Chairman, President and CEO Kevin Kim reiterated that it is premature to comment on buybacks before the merger closes, but the board will continue to evaluate all capital deployment options.