Hope Bancorp repurchased 772,726 shares at $11.25 average in H1 2026
Regional bank returned $44.6M to shareholders YTD through buybacks and dividends; $26.6M remains under $50M program.
What the filing says
Hope Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOPE) repurchased 772,726 shares of common stock year-to-date through June 30, 2026, at an average price of $11.25 per share, for a total of $8.7 million, pursuant to its existing $50.0 million share repurchase authorization. The repurchases represent 0.6% of outstanding shares at December 31, 2025.
The company returned $44.6 million to stockholders in total during the first half of 2026 through a combination of $8.7 million in common stock repurchases and quarterly common stock dividends of 14 cents per share declared in both the first and second quarters of 2026.
As of June 30, 2026, $26.6 million remained available under the repurchase authorization. The execution mechanism was not specified in the filing; repurchases were conducted under the company's existing authorization.
The buybacks occurred as Hope Bancorp posted improved profitability, with second-quarter 2026 net income of $33.0 million, up 12% quarter-over-quarter, driven by loan growth, net interest margin expansion, lower funding costs, and increased fee income. The company maintained well-capitalized regulatory ratios and pursued its pending acquisition of the Commercial Banking Unit of SMBC MANUBANK.
Year-to-date through June 30, 2026, the Company returned $44.6 million of capital to stockholders through cash dividends and common stock repurchases. Year-to-date in 2026, the Company repurchased 772,726 shares of common stock, equivalent to 0.6% of outstanding shares at December 31, 2025, at an average price of $11.25 per share, for a total of $8.7 million, pursuant to its existing $50.0 million share repurchase authorization. — HOPE BANCORP INC 8-K filing · View on SEC EDGAR →
What this means
Hope Bancorp's repurchase of 772,726 shares year-to-date represents a modest capital return program, consuming roughly 17.5% of the $50 million authorization through mid-2026. At $11.25 per share, the average repurchase price stood below the company's June 30, 2026 book value of $17.97 per share, suggesting buybacks were executed at a discount to net tangible book value. The combined $44.6 million returned via dividends and repurchases reflects conservative capital management in a regional banking environment, with capital ratios exceeding well-capitalized thresholds. The pending MANUBANK acquisition and current profitability improvements suggest the company is balancing shareholder returns with capital preservation for potential deployment in the transaction.
Frequently asked questions
- How many shares did Hope Bancorp repurchase in the first half of 2026?
- Hope Bancorp repurchased 772,726 shares of common stock year-to-date through June 30, 2026, at an average price of $11.25 per share, for a total cost of $8.7 million. This represented 0.6% of outstanding shares at year-end 2025.
- What authorization remained under Hope Bancorp's buyback program as of mid-2026?
- As of June 30, 2026, $26.6 million remained available under the company's $50.0 million share repurchase authorization. At the June 30 average repurchase pace, approximately 2.4 million additional shares could be repurchased under the remaining authorization.
- How did Hope Bancorp's buyback price compare to its book value?
- The average repurchase price of $11.25 per share was approximately 37% below Hope Bancorp's book value per share of $17.97 as of June 30, 2026, indicating purchases were made at a meaningful discount to net tangible book value.
- What was Hope Bancorp's total capital return to shareholders in the first half of 2026?
- Hope Bancorp returned $44.6 million to shareholders year-to-date, consisting of $8.7 million in share repurchases and $35.9 million in quarterly dividends at 14 cents per share in Q1 and Q2 2026.
- Did Hope Bancorp's buyback activity affect its regulatory capital ratios?
- Hope Bancorp maintained well-capitalized regulatory ratios as of June 30, 2026, with a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 12.27% (above the 6.50% well-capitalized minimum), suggesting the moderate buyback pace did not materially impact capital adequacy.