UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

or

For the Transition Period From To

Commission File Number: 000-30421

HANMI FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(213) 382-2200

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of June 30, 2022, the aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was approximately $671,418,645. For purposes of the foregoing calculation only, in addition to affiliated companies, all directors and officers of the Registrant have been deemed affiliates.

Number of shares of common stock of the Registrant outstanding as of February 22, 2023 was 30,495,476 shares.

Hanmi Financial Corporation

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2022

Table of Contents

1

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”) are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements in this Report other than statements of historical fact are “forward–looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements about anticipated future operating and financial performance, financial position and liquidity, business strategies, regulatory and competitive outlook, investment and expenditure plans, capital and financing needs and availability, plans and objectives of management for future operations, developments regarding our capital and strategic plans and other similar forecasts and statements of expectations and assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, strategies, outlook, needs, plans, objectives or achievements to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors include: failure to maintain adequate levels of capital and liquidity to support our operations; the effect of potential future supervisory action against us or Hanmi Bank; the effect of our rating under the Community Reinvestment Act and our ability to address any issues raised in our regulatory examinations; general economic and business conditions internationally, nationally and in those areas in which we operate, including risks associated with a potential return of recessionary conditions; volatility and deterioration in the credit and equity markets; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; availability of capital; demographic changes; competition for loans and deposits and failure to attract or retain loans and deposits; fluctuations in interest rates and a decline in the level of our interest rate spread or net interest margin; risks associated with natural disasters; disruption due to a pandemic or other public health emergency; a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, including cyberattacks; the failure to maintain current technologies; the inability to successfully implement future information technology enhancements; difficult business and economic conditions that can adversely affect our industry and business, including competition, fraudulent activity and negative publicity; the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events; risks associated with Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans; the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and results of operation; failure to attract or retain key employees; our ability to access cost-effective funding; fluctuations in real estate values; changes in accounting policies and practices; changes in governmental regulation, including, but not limited to, any increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance premiums; the ability of Hanmi Bank to make distributions to Hanmi Financial Corporation, which is restricted by certain factors, including Hanmi Bank’s retained earnings, net income, prior distributions made, and certain other financial tests; the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses; credit quality and the effect of credit quality on our credit loss expense and allowance for credit losses; changes in the financial performance and/or condition of our borrowers and the ability of our borrowers to perform under the terms of their loans and other terms of credit agreements; our ability to control expenses; risks as it relates to cyber security against our information technology and those of our third party providers and vendors; changes in securities markets and inflation, which may lead to higher operating costs and reduced loan demand. For additional information concerning risks we face, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Part I of this Report.

We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which such statements were made, except as required by law.

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Part I

Item 1. Business

General

Hanmi Financial Corporation (“Hanmi Financial,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is a Delaware corporation incorporated on March 14, 2000 to be the holding company for Hanmi Bank (the “Bank”) and is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”). Our principal office is located at 900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1250, Los Angeles, California 90017, and our telephone number is (213) 382-2200.

Hanmi Bank, the primary subsidiary of Hanmi Financial, is a state-chartered bank incorporated under the laws of the State of California on August 24, 1981, and licensed pursuant to the California Financial Code (“California Financial Code”). The Bank’s deposit accounts are insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act up to applicable limits thereof. The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (the “DFPI”) is the Bank’s primary state bank regulator and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) is its primary federal regulator. The Bank’s headquarters are located at 3660 Wilshire Boulevard, Penthouse Suite A, Los Angeles, California 90010.

The Bank is a community bank conducting general business banking, with its primary market encompassing the Korean-American community and other multi-ethnic communities across California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The Bank’s full-service offices are located in markets where many of the businesses are owned by immigrants and other minority groups. The Bank’s client base reflects the multi-ethnic composition of these communities.

The Bank’s revenues are derived primarily from interest and fees on loans, interest and dividends on the securities portfolio, service charges on deposit accounts and sales of SBA loans.

A summary of revenues for the periods indicated follows:

Market Area

The Bank historically has provided its banking services through its branch network to a wide variety of small- to medium-sized businesses. Throughout the Bank’s service areas, competition is intense for both loans and deposits. While the market for banking services is dominated by a few nationwide banks with many offices operating over wide geographic areas, the Bank’s primary competitors are other community banks that focus their marketing efforts on Korean-American and other multi-ethnic businesses in the Bank’s service areas.

Lending Activities

The Bank originates loans for its own portfolio and for sale in the secondary market. Lending activities include real estate loans (commercial property, construction and residential property), commercial and industrial loans (commercial term, commercial lines of credit and international), equipment lease financing and SBA loans.

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Real Estate Loans

Real estate lending involves risks associated with the potential decline in the value of the underlying real estate collateral and the cash flows from income-producing properties. Declines in real estate values and cash flows can be caused by a number of factors, including a decline in general economic conditions, rising interest rates, inflation, changes in tax and other laws and regulations affecting the holding of real estate, environmental conditions, governmental and other use restrictions, development of competitive properties and increasing vacancy rates. When real estate values decline, the Bank’s real estate dependence increases the risk of loss both in the Bank’s loan portfolio and the Bank’s holdings of other real estate owned (“OREO”), which are the result of foreclosures on real property due to default by borrowers who use the property as collateral for loans. OREO properties are categorized as real property that is owned by the Bank but which is not directly related to the Bank’s business.

Commercial Property

The Bank offers commercial real estate loans, which are usually collateralized by first deeds of trust. The Bank obtains formal appraisals in accordance with applicable regulations to support the value of the real estate collateral. All appraisal reports on commercial mortgage loans are reviewed by an appraisal review officer. The review generally covers an examination of the appraiser’s assumptions and methods, as well as compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (the “USPAP”). The Bank determines creditworthiness of a borrower by evaluating cash flows, asset and debt structure, as well as credit history. The purpose of the loan is also an important consideration that dictates loan structure and the credit decision.

The Bank’s commercial real estate loans are principally secured by investor-owned or owner-occupied commercial and industrial buildings. Generally, these types of loans are made with a maturity date of up to seven years, with longer amortization periods. Typically, the Bank’s commercial real estate loans have a debt-coverage ratio at time of origination of 1.25 or more and a loan-to-value ratio of 70% or less. The Bank offers fixed-rate commercial real estate loans, including hybrid-fixed rate loans that are fixed for one to five years and then convert to adjustable rate loans for the remaining term. In addition, the Bank originates loans with an adjustable rate of interest indexed to the prime rate appearing in The Wall Street Journal (the “WSJ Prime Rate”) or the Bank’s prime rate (the “Bank Prime Rate”), as adjusted from time to time. Amortization schedules for commercial real estate loans generally do not exceed 25 years.

Payments on loans secured by investor-owned and owner-occupied properties are often dependent upon successful operation or management of the properties. Repayment of such loans may be subject to the risk from adverse conditions in the real estate market or the economy. The Bank seeks to minimize these risks in a variety of ways, including limiting the size of such loans in relation to the market value of the property and strictly scrutinizing the property securing the loan. At the time of loan origination, a sensitivity analysis is performed for potential increases in vacancy and interest rates. Additionally, an annual risk assessment is also performed for the commercial real estate secured loan portfolio, which involves evaluating recent industry trends. When possible, the Bank also obtains corporate or individual guarantees. Representatives of the Bank conduct site visits of most commercial properties securing the Bank’s real estate loans before the loans are approved.

The Bank generally requires the borrower to provide, at least annually, current cash flow information in order for the Bank to re-assess the debt-coverage ratio. In addition, the Bank requires title insurance to ensure the status of its lien on real estate secured loans when a trust deed on the real estate is taken as collateral. The Bank also requires the borrower to maintain fire insurance, extended coverage casualty insurance and, if the property is in a flood zone, flood insurance, in an amount equal to the outstanding loan balance, subject to applicable laws that may limit the amount of hazard insurance a lender can require to replace such improvements. We cannot assure that these procedures will protect against losses on loans secured by real property.

Construction

The Bank maintains a small construction portfolio for multifamily and commercial and industrial properties within its market areas. The future condition of the local economy could negatively affect the collateral values of such loans. The Bank’s construction loans typically have the following structure:

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On a case-by-case basis, the Bank originates permanent loans on the commercial property under loan conditions that require strong project stability and debt service coverage. Construction loans involve additional risks compared to loans secured by existing improved real property. Such risks include:

Because of these uncertainties, construction lending often involves the disbursement of substantial funds where repayment of the loan is dependent on the success of the final project rather than the ability of the borrower or guarantor to repay principal and interest on the loan. If the Bank is forced to foreclose on a construction project prior to, or at completion, due to a default under the terms of a loan, there can be no assurance that the Bank will be able to recover all of the unpaid balance of, or accrued interest on, the loan as well as the related foreclosure and holding costs. In addition, the Bank may be required to fund additional amounts in order to complete a pending construction project and may have to hold the property for an indeterminable period of time. The Bank has underwriting procedures designed to identify factors that it believes to maintain acceptable levels of risk in construction lending, including, among other procedures, engaging qualified and bonded third parties to provide progress reports and recommendations for construction loan disbursements. No assurance can be given that these procedures will prevent losses arising from the risks associated with construction loans described above.

Residential Property

The Bank purchases and originates fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgage loans secured by one- to four-family properties with amortization schedules of 15 to 30 years and maturity schedules of up to 30 years. The loan fees, interest rates and other provisions of the Bank’s residential loans are determined by an analysis of the Bank’s cost of funds, cost of origination, cost of servicing, risk factors and portfolio needs.

Commercial and Industrial Loans

The Bank offers commercial loans for intermediate and short-term credit. Commercial loans may be unsecured, partially secured or fully secured with maturity schedules that range from 12 to 60 months. The Bank finances primarily small- and middle-market businesses in a wide spectrum of industries. Commercial and industrial loans consist of credit lines for operating needs, loans for equipment purchases and working capital, and various other business purposes. The Bank requires credit underwriting before considering any extension of credit.

Commercial lending entails significant risks. Commercial loans typically involve larger loan balances, are generally dependent on the cash flows of the business and may be subject to adverse conditions in the general economy or in a specific industry. Short-term business loans are customarily intended to finance current operations and typically provide for principal payment at maturity, with interest payable monthly. Term loans typically provide for floating interest rates, with monthly payments of both principal and interest.

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In general, it is the intent of the Bank to take collateral whenever possible, regardless of the loan purpose(s). Collateral may include, but is not limited to, liens on inventory, accounts receivable, fixtures and equipment, leasehold improvements and real estate. Where real estate is the primary collateral, the Bank obtains formal appraisals in accordance with applicable regulations to support the value of the real estate collateral. Typically, the Bank requires all principals and significant stockholders of a business to be guarantors on all loan instruments. All borrowers must demonstrate the ability to service and repay not only their obligations to the Bank, but also any and all outstanding business debt, without liquidating the collateral, based on historical earnings or reliable projections.

Commercial Term

The Bank offers term loans for a variety of needs, including loans for purchases of equipment, machinery or inventory, business acquisitions, tenant improvements, and refinancing of existing business-related debts. These loans have repayment terms of up to seven years.

Commercial Lines of Credit

The Bank offers lines of credit for a variety of short-term needs, including lines of credit for working capital, accounts receivable and inventory financing, and other purposes related to business operations. Commercial lines of credit usually have a term of 12 months.

International

The Bank offers a variety of international finance and trade services and products, including letters of credit, import financing (trust receipt financing and bankers’ acceptances) and export financing. Although most of our trade finance activities are related to trade with Asian countries, all of our loans are made to companies domiciled in the United States, and a substantial portion of those borrowers are California-based businesses engaged in import and export activities.

Equipment Financing Agreements

Equipment financing agreements have terms ranging from one to seven years. Commercial equipment financing agreements are secured by the business assets being financed. The Bank generally obtains a personal guaranty of the owner(s) of the business. Equipment financing agreements are similar to commercial business loans in that the financing agreements are typically made on the basis of the borrower’s ability to make repayment from the cash flows of the borrower’s business. As a result, the availability of funds for the repayment of commercial equipment financing agreements may be substantially dependent on the success of the business itself, which in turn, is often dependent in part upon general economic conditions.

SBA Loans

The Bank originates loans that are guaranteed by the SBA, an independent agency of the federal government. SBA loans are offered for business purposes such as owner-occupied commercial real estate, business acquisitions, start-ups, franchise financing, working capital, improvements and renovations, inventory and equipment, and debt-refinancing. SBA loans offer lower down payments and longer-term financing, which helps small business that are starting out, or about to expand. The guarantees on SBA loans and SBA express loans are generally 75% and 50% of the principal amount of the loan, respectively. The Bank typically requires that SBA loans be secured by business assets and by a first or second deed of trust on any available real property. When the SBA loan is secured by a first deed of trust on real property, the Bank obtains appraisals in accordance with applicable regulations. SBA loans have terms ranging from five to 25 years depending on the use of the proceeds. To qualify for a SBA loan, a borrower must demonstrate the capacity to service and repay the loan, without liquidating the collateral, based on historical earnings or reliable projections.

The Bank normally sells to unrelated third parties a substantial amount of the guaranteed portion of the SBA loans that it originates. When the Bank sells a SBA loan, it has an option to repurchase the loan if the loan defaults. If the Bank repurchases a defaulted loan, the Bank will make a demand for the guaranteed portion to the SBA. Even after the sale of an SBA loan, the Bank retains the right to service the SBA loan and to receive servicing fees. The unsold portions of the SBA loans that remain owned by the Bank are included in loans receivable on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2022, the Bank had $8.0 million of SBA loans held for sale and $155.8 million of SBA loans in its loan portfolio, and was servicing $523.6 million of SBA loans sold to investors.

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Off-Balance Sheet Commitments

As part of the suite of services available to its small- to medium-sized business customers, the Bank from time to time issues formal commitments and lines of credit. These commitments can be either secured or unsecured. They may be revolving lines of credit for seasonal working capital needs, commercial letters of credit or standby letters of credit. Commercial letters of credit facilitate import trade. Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Bank to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party.

Lending Procedures and Lending Limits

Individual lending authority is granted to the Chief Credit Administration Officer and certain additional designated officers. Loans for which direct and indirect borrower liability exceeds an individual’s lending authority are referred to the Bank’s Management Credit Committee.

Legal lending limits are calculated in conformance with the California Financial Code, which prohibits a bank from lending to any one individual, entity or its related interests on an unsecured basis any amount that exceeds 15% of the sum of such bank’s stockholders’ equity plus the allowance for credit losses, capital notes and any debentures, or 25% on a secured and unsecured basis. At December 31, 2022, the Bank’s authorized legal lending limits for loans to one borrower was $133.3 million for unsecured loans and an additional $88.9 million for secured and unsecured loans combined.

The Bank seeks to mitigate the risks inherent in its loan portfolio by adhering to strict underwriting practices. The review of each loan application includes analysis of the applicant’s business, experience, prior credit history, income level, cash flows, financial condition, tax returns, cash flow projections, and the value of any collateral to secure the loan, based upon reports of independent appraisers and/or audits of accounts receivable or inventory pledged as security. In the case of real estate loans over a specified threshold, the review of collateral value includes an appraisal report prepared by an independent Bank-approved appraiser. All appraisal reports on commercial real property secured loans are reviewed by an appraisal review officer. The review generally covers an examination of the appraiser’s assumptions and methods, as well as compliance with the USPAP.

Allowance for Credit Losses, Allowance for Credit Losses Related to Off-Balance Sheet Items and Provision for Credit Losses

The Bank maintains an allowance for credit losses at an appropriate level considered by management to be adequate to cover the current expected credit losses associated with its loan portfolio under prevailing economic conditions. In addition, the Bank maintains an allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet items associated with unfunded commitments which is included in other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Bank assesses its allowance for credit losses for adequacy on a quarterly basis and more frequently as needed. The DFPI and the FDIC may require the Bank to recognize additions to the allowance for credit losses through a provision for credit losses based upon their assessment of the information available to them at the time of their examinations.

Deposits

The Bank offers a traditional array of deposit products, including noninterest-bearing checking accounts, interest-bearing checking and savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (“NOW”) accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. These accounts, except for noninterest-bearing checking accounts, earn interest at rates established by management based on competitive market factors and management’s desire to increase certain types or maturities of deposit liabilities. Our approach is to tailor products and bundle those that meet the customer’s needs. This approach is designed to add value for the customer, increase products per household, and produce higher service fee income.

Available Information

We file reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Proxy Statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments thereto. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov, which contains the reports, proxy and information statements and other information we file with the SEC.

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We also maintain an Internet website at www.hanmi.com. We make available free of charge through our website our Proxy Statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments thereto, as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports with the SEC. We make our website content available for information purposes only. It should not be relied upon for investment purposes. None of the information contained in or hyperlinked from our website is incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Human Capital Resources

Our core values of Integrity, Transparency, Fairness and Collaboration are central to our belief that long-term corporate value is derived by serving the best interests of all of our constituents. The success of our business is dependent on our dedicated employees, who not only strive to provide value to our customers but also provide invaluable support to the communities that we serve. We recognize that our employees are key to Hanmi’s success and we are committed to building a workplace that can attract and retain high-caliber talent.

(a) Our People

We strive to make Hanmi an inclusive, safe and healthy workplace, with opportunities for our employees to grow and develop in their careers. We recruit the best people for the job regardless of gender, ethnicity or other protected traits and it is our policy to fully comply with all laws applicable to discrimination in the workplace.

At December 31, 2022, the Company employed 626 individuals across our footprint, of which 7 were part-time. None of the employees are represented by a union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The management of the Company believes that its employee relations are good and has established a cross-functional Employee Engagement Committee with executive leadership, to promote relationship building across the organization.

Employee retention helps us operate efficiently and offers continuity to our customers and the communities we serve. At December 31, 2022, 42% of our current staff had been with us for at least five years.

(b) Learning and Development

We have a robust learning and development program with broad offerings to help employees achieve their career goals. Through Hanmi Banking School, the Corporate Learning and Development department offers a variety of programs to empower employees with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and remain competitive. Hanmi offers in-house training led by instructors or through interactive online offerings to all employees. Employees can choose from core workshops focused on a single concept or job skill, leadership and professional development programing to develop our emerging leaders, and regulatory compliance trainings to ensure safe and sound banking practices. In addition to internal training, we offer a tuition reimbursement program where costs for certain relevant job training is offered to eligible employees.

Our 12-week Management Leadership Program, based on Franklin Covey’s critical practices, brings together mid-level managers to help our emerging leaders succeed in the face of change. We also have partnerships with Bankers’ Compliance Group and California Bankers’ Association to provide webinars and trainings. In 2021, we launched the Hanmi Credit Trainee Program, which brings qualified talent with no prior banking experience into a 12-month program with internal and Moody’s Analytics (“Moody’s”) training courses. The goal is to train the next generation of bankers and continue to provide opportunities to develop talent in the communities we serve. In 2022, we continued this effort with our second class of Credit Trainees, who had the additional benefit of courses from Risk Management Association.

(c) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Hanmi was founded 40 years ago to serve the underbanked, minority immigrant community in Los Angeles. Our corporate values reflect the importance of embracing diversity and equitable practices to ensure we are representative of the communities we serve. As of December 31, 2022:

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(d) Compensation and Benefits

As part of our compensation philosophy, we offer competitive salaries and employee benefits to attract and retain superior talent. In 2018, we increased our hourly minimum wage to $15 per hour across the organization. In addition to healthy base wages, we offer annual bonus opportunities, a company-matched 401(k) Plan, healthcare and insurance benefits, flexible spending accounts, wellness incentives, long-term disability, paid time off, and employee assistance programs.

(e) Employee Health and Safety

We recognize that the success of our business is fundamentally connected to the well-being of our employees. We provide benefits that support their physical and mental health by providing tools and resources to help them improve or maintain their health status; and that offer choice where possible so they can customize their benefits to meet their needs.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented significant operating environment changes that we determined were in the best interest of our employees, as well as the communities in which we operate. This includes safety measures for on-site employees, distribution of personal protective equipment, flexible work arrangements for eligible employees, limited business travel, and adjustment of paid time off policies for pandemic related absences to better support our workforce.

(f) Community Engagement

As a community bank, we are proud to work with our communities to build a stronger future for all of our stakeholders. Hanmi is committed to and has a long history of supporting the communities in which we live and work. Through employee engagement surveys, we have focused our community engagement and employee volunteer efforts in five areas: Youth, Education, Health, Senior, and Community Development. Even though COVID-19 has impacted in-person activities, our employees participated in over 2,000 hours of community service in 2022, participating in a variety of educational efforts such as financial literacy, financial education for seniors, affordable housing education, education for first-time homebuyers and working with various community non-profits.

Insurance

We maintain directors and officers, financial institution bond and commercial insurance at levels deemed adequate by management to protect Hanmi Financial from certain litigation and other losses.

Competition

The banking and financial services industry is highly competitive. The increasingly competitive environment faced by banks is primarily the result of changes in laws and regulation, changes in technology and product delivery systems, new competitors in the market, and the accelerating pace of consolidation among financial service providers. We compete for loans, deposits and customers with other commercial banks, savings institutions, securities and brokerage companies, mortgage companies, real estate investment trusts, insurance companies, finance companies, money market funds, credit unions, financial technology companies, and other non-bank financial service providers. Some of these competitors are larger in total assets and capitalization, have greater access to capital markets, including foreign-ownership, more extensive and established branch networks and/or offer a broader range of financial products and services, such as trust services, which the Bank does not provide.

Other institutions, including brokerage firms, credit card companies and retail establishments, offer banking services and products to consumers that are in direct competition with the Bank, including money market funds with check access and cash advances on credit card accounts. In addition, many non-bank competitors are not subject to the same extensive federal or state regulations that govern bank holding companies and federally insured banks.

The Bank’s direct competitors are community banks that focus their marketing efforts on Korean-American, Asian-American and immigrant-owned businesses, while offering the same or similar services and products as those offered by the Bank. These banks compete for loans and deposits primarily through the interest rates and fees they charge, and the convenience and quality of service they provide to customers.

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Economic, Legislative and Regulatory Developments

Future profitability, like that of most financial institutions, is primarily dependent on interest rate differentials and credit quality. In general, the difference between the interest rates paid by us on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and other borrowings, and the interest rates received by us on our interest-earning assets, such as loans extended to our customers and securities held in our investment portfolio, will comprise the major portion of our earnings. These rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond our control, such as inflation, recession and unemployment, and the impact that future changes in domestic and foreign economic conditions might have on us.

Our business is also influenced by the monetary and fiscal policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), the federal government, and the policies of regulatory agencies, particularly the FDIC and the DFPI. The Federal Reserve implements national monetary policies (with objectives such as curbing inflation and combating recession) through its open-market operations in U.S. government securities, by adjusting the required level of reserves for depository institutions subject to its reserve requirements, and by varying the target federal funds and discount rates applicable to borrowings by depository institutions. The actions of the Federal Reserve in these areas influence the growth of bank loans, investments and deposits, and affect interest earned on interest-earning assets and interest paid on interest-bearing liabilities. The nature and impact on us of any future changes in monetary and fiscal policies cannot be predicted.

From time to time, federal and state legislation is enacted that may have the effect of materially increasing the cost of doing business, limiting or expanding permissible activities, or affecting the competitive balance between banks and other financial services providers, such as federal legislation permitting affiliations among commercial banks, insurance companies and securities firms. We cannot predict whether or when any potential legislation will be enacted, and if enacted, the effect that it, or any implementing regulations, would have on our financial condition or results of operations. In addition, the outcome of any investigations initiated by state authorities or litigation raising issues may result in necessary changes in our operations, additional regulation and increased compliance costs.

Regulation and Supervision

(a) General

The Company, which is a bank holding company, and the Bank, which is a California-chartered state nonmember bank, are subject to significant regulation and restrictions by federal and state laws and regulatory agencies. The applicable statutes and regulations, among other things, restrict activities and investments in which we may engage and our conduct of them, impose capital requirements with which we must comply, impose various reporting and information collecting obligations upon us, and subject us to comprehensive supervision and regulation by regulatory agencies. The federal and state banking statutes and regulations and the supervision, regulation and examination of banks and their parent companies by the regulatory agencies are intended primarily for the maintenance of the safety and soundness of banks and their depositors, the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) of the FDIC, and the financial system as a whole, rather than for the protection of stockholders or creditors of banks or their parent companies.

The following discussion of statutes and regulations is a summary and does not purport to be complete, nor does it address all applicable statutes and regulations. This discussion is qualified in its entirety by reference to the statutes and regulations referred to in this discussion. Banking statutes, regulations and policies are continuously under review by federal and state legislatures and regulatory agencies, and a change in them could have a material adverse effect on our business, such as materially increasing the cost of doing business, limiting or expanding permissible activities, or affecting the competitive balance between banks and other financial services providers.

We cannot predict whether or when other legislation or new regulations may be enacted, and if enacted, the effect that new legislation, or any implemented regulations and supervisory policies, would have on our financial condition and results of operations. Such developments may further alter the structure, regulation, and competitive relationship among financial institutions, and may subject us to increased regulation, disclosure, and reporting requirements.

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(b) Legislation and Regulatory Developments

Legislative and regulatory developments to date, as well as those that come in the future, have had, and are likely to continue to have, an impact on the conduct of our business. Additional legislation, changes in rules promulgated by federal and state bank regulators, or changes in the interpretation, implementation, or enforcement of existing laws and regulations, may directly affect the method of operation and profitability of our business. The profitability of our business may also be affected by laws and regulations that impact the business and financial sectors in general.

In the exercise of their supervisory and examination authority, the regulatory agencies have emphasized corporate governance, stress testing, enterprise risk management and other board responsibilities; anti-money laundering compliance and enhanced high-risk customer due diligence; vendor management; cyber security and fair lending and other consumer compliance obligations.

(c) Capital Adequacy Requirements

Bank holding companies and banks are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by state and federal banking regulators. The current capital rules require banking organizations to maintain: (i) a minimum capital ratio of Common Equity Tier 1 to risk-weighted assets of 4.50%; (ii) a minimum capital ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of 6.00%; (iii) a minimum capital ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of 8.00%; and (iv) a minimum leverage ratio of Tier 1 capital to adjusted average consolidated assets of 4.00%. In addition, the current capital rules require a capital conservation buffer of 2.50% above the minimum capital ratios. Banking organizations with capital ratios above the minimum capital ratio but below the capital conservation buffer will face limitation on the payment of dividends, common stock repurchases and discretionary cash payments to executive officers.

Capital adequacy requirements and, additionally for banks, prompt corrective action regulations (See “Prompt Corrective Action Provisions” below), involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by regulators about components, risk weighting, and other factors. The risk-based capital requirements for banking organizations require capital ratios that vary based on the perceived degree of risk associated with an organization’s operations for both transactions reported on the balance sheet as assets, such as loans, and those recorded as off-balance sheet items, such as commitments, letters of credit and recourse arrangements. The risk-based capital ratio is determined by classifying assets and certain off-balance sheet financial instruments into weighted categories, with higher levels of capital being required for those categories perceived as representing greater risks and dividing its qualifying capital by its total risk-adjusted assets and off-balance sheet items. Banking organizations engaged in significant trading activity may also be subject to the market risk capital guidelines and be required to incorporate additional market and interest rate risk components into their risk-based capital standards.

At December 31, 2022, the Company and the Bank’s total risk-based capital ratios were 14.49% and 13.86%, respectively; Tier 1 risk-based capital ratios were 11.71% and 12.85%, respectively; Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratios were 11.37% and 12.85%, respectively, and the Company’s and Bank’s Tier 1 leverage capital ratios were 10.07% and 11.07%, respectively, all of which ratios exceeded the minimum percentage requirements for the Bank to be deemed “well-capitalized” and for the Company to meet and exceed all applicable capital ratio requirements for regulatory purposes. The Bank’s capital conservation buffer was 5.86% and 6.72%, and the Company’s capital conservation buffer was 5.71% and 5.97% as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Capital Resources.” The federal banking regulators may require banks and bank holding companies subject to enforcement actions to maintain capital ratios in excess of the minimum ratios otherwise required to be deemed well capitalized, in which case institutions may no longer be deemed to be well capitalized and may therefore be subject to restrictions on taking brokered deposits.

Bank regulators may also continue their past policies of expecting banks to maintain additional capital beyond the new minimum requirements. The implementation of more stringent requirements to maintain higher levels of capital, or to maintain higher levels of liquid assets, could adversely impact the Company’s net income and return on equity, restrict the ability to pay dividends or executive bonuses, and require the raising of additional capital.

Management believes that, as of December 31, 2022, the Company and the Bank met all applicable capital requirements to which they were subject.

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(d) Bank Holding Company Regulation

The Company is a bank holding company that is subject to comprehensive supervision, regulation, examination and enforcement by the Federal Reserve.

Bank holding companies and their subsidiaries are subject to significant regulation and restrictions by Federal and State laws and regulatory agencies, which may affect the cost of doing business, and may limit permissible activities and expansion or impact the competitive balance between banks and other financial services providers. Federal and state banking laws and regulations, among other things:

A bank holding company is subject to supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve. Examinations are designed to inform the Federal Reserve of the financial condition and nature of the operations of the bank holding company and its subsidiaries and to monitor compliance with the BHCA and other laws affecting the operations of bank holding companies. To determine whether potential weaknesses in the condition or operations of bank holding companies might pose a risk to the safety and soundness of their subsidiary banks, examinations focus on whether a bank holding company has adequate systems and internal controls in place to manage the risks inherent in its business, including credit risk, interest rate risk, market risk, liquidity risk, operational risk, legal risk and reputation risk. Bank holding companies may be subject to potential enforcement actions by the Federal Reserve for unsafe or unsound practices in conducting their businesses or for violations of any law, rule, regulation or any condition imposed in writing by the Federal Reserve. Enforcement actions may include the issuance of cease-and-desist orders, the imposition of civil money penalties, the requirement to meet and maintain specific capital levels for any capital measure, the issuance of directives to increase capital, formal and informal agreements, or removal and prohibition orders against officers or directors and other institution-affiliated parties. The Company is a bank holding company within the meaning of Section 3700 of the California Financial Code. Therefore, the Company and any of its subsidiaries are subject to examination by, and may be required to file reports with, the DFPI. The DFPI approvals may also be required for certain mergers and acquisitions.

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(e) Bank Regulation

The Bank is a California state-chartered commercial bank whose deposits are insured by the FDIC. The FDIC is its primary federal bank regulator and the DFPI is the Bank’s primary state bank regulator. The Bank is subject to comprehensive supervision, regulation, examination and enforcement by the FDIC and the DFPI. Specific federal and state laws and regulations which are applicable to banks regulate, among other things, the scope of their business, their investments, their reserves against deposits, the timing of the availability of deposited funds, their activities relating to dividends, investments, loans, the nature and amount of and collateral for certain loans, servicing and foreclosing on loans, borrowings, capital requirements, certain check-clearing activities, branching, and mergers and acquisitions.

Banks are also subject to restrictions on their ability to conduct transactions with affiliates and other related parties. The Federal Reserve Regulation O imposes limitations on loans or extensions of credit to “insiders”, including officers, directors, and principal shareholders. The Federal Reserve Act Section 23A and Regulation W impose quantitative limits, qualitative requirements, and collateral requirements on certain transactions with, or for the benefit of, its affiliates. Transactions covered generally include loans, extensions of credit, investments in securities issued by an affiliate, and acquisitions of assets from an affiliate. Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation W require that most types of transactions by a bank with, or for the benefit of, an affiliate be on terms and conditions at least as favorable to the bank as those prevailing for comparable transactions with unaffiliated parties. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”) expanded definitions and restrictions on transactions with affiliates and insiders under Sections 23A and 23B, and also lending limits for derivative transactions, repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing transactions.

Pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDI Act”) and the California Financial Code, California state chartered commercial banks may generally engage in any activity permissible for national banks. Therefore, the Bank may form subsidiaries to engage in the activities commonly conducted by national banks in operating subsidiaries. Further, the Bank may conduct certain “financial” activities permitted under the Gramm Leach Bliley Act of 1999 in a “financial subsidiary” to the same extent as may a national bank, provided the Bank is and remains “well-capitalized,” “well-managed” and in satisfactory compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”). The Bank currently has no financial subsidiaries.

(f) Enforcement Authority

The federal and California regulatory structure gives the bank regulatory agencies extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of appropriate loan loss reserves for regulatory purposes. The regulatory agencies have adopted guidelines to assist in identifying and addressing potential safety and soundness concerns before an institution’s capital becomes impaired. The guidelines establish operational and managerial standards generally relating to: (1) internal controls, information systems and security, and internal audit systems; (2) loan documentation; (3) credit underwriting; (4) interest-rate exposure; (5) asset growth and asset quality; and (6) compensation, fees, and benefits. Further, the regulatory agencies have adopted safety and soundness guidelines for asset quality and for evaluating and monitoring earnings to ensure that earnings are sufficient for the maintenance of adequate capital and reserves. If, as a result of an examination, the DFPI or FDIC, as applicable, determines that the financial condition, capital resources, asset quality, earnings prospects, management, liquidity, or other aspects of the Bank’s operations are unsatisfactory or that the Bank or its management is violating or has violated any law or regulation, the DFPI and the FDIC have residual authority to:

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(g) Deposit Insurance

The FDIC is an independent federal agency that insures deposits, up to prescribed statutory limits, of federally insured banks and savings institutions, and safeguards the safety and soundness of the banking and savings industries. The FDIC insures our customer deposits through the DIF up to prescribed limits for each depositor. As a general matter, the maximum deposit insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. The amount of FDIC assessments paid by each DIF member institution is based on its relative risk of default as measured by FDIC modeling, based on regulatory capital and other financial ratios as well as supervisory factors. The FDIC may terminate a depository institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution’s financial condition is unsafe or unsound, or that the institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices that pose a risk to the DIF or that may prejudice the interest of the bank’s depositors. The termination of deposit insurance for a bank would also result in the revocation of the bank’s charter by the DFPI.

We are generally unable to control the amount of premiums that we are required to pay for FDIC insurance, which can be affected by the cost of bank failures to the FDIC among other factors. The FDIC adopted a final rule in October 2022 to increase initial base deposit insurance assessment rates by two basis points beginning in the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. Any additional future increases in FDIC insurance premiums may have a material and adverse effect on our earnings and could have a material adverse effect on the value of, or market for, our common stock.

(h) Prompt Corrective Action Provisions

The FDI Act requires the federal bank regulatory agencies to take “prompt corrective action” with respect to a depository institution if that institution does not meet certain capital adequacy requirements, including requiring the prompt submission of an acceptable capital restoration plan. Depending on the bank’s capital ratios, the agencies’ regulations define five categories in which an insured depository institution will be placed: well-capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. At each successive lower capital category, an insured bank is subject to more restrictions, including restrictions on the bank’s activities, operational practices or the ability to pay dividends. Based upon its capital levels, a bank that is classified as well-capitalized, adequately capitalized or undercapitalized may be treated as though it were in the next lower capital category if the appropriate federal banking agency, after notice and opportunity for hearing, determines that an unsafe or unsound condition, or an unsafe or unsound practice, warrants such treatment.

To be considered well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action standards, the Bank is required to maintain a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of at least 6.50%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 8.00%, a total capital ratio of at least 10.00%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 5.00%.

(i) Dividends

The Company depends in part upon dividends received from the Bank to fund its activities, including the payment of dividends. The Company and the Bank are subject to various federal and state restrictions on their ability to pay dividends. It is the Federal Reserve’s policy that bank holding companies should generally pay dividends on common stock only out of income available over the past year, and only if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition. It is also the Federal Reserve’s policy that bank holding companies should not maintain dividend levels that undermine their ability to be a source of strength to its banking subsidiaries. The Federal Reserve also discourages dividend payment ratios that are at maximum allowable levels unless both asset quality and capital are very strong. In addition, the federal bank regulators are authorized to prohibit a bank or bank holding company from engaging in unsafe or unsound banking practices and, depending upon the circumstances, could find that paying a dividend or making a capital distribution would constitute an unsafe or unsound banking practice.

The Bank is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its holding company. The Company is dependent on the performance of the Bank for funds which may be received as dividends from the Bank for use in the operation of the Company and for the ability of the Company to pay dividends to shareholders. Future cash dividends by the Bank will also depend upon management’s assessment of future capital requirements, contractual restrictions, and other factors. The current capital rules may restrict dividends by the Bank if the additional capital conservation buffer is not achieved.

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The power of the board of directors of the Bank to declare a cash dividend to the Company is subject to California law, which restricts the amount available for cash dividends to the lesser of a bank’s retained earnings or net income for its last three fiscal years (less any distributions to shareholders made during such period). Where the above test is not met, cash dividends may still be paid, with the prior approval of the DFPI, in an amount not exceeding the greatest of: (1) retained earnings of the bank; (2) the net income of the bank for its last fiscal year; or (3) the net income of the bank for its current fiscal year.

(j) Operations and Consumer Compliance Laws

The Bank must comply with numerous federal and state anti-money laundering and consumer protection statutes and implementing regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Bank Secrecy Act, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, the CRA, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the National Flood Insurance Act, the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, and various federal and state privacy protection laws. Noncompliance with any of these laws could subject the Bank to compliance enforcement actions as well as lawsuits, and could also result in administrative penalties, including, fines and reimbursements. The Bank and the Company are also subject to federal and state laws prohibiting unfair or fraudulent business practices, untrue or misleading advertising, and unfair competition.

These laws and regulations mandate certain disclosure and reporting requirements, regulate the manner in which financial institutions must deal with customers when taking deposits, making loans, servicing, collecting and foreclosure of loans, and providing other services. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can subject the Bank to various penalties, including but not limited to enforcement actions, injunctions, fines or criminal penalties, punitive damages to consumers, and the loss of certain contractual rights. The CRA is intended to encourage banks to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound operations. The bank regulators examine and assign each bank a public CRA rating. The CRA requires the bank regulators to take into account the bank’s record in meeting the needs of its communities when considering an application by a bank to establish or relocate a branch or to conduct certain mergers or acquisitions, or an application by the parent holding company to merge with another bank holding company or acquire a banking organization. An unsatisfactory CRA record could substantially delay approval or result in denial of an application. The Bank was rated “Needs to Improve” in meeting community credit needs under the CRA at its most recent examination for CRA performance.

Dodd-Frank provided for the creation of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau (the “CFPB”), which has broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement authority over consumer financial products and services, including deposit products, residential mortgages, home-equity loans and credit cards. The CFPB’s functions include investigating consumer complaints, conducting market research, rulemaking, supervising and examining bank consumer transactions, and enforcing rules related to consumer financial products and services. CFPB regulations and guidance apply to banks, and banks with $10 billion or more in assets are subject to examination by the CFPB. Banks with less than $10 billion in assets, including the Bank, continue to be examined for compliance by their primary federal banking agency.

(k) Federal Home Loan Bank System

The Bank is a member and holder of the capital stock of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (“FHLBSF”). There are eleven Federal Home Loan Banks (each, an “FHLB”) across the U.S. owned by their members. Each FHLB serves as a reserve or central bank for its members within its assigned region and makes available loans or advances to its members. Each FHLB is financed primarily from the sale of consolidated obligations of the FHLB system. Each FHLB makes available loans or advances to its members in compliance with the policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors of the individual FHLB. Each member of FHLBSF is currently required to own stock in an amount equal to the greater of: (i) a membership stock requirement of 1.0% of an institution’s “membership asset value” which is determined by multiplying the amount of the member’s membership assets by the applicable membership asset factors and is capped at $15.0 million; or (ii) an activity-based stock requirement (2.7% of the member’s outstanding advances and 0.10% of outstanding letter of credit). At December 31, 2022, the Bank was in compliance with the FHLBSF’s stock ownership requirement, and our investment in FHLBSF capital stock was $16.4 million. As of December 31, 2022, the total borrowing capacity available based on pledged collateral and the remaining available borrowing capacity were $1.54 billion and $1.07 billion, respectively, compared to $1.84 billion and $1.61 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2021.

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(l) Impact of Monetary Policies

The earnings and growth of the Bank are largely dependent on its ability to maintain a favorable differential or spread between the yield on its interest-earning assets and the rates paid on its deposits and other interest-bearing liabilities. As a result, the Bank’s performance is influenced by general economic conditions, both domestic and foreign, the monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government, and the policies of the regulatory agencies. The Federal Reserve implements national monetary policies (such as seeking to curb inflation and combat recession) by its open-market operations in U.S. government securities and by varying the discount rate applicable to borrowings by banks from the Federal Reserve Banks. The actions of the Federal Reserve in these areas influence the growth of bank loans, investments, and deposits, and also affect interest rates charged on loans, and deposits. The nature and impact of any future changes in monetary policies cannot be predicted.

(m) Regulation of Non-Bank Subsidiaries

Non-bank subsidiaries are subject to additional or separate regulation and supervision by other state, federal and self-regulatory bodies. Additionally, any foreign-based subsidiaries would also be subject to foreign laws and regulations.

(n) Federal Securities Law

The Company’s common stock is registered with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Company is subject to the information and proxy solicitation requirements, insider trading restrictions and other requirements under the Exchange Act.

(o) The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)

The CARES Act, which became law on March 27, 2020, provided over $2 trillion to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) and stimulate the economy. The law had several provisions relevant to depository institutions, including:

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(p) The Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), established as part of the CARES Act, provided 100% federally guaranteed (principal and interest) loans to eligible small businesses though the SBA 7(a) loan guaranty program for amounts up to 2.5 times the average monthly “payroll costs” of the business. The entire principal amount of the borrower’s PPP loan, including any accrued interest, is eligible for PPP loan forgiveness so long as, during the applicable loan forgiveness covered period, employee and compensation levels of the business are maintained and 60% of the loan proceeds are used for payroll expenses, with the remaining 40% of the loan proceeds used for other qualifying expenses including, but not limited to, mortgage interest, rent and utilities. The initial phase of the PPP, after being extended multiple times by Congress, expired on August 8, 2020. However, on January 11, 2021, the SBA reopened the PPP for First Draw PPP loans to small businesses and non-profit organizations that did not receive a loan through the initial PPP phase. Further, on January 13, 2021, the SBA reopened the PPP for Second Draw PPP loans to small businesses and non-profit organizations that did receive a loan through the initial PPP phase. Maximum loan amounts were also increased for accommodation and food service businesses. Although the PPP ended in accordance with its terms on May 31, 2021, outstanding PPP loans continue to go through the process of either obtaining forgiveness from the SBA or pursuing claims under the SBA guaranty.

(q) Board Diversity

The California Corporations Code requires all public companies (defined as companies with outstanding shares listed on a major United States stock exchange) that are headquartered in California to have at least three female directors (assuming a board size of at least six directors) and at least three directors from an underrepresented community, defined as “an individual who self identifies as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Alaska Native, or who self identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender” by the end of calendar year 2022 (assuming the board size of at least nine directors). Two Los Angeles Superior Courts have struck down these California board diversity laws as unconstitutional and enjoined implementation and enforcement of the legislation. The California Secretary of State has appealed these decisions. Nonetheless, the Company was in compliance with these requirements as of December 31, 2022.

In August 2021, the SEC approved a new Nasdaq Stock Market listing rule that would require each company (1) to have at least one director who self-identifies as a female, and (2) to have at least one director who self-identifies as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, two or more races or ethnicities, or as LGBTQ+, or (3) to explain why the company does not have at least two directors on its board who self-identify in the categories listed above. The rule also requires Nasdaq-listed companies to provide statistical information in a proposed uniform format on the company’s board of directors related to a director’s self-identified gender, race, and self-identification as LGBTQ+. Each Nasdaq-listed company would have one year from the date the SEC approves the Nasdaq rule to comply with requirement for statistical information regarding diversity. Nasdaq-listed companies would have two years from the date the SEC approves the Nasdaq rule to have, or explain why it does not have, one diverse director and four years after the SEC approves the Nasdaq rule to have, or explain why it does not have, two diverse directors.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with the information included elsewhere in this Report and other documents we file with the SEC. The following risks and uncertainties described below are those that we have identified as material. Events or circumstances arising from one or more of these risks could adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects and the price of our common stock could decline. The risks identified below are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we may currently view as not material, may also adversely impact our financial condition, business operations and results of operations.

Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has and may in the future adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Given its ongoing and dynamic nature, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. The extent of such impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including the arrival of new variants and when the coronavirus can be controlled and abated. Further, any prolonged measures by public health or other governmental authorities encouraging or requiring significant restrictions on travel, assembly or other core business practices would further harm our business and that of our customers. As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, any governmental actions taken in response thereto and any potential related adverse local and national economic consequences, we could be subject a number of risks that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations.

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Risks Related to our Lending Activities

Our concentrations of loans in certain industries could have adverse effects on credit quality. As of December 31, 2022, the Bank’s loan portfolio included loans to: (i) lessors of non-residential buildings of $1.78 billion, or 29.8% of total loans; (ii) borrowers in the hospitality industry of $700.4 million, or 11.7% of total loans; and (iii) borrowers in the retail industry of $299.8 million, or 5.0% of total loans. Because of these concentrations of loans in specific industries, a deterioration within these industries, especially those that have been particularly adversely impacted by the COVID pandemic, could affect the ability of borrowers, guarantors and related parties to perform in accordance with the terms of their loans, which could have material and adverse consequences on our financial condition and results of operations.

Our emphasis on commercial lending may expose us to increased lending risks. At December 31, 2022, $4.53 billion, or 75.9%, of total loans consisted of commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loans. These portfolios have grown in recent years and the Bank intends to continue to emphasize these types of lending. These types of loans may expose a lender to greater risk of non-payment and loss than residential real estate loans because repayment of the loans often depends on the successful operation of the property or the borrower’s business and the income stream of the borrowers. Such loans typically involve larger loan balances to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers compared to residential real estate loans. These loans expose us to greater credit risk than loans secured by residential real estate because the collateral securing these loans typically cannot be liquidated as easily as residential real estate. If we foreclose on these loans, our holding period for the collateral typically is longer than for a single or multi-family residential property because there are fewer potential purchasers of the collateral. Commercial and industrial loans are typically affected by the borrowers’ ability to repay the loans from the cash flows of their businesses. These loans may involve greater risk because the availability of funds to repay each loan depends substantially on the success of the business itself. The collateral securing the loans and leases often depreciates over time, is difficult to appraise and liquidate and fluctuates in value based on the success of the business.

Our focus on lending to small to mid-sized community-based businesses may increase our credit risk. Most of our commercial business and commercial real estate loans are made to small- or middle-market businesses. These businesses generally have fewer financial resources in terms of capital or borrowing capacity than larger entities and have a heightened vulnerability to economic conditions. If general economic conditions in the markets in which we operate negatively impact this customer sector, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected. Furthermore, the deterioration of our borrowers’ businesses may hinder their ability to repay their loans with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Our loan portfolio is predominantly secured by real estate and thus we have a higher degree of risk from a downturn in our real estate markets, especially a downturn in the Southern California real estate market. A downturn in the real estate markets could hurt our business because many of our loans are secured by real estate, predominantly in California. Real estate values and real estate markets are generally affected by changes in national, regional or local economic conditions, fluctuations in interest rates and the availability of loans to potential purchasers, changes in tax laws and other governmental statutes, regulations and policies, and acts of nature, such as earthquakes and natural disasters and pandemics. Further, a return of recessionary conditions and/or negative developments in the domestic and international credit markets may significantly affect the markets in which we do business, the value of our loans, investments, and collateral securing our loans and classified assets, reduce the demand for our products and services, and/or our ongoing operations, costs and profitability. If real estate values decline, the value of real estate collateral securing our loans could be significantly reduced. Our ability to recover on defaulted loans by foreclosing and selling the real estate collateral would then be diminished, and we would be more likely to suffer material losses on defaulted loans.

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We are exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to properties to which we take title. In the course of our business, we may foreclose and take title to real estate, and could be subject to environmental liabilities with respect to these properties. We may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage, personal injury or investigation and clean-up costs incurred by these parties in connection with environmental contamination or the release of hazardous or toxic substances at a property. The costs associated with investigation or remediation activities could be substantial. In addition, if we are the owner or former owner of a contaminated site, we may be subject to claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the property. In addition, future laws or more stringent interpretations or enforcement policies with respect to existing laws may increase our exposure to environmental liability. Although we have policies and procedures to perform an environmental review before initiating any foreclosure on nonresidential real property, these reviews may not be sufficient to detect all potential environmental hazards. If we become subject to significant environmental liabilities, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to Local and International Economic Conditions

Inflation can have an adverse impact on our business and on our customers. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. Over the past year, in response to market indicators of a pronounced rise in inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised certain benchmark interest rates to combat inflation. As discussed below under “—Risks Related to Market Interest Rates— Our earnings are affected by changing interest rates,” as inflation increases and market interest rates rise the value of our investment securities, particularly those with longer maturities, would decrease, although this effect can be less pronounced for floating rate instruments. In addition, inflation generally increases the cost of goods and services we use in our business operations, such as electricity and other utilities, which increases our non-interest expenses. Furthermore, our customers are also affected by inflation and the rising costs of goods and services used in their households and businesses, which could have a negative impact on their ability to repay their loans with us. Sustained higher interest rates by the Federal Reserve to tame persistent inflationary price pressures could also push down asset prices and weaken economic activity. A deterioration in economic conditions in the United States and our markets could result in an increase in loan delinquencies and non-performing assets, decreases in loan collateral values and a decrease in demand for our products and services, all of which, in turn, would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Deteriorating business and economic conditions can adversely affect our industry and business. Our financial performance generally, and the ability of borrowers to make payments on outstanding loans and the value of the collateral securing those loans, is highly dependent upon the business and economic conditions in the markets in which we operate and in the United States as a whole. A return of recessionary conditions and/or negative developments in the domestic and international credit markets may significantly affect the markets in which we do business, the value of our loans, investments, and collateral securing our loans and classified assets, reduce the demand for our products and services, and/or our ongoing operations, costs and profitability. In addition, rising geopolitical risks nationally and abroad may adversely impact the economy and financial markets in the United States. These economic pressures may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and stock price. In particular, we may face the following risks in connection with deterioration in economic conditions:

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Our banking operations are concentrated primarily in California, Illinois, Texas and New York. Adverse economic conditions in these states in particular could impair borrowers’ ability to repay their loans, decrease the level and duration of deposits by customers, and erode the value of loan collateral. Adverse economic conditions can potentially cause a decline in real estate sales and prices, the recurrence of an economic recession, and higher rates of unemployment. These conditions could increase the amount of our non-performing assets and have an adverse effect on our ability to collect on our non-performing loans or otherwise liquidate our non-performing assets (including other real estate owned) on terms favorable to us, if at all, any of which may cause us to incur losses, adversely affect our capital, and hurt our business.

Further, a U.S. government debt default would have a material adverse impact on our business and financial performance, including a decrease in the value of Treasury bonds and other government securities held by us, which could negatively impact the Bank’s capital position and its ability to meet regulatory requirements. Other negative impacts could be volatile capital markets, an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the U.S. dollar, as well as increased default rates among borrowers in light of increased economic uncertainty. Some of these impacts might occur even in the absence of an actual default but as a consequence of extended political negotiations around the threat of such a default and a government shutdown.

Our Southern California concentration means economic conditions in Southern California could adversely affect our operations. Though the Bank’s operations have expanded outside of our original Southern California focus, the majority of our loan and deposit concentration is still primarily in Los Angeles County and Orange County in Southern California. Because of this geographic concentration, our results depend largely upon economic conditions in these areas. A deterioration in the economic conditions or a significant natural disaster, pandemics or disease in these market areas, could have a material adverse effect on the quality of the Bank’s loan portfolio, the demand for our products and services, and on our overall financial condition and results of operations.

Changing conditions in South Korea could adversely affect our business. A substantial number of our customers have economic and cultural ties to South Korea and, as a result, we are likely to feel the effects of adverse economic and political conditions in South Korea. U.S. and global economic policies, political or political tension, and global economic conditions may adversely impact the South Korean economy.

Management closely monitors our exposure to the South Korean economy and, to date, we have not experienced any significant loss attributable to our exposure to South Korea. Nevertheless, our efforts to minimize exposure to downturns in the South Korean economy may not be successful in the future, and a significant downturn in the South Korean economy could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. If economic conditions in South Korea change, we could experience an outflow of deposits from our customers with connections to South Korea, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Risk Related to Laws and Regulation and Their Enforcement

Our Needs to Improve rating under The Community Reinvestment Act may restrict our operations and limit our ability to pursue certain strategic opportunities. On July 21, 2021, the Bank received a CRA rating from the FDIC of “Needs to Improve” for the period March 29, 2018 to May 3, 2021. A “Needs to Improve” rating results in restrictions on certain expansionary activities, including certain mergers and acquisitions and the establishment and relocation of bank branches. The rating will also result in a loss of expedited processing of applications to undertake certain activities. A “Needs to Improve” rating could have an impact on the Bank’s relationships with certain states, counties, municipalities or other public agencies to the extent applicable law, regulation or policy limits, restricts or influences whether such entity may do business with a bank that has a below “Satisfactory” rating.

These restrictions, among others, will remain in place at least until the Bank’s next CRA rating is publicly released by the FDIC. The Bank's next CRA examination is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023.

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Changes in laws and regulations and the cost of regulatory compliance with new laws and regulations may adversely affect our operations and/or increase our costs of operations. We are subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by our banking regulators. Such regulation and supervision govern the activities in which a financial institution and its holding company may engage and are intended primarily for the protection of insurance funds and the depositors and borrowers of Hanmi Bank rather than for the protection of our stockholders. Regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in their supervisory and enforcement activities, including the ability to impose restrictions on our operations, comment on the classification of our assets, and determine the level of our allowance for credit losses. These regulations, along with the currently existing tax, accounting, securities, deposit insurance and monetary laws, rules, standards, policies, and interpretations, control the ways financial institutions conduct business, implement strategic initiatives, and prepare financial reporting and disclosures. Changes in such regulation and oversight, whether in the form of regulatory policy, new regulations, legislation or supervisory action, may have a material impact on our operations. Further, compliance with such regulation may increase our costs and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities.

Additional requirements imposed by Dodd-Frank and other regulations, including additional requirements imposed by the CFPB, could adversely affect us. Dodd-Frank and related regulations subject us and other financial institutions to more restrictions, oversight, reporting obligations and costs. In addition, this increased regulation of the financial services industry places restrictions on compensation practices and interest rates for customers. Federal and state regulatory agencies also frequently adopt changes to their regulations or change the manner in which existing regulations are applied.

Dodd-Frank created the CFPB, which is tasked with establishing and implementing rules and regulations under certain federal consumer protection laws with respect to the conduct of providers of certain consumer financial products and services. The CFPB has rulemaking authority over many of the statutes governing products and services offered to bank consumers.

Current and future legal and regulatory requirements, restrictions and regulations, including those imposed under Dodd-Frank, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations, may require us to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make any changes required by the legislation and accompanying rules. If we fail to comply with applicable consumer rules and regulations, we may be subject to adverse enforcement actions, fines or penalties.

We face a risk of noncompliance and enforcement action with the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering statutes and regulations. The Bank Secrecy Act, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and other laws and regulations require financial institutions, among other duties, to institute and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and file suspicious activity and currency transaction reports as appropriate. The federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is authorized to impose significant civil money penalties for violations of those requirements and has engaged in coordinated enforcement efforts with the individual federal banking regulators, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Internal Revenue Service. We are also subject to increased scrutiny of our compliance with the rules enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If our policies, procedures and systems are deemed deficient, we could be subject to liability, including fines and regulatory actions, which may include restrictions on our ability to pay dividends and to obtain regulatory approvals to proceed with certain transactions, including conducting acquisitions or establishing new branches. Failure to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing could also have serious reputational consequences for us.

Future changes to the FDIC assessment rate could adversely affect our earnings. The amount of premiums that we are required to pay for FDIC insurance is generally beyond our control. If there are additional bank or financial institution failures, if our risk classification changes, or the method for calculating premiums change, this may impact assessment rates, which may have a material and adverse effect on our earnings.

Risks Related to Our Operations

Liquidity risk could impair our ability to fund operations and jeopardize our financial condition. Liquidity is essential to our business. An inability to raise funds through deposits, including brokered deposits, borrowings, the sale of loans, and other sources, could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity. Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance our activities could be impaired by factors that affect us specifically or the financial services industry in general. Factors that could detrimentally impact our access to liquidity sources include a decrease in the level of our business activity due to a market downturn or adverse regulatory action against us. Furthermore, if certain funding sources become unavailable, we may need to seek alternatives at higher costs, which would negatively impact our results of operations.

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Our ability to acquire deposits or borrow could also be impaired by factors that are not specific to us, such as a severe disruption of the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry as a whole.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect us. Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty or other relationships. We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds, and other institutional clients. Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk in the event of default of our counterparty or client. In addition, our credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be obtained or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount of the financial instrument exposure due us. Any such losses could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

A failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, including as a result of cyber-attacks or data breaches, could disrupt our businesses, result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, damage our reputation, increase our costs and/or cause losses. As a financial institution, we depend on our ability to process, record and monitor a large number of customer transactions. As our customer base and locations have expanded throughout the U.S., and as customer, public, legislative and regulatory expectations regarding operational and information security have increased, our operational systems and infrastructure must continue to be safeguarded and monitored for potential failures, disruptions and breakdowns.

Our business, financial, accounting, data processing and other operating systems and facilities may stop operating properly or become disabled or damaged as a result of a number of factors, including events that are wholly or partially beyond our control. For example, there could be: sudden increases in customer transaction volume; electrical or telecommunications outages; degradation or loss of public internet domain; climate change-related impacts and natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes; pandemics; events arising from local or larger scale political or social matters, including terrorist acts; building emergencies such as water leakage, fires and structural issues; and cyber-attacks. Although we have business continuity plans and other safeguards in place, our business operations may be adversely affected by significant and widespread disruption to our physical infrastructure or operating systems that support our businesses and customers.

As a financial institution, we are susceptible to information security breaches and cybersecurity-related incidents that may be committed against us, our clients or our vendors, which may result in financial losses or increased costs to us, our clients or our vendors, disclosure or misuse of our information or our client or vendor information, misappropriation of assets, privacy breaches against our clients or our vendors, litigation or damage to our reputation. Information security breaches and cybersecurity-related incidents may include fraudulent or unauthorized access to systems used by us, our clients or our vendors, attacks resulting in denial or degradation of service, and malware or other cyber-attacks. We also may become subject to governmental enforcement actions or litigation in the event we do not comply with data privacy requirements or experience a data breach.

Our business relies on our digital technologies, computer and email systems, software, and networks to conduct our operations. In addition, to access our products and services, our customers may use personal smart-phones, tablet PCs, and other mobile devices that are beyond our control systems. Although we believe we have strong information security procedures and controls, our technologies, systems, networks, and our customers’ devices may become the target of cyber-attacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of the Bank’s or our customers’ confidential, proprietary and other information, or otherwise disrupt the Bank’s or its customers’ or other third parties’ business operations.

Our risk and exposure to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches remains heightened because of, among other things, the evolving nature of these threats, our plans to continue to enhance our internet banking and mobile banking channel strategies and our expanded geographic footprint. There continues to be a rise in security breaches and cyber-attacks within the financial services industry, especially in the commercial banking sector. Consistent with industry trends, we are exposed to an increase in attempted security breaches and cybersecurity-related attacks. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities.

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Disruptions or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support our businesses, customers or third parties, or cyber-attacks or security breaches of the networks, systems or devices that our customers or third parties use to access our products and services could result in customer attrition, financial losses, the inability of our customers or vendors to transact business with us, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties or intervention, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs, any of which could materially adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

The failure to maintain current technologies and the costs to update technology could negatively impact our business and financial results. Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to effectively embrace technology to better serve customers and reduce costs. We may be required to expand additional resources to employ this technology. Failure to keep pace with technological change could potentially have an adverse effect on our business operations and financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to successfully implement future information technology system enhancements, which could adversely affect our business operations and profitability. We invest significant resources in information technology system enhancements to improve functionality and security. We may not be able to successfully implement and integrate future system enhancements, which could adversely impact our ability to provide timely and accurate financial information in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, which could result in enforcement actions from regulatory authorities. In addition, future system enhancements could have higher than expected costs and/or result in operating inefficiencies.

Failure to properly utilize system enhancements that are implemented in the future could result in impairment charges that adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations and could result in significant costs to remediate or replace the defective components. In addition, we may incur significant training, licensing, maintenance, consulting and amortization expenses during and after systems implementations, and any such costs may continue for an extended period of time.

We rely on third party vendors and other service providers, which could expose us to additional risk. We face additional risk of failure in or breach of operational or security systems or infrastructure related to our reliance on third party vendors and other service providers. Third parties with which we do business or that facilitate our business activities or vendors that provide services or security solutions for our operations, particularly those that are cloud-based, could be sources of operational and information security risk to us, including from breakdowns or failures of their own systems or capacity constraints. We are subject to operational risks relating to such third parties’ technology and information systems. The continued efficacy of our technology and information systems, related operational infrastructure and relationships with third party vendors in our ongoing operations is integral to our performance. Failure of any of these resources, including operational or systems failures, interruptions of client service operations and ineffectiveness of or interruption in third party data processing or other vendor support, may cause material disruptions in our business, impairment of customer relations and exposure to liability for our customers, as well as action by bank regulatory authorities. In addition, a number of our vendors are large national entities, and their services could prove difficult to replace in a timely manner if a failure or other service interruption were to occur. Failures of certain vendors to provide contracted services could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers and cause us to incur significant expense.

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Fraudulent activity could damage our reputation, disrupt our businesses, increase our costs and cause losses. We are susceptible to fraudulent activity that may be committed against us, our clients or our vendors, which may result in damage to our reputation, financial losses or increased costs to us or our clients or vendors, disclosure or misuse of our information or our client or vendor information, misappropriation of assets, privacy breaches against our clients or vendors or litigation. Such fraudulent activity may take many forms, including check fraud (counterfeit, forgery, etc.), electronic fraud, wire fraud, phishing, social engineering and other dishonest acts. The occurrence of fraudulent activity could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent on key personnel and the loss of one or more of those key personnel may materially and adversely affect our prospects. Our success depends in large part on our ability to attract key people who are qualified and have knowledge and experience in the banking industry in our markets and to retain those people to successfully implement our business objectives. Competition for qualified employees and personnel in the banking industry is intense, particularly for qualified persons with knowledge of, and experience in, our banking space. The process of recruiting personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to carry out our strategies is often lengthy. Our success depends to a significant degree upon our ability to attract and retain qualified management, loan origination, finance, administrative, compliance, marketing and technical personnel and upon the continued contributions of our management and employees. The unexpected loss of services of one or more of our key personnel or failure to attract or retain such employees could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. Effective internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and disclosures to stockholders, to prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a public company. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports and disclosures or prevent fraud, our business may be adversely affected and our reputation and operating results would be harmed. Any failure to develop or maintain effective internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures or difficulties encountered in their implementation may also result in regulatory enforcement action against us, adversely affect our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations.

Risks Related to Accounting Matters

Our allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual losses. Current U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires credit loss recognition using a methodology that estimates current expected credit losses for the life of the loan and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates.

A significant source of risk arises from the possibility that we could sustain losses because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail to perform in accordance with the terms of their loans. The underwriting and credit monitoring policies and procedures that we have adopted to address these risks may not prevent unexpected losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We maintain an allowance for credit losses to provide for losses resulting from loan defaults and non-performance. The allowance is increased for new loan growth. We also make various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of loans in our portfolio, including the creditworthiness of borrowers, the strength of the economy and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of loans. In determining the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses, we rely on our experience and our evaluation of economic conditions. If our assumptions prove to be incorrect, our allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to cover losses inherent in our loan portfolio, and adjustments may be necessary to address different economic conditions or adverse developments in the loan portfolio. Consequently, a problem with one or more loans could require us to significantly increase our provision for credit losses. In addition, the DFPI and the FDIC review our allowance for credit losses and as a result of such reviews, they may require us to adjust our allowance for credit losses or recognize loan charge-offs. Material additions to the allowance would materially decrease our net income.

Changes in accounting standards may affect how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. Our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and SEC change the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. Further, changes in accounting standards can be both difficult to predict and may involve judgment and discretion in their interpretation and implementation by us and our independent accounting firm. These changes could materially impact, potentially retroactively, how we report our financial condition and results of operations.

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Risks Related to Market Interest Rates

The reversal of the historically low interest rate environment may adversely affect our net interest income and profitability. The Federal Reserve decreased benchmark interest rates significantly, to near zero, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Reserve has reversed its policy of near zero interest rates given its concerns over inflation. Market interest rates have risen in response to the Federal Reserve’s recent rate increases. As discussed below, the increase in market interest rates is expected to have an adverse effect on our net interest income and profitability.

Our earnings are affected by changing interest rates. Our profitability is dependent to a large extent on our net interest income. Like most financial institutions, we are affected by changes in general interest rate levels and by other economic factors beyond our control. Although we believe we have implemented strategies to reduce the potential effects of changes in interest rates on our results of operations, any substantial and prolonged change in market interest rates could adversely affect our operating results.

Net interest income may decline in a particular period if:

Our net interest income may decline based on our exposure to a difference in short-term and long-term interest rates. If the difference between the short-term and long-term interest rates shrinks or disappears, the difference between rates paid on deposits and received on loans could narrow significantly resulting in a decrease in net interest income. In addition to these factors, if market interest rates rise rapidly, interest rate adjustment caps may limit increases in the interest rates on adjustable-rate loans, thus reducing our net interest income. Also, certain adjustable-rate loans re-price based on lagging interest rate indices. This lagging effect may also negatively impact our net interest income when general interest rates continue to rise periodically. Increasing interest rates may also reduce the fair value of our fixed-rate available-for-sale investment securities negatively impacting shareholders’ equity. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we incurred other comprehensive losses of $113.1 million related to net changes in unrealized holding losses in our available-for-sale investment securities portfolio.

Any substantial, unexpected or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. While we pursue an asset/liability strategy designed to mitigate our risk from changes in interest rates, changes in interest rates can still have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Changes in interest rates also may negatively affect our ability to originate real estate loans, the value of our assets and our ability to realize gains from the sale of our assets, all of which affects our earnings. Also, our interest rate risk modeling techniques and assumptions cannot fully predict or capture the impact of actual interest rate changes on our balance sheet or projected operating results.

Risks Related to Competitive Matters

Competition may adversely affect our performance. The banking and financial services businesses in our market areas are highly competitive. We face competition in attracting deposits, making loans, and attracting and retaining employees, particularly in the Korean-American community. Price competition for loans and deposits sometimes requires us to charge lower interest rates on our loans and pay higher interest rates on our deposits, which may reduce our net interest income. Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources and lending limits than we have and may offer services that we do not provide. The greater resources and broader offering of deposit and loan products of some of our competitors may also limit our ability to increase our interest-earning assets. The increasingly competitive environment is a result of changes in regulation, changes in technology and product delivery systems, new competitors in the market, and the pace of consolidation among financial services providers. Our results in the future may be materially and adversely impacted depending upon the nature and level of competition.

Risks Related to Tax Matters

If our deferred tax assets are determined not to be recoverable, it would negatively impact our earnings. Deferred tax assets are evaluated on a quarterly basis to determine if they are expected to be recoverable in the future. Our evaluation considers positive and negative evidence to assess whether it is more likely than not that a portion of the asset will not be realized. Future negative operating performance or other negative evidence may result in a valuation allowance being recorded against some or the entire amount.

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Changes to tax regulations could negatively impact our earnings. Our future earnings could be negatively impacted by changes in tax laws, including changing tax rates and limiting, phasing-out or eliminating deductions or tax credits, taxing certain excess income from intellectual property and changing other tax laws in the U.S.

Other Risks Related to Our Business

Uncertainty surrounding the future of LIBOR (London Interbank Offer Rate) may affect the fair value and return on our financial instruments that use LIBOR as a reference rate. We hold assets, liabilities, and derivatives that are indexed to the various tenors of LIBOR. LIBOR will not be supported in its current form after June 2023. We believe the U.S. financial sector will maintain an orderly and smooth transition to new interest rate benchmarks, which we will evaluate and adopt if appropriate. Additionally, banking regulators have stated that the failure to adequately prepare for LIBOR’s discontinuance could undermine financial stability and an institution’s safety and soundness and create litigation, operational, and consumer protection risks. While in the U.S., the Alternative Rates Reference Committee of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Federal Reserve Bank of New York have identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as an alternative U.S. dollar reference interest rate, it is too early to predict the financial impact this rate index replacement may have, if at all.