Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]
Consolidation	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Hope Bancorp and its wholly owned subsidiaries, principally Bank of Hope. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has made all adjustments, that in the opinion of management, are necessary to fairly present the Company’s financial position at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 and the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current year presentation. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be anticipated for the full year.
Use of estimates	The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Pending Accounting Pronouncements	Accounting Pronouncements Adopted In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)”. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the beneficial conversion and cash conversion accounting models for convertible instruments. It also amends the accounting for certain contracts in an entity’s own equity that are currently accounted for as derivatives because of specific settlement provisions. The new guidance also modifies how particular convertible instruments and certain contracts that may be settled in cash or shares impact the diluted EPS computation. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those annual periods. ASU 2020-06 allows companies to adopt the guidance through either a modified retrospective method of transition or a fully retrospective method of transition. On January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06 using the modified retrospective method of transition and had a cumulative effect adjustment to its retained earnings totaling $10.7 million. The Company’s convertible notes were originally recorded as separate debt and equity components. Subsequent to the adoption of ASU 2020-06, the Company’s convertible notes are now accounted for as a single debt instrument with no discount. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2020-06, the Company’s interest expense on its convertible notes declined by $1.0 million with the elimination of the existing debt discount and discount amortization which was previously recorded as non-cash interest expense. Pending Accounting Pronouncements In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”. The amendments provide temporary, optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The amendments provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments primarily include relief related to contract modifications and hedging relationships, as well as providing a one-time election for the sale or transfer of debt securities classified as held-to-maturity. This one time election may be made at any time after March 12, 2020, but no later than December 31, 2022. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating ASU 2020-04 to determine whether the Company will make this election and is currently assessing the significance of the impact of modifying contracts in consideration of the election of this amendment. In January 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-01, “Codification Improvements to Topic 848, Reference Rate Reform”. ASU 2021-01 amends the scope of the recent reference rate reform guidance and clarifies that certain optional expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 for contract modifications and hedge accounting apply to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. New optional expedients allow derivative instruments impacted by changes in the interest rate used for margining, discounting, or contract price alignment (i.e., discount transition) to qualify for certain optional relief. The new optional expedients for contract modifications and hedge accounting are expected to benefit companies, including those with certain centrally cleared derivatives affected by a discount rate transition in 2020. Amendments to the expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 captures the incremental consequences of the scope clarification and tailor the existing guidance to derivative instruments affected by the discounting transition. ASU 2021-01 is effective immediately and can be applied retrospectively to any interim period beginning January 1, 2020 or prospectively to any new modifications in any period including or subsequent to the issuance date. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating ASU 2021-01 and its potential impact to the Company’s contracts.
Financing Receivables	On January 1, 2020 the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, or CECL. The Company calculates its ACL by estimating expected credit losses on a collective basis for loans that share similar risk characteristics. Loans that do not share similar risk characteristics with other loans are evaluated for credit losses on an individual basis. The Company uses a combination of a modeled and non-modeled approach that incorporates current and future economic conditions to estimate lifetime expected losses on a collective basis. The Company uses Probability of Default (“PD”), Loss Given Default (“LGD”), and Exposure at Default (“EAD”) methodologies with quantitative factors and qualitative considerations in calculation of the allowance for credit losses for collectively assessed loans. The Company uses a reasonable and supportable period of 2 years at which point loss assumptions revert back to historical loss information by means of 1 year reversion period. The ACL for the Company’s construction, credit card, and certain consumer loans is calculated based on a non-modeled approach utilizing historical loss rates to estimate losses. A non-modeled approach was chosen for these loans as fewer data points exist which could result in high levels of estimated loss volatility under a modeled approach. In aggregate, non-modeled loans represented less than 3% of the Company’s total loan portfolio as of March 31, 2021. The Company’s Economic Forecast Committee (“EFC”) reviews economic forecast scenarios that are incorporated in the Company’s ACL. The EFC reviews multiple scenarios provided to the Company by an independent third party and chooses a single scenario that best aligns with management’s expectation of future economic conditions. The forecast scenario contains certain macroeconomic variables that are incorporated into the Company’s modeling process, including GDP, unemployment rates, interest rates, and commercial real estate prices. As of March 31, 2021, the Company chose a forecast scenario that incorporates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected economic recovery into estimates of future economic conditions. The forecast improved considerably since December 2020 with an increase in projected GDP growth and commercial real estate prices combined with a reduction in unemployment, particularly for periods in 2021. The forecast improvement reflect the current and projected effects of government stimulus packages, ongoing COVID-19 vaccinations, and the reopening of many businesses throughout the United States. Additionally, in order to systematically quantify the credit risk impact of other trends and changes within the loan portfolio, the Company utilizes qualitative adjustments to the modeled and non-modeled estimated loss approaches. The parameters for making adjustments are established under a Credit Risk Matrix that provides different possible scenarios for each of the factors below. The Credit Risk Matrix and the possible scenarios enable the Bank to qualitatively adjust the Loss Migration Ratio by as much as 25 basis points for each loan type pool. This matrix considers the following seven factors, which are patterned after the guidelines provided under the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (“FFIEC”) Interagency Policy Statement on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, updated to reflect the adoption of CECL: •Changes in lending policies and procedures, including underwriting standards and collection, charge off, and recovery practices; •Changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio; •Changes in the experience, ability, and depth of lending management and staff; •Changes in the trends of the volume and severity of past due loans, classified loans, nonaccrual loans, troubled debt restructurings, and other loan modifications; •Changes in the quality of the loan review system and the degree of oversight by the Directors; •The existence and effect of any concentrations of credit and changes in the level of such concentrations; and •The effect of external factors, such as competition, legal requirements, and regulatory requirements on the level of estimated losses in the loan portfolio. For loans which do not share similar risk characteristics such as nonaccrual and TDR loans above $500 thousand, the Company evaluates these loans on an individual basis in accordance with ASC 326. These nonaccrual and TDR loans are considered to have different risk profiles than performing loans and therefore are evaluated separately. The Company decided to collectively assess TDRs and nonaccrual loans with balances below $500 thousand along with the performing and accrual loans in order to reduce the operational burden of individually assessing small TDR and nonaccrual loans with immaterial balances. For individually assessed loans, the ACL is measured using either 1) the present value of future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate; 2) the loan’s observable market price; or 3) the fair value of the collateral, if the loan is collateral dependent. For the collateral dependent loans, the Company obtains a new appraisal to determine the fair value of collateral. The appraisals are based on an “as-is” valuation. To ensure that appraised values remain current, the Company either obtains updated appraisals every twelve months from a qualified independent appraiser or an internal evaluation of the collateral is performed by qualified personnel. If the third party market data indicates that the value of the collateral property has declined since the most recent valuation date, management adjusts the value of the property downward to reflect current market conditions. If the fair value of the collateral is less than the amortized balance of the loan, the Company recognizes an ACL with a corresponding charge to the provision for credit losses. The Company maintains a separate ACL for its off-balance sheet unfunded loan commitments. The Company uses a funding rate to allocate the allowance to undrawn exposures. This funding rate is used as a credit conversion factor to capture how much undrawn lines of credit can potentially become drawn at any point. The funding rate is determined based on a lookback period of 8 quarters. Credit loss is not estimated for off-balance sheet credit exposures that are unconditionally cancellable by the Company.

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Hope Bancorp and its wholly owned subsidiaries, principally Bank of Hope. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has made all adjustments, that in the opinion of management, are necessary to fairly present the Company’s financial position at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 and the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current year presentation. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be anticipated for the full year.

Use of estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Pending Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)”. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the beneficial conversion and cash conversion accounting models for convertible instruments. It also amends the accounting for certain contracts in an entity’s own equity that are currently accounted for as derivatives because of specific settlement provisions. The new guidance also modifies how particular convertible instruments and certain contracts that may be settled in cash or shares impact the diluted EPS computation. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those annual periods. ASU 2020-06 allows companies to adopt the guidance through either a modified retrospective method of transition or a fully retrospective method of transition. On January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06 using the modified retrospective method of transition and had a cumulative effect adjustment to its retained earnings totaling $10.7 million. The Company’s convertible notes were originally recorded as separate debt and equity components. Subsequent to the adoption of ASU 2020-06, the Company’s convertible notes are now accounted for as a single debt instrument with no discount. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2020-06, the Company’s interest expense on its convertible notes declined by $1.0 million with the elimination of the existing debt discount and discount amortization which was previously recorded as non-cash interest expense.

Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”. The amendments provide temporary, optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The amendments provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments primarily include relief related to contract modifications and hedging relationships, as well as providing a one-time election for the sale or transfer of debt securities classified as held-to-maturity. This one time election may be made at any time after March 12, 2020, but no later than December 31, 2022. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating ASU 2020-04 to determine whether the Company will make this election and is currently assessing the significance of the impact of modifying contracts in consideration of the election of this amendment.

In January 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-01, “Codification Improvements to Topic 848, Reference Rate Reform”. ASU 2021-01 amends the scope of the recent reference rate reform guidance and clarifies that certain optional expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 for contract modifications and hedge accounting apply to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. New optional expedients allow derivative instruments impacted by changes in the interest rate used for margining, discounting, or contract price alignment (i.e., discount transition) to qualify for certain optional relief. The new optional expedients for contract modifications and hedge accounting are expected to benefit companies, including those with certain centrally cleared derivatives affected by a discount rate transition in 2020. Amendments to the expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 captures the incremental consequences of the scope clarification and tailor the existing guidance to derivative instruments affected by the discounting transition. ASU 2021-01 is effective immediately and can be applied retrospectively to any interim period beginning January 1, 2020 or prospectively to any new modifications in any period including or subsequent to the issuance date. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating ASU 2021-01 and its potential impact to the Company’s contracts.

Financing Receivables

On January 1, 2020 the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, or CECL. The Company calculates its ACL by estimating expected credit losses on a collective basis for loans that share similar risk characteristics. Loans that do not share similar risk characteristics with other loans are evaluated for credit losses on an individual basis. The Company uses a combination of a modeled and non-modeled approach that incorporates current and future economic conditions to estimate lifetime expected losses on a collective basis. The Company uses Probability of Default (“PD”), Loss Given Default (“LGD”), and Exposure at Default (“EAD”) methodologies with quantitative factors and qualitative considerations in calculation of the allowance for credit losses for collectively assessed loans. The Company uses a reasonable and supportable period of 2 years at which point loss assumptions revert back to historical loss information by means of 1 year reversion period.

The ACL for the Company’s construction, credit card, and certain consumer loans is calculated based on a non-modeled approach utilizing historical loss rates to estimate losses. A non-modeled approach was chosen for these loans as fewer data points exist which could result in high levels of estimated loss volatility under a modeled approach. In aggregate, non-modeled loans represented less than 3% of the Company’s total loan portfolio as of March 31, 2021.

The Company’s Economic Forecast Committee (“EFC”) reviews economic forecast scenarios that are incorporated in the Company’s ACL. The EFC reviews multiple scenarios provided to the Company by an independent third party and chooses a single scenario that best aligns with management’s expectation of future economic conditions. The forecast scenario contains certain macroeconomic variables that are incorporated into the Company’s modeling process, including GDP, unemployment rates, interest rates, and commercial real estate prices. As of March 31, 2021, the Company chose a forecast scenario that incorporates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected economic recovery into estimates of future economic conditions. The forecast improved considerably since December 2020 with an increase in projected GDP growth and commercial real estate prices combined with a reduction in unemployment, particularly for periods in 2021. The forecast improvement reflect the current and projected effects of government stimulus packages, ongoing COVID-19 vaccinations, and the reopening of many businesses throughout the United States.

Additionally, in order to systematically quantify the credit risk impact of other trends and changes within the loan portfolio, the Company utilizes qualitative adjustments to the modeled and non-modeled estimated loss approaches. The parameters for making adjustments are established under a Credit Risk Matrix that provides different possible scenarios for each of the factors below. The Credit Risk Matrix and the possible scenarios enable the Bank to qualitatively adjust the Loss Migration Ratio by as much as 25 basis points for each loan type pool. This matrix considers the following seven factors, which are patterned after the guidelines provided under the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (“FFIEC”) Interagency Policy Statement on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, updated to reflect the adoption of CECL:

•Changes in lending policies and procedures, including underwriting standards and collection, charge off, and recovery practices;

•Changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio;

•Changes in the experience, ability, and depth of lending management and staff;

•Changes in the trends of the volume and severity of past due loans, classified loans, nonaccrual loans, troubled debt restructurings, and other loan modifications;

•Changes in the quality of the loan review system and the degree of oversight by the Directors;

•The existence and effect of any concentrations of credit and changes in the level of such concentrations; and

•The effect of external factors, such as competition, legal requirements, and regulatory requirements on the level of estimated losses in the loan portfolio.

For loans which do not share similar risk characteristics such as nonaccrual and TDR loans above $500 thousand, the Company evaluates these loans on an individual basis in accordance with ASC 326. These nonaccrual and TDR loans are considered to have different risk profiles than performing loans and therefore are evaluated separately. The Company decided to collectively assess TDRs and nonaccrual loans with balances below $500 thousand along with the performing and accrual loans in order to reduce the operational burden of individually assessing small TDR and nonaccrual loans with immaterial balances. For individually assessed loans, the ACL is measured using either 1) the present value of future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate; 2) the loan’s observable market price; or 3) the fair value of the collateral, if the loan is collateral dependent. For the collateral dependent loans, the Company obtains a new appraisal to determine the fair value of collateral. The appraisals are based on an “as-is” valuation. To ensure that appraised values remain current, the Company either obtains updated appraisals every twelve months from a qualified independent appraiser or an internal evaluation of the collateral is performed by qualified personnel. If the third party market data indicates that the value of the collateral property has declined since the most recent valuation date, management adjusts the value of the property downward to reflect current market conditions. If the fair value of the collateral is less than the amortized balance of the loan, the Company recognizes an ACL with a corresponding charge to the provision for credit losses.

The Company maintains a separate ACL for its off-balance sheet unfunded loan commitments. The Company uses a funding rate to allocate the allowance to undrawn exposures. This funding rate is used as a credit conversion factor to capture how much undrawn lines of credit can potentially become drawn at any point. The funding rate is determined based on a lookback period of 8 quarters. Credit loss is not estimated for off-balance sheet credit exposures that are unconditionally cancellable by the Company.