Organization

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization

ORGANIZATION    

PacWest Bancorp, a Delaware corporation, is a bank holding company registered under the BHCA, with our corporate headquarters located in Beverly Hills, California. Our principal business is to serve as the holding company for our wholly-owned subsidiary, Pacific Western Bank. References to "Pacific Western" or the "Bank" refer to Pacific Western Bank together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries. References to "we," "us," or the "Company" refer to PacWest Bancorp together with its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. When we refer to "PacWest" or to the "holding company," we are referring to PacWest Bancorp, the parent company, on a stand-alone basis.

We are focused on relationship-based business banking to small, middle-market and venture-backed businesses nationwide. The Bank offers a broad range of loan and lease and deposit products and services through 70 full-service branches located in California, one branch located in Durham, North Carolina, one branch located in Denver, Colorado, and numerous loan production offices across the country. The Bank provides community banking products including lending and comprehensive deposit and treasury management services to small and medium-sized businesses conducted primarily through our California-based branch offices and Denver, Colorado branch office. The Bank offers national lending products including asset-based, equipment, and real estate loans and treasury management services to established middle-market businesses on a national basis. The Bank also offers venture banking products including a comprehensive suite of financial services focused on entrepreneurial and venture-backed businesses and their venture capital and private equity investors, with offices located in key innovation hubs across the United States. In addition, we provide investment advisory and asset management services to select clients through Pacific Western Asset Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank and an SEC-registered investment adviser.

We generate our revenue primarily from interest received on loans and leases and, to a lesser extent, from interest received on investment securities, and fees received in connection with deposit services, extending credit and other services offered, including foreign exchange services. Our major operating expenses are interest paid by the Bank on deposits and borrowings, compensation, occupancy, and general operating expenses.

Significant Accounting Policies

Our accounting policies are described in Note 1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Form 10-K").

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2021

Effective January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes” which simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The amendment also simplifies aspects of the accounting for franchise taxes and enacted changes in tax laws or rates and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2020-01, “Investments – Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)” which clarifies that entities that apply the measurement alternative in ASC 321 should consider observable transactions that result in entities initially applying or discontinuing the use of the equity method of accounting under ASC 323. The guidance also clarifies that certain forward contracts and purchased options on equity securities that are not deemed to be in-substance common stock under ASC 323 or accounted for as derivatives under ASC 815 are in the scope of ASC 321. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2020-08, “Codification Improvements to Subtopic 310-20, Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs” which clarifies the Company should reevaluate whether a callable debt security that has multiple call dates is within the scope of ASC 310-20-35-33 at each reporting period. ASC 310-20-35-33 requires that, to the extent the amortized cost basis of an individual callable debt security exceeds the amount repayable by the issuer at the next call date, the excess should be amortized to the earliest call date. As the Company’s accounting policy to amortize premiums on investments in callable debt securities to the earliest call date is consistent with the manner required by ASU 2020-08, the adoption of this standard had no impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation    

Our interim condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP for interim financial information and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, certain disclosures accompanying annual consolidated financial statements are omitted. In the opinion of management, all significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated and adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring accruals and considered necessary for the fair presentation of financial statements for the interim periods, have been included. The current period's results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results that ultimately may be achieved for the year. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Form 10-K.

Use of Estimates

We have made a number of estimates and assumptions related to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period to prepare these condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates subject to change in the near term include, among other items, the allowance for credit losses, the carrying value of goodwill and other intangible assets, and the realization of deferred tax assets. These estimates may be adjusted as more current information becomes available, and any adjustment may be significant.

Reclassifications