8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 17, 2017

HOPE BANCORP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	000-50245	95-4849715
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation)

3200 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA	90010
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (213) 639-1700.

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company [ ]

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. [ ]

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On October 17, 2017, Hope Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a news release announcing that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per common share. The cash dividend is payable on or about November14, 2017 to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 31, 2017. A copy of the October 17, 2017 press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

The information included in this report pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.         Description of Exhibit

99.1 News release dated October 17, 2017 announcing the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	Hope Bancorp, Inc.
Date: October 17, 2017	/s/ Kevin S. Kim
	Kevin S. Kim
	President and Chief Executive Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.         Description of Exhibit

99.1 News release dated October 17, 2017 announcing the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend.

EX-99.1

News Release

Contact:

Angie Yang

SVP, Director of Investor Relations

& Corporate Communications

213-251-2219

angie.yang@bankofhope.com

HOPE BANCORP DECLARES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND OF $0.13 PER SHARE

LOS ANGELES - October 17, 2017 - Hope Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOPE) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per common share. The dividend is payable on or about November 14, 2017 to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 31, 2017.

Investor Conference Call

The Company previously announced that it will host an investor conference call on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time / 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time to review financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2017. Investors and analysts are invited to access the conference call by dialing 866-235-9917 (domestic) or 412-902-4103 (international), and asking for the “Hope Bancorp Call.” Other interested parties are invited to listen to a live webcast of the call available at the Investor Relations section of Hope Bancorp’s website at www.ir-hopebancorp.com. After the live webcast, a replay will remain available in the Investor Relations section of Hope Bancorp’s website for one year. A telephonic replay of the call will be available at 877-344-7529 (domestic) or 412-317-0088 (international) for one week through November 1, 2017, replay access code 10112701.

About Hope Bancorp, Inc.

Hope Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company of Bank of Hope, the first and only super regional Korean-American bank in the United States with $13.9 billion in total assets as of June 30, 2017. Headquartered in Los Angeles and serving a multi-ethnic population of customers across the nation, Bank of Hope operates 64 full-service branches in California, Washington, Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. The Bank also operates SBA loan production offices in Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Atlanta, Portland, Oregon and Annandale, Virginia; a commercial loan production office in Fremont, California; residential mortgage loan production offices in California; and a representative office in Seoul, Korea. Bank of Hope specializes in core business banking products for small and medium-sized businesses, with an emphasis in commercial real estate and commercial lending, SBA lending and international trade financing. Bank of Hope is a California-chartered bank, and its deposits are insured by the FDIC to the extent provided by law. Bank of Hope is an Equal Opportunity Lender. For additional information, please go to bankofhope.com.

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