Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Except as discussed below there have been no material changes to the risk factors as previously disclosed in Item 1A. to Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2019. The materiality of any risks and uncertainties identified in our Forward Looking Statements contained in this report together with those previously disclosed in the Form 10-K
and any subsequent Form 10-Q
or those that are presently unforeseen could result in significant adverse effects on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See Item 2. “ Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
The COVID-19
pandemic has significantly impacted the banking industry and our business. The ultimate impact on our business and financial results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities in response to the pandemic.
The COVID-19
pandemic has negatively impacted the global, U.S., California and local economies, disrupted supply chains, lowered equity market valuations, created significant volatility and disruption in financial markets, and sharply increased unemployment levels. In addition, the pandemic has resulted in temporary closures of many businesses and the institution of social distancing and sheltering in place requirements in many states and communities, including in California and the principal counties in which our banking centers are located. Our operations, like those of other financial institutions that operate in our markets, are significantly influenced by economic conditions in California, including the strength of the real estate market and business conditions in the industries to which we lend or from which we gather deposits. The COVID-19
pandemic has resulted in a substantial decline in the revenues of many business sectors as well as in commercial and residential property sales and construction activities. As a result, the demand for our products and services has been, and may continue to be, significantly impacted.
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Furthermore, the pandemic could further influence the recognition of credit losses in our loan portfolios and further increase our allowance for credit losses, particularly as businesses remain closed and as more of our customers are expected to draw on their lines of credit or seek deferments of scheduled loan payments to help mitigate the effects of lost revenues. As previously noted, we have already increased our allowance for expected credit losses by $12 million for the first quarter of 2020, due to the anticipated impact of COVID-19-related economic distress on our loan portfolios, coupled with the implementation of CECL for determining our overall provision for credit losses. In addition, as also noted above, through May 3, 2020, we have granted temporary payment deferments of interest or of principal and interest to customers for 620 loans, in an aggregate amount of $940 million, or approximately 13% of our total loan portfolio at March 31, 2020. Depending on the scope and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe there is a significant likelihood that additional loan payment deferments and increased provisions for expected credit losses could prove necessary for future calendar quarters in 2020.
Similarly, because of changing economic and market conditions affecting bond issuers, we may be required to recognize credit losses in future periods on the securities we hold as well as reductions in other comprehensive income. Our business operations may also be disrupted if significant or critical portions of our workforce or managers are unable to work effectively, including because of illness, quarantines, government actions, or other restrictions in connection with the pandemic. In response to the pandemic, and to comply with or follow various government recommendations or mandates, we have also suspended certain real property foreclosure actions and sales, and in certain instances, we are providing fee waivers, payment deferrals, and other expanded assistance for our business and mortgage customers. The extent to which the COVID-19
pandemic impacts our business, results of operations, and financial condition, as well as our regulatory capital and liquidity ratios, will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to the pandemic.
Our bank has elected to participate as a lender in the Federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and has accordingly become subject to a number of significant risks applicable to lenders under the PPP.
As one set of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, our federal, state and local governments have promulgated a wide variety of laws, regulations, executive orders and programs designed to ameliorate the severe and widespread economic distress caused by the mandatory closings of many businesses throughout the State of California and counties in which we operate. One such program is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) enacted under the federal CARES Act. This program is designed, among other things, to provide employee payroll maintenance support for small and medium-sized businesses throughout the United States, including in the State of California, through loans made by authorized lenders and guaranteed by the federal Small Business Administration (SBA). Because the Company is an authorized SBA lender and our primary customer base consists of small and medium-sized businesses, the Company has actively participated in the PPP. Including the second round of funding after Legislation passed on April 24, 2020, we have received approximately 4,200 applications for PPP loans from our customers and, through two separate rounds of authorized funding for the PPP, we have obtained about 3,800 PPP loan approvals from the SBA, for a total potential dollar amount of PPP loans of approximately $1.25 billion as of May 3, 2020.
Under interim final regulations promulgated by the SBA, PPP lenders are entitled to rely on borrower certifications with respect to issues such as program eligibility and eligible loan amounts, and PPP loans are designed to be subsequently forgivable, in whole or part, if certain additional criteria are met by the borrower with respect to employee payroll maintenance. However, in view of the fact that the PPP was by design intended to support economically distressed businesses, the SBA’s guarantee of PPP loan amounts to participating lenders is a critical feature of the program. In this regard, because the PPP was quickly implemented into operation and the SBA’s interim regulations have been repeatedly revised and are continuing to evolve, there are significant risks to the Company’s participation in the PPP, including whether certain borrowers will ultimately be found to have been eligible for PPP loans, whether eligible PPP loan amounts for certain borrowers were correctly calculated, whether certain PPP loans will ultimately be determined to be forgivable, and if not, whether the SBA’s guarantee will continue to apply to any unforgiven PPP loan amounts.
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