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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

or

Commission File Number: 1-6887

BANK OF HAWAII CORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1-888-643-3888

(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

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 (Section 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 the 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.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

Yes ☐    No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s outstanding voting common stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2020 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), determined using the per share closing price on that date on the New York Stock Exchange of $61.41, was approximately $2,393,046,926. There was no non-voting common equity of the registrant outstanding on that date.

As of February 16, 2021, there were 40,134,784 shares of common stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

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Bank of Hawaii Corporation

2020 Form 10-K Annual Report

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Part I

Item 1.  Business

General

Bank of Hawaii Corporation (the “Parent”) is a Delaware corporation and a bank holding company (“BHC”) headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The Parent’s principal operating subsidiary, Bank of Hawaii (the “Bank”), was organized on December 17, 1897, and is chartered by the State of Hawaii.  The Bank’s deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the Bank is a member of the Federal Reserve System.

The Bank, directly and through its subsidiaries, provides a broad range of financial products and services primarily to customers in Hawaii, Guam, and other Pacific Islands.  References to “we,” “our,” “us,” or “the Company” refer to the Parent and its subsidiaries and are consolidated for financial reporting purposes.  The Bank’s subsidiaries are identified in Exhibit 21.1 to this Form 10-K and include, among others, Bank of Hawaii Leasing, Inc., Bankoh Investment Services, Inc., and Pacific Century Life Insurance Corporation.  The Bank’s subsidiaries are engaged in equipment leasing, securities brokerage, investment advisory services, and providing credit insurance.

We are organized into three business segments for management reporting purposes: Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury and Other.  See Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports can be found free of charge on our website at www.boh.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  The SEC maintains a website, www.sec.gov, which contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.  Our Corporate Governance Guidelines; charters of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Human Resources and Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee; and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics are available on our website at www.boh.com.  Printed copies of this information may be obtained, without charge, by written request to the Corporate Secretary at 130 Merchant Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813.

Competition

The Company operates in a highly competitive environment subject to intense competition from traditional financial service providers including banks, savings associations, credit unions, mortgage companies, finance companies, mutual funds, brokerage firms, insurance companies, and other non-traditional providers of financial services including financial service subsidiaries of commercial and manufacturing companies.  Some of our competitors are not subject to the same level of regulation and oversight that is required of banks and BHCs, and receive favorable tax treatment.  As a result, some of our competitors may have lower cost structures.  Also, some of our competitors, through delivery channels such as the Internet, may be based outside of the markets that we serve.  By emphasizing our extensive branch network, exceptional service levels, and knowledge of local trends and conditions, the Company believes it has developed a competitive advantage in its market.

Supervision and Regulation

Our operations are subject to extensive regulation by federal and state governmental authorities.  The regulations are primarily intended to protect depositors, customers, and the integrity of the U.S. banking system and capital markets.  The following information describes some of the more significant laws and regulations applicable to us.  The descriptions below are qualified in their entirety by reference to the applicable laws and regulations.  Proposals to change the laws and regulations governing the banking industry are frequently raised in Congress, in state legislatures, and with the various bank regulatory agencies.  Changes in applicable laws or regulations, or a change in the way such laws or regulations are interpreted by regulatory agencies or courts, may have a material impact on our business, operations, and earnings.

The Parent

The Parent is registered as a BHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”), and is subject to the supervision of and to examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (the “FRB”).  The Parent is also registered as a financial institution holding company under the Hawaii Code of Financial Institutions (the “Code”) and is subject to the registration, reporting, and examination requirements of the Code.

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The BHC Act prohibits, with certain exceptions, a BHC from acquiring direct or indirect beneficial ownership or control of either a company that is not a bank, or more than 5% of the voting shares of any bank, without the FRB’s prior approval.  A BHC is generally prohibited from engaging in any activity other than banking, managing or controlling banks or other subsidiaries authorized under the BHC Act, or an activity that the FRB has determined to be so closely related to those activities as to be a proper incident to one of them.

Under FRB policy, a BHC is expected to serve as a source of financial and management strength to its subsidiary bank.  A BHC is also expected to commit resources to support its subsidiary bank in circumstances where it might not do so absent such a policy.  Under this policy, a BHC is expected to maintain reliable funding and contingency plans to stand ready to provide adequate capital funds to its subsidiary bank during periods of financial adversity and to maintain the financial flexibility and capital-raising capacity to obtain additional resources for assisting its subsidiary bank.

Under the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (the “Riegle-Neal Act”) banks and BHCs from any state are permitted to acquire banks located in any other state, subject to certain conditions, including certain nationwide and state-imposed deposit concentration limits.  Banks also have the ability, subject to certain restrictions, to acquire branches outside their home states by acquisition or merger.  The establishment of new interstate branches is also possible in those states with laws that expressly permit de novo branching.  Because the Code permits de novo branching by out-of-state banks, those banks may establish new branches in Hawaii.

Bank of Hawaii

The Bank is subject to extensive federal, state, territorial and foreign regulations that significantly affect its business and activities.  The Bank is subject to supervision and examination by the FRB of San Francisco, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), and the State of Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ (“DCCA”) Division of Financial Institutions.  These regulatory bodies have broad authority to implement standards and to initiate proceedings designed to prohibit depository institutions from engaging in activities that may represent “unsafe” or “unsound” banking practices or constitute violations of applicable laws, rules, regulations, administrative orders, or written agreements with regulators.  The standards relate generally to operations and management, asset quality, interest rate exposure, capital, executive compensation, and consumer protection.  The regulatory bodies are authorized to take action against institutions that fail to meet such standards, including the assessment of civil monetary penalties and restitution, the issuance of cease-and-desist orders, and other actions, up to and including revocation of a bank’s charter for the most severe infractions, or putting such a bank into receivership if it is not financially viable.

Bankoh Investment Services, Inc., the broker-dealer and investment adviser subsidiary of the Bank, is incorporated in Hawaii and is regulated by the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the DCCA’s Insurance Division.  Pacific Century Life Insurance Corporation is incorporated in Arizona and is primarily regulated by the State of Arizona Department of Insurance.

The Dodd Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and its regulations implemented sweeping changes to the financial regulatory landscape aimed at strengthening the sound operation of the financial services sector by mandating higher capital and liquidity requirements, establishing new standards for mortgage lenders, increasing regulation of executive and incentive-based compensation and numerous other provisions.  Provisions also limit or place significant burdens and costs on activities traditionally conducted by banking organizations, such as arranging and participating in swap and derivative transactions, proprietary trading and investing in private equity and other funds.

Several provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act were significantly changed by enactment of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act in May 2018, notably by eliminating the requirement for institutions like the Company to perform and publicly disclose periodic stress tests.  The Company continues to monitor and implement rules, regulations, and interpretations of the Dodd-Frank Act as they are adopted and modified, and to evaluate their application to our current and future operations.

Capital Requirements

In July 2013, the FRB, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) and the FDIC adopted new capital rules (the “Rules”).  These Rules were designed to help ensure that banks maintain strong capital positions by increasing both the quantity and quality of capital held by U.S. banking organizations.  The Rules reflect, in part, certain standards initially adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010 (which are commonly called “Basel III” standards) as well as requirements by the Dodd-Frank Act.

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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”) identifies five capital categories for insured depository institutions: “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized.”

The federal banking agencies are authorized by FDICIA to impose progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions, depending on the capital category in which an institution is classified.  These “prompt corrective actions” can include: requiring an insured depository institution to adopt a capital restoration plan guaranteed by the institution’s parent company; placing limits on asset growth and restrictions on activities, including restrictions on transactions with affiliates; restricting the interest rates the institution may pay on deposits; prohibiting the payment of principal or interest on subordinated debt; prohibiting the holding company from making capital distribution without prior regulatory approval; and ultimately appointing a receiver for the institution.

A “well capitalized” institution must have a Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio of at least 6.5%, a Tier 1 Capital Ratio of at least 8%, a Total Capital Ratio of at least 10%, a Tier 1 Leverage Ratio of at least 5%, and not be subject to a capital directive order.  As of December 31, 2020, the Bank was classified as “well capitalized.”  The classification of a depository institution under one of the categories set out above is primarily for the purpose of applying the prompt corrective actions, and is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, a representation of the overall financial condition or the prospects of that financial institution.  See Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Dividend Restrictions

The Parent is a legal entity separate and distinct from the Bank.  The Parent’s principal source of funds to pay dividends on its common stock and to service its liabilities is dividends from the Bank.  Various federal and state laws and regulations limit the amount of dividends the Bank may pay to the Parent without regulatory approval.  The FRB is authorized to determine the circumstances when the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound practice and to prohibit such payments.  The right of the Parent, its shareholders, and creditors to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of its subsidiaries is also subject to the prior claims of creditors of those subsidiaries.  For information regarding the limitations on the Bank’s ability to pay dividends to the Parent, see Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders

Transactions between the Bank and any affiliate are governed by Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act.  An affiliate of the Bank is any company or entity which controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Bank which is not a subsidiary of the Bank.  Under federal law, the Bank is subject to restrictions that limit the transfer of funds or other items of value to the Parent, and any other non-bank affiliates in “covered transactions.”  In general, covered transactions include making loans to an affiliate, the purchase of or investment in the securities issued by an affiliate, the purchase of assets from an affiliate, the acceptance of securities issued by an affiliate as collateral security for a loan or extensions of credit to any person or company, the issuance of a guarantee, acceptance or letter of credit on behalf of an affiliate, or certain transactions with an affiliate that involve the borrowing or lending of securities and certain derivative transactions with an affiliate.

Unless an exemption applies, covered transactions by the Bank with a single affiliate are limited to 10% of the Bank’s capital and surplus, and with respect to all covered transactions with affiliates in the aggregate, they are limited to 20% of the Bank’s capital and surplus.  Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Federal Reserve Regulation W also require that certain transactions between the Bank and its affiliates be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the Bank, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with or involving other non-affiliated persons.

The Federal Reserve Act and Federal Reserve Regulation O place restrictions and certain reporting requirements on any extension of credit made by a member bank to (a) an executive officer, director, or principal shareholder of the bank, or any company of which the bank is a subsidiary, and of any other subsidiary of that company, and (b) a company controlled by such a person, or to a political or campaign committee that benefits or is controlled by such a person (collectively referred to as “insiders”).  These restrictions include limits on loans to one borrower and conditions that must be met before such loans can be made.  There is also an aggregate limitation on all loans to insiders and their related interests.  Certain restrictions also extend to extensions of credit made to an executive officer, directors, or principal shareholder of a bank (or to a related interest of such person) by a correspondent bank.

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The Volcker Rule

In December 2013, the Federal Reserve, the OCC, the FDIC, the SEC, and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission issued final rules to implement certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act commonly known as the “Volker Rule.”  The Volcker Rule, as amended on August 20, 2019, generally prohibits U.S. banks from engaging in proprietary trading and restricts those banking entities from sponsoring, investing in, or having certain relationships with hedge funds and private equity funds.  The prohibitions under the Volcker Rule are subject to a number of statutory exemptions, restrictions, and definitions.  The Volcker Rule has not had a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements, but we continue to evaluate its application to our current and future operations.

FDIC Insurance

The FDIC provides insurance coverage for certain deposits through the Deposit Insurance Fund, which the FDIC maintains by assessing depository institutions an insurance premium.  The Company is assessed deposit insurance premiums by the FDIC using a base rate, to which is added temporary surcharges that are used to establish a FDIC reserve fund and pay certain bond obligations.  A temporary surcharge ended in September 2018.  The Bank’s FDIC insurance assessment was $5.8 million in 2020, $5.2 million in 2019, and $7.7 million in 2018.

A depository institution’s deposit insurance may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that the institution’s financial condition is unsafe or unsound, or that the institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, or has violated any applicable rule, regulation, or order or condition enacted or imposed by a regulatory agency.  Termination of the Bank’s deposit insurance would end its ability to function as a commercial bank in Hawaii.

Depositor Preference

In the event of the “liquidation or other resolution” of an insured depository institution, claims of insured and uninsured depositors for deposits payable in the United States (including the claims of the FDIC as subrogee of insured depositors), plus certain claims for administrative expenses of the FDIC as a receiver will have priority in payment ahead of unsecured creditors including, in the case of the Bank, the Parent.

Other Safety and Soundness Regulations

The federal banking agencies also have adopted guidelines prescribing safety and soundness standards.  These guidelines establish general standards for internal controls, information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate risk exposure, asset growth, asset quality, earnings standards, compensation, fees and benefits.  In general, the guidelines require appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risks and exposures specified in the guidelines before capital becomes impaired.

Community Reinvestment and Consumer Protection Laws

Federal banking regulators, pursuant to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, have enacted regulations limiting the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose nonpublic consumer information to non-affiliated third parties.  The regulations require disclosure of privacy policies and allow consumers to prevent certain personal information from being shared with non-affiliated third parties.  The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (“FACT Act”) requires financial institutions to develop and implement an identity theft prevention program to detect, prevent and mitigate identity theft “red flags” to reduce the risk that customer information will be misused to conduct fraudulent financial transactions.

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A number of other federal and state consumer protection laws extensively govern the Bank’s relationship with its customers.  These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Service Members Civil Relief Act and these laws’ respective state-law counterparts, as well as state and territorial usury laws and laws regarding unfair and deceptive acts and practices. These and other laws subject the Bank to substantial regulatory oversight and, among other things, require disclosures of the cost of credit and terms of deposit accounts, provide substantive consumer rights, prohibit discrimination in credit transactions, regulate the use of credit report information, provide financial privacy protections, prohibit unfair, deceptive and abusive practices, and restrict the Bank’s ability to raise interest rates.

The CFPB was created under the Dodd-Frank Act as an agency responsible for promulgating and enforcing regulations designed to protect consumers including adding prohibitions on unfair, deceptive and abusive acts and practices.  The CFPB, along with other prudential regulators and the Department of Justice, have also expanded the focus of their regulatory examinations and investigations to include “fair and responsible banking.”  Fair and responsible banking strives to provide equal credit opportunities to all applicants of a community, to prohibit discrimination by lenders on the basis of certain borrower characteristics, and to ensure that a bank’s practices are not deceptive, unfair, or take unreasonable advantage of consumers or businesses.  The enhanced focus encompasses the entire loan life cycle, including post-closing activities such as collections and servicing, and pre-application activities such as marketing and loan solicitation and origination.

Violations of applicable consumer protection laws and regulations can result in significant potential liability from litigation brought by customers, including actual damages, restitution and attorneys’ fees.  Federal bank regulators, state attorneys general and state and local consumer protection agencies may also seek to enforce consumer protection requirements and obtain these and other remedies, including regulatory sanctions, customer rescission rights, and civil money penalties.  Failure to comply with consumer protection requirements may also result in our failure to obtain required bank regulatory approvals for transactions the Bank may wish to pursue, or prohibit us from engaging in such transactions even if approval is not required.

Bank Secrecy Act / Anti-Money Laundering Laws

The Bank is subject to the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.  The USA PATRIOT Act created new laws, regulations, and penalties, imposed significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, and expanded the application of those laws outside the U.S.  Additionally, like all U.S. companies and individuals, the Company is prohibited from transacting business with certain individuals and entities named on the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.

The Bank has been required to implement policies, procedures, and controls to detect, prevent, and report potential money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of its customers.  The Company maintains procedures and systems to identify its customers, and to monitor and block transactions related to prohibited persons and entities.  Violations of these requirements can result in substantial civil and criminal sanctions.  In addition, the federal financial institution regulatory agencies consider the effectiveness of a financial institution’s anti-money laundering activities when reviewing bank mergers and BHC acquisitions.

Human Capital Management

As of December 31, 2020, we employed 2,022 full-time equivalent employees, of which 1,932 are located in the State of Hawaii, with the remainder located in Guam and other Pacific Islands.  None of our employees are subject to a collective bargaining agreement.  

The Company values the contributions of all of its employees and is committed to building an active and connected employee community within the Company.  Key areas of focus for the Company include:

Diversity & Inclusion: The Company believes that a diverse and inclusive workforce fosters an environment where everyone can thrive and be successful.  As of December 31, 2020, approximately 86% of our workforce are minorities (non-Caucasian) and approximately 64% of our workforce are female, which accounts for 43% and 60% of our senior leaders and managers, respectively.  We conduct an external pay equity study periodically to evaluate that a gender pay gap does not exist.  

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Employee Development and Training: The Company is committed to providing all employees with the opportunity to grow, connect and thrive within the Company.  A review of organizational talent and succession planning occurs annually to enable senior leadership to monitor the development of top talent within the Company.  Skills and professional development training is provided to employees at all levels, with additional development sessions specifically targeted to managers and leaders.  Current key initiatives include the launch of an Advanced Leaders program to elevate leadership capabilities, as well as the development of Emerging Leaders and Aspiring Leaders programs to cultivate future talent.

Employee Benefits: The Company believes in enabling a healthy workforce and providing a benefits program that is designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees.  In addition to competitive insurance, healthcare, and retirement offerings, examples of more innovative and workforce-specific benefits offerings include: mortgage discount program, student loan assistance program, fitness classes, well-being sessions, and personal finance education.  

Health & Safety: The health and safety of our employees is a priority. In 2020, our commitment to workplace safety and workforce health enabled the Company to maintain business and operational continuity without diminishing our focus on both employee and customer safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Examples of specific initiatives to enhance on-site safety include daily employee health screening as well as temperature scanning and social distancing protocols in both office and branch locations. We also invested in ventilation system upgrades and installed physical health guards/barriers.

Information about our Executive Officers

Listed below are executive officers of the Parent as of December 31, 2020.

Peter S. Ho, 55

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since July 2010 and President since April 2008.

Dean Y. Shigemura, 57

Treasurer since October 2020; Vice Chair since December 2017; Chief Financial Officer since March 2017; Senior Executive Vice President and Controller from August 2014 to February 2017.

Sharon M. Crofts, 55

Vice Chair, Client Solutions Group since April 2016; Vice Chair, Operations and Technology from October 2012 to March 2016.

James C. Polk, 54

Vice Chair, Chief Commercial Officer since April 2020; Vice Chair, Consumer Lending and Deposit Product Group from September 2018 to March 2020 and Consumer and Residential Lending from April 2018 to March 2020; Vice Chair, Mortgage Banking from July 2017 to March 2018; Vice Chair, The Private Bank from June 2016 to June 2017; Senior Executive Vice President, Consumer Banking from January 2016 to May 2016; Senior Executive Vice President, Mortgage Banking from August 2014 to January 2016.

Mary E. Sellers, 64

Vice Chair and Chief Risk Officer since July 2005.

Andrea Wilson Ignacio, 48

Principal Accounting Officer since April 2020; Senior Vice President and Controller since August 2019.

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Item 1A.  Risk Factors

There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.  We are subject to various risks resulting from changing economic, environmental, political, industry, business, financial and regulatory conditions.  The risks and uncertainties described below are what management believes are the material risk factors that could affect our business and operations, although they are not the only risks that may have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Risks Related to Macroeconomic and Political Conditions

Changes in business and economic conditions, in particular those of Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific Islands, are expected to lead to lower revenue, lower asset quality, and lower earnings.

Our business and earnings are closely tied to the economies of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. These local economies rely heavily on tourism, the U.S. military, real estate, construction, government, and other service-based industries. Lower visitor arrivals or spending, real or threatened acts of war or terrorism, public unrest, increases in energy costs, the availability of affordable air transportation, climate change, natural disasters and adverse weather, public health issues including Asian air pollution and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Federal, State of Hawaii and local government budget issues may impact consumer and corporate spending.

The impacts of various travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders and quarantine requirements for visitors to Hawaii has had a dramatic negative impact on tourism.  These events have contributed to a significant deterioration in general economic conditions in our markets which has impacted and will continue to adversely impact us and our customers’ operations.  It is uncertain how long these conditions will last or how significant the impacts will be in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.

Recent deterioration of economic conditions, locally, nationally, and internationally could adversely affect the quality of our assets, credit losses, and the demand for our products and services, which could lead to lower revenues, higher expenses, and lower earnings. In response to this deterioration, several government stimulus programs were initiated, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).  The level of visitor arrivals and spending, housing prices, and unemployment rates are some of the metrics that we continually monitor. We also monitor the value of collateral, such as real estate, that secures the loans we have made. The borrowing power of our customers could also be negatively impacted by a decline in the value of collateral.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the Hawaii economy and our business, and the extent and severity of the impact on our business and our financial results are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had and is expected to continue to have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial performance.  The duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects still cannot be determined with a reasonable level of certainty.  We have experienced unprecedented levels of government stimulus in response to COVID-19 in the current economic cycle, the lasting impacts of which are unknown.

Novel viruses such as COVID-19 increase concerns related to illness when traveling and gathering in large numbers.  In response, the majority of the nation’s state and local jurisdictions imposed “shelter-in-place” orders, quarantines, executive orders or similar government orders and restrictions in order to control the spread of COVID-19.  Some jurisdictions have re-imposed restrictions after previously lifting them or have delayed further lifting of restrictions.  On March 23, 2020, the governor of Hawaii, signed a stay-at-home order and prohibited large gatherings.  The order contained exceptions for certain essential activities.  Furthermore, the stay-at-home order mandated all individuals arriving or returning to Hawaii by air be subject to a mandatory 10-day self-quarantine.

The State of Hawaii’s stay-at-home order was originally set to expire on April 30, 2020, but was extended through May 31, 2020.  The order was subsequently changed to a safer-at-home order extended through July 31, 2020.  Subsequent orders were issued in August, September, October, November and December of 2020 with different requirements and restrictions for different islands within Hawaii.  The stay-at-home order and safer-at-home orders, along with the mandatory 10-day self-quarantine travel restrictions, have resulted in a dramatic decline in tourism in Hawaii.  Additionally, tourism has declined as various public events, attractions and venues have been closed or cancelled. We cannot predict when these closures will end and cancellations diminish or when tourism levels in Hawaii will recover. This decline in tourism has, and is expected to continue to have, a negative impact to the Hawaii economy and our financial results.

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Though some of the original restrictions have been relaxed, the mandatory 10-day self-quarantine travel restriction has been extended indefinitely.  Beginning October 15, 2020, arriving passengers and interisland travelers may avoid the self-quarantine requirements by providing proof of a recent negative test result for COVID-19 prior to boarding.  At this time Oahu is not requiring additional testing upon arrival but other islands are pursuing additional restrictions such as arrival testing.  Whether, and by how much, this will increase visitor arrivals and restore the tourism industry in Hawaii is uncertain.  In addition, these measures may be lifted or reinstated by the government as the infection rates of COVID-19 in Hawaii change, causing uncertainty and deterring travel to Hawaii.

Travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines related to the COVID-19 pandemic may have a lasting impact on tourism in Hawaii.  Because many of our customers, both commercial and consumer, derive at least some of their income from tourism, this dramatic drop in tourism affects them directly, as well as the Hawaii economy as a whole.  A downturn in the Hawaii economy and widespread impact to our customers’ income have a negative impact on our operations.  We are unable to predict the extent to which the pandemic and related impacts will continue to adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, regulatory capital and liquidity ratios.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the institution of physical distancing, and shelter-in-place requirements resulted in both temporary and permanent closures of many businesses. As a result, the demand for our products and services has been and may continue to be significantly impacted.  The COVID-19 pandemic could prompt credit losses in our loan portfolios and increase our allowance for credit losses, particularly as businesses remain closed and as more customers draw on lines of credit or seek additional loans to help finance their businesses.  Our operations may also be disrupted if significant portions of our workforce are unable to work effectively, due to illness, quarantines, government actions, or other restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.  We have already temporarily or permanently closed certain of our branches and offices and many employees are now working remotely.  Though we have re-opened some of our branches, others remain closed.  Similarly, though some employees have returned to the office, many continue to work remotely and it is anticipated that staffing levels at our headquarters will remain lower than pre-pandemic levels for some time.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily suspended residential property foreclosure sales, evictions, and involuntary automobile repossessions.  Foreclosures and evictions remain suspended.  We offered other expanded assistance to customers such as fee waivers, payment deferrals or forbearances on automobile loans and leases, mortgages, home equity loans and lines, as well as commercial, small business and personal loans. We continue to work with our customers as many of the initial assistance programs have been extended or renewed.  The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our business, results of operations, financial condition, regulatory capital, and liquidity ratios, will depend on the scope and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, actions taken by governmental authorities, the availability of federal, state, or local funding programs, actions taken by other third parties in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pace of recovery when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, all of which are highly uncertain.

Any reduction in defense spending by the federal government could adversely impact the economy in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.

The U.S. military has a major presence in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.  As a result, the U.S. military is an important aspect of the economies in which we operate.  The funding of the U.S. military is subject to the overall U.S. Government budget and appropriation decisions and processes which are driven by numerous factors, including geo-political events, macroeconomic conditions, and the ability and willingness of the U.S. Government to enact legislation.  U.S. Government appropriations have been and likely will continue to be affected by larger U.S. Government budgetary issues and related legislation.  Cuts in defense and other security spending could have an adverse impact on the economies in which we operate, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Changes in interest rates could adversely impact our results of operations and capital.

Our earnings are highly dependent on the spread between the interest earned on loans, leases, and investment securities and the interest paid on deposits and borrowings.  We primarily rely on customer deposits as a sizable source of relatively stable and low-cost funds.  Changes in market interest rates impact the rates earned on loans, leases, and investment securities and the rates paid on deposits and borrowings.  In addition, changes to market interest rates could impact the level of loans, leases, investment securities, deposits, and borrowings, and the credit profile of our current borrowers.  Interest rates are affected by many factors beyond our control, and fluctuate in response to general economic conditions, currency fluctuations, and the monetary and fiscal policies of various governmental and regulatory authorities.

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Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, will influence the origination of loans and leases, the purchase of investments, the generation of deposits, and the rates received on loans and investment securities and paid on deposits.  Any substantial prolonged change in market interest rates may negatively impact our ability to attract deposits, originate loans and leases, and achieve satisfactory interest rate spreads.  If we are unable to continue to fund loans and other assets through customer deposits or access capital markets on favorable terms or if we otherwise fail to manage our liquidity effectively, our liquidity, net interest margin, financial results and conditions may be adversely affected.

Credit losses could increase if economic conditions stagnate or deteriorate further.

Increased credit losses for the Bank could result if economic conditions stagnate or deteriorate further.  The risk of nonpayment on loans and leases is inherent in all lending activities.  We maintain a reserve for credit losses to absorb estimated expected credit losses over the life of the loan, lease, and commitment portfolios as of the balance sheet date.  Management makes various assumptions and judgments about the loan and lease portfolios in determining the level of the reserve for credit losses.  Many of these assumptions are based on current economic conditions.  Should economic conditions stagnate or deteriorate further nationally or in Hawaii, we may experience higher credit losses in future periods.

Inability of our borrowers to make timely repayments on their loans, or decreases in real estate collateral values may result in increased delinquencies, foreclosures, and customer bankruptcies, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Consumer protection initiatives and court decisions related to the foreclosure process affect our remedies as a creditor.

Proposed consumer protection initiatives related to the foreclosure process, including voluntary and/or mandatory programs intended to permit or require lenders to consider loan modifications or other alternatives to foreclosure, could increase our credit losses or increase our expense in pursuing our remedies as a creditor.

In addition, Hawaii’s appellate courts have made rulings that increase the complexity and risk of nonjudicial, or out-of-court, foreclosures.  At the same time, a chronic backlog of cases in the Hawaii courts has slowed the judicial foreclosure process, which delays the Bank’s ability to take over, preserve, and sell the mortgaged property.  The manner in which these issues are ultimately resolved could impact our foreclosure procedures and costs, which in turn could affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in the capital markets could materially affect the level of assets under management and the demand for our other fee-based services.

Changes in the capital markets could affect the volume of income from and demand for our fee-based services.  Our investment management revenues depend in large part on the level of assets under management.  Market volatility that leads customers to liquidate investments or move investments to other institutions or asset classes, as well as lower asset values can reduce our level of assets under management, thereby decreasing our investment management revenues.

The Parent’s liquidity is dependent on dividends from the Bank.

The Parent is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Bank. The Parent receives substantially all of its cash in the form of dividends from the Bank. These dividends are the principal source of funds to pay, dividends on the Parent’s common stock or to repurchase common stock under the Parent’s share repurchase program. Various federal and state laws and regulations limit the amount of dividends that the Bank may pay to the Parent.  The Parent’s ability to meet its obligations, pay dividends to shareholders, or repurchase stock, may be further limited if federal and state laws and regulations further limit the amount of dividends the Bank is permitted to pay the Parent.

There can be no assurance that the Parent will continue to declare cash dividends or repurchase stock.

During 2020, the Parent repurchased 156,358 shares of common stock at a total cost of $14.0 million under its share repurchase program.  On March 17, 2020, we suspended share repurchases in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The actual amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will depend on market conditions, applicable SEC rules, and various other factors.  The Parent also paid cash dividends of $107.4 million during 2020.  In January 2021, the Parent’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.67 per share on the Parent’s outstanding shares.  

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Our dividend payments and/or stock repurchases may change from time-to-time, and we cannot provide assurance that we will continue to declare dividends and/or repurchase stock in any particular amounts or at all.  Dividends and/or stock repurchases are subject to capital availability and periodic determinations by our Board of Directors.  We continue to evaluate the potential impact that regulatory proposals may have on our liquidity and capital management strategies, including Basel III and those required under the Dodd-Frank Act.  The actual amount and timing of future dividends and share repurchases, if any, will depend on market and economic conditions, applicable SEC rules, federal and state regulatory restrictions, and various other factors.  In addition, the amount we spend and the number of shares we are able to repurchase under our stock repurchase program may further be affected by a number of other factors, including the stock price and blackout periods in which we are restricted from repurchasing shares.  A reduction in or elimination of our dividend payments and/or stock repurchases could have a negative effect on our stock price.

Risks Related to Regulatory Changes

The anticipated end of LIBOR on December 31, 2021, may adversely affect our financial instruments that are directly or indirectly tied to LIBOR.

On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR announced that after December 31, 2021, it would no longer compel banks to submit the rates required to calculate LIBOR. With this announcement there is uncertainty about the continued availability of LIBOR after December 31, 2021 (which may be extended). If LIBOR ceases to be available or the methods of calculating LIBOR change from the current methods, financial products with interest rates tied to LIBOR may be adversely affected. Even if LIBOR remains available it is uncertain whether it will continue to be viewed as an acceptable market benchmark, what rate or rates may become accepted alternatives to LIBOR or what the effect of any such changes in views or alternatives may be on the markets for LIBOR-indexed financial instruments. We have loans, derivative contracts, and other financial instruments with rates that are either directly or indirectly tied to LIBOR. If any of the foregoing were to occur, the interest rates on these instruments, as well as the revenue and expenses associated with the same, may be adversely affected. Furthermore, failure to adequately manage this transition process with our customers could adversely impact our reputation.

The Company has formed an enterprise-wide, cross-functional project team to oversee the transition.  The project team reports to a steering committee as well as Management and the Board on a periodic basis.  The project team is organized around key work streams, which cover the products, systems, and operational processes impacted by the transition as well as client communication.  In addition, the project team has completed an inventory of existing LIBOR-indexed products, which is monitored on an ongoing basis, LIBOR fallback language has been added to new loans, and LIBOR-based mortgage ARMs have been removed from our product offering.

Fiscal and Monetary Policy changes may significantly impact our profitability and liquidity

The Company’s business and earnings are significantly affected by the fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Government and its agencies.  The Bank is particularly affected by the policies of the Federal Reserve, which regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States.  Among the instruments of monetary policy available to the Federal Reserve are (a) conducting open market operations in U.S. government securities, (b) changing the discount rates of borrowings of depository institutions, (c) imposing or changing reserve requirements against depository institutions’ deposits, and (d) imposing or changing reserve requirements against certain borrowings by banks and their affiliates.  These methods are used in varying degrees and combinations to directly affect the availability of bank loans and deposits, as well as the interest rates charged on loans and paid on deposits.  Changes to these policies of the Federal Reserve may have a material effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Legislation and regulatory initiatives affecting the financial services industry, including new interpretations, restrictions and requirements, could detrimentally affect the Company’s business.

The Dodd-Frank Act, enacted in July 2010, triggered sweeping reforms to the financial services industry.  Although almost all of the rules and regulations implementing the Dodd-Frank Act have already gone into effect, some of the rules have yet to be implemented and others are being interpreted by federal regulators and the courts.  The Dodd-Frank Act, other consumer protection laws, and their implementing rules and regulations are likely to continue to result in increased compliance costs, along with possible restrictions on our products, services and manner of operations, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

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The CFPB has exercised its broad rule-making, supervisory, and examination authority of consumer financial products, as well as expanded data collection and enforcement powers, over depository institutions with more than $10.0 billion in assets.  Staff changes to key positions within the CFPB by the Biden administration may result in the CFPB pursuing more strict enforcement policies, similar to that experienced under the Obama administration.  Regulation of overall safety and soundness, the CRA, federal housing and flood insurance, as they pertain to consumer financial products and services, remains with the FRB.  As a result of greater regulatory scrutiny of consumer financial products as a whole, the Company has become subject to more and expanded regulatory examinations, which also could result in increased costs as well as harm to our reputation in the event of a finding that we have not complied with the increased regulatory requirements.

New laws, regulations, and changes, and the uncertainty surrounding whether such laws, regulations and changes will be implemented, interpreted, repealed or reinstated, in the current regulatory and political climate, may continue to increase our costs of regulatory compliance.  They may significantly affect the markets in which we do business, the markets for and value of our investments, and our ongoing operations, costs, and profitability.

Bank of Hawaii and its nonbank subsidiaries are subject to extensive federal and applicable state regulation and supervision. The bank regulatory scheme is primarily intended to protect depositors’ funds, federal deposit insurance funds, and the banking system as a whole, not shareholders. This regulatory framework affects our lending practices, capital structure, investment practices, dividend policy, and growth, among other things. Congress and federal regulatory agencies continually review banking laws, regulations, and policies for possible changes, and proposed changes can be expected from the new federal administration taking office in January 2021. With Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress there may be greater oversight of the banking industry.  This may include increased scrutiny of the banking industry’s efforts to provide COVID-19 relief programs as well as consumer financial rights as a whole.  

Further, leadership and staff changes in regulatory agencies such as the CFPB, CFTC, SEC, and the Treasury Department could lead to changes in the rulemaking, supervision, examination and enforcement priorities and policies of the agencies. The potential impact of any changes within these agencies cannot be predicted at this time.

Changes in the capital, leverage, liquidity requirements for financial institutions could materially affect future requirements of the Company.

Under Basel III, financial institutions are required to have more capital and a higher quality of capital.  Under the final rules issued by the banking regulators, minimum requirements increased for both the quantity and quality of capital held by the Company.

Compliance with Basel III resulted in increased capital, liquidity, and disclosure requirements.  See the “Regulatory Initiatives Affecting the Banking Industry” section in MD&A for more information.

Changes in income tax laws and interpretations, or in accounting standards, could materially affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Further changes in income tax laws could be enacted, or interpretations of existing income tax laws could change, causing an adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.  Similarly, our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we report our financial condition and results of operations.  Some of these policies require use of estimates and assumptions that may affect the value of our assets, liabilities, and financial results.  Periodically, new accounting standards are issued or existing standards are revised, changing the methods for preparing our financial statements.  These changes are not within our control and may significantly impact our financial condition and results of operations.

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Risks Related to Business Operations

A failure in or breach of our operational systems, information systems, or infrastructure, or those of our third party vendors and other service providers, may result in financial losses, loss of customers, or damage to our reputation.

We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business.  In addition, we rely on third parties to provide key components of our infrastructure, including loan, deposit and general ledger processing, internet connections, and network access.  These types of information and related systems are critical to the operation of our business and essential to our ability to perform day-to-day operations, and, in some cases, are critical to the operations of certain of our customers.  These third parties with which we do business or that facilitate our business activities, including exchanges, clearing firms, financial intermediaries or vendors that provide services or security solutions for our operations, could also be sources of operational and information security risk to us, including breakdowns or failures of their own systems or capacity constraints.  Although we have safeguards and business continuity plans in place, our business operations may be adversely affected by significant and widespread disruption to our physical infrastructure or operating systems that support our business and our customers, resulting in financial losses, loss of customers, or damage to our reputation.

An interruption or breach in security of our information systems or those related to merchants and third party vendors, including as a result of cyber attacks, could disrupt our business, result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, damage our reputation, or result in financial losses.

Our business requires the collection and retention of large volumes of customer data, including payment card numbers and other personally identifiable information in various information systems that we maintain and in those maintained by third parties with whom we contract to provide data services.  We also maintain important internal company data such as personally identifiable information about our employees and information relating to our operations.  The integrity and protection of that customer and company data is important to us.  As customer, public, legislative and regulatory expectations and requirements regarding operational and information security have increased, our operating systems and infrastructure must continue to be safeguarded and monitored for potential failures, disruptions and breakdowns.

Our technologies, systems, networks and software, and those of other financial institutions have been, and are likely to continue to be, the target of cybersecurity threats and attacks, which may range from uncoordinated individual attempts to sophisticated and targeted measures directed at us.  These cybersecurity threats and attacks may include, but are not limited to, attempts to access information, including customer and company information, malicious code, computer viruses and denial of service attacks that could result in unauthorized access, misuse, loss or destruction of data (including confidential customer information), account takeovers, unavailability of service or other events.  These types of threats may result from human error, fraud or malice on the part of external or internal parties, intelligence-gathering by foreign governments, or from accidental technological failure internally or by our vendors.  Further, to access our products and services our customers may use computers and mobile devices that are beyond our security control systems.  The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, has increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions around the world have increased.

Our customers and employees have been, and will continue to be, targeted by parties using fraudulent emails and other communications in attempts to misappropriate passwords, payment card numbers, bank account information or other personal information or to introduce viruses or other malware through “trojan horse” programs to our customers’ devices.  These communications may appear to be legitimate messages sent by the Bank or other businesses, but direct recipients to fake websites operated by the sender of the email or request that the recipient send a password or other confidential information via email or download a program.  Despite our efforts to mitigate these threats through product improvements, use of encryption and authentication technology to secure online transmission of confidential consumer information, and customer and employee education, such attempted frauds against us or our merchants and our third party service providers remain a serious issue.  The pervasiveness of cyber security incidents in general and the risks of cyber-crime are complex and continue to evolve.  In light of several recent high-profile data breaches involving other companies’ losses of customer personal and financial information, we believe this risk could cause customer and/or Bank losses, damage to our brand, and increase our costs through the ongoing cost of technology investments to improve security, as well as the potential financial and reputational impact of a cyber security incident involving the Company.

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Although we make significant efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our information systems and have implemented various measures to manage the risk of a security breach or disruption, there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging.  Even the most well-protected information, networks, systems and facilities remain potentially vulnerable because attempted security breaches, particularly cyber-attacks and intrusions, or disruptions will occur in the future, and because the techniques used in such attempts are constantly evolving and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, in some cases are designed not to be detected and, in fact, may not be detected.  Accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate security barriers or other preventative measures, and thus making it virtually impossible for us to entirely mitigate this risk.  A security breach or other significant disruption could: 1) disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems and therefore our operations and/or those of certain of our customers; 2) result in the unauthorized access to, and destruction, loss, theft, misappropriation or release of confidential, sensitive or otherwise valuable information of ours or our customers, including account numbers and other financial information; 3) result in a violation of applicable privacy, data breach and other laws, subjecting the Bank to additional regulatory scrutiny and exposing the Bank to civil litigation, governmental fines and possible financial liability; 4) require significant management attention and resources to remedy the damages that result; or 5) harm our reputation or cause a decrease in the number of customers that choose to do business with us or reduce the level of business that our customers do with us.  The occurrence of any such failures, disruptions or security breaches could have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows as well as damage our brand and reputation.

Our mortgage banking income may experience significant volatility.

Our mortgage banking income is highly influenced by the level and direction of mortgage interest rates, real estate activity, and refinancing activity.  Interest rates can affect the amount of mortgage banking activity and impact fee income and the fair value of our derivative financial instruments and mortgage servicing rights.  Mortgage banking income may also be impacted by changes in our strategy to manage our residential mortgage portfolio.  For example, we may occasionally decide to add more conforming saleable loans to our portfolio (as opposed to selling the loans in the secondary market) which would reduce our gains on sales of residential mortgage loans.  These variables could adversely affect mortgage banking income.

Our mortgage loan servicing business may be impacted if we do not meet our obligations, or if servicing standards change.

We act as servicer for mortgage loans sold into the secondary market, primarily to government sponsored entities (“GSEs”) such as Fannie Mae.  As a seller and servicer for those loans, we make warranties about their origination and are required to perform servicing according to complex contractual and handbook requirements.  We maintain systems and procedures intended to ensure that we comply with these requirements. We may be penalized and, in limited instances required to repurchase certain mortgages, due to alleged failures to adhere to these requirements.  Should GSEs change the requirements in their servicing handbooks, we may sustain higher compliance costs.

The requirement to record certain assets and liabilities at fair value may adversely affect our financial results.

We report certain assets, including available-for-sale investment securities, at fair value.  Generally, for assets that are reported at fair value we use quoted market prices or valuation models that utilize market data inputs to estimate fair value.  Because we record these assets at their estimated fair value, we may incur losses even if the asset in question presents minimal credit risk.  The level of interest rates can impact the estimated fair value of investment securities.  Disruptions in the capital markets may require us to reserve for credit losses in future periods with respect to investment securities in our portfolio.  The amount and timing of any credit allowance recognized will be measured as the difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and the amount expected to be collected over the security’s lifetime.

Natural disasters and adverse weather could negatively affect real estate property values and bank operations.

Real estate and real estate property values play an important role for the Bank in several ways.  The Bank owns or leases many real estate properties in connection with its operations, primarily located in Hawaii with its unique weather and geology.  Our business operations could suffer to the extent the Bank cannot utilize its branch network due to damage from weather or other natural disasters.  Real estate is also utilized as collateral for many of our loans.  A natural disaster in Hawaii or the Pacific Islands could cause property values in the affected areas to fall, which could require the Bank to record an impairment on its financial statements.  A natural disaster could also impact borrowers’ ability to pay their financial obligations, which would increase our exposure to loan defaults.

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General Risk Factors

Competition may adversely affect our business.

Our future depends on our ability to compete effectively.  We compete for deposits, loans, leases, and other financial services with a variety of competitors, including banks, thrifts, savings associations, credit unions, mortgage companies, finance companies, mutual funds, brokerage firms, insurance companies, and other non-traditional providers of financial services, including financial service subsidiaries of commercial and manufacturing companies.  Some of our competitors are not subject to the same level of regulation and oversight that is required of banks and BHCs, and may benefit from tax exemptions or lower tax rates.  As a result, some of these competitors may have lower cost structures.

We expect competitive conditions to intensify as consolidation in the financial services industry continues.  The financial services industry is also likely to become more competitive as further technological advances enable more companies, including non-depository institutions, to provide financial services.  Also, some of our competitors, through delivery channels such as the Internet, may be based outside of the markets that we serve.

Both federal and local laws provide mechanisms for out-of-state banks and their holding companies to acquire or open branches in our service territories.  Failure to effectively address this competitive risk by competing, innovating and making effective use of new and existing channels to deliver our products and services could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Negative public opinion could damage our reputation and adversely impact our earnings and liquidity.

Reputational risk, or the risk to our business, earnings, liquidity, and capital from negative public opinion, could result from our actual or alleged conduct in a variety of areas, including legal and regulatory compliance, lending practices, corporate governance, litigation, ethical issues, or inadequate protection of customer information.  We expend significant resources to comply with regulatory requirements.  Failure to comply could result in reputational harm or significant legal or remedial costs.  Damage to our reputation could adversely affect our ability to retain and attract new customers, and adversely impact our earnings and liquidity.

We are subject to certain litigation, and our expenses related to this litigation may adversely affect our results.

We are, from time-to-time, involved in various legal proceedings arising from our normal business activities.  These claims and legal actions, including supervisory actions by our regulators, could involve large monetary claims and significant defense costs.  The outcome of these cases is uncertain.  Substantial legal liability or significant regulatory action against us could have material financial effects or cause significant reputational harm to us, which in turn could seriously harm our business prospects.  We may be exposed to substantial uninsured liabilities, which could materially affect our results of operations and financial condition.  Based on information currently available, we believe that the eventual outcome of known actions against us will not be materially in excess of such amounts accrued by us.  However, in the event of unexpected future developments, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of those matters may be material to our financial results for any particular period.  See the Contingencies section of Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Our performance depends on attracting and retaining key employees and skilled personnel to operate our business effectively.

Our success is dependent on our ability to recruit qualified and skilled personnel to operate our business effectively.  Competition for these qualified and skilled people is intense.  There are a limited number of qualified personnel in the markets we serve, so our success depends in part on the continued services of many of our current management and other key employees.  Failure to retain our key employees and maintain adequate staffing of qualified personnel could adversely impact our operations and our ability to compete.

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The soundness of other financial institutions may adversely impact our financial condition or results of operations.

Our ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions.  Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, lending, counterparty, or other relationships.  As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions or the financial services industry in general have led to market-wide liquidity problems and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions.  We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual 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 realized upon or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan or derivative exposure due us.  Such losses could materially affect our financial condition or results of operations.

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Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2.  Properties

Our principal offices are located in the Financial Plaza of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.  We own and lease other branch offices and operating facilities located throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.  Additional information with respect to premises and equipment is presented in Notes 6 and 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings

We are from time to time subject to lawsuits, investigations and claims arising out of the conduct of our business.  Management believes that the ultimate resolution of these matters is not likely to materially affect our financial position and results of operations.  For additional information, see Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, under the discussion related to Contingencies.

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not Applicable.

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Part II

Item 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information, Shareholders, and Dividends

Information regarding the historical market prices of the Parent’s common stock, book value, and dividends declared on that stock are shown below.

Market Prices, Book Values, and Common Stock Dividends Per Share

The common stock of the Parent is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE Symbol: BOH) and quoted daily in leading financial publications.  As of February 16, 2021, there were 5,456 common shareholders of record.

The Parent’s Board of Directors considers on a quarterly basis the feasibility of paying a cash dividend to its shareholders and the level and feasibility of repurchasing shares of the Parent’s common stock.  Under the Parent’s historical practice, dividends declared are paid within the quarter.  See “Dividend Restrictions” under “Supervision and Regulation” in Item 1 of this report and Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

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Performance Graph

The following graph shows the cumulative total return for the Parent’s common stock compared to the cumulative total returns for the Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) 500 Index and the S&P Banks Index.  The graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2015, in the Parent’s common stock, the S&P 500 Index, and the S&P Banks Index.  The cumulative total return on each investment is as of December 31 of each of the subsequent five years and assumes reinvestment of dividends.

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Item 6.  Selected Financial Data

Summary of Selected Consolidated Financial Data