Territorial Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: TBNK) (“Territorial” or the
“Company”) today announced it is mailing a letter to Territorial
shareholders in connection with the Company’s upcoming Special
Meeting of Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) to vote on the
proposed merger with Hope Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOPE) (“Hope
Bancorp”) and related proposals. The Special Meeting is scheduled
for November 6, 2024 at 8:30 a.m., Hawai‘i Time. Territorial
shareholders of record as of August 14, 2024 are entitled to vote
at or before the meeting. Other important information related to
the Special Meeting can be found at
www.TerritorialandHopeCombination.com.
Highlights from the letter being mailed today include:
- Hope Bancorp Merger Provides Territorial Shareholders
with Significant Value and Substantial Upside Opportunity.
The merger is a 100% tax free, stock-for-stock transaction under
which Territorial shareholders will receive 0.8048 shares of Hope
Bancorp common stock for each share of Territorial common stock
they own. This per share consideration represents an approximate
25% premium to Territorial’s closing stock price just prior to the
merger announcement. Additionally, Territorial shareholders will
benefit from the considerable upside value of the stronger combined
company as well as $10.5 million of incremental value from annual
merger enabled cost savings and synergies, and Hope Bancorp’s
dividend, which is more than 1,000% higher than Territorial’s
standalone quarterly dividend.
- As a Result of Merger, Territorial Shareholders Will be
Investors in a Larger, More Diversified Regional Bank with Exciting
Growth Opportunities. The combined company will have
increased resources and expanded growth investment opportunities as
well as a more resilient business that is better able to navigate
market cycles.
- Merger Preserves Territorial’s Unwavering Commitment to
Hawai‘i and Provides Benefits to Customers, Employees and
Communities. Local branch and all other operations will
continue to be led by local teams with customers able to rely on
the same people they know and respect. Employees will continue to
receive competitive compensation and benefits with new career
opportunities. Hope Bancorp has committed to building on
Territorial’s more than 100-year legacy of supporting Territorial’s
local communities.
- Blue Hill’s Preliminary Indication of Interest is
Illusory, Non-Binding and Highly Conditional. Blue Hill
does not have committed financing, and its suggested transaction is
dependent on numerous conditions, including its ability to overcome
significant regulatory hurdles in a regulatory process that Blue
Hill has not yet started. Blue Hill is a newly created entity and
appears to lack M&A and regulatory experience with transactions
of this size and complexity.
- Blue Hill Exposes Territorial Shareholders to
Significant Risk and Uncertainty. Under Blue Hill’s Preliminary
Indication of Interest, Territorial’s Stock Could be Worth
Substantially Less Than it Is Today. In addition to
significant challenges in gaining regulatory approvals, a leading
proxy solicitation firm has stated that it is highly unlikely that
Blue Hill can meet its required tender threshold given the
composition of Territorial’s shareholder base. If Blue Hill does
not acquire 100% of outstanding Territorial shares, Territorial’s
shareholders could be left with an illiquid, stub minority
investment in a controlled company. Territorial would face the
declining performance and limited growth prospects that it does
today as a small, monoline one- to four- family loan focused bank
with limited scale.
- Blue Hill Is Unlikely to Deliver Its Claimed Benefits
to Hawaiʻi. Rather, Blue Hill’s Transaction Could be Detrimental
to Hawaiʻi, Jobs and Communities. In press reports and
elsewhere, Blue Hill repeatedly emphasizes “local management,” but
none of its named principals appear to primarily reside in Hawaiʻi,
according to public information. Blue Hill’s registered business
address appears to be a residential home in Hudson, New York. There
would likely need to be significant job cuts and reduced
investments in areas such as technology in order for Blue Hill to
reach its stated financial targets after it took control of
Territorial.
The Territorial Board of Directors unanimously recommends that
shareholders vote FOR the Hope Bancorp merger and related proposals
TODAY.
The full text of the letter being mailed to shareholders
follows:
Dear Fellow Territorial Bancorp Shareholders,
As previously announced, Territorial Bancorp has entered into a
definitive agreement to merge with Hope Bancorp. This transaction
delivers significant value to Territorial shareholders and provides
you with the opportunity to benefit from the substantial upside
opportunities of a larger, more diversified regional bank.
On November 6, 2024, Territorial will hold a Special Meeting of
Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) to vote on this transaction.
How you vote will influence the value of your Territorial
investment.The Board unanimously
recommends that Territorial shareholders vote FOR the Hope Bancorp
merger and related proposals.
Compelling Value for Territorial
Shareholders
The merger is structured as a 100% tax free, stock-for-stock
transaction under which Territorial shareholders will receive
0.8048 shares of Hope Bancorp common stock for each share of
Territorial common stock they own. This per share consideration
represents:
- ~ 25% premium1 to
Territorial’s closing stock price just prior to the merger
announcement
- Strong implied transaction multiples across
all relevant metrics, including earnings per share and adjusted
tangible book value per share
Opportunity to Participate in Future
Growth and Value Creation
The all-stock consideration in the merger will allow Territorial
shareholders to participate in the considerable strategic,
operating and financial benefits we anticipate unlocking through
the combination:
- Larger, more diversified footprint, expanding
our opportunities and reducing our risks
- Solid financial position and greater
access to capital, enabling the combined company to
capture its many new growth opportunities and invest in new
technology and solutions to continue expanding our portfolio and
penetrating our markets
- 1,000%+ increase to Territorial’s standalone
dividend, increasing from $0.01 per share to $0.11 per share3
- $10.5 million of incremental value from annual
merger enabled cost savings and synergies
- Immediate accretion at close, tapping into
Hope Bancorp’s double-digit percentage EPS growth v. Territorial’s
losses as a standalone company
The transaction with Hope Bancorp will vault Territorial into a
new class of banking institutions. With a broader footprint
and diverse revenue streams, we will become part of a significantly
more resilient business better able to navigate market environments
to drive growth and shareholder value.
Preserves Territorial’s Unwavering
Commitment to Hawai‘i Market
Territorial has been part of the fabric of our local communities
across Hawai‘i for more than 100 years, and with this transaction –
local leadership, local operations, local relationships, all remain
in place.
Territorial Savings Bank |
Employees |
Customers |
Communities |
- Continuing to operate under Territorial name
|
- Continued strong local workforce
- Retaining all customer-facing branch staff to ensure
relationship continuity for customers
- Competitive compensation, benefits
- New career advancement opportunities
|
- Access to expanded array of banking products & services
- Benefits from enhanced technology platforms for improved
customer experiences
- Additional choices for customers
- Continued reliance on teams at local branches
|
- Shared cultural values that emphasize volunteerism
and active engagement with local communities
- Ongoing commitment to Territorial’s legacy of community
support and investment
|
Blue Hill’s Unsolicited Preliminary
Indication of Interest is Not in the Best Interest of Territorial
Shareholders, Customers, Employees or Communities in
Hawaiʻi
After our definitive merger agreement with Hope Bancorp was
reached and announced, Blue Hill Advisors LLC (“Blue Hill”) – a
recently formed entity with only three disclosed investors –
delivered its self-labeled “preliminary indication of interest” to
acquire Territorial Bancorp for $12.50 per share in cash through a
tender offer, with the potential option for holders of up to 30% of
Territorial shares to remain investors in the Company.
In consultation with its legal and financial advisors, the
Territorial Board carefully considered the Blue Hill preliminary
indication of interest on multiple occasions. The Board unanimously
determined to reject the preliminary indication of interest because
the Board does not believe that it is a superior proposal, or
likely to lead to a superior proposal, as defined by the terms of
the Hope Bancorp merger agreement. We firmly believe that our
merger with Hope Bancorp remains in the best interest of
Territorial shareholders.
Blue Hill’s Non-Binding, Preliminary
Indication of Interest is Highly Conditional
- No committed financing to purchase Territorial
- Requires side agreements with undisclosed terms to be
negotiated and signed by numerous unidentified investors
- Subject to an undefined due diligence process
- Dependent on overcoming significant hurdles in a regulatory
process that Blue Hill has not yet started and would be
challenging
Blue Hill’s Cloak of Secrecy and
Anonymity Creates Substantial Regulatory Risk and Uncertainty for
Territorial Shareholders
We find it difficult to believe that either federal or Hawaiʻi
regulators would allow Blue Hill to purchase Territorial based on
the following:
- No evidence that Blue Hill, its named principals nor its
undisclosed investors have obtained – or even tried to obtain –
regulatory approval for a transaction of this size and complexity
based on information it has provided to Territorial
- Blue Hill says it will immediately reconstitute the Territorial
Board after it gains control of the Company, but has not disclosed
the names of its new directors or the individuals who will replace
Territorial’s current management
- Blue Hill has not shared any detailed business plan, including
specifics on Board, management, strategy, resources, capital
planning, policies and procedures if it were to gain control of
Territorial – all of which are required in the regulatory
process
- Blue Hill was only established in February of 2023
- According to public sources, Blue Hill’s registered business
address appears to be a residential home in Hudson, New York
Even if Blue Hill were to gain regulatory approval, its
ability to complete a tender offer is highly unlikely.
Based on advice from a leading proxy solicitation firm whose
principals have overseen hundreds of tender offers over the past
40+ years, it is highly unlikely that Blue Hill could achieve its
required 70% tender threshold given the composition of
Territorial’s shareholder base. Abandonment of the Hope Bancorp
merger and the failure of the Blue Hill transaction to materialize
would leave Territorial significantly weakened in the aftermath of
two failed deals with significant standalone business risks.
Under Blue Hill’s Preliminary Indication
of Interest, Territorial’s Stock – and the Value of Your Investment
– Could be Worth Substantially Less Than It Is Today
If Blue Hill is unable to complete a 100% tender, the remaining
Territorial shareholders would be left with an illiquid, stub
minority investment in a controlled company. Blue Hill’s
undisclosed investors – who would control the Company – have
provided no assurance that they would serve all shareholders’
interests and have not defined a governance structure that ensures
they do.
As a standalone company, Territorial would face the same
business and value downside risks that Territorial faces today as a
small, monoline one- to four- family loan focused bank with limited
scale.
Unlike the Hope Bancorp stock-based transaction, Blue Hill’s
cash-based transaction creates immediate tax consequences, which
could leave Territorial shareholders with less – in some cases
substantially less – than the $12.50 per share consideration.
Blue Hill is Not Positioned to Deliver
Its Claimed Benefits to Hawaiʻi. Rather, Blue Hill’s Transaction
Could be Detrimental to Hawaiʻi, Jobs and Communities
In press reports and elsewhere, Blue Hill repeatedly emphasizes
“local management,” but:
- None of Blue Hill’s named principals appear to
primarily reside in Hawaiʻi, according to public information.
- Blue Hill is not based in Hawaiʻi. Blue Hill’s
registered business address4 appears to be a residential home in
Hudson, New York, which is also for rent5 on apartments.com.
- Blue Hill has provided no assurances as to
whether it would reduce employment levels, change employee
compensation or benefits, or reduce investments in communities
after it gains control of Territorial.
- In order for Blue Hill to reach its targeted 55% efficiency
ratio, there would likely need to be significant job
cuts and reduced investments in areas
such as technology.
Protect Your Territorial Investment and
Ensure You Have the Opportunity to Realize the Upside Value Created
by the Territorial + Hope Bancorp Combination by Voting
FOR the Merger Today
We are on a path to complete our merger with Hope Bancorp by the
end of 2024. The Hope Bancorp merger will create a stronger, more
diversified regional bank with an expanded footprint and
diversified offerings to drive future growth. The merger will
provide Territorial shareholders with compelling value and the
opportunity to participate in the considerable upside of our
combined business, and it will enable Territorial to build on our
more than 100-year legacy of supporting our local Hawai‘i
communities.
We urge you to consider the concrete and compelling
opportunities that the Hope Bancorp merger will create and not be
distracted and deceived by Blue Hill’s illusory, non-binding,
highly conditional preliminary indication of interest.
The Territorial Board of Directors unanimously recommends that
you vote FOR the Hope Bancorp merger and related proposals TODAY.
You can vote by internet, telephone or mail.
On behalf of the Territorial Board of Directors and management
team, thank you for your continued support of Territorial
Bancorp.
Allan S. Kitagawa Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
Executive Officer
Your Vote Is Important, No Matter How Many or How Few
Shares You Own! |
Please take a moment to vote FOR the proposals set forth on the
enclosed proxy card — by Internet, telephone toll-free or by
signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting
instruction form. Vote well in advance of the Special Meeting on
November 6, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Hawaiʻi Time.If you have questions
about how to vote your shares, please contact: |
Laurel Hill Advisory GroupCall toll-free: (888)
742-1305Banks and brokers should call: (516) 933-3100 |
|
About Us
Territorial Bancorp Inc., headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, is
the stock holding company for Territorial Savings Bank. Territorial
Savings Bank is a state-chartered savings bank which was originally
chartered in 1921 by the Territory of Hawaiʻi. Territorial Savings
Bank conducts business from its headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi,
and has 28 branch offices in the state of Hawaiʻi. For additional
information, please visit https://www.tsbHawaiʻi.bank.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains certain statements regarding future
events or the future financial performance of Territorial Bancorp
Inc. (“Territorial”) and its proposed merger with Hope Bancorp,
Inc. (“Hope Bancorp”) that constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other
things, expectations regarding the combined company’s deposit base,
diversification of the loan portfolio as well as overall risk
diversification, capital to support growth, strengthened
opportunities, enhanced value, geographic expansion, and statements
about the proposed transaction being immediately accretive.
Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words
“will,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,”
“estimates,” “outlook,” or similar expressions. These statements
are subject to risks and uncertainties. Hope Bancorp’s actual
results, performance or achievements may differ materially from the
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statements. The closing of the proposed transaction
is subject to regulatory approvals, the approval of Territorial
Bancorp stockholders, and other customary closing conditions. There
is no assurance that such conditions will be met or that the
proposed merger will be consummated within the expected time frame,
or at all. If the transaction is consummated, factors that may
cause actual outcomes to differ from what is expressed or
forecasted in these forward-looking statements include, among
things: difficulties and delays in integrating Hope Bancorp and
Territorial and achieving anticipated synergies, cost savings and
other financial benefits from the transaction; higher than
anticipated transaction costs; deposit attrition, operating costs,
customer loss and business disruption following the merger,
including difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees
and customers; and inability to obtain required governmental
approvals of the merger on its proposed terms and expected time
frames, or without regulatory constraints that may limit growth.
Other risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
possible further deterioration in economic conditions in Hope
Bancorp’s or Territorial’s areas of operation or elsewhere;
interest rate risk associated with volatile interest rates and
related asset-liability matching risk; liquidity risks; risk of
significant non-earning assets, and net credit losses that could
occur, particularly in times of weak economic conditions or times
of rising interest rates; the failure of or changes to assumptions
and estimates underlying Hope Bancorp’s or Territorial’s allowances
for credit losses; potential increases in deposit insurance
assessments and regulatory risks associated with current and future
regulations; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be
instituted against Hope Bancorp or Territorial; the risk that any
announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have
adverse effects on the market price of the common stock of either
or both Hope Bancorp and Territorial; and diversion of management’s
attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities. For
additional information concerning these and other risk factors, see
Hope Bancorp’s and Territorial’s most recent Annual Reports on Form
10-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). These forward-looking statements are made
only as of the date of this presentation and are not guarantees of
future results, performance or outcomes. Hope Bancorp and
Territorial do not undertake, and specifically disclaim any
obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect the
occurrence of events or circumstances after the date of such
statements except as required by law.
Additional Information about the Merger with Hope
Bancorp and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger with Hope Bancorp, Hope
Bancorp has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form
S-4, containing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which has been
mailed or otherwise delivered to Territorial’s stockholders on or
about August 29, 2024, as supplemented September 12, 2024. Hope
Bancorp and Territorial may file additional relevant materials with
the SEC. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE
FILED OR FURNISHED OR WILL BE FILED OR FURNISHED WITH THE SEC, AS
WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY
AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED
MATTERS. You may obtain any of the documents filed with or
furnished to the SEC by Hope Bancorp or Territorial at no cost from
the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Investor / Media Contact:
Walter IdaSVP, Director of Investor
Relations808-946-1400walter.ida@territorialsavings.net
_____________________________________1 Based on Territorial and
Hope Bancorp’s closing prices as of Apr 26, 2024 (day before merger
announcement)2 Hope Bancorp recently closed its branch purchase
& assumption agreement for the sale of its two branches in
Virginia3 Based on 0.8048 fixed exchange ratio and Hope Bancorp’s
$0.14 current per share dividend4 Per the LLC entity information
filed with New York State5
https://www.apartments.com/286-blue-hill-rd-hudson-ny/y5jxrls/
A photo accompanying this announcement is available
at:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/163aeb3e-6965-40d9-884c-04b67906b0b4
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