Hope Bancorp (HOPE) Form 4 HOPE BANCORP / Alex Ko ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Ko Alex

(Last) (First) (Middle)

3200 WILSHIRE BLVD.

SUITE 1400

(Street)

LOS ANGELES CA 90010

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HOPE BANCORP INC [ HOPE ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
EVP, CFO

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/27/2017

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	10/27/2017		S		40,000	D	$18.915(1)	10,088	D
Common Stock (Restricted Stock)								4,997(2)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	(3)							(3)	(3)	Common Stock	2,000		2,000	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	(4)							07/27/2020(4)	(4)	Common Stock	1,000(4)		1,000(4)	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	(5)							07/27/2020(5)	(5)	Common Stock	1,000(5)		1,000(5)	D
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)	$17.18							(6)	09/01/2026	Common Stock	20,000		20,000	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $18.91 to $18.92, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to HOPE Bancorp, Inc., any security holder of HOPE Bancorp, Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the ranges set forth in footnote (1) to this Form 4.

2. 4,997 represents Restricted Stock granted on 04/08/15 and 03/16/16 which are still outstanding including any accrued dividend to date. These shares will vest in March-April 2018 and 2019 according to previously disclosed vesting schedules.

3. Total 2,000 Restricted Stock Units (RSU) were granted on July 27, 2017 pursuant to the Hope Bancorp, Inc. ("Hope") 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan ("2017 LTIP") and BBCN Bancorp, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan ("2016 ICP"). Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 667 shares each will vest annually on July 27, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

4. 1,000 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on July 27, 2017 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified increase in the cumulative quarterly earnings per share during the 10-quarter period from July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.

5. 1,000 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on July 27, 2017 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative ranking of the total stockholder return in relation to the KRX Index over a 10-quarter period from July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.

6. Options granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP. Options vest annually in five equal installments on September 1st of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Remarks:

	/s/Claire Hur as attorney-in-fact for Alex Ko	10/31/2017
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
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