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



FORM 10-Q

ý   QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009

OR

o

 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                                to                               

Commission File Number: 00-30747

PACWEST BANCORP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  33-0885320
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

401 West "A" Street
San Diego, California

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

92101
(Zip Code)

(619) 233-5588
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



         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 ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes o    No o

         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 definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer o   Accelerated filer ý   Non-accelerated filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
  Smaller reporting company o

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o    No ý

         As of May 5, 2009 there were 31,066,796 shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding, excluding 1,245,140 shares of unvested restricted stock.


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
   
   
  Page

PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

  3

 

ITEM 1.

 

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 
3

     

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 
3

     

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss)

 
4

     

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 
5

     

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity

 
6

     

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 
7

     

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 
8

 

ITEM 2.

 

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 
20

 

ITEM 3.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 
45

 

ITEM 4.

 

Controls and Procedures

 
46

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

 
47

 

ITEM 1.

 

Legal Proceedings

 
47

 

ITEM 1A.

 

Risk Factors

 
47

 

ITEM 2.

 

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 
47

 

ITEM 6.

 

Exhibits

 
47

SIGNATURES

 
48

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

2


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PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1.    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands, except share data)
 

Assets:

             

Cash and due from banks

  $ 118,009   $ 100,925  

Federal funds sold

        165  
           
 

Total cash and cash equivalents

    118,009     101,090  

Interest-bearing deposits in financial institutions

    95,758     58,780  

Investments:

             
 

Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost

    33,782     33,782  
 

Securities available-for-sale (amortized cost of $137,531 at March 31, 2009

             
   

and $119,074 at December 31, 2008)

    141,106     121,577  
           
   

Total investments

    174,888     155,359  

Loans, net of unearned income

    3,924,285     3,987,891  
 

Less allowance for loan losses

    (71,361 )   (63,519 )
           
   

Net loans

    3,852,924     3,924,372  

Premises and equipment, net

    24,202     24,675  

Other real estate owned, net

    47,673     41,310  

Accrued interest receivable

    14,939     15,976  

Core deposit and customer relationship intangibles

    37,675     39,922  

Cash surrender value of life insurance

    66,198     70,588  

Other assets

    63,804     63,430  
           
   

Total assets

  $ 4,496,070   $ 4,495,502  
           

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:

             

Deposits:

             
 

Noninterest-bearing

  $ 1,223,884   $ 1,165,485  
 

Interest-bearing

    2,176,932     2,309,730  
           
   

Total deposits

    3,400,816     3,475,215  

Accrued interest payable and other liabilities

    46,302     64,567  

Borrowings

    450,000     450,000  

Subordinated debentures

    129,946     129,994  
           
   

Total liabilities

    4,027,064     4,119,776  
           

Stockholders' equity:

             
 

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 5,000,000 shares; none issued and outstanding

         
 

Common stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 50,000,000 shares; 32,369,335 shares issued at March 31, 2009 and 28,528,466 shares issued at December 31, 2008 (includes 1,267,405 and 1,309,586 shares of unvested restricted stock, respectively)

    323     285  
 

Capital surplus

    1,001,743     909,922  
 

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)

    (534,231 )   (535,676 )
 

Treasury stock, at cost—42,830 shares at March 31, 2009 and 12,360 shares at December 31, 2008

    (903 )   (257 )
 

Accumulated other comprehensive income—unrealized gain on

             
   

securities available-for-sale, net

    2,074     1,452  
           
   

Total stockholders' equity

    469,006     375,726  
           
   

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 4,496,070   $ 4,495,502  
           

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

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UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (LOSS)

 
  Quarter Ended  
 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
  March 31,
2008
 
 
  (In thousands, except per share data)
 

Interest income:

                   
 

Interest and fees on loans

  $ 61,847   $ 66,507   $ 75,653  
 

Interest on federal funds sold

        75     40  
 

Interest on deposits in financial institutions

    61     176     3  
 

Interest on investment securities

    1,546     1,707     1,701  
               
   

Total interest income

    63,454     68,465     77,397  
               

Interest expense:

                   
 

Deposits

    9,320     11,416     11,821  
 

Borrowings

    3,582     4,217     5,307  
 

Subordinated debentures

    1,779     2,107     2,409  
               
   

Total interest expense

    14,681     17,740     19,537  
               
   

Net interest income before provision for credit losses

    48,773     50,725     57,860  

Provision for credit losses

    14,000     8,800     26,000  
               
   

Net interest income after provision for credit losses

    34,773     41,925     31,860  
               

Noninterest income:

                   
 

Service charges on deposit accounts

    3,149     3,420     3,224  
 

Other commissions and fees

    1,685     2,062     1,519  
 

Gain on sale of loans, net

            269  
 

Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance

    439     584     587  
 

Other income

    808     476     870  
               
   

Total noninterest income

    6,081     6,542     6,469  
               

Noninterest expense:

                   
 

Compensation

    19,331     15,088     18,846  
 

Occupancy

    5,246     5,273     4,731  
 

Furniture and equipment

    1,140     1,137     1,139  
 

Data processing

    1,628     1,590     1,543  
 

Other professional services

    1,524     1,688     1,415  
 

Business development

    725     789     756  
 

Communications

    693     766     824  
 

Insurance and assessments

    1,598     1,148     540  
 

Other real estate owned, net

    997     748     (26 )
 

Intangible asset amortization

    2,247     2,332     2,530  
 

Reorganization and lease charges

    1,215          
 

Goodwill write-off

            275,000  
 

Other

    2,625     3,260     2,914  
               
   

Total noninterest expense

    38,969     33,819     310,212  
               

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

    1,885     14,648     (271,883 )

Income taxes

    440     5,027     840  
               
 

Net earnings (loss)

  $ 1,445   $ 9,621   $ (272,723 )
               

Number of outstanding shares (weighted average):

                   
 

Basic

    30,495.2     27,202.9     27,145.2  
 

Diluted

    30,495.7     27,203.7     27,145.2  

Earnings (loss) per share:

                   
 

Basic

  $ 0.04   $ 0.34   $ (10.05 )
 

Diluted

  $ 0.04   $ 0.34   $ (10.05 )

Dividends declared per share

  $ 0.32   $ 0.32   $ 0.32  

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

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UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

 
  Quarter Ended
March 31,
 
 
  2009   2008  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Net earnings (loss)

  $ 1,445   $ (272,723 )

Other comprehensive income, net of related income taxes:

             
 

Unrealized holding gains on securities available-for-sale arising during the period

    622     563  
           

Comprehensive net income (loss)

  $ 2,067   $ (272,160 )
           

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

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UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 
  Common Stock    
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income
   
 
 
  Shares   Par
Value
  Capital
Surplus
  (Accumulated
Deficit)
  Treasury
Stock
  Total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands, except share data)
 

Balance at December 31, 2008

    28,516,106   $ 285   $ 909,922   $ (535,676 ) $ (257 ) $ 1,452   $ 375,726  

Net earnings

                1,445             1,445  

Issuance of common stock

    3,846,153     38     99,962                       100,000  

Tax effect from vesting of restricted stock

            (174 )               (174 )

Restricted stock awarded and earned stock compensation, net of shares forfeited

    (5,284 )       2,199                 2,199  

Restricted stock and DDCP shares surrendered

    (30,470 )               (646 )       (646 )

Cash dividends paid ($0.32 per share)

            (10,166 )                 (10,166 )

Other comprehensive income—increase in net unrealized gain on securities available-for-sale, net of tax effect of $450 thousand

                          622     622  
                               

Balance at March 31, 2009

    32,326,505   $ 323   $ 1,001,743   $ (534,231 ) $ (903 ) $ 2,074   $ 469,006  
                               

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

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UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 
  Quarter Ended
March 31,
 
 
  2009   2008  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Cash flows from operating activities:

             
 

Net earnings (loss)

  $ 1,445   $ (272,723 )
   

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:

             
     

Goodwill write-off

        275,000  
     

Depreciation and amortization

    3,619     3,739  
     

Provision for credit losses

    14,000     26,000  
     

Loss (gain) on sale of other real estate owned

    37     (98 )
     

Other real estate owned valuation adjustment

    534      
     

Loss (gain) on sale of loans

        (269 )
     

Gain on sale of premises and equipment

    (19 )    
     

Proceeds from sale of loans held for sale

        6,535  
     

Origination of loans held for sale

        (2,869 )
     

Restricted stock amortization

    2,199     952  
     

Tax effect included in stockholders' equity of restricted stock vesting

    174     (5 )
     

Decrease in accrued and deferred income taxes, net

    814     810  
     

Decrease in other assets

    7,066     1,249  
     

Partial settlement with FDIC on SPB deposit acquisition

    (15,520 )    
     

(Decrease) increase in accrued interest payable and other liabilities

    (5,068 )   32  
     

Dividends on FHLB stock

        (253 )
           
 

Net cash provided by operating activities

    9,281     38,100  
           

Cash flows from investing activities:

             
 

Net (increase) decrease in net loans outstanding

    44,326     (1,385 )
 

Proceeds from sale of loans

        22,110  
 

Net decrease (increase) in deposits in financial institutions

    (36,978 )   134  
 

Securities available-for-sale:

             
   

Maturities

    15,323     12,623  
   

Purchases

    (33,786 )   (22,362 )
 

Purchases of FHLB stock

        (5,866 )
 

Proceeds from sale of other real estate owned

    5,060     966  
 

Purchases of premises and equipment, net

    (1,001 )   (803 )
 

Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment

    79     54  
           
 

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

    (6,977 )   5,471  
           

Cash flows from financing activities:

             
 

Net increase (decrease) in deposits:

             
   

Noninterest-bearing

    58,399     65,356  
   

Interest-bearing

    (132,798 )   8,642  
 

Redemptions of subordinated debentures

        (8,248 )
 

Net proceeds from issuance of common stock

    100,000      
 

Net surrenders from exercise and vesting of stock awards

    (646 )   (6 )
 

Tax effect included in stockholders' equity of restricted stock vesting

    (174 )   5  
 

Net decrease in borrowings

        (72,200 )
 

Cash dividends paid

    (10,166 )   (8,830 )
           
 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    14,615     (15,281 )
           

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

    16,919     28,290  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

    101,090     101,363  
           

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $ 118,009   $ 129,653  
           

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

             
 

Cash paid during period for interest

  $ 15,441   $ 20,006  
 

Cash received during period for income taxes

    (393 )    
 

Transfer of loans to other real estate owned

    11,700     4,187  
 

Transfer from loans held-for-sale to loans

        2,834  
 

Transfer from loans to loans held-for-sale

        22,085  

See "Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements."

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NOTE 1—BASIS OF PRESENTATION

        PacWest Bancorp is a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Our principal business is to serve as a holding company for our banking subsidiary, Pacific Western Bank, which we refer to as Pacific Western or the Bank. When we say "we", "our" or the "Company", we mean the Company on a consolidated basis with the Bank. When we refer to "PacWest" or to the holding company, we are referring to the parent company on a stand-alone basis.

        We have completed 20 acquisitions since May 2000 including the merger whereby the former Rancho Santa Fe National Bank and First Community Bank of the Desert became wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company in a pooling-of-interests transaction. All other acquisitions have been accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and, accordingly, their operating results have been included in the consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. Please see Notes 2 and 3 for more information about our acquisitions.

        The accounting and reporting policies of the Company are in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, which we refer to as GAAP. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

        Our financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to present a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The interim operating results are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the full year.

        Management of the Company has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period to prepare these consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates subject to change in the near term include, among other items, the allowance for credit losses, the carrying values of intangible assets and the realization of deferred tax assets.

NOTE 2—ACQUISITIONS

        All of the acquisitions consummated after December 31, 2000 were completed using the purchase method of accounting. Accordingly, we recorded the estimated merger-related charges associated with each acquisition as a liability at closing when the related purchase price was allocated. For each acquisition, we developed an integration plan for the Company that addressed, among other things, requirements for staffing, systems platforms, branch locations and other facilities. The established plans were evaluated regularly during the integration process and have been modified as required. The majority of the remaining merger-related liability represents the estimated lease payments, net of estimated sublease income, for the remaining life of leases for abandoned space. The following table presents the activity in the merger-related liability account summarized in the following primary categories: (i) severance and employee-related charges; (ii) asset write-downs, lease termination costs for abandoned space and other facility-related costs; and (iii) other charges for the three months ended March 31, 2009:

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NOTE 2—ACQUISITIONS (Continued)

 
  Severance and
Employee-related
  Asset
Write-downs,
Lease
Terminations
and Other
Facilities-related
  Other   Total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Balance at December 31, 2008

  $ 12   $ 730   $ 237   $ 979  

Adjustments related to prior acquisitions

        560         560  

Non-cash write-downs and other

        234     (234 )    

Cash outlays

    (3 )   (131 )   (3 )   (137 )
                   

Balance at March 31, 2009

  $ 9   $ 1,393   $   $ 1,402  
                   

NOTE 3—GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

        Goodwill and intangible assets arise from purchase business combinations. The goodwill previously recorded had been assigned to our one reporting unit—banking operations. Goodwill and other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives generated from purchase business combinations are not subject to amortization and are instead tested for impairment no less than annually. We wrote-off $275.0 million of goodwill in the first quarter of 2008 and the remaining $486.7 million of our goodwill in the second quarter of 2008. Such charges had no effect on the Company's or the Bank's cash balances or liquidity. In addition, because goodwill and other intangible assets are not included in the calculation of regulatory capital, the Company's and the Bank's well-capitalized regulatory ratios have not been affected by this non-cash expense.

        Our intangible assets with definite lives are core deposit intangibles, or CDI, and customer relationship intangibles, or CRI. These intangible assets are amortized over their useful lives to their estimated residual values and reviewed for impairment at least quarterly. If the recoverable amount of the intangible asset is determined to be less than its carrying value, we would then measure the amount of impairment based on an estimate of the intangible asset's fair value at that time. If the fair value is below the carrying value, the intangible asset is reduced to such fair value and impairment is recognized as noninterest expense in the financial statements.

        The following table presents the changes in the gross amounts of CDI and CRI and the related accumulated amortization for the quarters ended March 31, 2009 and 2008 and December 31, 2008:

 
  Quarters Ended  
 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
  March 31,
2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Gross amount:

                   
 

Balance at the beginning of the period

  $ 72,990   $ 70,805   $ 70,805  
 

Additions

        5,757      
               
 

Balance at the end of the period

    72,990     76,562     70,805  
               

Accumulated amortization:

                   
 

Balance at the beginning of the period

    (33,068 )   (34,308 )   (27,020 )
 

Amortization

    (2,247 )   (2,332 )   (2,530 )
               
 

Balance at the end of the period

    (35,315 )   (36,640 )   (29,550 )
               
 

Net balance at the end of the period

  $ 37,675   $ 39,922   $ 41,255  
               

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NOTE 3—GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

        The decline in the gross amount of the intangible assets for the first quarter of 2009 was due to fully amortized CDI and CRI totaling $3.6 million. The estimated aggregate amortization expense related to the intangible assets is expected to be $9.2 million for 2009. The estimated aggregate amortization expense related to these intangible assets for each of the subsequent four years is $8.5 million, $7.0 million, $4.6 million, and $3.3 million.

NOTE 4—INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND FHLB STOCK

        The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and fair value of securities available-for-sale as of March 31, 2009 are as follows:

 
  March 31, 2009  
 
  Amortized cost   Gross unrealized gains   Gross unrealized losses   Fair value  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Government and government-sponsored entity mortgage-backed securities

  $ 102,418   $ 3,361   $ 12   $ 105,767  

Government-sponsored entity debt securities

    25,999     130     51     26,078  

Municipal securities

    7,340     207     60     7,487  

Other securities

    1,774             1,774  
                   

Total

  $ 137,531   $ 3,698   $ 123   $ 141,106  
                   

        The contractual maturity distribution of our securities portfolio based on amortized cost and fair value as of March 31, 2009, is shown below. Mortgage-backed securities have contractual terms to maturity, but require periodic payments to reduce principal. In addition, expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because obligors and/or issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

 
  Maturity distribution as of
March 31, 2009
 
 
  Amortized cost   Fair value  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Due in one year or less

  $ 6,924   $ 6,952  

Due after one year through five years

    17,485     17,838  

Due after five years through ten years

    17,635     17,814  

Due after ten years

    95,487     98,502  
           

Total

  $ 137,531   $ 141,106  
           

        At March 31, 2009, the fair value of debt securities and mortgage-backed debt securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) was approximately $79.8 million. We do not own any non-agency mortgage-backed securities or any equity securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. See Note 7 for a discussion of fair value measurements and methodology.

        As of March 31, 2009 securities available-for-sale with a fair value of $139.3 million were pledged as security for borrowings, public deposits and other purposes as required by various statutes and agreements.

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NOTE 4—INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND FHLB STOCK (Continued)

        The following table presents the fair value and unrealized losses on securities that were temporarily impaired as of March 31, 2009. At March 31, 2009 none of the securities in our investment portfolio had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer.

 
  Impairment Period    
   
 
 
  Less than 12 months   12 months or longer   Total  
Descriptions of securities
  Fair Value   Unrealized
Losses
  Fair Value   Unrealized
Losses
  Fair Value   Unrealized
Losses
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Government and government-sponsored entity mortgage-backed securities

  $ 2,941   $ 12   $   $   $ 2,941   $ 12  

Government-sponsored entity debt securities

    8,949     51             8,949     51  

Municipal securities

    2,280     60             2,280     60  
                           

Total temporarily impaired
securities

  $ 14,170   $ 123   $   $   $ 14,170   $ 123  
                           

        FHLB stock.    The Company has a $33.8 million investment in Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLB) stock which is carried at cost at March 31, 2009. In January 2009, the FHLB announced it suspended excess FHLB stock redemptions and dividend payments. We evaluated the carrying value of our FHLB stock investment at March 31, 2009 and determined it was not impaired. Our evaluation considered the long-term nature of the investment, the liquidity position of the FHLB, the actions being taken by the FHLB to address its regulatory situation and our intent and ability to hold this investment for a period of time sufficient to recover our recorded investment.

NOTE 5—BORROWINGS, SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES AND BROKERED DEPOSITS

        The following table summarizes our FHLB advances by their maturity dates outstanding at March 31, 2009:

Year of Maturity
  Amount   Rate   Next Date
Callable
by FHLB
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
   
 

2009

  $ 100,000     3.63 %   N/A  

2010

    75,000     3.04 %   N/A  

2013

    50,000     2.71 %   7/11/2009 (1)

2017

    200,000     3.16 %   6/11/2009 (1)

2018

    25,000     2.61 %   7/11/2009 (1)
                 

Total

  $ 450,000     3.16 %      
                 

        The FHLB advances outstanding at March 31, 2009, are term advances scheduled to mature in 2009 and 2010 and callable advances with longer maturity dates. The callable advances have all passed their initial call dates and are currently callable on a quarterly basis by the FHLB. While the FHLB

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NOTE 5—BORROWINGS, SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES AND BROKERED DEPOSITS (Continued)


may call the advances to be repaid for any reason, they are likely to be called if market interest rates are higher than the advances' stated rates on the call dates. We may repay the advances at any time with a prepayment penalty. Our aggregate remaining borrowing capacity from the FHLB secured lines of credit was $562.3 million at March 31, 2009. Additionally, the Bank had a secured borrowing capacity from the FRB of $585.5 million at March 31, 2009. The FRB lowered the collateralized borrowing percentages in the secured borrowing program on April 27, 2009, which reduced our borrowing capacity to $520.1 million as of that date. The Bank also maintains unsecured lines of credit of $155.0 million with correspondent banks for the purchase of overnight funds; these lines are subject to availability of funds.

        The Company cancelled its $35.0 million revolving credit line with U.S. Bank, N.A. effective May 8, 2009 due to the lack of use and to avoid line availability fees.

Subordinated Debentures

        The Company had an aggregate of $129.9 million subordinated debentures outstanding at March 31, 2009. These subordinated debentures were issued in seven separate series. Each issuance has a maturity of thirty years from its date of issue. The subordinated debentures were issued to trusts established by us or entities we have acquired, which in turn issued trust preferred securities, which total $123.0 million at March 31, 2009. With the exception of Trust I and Trust CI, the subordinated debentures are callable at par, only by the issuer, five years from the date of issuance, subject to certain exceptions. We are permitted to call the debentures in the first five years if the prepayment election relates to one of the following three events: (i) a change in the tax treatment of the debentures stemming from a change in the IRS laws; (ii) a change in the regulatory treatment of the underlying trust preferred securities as Tier 1 capital; and (iii) a requirement to register the underlying trust as a registered investment company. However, redemption in the first five years is subject to a prepayment penalty. Trust I and Trust CI may not be called for 10 years from the date of issuance unless one of the three events described above has occurred and then a prepayment penalty applies. In addition, there is a prepayment penalty if either of these debentures is called 10 to 20 years from the date of their issuance and they may be called at par after 20 years. The proceeds of the subordinated debentures we originated were used primarily to fund several of our acquisitions and to augment regulatory capital.

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NOTE 5—BORROWINGS, SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES AND BROKERED DEPOSITS (Continued)

        The following table summarizes the terms of each issuance of the subordinated debentures outstanding at March 31, 2009:

Series
  Date issued   Amount   Maturity   Earliest
Call Date
by Company
without
Penalty(1)
  Fixed or
Variable
Rate
  Rate Index   Current
Rate(2)
  Next Reset
Date
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Trust CI(3)

    3/23/2000   $ 10,310     3/8/2030   3/8/2020     Fixed   N/A     11.00 %   N/A  

Trust I

    9/7/2000     8,248     9/7/2030   9/7/2020     Fixed   N/A     10.60 %   N/A  

Trust V

    8/15/2003     10,310     9/17/2033   N/A     Variable   3 month LIBOR + 3.10     4.42 %   6/15/2009  

Trust VI

    9/3/2003     10,310     9/15/2033   N/A     Variable   3 month LIBOR + 3.05     4.37 %   6/12/2009  

Trust CII(3)

    9/17/2003     5,155     9/17/2033   N/A     Variable   3 month LIBOR + 2.95     4.27 %   6/15/2009  

Trust VII

    2/5/2004     61,856     4/23/2034   N/A     Variable   3 month LIBOR + 2.75     3.79 %   7/28/2009  

Trust CIII(3)

    8/15/2005     20,619     9/15/2035   9/15/2010     Fixed (4) N/A     5.85 %   9/15/2010  

Unamortized premium(5)

          3,138                                  
                                             

Total

        $ 129,946                                  
                                             

(1)
As described above, certain issuances may be called earlier without penalty upon the occurrence of certain events.
(2)
As of April 28, 2009; excludes debt issuance costs.
(3)
Acquired in the Community Bancorp acquisition.
(4)
Interest rate is fixed until 9/15/2010 and then is variable at a rate of 3-month LIBOR + 1.69%.
(5)
This amount represents the fair value adjustment to the three trusts that we acquired during 2006.

        As previously mentioned, the subordinated debentures were issued to trusts established by us, or entities we acquired, which in turn issued $123.0 million of trust preferred securities. These securities are currently included in our Tier I capital for purposes of determining the Company's Tier I and total risk-based capital ratios. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, which is the holding company's banking regulator, has promulgated a modification of the capital regulations affecting trust preferred securities. Although this modification was scheduled to be effective on March 31, 2009, the Federal Reserve postponed the effective date to March 31, 2011. At that time, the Company will be allowed to include in Tier I capital an amount of trust preferred securities equal to no more than 25% of the sum of all core capital elements, which is generally defined as shareholders' equity less certain intangibles, including goodwill, core deposit intangibles and customer relationship intangibles, net of any related deferred income tax liability. The regulations currently in effect through December 31, 2010, limit the amount of trust preferred securities that can be included in Tier I capital to 25% of the sum of core capital elements without a deduction for permitted intangibles. We have determined that our Tier I capital ratios would remain above the well-capitalized level had the modification of the capital regulations been in effect at March 31, 2009. We expect that our Tier I capital ratios will be at or above the existing well-capitalized levels on March 31, 2011, the first date on which the modified capital regulations must be applied.

Brokered Deposits

        Brokered deposits totaled $251.3 million at March 31, 2009 and are included in the interest-bearing deposits balance on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. Such amount includes (a) $110.5 million of customer deposits that were subsequently participated with other FDIC insured financial institutions through the CDARS program as a means to provide FDIC deposit insurance coverage for the full amount of our customers' deposits, (b) $122.7 million of Pacific Western Bank

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NOTE 5—BORROWINGS, SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES AND BROKERED DEPOSITS (Continued)


wholesale CDs which mature in 2009, and (c) $18.1 million of brokered deposits acquired in the Security Pacific Bank (SPB) deposit acquisition. Such amounts exclude $26.6 million of money desk CDs also acquired in SPB deposit acquisition.

NOTE 6—COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCES

Lending Commitments

        The Bank is party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. Those instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated balance sheets. The contract or notional amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments.

        Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. Commitments to extend credit amounting to $895.6 million and $995.7 million were outstanding as of March 31, 2009 and at December 31, 2008.

        Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support private borrowing arrangements. Most guarantees expire within one year from the date of issuance. The Company generally requires collateral or other security to support financial instruments with credit risk. Standby letters of credit amounting to $59.7 million and $67.3 million were outstanding as of March 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008.

        The Company has investments in low income housing project partnerships which provide the Company income tax credits and in several small business investment companies. As of March 31, 2009 the Company had commitments to contribute capital to these entities totaling $360,000.

Legal Matters

        In the ordinary course of our business, we are party to various legal actions, which we believe are incidental to the operation of our business. The ultimate outcome and amount of liability, if any, with respect to these legal actions to which we are currently a party cannot presently be ascertained with certainty. In the opinion of management, based upon information currently available to us, any resulting liability is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

NOTE 7—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

        Statement of Financial Standards No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157), defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value including a three-level valuation hierarchy, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. Fair value is defined in SFAS 157 as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between

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NOTE 7—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Continued)


market participants at the measurement date reflecting assumptions that a market participant would use when pricing an asset or liability. The fair value hierarchy of SFAS 157 is as follows:

        Certain assets and liabilities are measured at the lower of cost or fair value in accordance with GAAP. Accordingly, an asset or a liability may, or may not, meet the criteria for fair value measurement during a reporting period; the fair value measurements of these assets and liabilities are considered "nonrecurring" for purposes of SFAS 157. For assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, the following tables present the level of valuation assumptions used to determine each adjustment, the carrying value of the related assets and the total losses recognized in the quarter ended March 31, 2009. The table is followed by a description of the valuation methodologies used to measure such assets at fair value. We have no liabilities that are measured at fair value.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2009:

 
   
  Fair Value Measurement Using    
 
Recurring
  Total
Fair Value
  Quoted
Market
Price
Level 1
  Observable
Inputs
Level 2
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
Level 3
   
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Securities available-for-sale

  $ 141,106       $ 141,106            

 

Nonrecurring
  Total
Fair Value
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total Gains
(Losses)
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Impaired loans

  $ 98,092       $ 46,098   $ 51,994   $ (16,865 )

Other real estate owned

    4,277             4,277     (262 )

SBA loan servicing asset

    2,204             2,204     80  
                               

                          $ (17,047 )
                               

        Securities available-for-sale.    Securities available-for-sale are measured and carried at fair value on a recurring basis. We obtain one report from a nationally recognized broker-dealer detailing the fair value of each investment security we hold as of each reporting date. This independent third party uses observable market information to value our fixed income securities, with the primary source being a nationally recognized pricing service. The fair value of the municipal securities is based on a proprietary model maintained by the independent third party. Such model also incorporates several observable market inputs, including the use of the Thompson Municipal Market Data for general municipals. We review all of the broker-dealer supplied quotes on the securities we own as of the reporting date for reasonableness based on our understanding of the marketplace and we consider any credit issues related to the bonds. We have not made any adjustments to the market quotes provided to us and as they are based on observable market data, and they have been categorized as Level 2 within the definition of SFAS 157. See Note 4 for further information on unrealized gains and losses on securities available-for-sale.

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NOTE 7—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Continued)

        Impaired loans.    All of our nonaccrual loans are considered impaired and are reviewed individually for the amount of impairment, if any. Most of our loans are collateral dependent and, accordingly, we measure impaired loans based on the fair value of such collateral. The fair value of each loan's collateral is generally based on estimated market prices from an independently prepared current appraisal, which is then adjusted for the cost related to liquidating such collateral; such valuation inputs result in a fair value measurement that is categorized as a Level 2 measurement. In light of the decline in real estate values over the past several quarters, current appraisals are generally considered to be less than 8 months old. When adjustments are made to an appraised value to reflect various factors such as the age of the appraisal or known changes in the market or the collateral, such valuation inputs are considered unobservable and the fair value measurement is categorized as a Level 3 measurement. The fair values of unsecured impaired loans are based generally on unobservable inputs, such as the strength of a guarantor, including an SBA government or insurance company guarantee, cash flows discounted at the effective loan rate, whether a borrower has filed for bankruptcy, and management's judgment; the fair value measurement of these loans is categorized as a Level 3 measurement. The loan balances shown in the above table represent those nonaccrual and restructured loans for which impairment was recognized during the period presented. The amount shown as losses represents, for the loan balances shown, the impairment recognized during the period. Of the $138.5 million in loans on nonaccrual status at March 31, 2009, loans totaling $8.2 million were written down to their fair values through the provision for credit losses during the first quarter of 2009.

        Other real estate owned.    The fair value of foreclosed real estate is generally based on estimated market prices from independently prepared current appraisals or negotiated sales prices with buyers; such valuation inputs result in a fair value measurement that is categorized as a Level 2 measurement. When a current appraised value is not available or management determines the fair value of the collateral is further impaired below the appraised value as a result of known changes in the market or the collateral and there is no observable market price, such valuation inputs result in a fair value measurement that is categorized as a Level 3 measurement. To the extent a negotiated sales price represents a significant discount to an observable market price, such valuation input would result in a fair value measurement that is considered a Level 3 measurement. For OREO written down during the first quarter of 2009, the appraisals are between 6 and 12 months old and given the continued weakening in the real estate market the offering prices have been lowered based on the advice of the listing agents. As the fair value estimates for this OREO involved significant judgement due to the rapid decline in real estate values, such valuation inputs result in a fair value measurement that is categorized as Level 3.

        Servicing asset.    In accordance with SFAS No. 156, Accounting for Servicing of Financial Assets, the SBA servicing asset, included in other assets in the balance sheet, was written up $80,000 through earnings in the first quarter of 2009 to its implied fair value of $2.2 million. The fair value of the servicing asset is estimated by discounting future cash flows using market-based discount rates and prepayment speeds. The discount rate is based on the current US Treasury yield curve, as published by the Department of the Treasury, plus a spread for the marketplace risk associated with these assets. We utilize estimated prepayment vectors using SBA prepayment information provided by Bloomberg for pools of similar assets to determine the timing of the cash flows. These valuation inputs are considered to be Level 3 inputs.

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NOTE 8—NET EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

        The following is a summary of the calculation of basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per share for the periods indicated:

 
  Quarter Ended  
 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
  March 31,
2008
 
 
  (In thousands except per share data)
 

Basic earnings (loss) per share

                   

Net earnings (loss)

  $ 1,445   $ 9,621   $ (272,723 )

Less: earnings allocated to unvested restricted stock(a)

    (227 )   (266 )   (144 )
               

Net earnings (loss) allocated to common shares

  $ 1,218   $ 9,355   $ (272,867 )
               

Total weighted-average basic shares and unvested restricted stock outstanding

    31,782.4     28,383.5     28,092.0  

Less: weighted-average unvested restricted stock outstanding

    (1,287.2 )   (1,180.6 )   (946.8 )
               

Total weighted-average basic shares outstanding

    30,495.2     27,202.9     27,145.2  
               

Basic earnings (loss) per share

  $ 0.04   $ 0.34   $ (10.05 )
               

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

                   

Net earnings (loss) allocated to common shares

  $ 1,218   $ 9,355   $ (272,867 )
               

Total weighted-average basic shares and unvested restricted stock outstanding

    31,782.4     28,383.5     28,092.0  

Add: stock options outstanding

    0.5     0.8      

Less: weighted-average unvested restricted stock outstanding

    (1,287.2 )   (1,180.6 )   (946.8 )
               

Total weighted-average diluted shares outstanding

    30,495.7     27,203.7     27,145.2  
               

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

  $ 0.04   $ 0.34   $ (10.05 )
               

(a)
Represents cash dividends paid to holders of unvested restricted stock, net of estimated forfeitures, plus undistributed earnings amounts available to holders of unvested restricted stock, if any.

        On January 1, 2009, FSP EITF 03-06-1, Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions are Participating Securities became effective for us. This pronouncement clarifies that all outstanding unvested share-based payment awards that contain rights to nonforfeitable dividends are considered participating securities and are included in the two-class method of determining basic and diluted earnings per share. All of our unvested restricted stock participates with our common stockholders in dividends. Application of the new standard results in a reduction of net earnings available to common stockholders and lower earnings per share when compared to the previous requirements. The new standard's effect on both basic and diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2008 was a reduction of $0.01 to $0.34 from $0.35. There was no effect on the net loss per share for the first quarter of 2008.

NOTE 9—STOCK COMPENSATION PLANS

Restricted Stock

        At March 31, 2009, there were outstanding 747,405 shares of unvested time-based restricted common stock and 520,000 shares of unvested performance-based restricted common stock. The awarded shares of time-based restricted common stock vest over a service period of three to five years from date of the grant. The awarded shares of performance-based restricted common stock vest in full on the date the Compensation, Nominating and Governance, or CNG, Committee of the Board of

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NOTE 9—STOCK COMPENSATION PLANS (Continued)


Directors, as Administrator of the Company's 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, or the 2003 Plan, determines that the Company achieved certain financial goals established by the CNG Committee as set forth in the grant documents. Both time-based and performance-based restricted common stock vest immediately upon a change in control of the Company as defined in the 2003 Plan and upon death of the employee.

        Compensation expense related to awards of restricted stock is based on the fair value of the underlying stock on the award date and is recognized over the vesting period using the straight-line method. The vesting of performance-based restricted stock awards and recognition of related compensation expense may occur over a shorter vesting period if financial performance targets are achieved earlier than anticipated. In the fourth quarter of 2007, the amortization of certain performance-based restricted stock awards was suspended. During the fourth quarter of 2008 we concluded it was improbable that the financial targets would be met for the performance-based stock awards. Accordingly, we reversed the accumulated amortization on those awards through a credit of $4.5 million to compensation expense. If and when the attainment of such performance targets is deemed probable in future periods, a catch-up adjustment will be recorded and amortization of such performance-based restricted stock will begin again. The unvested performance-based restricted stock awarded in 2006 expires in 2013. The unvested performance-based restricted stock awarded in 2007 and 2008 expires in 2017. Restricted stock amortization totaled $2.2 million and $952,000 for the quarters ended March 31, 2009 and 2008 and is included in compensation expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings.

        The Company's 2003 Plan permits stock based compensation awards to officers, directors, key employees and consultants. The 2003 Plan authorizes grants of stock-based compensation instruments to purchase or issue up to 3,500,000 shares of authorized but unissued Company common stock, subject to adjustments provided by the 2003 Plan. As of May 5, 2009, there were 126,534 shares available for grant under the 2003 Plan.

NOTE 10—DIVIDEND APPROVAL

        On April 15, 2009 our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.01 per common share payable on May 29, 2009, to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2009.

NOTE 11—RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

        On January 1, 2009 we adopted SFAS No. 141R, Business Combinations (SFAS 141R). SFAS 141R establishes principles and requirements for how the acquirer of a business recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree. This statement also provides guidance for recognizing and measuring the goodwill acquired in the business combination and determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statement to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. We expect SFAS 141R will have an impact on our consolidated financial statements, but the nature and magnitude of the specific effects will depend upon the nature, terms and size of any acquisitions we consummate going forward.

        On January 1, 2009, we adopted FASB Staff Position (FSP) EITF 03-6-1, Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities (FSP EITF 03-6-1). FSP EITF 03-6-1 clarifies that all outstanding unvested share-based payment awards that contain rights to nonforfeitable dividends participate in undistributed earnings with common shareholders. Awards of this nature are considered participating securities and the two-class method of computing basic and diluted earnings per share must be applied. All of our unvested restricted stock participates with

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NOTE 11—RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (Continued)


common shareholders in dividends declared and paid by the Company. See Note 8 for further information.

        In April 2009 the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-4, Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly (FSP FAS 157-4). FSP FAS 157-4 provides guidance on how to determine the fair value of assets and liabilities in an environment where the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability have significantly decreased and re-emphasizes that the objective of a fair value measurement remains an exit price. FSP FAS 157-4 is effective for periods ending after June 15, 2009, with earlier adoption permitted. The adoption of this FSP is not expected to have a material impact on our future consolidated financial statements.

        In April 2009 the FASB issued FSP FAS 115-2 and 124-2, Recognition and Presentation of Other-Than-Temporary Impairments (FSP FAS 115-2 and 124-2). FSP FAS 115-2 and 124-2 modifies the requirements for recognizing other-than-temporary impairment on debt securities and significantly changes the impairment model for such securities. Under FSP FAS 115-2 and 124-2, a security is considered to be other-than-temporarily impaired if the present value of cash flows expected to be collected are less than the security's amortized cost basis (the difference being defined as the credit loss) or if the fair value of the security is less than the security's amortized cost basis and the investor intends, or more-likely-than-not will be required, to sell the security before recovery of the security's amortized cost basis. If an other-than-temporary impairment exists, the charge to earnings is limited to the amount of credit loss if the investor does not intend to sell the security, and it is more-likely-than-not that it will not be required to sell the security, before recovery of the security's amortized cost basis. Any remaining difference between fair value and amortized cost is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. Otherwise, the entire difference between fair value and amortized cost is charged to earnings. Upon adoption of the FSP, an entity reclassifies from retained earnings to other comprehensive income the noncredit portion of an other-than-temporary impairment loss previously recognized on a security it holds if the entity does not intend to sell the security, and it is more-likely-than not that it will not be required to sell the security, before recovery of the security's amortized cost basis. The FSP also modifies the presentation of other-than-temporary impairment losses and increases related disclosure requirements. FSP FAS 115-2 and 124-2 is effective for periods ending after June 15, 2009, with earlier adoption permitted. The adoption of this FSP is not expected to have a material impact on our future consolidated financial statements.

        In April 2009 the FASB issued FSP FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1, Interim Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Statements (FSP FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1). FSP FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1 requires companies to disclose the fair value of financial instruments within interim financial statements, adding to the current requirement to provide those disclosures annually. Since FSP 107-1 and APB 28-1 addresses financial statement disclosures only, its adoption, effective June 30, 2009, is not expected to have a material impact on our future consolidated financial statements.

NOTE 12—CAPGEN FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

        On September 2, 2008 we announced that the private equity firm CapGen Financial had agreed to acquire approximately $100 million of newly issued shares of PacWest Bancorp common stock at a price of $26 per share, which represented a 21% premium to the last five trading-day average closing price of PacWest common stock before the announcement. After receipt of regulatory approval by federal and state banking authorities, on January 14, 2009 the investment by CapGen Financial was closed and we issued, via a private placement to CapGen Capital Group II LP, an affiliate of CapGen Financial, 3,846,153 PacWest common shares at $26 per share for total cash consideration of approximately $100 million.

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ITEM 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Information

        This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains certain forward-looking information about the Company and its subsidiaries, which statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for "forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Company. We caution readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:

        If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes, or if any of the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements proves to be incorrect, our results could differ materially from those expressed in, implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.

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Overview

        We are a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Our principal business is to serve as the holding company for our subsidiary bank, Pacific Western Bank, which we refer to as Pacific Western or the Bank.

        Pacific Western is a full-service community bank offering a broad range of banking products and services including: accepting time and demand deposits; originating loans, including commercial, real estate construction, SBA-guaranteed, consumer, and international loans; and providing other business-oriented products. Our operations are primarily located in Southern California and the Bank focuses on conducting business with small to medium-sized businesses and the owners and employees of those businesses in our marketplace. Through our asset-based lending operation we also operate in Arizona, Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, and Texas. At March 31, 2009, our assets totaled $4.5 billion, of which gross loans totaled $3.9 billion. At this date approximately 21% were commercial loans, 57% were commercial real estate loans, 9% were commercial real estate construction loans, 6% were residential real estate construction loans, 6% were residential real estate loans, and 1% were consumer and other loans. These percentages include some foreign loans, primarily to individuals or entities with business in Mexico, representing 1% of total loans. Our portfolio's value and credit quality is affected in large part by real estate trends in Southern California, which have been negative over the last 18 months.

        Pacific Western competes actively for deposits, and emphasizes solicitation of noninterest-bearing deposits. In managing the top line of our business, we focus on loan growth and loan yield, deposit cost, and net interest margin, as net interest income, on a year-to-date basis, accounts for 89% of our net revenues (net interest income plus noninterest income).

Key Performance Indicators

        Among other factors, our operating results depend generally on the following:

        Net interest income is the excess of interest earned on our interest-earning assets over the interest paid on our interest-bearing liabilities. The decline in market interest rates over the last 18 months and fierce competition for deposits has compressed our net interest margin. Based on our balance sheet structure the yield on our earning assets decreased more rapidly and significantly than the cost of our funding sources during 2008 and into 2009. A sustained low interest rate environment combined with tight marketplace liquidity and low loan growth may further reduce both our net interest income and net interest margin going forward.

        Our primary interest-earning asset is loans. Our primary interest-bearing liabilities include deposits, borrowings, and subordinated debentures. We attempt to increase our net interest income by maintaining a high loan-to-deposit ratio and a high level of noninterest-bearing deposits. While our deposit balances will fluctuate depending on deposit holders' perceptions of alternative yields available in the market, we attempt to minimize these variances by attracting a high percentage of noninterest-bearing deposits, which have no expectation of yield. At March 31, 2009, approximately 36% of our total deposits were noninterest-bearing deposits.

        The recent disruptions in the financial credit and liquidity markets have resulted in increased competition from financial institutions seeking to maintain liquidity and this has impacted deposit flows and the rates paid on certain deposit accounts. In addition to deposits, we have borrowing capacity under various credit lines which we use for liquidity needs such as funding loan demand, managing deposit flows and interim acquisition financing. This borrowing capacity is relatively flexible and has

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become one of the least expensive sources of funds. However, our borrowing lines are considered a secondary source of liquidity as we serve our local markets and customers with our deposit products.

        We generally seek new lending opportunities in the $500,000 to $10 million range, try to limit loan maturities for commercial loans to one year, for construction loans up to 18 months, and for commercial real estate loans up to ten years, and to price lending products so as to preserve our interest spread and net interest margin. We sometimes encounter strong competition in pursuing lending opportunities such that potential borrowers obtain loans elsewhere at lower rates than those we offer. We have continued to reduce our exposure to residential construction and foreign loans, including limiting the amount of new loans in these categories. Our ability to make new loans is dependent on economic factors in our market area, borrower qualifications, competition, and liquidity, among other items. We expect loan growth for 2009 to be negatively affected by the current state of the economy in Southern California and the competition among banks for liquidity. Although loans, net of unearned income, declined $63.6 million during the first quarter of 2009, new loans and advances on loan commitments totaled $237 million.

        We stress credit quality in originating and monitoring the loans we make and measure our success by the levels of our nonperforming assets, net charge-offs and allowance for credit losses. Our allowance for credit losses is the sum of our allowance for loan losses and our reserve for unfunded loan commitments. Provisions for credit losses are charged to operations as and when needed for both on and off balance sheet credit exposure. Loans which are deemed uncollectible are charged off and deducted from the allowance for loan losses. Recoveries on loans previously charged off are added to the allowance for loan losses. During the three months ended March 31, 2009, we made a provision for credit losses totaling $14.0 million based upon our reserve methodology. We considered, among other factors, the level of net charge-offs, the level and trends of classified, criticized, and nonaccrual loans, usage trends of unfunded loan commitments, general market conditions, and portfolio concentrations.

        We continually review our loans to determine whether there has been any deterioration in credit quality stemming from economic conditions or other factors which may affect collectibility of our loans. Changes in economic conditions, such as inflation, unemployment, consumer spending, increases in the general level of interest rates and negative conditions in borrowers' businesses could negatively impact our customers and cause us to adversely classify loans and increase portfolio loss factors. An increase in classified loans generally results in increased provisions for credit losses. Any deterioration in the real estate market may lead to increased provisions for credit losses because of our concentration in real estate loans.

        Our operating noninterest expense (noninterest expense excluding goodwill write-offs) includes fixed and controllable overhead, the major components of which are compensation, occupancy, data processing, professional fees and communications expense. We measure success in controlling such costs through monitoring of the efficiency ratio. We calculate the operating efficiency ratio by dividing operating noninterest expense by net revenues (the sum of net interest income plus noninterest

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income). Accordingly, a lower percentage reflects lower operating expenses relative to net revenue. The consolidated operating efficiency ratios have been as follows:

Quarterly Period
  Ratio  

First quarter of 2009

    71.0 %

Fourth quarter 2008

    59.1 %

Third quarter 2008

    62.0 %

Second quarter 2008

    61.1 %

First quarter 2008

    54.7 %

        The increase in the operating efficiency ratio for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the other periods presented is due mostly to a decline in net interest income relative to operating noninterest expense. Certain reporting periods include income or expense items that were significant to specific quarters' results and also influenced the operating efficiency ratio. See also Results of Operations—Earnings Performance for further information on non-GAAP financial measures.

Critical Accounting Policies

        The Company's accounting policies are fundamental to understanding management's discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition. The Company has identified several policies as being critical because they require management to make particularly difficult, subjective and/or complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain and because of the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. These policies relate to the allowance for credit losses and the carrying values of intangible assets and deferred income tax assets. For further information, refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

Results of Operations

        Certain discussion in this Form 10-Q of net earnings (loss), earnings (loss) per share, noninterest expense and performance ratios for the first quarter of 2009 when compared to the same quarter of 2008 is based on net operating earnings as shown in the following table and described below. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company's operational performance and to enhance investors' overall understanding of such financial performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only for understanding the Company's operating results and should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures presented by the Company may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The major item in our non-GAAP presentation is the exclusion of the 2008 goodwill write-off and it has been excluded for several reasons:

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        The following table presents a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measurements to the GAAP financial measurements and certain performance ratios.

Non-GAAP Measurements (Unaudited)

 
  Quarter Ended  
In thousands, except per share data and percentages
  March 31, 2009   December 31, 2008   March 31, 2008  

Net earnings (loss) as reported

  $ 1,445   $ 9,621   $ (272,723 )

Goodwill write-off

            275,000  
               

Net operating earnings

  $ 1,445   $ 9,621   $ 2,277  
               

GAAP basic shares outstanding

   
30,495.2
   
27,202.9
   
27,145.2
 

Effect of dilutive stock options(a)

    0.5     0.8      
               

GAAP diluted shares outstanding

    30,495.7     27,203.7     27,145.2  
               

Operating earnings basic shares outstanding

   
30,495.2
   
27,202.9
   
27,145.2
 

Effect of dilutive stock options

    0.5     0.8     0.9  
               

Operating earnings diluted shares outstanding

    30,495.7     27,203.7     27,146.1  
               

GAAP basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share

 
$

0.04
 
$

0.34
 
$

(10.05

)
               

Net operating diluted earnings per share

  $ 0.04   $ 0.34   $ 0.08  
               

GAAP return on average assets

   
0.13

%
 
0.85

%
 
(21.10

)%
               

Net operating return on average assets

    0.13 %   0.85 %   0.18 %
               

GAAP return on average equity

   
1.27

%
 
10.15

%
 
(96.35

)%
               

Net operating return on average equity

    1.27 %   10.15 %   0.80 %
               

Noninterest expense as reported

 
$

38,969
 
$

33,819
 
$

310,212
 

Goodwill write-off

            (275,000 )
               

Operating noninterest expense

  $ 38,969   $ 33,819   $ 35,212  
               

GAAP efficiency ratio

   
71.0

%
 
59.1

%
 
482.2

%
               

Net operating efficiency ratio

    71.0 %   59.1 %   54.7 %
               

(a)
Anti-dilutive for the quarter ended March 31, 2008.

        Net earnings totaled $1.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, compared to $9.6 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2008. The $8.2 million decrease in net earnings between the linked quarters is due mainly to the combination of lower net interest income, higher provision for credit losses, and higher noninterest expense.

        The net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 is due to the goodwill write-off. In response to the volatility in the banking industry and the effect such volatility has had on banking stocks since the beginning of 2008, including PacWest Bancorp's common stock, we wrote-off $275.0 million of goodwill in the first quarter of 2008. We wrote off the remaining balance of our goodwill totaling $486.7 million

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in the second quarter of 2008. Such charges had no effect on the Company's or the Bank's cash balances, liquidity or well-capitalized regulatory capital ratios.

        Net operating earnings (defined as net loss excluding the goodwill write-off) totaled $1.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, compared to $2.3 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. The decrease in net operating earnings for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter of 2008 is due mainly to the combination of lower net interest income, lower provision for credit losses, and higher operating noninterest expense.

        Net Interest Income.    Net interest income, which is our principal source of revenue, represents the difference between interest earned on assets and interest paid on liabilities. Net interest margin is net interest income expressed as a percentage of average interest-earning assets. Net interest income is affected by changes in both interest rates and the volume of average interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The following table presents, for the periods indicated, the distribution of average assets, liabilities and stockholders' equity, as well as interest income and yields earned on average interest-earning assets and interest expense and costs on average interest-bearing liabilities:

 
  Quarter Ended  
 
  March 31, 2009   December 31, 2008   March 31, 2008  
 
  Average
Balance
  Interest
Income/
Expense
  Yields
and
Rates
  Average
Balance
  Interest
Income/
Expense
  Yields
and
Rates
  Average
Balance
  Interest
Income/
Expense
  Yields
and
Rates
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

ASSETS

                                                       

Loans, net of deferred fees and costs(1)(2)

  $ 3,938,322   $ 61,847     6.37 % $ 3,952,872   $ 66,507     6.69 % $ 4,019,224   $ 75,653     7.57 %

Investment securities(2)

    165,333     1,546     3.79 %   142,494     1,707     4.77 %   143,379     1,701     4.77 %

Federal funds sold

    260         0.00 %   29,702     75     1.00 %   5,032     40     3.20 %

Other earning assets

    92,271     61     0.27 %   104,800     176     0.67 %   324     3     3.72 %
                                             
 

Total interest-earning assets

    4,196,186     63,454     6.13 %   4,229,868     68,465     6.44 %   4,167,959     77,397     7.47 %

Noninterest-earning assets:

                                                       

Other assets

    284,628                 274,687                 1,030,130              
                                                   
 

Total assets

  $ 4,480,814               $ 4,504,555               $ 5,198,089              
                                                   

LIABILITIES AND
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

                                                       

Interest checking

  $ 349,908   $ 454     0.53 % $ 338,434   $ 629     0.74 % $ 369,841   $ 931     1.01 %

Money market

    841,410     2,611     1.26 %   858,971     3,508     1.62 %   1,089,672     6,968     2.57 %

Savings

    123,005     107     0.35 %   117,278     128     0.43 %   104,905     42     0.16 %

Time certificates of deposit

    899,666     6,148     2.77 %   899,264     7,151     3.16 %   413,712     3,880     3.77 %
                                             
 

Total interest-bearing deposits

    2,213,989     9,320     1.71 %   2,213,947     11,416     2.05 %   1,978,130     11,821     2.40 %

Other interest-bearing liabilities

    581,583     5,361     3.74 %   666,395     6,324     3.78 %   758,178     7,716     4.09 %
                                             
 

Total interest-bearing liabilities

    2,795,572     14,681     2.13 %   2,880,342     17,740     2.45 %   2,736,308     19,537     2.87 %

Noninterest-bearing liabilities:

                                                       
 

Demand deposits

    1,163,059                 1,208,085                 1,273,173              
 

Other liabilities

    61,882                 38,919                 50,207              
                                                   
 

Total liabilities

    4,020,513                 4,127,346                 4,059,688              

Stockholders' equity

    460,301                 377,209                 1,138,401              
                                                   

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 4,480,814               $ 4,504,555               $ 5,198,089              
                                                   

Net interest income

        $ 48,773               $ 50,725               $ 57,860        
                                                   

Net interest spread

                4.00 %               3.99 %               4.60 %
                                                   

Net interest margin

                4.71 %               4.77 %               5.58 %
                                                   

(1)
Includes nonaccrual loans and loan fees.

(2)
Yields on loans and securities have not been adjusted to a tax-equivalent basis because the impact is not material.

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        Interest income declined $5.0 million due mainly to lower loan and investment yields. On the funding side, interest expense decreased $3.1 million due mainly to lower deposit costs and lower average borrowings.

        Our net interest margin for the first quarter of 2009 was 4.71%, a decrease of 6 basis points when compared to the fourth quarter of 2008 net interest margin of 4.77%. The decrease in the net interest margin is due mostly to lower loan and investment yields offset somewhat by lower deposit cost. The yield on average loans was 6.37% for the first quarter of 2009 compared to 6.69% for the fourth quarter of 2008. The lower loan yield is due to a decline in the level of market interest rates and higher nonaccrual loans. The investment securities portfolio yield declined during the first quarter of 2009 to 3.79% due mostly to lower income on FHLB stock. The net interest margin was 4.81% in January, 4.68% in February and 4.64% in March. The loan yield for the month of March was 6.22%. Net reversals of interest income on nonaccrual loans negatively impacted both loan yield and net interest margin for the month of March by 16 basis points.

        Deposit cost was lower during the first quarter of 2009 due to rate reductions put into effect and the planned run-off of higher-cost deposits acquired in the Security Pacific Bank deposit acquisition. The cost of interest-bearing deposits declined 34 basis points to 1.71% and our all-in deposit cost declined 21 basis points to 1.12%. Our relatively low cost of deposits is driven by demand deposit balances, which represented 34% of average total deposits during the first quarter of 2009. On a monthly basis, all-in deposit costs were 1.18% in January, 1.13% in February and 1.05% in March. The overall cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 2.13% for the first quarter of 2009, down 32 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2008 due mostly to lower deposit costs. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased to 1.99% in March 2009 from 2.42% in December 2008.

        The $9.1 million decrease in net interest income for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter of 2008 was mainly a result of lower loan yields. Loan interest income decreased $13.8 million as our average loan yields declined. In response to the market interest rate changes made by the Federal Reserve Bank our base lending rate decreased from 7.25% at the end of December 2007 to 4.00% at the end of October 2008 and it has remained at this level. Interest expense decreased $4.9 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter of 2008 due to lower rates on all interest-bearing liabilities.

        Our net interest margin for the first quarter of 2009 declined 87 basis points when compared to the first quarter of 2008. This decrease is due to a combination of lower loan yields, lower average demand deposits and lower overall funding costs. The lower loan yield and cost of funds are due to the decline in market interest rates.

        Provision for Credit Losses.    The amount of the provision for credit losses in each reporting period is a charge against earnings in that reporting period. The provisions for credit losses are based on our reserve methodology and reflect our judgments about the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses and the reserve for unfunded loan commitments. In determining the amount of the provision for credit losses, we consider certain quantitative and qualitative factors including our historical loan loss experience, the volume and type of lending we conduct, the results of our credit review process, the amounts and trends of classified, criticized and nonperforming assets, regulatory policies, general economic and market conditions, underlying collateral values, off-balance sheet exposures, portfolio concentrations, and other factors regarding collectibility and impairment. To the extent we experience, for example, increased levels of documentation deficiencies, adverse changes in collateral values, or negative changes in economic and business conditions which adversely affect our borrowers, our

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classified loans may increase. Increases in our classified loans generally result in provisions for credit losses.

        We recorded a $14.0 million provision for credit losses during the first quarter of 2009 compared to an $8.8 million provision in the fourth quarter of 2008 and a $26.0 million provision during the first quarter of 2008. Such provisions were based on our reserve methodology, took the above factors into consideration, and considered our analysis and judgment of the inherent risks in our portfolio and the effects current market conditions have had on our borrowers. The first quarter of 2008 provision for credit losses included $16.2 million related to the sale of $34.1 million of residential construction nonaccrual loans at a price of $17.9 million.

        Increased provisions for credit losses may be required in the future based on charge-off experience, loan and unfunded commitment growth and the effect that changes in economic conditions, such as inflation, commodity prices, unemployment, consumer spending, market interest rate levels and real estate values have on the ability of borrowers to repay their loans, and other conditions specific to our borrowers' businesses.

        Noninterest Income.    The following table summarizes noninterest income by category for the periods indicated:

 
  Quarter Ended  
 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
  September 30,
2008
  June 30,
2008
  March 31,
2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Service charges and fees on deposit
accounts

  $ 3,149   $ 3,420   $ 3,165   $ 3,205   $ 3,224  

Other commissions and fees

    1,685     2,062     1,884     1,812     1,519  

(Loss) gain on sale of loans, net

                (572 )   269  

Gain on sale of securities, net

            81          

Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance

    439     584     632     617     587  

Other income

    808     476     290     302     870  
                       
 

Total noninterest income

  $ 6,081   $ 6,542   $ 6,052   $ 5,364   $ 6,469  
                       

        Noninterest income for the first quarter of 2009 totaled $6.1 million compared to $6.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. The decrease is due to lower deposit account service charges, lower commissions and fees, and lower appreciation of bank-owned life insurance policies (BOLI). Deposit account service charges decreased due to fewer activity charges, including NSF fees. Other commissions and fees were lower due to a decrease in loan servicing income, other loan income and foreign exchange fees. The decrease in BOLI income for the linked quarters was due to the combination of the policies earning at lower crediting rates and lower BOLI asset balances. The other income category for the first quarter of 2009 includes $536,000 in life insurance proceeds, of which approximately $383,000 is not taxable; there is no similar item in any of the other periods presented.

        The $388,000 decrease in noninterest income for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter of 2008 is due mostly to lower gain on sale of loans. The net gain on sale of loans for the first quarter of 2008 related to the sale of $6.3 million in SBA loans. These loans were sold prior to the second quarter of 2008 decision to suspend the SBA loan sale operation due to negative secondary market trends. Deposit service changes and appreciation of BOLI are lower in 2009 compared to 2008

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as described above. The other income category for the first quarter of 2008 includes a $444,000 gain related to recognizing an unearned discount on the payoff of certain acquired loans; there is no similar item in any of the other periods presented.

        Operating Noninterest Expense.    The following table summarizes operating noninterest expense by category for the periods indicated:

 
  Quarter Ended  
 
  March 31,
2009
  December 31,
2008
  September 30,
2008
  June 30,
2008
  March 31,
2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Compensation

  $ 19,331   $ 15,088   $ 19,332   $ 18,919   $ 18,846  

Occupancy

    5,246     5,273     5,248     4,884     4,731  

Furniture and equipment

    1,140     1,137     1,073     1,046     1,139  

Data processing

    1,628     1,590     1,495     1,604     1,543  

Other professional services

    1,524     1,688     1,768     1,669     1,415  

Business development

    725     789     650     849     756  

Communications

    693     766     745     816     824  

Insurance and assessments

    1,598     1,148     1,025     810     540  

Other real estate owned, net

    997     748     1,369     127     (26 )

Intangible asset amortization

    2,247     2,332     2,274     2,484     2,530  

Reorganization and lease charges

    1,215             258      

Legal settlement

                780      

Other

    2,625     3,260     2,878     3,100     2,914  
                       
 

Total operating noninterest expense

    38,969     33,819     37,857     37,346     35,212  

Goodwill write-off

                486,701     275,000  
                       
 

Total noninterest expense

  $ 38,969   $ 33,819   $ 37,857   $ 524,047   $ 310,212  
                       

Efficiency ratio

   
71.0

%
 
59.1

%
 
62.0

%
 
857.2

%
 
482.2

%

Operating efficiency ratio

    71.0 %   59.1 %   62.0 %   61.1 %   54.7 %

        Noninterest expense increased $5.2 million to $39.0 million for first quarter of 2009 from $33.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Noninterest expense in the fourth quarter of 2008 was reduced by $4.5 million related to a performance-based restricted stock amortization adjustment. When this item is excluded, the first quarter increase in total noninterest expense was $650,000 when compared to the fourth quarter. Such increase is due mostly to the reorganization and lease charges of $1.2 million related to a first quarter 2009 staff reduction, premises costs for the planned second quarter closing of two banking offices, and additional rent for a discontinued acquired office. Insurance and assessments increased $450,000 quarter over quarter due to increased FDIC insurance costs. OREO costs increased $249,000 due to the combination of lower gain on sale of OREO, higher write-downs and lower operating costs.

        Noninterest expense includes amortization of time-based and performance-based restricted stock, which is included in compensation, and intangible asset amortization. Amortization of time-based and performance-based restricted stock totaled $2.2 million for the first quarter of 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2008 we reversed $4.5 million of accumulated amortization for certain performance stock awards when we concluded it was improbable that the financial targets required for vesting of such awards would be met. Amortization expense for all time-based and performance-based restricted stock awards is estimated to be $8.1 million for 2009. Intangible asset amortization totaled $2.2 million for the first quarter of 2009 and $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2008 and is estimated to be $9.2 million for 2009. The 2009 estimates of both restricted stock award expense and intangible asset amortization are subject to change.

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        Noninterest expense for the first quarter of 2008 included a $275.0 million charge to earnings for the goodwill write-off. Operating noninterest expense (defined as reported noninterest expense excluding goodwill write-offs) for the first quarter of 2009 totaled $39.0 million compared to $35.2 million for the first quarter of 2008. The $3.8 million increase is due mostly to higher expenses related to other real estate owned, insurance and assessments, and reorganization and lease charges.

        Income Taxes.    The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2009 was 23.3% compared to 34.3% for the fourth quarter of 2008. The effective tax on net operating earnings was 26.9% for the first quarter of 2008. The effective tax rates are generally lower than the blended Federal and State statutory rate of 42.0% due to tax credits on certain investments and other tax-exempt income. The first quarter of 2009 effective tax rate was lower than those of the prior quarters because the proportion of tax-exempt income to pretax income was higher in the first quarter of 2009.

Balance Sheet Analysis

        Loans.    The following table presents the balance of each major category of loans at the dates indicated:

 
  At March 31, 2009   At December 31, 2008   At March 31, 2008  
 
  Amount   % of total   Amount   % of total   Amount   % of total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Loan Category:

                                     

Domestic:

                                     
 

Commercial

  $ 779,971     20 % $ 845,410     21 % $ 849,850     22 %
 

Real estate, construction

    583,709     15     579,884     15     661,782     17  
 

Real estate, mortgage

    2,482,790     63     2,473,089     62     2,309,434     59  
 

Consumer

    38,615     1     44,938     1     47,506     1  

Foreign:

                                     
 

Commercial

    44,955     1     50,918     1     48,737     1  
 

Other, including real estate

    2,126     (a)   2,245     (a)   906     (a)
                           

Gross loans

    3,932,166     100 %   3,996,484     100 %   3,918,215     100 %

Less: unearned income

    (7,881 )         (8,593 )         (9,208 )      

Less: allowance for loan losses

    (71,361 )         (63,519 )         (60,199 )      
                                 

Total net loans

  $ 3,852,924         $ 3,924,372         $ 3,848,808        
                                 

Loans held for sale(b)

  $         $         $ 57,309        
                                 

(a)
Amount is less than 1%.

(b)
Loans held for sale, consisting of SBA 504 and 7(a) loans, were transferred into the regular portfolio during the second quarter of 2008.

        Gross loans total $3.9 billion at March 31, 2009. The real estate construction category includes commercial real estate loans totaling $334.9 million and residential real estate construction loans totaling $248.8 million, of which $231.1 million is nonowner occupied. See also Balance Sheet Analysis—Credit Quality for further information on nonowner occupied residential construction loan exposure. The real estate mortgage loan category includes loans secured by commercial real estate totaling $2.2 billion and loans secured by residential real estate totaling $240.1 million. The residential real estate total includes $103.3 million in multifamily loans, $91.0 million in single-family owner occupied loans and $45.8 million in single-family nonowner occupied loans. Our loan portfolio's value

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and credit quality is affected in large part by real estate trends in Southern California which have been negative for the last several quarters.

        Although loans, net of unearned income, decreased $63.6 million during the first quarter of 2009, new loans and advances on existing loan commitments totaled $237 million. The net funding activity resulted in real estate loans increasing $9.6 million, commercial and industrial loans declining $71.4 million, construction loans increasing $3.8 million and consumer loans declining $6.3 million.

        At March 31, 2009, the SBA loan portfolio totaled $161.8 million and was composed of $119.9 million in SBA 504 loans and $41.9 million in SBA 7(a) and Express loans. The SBA 504 loans are included in the real estate mortgage category and the SBA 7(a) and Express loans are included in the commercial category. During the second quarter of 2008, due to the depressed SBA loan sale market, we suspended the SBA loan sale operation and any remaining SBA loans held for sale were transferred into the regular portfolio at the lower of cost or fair value on the date of transfer.

        Allowance for Credit Losses.    The allowance for credit losses is the combination of the allowance for loan losses and the reserve for unfunded loan commitments. The allowance for loan losses is reported as a reduction of outstanding loan balances and the reserve for unfunded loan commitments is included within other liabilities. Generally, as loans are funded, the amount of the commitment reserve applicable to such funded loans will be transferred from the reserve for unfunded loan commitments to the allowance for loan losses based on our reserving methodology. At March 31, 2009, the allowance for credit losses was comprised of the allowance for loan losses of $71.4 million and the reserve for unfunded loan commitments of $5.3 million.

        An allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level deemed appropriate by management to adequately provide for known and inherent risks in the loan portfolio and other extensions of credit at the balance sheet date. The allowance is based upon a continuing review of the portfolio, past loan loss experience, current economic conditions which may affect the borrowers' ability to pay, and the underlying collateral value of the loans. Loans which are deemed to be uncollectible are charged off and deducted from the allowance. The provision for loan losses and recoveries on loans previously charged off are added to the allowance.

        The methodology we use to estimate the amount of our allowance for credit losses is based on both objective and subjective criteria. While some criteria are formula driven, other criteria are subjective inputs included to capture environmental and general economic risk elements which may trigger losses in the loan portfolio, and to account for the varying levels of credit quality in the loan portfolios of the entities we have acquired that have not yet been captured in our objective loss factors.

        Specifically, our allowance methodology contains four elements: (a) amounts based on specific evaluations of impaired loans; (b) amounts of estimated losses on several pools of loans categorized by type; (c) amounts of estimated losses for loans adversely classified based on our loan review process; and (d) amounts for environmental and general economic factors that indicate probable losses were incurred but were not captured through the other elements of our allowance process.

        Impaired loans are identified at each reporting date based on certain criteria and individually reviewed for impairment. A loan is considered impaired when it is probable that a creditor will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the original contractual terms of the loan agreement. We measure impairment of a loan based upon the fair value of the loan's collateral if the loan is collateral dependent or the present value of cash flows, discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, if the loan is not collateralized. The impairment amount on a collateralized loan is charged-off to the allowance and the impairment amount on a noncollateralized loan is set up as a specific reserve. Increased charge-offs generally result in increased provisions for credit losses.

        Our loan portfolio, excluding impaired loans which are evaluated individually, is categorized into several pools for purposes of determining allowance amounts by loan pool. The loan pools we currently

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evaluate are: commercial real estate construction, residential real estate construction, SBA real estate, real estate other, commercial collateralized, commercial unsecured, SBA commercial, consumer, foreign, asset-based, and factoring. Within these loan pools, we then evaluate loans not adversely classified, which we refer to as "pass" credits, separately from adversely classified loans. The adversely classified loans are further grouped into three credit risk rating categories: special mention, substandard and doubtful. The allowance amounts for pass rated loans and those loans adversely classified, which are not reviewed individually, are determined using historical loss rates developed through migration analysis. The migration analysis is updated quarterly based on historic losses and movement of loans between ratings. As a result of this migration analysis and its quarterly updating, the increases we experienced in both chargeoffs and adverse classifications resulted in increased loss factors. In addition, beginning with the third quarter of 2008, we shortened the allowance methodology's accumulated net charge-off look-back data from 32 quarters to 16 quarters to allow greater emphasis on current charge-off activity. Such shortening also increased the loss factors.

        Finally, in order to ensure our allowance methodology is incorporating recent trends and economic conditions, we apply environmental and general economic factors to our allowance methodology including: credit concentrations; delinquency trends; economic and business conditions; external factors such as fuel and building materials prices, the effects of adverse weather and hostilities; the quality of lending management and staff; lending policies and procedures; loss and recovery trends; nature and volume of the portfolio; nonaccrual and problem loan trends; usage trends of unfunded commitments; quality of loan review; and other adjustments for items not covered by other factors.

        We recognize the determination of the allowance for loan losses is sensitive to the assigned credit risk ratings and inherent loss rates at any given point in time. Therefore, we perform sensitivity analyses to provide insight regarding the impact adverse changes in credit risk ratings may have on our allowance for loan losses. The sensitivity analyses has inherent limitations and is based on various assumptions as of a point in time and, accordingly, it is not necessarily representative of the impact loan risk rating changes may have on the allowance for loan losses. At March 31, 2009, in the event that 1 percent of our loans were downgraded one credit risk rating category for each category (e.g., 1 percent of the "pass" category moved to the "special mention" category, 1 percent of the "special mention" category moved to "substandard" category, and 1 percent of the "substandard" category moved to the "doubtful" category within our current allowance methodology), the allowance for loan losses would have increased by approximately $2.7 million. In the event that 5 percent of our loans were downgraded one credit risk category, the allowance for loan losses would increase by approximately $13.6 million. Given current processes employed by the Company, management believes the credit risk ratings and inherent loss rates currently assigned are appropriate. It is possible that others, given the same information, may at any point in time reach different conclusions that could be significant to the Company's financial statements. In addition, current credit risk ratings are subject to change as we continue to review loans within our portfolio and as our borrowers are impacted by economic trends within their market areas.

        Management believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate and appropriate for the known and inherent risks in our loan portfolio. In making its evaluation, management considers certain quantitative and qualitative factors including the Company's historical loss experience, the volume and type of lending conducted by the Company, the results of our credit review process, the amounts of classified, criticized and nonperforming assets, regulatory policies, general economic conditions, underlying collateral values, and other factors regarding collectibility and impairment. To the extent we experience, for example, increased levels of documentation deficiencies, adverse changes in collateral values, or negative changes in economic and business conditions which adversely affect our borrowers, our classified loans may increase. Higher levels of classified loans generally result in higher allowances for loan losses.

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        Management also believes that the reserve for unfunded loan commitments is adequate. In making this determination, we use the same methodology for the reserve for unfunded loan commitments as we do for the allowance for loan losses and consider the same quantitative and qualitative factors, as well as an estimate of the probability of advances of the commitments correlated to their credit risk rating.

        The following table presents the changes in our allowance for credit losses for the periods indicated:

 
  As of or for the  
 
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2009
  Year Ended
December 31, 2008
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 68,790   $ 61,028   $ 61,028  

Provision for credit losses

    14,000     45,800     26,000  

Net charge-offs

    (6,158 )   (38,038 )   (18,158 )
               

Balance at end of period

  $ 76,632   $ 68,790   $ 68,870  
               

Allowance for credit losses to loans, net of unearned income

    1.95 %   1.72 %   1.76 %

        The provisions for credit losses were based on our reserve methodology and considered, among other factors, net charge-offs, the level and trends of classified, criticized, and nonaccrual loans, general market conditions, the level and usage trends of unfunded commitments, and portfolio concentrations.

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        The following table presents the changes in our allowance for loan losses for the periods indicated:

 
  As of or for the  
 
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2009
  Year Ended
December 31, 2008
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 63,519   $ 52,557   $ 52,557  

Loans charged off:

                   
 

Commercial

    (1,881 )   (7,664 )   (108 )
 

Real estate—construction

    (1,572 )   (24,998 )(a)   (18,335 )(a)
 

Real estate—mortgage

    (2,738 )   (2,617 )   (68 )
 

Consumer

    (216 )   (3,947 )   (38 )
 

Foreign

    (368 )   (349 )    
               
 

Total loans charged off

    (6,775 )   (39,575 )   (18,549 )
               

Recoveries on loans charged off:

                   
 

Commercial

    303     971     356  
 

Real estate—construction

        88      
 

Real estate—mortgage

    190     412     26  
 

Consumer

    110     47     9  
 

Foreign

    14     19      
               

Total recoveries on loans charged off

    617     1,537     391  
               

Net charge-offs

    (6,158 )   (38,038 )   (18,158 )

Provision for loan losses

    14,000     49,000     25,800  
               

Balance at end of period

  $ 71,361   $ 63,519   $ 60,199  
               

Ratios:

                   

Allowance for loan losses to loans, net of unearned income

    1.82 %   1.59 %   1.54 %

Allowance for loan losses to nonaccrual loans

    51.5 %   100.1 %   188.4 %

Annualized net charge-offs to average loans

    0.63 %   0.96 %   1.82 %

        We recorded a $14.0 million provision for loan losses during the first quarter of 2009. Based on information currently available, management believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate and appropriate for the known and inherent risks in our loan portfolio. In making its evaluation, management considers certain quantitative and qualitative factors including the Company's historical loss experience, the volume and type of lending conducted by the Company, the results of our credit review process, the amounts of classified, criticized and nonperforming assets, regulatory policies, general economic conditions, underlying collateral values, and other factors regarding collectibility and impairment.

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        The following table presents the changes in our reserve for unfunded loan commitments for the periods indicated:

 
  As of or for the  
 
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2009
  Year Ended
December 31, 2008
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 5,271   $ 8,471   $ 8,471  

(Reversal) provision

        (3,200 )   200  
               

Balance at end of period

  $ 5,271   $ 5,271   $ 8,671  
               

        The decline in the reserve for unfunded commitments in 2008 was due to lower commitment levels and lower usage. Lower commitment levels have resulted from the decline in lending activity during 2008. During the third quarter of 2008 we reviewed unfunded commitment usage for the last 16 quarters and noted that actual commitment usage in certain loan categories was consistently less than the estimated commitment usage factor built-in to our loss reserving methodology. Our methodology, once modified to reflect lower commitment usage factors, resulted in a $1.2 million reduction in the reserve for unfunded loan commitments during the third quarter of 2008.

        Credit Quality.    Our loan portfolio continues to experience pressure from the economic trends in Southern California as indicated by the level of net charge-offs and the increases in nonaccrual loans and nonperforming assets. We expect that such pressures will continue in 2009. The construction loan portfolio increased $3.8 million during the first three months of 2009 to $583.7 million at the end of March. Within our construction loan portfolio, we reduced our exposure to nonowner-occupied residential construction loans by $2.6 million during the first quarter of 2009. The reduction was due mostly to a combination of foreclosures and charge-offs of $6.5 million and net advances for new loans and existing commitments of $3.9 million. Twelve nonowner-occupied residential construction loans totaling approximately $40.3 million were on nonaccrual status at March 31, 2009. The details of the nonowner-occupied residential construction loan portfolio as of the dates indicated follows:

 
  As of March 31, 2009   As of
December 31, 2008
 
 
   
  Number of
loans
  Average
loan balance
 
Loan Category
  Balance   Balance  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Residential land acquisition and development

  $ 58,420     23   $ 2,540   $ 57,308  

Residential nonowner-occupied single family

    86,574     30     2,886     94,067  

Unimproved residential land

    48,814     13     3,755     50,163  

Residential multifamily

    37,341     10     3,734     32,184  
                     

  $ 231,149     76   $ 3,041   $ 233,722  
                     

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        Our largest loan portfolio concentration is the real estate mortgage category, which includes loans secured by commercial and residential real estate. The commercial real estate mortgage nonowner-occupied category includes loans for retail, office building, industrial and warehouse facilities and hotels. The following table presents our real estate mortgage loan portfolio as of the dates indicated.

 
  Balance as of  
Loan Category
  March 31, 2009   December 31, 2008   March 31, 2008  
 
  (Dollars in thousand)
 

Commercial real estate mortgage

                   
 

100% owner-occupied

  $ 362,428   $ 376,975   $ 438,147  
 

Nonowner-occupied

    1,880,215     1,861,868     1,693,867  
               

Total commercial real estate mortgage

    2,242,643     2,238,843     2,132,014  
               

Residential real estate mortgage:

                   
 

Multi-family

    103,329     107,377     85,563  
 

Single family owner-occupied

    91,004     91,532     43,521  
 

Single family nonowner-occupied

    45,814     35,337     48,336  
               

Total residential real estate mortgage

    240,147     234,246     177,420  
               

Total real estate mortgage

  $ 2,482,790   $ 2,473,089   $ 2,309,434  
               

        All nonaccrual and restructured loans are considered impaired and are evaluated individually for loss exposure. At March 31, 2009 we had $54.8 million of restructured loans of which $9.7 million were on nonaccrual status, $9.7 million were classified as 30 days past due and accruing, and $35.4 million were in compliance with the modified terms and on accrual status. At March 31, 2009, approximately $15.7 million of the allowance for credit losses was allocated to the impaired loans. The types of loans included in the nonaccrual category and accruing loans past due between 30 and 89 days as of March 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008 follow.

 
  Nonaccrual Loans    
   
 
 
  Accruing and over
30 Days Past Due
 
 
  March 31, 2009    
 
Loan category
  As a % of
loan category
  Balance   December 31,
2008
Balance
  March 31,
2009
Balance
  December 31,
2008
Balance
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

SBA 504

    3.2 % $ 3,869   $ 5,308   $ 2,699   $  

SBA 7(a) and Express

    24.4 %   10,173     7,544     738     2,330  

Residential construction

    25.4 %   44,778     14,738     22,893     5,342  

Commercial real estate

    1.1 %   22,782     11,081     13,442     26,674  

Commercial construction

    5.7 %   14,875     1,298         3,956  

Commercial

    2.5 %   18,255     20,325     2,543     2,298  

Commercial land

    1.9 %   1,641             142  

Residential other

    15.5 %   18,896     86     743     457  

Residential land

    2.2 %   1,257     1,665          

Residential multifamily

    0.3 %   301             3,292  

Other, including foreign

    2.0 %   1,670     1,425     640     1,133  
                         

Total

    3.5 % $ 138,497   $ 63,470   $ 43,698   $ 45,624  
                         

        The net increase in nonaccrual loans during the first quarter is composed of additions of $99.8 million, repayments and payoffs of $9.7 million, charge-offs of $3.3 million, and foreclosures of $11.8 million. The nonaccrual residential construction loan category is comprised of 11 loans, of which 9 of the projects totaling $39.6 million are complete and the remaining 2 loans have underlying projects which are substantially complete. The completed projects include $15.6 million to four borrowers

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involved in the construction of high-end single family residences located in the Desert region and a $19.4 million 28-unit condo project with excess land for future land development located in Costa Mesa; these loans also represent the majority of the increase in the nonaccrual residential construction loan category since year end. The increase in nonaccrual commercial real estate loans was centered in three properties: one office building for $3.6 million located in the Inland Empire, a retail project for $4.9 million and a golf course for $4.6 million located in the Desert region. The nonaccrual commercial construction loan increase is related to two completed office buildings in the Desert region and a 4-unit industrial building located in southeast San Diego. The increase in the nonaccrual residential other loan category relates to one borrowing relationship with an underlying collateral pool that includes two lots and a home located on a high-end country club and two high-end coastal homes in San Diego County.

        Included in the nonaccrual loans at the end of March are $14.0 million of SBA related loans representing 10% of total nonaccrual loans at that date. The SBA 504 loans are secured by first trust deeds on owner-occupied business real estate with loan-to-value ratios of generally 50% or less at the time of origination. SBA 7(a) loans are secured by borrowers' real estate and/or business assets and are covered by an SBA guarantee of up to 85% of the loan amount. The SBA guaranteed portion on the 7(a) and Express loans shown above is $8.4 million. At March 31, 2009, the SBA loan portfolio totaled $161.8 million and was composed of $119.9 million in SBA 504 loans and $41.9 million in SBA 7(a) and Express loans.

        Loans accruing and over 30 days past due decreased $1.9 million during the first quarter. The increase in the residential construction category is due mostly to a $13.1 million loan for an in-fill single family lot development loan in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County and a restructured loan for an $8.8 million high-end single family residential development in the Desert region. The decline in the commercial real estate category is due mostly to two loans for $8.6 million transferred to nonaccrual status and one loan for $4.4 million that was brought current. While the category of loans accruing and over 30 days past due decreased during the first quarter of 2009, no assurance can be given that such trend will continue.

        Nonperforming assets include nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned (OREO) and totaled $186.2 million at the end of March compared to $104.8 million at the end of December. OREO totaled $47.7 million at the end of March compared to $41.3 million at the end of December. The net increase in OREO is due to 7 additions totaling $12.0 million, an increase in the valuation reserve of $535,000 and 6 sales totaling $5.1 million. The ratio of nonperforming assets to loans and OREO increased to 4.69% at March 31, 2009 from 2.60% at December 31, 2008.

        The following table presents the components of OREO by property type as of the dates indicated:

 
  Balance as of  
Property Type
  March 31, 2009   December 31, 2008  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Improved residential land

  $ 4,271   $ 3,735  

Commercial real estate

    31,003     27,879  

Residential condominiums

    3,143     5,343  

Single family residence

    9,256 (a)   4,353  
           

Total

  $ 47,673   $ 41,310  
           

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        The following table presents historical credit quality information as of the dates indicated:

 
  As of or for the  
 
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2009
  Year Ended
December 31, 2008
  Quarter Ended
March 31, 2008
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES:

                   

Allowance for loan losses

  $ 71,361   $ 63,519   $ 60,199  

Reserve for unfunded loan commitments

    5,271     5,271     8,671  
               

Allowance for credit losses

  $ 76,632   $ 68,790   $ 68,870  
               

NONPERFORMING ASSETS:

                   

Nonaccrual loans

  $ 138,497   $ 63,470   $ 31,955  

Other real estate owned

    47,673     41,310     6,055  
               
 

Total nonperforming assets

  $ 186,170   $ 104,780   $ 38,010  
               

Allowance for credit losses to loans, net of unearned income

    1.95 %   1.72 %   1.76 %

Allowance for credit losses to nonaccrual loans

    55.3 %   108.4 %   215.5 %

Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming assets

    41.2 %   65.7 %   181.2 %

        Deposits.    The following table presents the balance of each major category of deposits at the dates indicated:

 
  At March 31, 2009   At December 31, 2008   At March 31, 2008  
 
  Amount   % of total   Amount   % of total   Amount   % of total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Noninterest-bearing

  $ 1,223,884     36 % $ 1,165,485     34 % $ 1,277,302     38 %

Interest-bearing:

                                     
 

Interest checking

    359,551     11     342,241     10     373,145     11  
 

Money market accounts

    890,558     26     837,873     24     1,165,337     36  
 

Savings

    116,550     3     124,603     4     100,505     3  
 

Time deposits under $100,000

    400,084     12     611,083     17     136,476     4  
 

Time deposits over $100,000

    410,189     12     393,930     11     266,379     8  
                           

Total interest-bearing

    2,176,932     64     2,309,730     66     2,041,842     62  
                           

Total deposits

  $ 3,400,816     100 % $ 3,475,215     100 % $ 3,319,144     100 %
                           

        Total deposits decreased $74.4 million during the first quarter of 2009. When the changes in wholesale CDs and the acquired brokered and money desk deposits are excluded, however, our core deposits increased $108.2 million, with $58.4 million of such increase in the noninterest-bearing category. At March 31, 2009, noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $1.2 billion and represented 36.0% of total deposits. Our wholesale CDs and acquired brokered and money desk deposits totaled $167.4 million at March 31, 2009 compared to $350.0 million at December 31, 2008. The March 31 balance includes $44.7 million of brokered and money desk deposits acquired in the November 2008 Security Pacific Bank deposit acquisition and $122.7 million of Pacific Western Bank wholesale CDs. Deposits by foreign customers, primarily located in Mexico and Canada, totaled $111.1 million, or approximately 3.27% of total deposits at March 31, 2009.

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Regulatory Matters

        The regulatory capital guidelines and the actual capital ratios for Pacific Western and the Company as of March 31, 2009, are as follows:

 
  Minimum Regulatory Requirements   Actual  
 
  Well
Capitalized
  Pacific
Western
  Company
Consolidated
 

Tier 1 leverage capital ratio

    5.00 %   10.76 %   12.67 %

Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio

    6.00 %   11.20 %   13.17 %

Total risk-based capital

    10.00 %   12.45 %   14.43 %

Tangible common equity (TCE) ratio

        10.54 %   9.67 %

        The Company issued subordinated debentures to trusts that were established by us or entities we have acquired, which, in turn, issued trust preferred securities, which totaled $123.0 million at March 31, 2009. Our trust preferred securities are currently included in our Tier I capital for purposes of determining the Company's Tier I and total risk-based capital ratios. The FRB, which is the holding company's banking regulator, has promulgated a modification of the capital regulations affecting trust preferred securities. Although this modification was scheduled to be effective on March 31, 2009, the Federal Reserve postponed the effective date to March 31, 2011. At that time, the Company will be allowed to include in Tier I capital an amount of trust preferred securities equal to no more than 25% of the sum of all core capital elements, which is generally defined as shareholders' equity, less goodwill net of any related deferred income tax liability. The regulations currently in effect through December 31, 2010 limit the amount of trust preferred securities that can be included in Tier I capital to 25% of the sum of core capital elements without a deduction for goodwill. We have determined that our Tier I capital ratios would remain above the well-capitalized level had the modification of the capital regulations been in effect at March 31, 2009. We expect that our Tier I capital ratios will be at or above the existing well capitalized levels on March 31, 2011, the first date on which the modified capital regulations must be applied.

        As announced on January 14, 2009, we issued in a private placement to CapGen Capital Group II LP 3,846,153 PacWest common shares at $26 per share for total cash consideration of approximately $100 million.

Liquidity Management

        Liquidity.    The goals of our liquidity management are to ensure the ability of the Company to meet its financial commitments when contractually due and to respond to other demands for funds such as the ability to meet the cash flow requirements of customers who may be either depositors wanting to withdraw funds or borrowers who may need assurance that sufficient funds will be available to meet their credit needs. We have an Executive Asset/Liability Management Committee, or Executive ALM Committee, which is comprised of members of senior management and responsible for managing balance sheet and off-balance sheet commitments to meet the needs of customers while achieving our financial objectives. Our Executive ALM Committee meets regularly to review funding capacities, current and forecasted loan demand, and investment opportunities.

        Historically, the Bank's primary liquidity source has been its core deposit base. Over the last several years the Bank's reliance on collateralized FHLB advances has increased as one of its sources of affordable and immediately available liquidity. The level of such wholesale funding is monitored based on the Bank's liquidity requirements, and we maintain what we believe to be an acceptable level of this collateralized borrowing capacity. The Bank's secured borrowing capacity with the FHLB was $925.3 million, of which $472.9 million was available as of March 31, 2009. The Bank also maintains a

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security repurchase line with the FHLB to provide an additional $89.4 million in secured borrowing capacity, against which there were no borrowings as of March 31, 2009. In addition to the secured borrowing relationship with the FHLB, and to meet short term liquidity needs, the Bank maintains adequate balances in liquid assets, which include cash and due from banks, Federal Funds sold, interest bearing deposits in other financial institutions, and unpledged investment securities available-for-sale. The Bank also established a secured line of credit with the FRB in 2008 which had a borrowing capacity of $585.5 million at March 31, 2009 and no amounts were outstanding under this line on that date. The FRB lowered the collateralized borrowing percentages in the secured borrowing program on April 27, 2009, which reduced our borrowing capacity to $520.1 million as of that date. In addition to its secured lines of credit the Bank also maintains unsecured lines of credit, subject to availability, of $155.0 million with correspondent banks for purchase of overnight funds. Another source of liquidity has been the holding company's $35.0 million revolving line of credit with U.S. Bank. We cancelled this line effective May 8, 2009 due to lack of use and to avoid incurring line availability fees.

        The recent disruption in the financial credit and liquidity markets has had the effect of decreasing overall liquidity in the marketplace. While we have experienced net deposit outflows, we have augmented our funding needs with collateralized FHLB borrowings and large denomination time deposits. At March 31, 2009, the Bank had $140.8 million of these large denomination time deposits, the availability of which is uncertain and subject to competitive market forces. In addition, we have $110.5 million of customer deposits that were subsequently participated with other FDIC insured financial institutions through the CDARS program as a means to provide FDIC deposit insurance coverage for the full amount of our participating customers' deposits.

        The primary sources of liquidity for the Company, on a stand alone basis, include the dividends from the Bank and our ability to raise capital, issue subordinated debt and secure outside borrowings. The ability of the Company to obtain funds for the payment of dividends to our stockholders and for other cash requirements is largely dependent upon the Bank's earnings. Pacific Western is subject to restrictions under certain federal and state laws and regulations which limit its ability to transfer funds to the Company through intercompany loans, advances or cash dividends. Dividends paid by state banks, such as Pacific Western, are regulated by the DFI under its general supervisory authority as it relates to a bank's capital requirements. A state bank may declare a dividend without the approval of the DFI as long as the total dividends declared in a calendar year do not exceed either the retained earnings or the total of net profits for three previous fiscal years less any dividends paid during such period. During the first quarter of 2009, PacWest received no dividends from the Bank. For the foreseeable future, further dividends from the Bank to the Company require DFI approval.

        At March 31, 2009, the Company had, on a stand alone basis, approximately $86.6 million in cash on deposit at the Bank. We believe we have adequate sources of liquidity to fund operations.

        Contractual Obligations.    The known contractual obligations of the Company at March 31, 2009, are as follows:

 
  At March 31, 2009 and Due  
 
  Within
One Year
  One to
Three Years
  Three to
Five Years
  After
Five Years
  Total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Short-term debt obligations

  $ 175,000   $   $   $   $ 175,000  

Brokered deposits

    139,348     1,475             140,823  

Long-term debt obligations

            50,000     354,946     404,946  

Operating lease obligations

    13,935     24,665     16,622     19,863     75,085  

Other contractual obligations

    3,550     4,785             8,335  
                       
 

Total

  $ 331,833   $ 30,925   $ 66,622   $ 374,809   $ 804,189  
                       

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        The amount of brokered deposits included in the contractual obligations table represents wholesale broker deposits only. Such amount does not include $110.5 million of customer deposits that were subsequently participated with other FDIC insured financial institutions as a means to provide FDIC deposit insurance coverage for the full amount of our customers' deposits.

        Long term debt obligations include $275 million of callable FHLB advances which may be called by the FHLB on various call dates. While the FHLB may call the advances to be repaid for any reason, they are likely to be called if market interest rates are higher than the advances' stated rates on the call dates. If the advances are called by the FHLB, there is no prepayment penalty. Should our FHLB advances be called, we would evaluate the funding opportunities available at that time, including new secured FHLB borrowings at the prevailing market rates. As borrowing rates are currently lower than our contract rates, we do not expect our secured FHLB borrowings to be called. Debt obligations are also discussed in Note 5 of Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in "Item 1. Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements." Operating lease obligations are discussed in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008. The other contractual obligations relate to the minimum liability associated with our data and item processing contract with a third-party provider.

        We believe that we will be able to meet our contractual obligations as they come due through the maintenance of adequate cash levels. We expect to maintain adequate cash levels through profitability, loan and securities repayment and maturity activity, and continued deposit gathering activities. We believe we have in place sufficient borrowing mechanisms for short-term liquidity needs.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        Our obligations also include off-balance sheet arrangements consisting of loan-related commitments, of which only a portion are expected to be funded. At March 31, 2009, our loan-related commitments, including standby letters of credit, totaled $955.3 million. The commitments which result in a funded loan increase our profitability through net interest income. We manage our overall liquidity taking into consideration funded and unfunded commitments as a percentage of our liquidity sources. Our liquidity sources have been and are expected to be sufficient to meet the cash requirements of our lending activities.

Asset/Liability Management and Interest Rate Sensitivity

        Interest Rate Risk.    Our market risk arises primarily from credit risk and interest rate risk inherent in our lending and financing activities. To manage our credit risk, we rely on adherence to our underwriting standards and loan policies, internal loan monitoring and periodic credit review as well as our allowance for credit losses methodology, all of which are administered by the Bank's Credit Administration Group and overseen by the Company's Credit Risk Committee. To manage our exposure to changes in interest rates, we perform asset and liability management activities which are governed by guidelines pre-established by our Executive ALM Committee, and approved by our Asset/Liability Management Committee of the Board of Directors, which we refer to as our Board ALCO. Our Executive ALM Committee monitors our compliance with our asset/liability policies. These policies focus on providing sufficient levels of net interest income while considering acceptable levels of interest rate exposure as well as liquidity and capital constraints.

        Market risk sensitive instruments are generally defined as derivatives and other financial instruments, which include investment securities, loans, deposits, and borrowings. At March 31, 2009, we had not used any derivatives to alter our interest rate risk profile or for any other reason. However, both the repricing characteristics of our fixed rate loans and floating rate loans, the significant percentage of noninterest bearing deposits compared to interest earning assets, and the callable features in certain borrowings, may influence our interest rate risk profile. Our financial instruments

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include loans receivable, Federal funds sold, interest bearing deposits in financial institutions, Federal Home Loan Bank stock, investment securities, deposits, borrowings and subordinated debentures.

        We measure our interest rate risk position on at least a quarterly basis using three methods: (i) net interest income simulation analysis; (ii) market value of equity modeling; and (iii) traditional gap analysis. The results of these analyses are reviewed by the Executive ALM Committee and the Board ALCO quarterly. If hypothetical changes to interest rates cause changes to our simulated net present value of equity and/or net interest income outside of our pre-established limits, we may adjust our asset and liability mix in an effort to bring our interest rate risk exposure within our established limits.

        We evaluated the results of our net interest income simulation and market value of equity models prepared as of March 31, 2009, the results of which are presented below. Our net interest income simulation indicates that our balance sheet is liability sensitive as rising interest rates would result in a decline in our net interest margin. This profile is primarily a result of the increased origination of fixed rate loans and variable rate loans with initial fixed rate terms, which is driven by customer demand for fixed rate products in this low interest rate environment. Our market value of equity model indicates an asset sensitive profile suggesting a sudden sustained increase in rates would result in an increase in our estimated market value of equity. This profile is a result of the assumed floors in the Company's offering rates which are not expected to increase to the extent of the movement of market interest rates, and the significant value placed on the Company's noninterest bearing deposits for purposes of this analysis. The divergent profile between the net interest income simulation and market value of equity model is a result of the Company's significant level of noninterest bearing deposits. Static balances of noninterest bearing deposits do not impact the net interest income simulation. However, the value of these deposits increase substantially in the market value of equity model when market rates are assumed to rise. In general, we view the net interest income model results as more relevant to the Company's current operating profile and manage our balance sheet based on this information.

        Net interest income simulation.    We used a simulation model to measure the estimated changes in net interest income that would result over the next 12 months from immediate and sustained changes in interest rates as of March 31, 2009. This model is an interest rate risk management tool and the results are not necessarily an indication of our future net interest income. This model has inherent limitations and these results are based on a given set of rate changes and assumptions at one point in time. We have assumed no growth in either our interest sensitive assets or liabilities over the next 12 months; therefore, the results reflect an interest rate shock to a static balance sheet.

        This analysis calculates the difference between net interest income forecasted using both increasing and declining interest rate scenarios and net interest income forecasted using a base market interest rate derived from the treasury yield curve at March 31, 2009. In order to arrive at the base case, we extend our balance sheet at March 31, 2009 one year and reprice any assets and liabilities that would contractually reprice or mature during that period using the products' pricing as of March 31, 2009. Based on such repricings, we calculated an estimated net interest income and net interest margin. The effects of certain balance sheet attributes, such as fixed-rate loans, floating rate loans that have reached their floors and the volume of noninterest bearing deposits as a percentage of earning assets, impact our assumptions and consequently the results of our interest rate risk management model. Changes that may vary significantly from our assumptions include loan and deposit growth or contraction, changes in the mix of our earning assets or funding sources, and future asset/liability management decisions, all of which may have significant effects on our net interest income.

        The net interest income simulation model includes various assumptions regarding the repricing relationship for each of our assets and liabilities. Many of our assets are floating rate loans, which are assumed to reprice to the same extent as the change in market rates according to their contracted index. However, floating rate loans tied to our base lending rate are assumed to reprice upward only after the first 75 basis point increase in market rates. This assumption is due to the fact we reduced

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our base lending rate 100 basis points when the Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds benchmark rate by 175 basis points. Some loans and investment vehicles include the opportunity of prepayment (imbedded options) and the simulation model uses national indexes to estimate these prepayments and reinvest these proceeds at current simulated yields. Our deposit products reprice at our discretion and are assumed to reprice more slowly in a rising or declining interest rate environment, usually repricing less than the change in market rates. Also, a callable option feature on certain borrowings will reprice differently in a rising interest rate environment than in a declining interest rate environment.

        The simulation analysis does not account for all factors that impact this analysis, including changes by management to mitigate the impact of interest rate changes or the impact a change in interest rates may have on our credit risk profile, loan prepayment estimates and spread relationships which can change regularly. In addition, the simulation analysis does not make any assumptions regarding loan fee income, which is a component of our net interest income and tends to increase our net interest margin. In the quarter ending March 31, 2009, loan fee income increased our net interest margin by 17 basis points. Management reviews the model assumptions for reasonableness on a quarterly basis.

        The following table presents as of March 31, 2009, forecasted net interest income and net interest margin for the next 12 months using a base case and the estimated change to the base scenario given immediate and sustained upward and downward movements in interest rates of 100, 200 and 300 basis points.

Interest rate scenario
  Estimated Net
Interest Income
  Percentage
Change
From Base
  Estimated
Net Interest
Margin
  Estimated
Net Interest
Margin Change
From Base
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Up 300 basis points

  $ 200,039     (5.55 )%   4.76 %   (0.28 )%

Up 200 basis points

  $ 198,244     (6.40 )%   4.72 %   (0.32 )%

Up 100 basis points

  $ 201,399     (4.91 )%   4.79 %   (0.25 )%

BASE CASE

  $ 211,797         5.04 %    

Down 100 basis points

  $ 216,817     2.37 %   5.16 %   0.12 %

Down 200 basis points

  $ 216,543     2.24 %   5.15 %   0.11 %

Down 300 basis points

  $ 216,333     2.14 %   5.15 %   0.11 %

        Our net interest income simulation model prepared as of March 31, 2009 suggests our balance sheet is liability sensitive. Liability sensitivity suggests that in a rising interest rate environment, our net interest margin would decrease; and during a falling or sustained low interest rate environment, our net interest margin would increase. This liability sensitive profile is due to the assumed repricing characteristics of our loans, deposits and borrowings. The Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds benchmark rate by 175 basis points during the fourth quarter of 2008 and we reduced our base lending rate 100 basis points. Not lowering our base lending rate may prevent further compression of our net interest margin given the current low interest rate environment. However, until market rates catch up to our loan offering rates, our loans will act like fixed rate instruments. Accordingly, in the event of a sudden sustained increase in rates we assume the cost of our liabilities would begin to increase immediately while our loans are assumed to reprice upward only after market rates exceed our interest rate floors. This would have the effect of compressing our net interest margin as approximately 34% of our loans have interest rates that are tied to our base lending rate and are subject to repricing. In addition, 21% of our loans are tied to an index other than our base lending rate and are also considered to be floating rate loans. Although, our floating rate loans may reprice during the life of the loan, they are subject to other terms and the repricing effect may not be immediate and to the extent of the movement in the index rate.

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        In comparing the March 31, 2009, simulation results to December 31, 2008, we have become less liability sensitive. The decrease in our liability sensitivity is due mostly to increases in interest-bearing deposits in financial institutions and noninterest bearing deposits.

        Market value of equity.    We measure the impact of market interest rate changes on the net present value of estimated cash flows from our assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet items, defined as the market value of equity, using a simulation model. This simulation model assesses the changes in the market value of our interest sensitive financial instruments that would occur in response to an instantaneous and sustained increase or decrease in market interest rates of 100, 200 and 300 basis points. This analysis assigns significant value to our noninterest bearing deposit balances. The projections are by their nature forward looking and therefore inherently uncertain, and include various assumptions regarding cash flows and interest rates. This model is an interest rate risk management tool and the results are not necessarily an indication of our actual future results. Actual results may vary significantly from the results suggested by the market value of equity table. Loan prepayments and deposit attrition, changes in the mix of our earning assets or funding sources, and future asset/liability management decisions, among others, may vary significantly from our assumptions.

        The base case is determined by applying various current market discount rates to the estimated cash flows from the different types of assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet items existing at March 31, 2009. The following table shows the projected change in the market value of equity for the set of rate shocks presented as of March 31, 2009:

Interest rate scenario
  Estimated
Market Value
  Percentage
Change
From Base
  Percentage of
total assets
  Ratio of
Estimated
Market Value to
Book Value
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

Up 300 basis points

  $ 714,489     19.50 %   15.9 %   152.3 %

Up 200 basis points

  $ 707,156     18.28 %   15.7 %   150.8 %

Up 100 basis points

  $ 658,156     10.08 %   14.6 %   140.3 %

BASE CASE

  $ 597,877         13.3 %   127.5 %

Down 100 basis points

  $ 536,607     (10.25 )%   11.9 %   114.4 %

Down 200 basis points

  $ 474,277     (20.67 )%   10.5 %   101.1 %

Down 300 basis points

  $ 424,159     (29.06 )%   9.4 %   90.4 %

        The results of our market value of equity model indicate an asset sensitive interest rate risk profile at March 31, 2009 demonstrated by the increase in the market value of equity in the "up" interest rate scenarios compared to the "base case". Given the historically low market interest rates as of March 31, 2009, the "down" scenarios at March 31, 2009 are not considered meaningful and excluded from the following discussion.

        The discount rate used to value our loan portfolio is derived from the expected offering rate for each loan type with a similar term and credit risk profile. In this type of analysis, a higher discount rate applied to a loan portfolio will result in a lower loan value. Given the current interest rate environment management has placed floors on the Company's offering rates, including the assumption that our base lending rate will not increase until after a 75 basis point increase in market rates. Accordingly, in the increasing rate scenarios our offering rates (the discount rates) are not expected to increase to the same extent as market rates and in turn our loans are not projected to lose significant value. The discount rates for our liabilities are expected to increase to the same extent as increases in market rates. Therefore our liabilities are expected increase in value as rates rise thereby increasing the estimated market value of equity in the rising rate scenarios.

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        In comparing the March 31, 2009, simulation results to December 31, 2008, we have become less asset sensitive. The decrease in our asset sensitivity is due mostly to an increase in the amount of base case equity resulting from the $100.0 million CapGen investment.

        Gap analysis.    As part of the interest rate management process, we use a gap analysis. A gap analysis provides information about the volume and repricing characteristics and relationship between the amounts of interest-sensitive assets and interest-bearing liabilities at a particular point in time. An effective interest rate strategy attempts to match the volume of interest sensitive assets and interest bearing liabilities repricing over different time intervals. The following table illustrates the volume and repricing characteristics of our balance sheet at March 31, 2009 over the indicated time intervals:


Interest Rate Sensativity
At March 31, 2009
Amounts Maturing or Repricing In

 
  3 Months
Or Less
  Over
3 Months
to
12 Months
  Over
1 Year
to
5 Years
  Over
5 Years
  Non Interest
Rate
Sensitive
  Total  
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
 

ASSETS

                                     
 

Cash and deposits in financial institutions

  $ 95,758   $   $   $   $ 118,009   $ 213,767  
 

Federal funds sold

                         
 

Investment securities

    11,501     1,827     25,791     135,769         174,888  
 

Loans, net of unearned income

    1,728,895     200,753     911,885     1,082,752         3,924,285  
 

Other assets

                    183,130     183,130  
                           
 

Total assets

  $ 1,836,154   $ 202,580   $ 937,676   $ 1,218,521   $ 301,139   $ 4,496,070  
                           

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

                                     
 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

  $   $   $   $   $ 1,223,884   $ 1,223,884  
 

Interest-bearing demand, money market and savings

    1,366,659                     1,366,659  
 

Time deposits

    373,469     395,212     41,592             810,273  
 

Borrowings

        175,000     50,000     225,000         450,000  
 

Subordinated debentures

    87,631         20,619     18,558     3,138     129,946  
 

Other liabilities

                    46,302     46,302  
 

stockholders' equity

                    469,006     469,006  
                           
 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 1,827,759   $ 570,212   $ 112,211   $ 243,558   $ 1,742,330   $ 4,496,070  
                           
 

Period gap

  $ 8,395   $ (367,632 ) $ 825,465   $ 974,963   $ (1,441,191 )      
 

Cumulative interest-earning assets

  $ 1,836,154   $ 2,038,734   $ 2,976,410   $ 4,194,931              
 

Cumulative interest-bearing liabilities

  $ 1,827,759   $ 2,397,971   $ 2,510,182   $ 2,753,740              
 

Cumulative gap

  $ 8,395   $ (359,237 ) $ 466,228   $ 1,441,191              
 

Cumulative interest-earning assets to cumulative interest-bearing liabilities

    100.5 %   85.0 %   118.6 %   152.3 %            
 

Cumulative gap as a percent of:

                                     
   

Total assets

    0.2 %   (8.0 )%   10.4 %   32.1 %            
   

Interest-earning assets

    0.2 %   (8.8 )%   11.4 %   35.2 %            

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        All amounts are reported at their contractual maturity or repricing periods, except for $33.8 million in FHLB stock which is shown as a longer-term investment because of previously announced dividend and stock redemption suspensions. This analysis makes certain assumptions as to interest rate sensitivity of savings and NOW accounts which have no stated maturity and have had very little rate fluctuation in the past three years. Money market accounts are repriced at management's discretion and generally are more rate sensitive.

        The preceding table indicates that we had a negative one year cumulative gap of $359.2 million at March 31, 2009, a decrease of $45.3 million from the negative gap position of $404.5 million at December 31, 2008. The decrease in the negative gap is the result of a decrease in time deposits. This gap position suggests that we are liability sensitive and if rates were to increase, our net interest margin would most likely decrease. Conversely, if rates were to decrease, our net interest margin would most likely increase. The ratio of interest-earning assets to interest- bearing liabilities maturing or repricing within one year at March 31, 2009 is 85.0%. This one year gap position indicates that interest expense is likely to be affected to a greater extent than interest income for any changes in interest rates within one year from March 31, 2009.

        The Bank entered into five fixed rate term advances with FHLB during the fourth quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008. Three advances totaling $275 million with maturity dates of 2013 or later contain quarterly call options and may be called by the FHLB on various call dates as detailed in Note 5 of Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in "Item 1. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements." While the FHLB may call the advances to be repaid for any reason, they are likely to be called if market interest rates are higher than the advances' stated rates on the call dates. If the advances are called by the FHLB, there is no prepayment penalty. Should our FHLB advances be called, we would evaluate the funding opportunities available at that time, including new secured borrowings from the FHLB at the then market rates. As borrowing rates are currently lower than our contract rates, we do not expect our secured FHLB borrowings to be called. We may repay the advances with a prepayment penalty at any time.

        The gap table has inherent limitations and actual results may vary significantly from the results suggested by the gap table. The gap table assumes a static balance sheet, as does the net interest income simulation, and, accordingly, looks at the repricing of existing assets and liabilities without consideration of new loans and deposits that reflect a more current interest rate environment. Unlike the net interest income simulation, however, the interest rate risk profile of certain deposit products and floating rate loans that have reached their floors cannot be captured effectively in a gap table. Although the table shows the amount of certain assets and liabilities scheduled to reprice in a given time frame, it does not reflect when or to what extent such repricings may actually occur. For example, interest-bearing demand, money market and savings deposits are shown to reprice in the first three months, but we may choose to reprice these deposits more slowly and incorporate only a portion of the movement in market rates based on market conditions at that time. Alternatively, a loan which has reached its floor may not reprice despite a change in market interest rates causing such loan to act like a fixed rate loan regardless of its scheduled repricing date. For example, a loan already at its floor would not reprice if the adjusted rate was less than its floor. The gap table as presented is not able to factor in the flexibility we believe we have in repricing either deposits or the floors on our loans.

        We believe the estimated effect of a change in interest rates is better reflected in our net interest income and market value of equity simulations which incorporate many of the factors mentioned.

ITEM 3.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk

        Please see the section above titled "Asset/Liability Management and Interest Rate Sensitivity" in "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations"

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which provides an update to our quantitative and qualitative disclosure about market risk. This analysis should be read in conjunction with text under the caption "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, which text is incorporated herein by reference. Our analysis of market risk and market-sensitive financial information contains forward-looking statements and is subject to the disclosure at the beginning of Item 2 regarding such forward-looking information.

ITEM 4.    Controls and Procedures

        As of the end of the period covered by this report, an evaluation was carried out by the Company's management, with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, these disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

        There have been no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) during our most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1.    Legal Proceedings

        In the ordinary course of our business, we are party to various legal actions, which we believe are incidental to the operation of our business. Although the ultimate outcome and amount of liability, if any, with respect to these legal actions to which we are currently a party cannot presently be ascertained with certainty, in the opinion of management, based upon information currently available to us, any resulting liability is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

ITEM 1A.    Risk Factors

        There have been no material changes with respect to the risk factors described in Item 1A. to Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, which Item 1A. is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2.    Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

(c)
Issuer Repurchases of Common Stock

        In January 2009, all participants in the Company's Directors Deferred Compensation Plan, or the DDCP, received distributions of amounts previously deferred and the DDCP was terminated. Upon termination of the DDCP 166,337 common shares were distributed to the participants and 18,058 shares were purchased by the Company in satisfaction of financial obligations incurred with the distribution.

        The following table presents stock purchases made during the first quarter of 2009:

 
  Total Shares
Purchased
  Average Price
Per Share
 

January 1 - January 31, 2009

    18,058   $ 23.05  

February 1 - February 28, 2009

    12,412   $ 18.53  

March 1 - March 31, 2009

      $ 0.00  
             

Total

    30,470   $ 21.21  
             

ITEM 6.    Exhibits

Exhibit
Number
  Description
  3.1   Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of PacWest Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K filed on May 14, 2008 and incorporated herein by this reference).
  3.2   Bylaws of PacWest Bancorp, a Delaware corporation, dated April 22, 2008 (Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed on May 14, 2008 and incorporated herein by this reference).
  10.1 * Indemnification Agreement, applicable to the directors and executive officers of the Company, dated March 25, 2009.
  31.1   Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Executive Officer.
  31.2   Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Financial Officer.
  32.1   Section 1350 Certification of Chief Executive Officer.
  32.2   Section 1350 Certification of Chief Financial Officer.

*
Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

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SIGNATURES

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

  PACWEST BANCORP

    

   

    

   

Date: May 11, 2009

  /s/ VICTOR R. SANTORO

Victor R. Santoro
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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