Cathay General Bancorp Announces Extension of End Date for SinoPac Bancorp Acquisition

LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathay General Bancorp ("Cathay," NASDAQ:  CATY), the holding company for Cathay Bank, announced that Cathay and Bank SinoPac Co. Ltd. ("SinoPac") agreed to extend the "end date" under the Stock Purchase Agreement dated July 8, 2016 (the "SPA") between Cathay and SinoPac from July 8, 2017 to September 20, 2017. 

As previously announced, the SPA provides for the acquisition (the "Acquisition") by Cathay of SinoPac Bancorp, the U.S. subsidiary of SinoPac and the parent company of Far East National Bank.  While Cathay has obtained all required U.S. regulatory approvals, the Acquisition remains subject to SinoPac obtaining approval by the Financial Supervisory Commission ("FSC") in Taiwan. Cathay is not able to provide any assurance regarding the timing or receipt of FSC approval.

ABOUT CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

Cathay General Bancorp is the holding company for Cathay Bank, a California state-chartered bank. Founded in 1962, Cathay Bank offers a wide range of financial services. Cathay Bank currently operates 34 branches in California, 12 branches in New York State, three in the Chicago, Illinois area, three in Washington State, two in Texas, one in Maryland, one in Massachusetts, one in Nevada, one in New Jersey, one in Hong Kong, and a representative office in Taipei and in Shanghai. Cathay Bank's website is found at www.cathaybank.com.

Cathay General Bancorp's website is found at www.cathaygeneralbancorp.com. Information set forth on such websites is not incorporated into this press release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER NOTICES

This press release contains certain forward-looking information about Cathay, SinoPac Bancorp and Far East National Bank ("FENB"), and the combined companies after the closing of the acquisition of SinoPac Bancorp and the merger of Cathay Bank and FENB that is 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. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "hope," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "could," "future" or the negative of those terms or other words of similar meaning.  You should carefully read forward-looking statements, including statements that contain these words, because they discuss the future expectations or state other "forward-looking" information about Cathay, SinoPac Bancorp and FENB and the combined companies.  Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Cathay, Bank SinoPac, SinoPac Bancorp and FENB, and the combined companies. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date this press release is made and we assume no duty to update such statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in reports filed by Cathay with the SEC, risks and uncertainties for each company and the combined companies include, but are not limited to: the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the proposed acquisition will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the failure to satisfy conditions to completion of the proposed acquisition or merger of Cathay Bank and FENB, including receipt of required regulatory approvals; the failure of the proposed acquisition or merger of Cathay Bank and FENB to be completed for any other reason; the inability to complete the proposed acquisition or merger of Cathay Bank and FENB in a timely manner; the risk that integration of SinoPac Bancorp's and FENB's operations with those of Cathay and Cathay Bank will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the challenges of integrating and retaining key employees; the effect of the announcement of the proposed acquisition on Cathay's, SinoPac Bancorp's or FENB's, or the combined companies', respective customer relationships and operating results; the possibility that the proposed acquisition may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; and general competitive, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations.

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SOURCE Cathay General Bancorp