LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Preferred Bank (NASDAQ:PFBC), ("the Bank"), an independent commercial bank, announced today that Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC ("KBRA") affirmed the Bank's deposit and senior unsecured debt ratings of A-, the subordinated debt rating of BBB+, and the short-term deposit and debt ratings of K2. The outlook of the long-term ratings for the Bank is Stable as of April 17, 2026.

In affirming its ratings, KBRA noted that the Bank's ratings remained anchored by its consistently strong profitability metrics, highlighted by its 2025 ROA of 1.84%, which continues to benefit from a high yielding loan portfolio and lean cost structure associated with the Bank's branch light business model.

The complete KBRA press release on Preferred Bank is available on KBRA's website, https://www.krollbondratings.com. The KBRA press release, credit ratings, and analysis constitute part of the information contained therein are, and must be construed solely as, statements of opinion of KBRA and not statements of fact or recommendations of KBRA or the Bank to purchase, sell or hold any of the Bank's securities.

About Preferred Bank

Preferred Bank is one of the larger independent commercial banks headquartered in California. The Bank is chartered by the State of California, and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Bank conducts its banking business from its main office in Los Angeles, California, and through twelve full-service branch banking offices in California (Alhambra, Century City, City of Industry, Torrance, Arcadia, Irvine (2), Diamond Bar, Pico Rivera, Tarzana and San Francisco (2)). The Bank also operates a branch in Flushing, New York and in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas as well as a Loan Production Office in Sunnyvale, California. Preferred Bank offers a broad range of deposit and loan products and services to both commercial and consumer customers. The Bank provides personalized deposit services as well as real estate finance, commercial loans and trade finance to small and mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, professionals and high net worth individuals. Although originally founded as a Chinese-American Bank, Preferred Bank now derives most of its customers from the diversified mainstream market but does continue to benefit from the significant migration to California of ethnic Chinese from China and other areas of East Asia.

AT THE COMPANY:

Edward J. Czajka

Executive Vice President

Chief Financial Officer

(213) 891-1188

AT FINANCIAL PROFILES:

Evan Niu

General Information

(310) 478-2700

PFBC@finprofiles.com

KBRA Affirms Ratings for Preferred Bank