Four Sectors Post Double Digit Positive Gains

View 4th Qtr 2014 Guam Business Activity Report (pdf, 12 KB)

(Hagåtña, Guam, February 12, 2015) –The fourth quarter 2014 First Hawaiian Bank Business Activity Report (BAR) for Guam showed an increase of 5.69 percent in “same store” credit and debit card sales transactions over the fourth quarter of 2013, according to Laura Dacanay, First Hawaiian Bank senior vice president and Guam and CNMI region manager.  

“All four quarters in 2014 posted consistent positive growth, reversing the negative trend we saw in 2013,” stated Dacanay.  “Hotels with 25.09 edged out Utilities with 23.19 percent for the top spot on the list for fourth quarter, but Utilities ranked first for the year overall. While 7 out of 11 sectors made gains in the fourth quarter, there were 9 out of 11 sectors that had positive results overall for the year. These are good indications that the economy is improving and consumer confidence is rebounding.”

The Guam BAR tracks credit and debit card sales activity in 11 different economic sectors including retail, hotel, home improvement, restaurants, and travel activities, among others.  First Hawaiian’s Guam BAR provides a broad measure of economic activity.

First Hawaiian Bank is a major card processor of debit and credit card sales transactions.  In 2014, the bank processed $4.7 billion worth of customer credit and debit card sales transactions in Hawaii, U.S. Mainland, Guan and the CNMI.

First Hawaiian Bank (www.fhb.com) with assets of some $18.1 billion, was founded in 1858 and is the largest and oldest bank in Hawaii.  First Hawaiian Bank has nearly 7,000 merchant locations throughout Hawaii, U.S. Mainland, Guam and CNMI and processes all major U.S. credit cards as well as JCB, China Union Pay and BC Global.