Strongest Second Quarter since Report was Created

View 2nd Qtr 2013 Business Activity Report (pdf, 32 KB)

(Honolulu, Hawaii July 14, 2013) – The most recent First Hawaiian Bank Business Activity Report (BAR) showed a 8.40 percent increase in second quarter "same store sales" over the comparable period of 2012, making it the strongest second quarter in the past four years, according to an announcement today by Keith Nagata, senior vice president and Business Services manager. For the first six months of 2013, overall card sales transactions for both debit and credit cards are up 9.68 percent over the first half of 2012.

"The Hotels and Shipping sectors have posted solid double digit increases for four consecutive quarters to date which is further indication of a healthy, thriving economy," Nagata said. "Tourism remains the economic driver with Hotels showing positive growth in 13 out of the 14 quarters measured."

The 8.40 percent is the highest second quarter increase in four years and is the 14th consecutive quarter of positive growth. Previous second quarter increases were: 8.05 percent in 2012, 7.99 percent in 2011, and 4.07 percent in 2010. The BAR tracks sales activity in 16 different economic sectors including automobile, retail, hotels, home improvement, restaurants, shipping and travel, among other categories.

First Hawaiian Bank is the largest local processor of credit and debit card transactions in Hawaii. In 2012, the bank processed $4.3 billion worth of customer credit and debit card sales transactions. The bank provides merchant services to nearly 7,000 First Hawaiian Bank merchant locations throughout Hawaii, Guam, CNMI and the U.S. Mainland.

First Hawaiian Bank (fhb.com) with total assets of $16.4 billion was founded in 1858 and is Hawaii's largest and oldest bank. The bank processes all major U.S. credit cards as well as JCB, China Union Pay and BC Global Card.