FIRST HAWAIIAN BANK POSTS ELEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF ANNUAL
EARNINGS GROWTH

(Honolulu, Hawaii, January 30, 2008) - For 2007, First Hawaiian Bank achieved net income of $206.9 million, an increase of 4.2% over the previous year. This represented the eleventh consecutive year of annual net income growth. For the fourth quarter, the bank reported net income of $51.4 million, an increase of 6.6% over the same period of 2006, according to an announcement today by Don Horner, president and chief executive officer.

“During 2007, we experienced growth in all of our core business lines,” Horner said. “Our relationship strategy continued to serve us well. Despite a slowing economy and margin pressure, we remain optimistic about continued earnings growth in 2008, our 150th anniversary year.”

• For the 12 months ending December 31, 2007, First Hawaiian achieved the following:
• Total Assets: reached $12.6 billion at December 31, 2007, an increase of 4.9% over the previous year.
• Loans and Leases: increased 2.7% to $6.5 billion.
• Deposits: were $9.1 billion, up 2.1%.
• Total Revenues: increased by 6.6% to $623.6 million.
• Non-Performing Assets as a percentage of total assets remained low at 0.07% as compared to 0.01%.

During the year, the bank received an outstanding Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating from the FDIC for the fifth consecutive year. The FDIC also recognized First Hawaiian as the leading small business lender in Hawaii based on the total dollar volume of loans the bank makes to small business. Also during the year, Standard & Poor's increased the bank's long-term credit rating from A+ to AA-, the highest of any bank in Hawaii. Finally, First Hawaiian was voted the state's best bank by the readers of both the Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

First Hawaiian Bank ($12.6 billion assets) was founded in 1858 and is Hawaii's oldest and largest bank. It has 58 branches in Hawaii, three on Guam and two on Saipan. First Hawaiian's holding company, BancWest Corporation (www.bancwestcorp.com), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas, a leading global financial services institution.

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