Hingham Savings Declares Regular and Special Dividend

HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS

(NASDAQ:HIFS) (“the Bank”), Hingham, Massachusetts, announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.37 per share.  This represents an increase of 3% over the previous regular quarterly dividend of $0.36 per share.  The dividend will be paid on January 16, 2019 to stockholders of record as of January 7, 2019.

In addition to the regular quarterly dividend, the Bank's Board of Directors announced that it will pay a special dividend of $0.50 per share.  This special dividend will also be paid on January 16, 2019 to stockholders of record as of January 7, 2019.  In November 2017, the Bank declared a special dividend of $0.34 per share.

Robert H. Gaughen, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, in announcing the dividend, stated, “The Bank continues to produce strong returns on equity capital.  These returns are the product of conservative underwriting, disciplined cost control, and careful capital allocation. This will be our 100th consecutive quarterly dividend and we have consistently increased regular quarterly cash dividends over the last twenty years. The Bank has also declared a special dividend in each of the last twenty-four years, typically in the fourth quarter and in approximately the same amount as the regular quarterly dividend.  Going forward, the Bank will set the level of the special dividend based on the Bank’s capital requirements and the return on available allocation options.  This may result in special dividends, if any, significantly above or below the regular quarterly dividend. Future regular and special dividends will be considered by the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.”

Hingham Institution for Savings is a Massachusetts-chartered savings bank located in Hingham, Massachusetts.  Incorporated in 1834, it is one of America’s oldest banks.  The Bank’s Main Office is located in Hingham and the Bank maintains offices on the South Shore, in Boston (South End and Beacon Hill), and on the island of Nantucket.  The Bank also provides commercial mortgage lending and private banking services in the Greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

The Bank’s shares of common stock are listed and traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol HIFS.

CONTACT:    Patrick R. Gaughen, President & Chief Operating Officer [phone]