First Financial Bancorp.

FFBC: 424B3 · acquisition merger

First Financial Bancorp filed a 424B3 proxy statement/prospectus for its proposed all-stock acquisition of Finward Bancorp, with a Finward shareholder vote set for November 2, 2026. Finward shareholders will receive 1.35 FFBC shares per FNWD share, valued at roughly $47.90 per share (~$208.3 million aggregate) at announcement. First Financial expects to issue approximately 5.87 million shares, leaving former Finward holders with about 5% of the combined company. The deal is expected to close in Q4 2026 or early Q1 2027, subject to Finward shareholder approval and regulatory approvals from the FRB and Ohio regulators. The Finward board unanimously recommends voting for the merger. The implied per-share value has declined to about $43.74 as of September 25, 2026 due to FFBC share price movement, since the exchange ratio is fixed. A $9.0 million termination fee applies in certain circumstances.

SEC 424B3•28d ago

FFBC: S-4/A · acquisition merger

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) filed an amended S-4 containing the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for its all-stock acquisition of Finward Bancorp (FNWD), under which each Finward share converts into 1.35 First Financial shares — an aggregate deal value of approximately $208.3 million at announcement pricing. Finward shareholders will vote on the merger at a virtual special meeting on November 2, 2026; the Finward board unanimously recommends voting FOR. First Financial expects to issue approximately 5.87 million shares, leaving former Finward holders with roughly 5% of the combined company, with closing targeted for Q4 2026 or early Q1 2027. Note that implied deal value has drifted down with FFBC's share price — from $47.90 per Finward share at announcement (July 20, 2026) to $42.30 as of September 22, 2026 — since the exchange ratio is fixed. A $9.0 million termination fee is payable by Finward in certain circumstances, and Finward stock will be delisted from Nasdaq upon closing.

SEC S-4/A•1mo ago

FFBC: S-4 · acquisition merger

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) filed a Form S-4 on September 4, 2026 registering shares for its proposed acquisition of Finward Bancorp (FNWD) under a merger agreement signed July 21, 2026. Finward shareholders will receive 1.35 First Financial shares per Finward share, which represented about $47.90 per share and roughly $208.3 million in aggregate based on FFBC's July 20, 2026 close. Finward, parent of Peoples Bank with 24 locations in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, brings $2.0 billion in assets, $1.5 billion in loans, and $1.7 billion in deposits to First Financial's $22.4 billion asset base. Former Finward shareholders will own approximately 5% of the combined company, and Finward stock will be delisted from Nasdaq at closing. The deal still requires Finward shareholder approval and approvals from the Federal Reserve and Ohio regulators, with applications filed around August 20, 2026; closing is expected in Q4 2026 or early Q1 2027. Finward faces a $9.0 million termination fee in certain circumstances, its shareholders have no appraisal rights under Indiana law, and the Finward board unanimously recommends voting for the merger.

SEC S-4•1mo ago

FFBC: 10-Q · periodic report

First Financial Bancorp reported Q2 2026 net income of $76.5 million, up from $70.0 million a year earlier, with diluted EPS flat at $0.73 as acquisition-related share issuance offset earnings growth. First-half net income rose 24% to $150.9 million ($1.44 diluted EPS vs $1.27), fueled by 20% year-over-year growth in quarterly net interest income to $190.4 million. The quarter reflects the January 1, 2026 acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation, a $149.7 million all-stock deal that added $1.4 billion of assets and a Chicago-area core deposit franchise. Because the purchase price was below the fair value of net assets acquired, First Financial recognized a $12.1 million bargain purchase gain in noninterest income. The 10-Q also discloses a pending merger with Finward Bancorp signed in July 2026, under which each Finward share converts into 1.35 First Financial shares. Finward brings roughly $2.0 billion of assets and $1.7 billion of deposits across 24 banking offices in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, with closing expected in Q4 2026 or Q1 2027 pending Finward shareholder approval. Credit quality was mixed: nonaccrual loans fell to $96.2 million and the allowance rose to $189.9 million, but the Q2 provision for credit losses climbed to $12.9 million from $9.1 million a year ago, and investor commercial real estate special mention loans jumped to $162.8 million from $29.4 million at year-end 2025.

SEC 10-Q•2mo ago

FFBC: 8-K · acquisition merger

First Financial Bancorp announced a definitive agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp for approximately $208 million in an all-stock transaction, representing a 19% premium to Finward's closing price. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings per share by 5% and significantly expands First Financial's footprint in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana markets, increasing its deposits in the Chicago MSA by 75% to $4.1 billion pro forma. Separately, First Financial reported record second-quarter 2026 financial results, achieving its highest adjusted earnings per share of $0.80 in company history. The company demonstrated strong operational momentum with a net interest margin of 3.98% and robust loan growth of $240 million during the quarter, marking its 143rd consecutive quarter of profitability. The company's balance sheet remains strong, boasting a Tier 1 common equity ratio of 12.33% and a tangible book value per share of $16.64, which increased 3% from the prior quarter. First Financial also announced a $0.01 increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.26, reflecting confidence in its capital generation strategy and earnings outlook.

SEC 8-K•2mo ago

FFBC: 8-K · acquisition merger

First Financial Bancorp entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp in an all-stock transaction valued at 1.35 shares of First Financial common stock for each share of Finward common stock. The merger was unanimously approved by both boards of directors and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals. Finward's banking subsidiary, Peoples Bank, will merge with and into First Financial Bank. The Merger Agreement stipulates that Finward will pay a termination fee of $9.0 million to First Financial under specific circumstances if the deal is not consummated. The companies have agreed to use reasonable efforts to obtain necessary governmental consents, including approvals from the Federal Reserve Board and state banking regulators. In addition to the merger announcement, First Financial Bancorp issued its earnings press release for the second quarter and first six months of 2026. The company also provided electronic presentation slides for its earnings conference call, which are available on its website.

SEC 8-K•3mo ago

First Financial Bancorp Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results, Quarterly Dividend Increase & Acquisition of Finward Bancorp

First Financial Bancorp reported Q2 2026 net income of $76.5 million, or $0.73 per share, with adjusted EPS hitting a record $0.80 driven by strong loan growth of $240 million and a stable net interest margin of 3.98% on a FTE basis. The Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend increase to $0.26 per share, signaling confidence in the company's capital generation and earnings momentum. Additionally, the company announced an all-stock agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp for approximately $208 million, a deal expected to be 5% accretive to EPS and significantly expand its presence in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana markets.

•3mo ago

Finward Bancorp Acquisition

First Financial Bancorp has agreed to acquire Finward Bancorp in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $208 million, aiming to bolster its presence in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana markets. The deal is expected to be 5% accretive to First Financial’s earnings per share, with tangible book value dilution of only 0.4% and a projected earnback period of 0.6 years. Finward brings roughly $1.7 billion in core deposits and 24 locations, increasing First Financial’s pro forma deposits in the Chicago metro area by 75% to over $4 billion.

•3mo ago

First Financial Completes Conversion of BankFinancial

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) has completed the conversion of BankFinancial, fully integrating its operating systems and rebranding all retail branches in the Chicagoland area under the First Financial brand. The integration allows BankFinancial clients to access First Financial’s full suite of services, including commercial banking, wealth management, and specialty lending, expanding the bank’s presence in a key metropolitan market. First Financial committed $1 million to its foundation for local community benefit and highlighted its current scale: $22.8 billion in assets, $17.9 billion in deposits, and 153 banking centers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.

•4mo ago

FFBC: 8-K · earnings release

First Financial Bancorp reported Q1 2026 adjusted earnings of $0.77 per share, driven by a stable net interest margin of 3.99% and record wealth management income of $10.5 million. The bank’s total assets grew to $22.8 billion, largely due to the January 2026 acquisition of BankFinancial, which contributed $1.4 billion in assets and $1.2 billion in deposits. The company highlighted strong credit quality with net charge-offs of $11.6 million (0.35% annualized) and an allowance for credit losses of 1.36% of total loans. Management provided forward guidance expecting net interest margin to remain between 3.99% and 4.04% and noninterest expense to range from $151 million to $154 million. In a move to return capital to shareholders, the Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase plan for up to 5 million shares. The company also noted the successful conversion of the Westfield Bank acquisition and the sale of $427 million in multifamily loans from the BankFinancial portfolio to optimize its balance sheet.

SEC 8-K•5mo ago

First Financial Bancorp Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

First Financial Bancorp reported record Q1 adjusted revenue of $265.3 million and adjusted EPS of $0.77, representing a 22% increase from the prior year. Performance was bolstered by a resilient net interest margin of 3.99% on a fully tax-equivalent basis and record wealth management income. The Board of Directors authorized a new 5-million-share repurchase program and redeemed $150 million of subordinated debt.

•6mo ago