FFBC

Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) has drawn fresh attention after reporting second quarter 2026 results, with net interest income of US$190.38 million and net income of US$76.46 million, alongside detailed six month figures. See our latest analysis for First Financial Bancorp. First Financial Bancorp shares fell 4.79% on the day of the Q2 2026 release, but still show a 6.32% 1 month share price return and a 35.35% year to date share price return, alongside a 44.86% 1 year total shareholder return that points to momentum building over a longer horizon. If earnings and acquisition news have you reassessing your watchlist, it can help to widen the lens and review 18 top founder-led companies After a strong run and a sharp pullback on the results, First Financial Bancorp now sits between recent enthusiasm and fresh doubts. Does the current valuation already reflect that tension, or is patience the better entry point? With First Financial Bancorp last closing at $33.96 against a narrative fair value of $35.29, the story centers on whether execution can close that gap. Read the complete narrative. Want to see what underpins that efficiency push and fair value call for First Financial Bancorp? The narrative leans on compound revenue growth, rising margins and a future earnings profile that assumes a tighter cost base and steady loan momentum. Curious how those pieces are quantified and discounted back using a single required return? Result: Fair Value of $35.29 (UNDERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, the First Financial Bancorp narrative still hinges on credit quality in its commercial real estate book, and on the bank keeping expense control on track as costs evolve. Find out about the key risks to this First Financial Bancorp narrative. Given the mix of optimism and caution around First Financial Bancorp, are you ready to look under the hood, take timely action, and form your own stance based on the 4 key rewards and 1 important warning sign If First Financial Bancorp has sharpened your focus, do not stop here. Broaden your opportunity set with targeted ideas that match your goals using the Simply Wall Street Screener. Target long term compounding potential by scanning for companies that look attractively priced on quality and cash flow using the 47 high quality undervalued stocks. Prioritize resilience by reviewing stocks that pair financial strength with measured risk levels through the 82 resilient stocks with low risk scores. Spot early stage potential by studying focused opportunities with strong fundamentals using the screener containing 20 high quality undiscovered gems. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include FFBC. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Release Date: July 22, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) reported a record adjusted net income of $83.9 million, or $0.80 per share, marking an 8% increase over the second quarter of 2025. The company achieved a stable net interest margin of approximately 4%, with expectations to maintain this stability in the near term. Loan growth was strong at 7% on an annualized basis, driven by C&I, Agile, and Summit, with loan originations increasing by 23% over the first quarter. Asset quality remained stable, with net charge-offs declining by 15 basis points to 0.2% of total loans. The acquisition of Finward Bancorp is expected to be 5% accretive to earnings per share, with minimal impact on tangible book value per share. Second quarter adjusted fee income was below expectations due to lower foreign exchange, swap income, and investment banking fees. Non-interest income saw a decline compared to the linked-quarter, despite a strong first quarter. No shares were repurchased during the quarter as the company focused on integrating recent acquisitions. The company anticipates a slight uptick in deposit costs, which may impact the net interest margin. The integration of Finward Bancorp and realization of full cost savings are expected to take until the end of the third quarter of next year. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Sign with FFBC. Is FFBC fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Q: With the recent Finward acquisition, are you planning to pause on M&A activities, or is there still room for more transactions? A: Archie Brown, CEO: This is our third transaction, and while it's strategic and incremental, we don't see ourselves on the sidelines. However, our focus will be on integrating Finward over the next four quarters, and we'll reassess opportunities as they arise. Q: Can you provide more details on your capital return strategy, especially in light of the Finward deal? A: Jamie Anderson, CFO: We're targeting a 35% to 40% payout ratio with our common dividend. We plan to allocate a third of our earnings to dividends, a third to organic growth and small M&A, and a third to buybacks. We held off on buybacks in Q2 due to the deal but plan to resume them. Q: How do you see fee income evolving, particularly in foreign exchange and wealth management? A: Archie Brown, CEO: Foreign exchange income can be lumpy, but it's up 12% year-over-year for the first half. Wealth management, particularly M&A advisory, is small but has a strong pipeline, with some deals expected to close in Q3. Q: What are your plans for the Finward balance sheet, and how do you see the overall balance sheet trending? A: Archie Brown, CEO: We plan to retain Finward's loans and integrate their team to enhance growth. Jamie Anderson, CFO: On the securities side, we'll likely sell and reinvest to align with our investment philosophy, but no major changes are expected. Q: How do you view the trajectory of your core margin and new loan yields? A: Jamie Anderson, CFO: We expect our margin to remain relatively flat, with slight upticks in deposit costs. New loan yields are currently in line with payoff yields, and any rate hikes could positively impact our margin. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Interested in First Financial Bancorp.? Here are five stocks we like better. First Financial Bancorp. posted record adjusted Q2 earnings of $83.9 million, or $0.80 per share, helped by 7% annualized loan growth and a strong net interest margin of 3.98%. Adjusted return on tangible common equity reached 19.7%. Credit quality and capital remained solid, with net charge-offs improving to 0.20% of total loans annualized and non-performing assets declining. Tangible book value rose to $16.64 and the board increased the quarterly dividend to $0.26 per share. The company announced a strategic acquisition of Finward Bancorp to expand in Chicago and Northwest Indiana, a deal valued at about $208 million and expected to be roughly 5% accretive to earnings. Management expects the transaction to close around year-end and help further build its regional deposit base. First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) reported record adjusted second-quarter earnings and outlined plans to expand further in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana markets through its planned acquisition of Finward Bancorp, executives said on the company’s earnings call. President and Chief Executive Officer Archie Brown said the quarter was “another active quarter” as the company continued post-integration work related to the Westfield acquisition and completed the systems conversion for BankFinancial. He said operating results were strong, with adjusted net income of $83.9 million, or $0.80 per share. → Buyback Boom: These 3 Companies Are Betting Billions on Their Own Stocks Brown said adjusted earnings per share increased 8% from the second quarter of 2025, driven by higher earning assets from organic loan growth and recent acquisitions. Adjusted return on assets was 1.5%, while adjusted return on tangible common equity was 19.7%. Chief Financial Officer Jamie Anderson said the quarter was highlighted by “strong earnings, 7% loan growth, a solid net interest margin, and positive credit trends.” Net interest margin was 3.98%, down one basis point from the linked quarter. Anderson said deposit costs declined six basis points, while asset yields fell seven basis points due to lower accretion income. → 3 Photonics Companies Making Quantum Tech Possible Loan balances rose $240 million, or 7% annualized, with growth across much of the portfolio. Management highlighted commercial and industrial lending, Summit and Agile as key contributors. Brown said loan originations increased 23% from the first quarter and that advanced-stage pipelines remained strong heading into the second half of the year. Average deposits increased $41 million, which Anderson attributed mainly to a seasonal influx in public funds and growth in interest-bearing demand accounts. He said 21% of total deposit balances remained in non-interest-bearing accounts and that the company remains focused on growing lower-cost deposits. → AI Data Centers Need Power, and These 2 Industrials Are Cashing In Brown said adjusted fee income was below management’s expectations after a strong first quarter, with lower foreign exchange swap income and investment banking fees weighing on non-interest income. However, he said the company expects a rebound in the third quarter. Anderson said adjusted fee income totaled $72 million, led by leasing and foreign exchange. Other non-interest income increased $3.6 million due to higher income from bank-owned life insurance and limited partnership investments. Adjusted non-interest expenses declined from the linked quarter, which management attributed to lower commission expense, payroll taxes and acquisition-related synergies. Anderson said core expenses decreased $5.7 million, driven by lower compensation costs tied to lower fee income. Brown said virtually all expected Westfield cost reductions had been realized by June 30, while BankFinancial-related savings are expected to phase in during the third quarter, with full savings anticipated by quarter-end. Asset quality trends were positive in the quarter. Net charge-offs declined 15 basis points to 0.20% of total loans on an annualized basis. Anderson said net charge-offs were down 42% from the first quarter, while non-performing assets and classified assets also declined. The allowance for credit losses increased two basis points to 1.38% of total loans. The company recorded $8.2 million of provision expense, driven primarily by loan growth and net charge-offs. Capital levels remained above internal and regulatory targets. Tangible book value increased to $16.64, and the tangible common equity ratio rose to 8.2%. Anderson said tangible book value now exceeds pre-Westfield and BankFinancial levels. The company did not repurchase shares during the quarter as it focused on acquisitions and integration work. Anderson said 34% of second-quarter earnings were returned to shareholders through the common dividend, and the board voted to raise the common dividend to $0.26 per share. For the third quarter, Brown said management expects mid-single-digit annualized loan growth and low single-digit core deposit growth. The company expects net interest margin to remain in a range of 3.96% to 4.01%, assuming no changes in interest rates and purchase accounting accretion in line with the second quarter. Management expects credit costs to approximate second-quarter levels and allowance coverage to remain relatively stable as a percentage of loans. Brown said net charge-offs are expected to approximate 25 to 30 basis points in the back half of the year. The company projected total fee income of $74 million to $77 million in the third quarter, including $15 million to $17 million from foreign exchange and $22 million to $24 million from leasing business revenue. Non-interest expenses are expected to range from $149 million to $152 million. First Financial also discussed its agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp, the holding company for Peoples Bank. Finward is headquartered in Munster, Indiana, and has 24 banking locations. Brown said the transaction is expected to expand First Financial’s ability to serve consumers and businesses in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana markets. Finward has approximately $2 billion in assets, $1.7 billion in deposits, $1.5 billion in loans and $412 million in wealth assets under management. Under the agreement, each outstanding Finward common share will be converted into the right to receive 1.35 shares of First Financial common stock. Brown said the transaction was valued at approximately $208 million based on First Financial’s July 20 closing price. Brown said the deal is expected to be approximately 5% accretive to First Financial’s earnings per share, with tangible book value per share at closing estimated to be only slightly diluted and an anticipated earn-back period of just over half a year. Including the BankFinancial acquisition, Brown said First Financial will have added $2.9 billion in lower-cost deposits to its Northwest Indiana operations and will have $4.1 billion in deposits in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The combined branch network in the region is expected to exceed 40 offices. During the question-and-answer session, Brown said the company does not expect to be on the sidelines for M&A permanently, but said management does not see anything in the near to intermediate term beyond closing and integrating Finward. He said the acquisition is strategic and incremental relative to First Financial’s size. Anderson said First Financial expects to close the Finward transaction around year-end, with conversion anticipated sometime in the second quarter of next year. He said cost savings would likely phase in after conversion, with the first full quarter of all expected savings likely in the fourth quarter of next year. Brown said First Financial is also committing $500,000 to its foundation for the benefit of organizations in communities served by Finward, in addition to the $1 million donation made when the company entered the Chicago market through BankFinancial. First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ: FFBC) is a bank holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the parent of First Financial Bank. The company provides a comprehensive suite of commercial and consumer banking services through a network of more than 100 full-service banking centers and mortgage offices across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Its core mission centers on delivering personalized relationship banking to businesses, individuals and public sector clients. First Financial Bank's product portfolio includes deposit solutions such as checking, savings and money market accounts, alongside a range of lending offerings that cover commercial and industrial loans, real estate and construction financing, home mortgages and home equity lines of credit. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "First Financial Bancorp. Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for July 2026.

Regional banking company First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q2 CY2026, but sales rose 16.5% year on year to $264.2 million. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.80 per share was in line with analysts’ consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy First Financial Bancorp? Find out in our full research report. Net Interest Income: $190.4 million vs analyst estimates of $194.5 million (20.3% year-on-year growth, 2.1% miss) Net Interest Margin: 4% vs analyst estimates of 4% (2.4 basis point miss) Revenue: $264.2 million vs analyst estimates of $270.7 million (16.5% year-on-year growth, 2.4% miss) Efficiency Ratio: 61.2% vs analyst estimates of 56.9% (431.4 basis point miss) Adjusted EPS: $0.80 vs analyst estimates of $0.80 (in line) Tangible Book Value per Share: $16.64 vs analyst estimates of $16.70 (6.6% year-on-year growth, in line) Market Capitalization: $3.72 billion Tracing its roots back to 1863 during the Civil War era, First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) is a bank holding company that provides commercial banking, lending, deposit services, and wealth management to individuals and businesses. Net interest income and fee-based revenue are the two pillars supporting bank earnings. The former captures profit from the gap between lending rates and deposit costs, while the latter encompasses charges for banking services, credit products, wealth management, and trading activities. Regrettably, First Financial Bancorp’s revenue grew at a mediocre 9.7% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This fell short of our benchmark for the banking sector and is a tough starting point for our analysis. Long-term growth is the most important, but within financials, a half-decade historical view may miss recent interest rate changes and market returns. First Financial Bancorp’s annualized revenue growth of 10.7% over the last two years aligns with its five-year trend, suggesting its demand was stable. Note: Quarters not shown were determined to be outliers because they were impacted by outsized investment gains/losses that are not indicative of the recurring fundamentals of the business. This quarter, First Financial Bancorp’s revenue grew by 16.5% year on year to $264.2 million but fell short of Wall Street’s estimates. Net interest income made up 72.1% of the company’s total revenue during the last five years, meaning lending operations are First Financial Bancorp’s largest source of revenue. Our experience and research show the market cares primarily about a bank’s net interest income growth as non-interest income is considered a lower-quality and non-recurring revenue source. WHILE YOU’RE HERE: The Next Palantir? One satellite company captures images of every point on Earth. Every single day. The Pentagon wants it. Hedge funds are using it to beat earnings. You’ve probably never heard of it. This is what the early days of Palantir looked like before it became a giant. Same playbook. Different technology. If you missed Palantir, you need to see this. Claim The Stock Ticker for Free HERE. Banks profit by intermediating between depositors and borrowers, making them fundamentally balance sheet-driven enterprises. Market participants emphasize balance sheet quality and sustained book value growth when evaluating these institutions. When analyzing banks, tangible book value per share (TBVPS) takes precedence over many other metrics. This measure isolates genuine per-share value by removing intangible assets of debatable liquidation worth. On the other hand, EPS is often distorted by mergers and flexible loan loss accounting. TBVPS provides clearer performance insights. First Financial Bancorp’s TBVPS grew at a mediocre 4.7% annual clip over the last five years. However, TBVPS growth has accelerated recently, growing by 12.6% annually over the last two years from $13.12 to $16.64 per share. Over the next 12 months, Consensus estimates call for First Financial Bancorp’s TBVPS to grow by 14.1% to $18.99, decent growth rate. We struggled to find many positives in these results. Its revenue missed and its net interest income fell short of Wall Street’s estimates. Overall, this was a softer quarter. The stock traded down 4.3% to $34.13 immediately following the results. First Financial Bancorp may have had a tough quarter, but does that actually create an opportunity to invest right now? If you’re making that decision, you should consider the bigger picture of valuation, business qualities, as well as the latest earnings. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it’s free.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.8 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.81 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.74 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -1.24%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this holding company for First Financial Bank would post earnings of $0.7 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.77, delivering a surprise of +10%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. First Financial, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, posted revenues of $265.33 million for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.37%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $227.58 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. First Financial shares have added about 41.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.7%. While First Financial has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for First Financial was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.84 on $273.1 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.19 on $1.08 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Midwest is currently in the top 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. First Financial Corp. (THFF), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. This holding company for First Financial Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.71 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +8.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.5% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. First Financial Corp.'s revenues are expected to be $72.05 million, up 14.3% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report First Financial Corporation Indiana (THFF) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Earnings per diluted share of $0.73; $0.80 on an adjusted(1) basis is highest in Company history Return on average assets of 1.37%; 1.50% on an adjusted(1) basis Net interest margin on FTE basis(1) of 3.98% Loan growth of $240 million, or 7.1% on an annualized basis Net charge-offs 0.20% of total loans ROTCE of 18.0%; 19.7% on adjusted(1) basis Board of Directors approved quarterly dividend increase to $0.26 to be paid in 3Q26 Agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp, the holding company for Peoples Bank, in all stock transaction CINCINNATI, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) ("First Financial" or the "Company") announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026, as well as the pending acquisition of Finward Bancorp ("Finward"). Second Quarter Financial Results For the three months ended June 30, 2026, the Company reported net income of $76.5 million, or $0.73 per diluted common share. These results compare to net income of $74.4 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2026. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, First Financial had earnings per diluted share of $1.44 compared to $1.27 for the same period in 2025. Return on average assets for the second quarter of 2026 was 1.37% while return on average tangible common equity was 17.95%(1). These compare to return on average assets of 1.34% and return on average tangible common equity of 17.78%(1) in the first quarter of 2026. Second quarter 2026 highlights include: Robust net interest margin of 3.96%, or 3.98% on a fully tax-equivalent basis(1) Noninterest income of $73.8 million; $71.9 million on an adjusted(1) basis Noninterest expenses of $161.5 million, or $149.1 million as adjusted(1); 3.7% decrease from linked quarter Strong loan growth during the quarter Stable deposit balances during the quarter Total Allowance for Credit Losses of $208.2 million; Total quarterly provision expense of $8.2 million Capital ratios remain strong Additionally, the Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per common share for the next regularly scheduled dividend, payable on September 15, 2026 to shareholders of record as of September 1, 2026. Archie Brown, President and CEO commented on Second Quarter results, "The second quarter was another active quarter as we remained focused on post-integration efforts related to the Westfield acquisition and successfully converted BankFinancial systems. Our second quarter operating results were strong, and we are very pleased with our performance. Adjusted(1) net income for the period was a record $83.9 million or $0.80 per share, with an adjusted(1) return on assets of 1.50% and an adjusted(1) return on tangible common equity of 19.7%. These adjusted(1) earnings per share represented an 8% increase from the second quarter of 2025 and were driven by increases in earning assets from a combination of organic loan growth and our recent acquisitions. Our net interest margin was stable at approximately 4.00% as lower funding costs offset a decline in loan accretion income. Assuming no significant changes in interest rates, we expect our margin to remain stable over the near-term." Mr. Brown continued, "Loan growth for the quarter was 7% on an annualized basis, and reflected continued momentum across the portfolio with C&I, Agile and Summit being the primary drivers of our increase in balances. Loan originations increased 23% over the first quarter and advanced stage pipelines remain strong heading into the back half of the year. We expect loan production to remain healthy and contribute to solid growth in the third quarter." Mr. Brown commented on fee income and expenses, "Second quarter adjusted(1) fee income was below our expectations. After a very strong first quarter, lower foreign exchange, swap income and investment banking fees led to a decline in total noninterest income compared to the linked quarter. While results in these business lines can vary from quarter to quarter, we anticipate a rebound in the third quarter. Conversely, adjusted(1) noninterest expenses were materially lower than the linked quarter, driven by lower commission expense, payroll taxes and acquisition-related synergies. As of June 30th, virtually all of the expected Westfield cost reductions have been realized, while savings related to the BankFinancial acquisition will gradually phase in over the course of the third quarter with full synergies expected by quarter-end." Mr. Brown commented on asset quality and capital, "Asset quality was stable for the quarter with net charge-offs declining by 15 basis points to 0.20% of total loans. Capital levels remain strong with tangible common equity increasing to 8.2% and tangible book value increasing 3% from the linked quarter to $16.64. No shares were repurchased during the quarter as we focused on integrating recent acquisitions and preparing for the acquisition of Finward." Mr. Brown concluded, "The second quarter was another great quarter for our Company. We achieved record earnings while successfully integrating two bank acquisitions and positioning the Company for continued success in the second half of the year. Regarding the acquisitions, we are most pleased with how our newer associates have assimilated into the Company. They remain deeply committed to serving their clients and communities, and their efforts have been instrumental in strong client retention levels. We are thankful for their dedication, hard work and client-focused approach over the past year. I am very proud of the work our teams have done throughout the integration process, and their efforts position us for success in our newly expanded markets." Full detail of the Company's second quarter 2026 performance is provided in the accompanying financial statements and slide presentation. Finward Bancorp Acquisition First Financial Bancorp. has agreed to acquire Finward Bancorp, the holding company for Peoples Bank, headquartered in Munster, Indiana Strategically expands First Financial's presence in northwest Indiana and Chicago, with the addition of a low cost core deposit franchise and 24 locations Finward has approximately $2.0 billion in assets, $1.7 billion in deposits, $1.5 billion in loans and $412 million in assets under management Transaction is expected to be approximately 5% accretive to First Financial's earnings per share First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) and Finward Bancorp (Nasdaq: FNWD) jointly announced today that they have entered into an agreement by which First Financial will acquire Munster-based Finward in an all-stock transaction, further expanding First Financial's presence in the economically robust Chicagoland market with a strong core deposit franchise including 24 financial centers and a 116 year presence in the Northwest Indiana and Chicago markets. Combined with the 15 retail locations from First Financial's recent acquisition in the Chicagoland market, the Finward acquisition enhances First Financial's market presence and increases its pro forma deposits in the Chicago metropolitan statistical area by 75% to over $4 billion. "The addition of Finward Bancorp and Peoples Bank is expected to strategically expand First Financial's ability to serve the consumers and businesses of the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana markets. We are excited to partner with a bank with a similar operating philosophy and strong credit culture," said Archie Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Financial Bank. "We have built an impressive combination of retail and commercial banking services, wealth management services, and specialty banking solutions, complemented by our client-centered, community-focused business model, that offers an alternative to larger banks. To demonstrate our further commitment to Chicago and Northwest Indiana, First Financial has committed to donate $500,000 to its Foundation for the benefit of local organizations in the communities served by Finward, in addition to the $1 million we donated to the Foundation when we entered the Chicago market with the completed acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation in January 2026." Upon completion of the transaction, Finward's consumer, trust/wealth management and commercial credit lines of business will be incorporated into First Financial's respective business lines, and Peoples Bank employees will become First Financial associates. "This partnership represents an exciting next chapter for our organization and the communities we serve," said Benjamin Bochnowski, Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Bank. "First Financial shares our deep commitment to customers, employees, shareholders, and the communities that have placed their trust in us for more than 100 years. Together, we are accelerating our common strategy to better serve the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana markets. We are creating a stronger regional banking franchise with expanded capabilities, greater resources, and a sharper focus on delivering exceptional service. We are confident this partnership will create meaningful opportunities for our customers and employees, while preserving the community-centered values that have defined our organization for generations." Through this addition, First Financial continues its recent period of growth, including the recent acquisitions of Westfield Bancorp in Northeast Ohio and BankFinancial Corporation in Chicago, and its commercial banking expansion into Chicago, Cleveland and Grand Rapids. First Financial's Midwestern base includes Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland and Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; and Louisville, KY. The acquisition of Finward enhances First Financial's existing Chicagoland footprint that includes its commercial loan production office in Fulton Market; the Agile Premium Finance division in Lincolnshire, IL; and Bannockburn Capital Markets in downtown Chicago. Additionally in the area, First Financial offers retail and business banking solutions in Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois. Transaction Terms Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of Finward common stock will be converted into the right to receive 1.35 shares of First Financial common stock, valuing the transaction at approximately $208 million, based on First Financial's closing stock price on July 20, 2026. The transaction is expected to be approximately 5% accretive to First Financial's earnings per share, and First Financial's tangible book value per share ("TBV") at closing is estimated to be only slightly diluted (0.4% dilution) with an anticipated TBV earnback of 0.6 years. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of First Financial and Finward. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, regulatory approvals and approval of Finward's shareholders. Transaction Advisors Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor to First Financial. Stephens Inc. is serving as financial advisor to Finward and rendered a fairness opinion to Finward's Board of Directors. Squire Patton Boggs, (US) LLP is serving as legal counsel to First Financial. Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP is serving as legal counsel to Finward. Teleconference / Webcast Information First Financial's executive management will host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial and operating results on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Members of the public who would like to listen to the conference call should dial (833) 461-5787 (U.S. toll free), meeting ID 657340574. The number should be dialed five to ten minutes prior to the start of the conference call. The conference call will also be accessible as an audio webcast via the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.bankatfirst.com. The webcast will be archived on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website for 12 months. Press Release and Additional Information on Website This press release as well as supplemental information are available to the public through the Investor Relations section of First Financial's website at www.bankatfirst.com. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures This earnings release contains GAAP financial measures and Non-GAAP financial measures where management believes it to be helpful in understanding the Company's results of operations or financial position. Where Non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measures, as well as a reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the section titled "Appendix: Non-GAAP to GAAP Reconciliation" in the accompanying slide presentation. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder, which statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (a) statements regarding First Financial Bancorp's (the "Company" or "First Financial") operations, such as (i) our future operating or financial performance, including revenues, income or loss and earnings per share, (ii) future common stock dividends, (iii) our capital structure, including future capital levels, (iv) our plans, objectives and strategies, and (v) the assumptions that underlie our forward-looking statements; and (b) statements regarding the proposed transaction, such as (i) statements regarding the outlook and expectations of First Financial and Finward Bancorp ("Finward"), respectively, with respect to the proposed transaction, (ii) the strategic benefits and financial benefits of the proposed transaction, including the expected impact of the proposed transactions on the combined First Financial's future financial performance (including anticipated accretion to earnings per share, the tangible book value earn-back period and other operating and return metrics), (iii) the timing of the closing of the proposed transaction, and (iv) the ability to successfully integrate the combined businesses. Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualified words (and their derivatives) such as "may," "will," "anticipate," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "project" and "intend," as well as words of similar meaning or other statements concerning opinions or judgment of First Financial or Finward or their respective management about future events. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as of the time they are made and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood and degree of occurrence, which could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any reference to forward-looking statements by Finward herein is solely related to the proposed transaction. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the following: Risks, uncertainties and assumptions regarding First Financial's operations economic, market, liquidity, credit, interest rate, operational and technological risks associated with First Financial's business; future credit quality and performance, including our expectations regarding future loan losses and our allowance for credit losses; the effect of and changes in policies and laws or regulatory agencies, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other legislation and regulation relating to the banking industry; management's ability to effectively execute its business plans; pursuit of mergers and acquisitions, including costs or difficulties related to the acquisition and/or integration of any acquired companies; the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of First Financial's prior or contemplated acquisitions will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and saving and changes in unemployment; changes in customers' performance and creditworthiness; the costs and effects of litigation and of unexpected or adverse outcomes in such litigation; current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects of changes in housing prices, fluctuations in unemployment rates, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, trade and tariff policies, and any slowdown in global economic growth; our capital and liquidity requirements (including under regulatory capital standards, such as the Basel III capital standards) and our ability to generate capital internally or raise capital on favorable terms; financial services reform and other current, pending or future legislation or regulation that could have a negative effect on our revenue and businesses, including the Dodd-Frank Act and other legislation and regulation relating to bank products and services; the effect of the current interest rate environment or changes in interest rates or in the level or composition of our assets or liabilities on our net interest income, net interest margin and our mortgage originations, mortgage servicing rights and mortgage loans held for sale; the effect of a fall in stock market prices on our brokerage, asset and wealth management businesses; a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors or other service providers, including as a result of cyber attacks; the effect of changes in the level of checking or savings account deposits on our funding costs and net interest margin; and our ability to develop and execute effective business plans and strategies. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions regarding the proposed transaction the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined First Financial or the expected benefits of the proposed transaction) and the possibility that the proposed transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory approvals, the approval by Finward's shareholders, or other approvals and the other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against First Financial or Finward; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including anticipated synergies and strategic gains, are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which First Financial and Finward operate; the possibility that the integration of the two companies may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the impact of purchase accounting with respect to the proposed transaction, or any change in the assumptions used regarding the assets acquired and liabilities assumed to determine their fair value and credit marks; the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive or take longer to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; the diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; potential adverse reactions of First Financial's or Finward's customers or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; a material adverse change in the financial condition of First Financial or Finward; changes in First Financial's share price before closing; risks relating to the potential dilutive effect of shares of First Financial's common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction; general competitive, economic, political and market conditions; the ability to retain key employees, management personnel and other associates of First Financial and Finward following announcement or consummation of the proposed transaction; major catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods or other natural or human disasters, including infectious disease outbreaks; and other factors that may affect future results of First Financial or Finward, including, among others, changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates; deposit flows; inflation; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; capital management activities; and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board, the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions, the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, and any other state or federal legislative and regulatory actions and reforms. These factors are not necessarily all of the factors that could cause First Financial, Finward, or the combined company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of the forward-looking statements. Other factors, including unknown or unpredictable factors, also could harm the results of First Financial, Finward, or the combined company. Although each of First Financial and Finward believes that its expectations with respect to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its existing knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results of First Financial or Finward (as related to the proposed transaction) will not differ materially from any projected future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in each of First Financial's and Finward's most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other documents subsequently filed by First Financial and Finward with the Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The actual results anticipated for the proposed transaction or First Financial's operations may not be realized or, even if substantially realized, they may not have the expected consequences to or effects on First Financial, Finward or each of their respective businesses or operations. Investors are cautioned not to rely too heavily on any such forward-looking statements. First Financial and Finward urge you to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating all such forward-looking statements made by First Financial and Finward. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and First Financial and Finward undertake no obligation to update or clarify these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. No Offer or Solicitation This presentation does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed transaction between First Financial and Finward. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Important Additional Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed transaction, First Financial intends to file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") to register the shares of First Financial capital stock to be issued in connection with the proposed transaction. The Registration Statement will include a proxy statement of Finward and a prospectus of First Financial (the "Proxy Statement/Prospectus"), and First Financial and Finward may file with the SEC other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FIRST FINANCIAL, FINWARD AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. A copy of the Registration Statement, Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about First Financial and Finward, may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) when they are filed. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by First Financial will be made available free of charge in the "Investor Relations" section of First Financial's website, https://www.bankatfirst.com/about/investor-relations.html. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by Finward will be made available free of charge in the "Investor Relations" section of Finward's website, https://www.investorrelations.ibankpeoples.com. The information on First Financial's and Finward's websites is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this communication or incorporated into other filings either First Financial makes with the SEC. Participants in Solicitation Finward and its directors, executive officers, management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the Merger. Information concerning Finward's participants is set forth in the Proxy Statement, dated April 3, 2026, for Finward's 2026 annual meeting of stockholders as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A. Additional information regarding the participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction and interests of participants of Finward in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the Merger will be included in the Registration Statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be filed with the SEC. Free copies of these documents, when available, may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph. About First Financial Bancorp. First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had $22.4 billion in assets, $13.7 billion in loans, $17.6 billion in deposits and $3.0 billion in shareholders' equity. The Company's subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its six lines of business: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance and Wealth Management. These business units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $4.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026. The Company operated 151 full service banking centers as of June 30, 2026, located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. In 2025, First Financial Bank received its second consecutive Outstanding rating from the Federal Reserve for its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act and was recognized as a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award winner, one of only 70 Gallup clients worldwide to receive this designation. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations, is available at www.bankatfirst.com. About Finward Bancorp Finward Bancorp is a locally managed and independent financial holding company headquartered in Munster, Indiana, whose activities are primarily limited to holding the stock of Peoples Bank. Peoples Bank provides a wide range of personal, business, electronic and wealth management financial services from its 24 locations in Lake and Porter Counties in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. Finward Bancorp's common stock is quoted on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC under the symbol FNWD. The website ibankpeoples.com provides information on Peoples Bank's products and services, and Finward Bancorp's investor relations. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bancorp-announces-second-quarter-2026-financial-results-quarterly-dividend-increase--acquisition-of-finward-bancorp-302831305.html

Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when Enterprise Financial Services (EFSC) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 22. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. This financial holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.35 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -1.5%. Revenues are expected to be $188.23 million, up 8.6% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.19% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Enterprise Financial Services, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.74%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Enterprise Financial Services will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Enterprise Financial Services would post earnings of $1.3 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.31, delivering a surprise of +0.77%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Enterprise Financial Services doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. First Financial Bancorp (FFBC), another stock in the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.81 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +9.5%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $269 million, up 18.2% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for First Financial has remained unchanged. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +0.41%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate. When combined with a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that First Financial will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Enterprise Financial Services Corporation (EFSC) : Free Stock Analysis Report First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research