FFBC

Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.76 per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate . This compares to earnings of $0.73 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank holding company would post earnings of $0.72 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.73, delivering a surprise of +1.39%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Associated Banc-Corp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, posted revenues of $464.38 million for the quarter ended September 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.08%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $386.49 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four 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. Associated Banc-Corp shares have added about 13.3% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.3%. While Associated Banc-Corp has underperformed 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 Associated Banc-Corp was mixed. 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 #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with 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 $0.79 on $470.65 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.95 on $1.78 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 23% 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 Bancorp (FFBC), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. The results are expected to be released on October 27. This holding company for First Financial Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.5% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. First Financial Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $270.2 million, up 14.9% 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 Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) : 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

First Merchants (FRME) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.1 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.99 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.77%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank would post earnings of $1.03 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.74, delivering a surprise of -28.16%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. First Merchants, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, posted revenues of $205.33 million for the quarter ended September 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.67%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $166.14 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three 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 Merchants shares have added about 7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.7%. While First Merchants has underperformed 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 Merchants was mixed. 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 #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with 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 $1.03 on $206.22 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.85 on $806.03 million 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 24% 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. Another stock from the same industry, First Financial Bancorp (FFBC), has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. The results are expected to be released on October 27. This holding company for First Financial Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.5% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. First Financial Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $270.2 million, up 14.9% 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 Merchants Corporation (FRME) : 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

QCR Holdings (QCRH) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.21 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.17 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.74%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank holding company would post earnings of $1.9 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.19, delivering a surprise of +15.26%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. QCR Holdings, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, posted revenues of $99.17 million for the quarter ended September 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.26%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $101.45 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three 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. QCR Holdings shares have added about 17% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.4%. While QCR Holdings 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 QCR Holdings was favorable. 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 #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform 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 $2.20 on $101.99 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $8.47 on $388.62 million 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 23% 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 Bancorp (FFBC), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. The results are expected to be released on October 27. This holding company for First Financial Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.5% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. First Financial Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $270.2 million, up 14.9% 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 QCR Holdings, Inc. (QCRH) : 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

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 27. 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 holding company for First Financial Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.9%. Revenues are expected to be $270.2 million, up 14.9% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.51% 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. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). 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 First Financial, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that First Financial 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 First Financial would post earnings of $0.81 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.80, delivering a surprise of -1.23%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three 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. First Financial 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. Associated Banc-Corp (ASB), another stock in the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.76 for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +4.1%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $464.03 million, up 20.1% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Associated Banc-Corp has been revised 1.2% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +1.71%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate. This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggests that Associated Banc-Corp will most likely 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 First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

CINCINNATI, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) announced today that it expects to release third quarter 2026 financial results after the market close on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. A conference call and webcast to discuss these results will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. Conference Call and Webcast Information | Date: | Wednesday, October 28, 2026 Time: | 8:30 a.m. Eastern time Optional Pre-Registration Link: | https://events.q4inc.com/analyst/257491860?pwd=iI7B5KmM A unique PIN will be provided. Eliminates hold times. | Conference Call Dial-In: | +1 833-461-5787 (Toll Free) (Meeting ID: 257491860) | Please dial in five to ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Webcast: | To access the webcast, please visit http://ir.bankatfirst.com/CorporateProfile Archived Webcast: | The webcast will be available one hour after the live call ends and will be archived at the Company's website for 12 months. | 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. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bancorp-to-announce-third-quarter-2026-financial-results-on-tuesday-october-27-2026-302896349.html

Looking back on regional banks stocks’ Q2 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ:FFBC) and its peers. Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges. The 94 regional banks stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates. While some regional banks stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 2.2% since the latest earnings results. 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. First Financial Bancorp reported revenues of $262.7 million, up 15.8% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 2.9%. Overall, it was a softer quarter for the company with a miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and EPS in line with analysts’ estimates. The market seems disappointed with the results as the stock is down 8.8% since reporting and currently trades at $32.53. Read our full report on First Financial Bancorp here, it’s free. Originally founded in 1964 as a federal savings and loan institution, OFG Bancorp (NYSE:OFG) provides banking and financial services including commercial and consumer lending, wealth management, insurance, and trust services primarily in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. OFG Bancorp reported revenues of $190.3 million, up 4.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 5.2% since reporting. It currently trades at $52.58. Is now the time to buy OFG Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Originally established in 1941 and now operating with a tech-forward approach that includes its SmartStreet platform for homeowner associations, Banc of California (NYSE:BANC) is a California-based bank holding company that provides banking services to small and middle-market businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals. Banc of California reported revenues of $285.7 million, up 4.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates. As expected, the stock is down 13.1% since the results and currently trades at $18.41. Read our full analysis of Banc of California’s results here. Founded in 1991 as a community-focused alternative to big banks in the Chicago area, Wintrust Financial (NASDAQGS:WTFC) operates community banks in the Chicago area and provides specialty finance services including insurance premium financing and wealth management. Wintrust Financial reported revenues of $739.5 million, up 9.9% year on year. This result met analysts’ expectations. However, it was a slower quarter as it logged a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates. The stock is down 7.9% since reporting and currently trades at $150.70. Read our full, actionable report on Wintrust Financial here, it’s free. Founded during the Florida land boom of 1926 and surviving the Great Depression, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ:SBCF) is a financial holding company that provides commercial and retail banking, wealth management, and mortgage services throughout Florida. Seacoast Banking reported revenues of $210 million, up 38.4% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations. Taking a step back, it was a slower quarter as it produced a significant miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and EPS in line with analysts’ estimates. The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $33.87. Read our full, actionable report on Seacoast Banking here, it’s free. Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership. Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products. By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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. 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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