Premier Financial Corp.
Premier Financial Corp. was a multi-state community bank holding company serving retail, commercial, and wealth management customers across Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio through over 250 branches. It was acquired by WesBanco, Inc. in February 2025 for approximately $959 million.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersDefiance, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Premier Financial Corp. does
Premier Financial Corp. was a community-focused, multi-state bank holding company headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, that operated a network of over 250 branches across Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The company offered a comprehensive suite of retail and commercial banking products including checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, mortgages, commercial real estate lending, business loans, treasury management, and cash management services, complemented by trust and investment services, brokerage, wealth management, and insurance offerings. Its business model was anchored on net interest income from a granular loan portfolio funded by a stable core deposit base, supplemented by fee-based revenue from wealth management and trust services.
The company maintained a horizontal segmentation approach across retail and consumer customers, commercial banking customers, and wealth management clients, leveraging a community banking model with physical branches and field-based commercial banking teams. Premier Financial differentiated through 150+ years of community banking heritage, eight consecutive 'outstanding' Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) ratings from the FDIC since 2003, and a 100+ year-old wealth management business. Trust and investment services assets under management grew to a record $7.9 billion.
In July 2024, WesBanco, Inc. announced a definitive merger agreement to acquire Premier Financial Corp. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $959 million, supported by a $200 million capital raise. The transaction was completed in February 2025, creating a combined institution with approximately $27 billion in total assets operating across eight to nine states. Post-acquisition, Premier Financial Corp. ceased to exist as an independent entity and was integrated into WesBanco's operations, contributing 250+ branches and the Midwest banking franchise to the combined company.
Premier Financial Corp. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Premier Financial Corp.
- Legal name
- Premier Financial Corp.
- Website
- https://premierfincorp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Premier Financial Corp. was a multi-state community bank holding company serving retail, commercial, and wealth management customers across Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio through over 250 branches. It was acquired by WesBanco, Inc. in February 2025 for approximately $959 million.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Premier Financial Corp. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (522110), Offices of Bank Holding Companies (551111), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affluent/Premier Retail Banking (Mass Affluent) (FSABAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Bank-Affiliated Retail Wealth Management (FSAAAAAB)
Keywords
Where Premier Financial Corp. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Defiance
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Premier Financial Corp. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Net Interest Income: Interest income from loan portfolio (commercial and retail loans) minus interest expense on deposits and borrowings. Primary revenue driver for the combined entity, with net interest margin of 3.57% in Q1 2026 (up 22 basis points year-over-year).
- Non-Interest Income: Fee income from banking services including trust and investment services, wealth management, brokerage, and insurance services. Trust and investment services assets under management reached $7.9 billion.
- Merger and Acquisition Value: Strategic acquisition of Premier Financial Corp. in February 2025 for approximately $959 million, creating a $27 billion asset institution, adding over 250 branches, and expanding into Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Banking services priced based on market rates and customer-specific terms |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Premier Financial Corp. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Premier Financial Corp. was a community-oriented financial holding company based in Defiance, Ohio, offering retail and commercial banking, trust, brokerage, wealth management, and insurance services through a branch network spanning Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The company operated as the holding company for Premier Bank and related financial services subsidiaries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Retail Banking
- Commercial Banking
- Trust Services
- Brokerage Services
- Wealth Management
- Insurance Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 49% core EPS growth from Premier Financial acquisition, exceeding year 1 financial targets
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Premier Financial Corp.
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Premier Financial Corp. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Premier Financial Corp. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- WesBanco, Inc.flagshipWesBanco announced a definitive merger agreement with Premier Financial Corp., involving an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $959 million, completed in February 2025. The merger created a community-focused, regional financial services institution with about $27 billion in assets, expanding WesBanco's presence across nine states. The deal included a $200 million capital raise supported by investors to bolster the combined company's balance sheet and regulatory capital ratios.
Scale indicators20 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Premier Financial Corp. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Huntington Bancshares: Large regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, with retail/commercial banking, wealth management, and treasury management; broader footprint but overlaps Premier's Ohio/Michigan/Indiana markets and competes for similar customers.
- WesBanco, Inc. Acquirer of Premier Financial Corp.; a West Virginia-based regional bank holding company with a comparable community/commercial banking model, multi-state footprint, and integrated wealth-management franchise that now includes Premier's branches and deposits.
- Fifth Third Bancorp: Major regional bank holding company headquartered in Cincinnati with retail/commercial banking, wealth management, and capital markets; competing incumbent across Premier Financial's Midwest footprint.
Direct peers
- First Financial Bancorp: Cincinnati, Ohio-based regional bank holding company with similar commercial banking, commercial real estate lending, and retail branch franchise; direct competitor for Premier's Ohio and Indiana customers.
- S&T Bancorp: Pennsylvania-based community bank holding company with retail/commercial banking and wealth-management services; comparable scale and operating model to Premier Financial.
- Old National Bancorp: Indiana-based regional bank holding company with a community banking model, commercial lending, and wealth management; overlaps directly with Premier Financial's Indiana/Michigan footprint.
- German American Bancorp: Indiana-based community bank holding company with comparable retail/commercial banking and treasury-management services; operates in many of the same Indiana/Midwest markets as Premier Financial.
- Independent Bank Corporation: Michigan-based community bank holding company with a community banking model and commercial lending; directly comparable to Premier Financial's Michigan retail and commercial franchise.
- Lakeland Financial Corporation: Indiana-headquartered community bank holding company (Lake City Bank) with comparable commercial and retail banking focus and strong commercial loan origination in Midwest markets.
- First Merchants Corporation: Indiana-based community bank holding company with comparable retail/commercial banking, wealth management, and treasury-management offerings; directly overlaps with Premier Financial's Indiana/Michigan/Ohio footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Premier Financial Corp. social profiles
Digital presencePremier Financial Corp. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Premier Financial Corp. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Premier Financial Corp. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Premier Financial Corp. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Premier Financial Corp.
What does Premier Financial Corp. do?
Premier Financial Corp. was a community-oriented financial holding company based in Defiance, Ohio, offering retail and commercial banking, trust, brokerage, wealth management, and insurance services through a branch network spanning Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The company operated as the holding company for Premier Bank and related financial services subsidiaries.
Is Premier Financial Corp. a public or private company?
Premier Financial Corp. is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Premier Financial Corp. founded?
Premier Financial Corp. was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Premier Financial Corp. based?
Premier Financial Corp. is headquartered in Defiance, United States, in the North America region.
How does Premier Financial Corp. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Net Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are non-Interest Income and merger and Acquisition Value.
Who are Premier Financial Corp.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Huntington Bancshares, WesBanco, Inc. and Fifth Third Bancorp. Direct peers are First Financial Bancorp, S&T Bancorp, Old National Bancorp, German American Bancorp, Independent Bank Corporation, Lakeland Financial Corporation and First Merchants Corporation.
Does Premier Financial Corp. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Premier Financial Corp..
What industry is Premier Financial Corp. in?
Premier Financial Corp.'s product category is Community Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAAAG, Affluent/Premier Retail Banking (Mass Affluent), with a secondary code of FSAAAAAB, Bank-Affiliated Retail Wealth Management. Its NAICS code is 522110 and its SIC code is 6022.