First Financial Bank

What First Financial Bank does

First Financial Bank, operating as First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ: FFBC), is a publicly traded regional community bank headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana, with approximately $5 billion in combined assets and operations spanning Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The bank offers a horizontally integrated suite of business banking services — including commercial lending, commercial real estate, agriculture and government loan programs, business checking/savings/CDs, credit cards, merchant services, accounts receivable/payable, and fraud protection — alongside consumer products (checking, savings, CDs, mortgages, construction loans, HELOCs, personal and auto loans, credit cards) and a wealth management and trust advisory offering for high-net-worth clients.

The company's core technology layer is a digital banking platform delivered via web, mobile, business, and wealth client portals, augmented by third-party integrations (Paymentus for loan payments, uChoose Rewards for card rewards, Fiserv for business card management, OrderMyChecks, and OneSite App for construction draws). There is no proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed. Distribution relies on a multi-state branch network complemented by digital channels and community-driven marketing, including a Refer-a-Friend program, Google Reviews-driven social proof, and CDFI partnerships.

First Financial generates revenue primarily through net interest income (lending margin against deposit and borrowing costs) and fee income from banking services, merchant services, mortgage origination, and wealth management. The company is pursuing an aggressive acquisition-led growth strategy — completing the Hancock Bancorp merger in 2021, Westfield Bank in Q4 2025, and Bank Financial in Q1 2026 (adding $228M in loans and $1.2B in deposits), with CedarStone Financial ($25M) pending in early 2026. FY2025 revenue was a record $922 million (+8% YoY); Q1 2026 showed 22% adjusted EPS growth and 24% fee income growth at a 3.99% net interest margin, with management guiding 6-8% organic loan growth for FY2026. Capital deployment includes a $300M subordinated debt issuance and a newly authorized 5 million-share repurchase program.

Name

First Financial Bank

Legal name

First Financial Bank NA

Website

https://first-online.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail and Commercial Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI)

Keywords

• Community banking services
• Commercial lending
• Consumer banking products
• Mortgage and home equity lending
• Wealth management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Terre Haute

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Interest income from loans and securities minus interest paid on deposits and borrowings. Core banking revenue stream from net interest margin on lending activities.
2. Fee Income: Non-interest fee income from banking services including merchant services, account fees, and other banking service charges. Q1 2026 adjusted fee income of $75 million, up 24% year-over-year.
3. Commercial Banking Services: Revenue from business banking services including financing, checking, savings, credit cards, merchant services, accounts receivable/payable management, and fraud protection services
4. Wealth Management: Trust and wealth management activities generating fees from managing client assets and providing financial advisory services
5. Home Lending: Mortgage origination, home equity lines of credit (HELOC), construction loans, and mortgage refinance services for personal banking customers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Financial Bank is a regional community bank providing deposit products, consumer and commercial lending, mortgage origination, merchant and treasury services, and trust and wealth management to individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and high-net-worth clients. Offerings are delivered through a multi-state branch network across Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky combined with online and mobile digital banking channels.

Product overview

First Financial Bank offers a comprehensive community banking platform serving both business and consumer customers through an integrated suite of products. The business segment provides financing solutions (general business loans, commercial real estate, small business express loans, agriculture loans, government programs), business banking (checking, savings, CDs, credit cards), and operational services (merchant services, accounts payable/receivable, fraud protection, workplace rewards). Consumer offerings include personal banking (checking, savings, CDs), home loans (mortgages, construction loans, refinance, HELOCs), and personal borrowing (personal loans, auto loans, credit cards). The bank also provides wealth and trust management services, all accessible through digital banking channels including online and mobile platforms. Recent acquisitions have expanded the bank's footprint, adding assets and deposits from Bank Financial and Westfield Bank.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Financing Comprehensive business lending products including general business loans, commercial real estate financing, express small business loans, agriculture loans, and government loan programs, targeted at small and mid-sized businesses needing access to capital.
• Business Banking Commercial deposit and card products including business checking accounts, savings accounts, business certificates of deposit, and business credit cards for daily operating financial management of small and mid-sized businesses.
• Business Services Operational banking services including accounts receivable, merchant services, accounts payable, fraud protection, money management, digital banking, and workplace rewards programs designed to streamline business financial operations.
• Personal Banking Consumer banking products including personal checking accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit for individual financial management needs.
• Home Loans Residential mortgage products for consumers including new purchase mortgages, construction loans, mortgage refinance options, and home equity lines of credit (HELOC), currently featuring a 5% APR for 9 months promotional offer through 6/30/26.
• Personal Borrowing Consumer lending products including personal loans, auto loans, and credit cards for individual borrowing needs such as debt consolidation and major purchases.
• Wealth Management Trust and wealth management activities for high-net-worth individuals and families, including investment management and financial planning services, accessed through a dedicated wealth client portal.
• Digital Banking Online and mobile banking platform enabling customers to manage accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, deposit checks, and access banking services remotely via web and mobile applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% year-over-year earnings per share growth in Q1 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CDFI Friendly BloomingtonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026First Financial Bank joined Old National Bank and German American Bank in providing a $2.25 million line of credit to CDFI Friendly Bloomington to support community development projects in affordable housing, child care, and small businesses across 13 Indiana counties.
• Allies for Community BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through CDFI Friendly Bloomington's $50,000 loan program providing loans and business coaching to Bloomington entrepreneurs, particularly those in the Urban Enterprise Zone.
• Texas Bankers AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Financial Bank participated in the Texas Bankers Association's First Statewide Day of Service, demonstrating community engagement commitment as part of the Texas Bankers Association's statewide initiative.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cadence Bank: Mid-sized regional bank with growing Tennessee presence post-Cadence/BancorpSouth combination; competing for similar commercial and consumer banking relationships.
• Regions Financial: Large regional bank incumbent with branches across the Southeast and Midwest; competes directly in Tennessee and surrounding states with broader product capabilities and digital scale.
• Fifth Third Bancorp: Major Midwest-headquartered regional bank with significant Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky presence; broader suite of commercial, wealth, and capital markets products.

Direct peers

• Old National Bancorp: Direct Midwestern regional bank competitor headquartered in Indiana with overlapping footprint in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, offering commercial, consumer, and wealth banking of similar scale.
• Stock Yards Bancorp: Louisville, KY-based community bank with adjacent Indiana operations; comparable commercial and wealth banking franchise serving the same regional customer base.
• First Mid Bancshares: Mid-sized Midwestern community bank with similar commercial and retail banking products across Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee — a close geographic and operational analog.
• Lakeland Financial: Indiana-based community bank (Lake City Bank) with a similar commercial banking-led model serving small and mid-sized businesses across northern Indiana.
• S&T Bancorp: Western Pennsylvania-based community bank with comparable commercial banking and wealth management offerings; similar business model and acquisition-led growth history.
• Horizon Bancorp: Indiana-headquartered community bank with similar commercial lending and consumer banking focus across Indiana and Michigan, of comparable asset size.
• German American Bancorp: Indiana-based community bank with branches across southern Indiana and Kentucky; directly comparable in size, product mix, and regional focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FirstFinanBank

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Financial Bank