Current Report · Items 1.01, 2.02, 7.01, 9.01 · 8-K

First Financial Bancorp.

FFBCNASDAQEQUITYCurrent

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement · Results of Operations and Financial Condition · Regulation FD Disclosure

Filed Jul 21, 2026Accepted Jul 21, 2026, 4:30 PM EDTCIK 708955Accession 0001104659-26-085424

Company context

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.

Current securities

FFBCNASDAQ · EQUITY · Current

Recent company filings

Disclosure sections

Items 1.01, 2.02, 7.01, 9.01

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Item 7.01Item 7.01 - Regulation FD Disclosure

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure. On July 21, 2026, the Company issued its Press Release which included an announcement of the execution of the Merger Agreement. Additionally, the investor presentation attached as Exhibit 99.2 incudes supplemental information regarding the Merger, and the executive officers of the Company intend to use the materials filed herewith, in whole or in part, in one or more meetings with investors and analysts. The Company does not intend for Item 2.02, Item 7.01, Exhibit 99.1 or Exhibit 99.2 to be treated as “filed” for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or incorporated by reference into its filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 2.02Item 2.02 - Results of Operations

Item 2.02 Results of Operation and Financial Condition. On July 21, 2026, the Company issued its earnings press release that included its results of operations and financial condition for the first six months and second quarter of 2026 (the “Press Release”). A copy of the Press Release is attached as Exhibit 99.1. The Company also provided electronic presentation slides that will be used in connection with the earnings conference call. A copy of the electronic presentation slides is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and will be available on the Company's website, www.bankatfirst.com.

Filed exhibits (2)

EX-99.1 (by filename) tm2620858d1_ex99-1.htm

EX-99.1 3 tm2620858d1_ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 Exhibit 99.1 First Financial Bancorp Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results, Quarterly Dividend Increase & Acquisition of Finward Bancorp 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, Ohio - July 21, 2026. 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 incom…

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EX-99.2 (by filename) tm2620858d1_ex99-2.htm

EX-99.2 4 tm2620858d1_ex99-2.htm EXHIBIT 99.2 earnings presentation and agreement to acquire Finward Bancorp • Second Quarter 2026 Exhibit 99.2 forward looking statements disclosure 2 Certain statements in this presentation 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) statem…

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