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Here are 1-3 brief analogies for First Financial Bancorp (FFBC):

• A more localized Fifth Third Bancorp for the Midwest.
• PNC Financial Services focused on Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.

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• Deposit Products: The company offers various accounts, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing options, time deposits, and cash management services for commercial customers.
• Real Estate Loans: Loans secured by residential properties (such as mortgages) or commercial properties like office buildings and shopping centers.
• Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Loans: Loans provided to businesses for various purposes, including financing inventory, receivables, and equipment.
• Consumer Loans: Personal financing options such as new and used vehicle loans, second mortgages on residential real estate, and unsecured loans.
• Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs): Revolving credit facilities allowing homeowners to borrow against the equity in their homes.
• Specialty Commercial Financing: Tailored financing solutions for specific industries, including the insurance industry, registered investment advisors, certified public accountants, indirect auto finance companies, and restaurant franchisees.
• Trust & Wealth Management Services: Services dedicated to managing clients' assets, providing financial planning, and offering fiduciary duties.
• Lease & Equipment Financing: Services that provide financing options for businesses to lease or purchase necessary equipment.

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First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) is a bank holding company that provides a wide range of commercial banking and related services. Due to the nature of its business, FFBC serves a diverse and extensive customer base rather than having a few "major customers" in the traditional sense of specific named companies. Its customer base is highly fragmented across many individuals and businesses. Therefore, the most appropriate way to identify its major customers is by describing the categories of customers it serves.

The major customer categories for First Financial Bancorp include:

1. Individuals: Customers seeking personal banking services such as interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing accounts, residential real estate loans (e.g., one to four family housing units), consumer loans (e.g., new and used vehicle loans, second mortgages, unsecured loans), and home equity lines of credit.
2. Commercial Businesses: A broad range of businesses requiring services like various deposit products, cash management services, commercial real estate loans (owner-occupied and/or investor income producing properties), commercial and industrial loans (for inventory, receivables, and equipment), and lease and equipment financing services.
3. Specialized Industry/Professional Clients: Businesses within specific targeted sectors for whom the company provides specialized commercial financing, including the insurance industry, registered investment advisors, certified public accountants, indirect auto finance companies, and restaurant franchisees.

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Archie Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer

Archie Brown was appointed President and CEO of First Financial Bancorp in April 2018. He has over 40 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining First Financial Bancorp, he served as the President, CEO, and Chairman of MainSource Financial Group from 2008 to 2018, where he led the company through significant growth and its subsequent integration into First Financial Bancorp. His extensive background includes commercial and consumer banking, risk management, balance sheet management, M&A integration, and regulatory engagement.

Jamie Anderson, Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer

Jamie Anderson currently holds the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for both First Financial Bancorp and First Financial Bank. In this role, he oversees finance, accounting, treasury, and investor relations. He previously served as the CFO of MainSource Financial Group, Inc., and prior to that, was Administrative Vice President and Principal Accounting Officer for the same company. He assumed the additional role of Chief Operating Officer effective April 1, 2023.

Karen Woods, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer

Karen Woods serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer. Before joining First Financial, she was the Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Chief Risk Officer of MainSource Financial Group, Inc.

William Harrod, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

William Harrod is the Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of First Financial Bank. He is responsible for the management and monitoring of the loan portfolio and other related credit functions, including underwriting, approval, and collections. He joined the Bank in 2015 and has held various credit and management positions within specialty banking, corporate banking, commercial and industrial lending, and commercial finance.

Richard Dennen, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Banking Officer

Richard Dennen holds the title of Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Banking Officer for First Financial Bank. In this capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the bank's Specialty Banking lines of business, which encompass Corporate Banking, ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) financing, Commercial Finance, and Restaurant Finance.

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Here are the key risks to First Financial Bancorp (FFBC):

1. Credit Risk, particularly Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Exposure: As a commercial bank, First Financial Bancorp's profitability and financial stability are significantly tied to the credit quality of its loan portfolio. The company provides various types of loans, including real estate loans (residential and commercial property), commercial and industrial loans, and consumer loans. A downturn in economic conditions, particularly in its primary operating regions of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, could lead to increased loan defaults and higher loan losses. Commercial real estate, specifically, has been highlighted as an area of increased risk within the banking industry, with rising delinquency rates, which could impact FFBC given its exposure. While First Financial Bancorp's credit quality has generally been sound, it has experienced modestly higher non-performing assets and net charge-offs at times, particularly in national lending channels that carry moderately higher credit risk.
2. Interest Rate Risk and Market Volatility: First Financial Bancorp's earnings are sensitive to changes in interest rates. The bank's business model involves accepting various deposit products and originating different types of loans, making its net interest income vulnerable to fluctuations in interest rate policy and market conditions. Rapid and significant shifts in interest rates, such as those experienced in recent years, can impact the value of the bank's assets and liabilities, affecting its net interest margin. While the company is noted as having a moderately asset-sensitive balance sheet that has benefited from higher interest rates and an emphasis on floating-rate commercial and industrial lending, adverse movements or unexpected changes in deposit costs could still pose a threat to earnings. The inherent market risk exposure, particularly interest rate risk, is identified as a weakness for financial institutions like FFBC.
3. Regulatory and Compliance Risk: The banking industry is subject to extensive and evolving regulatory oversight, and First Financial Bancorp operates under the scrutiny of various regulatory agencies. Changes in policies, laws, or interpretations of regulations, including those related to capital requirements, consumer protection, and cybersecurity, can significantly impact the company's operations, business plans, and financial performance. The costs associated with complying with existing and new regulations, as well as the potential for fines or penalties for non-compliance, represent a continuous risk for FFBC. Evolving regulations, such as FDIC special assessments and CFPB oversight, can also introduce funding and compliance uncertainty.

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First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) operates in a range of financial services across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The addressable markets for its main products and services, with their respective market sizes and regions, are detailed below:

• Commercial Banking Services: The U.S. commercial banking market is estimated to be approximately USD 765.53 billion in 2026, with projections to grow to USD 954.48 billion by 2031. This market encompasses services such as commercial and industrial loans, deposits, and cash management.
• Real Estate Loans (Residential and Commercial): The U.S. real estate loan market was valued at an impressive USD 3.5 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6%. More specifically, the Real Estate Loans & Collateralized Debt industry in Ohio alone is estimated at USD 10.1 billion in 2026.
• Consumer Loans (including vehicle loans, second mortgages, unsecured loans, and home equity lines of credit): The global consumer finance market is projected to grow from USD 1,500.17 billion in 2025 to USD 2,172.98 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 6.37%. North America represents a significant portion of this market, holding approximately 45% of the global share.
• Trust and Wealth Management Services: The North American wealth management market is valued at USD 7.5 billion in 2024. The global wealth management market size is expected to increase by USD 469.1 billion, at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2025 to 2030.
• Lease and Equipment Financing Services: The U.S. equipment finance industry had an estimated size of USD 1.34 trillion in 2023. The global equipment finance services market was valued at USD 1.2 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 3.1 trillion by 2032. Specifically for Ohio, the Industrial Equipment Rental & Leasing industry is projected to be USD 1.3 billion in 2026.

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1. Strategic Acquisitions: The company has been actively pursuing and completing acquisitions to expand its market presence and asset base. Recent examples include the acquisition of Agile Premium Finance in Q1 2024, which contributed to loan growth and diversification, and the completion of the Westfield Bancorp acquisition in Q4 2025. Additionally, First Financial Bancorp obtained regulatory approval for and completed the acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation in January 2026, further enhancing its geographic footprint and market share.
2. Organic Loan Growth, including Targeted Lending Programs: First Financial Bancorp has demonstrated robust loan growth, with balances increasing by 10% on an annualized basis in Q1 2024. The company is also committed to specific lending initiatives, as evidenced by its $2.4 billion Community Benefits Agreement for 2024-2028. This agreement includes goals such as $700 million in mortgage lending, with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income communities and rural areas, and $600 million in small business lending, including microloans. Analysts project overall revenue growth of 13% per year for FFBC, implying continued loan expansion.
3. Growth in Non-Interest Income: The company is focusing on diversifying its revenue streams through increased non-interest income. Recent performance highlights include solid fee income, led by leasing and record wealth management income. Non-interest income is reported to be growing, with wealth management and foreign exchange income increasing by double-digit percentages, and leasing and mortgage income also remaining strong. The acquisition of Agile Premium Finance is specifically expected to diversify the loan portfolio and complement existing businesses, contributing to fee income.
4. Geographic Market Expansion: First Financial Bancorp is actively expanding into new geographic markets to capture additional business. The company has explicitly mentioned its expansion into Grand Rapids, Michigan, and sees further opportunities in that state, including building out a full banking office with mortgage services. This strategic expansion aims to create new avenues for customer acquisition and loan origination.

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Share Repurchases

• First Financial Bancorp had a share repurchase program, approved in June 2022, authorizing repurchases of up to $400.0 million of its common stock with no expiration date.
• As of December 31, 2024, the company had repurchased $254.6 million of shares under this program.
• An additional $145.4 million remained authorized for repurchase under the program as of December 31, 2024.

Share Issuance

• In connection with the acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation, completed on January 1, 2026, First Financial Bancorp issued shares in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $142 million.
• The acquisition of Westfield Bancorp, Inc., which closed on November 1, 2025, included the issuance of 2,753,094 new common shares valued at $65 million.

Outbound Investments

• First Financial Bancorp completed the acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation on January 1, 2026, through an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $142 million, which expanded its presence in the Chicago market.
• On November 1, 2025, the company acquired Westfield Bancorp, Inc. for a total purchase price of $325 million, comprising $260 million in cash and $65 million in FFBC common shares, strengthening its Northeast Ohio presence.
• In 2024, First Financial Bancorp acquired Agile Premium Finance for $96.9 million, enhancing its insurance premium finance offerings.

Capital Expenditures

• First Financial Bancorp reported capital expenditures of $8.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
• Capital expenditures for the trailing twelve months, as of the fourth quarter of 2025, were reported as -$20.76 million.