First Financial Bancorp

Q2 FY2026 EarningsQ2 FY26 net income reached $76.5M, up 2.7% QoQ and 9.2% YoY, with adjusted diluted EPS at a record $0.80. Net interest margin (FTE) remained robust at 3.98%, despite a 1bp compression. Loan growth was solid at 7.1% annualized, while asset quality remained stable with net charge-offs at 0.20%. The company announced the strategic acquisition of Finward Bancorp and a dividend increase to $0.26.