It's TIME. Let's GO. Join the traders at BAD BEAT Investing! For a limited time ONLY, you can join BAD BEAT for a one month TRIAL at a big discount. Why join? We are available all day during market hours to answer questions, and help you learn and grow. Best position yourself to catch rapid-return trades, while finding deep value for the long-term.We resume our Q4 earnings season regional bank coverage with a dividend growth name in First Financial Bancorp. ( FFBC ). Our review in totality of the space can ...

Core Insights - First Financial Bancorp reported record-setting fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, showcasing strong profitability metrics and resilient net interest margin performance despite lower short-term rates [4][3][16] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter reached $0.80, with an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3% [3][7] - Full-year 2025 adjusted net income was $281 million, or $2.92 per share, with record revenue totaling almost $922 million, an 8% increase from 2024 [16] Balance Sheet Growth - Total loan balances increased by $1.7 billion during the quarter, primarily due to the Westfield acquisition, which contributed $1.6 billion [1][6] - Total deposit balances rose by $2 billion, including $1.8 billion from Westfield, with organic growth of $264 million [8] Net Interest Margin - The net interest margin (NIM) was reported at 3.98%, slightly down from the previous quarter, with guidance for first-quarter 2026 NIM expected to be between 3.94% and 3.99% [2][7] Fee Income - Adjusted fee income reached a record $77.3 million for the quarter, up 5% from the prior quarter, with expectations for first-quarter fee income between $71 million and $73 million [5][9][18] Expenses and Integration Costs - Adjusted non-interest expenses increased by approximately 6% from the prior quarter, largely due to acquisition-related costs, with first-quarter expense guidance set at $156 million to $158 million [10][11] Credit Quality and Capital - Asset quality remained stable, with non-performing assets at 0.48% of total assets and a total allowance of $207 million, including $26 million for the Westfield portfolio [13][14] - Tangible book value at quarter-end was $15.74, with a tangible common equity ratio of 7.79% [15] Growth Outlook - The company anticipates low single-digit organic loan growth in the first quarter and expects full-year loan growth of 6% to 8% [17] - Management highlighted growth initiatives in Grand Rapids and Chicago, focusing on expanding banking services and resources [19]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted earnings per share for Q4 2025 were $0.80, with an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3% [4][12] - The net interest margin slightly declined to 3.98% from 4.05% year-over-year, but funding costs decreased, mitigating the impact of short-term rate reductions [7][12] - Total adjusted fee income reached a record $77 million, a 5% increase from the previous quarter [5][14] - For the full year 2025, adjusted net income was $281 million, or $2.92 per share, with record revenue of nearly $922 million, an 8% increase over 2024 [6][7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan growth for Q4 was 4% on an annualized basis, with total average deposits increasing by approximately 7% [4][9] - Non-interest income for the year increased by 16% to a record $280 million, driven by growth in wealth management, foreign exchange, and mortgage income [7][8] - Adjusted non-interest expenses increased by 6% from the linked quarter, primarily due to the Westfield acquisition [5][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company maintained 21% of total balances in non-interest-bearing accounts, focusing on growing lower-cost deposit balances [10] - Total deposit balances increased by $2 billion, including $1.8 billion from the Westfield acquisition, with organic growth of $264 million [9][10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to achieve organic loan growth of 6%-8% for the full year 2026, with expectations of easing payoff pressure in Q1 [16][17] - The company is expanding its presence in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with plans to establish a full banking office and add mortgage services [32][64] - The company aims to enhance its wealth management services in Northeast Ohio, following the acquisition of Westfield [76] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in maintaining a strong net interest margin and expects it to remain among the highest in the peer group [16] - The company anticipates credit costs in Q1 to approximate Q4 levels, with stable allowance for credit losses coverage [17] - Management highlighted the successful launch of a new banking office and the acquisition of two banking companies as part of their growth strategy [18] Other Important Information - The company issued $300 million of subordinated debt during Q4, with a 10-year maturity and a 6.38% interest rate [10] - Asset quality remained stable, with non-performing assets slightly increasing to 0.48% of total assets [5][11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Fee income guidance for the rest of the year - Management acknowledged seasonality in fee income, particularly in foreign exchange, and expects growth in the latter half of the year [22][24] Question: Growth plans in Grand Rapids - Management detailed the ramp-up of loan commitments and deposit growth in Grand Rapids, with plans for further expansion [30][32] Question: Loan growth outlook - Management confirmed a projected organic loan growth of 6%-8% for the year, excluding acquired balances [38][41] Question: Margin outlook and purchase accounting - Management indicated that the margin would depend on short-term rate movements, with a slight decline expected if rate cuts occur [45][46] Question: Efficiency ratio trends - Management projected the efficiency ratio to be in the mid-50s range, influenced by the integration of recent acquisitions [70][75]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted earnings per share for Q4 2025 were $0.80, with an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3% [4] - The net interest margin slightly declined from the previous quarter but remained resilient at 3.98% [4][12] - Total average deposits increased by approximately 7% on an annualized basis, excluding the impact from the Westfield acquisition [4] - Adjusted net income for the full year 2025 was $281 million, or $2.92 per share, with record revenue of almost $922 million, an 8% increase over 2024 [6][7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total adjusted fee income for Q4 was $77 million, a 5% increase compared to the linked quarter, driven by strong performance in wealth management and foreign exchange [5][14] - Organic loan growth for Q4 was $131 million, or 4% on an annualized basis, primarily driven by Summit and C&I [9][12] - Adjusted non-interest income for the full year increased by 16% to a record $280 million, led by growth in wealth management, foreign exchange, and mortgage income [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company maintained 21% of total balances in non-interest-bearing accounts, focusing on growing lower-cost deposit balances [10] - Total deposit balances increased by $2 billion in Q4, including $1.8 billion from the Westfield acquisition [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to achieve low single-digit organic loan growth in Q1 2026, with expectations of 6%-8% loan growth for the full year [16] - The company is focused on integrating the Westfield and BankFinancial acquisitions to realize cost savings and enhance growth opportunities [17][60] - Expansion efforts include launching a banking office in Grand Rapids and strengthening core funding through acquisitions [18][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's performance and outlook for 2026, highlighting strong pipelines and expected loan growth [40][41] - The company anticipates that credit costs will approximate Q4 levels and that ACL coverage will remain stable as a percentage of loans [17] - Management noted the importance of seasonality in fee income and loan origination, with expectations for a ramp-up in the latter half of the year [25][40] Other Important Information - The company issued $300 million of subordinated debt during Q4, with a 10-year maturity and a 6.38% interest rate [10] - Asset quality remained stable, with non-performing assets slightly increasing to 0.48% of total assets [5][11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Fee income guidance for the rest of the year - Management acknowledged seasonality in fee income, particularly in foreign exchange, and expects growth in the latter half of 2026 [22][24] Question: Growth plans in Grand Rapids - Management detailed the establishment of a banking team and plans for further investment in the region, anticipating significant opportunities [30][32] Question: Loan growth outlook - Management confirmed a projected organic loan growth of 6%-8% for the year, excluding acquired balances, with expectations for a strong origination quarter in Q4 2025 [38][41] Question: Efficiency ratio trends - Management indicated that the efficiency ratio is expected to trend in the mid-50s range, influenced by the integration of acquisitions and seasonal factors [70][75]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted earnings per share for Q4 2025 were $0.80, with an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3% [4] - The net interest margin slightly declined to 3.98%, while total average deposits increased by approximately 7% on an annualized basis, excluding the impact from the Westfield acquisition [4][6] - For the full year 2025, adjusted net income was $281 million or $2.92 per share, with record revenue of almost $922 million, an 8% increase over 2024 [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total adjusted fee income for Q4 was $77 million, a 5% increase compared to the linked quarter, driven by strong performance in wealth management and foreign exchange [5][9] - Non-interest expenses increased by 6% from the linked quarter, primarily due to the Westfield acquisition [5][12] - Adjusted non-interest income for the full year increased by 16% to a record $280 million, led by growth in wealth management, foreign exchange, and mortgage income [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan growth for Q4 was 4% on an annualized basis, with total deposit balances increasing by $2 billion, including $1.8 billion from the Westfield acquisition [8] - The company maintained 21% of total balances in non-interest-bearing accounts, focusing on growing lower-cost deposit balances [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company expects organic loan growth to be in the 6%-8% range for the full year 2026, with a focus on integrating recent acquisitions and expanding in key markets [16][17] - The launch of a new banking office in Grand Rapids and the acquisition of two banking companies are part of the strategy to strengthen core funding and provide a platform for growth in metropolitan markets [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's performance and outlook, anticipating easing payoff pressure and stable credit costs in the first quarter of 2026 [16] - The net interest margin is expected to remain among the highest in the peer group, projected to be between 3.94% and 3.99% over the next quarter [16] Other Important Information - The company issued $300 million of subordinated debt during Q4, with a 10-year maturity and a 6.38% interest rate [8] - Asset quality remained stable, with non-performing assets slightly increasing to 0.48% of assets [5][10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Fee income guidance for the rest of the year - Management acknowledged seasonality in fee income, particularly in foreign exchange, and expects growth in the back half of 2026 [21][24] Question: Growth plans in Grand Rapids - The company has ramped up loan commitments and is planning to establish a full banking office, adding mortgage and wealth banking services [28][30] Question: Loan growth outlook confirmation - Management confirmed that the projected 6%-8% growth is on an organic basis, excluding acquired balances [36][39] Question: Margin outlook and purchase accounting impact - The purchase accounting impact from Westfield is expected to hold at four basis points, with minimal impact from BankFinancial [40][41] Question: Efficiency ratio trends - The efficiency ratio is expected to be in the mid-50 range in the back half of the year, influenced by the integration of acquisitions [65][68]

For the quarter ended December 2025, First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) reported revenue of $239.99 million, up 6.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.80, compared to $0.71 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue represents a surprise of -3.35% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $248.3 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.78, the EPS surprise was +2.56%.While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to ...

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.8 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.78 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.71 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +2.56%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this holding company for First Financial Bank would post earnings of $0.75 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.76, delivering a surprise of +1.33%.O ...

Financial Performance - For Q4 2025, First Financial Bancorp reported net income of $62.4 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, compared to $71.9 million, or $0.75 per diluted share in Q3 2025[3] - The company achieved record revenue of $251.3 million on an adjusted basis, with noninterest income reaching $77.3 million, also a record[5] - Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $62,393 thousand, a decrease from $71,923 thousand in the previous quarter[24] - Diluted net earnings per share decreased to $0.64 from $0.75 in the previous quarter[24] - Net income for the twelve months ended December 31 was $255,605, with a net earnings per share (diluted) of $2.66[26] - Net income for the year was $228,830, with the fourth quarter reporting $64,885[31] Asset and Deposit Growth - Total assets increased to $20,256,539 thousand from $18,566,188 thousand in the previous quarter, reflecting a growth of approximately 9.1%[24] - Total deposits rose to $15,958,657 thousand, up from $14,511,925 thousand in the previous quarter, indicating a growth of about 10.0%[24] - Total assets increased to $21,129,379 thousand, a 13.9% increase from the previous quarter and a 13.8% increase year-over-year[33] - Total deposits rose to $16,421,842 thousand, marking a 13.8% increase from the previous quarter and a 14.6% increase year-over-year[33] Loan Performance - Loan balances increased by 4% on an annualized basis during the quarter, with end-of-period loan balances rising by $1.7 billion, including $1.6 billion from the Westfield acquisition[6] - Net loans reached $13,237,583 thousand, reflecting a 14.6% increase from the previous quarter and a 14.1% increase year-over-year[33] - Commercial and industrial loans increased to $4,632,241 thousand, a 20.7% increase from the previous quarter and a 21.4% increase year-over-year[33] Interest Income and Margin - The net interest margin was reported at 3.98% on a fully tax-equivalent basis, reflecting a 4 basis point decrease from Q3 2025[6] - Total interest income for the twelve months ended December 31 was $1,001,904, reflecting a 5.5% increase compared to the previous year[26] - Total interest income for Q4 2025 reached $265,331,000, reflecting a 6.0% increase from the previous quarter[28] Credit Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses - The total allowance for credit losses (ACL) stood at $206.7 million, with an ACL to total loans ratio of 1.39%[9] - The allowance for credit losses increased to $186,487 thousand, a 15.2% increase from the previous quarter and an 18.9% increase year-over-year[33] - The ratio of nonaccrual loans to total loans was 0.76%, compared to 0.65% in the previous quarter, indicating a deterioration in credit quality[41] Shareholder Returns - The Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share, payable on March 16, 2026[7] - The company declared dividends of $0.25 per share[26] - Dividends declared per share for the year were $0.94, with the fourth quarter at $0.24[31] Employee Metrics - Full-time equivalent employees increased to 2,164 compared to 2,064 in the previous year[26] - Full-time equivalent employees increased to 2,164, up from 1,986 in the previous quarter[28] Capital Ratios and Equity - Common equity tier 1 ratio decreased to 11.32% from 12.91% in the previous quarter[24] - Total shareholders' equity grew to $2,769,216 thousand, a 5.2% increase from the previous quarter and a 13.6% increase year-over-year[33] - Total capital ratio improved to 15.46%, up from 15.32% in the previous quarter, reflecting an increase of 0.9%[43]

(1)Earnings per diluted share of $0.64; $0.80 on an adjusted basis is a Company record (1)Return on average assets of 1.22%; 1.52% on an adjusted basis (1)Net interest margin on FTE basis of 3.98% (1)Record revenue of $251.3 million on an adjusted basis (1)Record noninterest income of $77.3 million on an adjusted basis (1)ROTCE of 16.3%; 20.3% on adjusted basis Westfield acquisition closed November 1, 2025 Obtained regulatory approval for BankFinancial acquisition; closed January 1, 2026 $300 million of ...

Core Viewpoint - Options markets are indicating significant post-earnings volatility for several stocks, particularly regional banks, with expectations of price swings being amplified by the Federal Reserve's policy decision [1][2]. Group 1: Implied Moves and Earnings Reports - Options markets are pricing in double-digit to near-50% post-earnings swings for a group of regional banks [2]. - Ten stocks are highlighted with implied moves of approximately 30% or more ahead of their earnings reports this week [3]. - Capitol Federal Financial, Inc. is expected to have the highest implied move at 48.48%, with earnings per share projected at 15 cents and revenue at $57.51 million [5][6]. - First Financial Bancorp follows closely with a 47.50% implied move, expecting earnings per share of 56 cents and revenue of $245.83 million [5][6]. - Other notable stocks include Provident Financial Services, Inc. (39.22% implied move), First BanCorp (39.09% implied move), and West Bancorporation, Inc. (35.92% implied move) [5][6]. Group 2: Specific Stock Details - Beacon Financial Corp. anticipates earnings per share of 79 cents and revenue of $224.81 million, with an implied move of 29.48% [5]. - ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. expects earnings per share of 73 cents and revenue of $110.15 million, with an implied move of 29.51% [5]. - High Tide Inc., the only non-bank on the list, is set to report earnings per share of $0.01 and revenue of $114.95 million, with an implied move of 30.12% [5]. - Primis Financial Corp. is projected to have earnings per share of $1.10 and revenue of $34.98 million, with an implied move of 31.17% [5]. - Hope Bancorp, Inc. expects earnings per share of 26 cents and revenue of $142.91 million, with an implied move of 32.94% [5].