Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, January 28:Intercorp Financial Services Inc. (IFS) : This financial products and services provider has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.2% the last 60 days.This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 3.2%, compared with the industry average of 0.0%.Fox Corporation (FOXA) : This news, sports, and entertainment company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus ...

Expansion into Michigan - First Financial Bank is expanding into Michigan with the introduction of Chris Turner as commercial market president and the opening of a commercial banking office in Grand Rapids [1] - Chris Turner, a Grand Rapids native with over 32 years of experience in the financial services industry, will lead the commercial banking team and manage client relationships in the area [1][4] - The expansion into Grand Rapids follows recent expansions into Chicago, Cleveland, and Evansville, Indiana [5] Services and Solutions - First Financial will offer Michigan businesses a broad suite of sophisticated banking solutions, including commercial credit, asset-based lending, treasury management, trade finance, M&A advisory, and employee financial wellness programs [2] - Specialty banking lines of business include Bannockburn Capital Markets, Summit Funding Group, Oak Street Funding, Agile Premium Finance, and Yellow Cardinal Advisory Group [2] - The company provides end-to-end solutions for business owners, from start-up to mergers and acquisitions, business succession, and managing investment and legacy financial needs [3] Leadership and Strategy - Archie Brown, president and CEO, emphasized the importance of local market knowledge and connections in building new relationships and growing the company's presence in Grand Rapids [2] - Chris Turner highlighted the company's focus on offering a full spectrum of solutions and building strong relationships as trusted advisors for clients [4] Company Overview - First Financial Bancorp is a Cincinnati-based bank holding company with $18.6 billion in assets, $11.8 billion in loans, $14.3 billion in deposits, and $2.4 billion in shareholders' equity as of December 31, 2024 [6] - The company operates 127 full-service banking centers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, and its Commercial Finance business lends nationwide [6] - Wealth Management services include wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage, and retirement plan services, with approximately $3.7 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024 [6]

First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call January 24, 2025 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Scott Crawley - Corporate Controller Archie Brown - President and CEO Jamie Anderson - CFO Bill Harrod - Chief Credit Officer Conference Call Participants Daniel Tamayo - Raymond James Terry McEvoy - Stephens Christopher McGratty - KBW Jon Arfstrom - RBC Capital Mark Operator Thank you for standing by, and welcome to the First Financial Bancorp Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call ...

Core Insights - First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) reported revenue of $225.53 million for the quarter ended December 2024, reflecting an 11.4% increase year-over-year and a surprise of +5.04% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $214.7 million [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.71, compared to $0.62 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of +9.23% against the consensus estimate of $0.65 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Net Interest Margin stood at 3.9%, matching the average estimate based on two analysts [4] - Efficiency Ratio was reported at 66%, higher than the two-analyst average estimate of 58.7% [4] - Total Noninterest Income reached $69.85 million, exceeding the two-analyst average estimate of $63.55 million [4] Stock Performance - Shares of First Financial have returned +2% over the past month, compared to a +2.7% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating potential for outperformance against the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Performance - For Q4 2024, First Financial reported net income of $64.9 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, compared to $52.5 million, or $0.55 per diluted share in Q3 2024[3] - The return on average assets for Q4 2024 was 1.41%, and the return on average tangible common equity was 19.08%, up from 1.17% and 16.29% in Q3 2024, respectively[4] - For the full year 2024, adjusted earnings were $249 million, or $2.61 per share, with a record revenue of $853.8 million, a 2% increase over 2023[7] - Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $64,885 thousand, an increase from $52,451 thousand in the previous quarter, representing a 23.3% growth[22] - Diluted earnings per share increased to $0.68 for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $0.55 in the previous quarter, reflecting a 23.6% rise[22] - Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2023, was $64,885 thousand, a 14.4% increase from $56,732 thousand in the same period of 2022[24] - Net income for the fourth quarter increased to $64,885,000, representing a 23.7% increase year-over-year[26] Loan and Deposit Growth - Total loans increased by $208.7 million, representing a 7.2% annualized growth rate, while average deposits surged by $543.1 million, or 15.7% on an annualized basis[5] - Total loans for the year increased by 7.6% to $11.8 billion, and total deposits rose by 7.2% to $14.3 billion[7] - Total deposits reached $14,339,653 thousand, an increase from $13,796,504 thousand in the previous quarter, indicating a 3.9% growth[22] - Total loans reached $11,761,778 thousand, reflecting a 1.8% increase compared to the prior quarter[30] - Total deposits grew to $14,329,138 thousand, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous quarter[30] - Total deposits rose to $14.34 billion, compared to $13.80 billion in the prior quarter, indicating a growth of approximately 4.0%[32] Asset Quality and Credit Losses - The total allowance for credit losses was $173.7 million, with a ratio to total loans of 1.33%, which declined by 4 basis points from Q3 2024[8] - Asset quality remained stable, with nonperforming assets flat at 0.36% and net charge-offs at 0.30% for the full year[7] - The allowance to ending loans ratio was 1.33% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, slightly down from 1.37% in the previous quarter[22] - The allowance for credit losses increased to $156,791 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $141,433 million at the beginning of the year, reflecting a provision for credit losses of $49,211 million for the full year 2024[40] - Total net charge-offs for the full year 2024 were $33,853 million, a slight decrease from $34,618 million in 2023, with a net charge-off rate of 0.40% for the fourth quarter[40] - The total nonperforming assets amounted to $66,037 million, an increase from $65,859 million at the end of 2023[40] Noninterest Income and Expenses - Noninterest income reached $69.9 million, with a record wealth management income and strong results from foreign exchange and leasing businesses[6] - Noninterest income increased by 48.6% to $46,993 thousand for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to $31,610 thousand in the same period of 2022[24] - Total noninterest expenses rose by 24.1% to $147,907 thousand, up from $119,137 thousand in the prior year[24] - Total noninterest expenses rose to $147,907,000, marking a 17.6% increase compared to the previous quarter[26] Capital and Equity - The tangible book value per share increased from $12.38 to $14.15, marking a 14.3% increase[7] - The common equity tier 1 ratio was reported at 12.16% for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to 12.04% in the previous quarter[22] - Total shareholders' equity increased to $2,438,041,000 from $2,267,974,000 year-over-year, representing a growth of 7.5%[42] - Common equity tier 1 capital rose to $1,709,422,000, up from $1,568,815,000, reflecting an increase of 8.9%[42] - The leverage ratio improved to 9.98%, up from 9.70% in the previous year[42] Market Expansion and Strategy - First Financial expanded into Grand Rapids, MI, at the beginning of 2025, continuing its growth strategy in new markets[7] - The company plans to focus on market expansion and new product development in the upcoming quarters[32]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street analysts predict First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) will report quarterly earnings of $0.65 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 4.8% and revenues of $214.7 million, which is a 6.1% increase compared to the previous year [1]. Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, indicating a collective reevaluation by analysts [2]. - Revisions to earnings estimates are crucial for predicting investor actions, as empirical research shows a strong correlation between earnings estimate trends and short-term stock price performance [3]. Key Financial Metrics - Analysts expect the 'Net Interest Margin' to be 3.9%, down from 4.2% in the same quarter last year [5]. - The 'Efficiency Ratio' is projected to reach 58.7%, an improvement from the year-ago figure of 59.3% [5]. - The average prediction for 'Total Noninterest Income' is $63.55 million, significantly higher than the year-ago figure of $46.99 million [5]. Stock Performance - Over the past month, shares of First Financial have returned +2.3%, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has seen a -0.4% change [6]. - FFBC currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), suggesting potential outperformance in the near future [6].

Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) reports results for the quarter ended December 2024. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released o ...

CINCINNATI, Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) announced today that it expects to release fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results after the market close on Thursday, January 23, 2025. A teleconference and webcast to discuss these results will be held on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. Teleconference and Webcast Information Date:                                                    Friday, January 24, 2025 Time:                          ...

Table of Content UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from ____________________ to ____________________ Commission file number 001-34762 | --- | --- | --- | --- | |-------------------------------------------------------- ...

First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call October 25, 2024 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Scott Crawley - Corporate Controller Archie Brown - President and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Anderson - Chief Financial Officer Bill Harrod - Chief Credit Officer Conference Call Participants Daniel Tamayo - Raymond James Terry McEvoy - Stephens Andrew Leischner - KBW Operator Thank you for standing by. My name is Jeannie, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I w ...