First Financial Corporation Reports $971,000 in Third-Quarter Net Charge-Offs, Down From $1.6 Million

First Financial Corporation reported net charge-offs of $971,000 for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, down from $1.6 million a year earlier. MarketScreener published the figures. First Financial Corporation is the holding company for First Financial Bank N.A., which offers commercial, mortgage and consumer lending, lease financing, trust account services and depositor services.

First Financial's Third-Quarter Charge-Off Figure

The $971,000 in net charge-offs covers the three months ended September 30, 2026, against $1.6 million for the same period a year earlier. First Financial Corporation operates through First Financial Bank N.A., whose loan book spans commercial loans, real estate mortgages and consumer loans.

The bank's commercial lending is predominantly to businesses expanding operations or financing asset purchases. Its real estate mortgages are secured by 1-4 family residences, generally owner-occupied, and include residential construction loans. The consumer portfolio consists mainly of home equity loans and lines secured by a subordinate lien on a 1-4 family residence, secured loans typically backed by automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles or motorcycles, cash and CD secured loans, and unsecured loans. First Financial Bank has approximately 79 branches in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and others.

First Financial's Recent Acquisition Activity

According to akta.pro company records, First Financial completed an all-stock acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation for approximately $142 million in January 2026, adding 18 financial centers in Chicago and expanding total assets to roughly $22 billion. A March 2026 acquisition of CedarStone Financial, Inc. added approximately $292 million in loans and $313 million in deposits and recorded a bargain purchase gain of $716 thousand. Total assets stood at $22.8 billion as of March 31, 2026, up from $21.1 billion at December 31, 2025. In June 2026 the company completed a system conversion and rebranding of all former BankFinancial retail branches and ATMs under the First Financial Bank name in the Chicagoland area.

First Financial's Second-Quarter Earnings

First Financial Corporation reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $22.7 million, up 22% year-over-year, with net interest income rising 16% to $61.2 million, Seeking Alpha reported. In October 2026, American Banking and Market News compared First Financial Corporation Indiana with CB Financial Services, finding First Financial ahead on 14 of 17 factors including higher revenue, earnings and dividend yield.