First Financial Completes All-Stock Acquisition of BankFinancial

First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ: FFBC) has completed its previously announced all-stock acquisition of Chicago-based BankFinancial, a transaction valued at approximately $142 million, marking a significant expansion of First Financial’s retail banking footprint in the Chicago market.

The transaction officially closed on January 1, 2026, and represents First Financial’s entry into consumer-focused retail banking in Chicago, extending its presence beyond commercial lending in the city.As part of the acquisition, First Financial has assumed BankFinancial’s core deposit franchise, including 18 financial centers across the Chicago metropolitan area, along with BankFinancial’s regional and national commercial loan, lease, and deposit businesses.

Following the completion of the deal, First Financial now reports approximately $22 billion in total assets, expanding its portfolio of consumer banking, commercial services, specialty lending, and wealth management offerings.

BankFinancial branches will continue operating under the BankFinancial name while the two institutions integrate systems, products, and operating platforms. The conversion process is expected to be completed by June 2026. BankFinancial customers will receive detailed communications regarding account changes in the coming months. Until the conversion is finalized, customers are not required to take any action and may continue using existing BankFinancial services and channels. First Financial said its existing clients will not be affected by the merger or the system conversion.

The acquisition aligns with First Financial’s broader expansion strategy across the Midwest. In recent years, the company has steadily grown its footprint through a mix of organic expansion and acquisitions:

• 2023: Established a commercial lending operation in Chicago’s Fulton Market district
   
• 2024: Acquired Lincolnshire-based Agile Premium Finance
   
• November 2025: Completed the acquisition of Westfield Bank, expanding operations in northeast Ohio
   
• Added commercial banking presence in Grand Rapids, Michigan

“Expanding our presence in Chicago presents us with significant opportunities for growth and profitability because of the many solutions we can bring to new and existing clients in this market,” said Archie Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Financial Bank.“First Financial exists to create opportunities to help our clients and communities thrive, and we look forward to the impact we can have with this approach in Chicago,” Brown added.

About First Financial Bancorp

First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ: FFBC) is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. As of September 30, 2025, the company reported $18.6 billion in assets, including $11.7 billion in loans, $14.4 billion in deposits, and $2.6 billion in shareholders’ equity. Its primary subsidiary, First Financial Bank, operates across six business lines and maintained 127 full-service banking centers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois at the end of the third quarter of 2025.

At the time of publishing, Stocks.News does not hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.