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First Financial Bancorp: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $71.9 million, or $0.75 diluted EPS, against $70.0 million, or $0.73, in the second quarter. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.76. Source
  • Margin fell 3 bp on funding and yields: The net interest margin declined 3 bp from the second quarter. Funding costs rose 1 bp, and asset yields fell 2 bp. Source
  • Noninterest income rose 60.9%: Noninterest income was $73.5 million, up from $45.7 million a year earlier, with adjusted noninterest income of $73.6 million. Source
  • Period-end loans fell $71.6 million: Average loans rose $11.9 million from the second quarter, while period-end loans fell $71.6 million to $11.7 billion. Source
  • Expenses rose on incentives: Noninterest expenses were $134.3 million, up 4.5% from the second quarter, mainly from incentive compensation tied to fee income. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell 3 bp: Annualized net charge-offs were 0.18% of total loans, down from 0.21% in the second quarter. Source
  • Westfield regulatory approval received: Formal regulatory approval was received for the Westfield Bank acquisition, which the second-quarter release had described as pending. Source

“We achieved record revenue in the third quarter driven by a robust net interest margin and record noninterest income.”

Archie Brown, President and CEO

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: A numeric loan growth expectation was given for the fourth quarter. The second-quarter release described higher loan growth in the second half without a figure.
  • New: Regulatory approval was received for the Westfield acquisition. The second-quarter release had said approval and closing were expected this year. Source
  • New: An application for the BankFinancial acquisition is in process with regulators. Source

Earnings and returns

  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income was $71.9 million, or $0.75 diluted EPS, against $70.0 million, or $0.73, in the second quarter. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.76. Source
  • Returns on assets and equity: Return on average assets was 1.54%, up from 1.52%. Return on average tangible common equity was 19.11%, down from 19.61% in the second quarter. Source
  • Nine-month EPS above prior year: Nine-month diluted EPS was $2.02, compared with $1.72 in the same period of 2024. Source

Margin and funding costs

  • Margin fell 3 bp on funding and yields: The net interest margin declined 3 bp from the second quarter. Funding costs rose 1 bp, and asset yields fell 2 bp. Source
  • Interest expense fell on borrowings: Total interest expense fell 11.6% from a year earlier. Short-term borrowing expense dropped 39.8%, while long-term borrowing expense rose 18.7%. Source

“Loan balances declined modestly during the quarter, falling short of our expectations.”

Archie Brown, President and CEO

Fee income and products

  • Noninterest income rose 60.9%: Noninterest income was $73.5 million, up from $45.7 million a year earlier, with adjusted noninterest income of $73.6 million. Source
  • Foreign exchange and leasing grew: Foreign exchange income rose 21.1% to $16.7 million. Leasing business income was $21.0 million, up 24.9% from a year earlier. Source
  • Syndication fees lifted other income: Other noninterest income rose 50.1% from the second quarter, reflecting higher syndication fees and income on other investments. Source
  • Wealth management fees declined: Wealth management fees were $7.4 million, down 5.6% from the second quarter, while client derivative fees rose 12.1%. Source

Loans and deposits

  • Period-end loans fell $71.6 million: Average loans rose $11.9 million from the second quarter, while period-end loans fell $71.6 million to $11.7 billion. Source
  • Construction loans declined most: Construction real estate loans fell 14.3% from the second quarter and commercial and industrial loans fell 2.3%. Commercial real estate rose 2.2%. Source
  • Brokered and money market deposit growth: Average deposits grew at a 4.3% annualized rate, up $157.2 million from the second quarter, with a seasonal decline in public funds offsetting part of the growth. Source

“We expect to have another strong quarter to close 2025 and build positive momentum as we head into 2026.”

Archie Brown, President and CEO

Expenses and efficiency

  • Expenses rose on incentives: Noninterest expenses were $134.3 million, up 4.5% from the second quarter, mainly from incentive compensation tied to fee income. Source
  • Salaries drove the increase: Salaries and employee benefits rose 7.6% from the second quarter, and leasing business expense rose 5.7%. Source
  • Tax expense rose with pretax income: Income tax expense was $18.8 million, up from $12.4 million a year earlier, on pretax income of $90.7 million. Source

Credit quality and allowance

  • Net charge-offs fell 3 bp: Annualized net charge-offs were 0.18% of total loans, down from 0.21% in the second quarter. Source
  • Allowance covers loans at 1.38%: The allowance for loans and leases was $161.9 million, or 1.38% of total loans. The unfunded commitments allowance was $17.6 million. Source
  • Loan provision below prior year: The provision for loans and leases was $8.6 million, down 13.3% from a year earlier. The unfunded commitments provision was $0.5 million. Source
  • Classified assets edged up: Classified assets were 1.18% of total assets, up from 1.15% in the second quarter. Source

Capital and tangible book value

  • Tangible book value rose 5%: Tangible book value per share was $16.19, up 5% from the second quarter and 14% from a year earlier. Tangible common equity rose to 8.87% of tangible assets. Source
  • Regulatory ratios still preliminary: The total capital ratio was 15.32% and the leverage ratio 10.50% at September 30, 2025. The regulatory ratios are labelled preliminary. Source
  • No buybacks in the quarter: No shares were repurchased in the third quarter or in the first nine months of 2025. Source
  • Dividend held at $0.25: Dividends declared were $0.25 per share in the quarter, following the increase approved with second-quarter results. Nine-month dividends were $0.73 per share. Source

Acquisitions and workforce

  • Westfield regulatory approval received: Formal regulatory approval was received for the Westfield Bank acquisition, which the second-quarter release had described as pending. Source
  • Fewer full-time equivalents: Full-time equivalents fell by about 200, or 9%, since the initiative began two years ago, and stood at 1,986 at quarter end. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 October 2025

  • Westfield closing on November 1: The Westfield Bank acquisition is expected to close on November 1, following regulatory approval received this quarter. Source
  • BankFinancial closing early 2026: Management anticipates closing the BankFinancial transaction early in the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Efficiencies after acquisitions integrate: Management expects further efficiencies once the pending acquisitions are integrated. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.99%, or 4.02% fully tax-equivalent
Net interest income Source$160.5 million
Loans Source$11.7 billion
Deposits Source$14.4 billion
Deposit costs Source2.71% on interest-bearing deposits
Provision for credit losses Source$9.1 million
Net charge-offs Source0.18%
Nonperforming assets Source0.41% of total assets
CET1 ratio Source12.91%
Efficiency ratio Source57.4%; 57.0% as adjusted

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Lower specialty-business production and a higher share of construction originations, which fund over time, drove the loan decline. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Missed: Loan balances fell short of management's expectations in the third quarter, after the second-quarter release had expected higher loan growth in the second half.
  • On track: Regulatory approval for Westfield was received, and closing is expected on November 1.
  • Not stated: The third-quarter release does not compare the quarter's result with the range given in the second-quarter release.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.