Finward Bancorp to merge with First Financial for ~$208M; Q2 net income $2.1M (-2.7%)

Filed August 13, 2026 · Period ending June 30, 2026 · Compared to 10-Q Aug 13, 2025 · ~2 min read

Key Changes

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  Definitive merger agreement with First Financial Bancorp announced Jul 21, 2026. FNWD shareholders will receive 1.35 shares of First Financial common stock per share, valuing the transaction at approximately $208 million. Merger expected to close Q4 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.

  Notes: Pending Merger verify on EDGAR →
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  Q2 2026 net income $2.1M (-2.7% YoY); diluted EPS $0.48 (-4.0%). For the six months ended June 30, 2026, net income rose 66% to $4.3M ($1.00 per diluted share) from $2.6M ($0.61) in the prior year, driven by improved net interest margin.

  MD&A: Profitability verify on EDGAR →
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  Tax-equivalent net interest margin expanded from 3.03% (six months Jun 2025) to 3.36% (six months Jun 2026), driven by reduced deposit and borrowing costs and strength in new loan originations.

  MD&A: Net Interest Margin verify on EDGAR →