---
title: "First Financial agrees to buy Finward in $208 million stock deal"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/293383211.md"
description: "First Financial Bancorp has agreed to acquire Finward Bancorp in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $208 million. Under the terms, Finward shareholders will receive 1.35 shares of First Financial stock for each Finward share. The acquisition aims to expand First Financial's presence in northwest Indiana and Chicago by adding 24 locations and a low-cost deposit base. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, with projected EPS accretion of about 5%."
datetime: "2026-07-21T20:30:58.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/293383211.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293383211.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/293383211.md)
---

# First Financial agrees to buy Finward in $208 million stock deal

-   First Financial agreed to acquire Finward Bancorp in an all-stock deal valued at about USD 208 million. \* Finward shareholders will receive 1.35 shares of First Financial common stock for each Finward share. \* Finward has about USD 2 billion in assets, USD 1.7 billion in deposits, USD 1.5 billion in loans. \* Deal targets expansion in northwest Indiana and Chicago, adding 24 locations and a low-cost core deposit base. \* Closing is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026; First Financial projects about 5% EPS accretion. Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Finward Bancorp published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 202607211630BIZWIRE\_USPR\_\_\_\_\_20260721\_BW148868) on July 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. © Copyright 2026 - Public Technologies (PUBT)

### Related Stocks

- [FNWD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FNWD.US.md)
- [FFBC.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FFBC.US.md)

## Related News & Research

- [BUZZ-Finward Bancorp jumps on $208 million buyout deal from First Financial Bancorp](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293489880.md)
- [First Financial Bancorp Q2 FY26 net income rises 2.7% to $76.46 million](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293384120.md)
- [Finward Bancorp Investor Alert: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of Finward Bancorp - FNWD](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293779460.md)
- [14:04 ET$HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Announces An Investigation of  Finward Bancorp (NASDAQ: FNWD)](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293506702.md)
- [Finward unit Peoples Bank exits FDIC, Indiana DFI memorandum of understanding](https://longbridge.com/en/news/291843181.md)