Company Description
First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: THFF) is a financial holding company in the commercial banking industry. According to its public disclosures, it is the holding company for First Financial Bank N.A., which is described as the fifth oldest national bank in the United States. Through this banking subsidiary, First Financial Corporation is engaged in the provision of financial services in the United States.
The company is classified in the finance and insurance sector, with a primary focus on commercial banking. Based on available information, First Financial Bank N.A. operates banking centers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. In various press releases, the company reports operating 79 or 83 banking centers across these states, reflecting its branch-based retail and commercial banking footprint.
Business Model and Activities
According to the company description provided via Polygon and the firm’s own news releases, First Financial Corporation generates revenue primarily from loans to customers and investment activities. The company states that it offers commercial, mortgage, and consumer lending, lease financing, trust account services, depositor services, and insurance services through its subsidiaries. These activities place the company squarely in the commercial banking and broader financial services space.
The firm’s earnings releases emphasize net interest income and net interest margin as key performance measures, reflecting the importance of interest earned on loans and investments relative to interest paid on deposits and borrowings. Non-interest income is also reported, which includes revenues that are not derived from interest, although specific sources of non-interest income beyond trust and insurance services are not detailed in the provided materials.
Geographic Footprint and Market Focus
First Financial Corporation is headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana, as stated in its SEC filings. Its banking subsidiary operates in multiple Midwestern and Southern states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. Company press releases highlight the operation of dozens of banking centers across these states, indicating a regional community banking focus.
The company’s news releases also reference acquisitions of other banks, such as SimplyBank and CedarStone Financial, Inc., as part of its growth strategy. In the November 6, 2025 press release, First Financial notes that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CedarStone Financial, Inc., whose subsidiary CedarStone Bank operates branches in Tennessee. The company states that this transaction is expected to expand its presence in the Nashville, Tennessee market if completed.
Lending and Deposit Activities
In its quarterly and annual earnings press releases, First Financial Corporation provides detail on its loan and deposit portfolios. The company reports average total loans and total loans outstanding, noting growth over time. The releases attribute loan growth to both acquisitions and organic increases, particularly in areas described as Commercial Construction and Development, Commercial Real Estate, and Consumer Auto loans. These categories are identified by the company as drivers of organic loan growth.
The company also reports average total deposits and total deposits, noting that deposit balances have been affected by acquisitions such as SimplyBank. The press releases distinguish between non-interest-bearing deposits and time deposits, and they discuss changes in deposit levels over various periods. These disclosures underscore the company’s role in gathering deposits and extending credit as a traditional commercial bank.
Financial Performance Metrics
First Financial Corporation’s earnings releases include a range of banking performance metrics. These include net income, return on average assets, return on average common shareholders’ equity, net interest margin, and efficiency ratio. The company also reports on its allowance for credit losses, nonperforming loans, and net charge-offs, providing insight into its credit quality and risk management practices.
The firm highlights the use of certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as pre-tax, pre-provision net income, tangible common equity, and tangible book value per share. In its releases, the company explains that these measures are derived from GAAP-based amounts and are used by management to evaluate performance over time and in comparison to peers. The company provides reconciliations for these non-GAAP measures in its financial tables.
Capital and Balance Sheet
In its reported financial data, First Financial Corporation discusses shareholders’ equity, book value per share, tangible book value per share, and capital ratios such as Tier 1 leverage and risk-based capital – Tier 1. These metrics, which appear in the company’s earnings tables, provide information about its capital position relative to assets and risk-weighted assets.
The company also discloses its tangible common equity to tangible asset ratio, which it describes as a non-GAAP measure calculated by excluding goodwill and other intangible assets from shareholders’ equity and total assets. This ratio is presented as an additional perspective on the company’s capital structure.
Dividends and Shareholder Returns
First Financial Corporation regularly announces quarterly cash dividends on its common stock. Multiple press releases in 2024 and 2025 describe dividends declared by the board of directors, specifying the per-share amount and payment dates. For example, the company reported dividends of $0.51 per share in several quarters of 2025 and a dividend of $0.56 per share declared in December 2025.
The company also notes in its earnings releases that it has an authorized share repurchase program, with a stated number of shares remaining available for repurchase under the current authorization. The releases indicate whether the company has repurchased any shares over the preceding twelve months.
Corporate Transactions and Growth
First Financial Corporation’s recent disclosures reference acquisitions as a component of its growth. The company’s 2024 and 2025 earnings releases discuss the acquisition of SimplyBank, noting that the transaction contributed to increases in loans and deposits. The releases state that the acquisition added specific amounts of loans and deposits to the balance sheet, and that it affected credit loss provisions and non-interest expense.
In addition, an 8-K filing dated November 6, 2025, and the related press release describe an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization under which First Financial will acquire CedarStone Financial, Inc. for cash consideration per share, subject to customary closing conditions, regulatory approvals, and CedarStone stockholder approval. The company states that, if completed, this merger is expected to increase its consolidated assets and expand its presence in Tennessee.
Regulatory Reporting and Public Company Status
First Financial Corporation files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The provided 8-K filings show that the company reports material events such as dividend declarations, entry into merger agreements, participation in investor conferences, and the release of quarterly financial results. These filings list the company’s jurisdiction of incorporation as Indiana and provide its principal executive office city as Terre Haute, Indiana.
The company’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol THFF, as indicated in multiple press releases and SEC filings. As a NASDAQ-listed financial holding company, First Financial Corporation is subject to SEC reporting requirements and applicable banking regulations.
Risk and Credit Quality Information
In its earnings materials, First Financial Corporation discloses detailed information on asset quality, including accruing loans past due 30–89 days, accruing loans past due 90 days or more, nonaccrual loans and leases, other real estate owned, and total nonperforming assets. The company also reports its credit loss reserve to loans and leases, credit loss reserve to nonperforming loans, and nonperforming loans to loans and leases ratios.
These disclosures provide insight into the credit performance of the loan portfolio and the level of reserves maintained for potential losses. The company also reports net charge-offs and recoveries, which show the impact of credit losses on earnings over time.
Position Within the Banking Sector
Based on the information in its public releases, First Financial Corporation operates as a regional community and commercial bank holding company with a branch network across several states. Its focus on commercial, mortgage, and consumer lending, along with trust and insurance services, aligns with the activities of a traditional commercial bank. The company emphasizes loan growth, net interest income, and credit quality in its communications, which are central themes for banks in the commercial banking industry.
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Short Interest History
Short interest in First Financial (THFF) currently stands at 177.6 thousand shares, up 14.8% from the previous reporting period, representing 1.6% of the float. Over the past 12 months, short interest has increased by 219.7%. This relatively low short interest suggests limited bearish sentiment.
Days to Cover History
Days to cover for First Financial (THFF) currently stands at 3.1 days, up 11.2% from the previous period. This days-to-cover ratio represents a balanced liquidity scenario for short positions. The days to cover has increased 207% over the past year, indicating either rising short interest or declining trading volume. The ratio has shown significant volatility over the period, ranging from 1.0 to 4.4 days.