First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) auditor logs 612-share tax withholding disposition

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

First Financial Bancorp Chief Internal Auditor James R. Shank reported a Form 4 transaction involving company common stock. On March 5, 2026, he disposed of 612 shares at $27.75 per share to satisfy tax withholding obligations. After this transaction, he directly held 15,826 common shares.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Shank James R

(Last) (First) (Middle)

255 EAST 5TH STREET, SUITE 2900

(Street)

CINCINNATI OH 45202

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/ [ FFBC ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	Chief Internal Auditor

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/05/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	03/05/2026		F		612	D	$27.75	15,826	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

	/s/ Maria Hinkel, POA	03/06/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

FAQ

What insider transaction did FFBC executive James R. Shank report?

James R. Shank, Chief Internal Auditor of First Financial Bancorp, reported disposing of 612 shares of common stock. The shares were used to satisfy tax withholding obligations at $27.75 per share on March 5, 2026, according to his Form 4 filing.

Was the FFBC Form 4 transaction an open-market sale of shares?

No, the Form 4 shows a tax-related disposition coded as “F.” The 612 common shares at $27.75 per share were delivered to cover a tax liability, rather than being sold in an open-market transaction or for discretionary portfolio reasons.

How many FFBC shares does James R. Shank hold after this transaction?

After the reported transaction, James R. Shank directly holds 15,826 shares of First Financial Bancorp common stock. This figure reflects his holdings following the 612-share tax-withholding disposition reported on March 5, 2026, in the Form 4 filing.

What does transaction code "F" mean in the FFBC Form 4 filing?

Transaction code “F” means the insider satisfied an exercise price or tax liability by delivering securities. In this case, 612 shares of First Financial Bancorp common stock were used on March 5, 2026, to meet a tax withholding obligation at $27.75 per share.

What role does James R. Shank hold at First Financial Bancorp (FFBC)?

James R. Shank is an officer of First Financial Bancorp, serving as Chief Internal Auditor. His Form 4 filing reports a tax-withholding disposition of 612 common shares at $27.75 per share, leaving him with direct ownership of 15,826 shares afterward.