First Financial to Acquire First Illinois for About $111.3 Million

08:55 AM EDT, 08/27/2026 (MT Newswires) -- First Financial (THFF) and First Illinois entered into a definitive merger agreement valued at approximately $111.3 million, based on First Financial's Aug. 26 closing price of $79.07, the company said Thursday. Under the deal, First Illinois shareholders will receive either 0.5727 First Financial shares or $44.35 in cash per share, with 70% of shares to be exchanged for stock and 30% for cash. The merger was unanimously approved by both companies' boards and is expected to close in Q4 2026, it added.