Raymond James Rates First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) buy

Raymond James maintains a positive outlook on First Financial Bancorp. with a $36 price target, a 6.41% upside from the current price.

By EarningsIQ Research Desk · Published Jul 1, 2026, 12:01 PM EDT · Updated Jul 1, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT

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Raymond James rated First Financial Bancorp. ($FFBC) "buy" with a $36 price target on July 1, 2026.

Since the rating, $FFBC is down 3.8% after 1 week, down 2.4% after 1 month and down 8.5% to date (from the $34.39 close on Jul 1, 2026).

FFBC First Financial Bancorp.

$31.48 +28.65% year to date

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Key Points

Raymond James reiterated its buy rating for First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) on July 1, 2026, with a price target of $36.
Raymond James's $36 price target implies 6.41% upside from First Financial Bancorp.'s ($FFBC) current $33.83 share price.
Shares of NasdaqGS:FFBC traded near $33.83 on Wednesday, with a market cap of approximately $3.55 billion.
First Financial Bancorp. insiders have been active, with recent buys and sells, while major funds like BlackRock and Vanguard have adjusted their positions.

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Raymond James reiterated its buy rating for First Financial Bancorp. (NasdaqGS:FFBC) on July 1, 2026, maintaining a price target of $36. Analyst Daniel Tamayo continues to hold a positive outlook on the regional bank, which operates in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.

Analyst rating track record

Raymond James vs. the S&P 500

YTD return +92.95% hypothetical

All-time return +47.49% S&P 500 +50.92%

vs. S&P 500 -3.43% behind the index

Hypothetical returns from Raymond James's disclosed trades, not real profit or advice. How we model this.

Other Institutional Activity in First Financial Bancorp.

BlackRock, Inc. increased its holdings by 582,772 shares, now holding 15,202,587 shares valued at about $423.8 million. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP also grew its stake by 374,373 shares, totaling 6,617,522 shares worth approximately $184.5 million. Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC opened a new position with 6,261,269 shares valued at $174.6 million. State Street Corp boosted its investment by 673,726 shares, holding 5,525,153 shares valued at $154 million. Meanwhile, Nomura Asset Management International Inc. reduced its stake by 414,265 shares, bringing its total to 5,480,061 shares valued at $152.8 million.

First Financial Bancorp. Stock Up 5.4%

Shares of NasdaqGS:FFBC traded near $33.83 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of about $3.55 billion and a P/E ratio of 11.95, with a forward P/E of 9.85. Its beta is 0.945, indicating less volatility compared to the market. The stock's 52-week range is between $23.06 and $33.99. The 50-day moving average is $30.84, and the 200-day moving average is $27.59.

12-month forecast

$FFBC price target

First Financial Bancorp. daily closes and this analyst's $36 target. Not advice.

Recent Earnings

First Financial Bancorp. reported revenue of $917.2 million, with a growth rate of 32.3%. The bank achieved a net margin of 30.39% and a return on equity of 10.25%. The next earnings report is scheduled for July 23, 2026.

Dividend

The company offers a dividend rate of $1.00 per share, yielding 2.96% with a payout ratio of 34.98%.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Financial Bancorp.

On June 8, 2026, President & CEO Archie Brown sold 10,000 shares at an average price of $30.93. On May 29, 2026, Dawn Morris sold 740 shares at $30.90. On May 26, 2026, Anne Arvia, William Kramer, Gary Warzala, and Thomas Murray O'Brien each purchased 2,328 shares at $31.15.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On July 1, 2026, Raymond James maintained its buy rating with a $36 price target. RBC Capital and Truist Securities each maintained a hold rating with targets of $32 and $33, respectively. The consensus among seven analysts is a buy rating, with an average price target of $33.43.

About First Financial Bancorp.

First Financial Bancorp. is a regional bank holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It provides commercial banking services to individuals and businesses across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The company offers a range of products, including checking and savings accounts, real estate loans, commercial and industrial loans, and consumer loans. It also provides trust and wealth management services, as well as lease and equipment financing. Led by CEO Archie M. Brown Jr., the company employs 2,319 people.

Bottom Line

Raymond James' reiterated buy rating reflects confidence in First Financial Bancorp.'s prospects, with a $36 price target suggesting potential upside. Institutional investors have shown varied activity, with some increasing and others reducing their stakes. Investors keep an eye on the bank's performance, especially as it prepares for its upcoming earnings report.