First Financial Bank
First Financial Bank operates nationwide across all 50 states with a community-bank, high-touch service model. Each borrower works with a dedicated lender and loan assistant who remain the primary contact for the life of the loan.
First Financial has deep industry expertise in pharmacy acquisitions, pet care, and farm and ranch lending, and competes head-to-head with larger SBA lenders by prioritizing responsiveness and industry knowledge over volume.
Banking Officer / Commercial Lender
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Data source: SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level data, covering activity through June 30, 2026 across the trailing 3 years (119 loan records for this lender). Refreshed quarterly from public loan-level records; figures are not supplied or reviewed by the lender.
First Financial Bank ranks #20 of 564 SBA 7(a) lenders nationally by acquisition-loan volume.
Most of First Financial Bank’s 7(a) acquisition lending falls in the $1M-$2M range: 44 loans, 37.0% of the portfolio.
| Loan size | Share of loans | Loans | % of portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0-$500K | 15 | 12.6% | |
| $500K-$1M | 34 | 28.6% | |
| $1M-$2M | 44 | 37.0% | |
| $2M-$3M | 20 | 16.8% | |
| $3M-$4M | 5 | 4.2% | |
| $4M-$5M | 1 | 0.8% |
Industries with highest loan volume
Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production
36
loans
$1.2M
avg. amount
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
32
loans
$1.1M
avg. amount
Pharmacies and Drug Retailers
29
loans
$1.5M
avg. amount
General Freight Trucking, Local
16
loans
$2.0M
avg. amount
Other Poultry Production
3
loans
$1.3M
avg. amount
Couriers and Express Delivery Services
1
loans
$1.9M
avg. amount
Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
1
loans
$1.4M
avg. amount
Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
1
loans
$135K
avg. amount
10-Year
0.9%
Percentile Ranking
84th
84th percentile
First Financial Bank’s median variable rate is + 1.50%, against a market median of Prime + 1.88%, 38 below market.
It priced below the market median in 7 of the last 8 quarters. 42 of the 119 loans in its trailing three-year book carried a fixed rate; the rest were variable.
| Loan Size | Avg Rate |
|---|---|
| $0-$500K | Prime + 1.14% |
| $500K-$1M | Prime + 1.36% |
| $1M-$2M | Prime + 1.58% |
| $2M-$3M | Prime + 1.40% |
| $3M-$4M | Prime + 1.73% |
| $4M-$5M | Prime + 2.00% |
over at time of loan origination
| Quarter | This lender | Market median | Market range | Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 '24 | Prime + 1.00% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.25% – Prime + 2.50% | 7 |
| Q4 '24 | Prime + 1.75% | Prime + 2.25% | Prime + 1.50% – Prime + 2.75% | 6 |
| Q1 '25 | Prime + 1.63% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.25% – Prime + 2.50% | 6 |
| Q2 '25 | Prime + 1.50% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.25% – Prime + 2.50% | 11 |
| Q3 '25 | Prime + 1.50% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.25% – Prime + 2.50% | 9 |
| Q4 '25 | Prime + 1.50% | Prime + 2.25% | Prime + 1.67% – Prime + 2.75% | 5 |
| Q1 '26 | Prime + 1.50% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.50% – Prime + 2.50% | 7 |
| Q2 '26 | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 2.00% | Prime + 1.25% – Prime + 2.50% | 5 |
First Financial Bank has originated 7(a) acquisition loans in 37 states, most actively in Texas (17), Arkansas (14) and California (9). Darker states on the map carry more volume.
| State | Loans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 17 | 14.3% |
| Arkansas | 14 | 11.8% |
| California | 9 | 7.6% |
| North Carolina | 8 | 6.7% |
| Georgia | 6 | 5.0% |
| Louisiana | 6 | 5.0% |
| Mississippi | 5 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 4.2% |
| Tennessee | 3 | 2.5% |
| Missouri | 3 | 2.5% |
| Colorado | 3 | 2.5% |
| New Mexico | 3 | 2.5% |
| Montana | 3 | 2.5% |
| Alabama | 3 | 2.5% |
| New York | 3 | 2.5% |
| Wyoming | 2 | 1.7% |
| Michigan | 2 | 1.7% |
| Virginia | 2 | 1.7% |
| Oregon | 2 | 1.7% |
| Illinois | 2 | 1.7% |
| Florida | 2 | 1.7% |
| Washington | 1 | 0.8% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 0.8% |
| Hawaii | 1 | 0.8% |
| Kentucky | 1 | 0.8% |
| New Jersey | 1 | 0.8% |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 0.8% |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 0.8% |
| Maine | 1 | 0.8% |
| Indiana | 1 | 0.8% |
| Ohio | 1 | 0.8% |
| Kansas | 1 | 0.8% |
| Utah | 1 | 0.8% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 0.8% |
| Connecticut | 1 | 0.8% |
| Maryland | 1 | 0.8% |
| Alaska | 1 | 0.8% |