• First Illinois will merge into First Financial in a stock-cash deal valued at about $111.3 million.
• First Illinois holders can elect 0.5727 First Financial shares or USD 44.35 cash per share, capped at 70% stock and 30% cash.
• Implied per-share value is USD 45 based on First Financial’s USD 79.07 close on Aug. 26, 2026.
• Combined company would have about USD 6.9 billion assets, USD 4.9 billion loans, USD 5.5 billion deposits.
• Hickory Point Bank adds eight branches in central Illinois; it had USD 717 million assets, USD 438 million loans, USD 627 million deposits at June 30, 2026.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. First Financial Corporation published the original content used to generate this news brief via GlobeNewswire (Ref. ID: 202608270830PRIMZONEFULLFEED9817060) on August 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.