Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
First Financial BancorpFFBC -1.29%61 Debt-to-Equity is 0.34 as of Mar. 2026, which is 49% below its 10-year median of 0.67. GuruFocus rates FFBC with a GF Score™ of 61/100 and a GF Value™ of $27.54 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,423 Banks companies, First Financial Bancorp ranks better than 65.43% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
FFBC'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.14 Med: 0.67 Max: 1.36
Current: 0.34
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of First Financial Bancorp was 1.36. The lowest was 0.14. And the median was 0.67.
FFBC's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 65.43% of 1423
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: 0.56
vs FFBC: 0.34
First Financial Bancorp (NAS:FFBC) Debt-to-Equity Explanation
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
First Financial Bancorp Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
First Financial Bancorp Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Banks - Regional subindustry, First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
First Financial Bancorp Debt-to-Equity vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.34 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on First Financial Bancorp and its competitors. This is 49% below median its historical median of 0.67. Over the past decade, First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.14 to 1.36. According to the industry distribution chart, First Financial Bancorp ranks #492 out of 1423 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 34.6%.
Is First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity too high?
First Financial Bancorp's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.34 is 49% below median its 10-year median of 0.67. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.14 to a high of 1.36. The Banks industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. First Financial Bancorp's value of 0.34 is 39.3% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, First Financial Bancorp ranks #492 out of 1423 companies in the Banks industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, First Financial Bancorp has a GF Score™ of 61/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does First Financial Bancorp's Debt-to-Equity compare to MCHB and CBU?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, First Financial Bancorp ranks #492 out of 1423 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This puts First Financial Bancorp in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. First Financial Bancorp's value of 0.34 is 39.3% below this benchmark. Historically, First Financial Bancorp's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.14 to 1.36 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.67 vs. the industry median of 0.56, First Financial Bancorp has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-Equity for a Banks company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Banks companies is 0.56, based on 1,423 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. First Financial Bancorp's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.34 is 39.3% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on First Financial Bancorp and its competitors. For the Banks industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. First Financial Bancorp's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.34, which is 49% below median its own 10-year median of 0.67. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is First Financial Bancorp stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $27.54, compared to a current price of $35.72 — trading 29.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.34, which is 49% below median its 10-year median of 0.67 and 39.3% below the Banks industry median of 0.56. First Financial Bancorp's overall GF Score™ is 61/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For First Financial Bancorp (FFBC), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.34 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Financial Bancorp stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $35.72 is trading 29.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $27.54.
GuruFocus considers First Financial Bancorp to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for FFBC:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.34 (49% below median its 10-year median of 0.67)
GF Value™: $27.54 vs. price of $35.72 (29.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 39.3% below the Banks median (#492 of 1423)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FFBC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
First Financial Bancorp is a mid-sized, regional bank holding company. It engages in the business of commercial banking and other banking and banking-related activities through its subsidiary. The range of banking services provided to individuals and businesses includes commercial lending, real estate lending, and consumer financing. Real estate loans are loans secured by a mortgage lien on the real property of the borrower, which may either be residential property or commercial property. In addition, it offers deposit products that include interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing accounts, time deposits, and cash management services for commercial customers. A full range of trust and wealth management services is also provided through First Financial's Wealth Management line of business.
61GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FFBC
Debt-to-Equity is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
FFBC has been successfully added to your 
