Unassociated Document
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of
Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 24,
2010
FIRST
FINANCIAL BANCORP.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Ohio
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation)
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0-12379
(Commission
File Number)
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31-1042001
(IRS
Employer
Identification
No.)
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| |
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4000
Smith Road
Cincinnati,
Ohio
(Address
of principal executive offices)
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45209
(Zip
Code)
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Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (513) 979-5837
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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FORM
8-K
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First
Financial Bancorp.
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Item
8.01 Other Events.
On February 24, 2010, First Financial
Bancorp. (the “Company”) repurchased all 80,000 shares of its
Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, without par value and
a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), that it issued and sold to the United
States Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) on December 23, 2008 as part of the
U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program Capital
Purchase Program. The Company paid the U.S. Treasury a repurchase
price of $80,100,000, which equals the full $80,000,000 liquidation amount of the Preferred
Stock plus $100,000 with respect to accrued but unpaid dividends through the
date of the repurchase. On February 24, 2010 the Company issued a
press release announcing the repurchase transaction, a copy of which is
attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K
as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits.
99.1 Press
Release dated February 24, 2010.
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FORM
8-K
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First
Financial Bancorp.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereto
duly authorized.
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FIRST FINANCIAL
BANCORP. |
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By:
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/s/
J. Franklin Hall |
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J.
Franklin Hall |
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Executive
Vice President |
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Chief
Financial Officer |
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Date: February
24, 2010
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FORM
8-K
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First
Financial Bancorp.
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Exhibit
Index
Exhibit
No. Description
99.1 Press
Release dated February 24, 2010.