Lenders › First Financial Bank
7(a) lenderCincinnati, OhioFDIC-insured bank167th of 2,184 by approvals
First Financial Bank
SBA 7(a) loan approvals by fiscal year, where they went, how large they were, and how loans from earlier years turned out.
SBA approvals by fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs 1 October to 30 September, so FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. *FY2026 is open: approvals to 30 Jun 2026 only.
First Financial Bank, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an FDIC-insured bank in the SBA 7(a) program. SBA approved 227 of its 7(a) loans worth $113M in FY2021 to FY2025, which places it 167th of 2,184 active 7(a) lenders by number of approvals.
In FY2025, the latest complete fiscal year, it had 39 approvals totalling $27.1M, up 105% on FY2024 (19). FY2026 to 30 Jun 2026 adds 20 more.
The median approval was $300K, against $190K for the 7(a) program as a whole; 33.0% of its approvals were for $150,000 or less (program: 47.8%).
Its loans went to businesses in 6 states and territories and 50 counties, led by Ohio (59.5%), Indiana (30.4%) and Kentucky (7.9%). The largest industry group was manufacturing at 18.9% of approvals, and 6.2% of approvals were to franchise businesses.
Of 1,250 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 42 as charged off (3.4%), 1,091 as paid in full and 117 still outstanding; the 7(a) program figure for the same approval years is 6.6%, so the rate here is below it.
Loan status is as recorded by SBA at the data date; charge-off rates are computed on loans approved at least five fiscal years ago. Jobs supported are self-reported estimates from the SBA loan application, which SBA does not review, audit or validate. Loans appear under the lender they are assigned to today, so a lender's figures include loans it took over. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Approvals by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Approvals | Dollars approved | Median approval | Average approval | Jobs supported, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026* | 20 | $5.3M | $131K | $267K | 144 |
| FY2025 | 39 | $27.1M | $300K | $694K | 433 |
| FY2024 | 19 | $14.0M | $450K | $737K | 377 |
| FY2023 | 44 | $19.0M | $300K | $431K | 639 |
| FY2022 | 43 | $18.8M | $250K | $437K | 750 |
| FY2021 | 82 | $34.3M | $295K | $419K | 946 |
| FY2020 | 61 | $20.9M | $234K | $343K | 921 |
| FY2019 | 87 | $34.9M | $200K | $401K | 1,246 |
| FY2018 | 104 | $30.8M | $153K | $296K | 1,341 |
| FY2017 | 161 | $48.2M | $140K | $299K | 1,570 |
| FY2016 | 163 | $47.9M | $155K | $294K | 2,437 |
Approvals are counted in the year SBA approved them and include approvals later cancelled. In the five fiscal years before the current window (FY2016–FY2020) the lender had 576 approvals. First approval on file: FY2010.
How earlier loans turned out
Only loans approved at least five fiscal years ago (FY2010–FY2021) are counted, because newer loans have had little time to be paid in full or charged off. "Charged off" is SBA's status for a loan on which it has written off the remaining balance.
| Loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | This lender | Ohio | 7(a) program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals in these years | 1,444 | 36,740 | 639,905 |
| Cancelled or never disbursed | 194 | 5,259 | 79,313 |
| Disbursed loans | 1,250 | 31,481 | 560,592 |
| Paid in full | 1,091 | 25,599 | 435,813 |
| Charged off | 42 | 1,791 | 36,891 |
| Still outstanding (status exempt from disclosure) | 117 | 4,091 | 87,888 |
| Charged off, share of disbursed loans | 3.4% | 5.7% | 6.6% |
| Dollars charged off, share of disbursed dollars | 2.4% | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Dollars charged off | $10.1M | $213M | $5.70bn |
By approval year
| Approved in | Disbursed | Paid in full | Charged off | Charged off, share | 7(a) program, same year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 69 | 37 | 0 | 0.0% | 2.8% |
| FY2020 | 56 | 37 | 1 | 1.8% | 4.0% |
| FY2019 | 77 | 54 | 0 | 0.0% | 6.7% |
| FY2018 | 93 | 84 | 0 | 0.0% | 7.9% |
| FY2017 | 140 | 116 | 7 | 5.0% | 7.7% |
| FY2016 | 138 | 121 | 10 | 7.2% | 7.2% |
| FY2015 | 147 | 140 | 5 | 3.4% | 6.9% |
| FY2014 | 110 | 100 | 7 | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| FY2013 | 103 | 99 | 2 | 1.9% | 6.0% |
| FY2012 | 104 | 100 | 3 | 2.9% | 6.3% |
| FY2011 | 132 | 125 | 5 | 3.8% | 6.9% |
| FY2010 | 81 | 78 | 2 | 2.5% | 9.2% |
A share is shown only where at least 30 loans from that year were disbursed.
Against the 7(a) program
| FY2021–FY2025 | This lender | 7(a) program |
|---|---|---|
| Median approval | $300K | $190K |
| Average approval | $498K | $518K |
| Approvals of $150,000 or less | 33.0% | 47.8% |
| Approvals to startups and businesses 2 years old or less | 36.6% | 34.3% |
| Approvals to franchise businesses | 6.2% | 11.5% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.9 | 10.5 |
| Charged off, loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | 3.4% | 6.6% |
States served
| # | State of the business (6 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | 135 | $70.0M | 59.5% | |
| 2 | Indiana | 69 | $29.8M | 30.4% | |
| 3 | Kentucky | 18 | $8.1M | 7.9% | |
| 4 | Missouri | 2 | — | 0.9% | |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 2 | — | 0.9% | |
| 6 | Vermont | 1 | — | 0.4% |
In Ohio the lender accounts for 0.8% of all 7(a) approvals in FY2021–FY2025.
Counties served
| # | County of the business (50 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton County, OH | 26 | $11.8M | 11.5% | |
| 2 | Franklin County, OH | 25 | $11.4M | 11.0% | |
| 3 | Marion County, IN | 16 | $5.7M | 7.0% | |
| 4 | Butler County, OH | 16 | $3.6M | 7.0% | |
| 5 | Montgomery County, OH | 12 | $5.7M | 5.3% | |
| 6 | Hamilton County, IN | 12 | $3.9M | 5.3% | |
| 7 | Bartholomew County, IN | 8 | $4.8M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Kenton County, KY | 7 | $2.3M | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Greene County, OH | 7 | $2.1M | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Cuyahoga County, OH | 6 | $6.8M | 2.6% | |
| 11 | Lake County, OH | 5 | $7.3M | 2.2% | |
| 12 | Clermont County, OH | 5 | $2.9M | 2.2% |
Industry mix
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | 43 | 18.9% | |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 42 | 18.5% | |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21 | 9.3% | |
| 4 | Construction | 20 | 8.8% | |
| 5 | Retail Trade | 20 | 8.8% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 18 | 7.9% | |
| 7 | Accommodation and Food Services | 13 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 11 | 4.8% |
| # | Industry group | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 18 | 7.9% | |
| 2 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 10 | 4.4% | |
| 3 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 10 | 4.4% | |
| 4 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt ManufacturingNAICS 3327 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 5 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 6 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 7 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 6 | 2.6% | |
| 8 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 6 | 2.6% | |
| 9 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 6 | 2.6% | |
| 10 | Architectural and Structural Metals ManufacturingNAICS 3323 | 5 | 2.2% |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less15.0%34
- $50,001 to $150,00018.1%41
- $150,001 to $350,00026.4%60
- $350,001 to $1 million30.0%68
- $1 million to $2 million6.6%15
- Over $2 million4.0%9
Loan terms
- 5 years or less33.9%77
- Over 5 to 10 years42.3%96
- Over 10 to 20 years22.5%51
- Over 20 years1.3%3
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old41.0%93
- New business, 2 years or less15.4%35
- Startup, loan funds will open the business21.1%48
- Change of ownership22.5%51
SBA processing method
| # | Method | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SBA Express Program | 139 | 61.2% | |
| 2 | Preferred Lenders Program | 72 | 31.7% | |
| 3 | 7a General | 12 | 5.3% | |
| 4 | 7a with EWCP | 1 | 0.4% | |
| 5 | Working Capital CAPLine | 1 | 0.4% | |
| 6 | Contract CAPLine | 1 | 0.4% |
Franchise share
14 of 227 approvals in FY2021–FY2025 (6.2%) carried an SBA franchise code; across the 7(a) program the share is 11.5%.
| # | Franchise brand | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | QC Kinetix | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 2 | Pure Barre | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 3 | Concrete Craft | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 4 | Visiting Angels | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 5 | McDonalds | 1 | 0.4% | |
| 6 | General Motors, LLC | 1 | 0.4% | |
| 7 | Barry Bagels | 1 | 0.4% | |
| 8 | Extra Innings | 1 | 0.4% |
Questions and answers
How many SBA loans does First Financial Bank make?
SBA approved 39 7(a) loans through First Financial Bank in FY2025, worth $27.1M, and 227 over FY2021 to FY2025. That ranks 167th of 2,184 active 7(a) lenders by number of approvals.
How large are First Financial Bank's typical SBA loans?
The median 7(a) approval in FY2021 to FY2025 was $300K and the average $498K. The program-wide median was $190K.
What is First Financial Bank's charge-off rate?
Of 1,250 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 42 as charged off (3.4%), 1,091 as paid in full and 117 still outstanding; the 7(a) program figure for the same approval years is 6.6%, so the rate here is below it. Loans are listed under the lender that holds them today, so the figure includes loans taken over from other lenders. Status is as recorded by SBA on 30 Jun 2026.
Which industries does First Financial Bank lend to most?
By number of approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: offices of other health practitioners (18); offices of dentists (10); restaurants and other eating places (10); machine shops; turned product; and screw, nut, and bolt manufacturing (8).
Where does First Financial Bank make SBA loans?
In 6 states and territories. Ohio 135, Indiana 69, Kentucky 18, Missouri 2, Pennsylvania 2. In Ohio it accounts for 0.8% of all 7(a) approvals.
Is First Financial Bank's SBA lending rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 102, against 186 in the three before: falling (-45%).
Where does this data come from?
From the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, as of 30 Jun 2026. Borrower names and addresses in those files are discarded when the files are read and appear nowhere on this site.
About these figures
Figures are totals of the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, data through 30 Jun 2026. SBA updates the files quarterly. Counts are loan approvals, including approvals later cancelled; the five-year window is FY2021–FY2025, the five latest complete fiscal years. Charge-off rates use only loans approved in FY2010–FY2021, at least five fiscal years ago, and count disbursed loans SBA records as charged off. Loans are listed under the lender they are assigned to today. Dollar figures behind fewer than three approvals are not shown, and no borrower is named anywhere on this site.Methodology · Report an error