First Financial Bancorp. Short Interest Rises 21.5% in March

The bank's short interest increased significantly last month, signaling potential investor concerns.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:41am

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First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC), a regional bank headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, saw a 21.5% increase in short interest during March. As of March 31st, there were 4,242,256 shares shorted, up from 3,490,452 shares on March 15th. This represents 4.1% of the company's total shares outstanding.

Why it matters

The rise in short interest could indicate that some investors are betting against First Financial Bancorp.'s stock performance, potentially due to concerns about the bank's financial outlook or the broader economic environment. Short interest is often viewed as a barometer of investor sentiment, so this increase may signal growing skepticism about the company's prospects.

The details

First Financial Bancorp.'s stock opened at $28.94 on Friday, April 17th. The bank has a 50-day moving average of $28.53 and a 200-day moving average of $26.58. Its debt-to-equity ratio is 0.43, and it has a market capitalization of $3.03 billion. Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock, with a mix of 'hold' and 'buy' ratings and price targets ranging from $29 to $34.

  • As of March 31st, 2026, First Financial Bancorp. had 4,242,256 shares shorted.
  • On March 15th, 2026, the bank had 3,490,452 shares shorted.

The players

First Financial Bancorp.

A bank holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the parent of First Financial Bank. The company provides commercial and consumer banking services across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Richard S. Dennen

An insider at First Financial Bancorp. who sold 20,000 shares in February 2026.

Gregory A. Harris

An insider at First Financial Bancorp. who sold 1,821 shares in February 2026.

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The takeaway

The increase in short interest on First Financial Bancorp. shares suggests that some investors are taking a bearish stance on the regional bank, potentially signaling broader concerns about the company's financial health or the economic outlook. However, the bank's fundamentals and analyst ratings remain mixed, leaving the long-term trajectory uncertain.