First Financial maintains an overall risk management strategy that incorporates the use of derivative instruments to reduce certain risks related to interest rate, prepayment and foreign currency volatility. Additionally, First Financial holds derivative instruments for the benefit of its commercial customers and for other business purposes. The Company does not enter into unhedged speculative derivative positions. The Company’s interest rate risk management strategy involves modifying the repricing characteristics of certain financial instruments so that changes in interest rates do not adversely affect First Financial’s net interest margin and cash flows. Derivative instruments that the Company may use as part of its interest rate risk management strategy include interest rate caps, floors, swaps, and foreign exchange contracts, to meet the needs of its clients while managing the interest and currency rate risk associated with certain transactions. First Financial may also utilize interest rate swaps to manage the interest rate risk profile of the Company. These derivatives are reported within Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Interest rate payments are exchanged with counterparties based on the notional amount established in the interest rate agreement. As only interest rate payments are exchanged, the cash requirements and credit risk associated with interest rate swaps are significantly less than the notional amount and the Company’s credit risk exposure is limited to the market value of the instruments. First Financial does not use derivatives for speculative purposes.

The Company is exposed to losses if a counterparty fails to make its payments under a contract in which the Company is in the net receiving position. The Company anticipates that the counterparties will be able to fully satisfy the obligations under the agreements. All of the contracts to which the Company is a party settle monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. In addition, First Financial obtains collateral above certain thresholds of the fair value of derivatives for each dealer counterparty based upon their credit standing and the Company has netting agreements with the dealers with which it does business.

Interest rate client derivatives. First Financial utilizes interest rate swaps as a means to offer commercial borrowers fixed rate funding while providing the Company with floating rate assets. These derivatives are classified as free-standing instruments with the revaluation gain or loss recorded in Client derivative fees in the Consolidated Statements of Income. While these derivatives represent economic hedges, they do not qualify as hedges for accounting purposes.

At December 31, 2024, for interest rate derivatives, the Company had a total counterparty notional amount outstanding of $2.2 billion, spread among six counterparties, with an estimated fair value of $91.7 million. At December 31, 2023, the Company had interest rate derivatives with a total counterparty notional amount outstanding of $2.2 billion, spread among six counterparties, with an estimated fair value of $95.7 million.

customers through the Company's normal credit review processes. Additionally, the Company's monitors derivative credit risk exposure related to problem loans through the its ACL committee. First Financial considers the market value of a derivative instrument to be part of the carrying value of the related loan for these purposes as the borrower is contractually obligated to pay First Financial this amount in the event the derivative contract is terminated.

In connection with its use of derivative instruments, First Financial and its counterparties may be required to post cash collateral to offset the market position of the derivative instruments. First Financial maintains the right to offset these derivative positions with the collateral posted against them by or with the relevant counterparties.

Foreign exchange contracts. First Financial enters into foreign exchange derivative contracts for the benefit of commercial customers to hedge their exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. Similar to the hedging of interest rate risk from interest rate client derivative contracts, First Financial also enters into foreign exchange contracts with major financial institutions to

economically hedge a substantial portion of the exposure from client driven foreign exchange activity. These derivatives are classified as free-standing instruments with the revaluation gain or loss recorded in Foreign exchange income in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company has internal controls and client credit risk limits in place to help ensure excessive risk is not being taken when providing this service to customers. These controls include a determination of currency volatility and credit equivalent exposure on these contracts. At December 31, 2024, the Company had total counterparty notional amount outstanding of $5.8 billion spread among four counterparties, with an estimated fair value of $29.0 million related to foreign exchange contracts, which is included in Accrued interest and other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. At December 31, 2023, the Company had total counterparty notional amounts outstanding of $7.0 billion spread among five counterparties, with an estimated fair value of $23.9 million.

In connection with its use of foreign exchange contracts, First Financial and its counterparties may be required to post cash collateral to offset the market position of the derivative instruments. First Financial maintains the right to offset these derivative positions with the collateral posted against them by or with the relevant counterparties.

In 2024, a single foreign exchange trade was mutually terminated and the counterparty was not able to immediately fully satisfy the obligation under the agreement. As such, a $45.0 million receivable was established in Accrued interest and other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet, and the Company considers this receivable a classified asset for asset quality purposes.

Commodity contracts. In August of 2024, First Financial began entering into financially settled commodity derivative contracts for the benefit of commercial customers to hedge their exposure to various commodity price fluctuations. Similar to the hedging of interest rate risk from interest rate client derivative and foreign exchange contracts, First Financial also enters into commodity contracts with major financial institutions to economically hedge a substantial portion of the exposure from client driven commodity derivative activity. These derivatives are classified as free-standing instruments with the revaluation gain or loss recorded in Derivative income in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company has risk limits and internal controls in place to help ensure excessive risk is not being taken when providing this service to customers. These controls include monitoring of commodity volatility and credit exposure on these contracts. While these derivatives represent economic hedges, they do not qualify as hedges for accounting purposes. At December 31, 2024, the Company had total counterparty notional amount outstanding of $1.7 million with three counterparties and an estimated fair value of $0.2 million.

Cash flow hedges. In 2023, First Financial entered into interest rate collars and floors, which are designated as cash flow hedges. These cash flow hedges are utilized to mitigate interest rate risk on variable-rate commercial loan pools. As of December 31, 2024, the hedges were determined to be effective during the period and are expected to remain effective during the remaining terms. Changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness are recorded in AOCI and reclassified from AOCI to current period earnings when the hedged item affects earnings. Reclassified gains and losses on interest rate contracts related to commercial and industrial loans are recorded within interest income in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The structure of the interest rate collars is such that First Financial pays the counterparty an incremental amount if the collar index exceeds the cap rate. Conversely, First Financial receives an incremental amount if the index falls below the floor rate. No payments are required if the collar index is between the cap and floor rates.

The notional value of the Company's cash flow hedges was $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2024, with the $1.2 million loss recorded in AOCI in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. As of December 31, 2024, the maximum length of time over which the Company is hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows is 48 months. It is estimated that $0.7 million will be reclassified from OCI to interest income during the next 12 months.

At December 31, 2023, the notional value of the Company's cash flow hedges was $1.0 billion, with a $3.8 million gain recorded in AOCI in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. As of December 31, 2023, the maximum length of time over which the Company was hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows was 60 months.


Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationship	Location of Gain or (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into income	Gain (loss) reclassified in AOCI on Derivatives				Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on Derivatives
(Dollars in thousands)		December 31, 2024		December 31, 2023		December 31, 2024		December 31, 2023
Interest rate contracts	Interest income/(expense)	$	(795)	$	(237)	$	(1,176)	$	3,755


		December 31, 2024									December 31, 2023
					Estimated fair value									Estimated fair value
(Dollars in thousands)		Notional amount			Gain (1)			Loss (2)			Notional amount			Gain (1)			Loss (2)
Derivatives not designated as qualifying hedging instruments
Interest rate derivatives-instruments associated with loans (3)
Matched interest rate swaps with borrower		$	2,211,542		$	6,849		$	(95,341)		$	2,172,714		$	13,232		$	(104,343)
Matched interest rate swaps with counterparty		2,211,542			95,292			(6,849)			2,172,714			104,092			(13,232)
Foreign exchange contracts (4)
Matched foreign exchange contracts with customers		5,772,686			161,686			(132,732)			7,021,569			84,731			(60,825)
Matched foreign exchange contracts with counterparty		5,741,839			132,732			(161,686)			6,972,870			60,825			(84,731)
Commodity contracts(5)
Matched commodity with client		1,717			0			(158)			0			0			0
Matched commodity with counterparty		1,701			158			0			0			0			0
Total derivatives not designated as qualifying hedging instruments	15,941,027			396,717			(396,766)			18,339,867			262,880			(263,131)

Derivatives designated as qualifying hedging instruments
Cash flow hedges (6)
Interest rate collars and floors		1,000,000			387			(619)			1,000,000			6,896			0
Total derivatives designated as qualifying hedging instruments		1,000,000			387			(619)			1,000,000			6,896			0
Total		$	16,941,027		$	397,104		$	(397,385)		$	19,339,867		$	269,776		$	(263,131)


	December 31, 2024						December 31, 2023
(Dollars in thousands)	Gross amounts of recognized assets/ (liabilities)		Gross amounts offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets		Net amounts of assets/(liabilities) presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets		Gross amounts of recognized assets/ (liabilities)		Gross amounts offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets		Net amounts of assets/(liabilities) presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets

Interest rate contracts	$	(242,720)	$	102,141	$	(140,579)	$	(117,324)	$	270,678	$	153,354
Foreign exchange contracts	(294,418)		144,710		(149,708)		(145,556)		55,959		(89,597)
Commodity contracts	(158)		158		0		0		0		0
Cash flow hedges	1,917		(619)		1,298		6,896		(4,886)		2,010
Total	$	(535,379)	$	246,390	$	(288,989)	$	(255,984)	$	321,751	$	65,767


(Dollars in thousands)	Notional amount		Average maturity (years)	Fair value
Interest rate contracts
Receive fixed, matched interest rate swaps with borrower	$	2,211,542	4.1	$	(88,492)
Pay fixed, matched interest rate swaps with counterparty	2,211,542		4.1	88,443
Foreign exchange contracts
Foreign exchange contracts - pay USD	5,772,686		0.7	28,954
Foreign exchange contracts - receive USD	5,741,839		0.7	(28,954)
Commodities contracts
Client commodity contracts	1,717		0.3	(158)
Counterparty commodity contracts	1,701		0.3	158
Total client derivatives	15,941,027		1.6	(49)

Cash flow hedges
Interest rate collars and floors on loan pools	1,000,000		2.5	(232)
Total cash flow hedges	1,000,000		2.5	(232)
Total	$	16,941,027	1.7	$	(281)

At December 31, 2024, derivative collateral owed by the Company to counterparty banks was $115.4 million with $15.0 million restricted within cash and due from banks on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets and $130.5 million recorded in short-term borrowings. Derivative collateral owed by the Company to counterparty banks at December 31, 2023 was $116.2 million with $21.6 million restricted within cash and due from banks and $137.8 million recorded in short-term borrowings.

Credit derivatives. In conjunction with participating interests in commercial loans, First Financial periodically enters into risk participation agreements with counterparties whereby First Financial assumes or sells a portion of the credit exposure associated with an interest rate swap on the participated loan in exchange for a fee. Under these agreements, First Financial will either make a payment or receive a payment from the counterparty if the loan customer defaults on its obligation to perform under the interest rate swap contract. The total notional value of the purchased risk agreements totaled $204.8 million as of December 31, 2024 and $232.5 million as of December 31, 2023. The total notional value of the sold risk agreements totaled $106.0 million as of December 31, 2024 and $109.2 million as of December 31, 2023. The net fair value of these agreements is recorded in Accrued interest and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and was insignificant at December 31, 2024 and $0.1 million at December 31, 2023.