Summary of FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On January 29, 2013, First Financial Bancorp. issued its earnings press release that included the results of operations and financial condition for the twelve months and fourth quarter of 2012. A copy of the earnings press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

The earnings press release includes some financial measures outside of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), referred to as non-GAAP financial measures. The first non-GAAP financial measure, Net interest margin (fully tax equivalent), appears in the table entitled "Consolidated Financial Highlights" under the section "Key Financial Ratios." It also appears in the table entitled "Consolidated Quarterly Statements of Income" under "Additional Data." The second non-GAAP financial measure, Net interest income-tax equivalent, appears in the tables entitled "Additional Data" at the bottom of the "Consolidated Quarterly Statements of Income" page. The tax equivalent adjustment to net interest income recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets and assumes a 35% tax rate. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest margin and net interest income on a fully tax equivalent basis. Therefore, management believes these measures provide useful information to investors by allowing them to make peer comparisons. Management also uses these measures to make peer comparisons.

Below is a table showing "net interest income" calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP and the adjustments made to arrive at the non-GAAP financial measure "net interest income - tax equivalent." The table also shows "net interest margin" calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP and the method used to arrive at the non-GAAP financial measure "net interest margin (fully tax equivalent)."

                                                           Three Months Ended                                Twelve Months Ended
                                   Dec. 31,      Sep. 30,      June 30,      Mar. 31,      Dec. 31,               Dec. 31,
(Dollars in thousands)               2012          2012          2012          2012          2011            2012          2011
Net interest income              $    61,976   $    59,846   $    64,830   $    66,689   $    65,476     $   253,341   $   263,896
Tax equivalent adjustment                366           255           216           218           265           1,055           979
  Net interest income - tax
equivalent                       $    62,342   $    60,101   $    65,046   $    66,907   $    65,741     $   254,396   $   264,875

Average earning assets           $ 5,779,969   $ 5,658,059   $ 5,813,267   $ 5,950,151   $ 6,014,136     $ 5,799,917   $ 5,802,098

Net interest margin*                    4.27 %        4.21 %        4.49 %        4.51 %        4.32 %          4.37 %        4.55 %
Net interest margin (fully tax
equivalent)*                            4.29 %        4.23 %        4.50 %        4.52 %        4.34 %          4.39 %        4.57 %

* Margins are calculated using net interest income annualized divided by average earning assets.

The earnings press release also includes some non-GAAP ratios in the "Consolidated Financial Highlights" page. These ratios are: (1) Return on average tangible shareholders' equity; (2) Ending tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of ending tangible assets; (3) Ending tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of risk-weighted assets; (4) Average tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of average tangible assets; and (5) Tangible book value per share. The Ending tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of ending tangible assets and Average tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of average tangible assets are also shown in the "Regulatory Capital" section of the "Capital Adequacy" page in the earnings release. The following table provides a reconciliation of these ratios to the corresponding GAAP components. The Company considers these critical metrics with which to analyze banks. The ratios have been included in the earnings press release to facilitate a better understanding of the Company's capital structure and financial condition.

                                                           Three Months Ended                                Twelve Months Ended
                                   Dec. 31,      Sep. 30,      June 30,      Mar. 31,      Dec. 31,               Dec. 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except
per share data)                      2012          2012          2012          2012          2011            2012          2011
Net income (a)                   $    16,265   $    16,242   $    17,802   $    16,994   $    17,941     $    67,303   $    66,739

Average total shareholders'
equity                           $   714,373   $   716,797   $   717,111   $   706,547   $   719,964     $   713,717   $   712,252
Less:
Goodwill                             (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )       (95,050 )     (95,050 )
Intangible assets                     (7,648 )      (8,327 )      (9,195 )     (10,193 )     (10,844 )        (7,648 )     (10,844 )
Average tangible equity (b)          611,675       613,420       612,866       601,304       614,070         611,019       606,358

Total shareholders' equity           710,425       715,966       716,788       714,693       712,221         710,425       712,221
Less:
Goodwill                             (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )       (95,050 )     (95,050 )
Intangible assets                     (7,648 )      (8,327 )      (9,195 )     (10,193 )     (10,844 )        (7,648 )     (10,844 )
Ending tangible equity (c)           607,727       612,589       612,543       609,450       606,327         607,727       606,327

Total assets                       6,497,048     6,235,087     6,282,677     6,416,568     6,671,511       6,497,048     6,671,511
Less:
Goodwill                             (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )       (95,050 )     (95,050 )
Intangible assets                     (7,648 )      (8,327 )      (9,195 )     (10,193 )     (10,844 )        (7,648 )     (10,844 )
Ending tangible assets (d)         6,394,350     6,131,710     6,178,432     6,311,325     6,565,617       6,394,350     6,565,617

Risk-weighted assets (e)           3,904,096     3,789,957     3,737,920     3,711,053     3,645,403       3,904,096     3,645,403

Total average assets               6,294,084     6,166,667     6,334,973     6,478,931     6,515,756       6,318,181     6,284,961
Less:
Goodwill                             (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )     (95,050 )       (95,050 )     (95,050 )
Intangible assets                     (7,648 )      (8,327 )      (9,195 )     (10,193 )     (10,844 )        (7,648 )     (10,844 )
Average tangible assets (f)        6,191,386     6,063,290     6,230,728     6,373,688     6,409,862       6,215,483     6,179,067

Ending common shares outstanding
(g)                               58,046,235    58,510,916    58,513,393    58,539,458    58,267,054      58,046,235    58,267,054

Ratios
Return on average tangible
shareholders' equity (a)/(b)           10.58 %       10.53 %       11.68 %       11.37 %       11.59 %         11.01 %       11.01 %
Ending tangible shareholders' equity as a
percent of:
Ending tangible assets (c)/(d)          9.50 %        9.99 %        9.91 %        9.66 %        9.23 %          9.50 %        9.23 %
Risk-weighted assets (b)/(e)           15.57 %       16.16 %       16.39 %       16.42 %       16.63 %         15.57 %       16.63 %
Average tangible shareholders'
equity of average tangible
assets (b)/(f)                          9.88 %       10.12 %        9.84 %        9.43 %        9.58 %          9.83 %        9.81 %
Tangible book value per share
(c)/(g)                          $     10.47   $     10.47   $     10.47   $     10.41   $     10.41     $     10.47   $     10.41

First Financial Bancorp also provided electronic presentation slides on its web site used in connection with the earnings conference call. A copy of the electronic presentation slides is included in this Report as Exhibit 99.2.

Item 9.01 Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits:

The following exhibits shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of the Securities Act.

99.1 First Financial Bancorp. Press Release dated January 29, 2013 - Furnished.
99.2 First Financial Bancorp. January 30, 2013 Earnings Call slides - Furnished.