Finward Bancorp filed a Form 8-K on November 3, 2026, disclosing the results of a November 2, 2026 special shareholder meeting at which shareholders voted to approve the company's merger with First Financial Bancorp.

Key Highlights

  • Merger approved: Finward Bancorp shareholders voted to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated July 21, 2026, with First Financial Bancorp., an Ohio corporation.
  • Vote count on Merger Proposal: 3,016,827 shares voted in favor, 27,370 against, and 0 abstentions or broker non-votes.
  • Quorum: Holders of 3,044,197 shares, or approximately 70.3% of outstanding shares, were represented in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting.
  • Record date shares outstanding: 4,330,893 shares of common stock were outstanding as of the September 22, 2026 record date, each entitled to one vote.
  • Adjournment proposal: Shareholders also approved a potential adjournment proposal, with 3,004,274 votes in favor, 39,802 against, and 121 abstentions.
  • Surviving corporation: According to the filing, First Financial Bancorp. will be the surviving corporation following the merger.

Finward Bancorp Special Meeting Results: Merger Vote Details

Finward Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNWD), headquartered in Munster, Indiana, disclosed the outcome of a special shareholder meeting held on November 2, 2026. The meeting was convened to consider proposals relating to the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated July 21, 2026, between the company and First Financial Bancorp., an Ohio corporation. Under the terms of that agreement, the filing states, "the Company will merge with and into First Financial, with First Financial as the surviving corporation."

According to the filing, the record date for the Special Meeting was September 22, 2026, at which time 4,330,893 shares of common stock were outstanding. At the meeting, 3,044,197 shares, representing approximately 70.3% of outstanding shares, were present in person or by proxy, constituting a quorum. The Merger Proposal required the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record date. The filing reported 3,016,827 votes in favor of the Merger Proposal, 27,370 against, and no abstentions or broker non-votes.

A second proposal covering potential adjournments of the Special Meeting, if deemed necessary to allow further proxy solicitation, was also put to a vote. The filing reported 3,004,274 votes in favor, 39,802 against, and 121 abstentions on that proposal. The 8-K was signed by Benjamin J. Bochnowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Finward Bancorp, and was filed with the SEC on November 3, 2026.

What Was Disclosed

Finward Bancorp reported the voting results from its November 2, 2026 special shareholder meeting, confirming that shareholders approved the merger with First Financial Bancorp. under a July 21, 2026 merger agreement, with First Financial to serve as the surviving entity.