First Illinois Corporation filed a Rule 425 shareholder letter on November 6, 2026, reporting unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2026, and announcing a December 11, 2026 special shareholder meeting to vote on its proposed merger with First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:THFF).

Key Highlights

  • Q3 2026 net income: $2,006,014, up from $1,864,260 in the third quarter of 2025.
  • Nine-month net income: $6,282,800 for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, compared to $5,632,261 for the same period in 2025.
  • Basic EPS: $0.83 for Q3 2026, an 8% increase over the $0.77 reported in Q3 2025; $2.59 for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, up from $2.31 in the prior-year period.
  • Net interest margin: Increased to 4.01% in Q3 2026 from 3.64% in Q3 2025.
  • Tangible book value per share: $34.10 as of September 30, 2026, up from $32.06 as of September 30, 2025.
  • Quarterly dividend declared: $0.25 per share, payable November 19, 2026, to shareholders of record as of November 12, 2026 - described as the thirty-first consecutive quarterly dividend.
  • Merger vote: Special shareholder meeting scheduled for December 11, 2026 to vote on the merger agreement with First Financial Corporation dated August 26, 2026.

First Illinois Corporation Reports Improved Margins and Profitability Through September 2026

According to the filing, First Illinois Corporation, which operates together with Hickory Point Bank and Trust and is headquartered at 225 North Water Street, Decatur, Illinois, reported total assets of $695,722,942 as of September 30, 2026. Cash and investment securities totaled $215,435,170, representing 31% of total assets. Total equity stood at $82,680,952, equating to 11.88% of total assets, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 11.45%, according to the shareholder letter.

The filing attributed improved earnings primarily to increases in net interest income and non-interest income, as well as "disciplined cost containment." Net interest income for Q3 2026 was $6,464,116 versus $6,205,961 in Q3 2025. Non-interest income rose to $2,193,813 from $2,068,673 year over year for the same quarter. The filing noted that Q3 2026 results included approximately $488,000 of merger-related expenses. Return on average assets for the quarter was 1.33%, compared to 1.07% in the prior-year period, and return on average common equity was 9.72%, up from 9.63%.

Non-performing assets represented only 0.04% of total assets as of September 30, 2026, and the allowance for credit losses to non-performing assets ratio was reported at 1,806.02%. The provision for credit losses was $0 for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2026, according to the unaudited consolidated income statement data included in the filing.

What Was Disclosed

First Illinois Corporation's Rule 425 filing disclosed unaudited Q3 and nine-month 2026 financial results for Hickory Point Bank and Trust, declared a $0.25 quarterly dividend, and notified shareholders of a December 11, 2026 special meeting to vote on the proposed merger with First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:THFF).