8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 26, 2023

FIRST FOUNDATION INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-36461	20-8639702
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification Number)

200 Crescent Court, Suite 1400
Dallas, Texas	75201
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(469) 638-9636

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock	FFWM	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

A copy of a slide presentation that First Foundation Inc. (the “Company”) may use for upcoming meetings with investors and other interested parties is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein. Additionally, the Company has posted the slide presentation in the Investor Relations section of its website at http://investor.ff-inc.com/.  Information obtained or linked to the foregoing website shall not be deemed to be included in this Current Report on Form 8-K. The furnishing of the attached presentation is not an admission as to the materiality of any information therein. The information contained in the slides is summary information that is intended to be considered in the context of more complete information included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and other public announcements that the Company has made and may make from time to time by press release or otherwise. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update or revise the information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K except to the extent required by applicable law, although the Company may do so from time to time as its management believes is appropriate. Any such updating may be made through the filing of other reports or documents with the SEC, through press releases or through other public disclosures. For important information about forward looking statements, see the slide titled “Safe Harbor Statement” in Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto.

The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section or Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The information contained in this Item 7.01 and in the presentation attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing with the SEC made by the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Company Slide Presentation – October 2023
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Uly
	FIRST FOUNDATION INC.
Date: October 26, 2023	By:	/s/ JAMIE BRITTON
		Jamie Britton
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

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▪▪ 2,737 2,666 2,721 2,263 2,660 2,413 2,569 2,668 2,743 2,364 2,281 2,275 2,158 2,202 2,238 1,949 1,947 1,901 1,020 1,050 1,074 1,049 1,150 1,250 1,879 2,016 2,271 2,306 2,769 2,973 10,363 10,602 11,047 10,052 10,807 10,812 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 Dec'22 Jan'23 Feb'23 Mar'23 Jun'23 Sep'23 Non-interest Bearing Interest Bearing Money Market Savings CDs

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California, $785 , 82% Florida, $108 , 11% Texas, $2 , 0% Hawaii, $28 , 3% Nevada, $10 , 1% Other, $28 , 3% California, $4,586 , 87% Florida, $97 , 2% Texas, $226 , 4% Hawaii, $2 , 0% Nevada, $35 , 1% Other, $294 , 6% California, $223 , 36% Florida, $353 , 58% Texas, $22 , 4% Hawaii, $1 , 0% Nevada, $3 , 1% Other, $9 , 1% ▪ ▪

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Exposure by Top 10 Counties (000s) % Los Angeles 2,681,261 51.17% Orange 445,175 8.50% San Diego 385,968 7.37% San Francisco 250,560 4.78% Alameda 224,918 4.29% Santa Clara 149,880 2.86% Maricopa 146,157 2.79% Sacramento 104,297 1.99% Bexar 96,804 1.85% San Mateo 80,284 1.53% SUBTOTAL 4,565,305 87.1% Portfolio Total 5,240,385 100.0% ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ California, $4,586 , 87% Florida, $97 , 2% Texas, $226 , 4% Hawaii, $2 , 0% Nevada, $35 , 1% Other, $294 , 6%

Average Charge off Rate (2009 - 12.31.22) Multifamily 0.19% Single Family 0.23% NOO CRE 0.30% Commercial and Industrial 0.70%

California, $2,709 , 32% Florida, $1,593 , 19% Texas, $203 , 3% Hawaii, $271 , 3% Nevada, $79 , 1% Other, $3,545 , 42% California, $2,482 , 44% Florida, $1,272 , 23% Texas, $760 , 13% Hawaii, $217 , 4% Nevada, $36 , 1% Other, $876 , 15% ▪ ▪

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Total noninterest expense $ 127,075 $ 129,594 $ 125,778 $ 148,086 $ 216,589 $ 156,765 $ 396,310 Less: Amortization of intangible assets expense (2,043) (2,291) (1,895) (1,579) (1,914) (1,459) (1,247) (Less)/Plus: Merger-related expense (3,794) - - (2,606) 36 35 - Less: Professional service costs - - - - (971) - (1,374) Less: Severance costs - - - - - - (748) Less: Goodwill impairment - - - - - - (215,252) Plus: Incentive compensation reversal - - - - 4,150 - - Plus: Stock compensation reversal - - - - - - 1,118 Plus: FDIC insurance expense refund - - - - - - 724 Adjusted Noninterest expense $ 121,238 $ 127,303 $ 123,883 $ 143,901 $ 217,890 $ 155,341 $ 179,531 Net interest income $ 155,610 $ 169,954 $ 196,644 $ 233,284 $ 318,690 $ 243,971 $ 159,812 Plus: Total noninterest income 35,771 41,776 54,647 70,453 48,234 41,011 35,475 Plus: Valuation loss on equity investment - - - - 6,250 - - Less: Net gain (loss) from other real estate owned - (742) - - - - - Less: Net gain (loss) from securities - 316 - - - - - Less: Net gain on other equity investments - - - (1,069) - - - Less: Net gain on sale-leaseback - - - - (1,111) (1,111) - Adjusted Revenue $ 191,381 $ 211,304 $ 251,291 $ 302,668 $ 372,063 $ 283,871 $ 195,287 Efficiency Ratio 63.3% 60.2% 49.3% 47.5% 58.6% 54.7% 91.9%

Noninterest Expense to Average Assets Ratio Total noninterest expense $ 31,488 $ 32,440 $ 40,101 $ 42,032 $ 53,571 $ 52,915 $ 51,645 $ 265,952 $ 57,988 Less: Amortization of intangible assets expense (372) (365) (509) (491) (459) (454) (434) (419) (393) (Less)/Plus: Merger-related expense (384) (1,056) 36 - - - - - - Less: Professional service costs - - - - - (971) (782) (342) (250) Less: Severance costs - - - - - - (468) (280) - Less: Goodwill impairment - - - - - - - (215,252) - Plus: Bonus accrual adjustment - - - - - 2,850 - - - Plus: Stock compensation reversal - - - - - - 1,118 - - Plus: FDIC insurance expense refund - - - - - - 724 - - Adjusted Noninterest expense $ 30,732 $ 31,019 $ 39,628 $ 41,541 $ 53,112 $ 54,340 $ 51,803 $ 49,659 $ 57,345 Less: Customer service expense (2,512) (2,140) (1,788) (4,611) (13,560) (18,219) (16,715) (19,004) (24,682) Adjusted Noninterest expense exc. customer service expense $ 28,220 $ 28,879 $ 37,840 $ 36,930 $ 39,552 $ 36,121 $ 35,088 $ 30,655 $ 32,663 Average Assets 7,922,934 8,088,622 10,391,150 10,720,238 11,757,962 12,680,435 13,220,269 13,388,980 12,882,518 Noninterest Expense to Average Assets Ratio 1.55% 1.53% 1.53% 1.55% 1.81% 1.71% 1.57% 1.48% 1.78% Noninterest Expense exc. Customer Service Expense 1.42% 1.43% 1.46% 1.38% 1.35% 1.14% 1.06% 0.92% 1.01% to Average Assets Ratio

Unaudited Shareholders' equity $ 559,184 $ 613,869 $ 695,711 $ 1,064,051 $ 1,134,378 $ 919,207 Less: Goodwill and intangible assets 99,482 97,191 95,296 222,125 221,835 5,337 Tangible Common Equity $ 459,702 $ 516,678 $ 600,415 $ 841,926 $ 912,543 $ 913,870 Total assets $ 5,840,412 $ 6,314,436 $ 6,957,160 $ 10,196,204 $ 13,014,179 $ 13,051,564 Less: Goodwill and intangible assets 99,482 97,191 95,296 222,125 221,835 5,337 Tangible assets $ 5,740,930 $ 6,217,245 $ 6,861,864 $ 9,974,079 $ 12,792,344 $ 13,046,227 Equity to Asset Ratio 9.57% 9.72% 10.00% 10.44% 8.72% 7.04% Tangible Common Equity Ratio 8.01% 8.31% 8.75% 8.44% 7.13% 7.00% Book value per share $12.57 $13.74 $15.58 $18.86 $20.14 $16.29 Tangible book value per share $10.33 $11.57 $13.44 $14.92 $16.20 $16.19 Basic common shares outstanding 44,496,007 44,670,743 44,667,650 56,432,070 56,325,242 56,443,774 Adjusted net income available to common shareholders $ 44,408 $ 57,866 $ 85,714 $ 110,632 $ 114,061 $ 14,739 Average basic common shares outstanding 42,092,361 44,617,361 44,639,430 45,272,183 56,422,450 56,443,539 Average diluted common shares outstanding 42,567,108 44,911,265 44,900,805 45,459,540 56,490,060 56,449,720 Earnings per share (basic) $1.02 $1.26 $1.89 $2.42 $1.96 ($3.57) Earnings per share (diluted) $1.01 $1.25 $1.88 $2.41 $1.96 ($3.57) Adjusted earnings per share (basic) $1.06 $1.30 $1.92 $2.44 $2.02 $0.26 Adjusted earnings per share (diluted) $1.04 $1.29 $1.91 $2.43 $2.02 $0.26

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Document and Entity Information	Oct. 26, 2023
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Oct. 26, 2023
Entity File Number	001-36461
Entity Registrant Name	FIRST FOUNDATION INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-8639702
Entity Address, Address Line One	200 Crescent Court
Entity Address, Adress Line Two	Suite 1400
Entity Address, City or Town	Dallas
Entity Address, State or Province	TX
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	75201
City Area Code	469
Local Phone Number	638-9636
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Trading Symbol	FFWM
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001413837
Amendment Flag	false