CAPITAL (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Banking and Thrift [Abstract]

Schedule of Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Table Text Block]

	Actual				Minimum capital required - Basel III current period				Required to be considered well capitalized - current period				Minimum capital required - Basel III fully phased-in
(Dollars in thousands)	Capital amount		Ratio		Capital amount		Ratio		Capital amount		Ratio		Capital amount		Ratio
December 31, 2015
Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
Consolidated	$	648,748	10.28	%	$	283,866	4.50	%	N/A		N/A		$	441,570	7.00	%
First Financial Bank	647,844		10.30	%	283,080		4.50	%	$	408,894	6.50	%	440,347		7.00	%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
Consolidated	648,852		10.29	%	378,488		6.00	%	N/A		N/A		536,192		8.50	%
First Financial Bank	647,948		10.30	%	377,440		6.00	%	$	503,254	8.00	%	534,707		8.50	%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets
Consolidated	822,431		13.04	%	504,651		8.00	%	N/A		N/A		662,355		10.50	%
First Financial Bank	709,306		11.28	%	503,254		8.00	%	629,067		10.00	%	660,521		10.50	%
Leverage
Consolidated	648,852		8.33	%	311,481		4.00	%	N/A		N/A		311,481		4.00	%
First Financial Bank	647,948		8.33	%	311,205		4.00	%	389,006		5.00	%	311,205		4.00	%

	Actual			Minimum required for capital adequacy purposes			Required to be considered well capitalized
(Dollars in thousands)	Capital amount	Ratio		Capital amount	Ratio		Capital amount	Ratio
December 31, 2014
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
Consolidated	673,955	12.69	%	212,463	4.00	%	N/A	N/A
First Financial Bank	602,133	11.38	%	211,724	4.00	%	317,585	6.00	%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets
Consolidated	728,284	13.71	%	424,926	8.00	%	N/A	N/A
First Financial Bank	662,865	12.52	%	423,447	8.00	%	529,309	10.00	%
Leverage
Consolidated	673,955	9.44	%	285,514	4.00	%	N/A	N/A
First Financial Bank	602,133	8.44	%	285,311	4.00	%	356,639	5.00	%