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INVESTMENTS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS Investment Securities
During the year ended December 31, 2024, proceeds on the sale of $352.5 million of AFS securities resulted in gains of $1.2 million and losses of $16.6 million and tax benefit of $3.6 million. Additionally in the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, First Financial sold its remaining Class B Visa shares, which resulted in proceeds of $11.6 million, with gross realized gains of $2.2 million, which is included in Net gain (loss) on investment securities on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, proceeds on the sale of $92.2 million of AFS securities resulted in losses of $1.3 million and insignificant gains. During the year ended December 31, 2022, proceeds on the sale of $277.1 million of AFS securities resulted in gains of $1.0 million and losses of $1.6 million. The impact to income tax expense from these sales was insignificant in 2023 and 2022.
The Company recognized impairment losses of $9.7 million on available-for-sale securities during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The losses were included in Net gain (loss) on investment securities in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The losses related to two AFS securities in unrealized loss positions due to credit deterioration where the Company had determined that it no longer intended to hold the securities until the recovery of their amortized cost bases. Additionally, the Company had two AFS securities totaling $11.1 million that were in unrealized loss positions at December 31, 2024 due to credit deterioration. The unrealized losses on these two securities totaled $1.1 million. The Company is monitoring these securities and believes that the Company will receive the full par value of these securities.

In 2024 and 2023, there were no reclassifications of HTM securities to AFS securities.

The carrying value of investment securities pledged as collateral to secure public deposits, repurchase agreements and for other purposes as required by law totaled $1.5 billion at December 31, 2024 and $1.6 billion at December 31, 2023.

The following is table a summary of HTM and AFS investment securities as of December 31, 2024:
  
Held-to-maturityAvailable-for-sale
(Dollars in thousands)Amortized
cost		Unrecognized
gain		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Amortized
cost		Unrealized
gain		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $0 $0 $99 $0 $(9)$90 
Securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations0 0 0 0 83,224 0 (11,546)71,678 
Mortgage-backed securities - residential0 0 0 0 1,102,242 508 (104,208)998,542 
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial30,444 0 (4,454)25,990 382,727 26 (25,381)357,372 
Collateralized mortgage obligations7,007 0 (788)6,219 620,315 1,449 (52,599)569,165 
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions8,259 42 (339)7,962 630,813 357 (109,904)521,266 
Asset-backed securities0 0 0 0 555,484 998 (22,379)534,103 
Other securities31,250 0 (2,432)28,818 137,748 120 (6,308)131,560 
Total$76,960 $42 $(8,013)$68,989 $3,512,652 $3,458 $(332,334)$3,183,776 

The following is a summary of HTM and AFS investment securities as of December 31, 2023:
  
Held-to-maturityAvailable-for-sale
(Dollars in thousands)Amortized
cost		Unrecognized
gain		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Amortized
cost		Unrealized
gain		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $0 $0 $34,904 $0 $(3,661)$31,243 
Securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations0 0 0 0 81,790 0 (12,010)69,780 
Mortgage-backed securities - residential0 0 0 0 744,546 2,034 (85,532)661,048 
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial32,926 0 (4,628)28,298 543,134 7 (35,911)507,230 
Collateralized mortgage obligations7,970 0 (539)7,431 478,744 181 (60,277)418,648 
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions8,175 130 (215)8,090 765,223 1,614 (114,320)652,517 
Asset-backed securities0 0 0 0 600,055 6 (39,813)560,248 
Other securities31,250 0 (3,381)27,869 134,208 0 (13,796)120,412 
Total$80,321 $130 $(8,763)$71,688 $3,382,604 $3,842 $(365,320)$3,021,126 
The following table provides a summary of investment securities by contractual maturity as of December 31, 2024, except for residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities, which are shown as single totals, due to the unpredictability of the timing in principal repayments:

 Held-to-maturityAvailable-for-sale
(Dollars in thousands)Amortized
cost		Fair
value		Amortized
cost		Fair
value
Due in one year or less$0 $0 $540 $544 
Due after one year through five years5,666 5,675 115,611 106,955 
Due after five years through ten years32,289 29,826 246,895 210,864 
Due after ten years1,554 1,279 488,838 406,231 
Mortgage-backed securities - residential 0 0 1,102,242 998,542 
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial 30,444 25,990 382,727 357,372 
Collateralized mortgage obligations7,007 6,219 620,315 569,165 
Asset-backed securities0 0 555,484 534,103 
Total$76,960 $68,989 $3,512,652 $3,183,776 

Unrealized gains and losses on debt securities available-for-sale are generally due to fluctuations in current market yields relative to the yields of the securities at their amortized cost. All AFS securities with unrealized losses are reviewed quarterly to determine if any impairment exists, requiring a write-down to fair value. For AFS securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to sell or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income. For AFS securities in an unrealized loss position that do not meet the aforementioned criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis for the security, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded, limited to the amount that the fair value of the security is less than its amortized cost basis.

Other than the two previously mentioned securities on which the Company recorded impairment losses, First Financial does not intend to sell, and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell, debt securities prior to maturity or recovery of the recorded value. Additionally, based on the Company's credit assessment of AFS securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company recorded no reserves on investment securities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 or 2023.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company's investment securities portfolio consisted of 743 AFS and HTM securities, of which 644 were in an unrealized loss position. As of December 31, 2023, the Company's investment securities portfolio consisted of 972 AFS and HTM securities, of which 783 were in an unrealized loss position.

Primarily all of First Financial's HTM debt securities are issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises. These securities carry the explicit and/or implicit guarantee of the U.S. government, are widely recognized as “risk free,” and have a long history of zero credit loss. The remainder of the Company's HTM securities are non-agency collateralized mortgage obligations
and obligations of state and other political subdivisions which currently carry ratings no lower than A+. There were no HTM securities on nonaccrual status or past due as of December 31, 2024, or 2023.

Management measures expected credit losses on HTM debt securities on a collective basis by security type. The estimate of expected credit losses considers historical credit loss information that is adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The Company did not record an ACL for these securities as of December 31, 2024 or 2023.
The following tables provide the fair value and gross unrealized losses on AFS investment securities in an unrealized loss position for which an allowance for credit losses was not recorded, aggregated by investment category and the length of time the individual securities have been in a continuous loss position:
 December 31, 2024
 Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
(Dollars in thousands)Fair
value		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value		Unrealized
loss
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $90 $(9)$90 $(9)
Securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations0 0 71,678 (11,546)71,678 (11,546)
Mortgage-backed securities - residential417,516 (9,130)503,321 (95,078)920,837 (104,208)
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial26,516 (67)286,589 (25,314)313,105 (25,381)
Collateralized mortgage obligations120,670 (1,776)296,813 (50,823)417,483 (52,599)
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions19,636 (351)478,083 (109,553)497,719 (109,904)
Asset-backed securities26,389 (189)159,135 (22,190)185,524 (22,379)
Other securities9,988 (12)115,452 (6,296)125,440 (6,308)
Total$620,715 $(11,525)$1,911,161 $(320,809)$2,531,876 $(332,334)

 December 31, 2023
 Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
(Dollars in thousands)Fair
value		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value		Unrealized
loss		Fair
value		Unrealized
loss
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $31,243 $(3,661)$31,243 $(3,661)
Securities of U.S. Government agencies and corporations0 0 69,780 (12,010)69,780 (12,010)
Mortgage-backed securities - residential31,892 (483)538,863 (85,049)570,755 (85,532)
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial1,772 (11)495,451 (35,900)497,223 (35,911)
Collateralized mortgage obligations10,699 (157)393,884 (60,120)404,583 (60,277)
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions15,155 (132)562,740 (114,188)577,895 (114,320)
Asset-backed securities6,853 (15)542,029 (39,798)548,882 (39,813)
Other securities14,605 (396)105,807 (13,400)120,412 (13,796)
Total$80,976 $(1,194)$2,739,797 $(364,126)$2,820,773 $(365,320)

The following tables provide the fair value and gross unrealized losses on HTM investment securities in an unrealized loss position for which an allowance for credit losses was not recorded, aggregated by investment category and the length of time the individual securities have been in a continuous loss position:
December 31, 2024
Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
(Dollars in thousands)Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 
Securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations0 0 0 0 0 0 
Mortgage-backed securities - residential0 0 0 0 0 0 
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial0 0 25,990 (4,454)25,990 (4,454)
Collateralized mortgage obligations0 0 6,219 (788)6,219 (788)
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions3,111 (33)2,288 (306)5,399 (339)
Asset-backed securities0 0 0 0 0 0 
Other securities0 0 28,818 (2,432)28,818 (2,432)
Total$3,111 $(33)$63,315 $(7,980)$66,426 $(8,013)

December 31, 2023
Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
(Dollars in thousands)Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss		Fair
value		Unrecognized
loss
U.S. Treasuries$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 
Securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations0 0 0 0 0 0 
Mortgage-backed securities - residential0 0 0 0 0 0 
Mortgage-backed securities - commercial0 0 28,298 (4,628)28,298 (4,628)
Collateralized mortgage obligations0 0 7,431 (539)7,431 (539)
Obligations of state and other political subdivisions1,128 (3)1,488 (212)2,616 (215)
Asset-backed securities0 0 0 0 0 0 
Other securities0 0 27,869 (3,381)27,869 (3,381)
Total$1,128 $(3)$65,086 $(8,760)$66,214 $(8,763)

For further detail on the fair value of investment securities, see Note 23 – Fair Value Disclosures.