First Financial Bank: SBA business acquisition lending record
First Financial Bank (home state AR) approved 453 SBA 7(a) loans to buy existing businesses since FY2018, totaling $567M. The median loan was $990,000. It ranks number 15 of 280 lenders by count and made 0.9% of all SBA acquisition loans nationally.
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What this tells a borrower
- Deal size it funds. Half of its acquisition loans fell between $500,000 and $1,610,000. If your deal sits well outside that band, this lender may be less practiced at it.
- Geographic reach. Texas is the largest state (16% of loans). Loans appear in at least 15 states, which points to a national lender.
- Industry concentration. Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production is 26% of its acquisition loans. This is a specialist pattern.
- Overall 7(a) volume. 1,119 SBA 7(a) loans of any purpose since FY2020, totaling $1.1B. 82% of its acquisition loans were processed under the Preferred Lenders Program.
- Franchise share. 10% of its acquisition loans involved a franchise brand, against 18% for all lenders.
- Seasoned performance. Of its loans from FY2018 to FY2021: 3.0% charged off, 15% lower than the 3.5% national average.
First Financial Bank acquisition loans by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 25 | $38.9M | $1,700,000 | |
| FY2019 | 38 | $43.3M | $980,000 | |
| FY2020 | 46 | $66.2M | $1,307,500 | |
| FY2021 | 58 | $71.1M | $927,250 | |
| FY2022 | 69 | $75.6M | $820,000 | |
| FY2023 | 52 | $59.8M | $782,500 | |
| FY2024 | 38 | $47.8M | $1,000,000 | |
| FY2025 | 65 | $89.6M | $1,315,000 | |
| FY2026 | 62 | $74.8M | $950,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 167 First Financial Bank acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), 5 have been charged off by the SBA, a rate of 3.0% by loan count and 2.0% by dollars. 63 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, the charge-off rate across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort is 3.5%, so First Financial Bank is 15% lower than the acquisition-loan average. Non-acquisition 7(a) loans (every other stated purpose) approved FY2018 to FY2021 charged off at 6.2%.
"Charged off" is the SBA's final loss action on a defaulted loan after collection efforts. It lags default by a year or more, which is why only older cohorts are measured. It is not the same as a delinquency rate, and loans still outstanding can still fail. See charge-off in the glossary.
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States served
| # | State | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 71 | 15.7% | $103M | |
| 2 | Ohio | 51 | 11.3% | $43.4M | |
| 3 | Arkansas | 44 | 9.7% | $66.9M | |
| 4 | Indiana | 29 | 6.4% | $16M | |
| 5 | North Carolina | 28 | 6.2% | $33.5M | |
| 6 | Mississippi | 23 | 5.1% | $24.4M | |
| 7 | Louisiana | 22 | 4.9% | $30.4M | |
| 8 | California | 18 | 4.0% | $31.5M | |
| 9 | Georgia | 14 | 3.1% | $14.5M | |
| 10 | Tennessee | 13 | 2.9% | $18.9M | |
| 11 | Florida | 12 | 2.6% | $25.5M | |
| 12 | Michigan | 11 | 2.4% | $14.2M | |
| 13 | Missouri | 10 | 2.2% | $11.6M | |
| 14 | Alabama | 10 | 2.2% | $8.7M | |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 9 | 2.0% | $7.8M |
Industries financed
| # | Industry | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production | 118 | 26.0% | $156M | |
| 2 | Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | 116 | 25.6% | $185M | |
| 3 | Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services | 50 | 11.0% | $54.2M | |
| 4 | General Freight Trucking, Local | 18 | 4.0% | $35.6M | |
| 5 | Veterinary Services | 17 | 3.8% | $12.1M | |
| 6 | Other Poultry Production | 10 | 2.2% | $13.1M | |
| 7 | Full-Service Restaurants | 7 | 1.5% | $3.3M | |
| 8 | Landscaping Services | 6 | 1.3% | $6.3M | |
| 9 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 6 | 1.3% | $1.8M | |
| 10 | Hardware Retailers | 5 | 1.1% | $1.7M |
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Franchise brands financed
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Mart Pharmacy | 16 | 3.5% | $28M | |
| 2 | Good Neighbor Pharmacy | 5 | 1.1% | $14.2M | |
| 3 | The Medicine Shoppe | 5 | 1.1% | $6.8M | |
| 4 | Do it Best | 3 | 0.7% | $1M | |
| 5 | Pure Barre | 2 | 0.4% | $377K | |
| 6 | Comfort Suites | 1 | 0.2% | $4.3M | |
| 7 | The Joint Chiropractic | 1 | 0.2% | $4.3M | |
| 8 | SEI Fuel Services | 1 | 0.2% | $3.7M | |
| 9 | Senior Helpers | 1 | 0.2% | $1.4M | |
| 10 | Bin There...Dump That | 1 | 0.2% | $1.2M |
Questions buyers ask
Does First Financial Bank make SBA acquisition loans?
Yes. First Financial Bank approved 453 SBA 7(a) loans to buy existing businesses from FY2018 to FY2026, ranking number 15 of 280 lenders with 25 or more such loans. The SBA file shows past approvals only; it cannot tell you whether the lender will approve a particular buyer or deal.
How large are First Financial Bank's acquisition loans?
The median was $990,000, with the middle half between $500,000 and $1,610,000. The national median is $645,250, so this lender's typical loan is 53% higher than the national figure.
Which states does First Financial Bank lend in?
Texas (71), Ohio (51), Arkansas (44), Indiana (29), North Carolina (28), Mississippi (23). Its loans span at least 15 states.
Which industries does First Financial Bank finance?
Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (118), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (116), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (50), General Freight Trucking, Local (18), Veterinary Services (17). The top industry is 26% of its acquisition loans.
How have First Financial Bank's acquisition loans performed?
Of 167 loans approved FY2018 to FY2021: 3.0% charged off, 15% lower than the 3.5% national acquisition average. Charge-offs reflect the borrowers and industries a lender serves as well as its underwriting.
SBA 7(a) acquisitions, nationwide. Free consultation.
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Related
- Texas acquisitions
- Ohio acquisitions
- Arkansas acquisitions
- Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production
- Pharmacies and Drug Retailers
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
- All lenders
Figures are aggregates of public SBA data. This page is not provided or endorsed by First Financial Bank.