First Financial Corp to pay USD0.46 P/S semi-annual dividend

19 May 2010 - US financial holding company First Financial Corp (NASDAQ:THFF) said on Tuesday it will pay a semi-annual dividend of USD0.46 (EUR0.38) per share.

The declared dividend hikes the 2010 shareholder distribution to USD0.91, or 1.1% above the 2009 dividend, the company said in a statement, adding its financial performance has enabled it to increase dividend payouts for 22 straight years.

The sum will be paid on 1 July 2010 to stockholders of record on 15 June of the same year.

The company reported in late April a 25.5% yearly surge in its first-quarter 2010 net profit to USD5.69m. Its net interest income rose to USD23.3m in January to March 2010 from USD20.5m in the same quarter of 2009. The net interest margin strengthened to 4.26% on lower funding costs.

First Financial offers banking services through its subsidiary First Financial Bank National Association, which runs 54 branches in western Indiana and eastern Illinois. The company also owns full service insurance agency Forrest Sherer Inc.