<ARTICLE> 9 <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from September 30, 1995 financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000708955 <NAME> FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1995 <CASH> 93,539 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 5,512 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 8,006 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 248,540 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 105,849 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 112,376 <LOANS> 1,455,892 <ALLOWANCE> 19,364 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,969,389 <DEPOSITS> 1,641,050 <SHORT-TERM> 85,977 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 21,801 <LONG-TERM> 0 <COMMON> 100,549 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <OTHER-SE> 120,012 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 1,969,389 <INTEREST-LOAN> 94,305 <INTEREST-INVEST> 17,509 <INTEREST-OTHER> 352 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 112,166 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 42,747 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 46,123 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 66,043 <LOAN-LOSSES> 1,151 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 300 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 46,795 <INCOME-PRETAX> 33,325 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 33,325 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 23,475 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.91 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.91 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.56 <LOANS-NON> 3,522 <LOANS-PAST> 881 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 1,478 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 18,904 <CHARGE-OFFS> 1,483 <RECOVERIES> 881 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 19,364 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 0 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0