<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000708955 <NAME> FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 <CASH> 110,767 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 5,079 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 12,201 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 290,701 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 78,945 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 83,441 <LOANS> 1,700,264 <ALLOWANCE> 22,672 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,261,711 <DEPOSITS> 1,879,966 <SHORT-TERM> 93,779 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 22,978 <LONG-TERM> 6,506 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 117,822 <OTHER-SE> 140,660 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,261,711 <INTEREST-LOAN> 144,941 <INTEREST-INVEST> 25,377 <INTEREST-OTHER> 957 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 171,275 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 65,907 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 69,707 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 101,568 <LOAN-LOSSES> 3,433 <SECURITIES-GAINS> (8) <EXPENSE-OTHER> 71,261 <INCOME-PRETAX> 48,971 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 33,940 <EPS-PRIMARY> 2.32 <EPS-DILUTED> 2.32 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.74 <LOANS-NON> 4,850 <LOANS-PAST> 906 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 890 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 1,195 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 20,437 <CHARGE-OFFS> 3,963 <RECOVERIES> 1,173 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 22,672 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 22,672 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0