UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 9, 2023

FIRST FOUNDATION INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(469) 638-9636

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

On August 9, 2023, First Foundation Inc. (the “Company”), acting pursuant to authorization from its Board of Directors, provided written notice to The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) of its determination to voluntarily withdraw the principal listing of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common Stock”), from Nasdaq and transfer the listing to the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Company expects that listing and trading of the Common Stock on Nasdaq will end at market close on August 21, 2023, and that trading will commence on the NYSE at market open on August 22, 2023.

The Common Stock has been authorized for listing on the NYSE, where it will continue to trade under the stock symbol “FFWM.”

On August 10, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the anticipated transfer of the principal listing of the Common Stock to the NYSE. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.