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Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ( Mark One ) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ΤΟ For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 OR Commission file number : 001-36461 FIRST FOUNDATION INC . ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Delaware ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 18101 Von Karman Avenue , Suite 700 Irvine , CA 92612 ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( 949 ) 202-4160 ( Registrant's telephone number , including area code ) Title of each class Common Stock , par value $ 0.001 per share Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) FFWM Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None 20-8639702 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) Large accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer 92612 ( Zip Code ) Name of each exchange on which registered NASDAQ Global Stock Market Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No. No . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) ; and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes No □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( §232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of “ large accelerated filer , ” “ accelerated filer , ” “ smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company ooo 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 . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act ) . Yes No As of June 30 , 2020 , the aggregate market value of the common stock held by non - affiliates of the registrant , computed by reference to the average high and low sales prices on the NASDAQ Global Stock Market as of the close of business on June 30 , 2020 , was approximately $ 630 million . As of February 22 , 2021 , there were 44,669,633 shares of registrant's common stock outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Except as otherwise stated herein , Part III of the Form 10 - K is incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Definitive Proxy Statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders , which is expected to be filed with the Commission on or before April 30 , 2021 .