HBT Financial to Acquire Tri-County Financial Group for $204.6 Million

HBT Financial has agreed to acquire Tri-County Financial Group in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $204.6 million. The deal is intended to expand HBT’s Heartland Bank presence across central and northern Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area, creating a combined organization with about $8.3 billion in total assets. The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to approvals and customary closing conditions.