YOUNGSTOWN — Shareholders of Premier Financial Corp. and West Virginia-based WesBanco Inc. have approved WesBanco’s acquisition of Premier.

Approximately 85% of the votes cast at WesBanco’s special meeting Wednesday were to approve the merger as well as the proposal to issue shares of WesBanco common stock. About 68% of the outstanding shares of the Premier common stock voted to approve the merger agreement.

“Shareholder approval is a key milestone that reflects strong confidence in the opportunities this merger creates for our communities, customers, employees and shareholders,” Jeff Jackson, president and chief executive of WesBanco, said. “With this step complete, we look forward to receiving the required regulatory approvals and then scheduling the closing of the merger, so we can bring our community commitment and the resources of a stronger organization to all of our communities.”

With shareholder approval, the merger is on track to close in the first quarter of 2025. The transaction remains subject to the completion of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals.

Under terms of the agreement, WesBanco will exchange shares of its common stock for all of the outstanding shares of Premier common stock, in an all-stock transaction. Premier shareholders will receive 0.8 of a share of WesBanco common stock for each share of Premier common stock.

The merger will create a financial services institution with approximately $27 billion in assets, making it the eighth largest bank in Ohio based on market share. It would serve customers in nine states.

Operating for more than 150 years, WesBanco, based in Wheeling, W.Va.,, operates in eight states and provides retail and commercial banking as well as trust, brokerage, wealth management and insurance services. It has total assets of about $18.5 billion.

Premier Financial Corp., headquartered in Defiance, is the holding company for Youngstown-based Premier Bank, which operates 73 branches and nine loan offices in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.