Exhibit 99.1

Citizens First Corporation Announces First Quarter 2019 Results, Declares Quarterly Common Dividend

BOWLING GREEN, KY ,  April 18, 2019 – Citizens First Corporation ( NASDAQ: CZFC ) today reported results for the three months ended March 31, 2019 which include the following:

For the quarter ended March 31, 2019 the Company reported net income of $1.12 million,  or $0.44 per diluted common share (EPS).  This represents a 3.2%  increase, or $35,000, from the  $1.08 million or $0.43 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended March  31, 2018.  “We were pleased with a $6.4 million increase in outstanding loans during the first quarter of 2019,” said Todd Kanipe, President and CEO. “Operating results were mixed with a flat net interest margin compared to a year ago,” Kanipe added.

Income Statement First Quarter 2019 Compared to First Quarter 2018

Net interest income decreased $57,000, or 1.5%, from the prior year. The Company’s net interest margin was 3.55% for both quarters ended March  31, 2019 and March 31, 2018.

There was no provision for loan losses in the first quarter of the current year compared to a $30,000 provision for loan losses in the first quarter of the prior year.

Non-interest income increased $22,000, or 2.7%, from the prior year primarily due to  an increase in gains on sale of mortgage loans of $30,000, and an increase in lease income of $31,000, partially offset by a decrease in service charges on deposit accounts of $38,000.

Non-interest expenses increased $23,000, or 0.7%, from the prior year primarily due to an increase in professional fees of $90,000 and an increase in data processing expense of $15,000, offset by a decrease in personnel expense of $37,000 and decrease in other operating expenses of $25,000. The increase in professional fees is related to the Company’s agreement

and plan of merger with and into German American Bancorp, Inc. (“German American”) announced during the first quarter of 2019.

Income tax expenses decreased $63,000, or 25.2%. The effective rate was 14% in 2019 compared to 19% in 2018.  The lower rate is 2019 is partially attributed to a deduction for equity based compensation.

Credit Quality

Non-performing assets totaled $1.3  million, or 0.27% of total assets for both March 31,  2019 and December 31, 2018.   The allowance for loan losses at March 31,  2019 was $4.4 million, or 1.16% of total loans, compared to $4.4 million, or 1.18% of total loans as of December  31, 2018.  The Company considers the size, volume and credit quality of the loan portfolio as well as recent economic and other external influences to record the allowance for loan losses and provision for loan losses that is directionally consistent with the Company’s loan portfolio.

Balance Sheet

Total assets at March 31,  2019 were $472.0 million, compared to $476.0 million at December 31, 2018, a decrease of 0.8%.   Loans increased $6.4 million, or 1.7%, from December 31, 2018 to March 31,  2019.  Deposits decreased $6.8 million, or 1.7%, from December 31, 2018 to March 31,  2019.  Borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank had no change from December 31, 2018 to March 31,  2019.

Stockholders’ equity increased to $51.4 million at March 31,  2019 from $50.0 million at December 31, 2018, an increase of $1.4 million or 2.7%.  The book value per common share and tangible book value per common share ratios were $20.18 and $18.55, respectively, at March 31,  2019 compared to $19.71 and $18.07, respectively, at December 31, 2018.  

Postponement of 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

The Company’s Board of Directors has postponed its 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders given Citizens First’s proposed merger transaction with German American announced during the first quarter of 2019.  A postponed Annual Meeting would be held (and the meeting date, record date and related dates for stockholder proposals announced) later in 2019 only if the merger transaction with German American is not consummated.  

Quarterly Common Dividend Payable May 16

On April 18, 2019, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per common share payable May 16, 2019 to shareholders of record on May 2, 2019. 

About Citizens First Corporation

Citizens First Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky and established in 1999.  The Company has branch offices located in Barren, Hart, Simpson and Warren Counties in Kentucky, and a loan production office in Williamson County, Tennessee.  Additional information concerning our products and services is available at www.citizensfirstbank.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release relating to Citizens First Corporation's plans, objectives, expectations or future performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based upon the Company’s current expectations, but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially.  Among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially are current and future economic and business conditions; possible changes in trade, monetary, and fiscal policies, as well as legislative and regulatory changes; changes in the interest rate environment and our ability to effectively manage interest rate risk and other market risk, credit risk and operational risk; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios; increases in our nonperforming assets, or our inability to recover or absorb losses created by such nonperforming assets; and other factors described in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission could also impact current expectations.