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FRME Stock Chart & Stats
$41.68
-$0.51(-1.18%)
At close: 4:00 PM EDT
$41.68
-$0.51(-1.18%)
Day’s Range― - ―
52-Week Range$34.66 - $45.33
Previous Close$42.67
Volume599.76K
Average Volume (3M)490.32K
Market Cap
$2.48B
Enterprise Value$4.28B
Total Cash (Recent Filing)$3.91B
Total Debt (Recent Filing)$1.60B
Price to Earnings (P/E)12.7
Beta0.74
Next Earnings
Oct 21, 2026EPS Estimate
1.04Next Dividend Ex-DateN/A
Dividend Yield3.69%
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)3.14
Shares Outstanding62,801,422
10 Day Avg. Volume481,493
30 Day Avg. Volume490,318
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.68
Price to Book (P/B)0.88
Price to Sales (P/S)2.06
P/FCF Ratio7.63
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.72
Enterprise Value/Revenue3.93
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit6.68
Enterprise Value/Ebitda17.95
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$47.33Price Target Upside13.56% Upside
Rating ConsensusStrong Buy
Number of Analyst Covering3
EPS Forecast (FY)3.23
Revenue Forecast (FY)$805.33M
Bulls Say, Bears Say
Bulls Say
Cash Generation QualityImproving operating and free cash flow, with free cash flow covering net income, indicates solid earnings quality and internal funding capacity. This supports organic loan growth, capital investment, dividends, and buybacks while reducing reliance on externally generated liquidity.
Loan And Margin MomentumStrong loan production combined with higher portfolio and new-loan yields can support recurring net interest income over the next several quarters. The momentum also indicates that the expanded franchise is converting customer demand into potentially higher-return earning assets.
Planned Leadership ContinuityA planned internal succession reduces disruption risk compared with an unexpected leadership change and preserves institutional knowledge. Stewart’s stated focus on relationships, technology-enabled banking, and organic growth provides a durable strategic framework for the existing franchise.
Bears Say
Credit DeteriorationThe nonaccrual credits and large specific reserves demonstrate tangible deterioration in selected commercial exposures. Even if concentrated, resolution costs can pressure earnings, absorb management attention, and make credit losses less predictable over the next several quarters.
Higher Expected Charge-offsThe substantially higher expected charge-off rate signals that credit costs may remain an earnings headwind beyond the reported quarter. Elevated losses can reduce profitability and capital generation, while also limiting the flexibility to support growth and shareholder distributions.
Lower Capital Efficiency And LeverageHigher leverage alongside declining return on equity indicates that balance-sheet expansion is producing less profit for shareholders and carries greater funding sensitivity. This combination can constrain financial flexibility if earnings weaken or credit costs remain elevated.
First Merchants News
FRME FAQ
What was First Merchants Corp.’s price range in the past 12 months?
First Merchants Corp. lowest stock price was $34.66 and its highest was $45.33 in the past 12 months.
What is First Merchants Corp.’s market cap?
First Merchants Corp.’s market cap is $2.48B.
When is First Merchants Corp.’s upcoming earnings report date?
First Merchants Corp.’s upcoming earnings report date is Oct 21, 2026 which is in 3 days.
How were First Merchants Corp.’s earnings last quarter?
First Merchants Corp. released its earnings results on Jul 22, 2026. The company reported $0.7 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.022 by -$0.322.
Is First Merchants Corp. overvalued?
According to Wall Street analysts First Merchants Corp.’s price is currently Undervalued.
Does First Merchants Corp. pay dividends?
First Merchants Corp. pays a Quarterly dividend of $0.37 which represents an annual dividend yield of 3.69%. See more information on First Merchants Corp. dividends here
What is First Merchants Corp.’s EPS estimate?
First Merchants Corp.’s EPS estimate is 1.04.
How many shares outstanding does First Merchants Corp. have?
First Merchants Corp. has 62,801,422 shares outstanding.
What happened to First Merchants Corp.’s price movement after its last earnings report?
First Merchants Corp. reported an EPS of $0.7 in its last earnings report, missing expectations of $1.022. Following the earnings report the stock price went down -4.252%.
Which hedge fund is a major shareholder of First Merchants Corp.?
Currently, no hedge funds are holding shares in FRME
What is the TipRanks Smart Score and how is it calculated?
Smart Score combines eight research factors - such as analyst recommendations, hedge fund trends, and technical indicators - to measure a stock’s outlook. These signals are unified into a single score that reflects bullish or bearish momentum. See detailed methodology
First Merchants Stock Smart Score
Neutral
1
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5
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7
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10
Analyst Consensus
Strong Buy
Average Price Target:
$47.33 (13.56% Upside)
$47.33 (13.56% Upside)
Blogger Sentiment
Neutral
FRME Sentiment 50%
Sector Average 64%
Sector Average 64%
Hedge Fund Trend
Increased
By 27.8K Shares
Last Quarter.
Last Quarter.
Insider Transactions
Sold Shares
Worth $176.3K over
the Last 3 Months
the Last 3 Months
Crowd Wisdom
Very Negative
Last 7 Days ▼ 0.5%
Last 30 Days ▼ 3.7%
Last 30 Days ▼ 3.7%
News Sentiment
Neutral
Bullish news 50%
Bearish news 50%
Bearish news 50%
Technicals
SMA
Negative
20 days / 200 days
Momentum
16.35%
12-Months-Change
Fundamentals
Return on Equity
7.26%
Trailing 12-Months
Asset Growth
14.82%
Trailing 12-Months
Learn more about TipRanks Smart Score
Company Description
First Merchants Corp.
First Merchants Corporation operates as a financial holding entity, primarily conducting its business through its subsidiary, First Merchants Bank. This institution delivers a full spectrum of community banking solutions. It accepts various types of deposits, including term, savings, and checking accounts. The company also extends a wide array of lending products, such as consumer, commercial, agricultural business, and real estate mortgage loans, in addition to public finance options. Beyond standard banking, First Merchants provides personal and corporate trust services, brokerage capabilities, and private wealth management. Its corporate offerings further include letters of credit, repurchase agreements, and other specialized financial services. The company maintains a network of 109 physical banking locations situated across counties in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. Furthermore, it offers convenient access to its services via electronic and mobile platforms. First Merchants Corporation was established in 1893 and is headquartered in Muncie, Indiana.
FRME Company Deck
FRME Earnings Call
Q2 2026
0:00 / 0:00
Earnings Call Sentiment|Neutral
The call presented a mix of solid operational momentum — including NIM expansion, strong loan production, revenue growth, successful integration of First Savings, improved liquidity, and resumed buybacks — alongside material, relationship-specific credit deterioration that required a sizeable provision and is expected to drive higher net charge-offs for 2026. Management characterized the credit issues as isolated and the broader portfolio as performing within expectations. Given the meaningful positive trends in revenue, margins, balance sheet repositioning and capital return capacity, but balanced by the notable near-term credit headwinds and increased NPAs/classified loans, the overall tone is balanced with cautious optimism.View all FRME earnings summariesFRME Stock 12 Month Forecast
Average Price Target
$47.33
▲(13.56% Upside)
Technical Analysis
1St Source
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First Busey
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First Financial Bancorp
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German American Bancorp
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Lakeland Financial
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Ownership Overview
1.91% Insiders
24.00% Mutual Funds
1.26% Other Institutional Investors
48.40% Public Companies and
Individual Investors