NASDAQ:FRME First Merchants (FRME) Stock Forecast, Price & News $27.69 -0.08 (-0.29%) (As of 09/26/2023 ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$27.53▼$28.3250-Day Range$27.38▼$32.8152-Week Range$24.52▼$45.04Volume167,294 shsAverage Volume219,193 shsMarket Capitalization$1.65 billionP/E Ratio6.35Dividend Yield4.91%Price Target$38.00 ProfileProfileAnalyst RatingsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsShort InterestSocial MediaSustainabilityProfileAnalyst RatingsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsShort InterestSocial MediaSustainability First Merchants MarketRank™ ForecastAnalyst RatingBuy3.00 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside37.2% Upside$38.00 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy0.83% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthStrongBased on Four FactorsSustainability-0.76Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews Sentiment0.89Based on 3 Articles This WeekInsider TradingAcquiring Shares$14,729 Bought Last QuarterProj. Earnings Growth-13.42%From $3.95 to $3.42 Per ShareSee Full Details Hide Full Details Overall MarketRank™MarketRank is calculated as an average of available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.3.16 out of 5 starsFinance Sector38th out of 832 stocksNational Commercial Banks Industry10th out of 82 stocks 3.5 Analyst's Opinion Consensus RatingFirst Merchants has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 3.00, and is based on 1 buy rating, no hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Price Target Upside/DownsideAccording to analysts' consensus price target of $38.00, First Merchants has a forecasted upside of 37.2% from its current price of $27.69.Amount of Analyst CoverageFirst Merchants has only been the subject of 1 research reports in the past 90 days. Previous Next 3.0 Short Interest Percentage of Shares Shorted0.83% of the outstanding shares of First Merchants have been sold short.Short Interest Ratio / Days to CoverFirst Merchants has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 2.2, which is generally considered an acceptable ratio of short interest to trading volume.Change versus previous monthShort interest in First Merchants has recently increased by 4.75%, indicating that investor sentiment is decreasing. Previous Next 5.0 Dividend Strength Dividend LeadershipFirst Merchants is a leading dividend payer. It pays a dividend yield of 4.97%, putting its dividend yield in the top 25% of dividend-paying stocks.Dividend GrowthFirst Merchants has been increasing its dividend for 12 years.Dividend CoverageThe dividend payout ratio of First Merchants is 31.19%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%.Dividend SustainabilityBased on earnings estimates, First Merchants will have a dividend payout ratio of 39.77% next year. This indicates that First Merchants will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. Previous Next 2.8 Sustainability and ESG Overall ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ScoreFirst Merchants has received a 21.15% net impact score from Upright. The largest positive contribution comes from its "Societal infrastructure" impact, which is mostly driven by its "Mortgages provided by brick and mortar banks", "Home equity loans", "Development loans for corporations", "Home improvement financing", "Wire transfer services", and "Online banking" products. See details.Environmental SustainabilityThe Environmental Impact score for First Merchants is -0.76. Previous Next 3.3 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentFirst Merchants has a news sentiment score of 0.89. This score is calculated as an average of sentiment of articles about the company over the last seven days and ranges from 2 (good news) to -2 (bad news). This is a higher news sentiment than the 0.73 average news sentiment score of Finance companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 3 news articles for First Merchants this week, compared to 1 article on an average week.Search InterestOnly 2 people have searched for FRME on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. This is a decrease of 0% compared to the previous 30 days.MarketBeat Follows2 people have added First Merchants to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. Previous Next 3.3 Company Ownership Insider Buying vs. Insider SellingIn the past three months, First Merchants insiders have bought more of their company's stock than they have sold. Specifically, they have bought $14,729.00 in company stock and sold $0.00 in company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 1.32% of the stock of First Merchants is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions70.78% of the stock of First Merchants is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company. Previous Next 1.9 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for First Merchants are expected to decrease by -13.42% in the coming year, from $3.95 to $3.42 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 6.35, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 120.06.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 6.35, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 86.11.Price to Book Value per Share RatioFirst Merchants has a P/B Ratio of 0.82. P/B Ratios below 1 indicate that a company could be undervalued with respect to its assets and liabilities. Previous Next See Top Rated MarketRank™ Stocks Here About First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) StockFirst Merchants Corporation operates as the financial holding company for First Merchants Bank that provides community banking services. The company accepts time, savings, and demand deposits; and provides consumer, commercial, agri-business, public finance, and real estate mortgage loans. It also offers personal and corporate trust; brokerage and private wealth management; and letters of credit, repurchase agreements, and other corporate services. The company operates banking locations in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan counties. It also offers its services through electronic and mobile delivery channels. The company was founded in 1893 and is headquartered in Muncie, Indiana.Read More FRME Price History View Price History Chart DataSkip Price History Chart 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart FRME Stock News HeadlinesSeptember 22, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comEarnings are growing at First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) but shareholders still don't like its prospectsAugust 26, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ:FRME) Looks Interesting, And It's About To Pay A DividendSeptember 27, 2023 | Legacy Research (Ad)Watch SHOCKING Footage of AI Facility with Ties to Elon MuskI recently traveled more than 3,000 miles and shot this video outside what could end up being Elon Musk’s biggest secret. Most people don’t know about this facility, but it could be the most important AI project in the world. What’s happening inside these walls is so important that our government has declared it a matter of national security.August 9, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants: Robust Results Make The 7.7% Yielding Preferred Shares AttractiveJuly 26, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comQ2 2023 First Merchants Corp Earnings CallJuly 26, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Lags Q2 Earnings and Revenue EstimatesJuly 26, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comCompared to Estimates, First Merchants (FRME) Q2 Earnings: A Look at Key MetricsJuly 25, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation 2023 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call PresentationSeptember 27, 2023 | Legacy Research (Ad)Watch SHOCKING Footage of AI Facility with Ties to Elon MuskI recently traveled more than 3,000 miles and shot this video outside what could end up being Elon Musk’s biggest secret. Most people don’t know about this facility, but it could be the most important AI project in the world. What’s happening inside these walls is so important that our government has declared it a matter of national security.July 25, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Per ShareJuly 24, 2023 | benzinga.comEarnings Outlook For First MerchantsMay 12, 2023 | msn.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Declares $0.34 DividendMay 11, 2023 | marketwatch.com8-K: FIRST MERCHANTS CORPMay 10, 2023 | msn.comFirst Merchants raises dividend by 6% to $0.34April 26, 2023 | markets.businessinsider.comRaymond James Maintains Outperform Rating for First Merchants: Here's What You Need To KnowApril 26, 2023 | markets.businessinsider.comWhat 4 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About First MerchantsApril 26, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comQ1 2023 First Merchants Corp Earnings CallApril 25, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation (FRME) Q1 2023 Earnings Call TranscriptApril 25, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Lags Q1 Earnings and Revenue EstimatesApril 25, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation 2023 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call PresentationApril 24, 2023 | msn.comEarnings Preview For First MerchantsApril 24, 2023 | markets.businessinsider.comHere's what Wall Street expects from First Merchants's earningsApril 20, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comIndependent Bank (IBCP) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Should You Buy?April 7, 2023 | msn.comRaymond James Maintains First Merchants (FRME) Outperform RecommendationApril 7, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comEarnings growth of 2.2% over 5 years hasn't been enough to translate into positive returns for First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) shareholdersApril 4, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation To Report First Quarter 2023 Financial Results, Host Conference Call And WebcastMarch 21, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFRME First Merchants CorporationSee More Headlines Receive FRME Stock News and Ratings via Email Sign-up to receive the latest news and ratings for First Merchants and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter. Email Address FRME Company Calendar Last Earnings7/25/2023Ex-Dividend for 9/15 Dividend8/31/2023Dividend Payable9/15/2023Today9/27/2023Next Earnings (Estimated)10/24/2023Fiscal Year End12/31/2023Get Stock AlertsIndustry, Sector and Symbol Stock ExchangeNASDAQ Industry National commercial banks Sub-IndustryRegional Banks SectorFinance Current SymbolNASDAQ:FRME CUSIP32081710 CIK712534 Webwww.firstmerchants.com Phone(765) 747-1500Fax765-282-6304Employees2,124Year Founded1982Price Target and Rating Average Stock Price Forecast$38.00 High Stock Price Forecast$40.00 Low Stock Price Forecast$36.00 Forecasted Upside/Downside+37.2%Consensus RatingBuy Rating Score (0-4)3.00 Research Coverage1 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$4.36 Trailing P/E Ratio6.35 Forward P/E Ratio7.01 P/E GrowthN/ANet Income$222.09 million Net Margins29.25% Pretax Margin34.26% Return on Equity12.93% Return on Assets1.46% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio0.41 Current Ratio0.85 Quick Ratio0.85 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$712.95 million Price / Sales2.32 Cash Flow$4.35 per share Price / Cash Flow6.36 Book Value$33.74 per share Price / Book0.82Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares59,730,000Free Float58,939,000Market Cap$1.65 billion OptionableOptionable Beta1.08 Social Links 12 Stocks Corporate Insiders are AbandoningIf a company's CEO, COO, and CFO were all selling shares of their stock, would you want to know?Get This Free Report Key ExecutivesMr. Mark K. Hardwick (Age 52)CEO & Director Comp: $1.25MMr. Michael J. Stewart (Age 57)Pres Comp: $1.07MMs. Michele M. Kawiecki (Age 50)Exec. VP, CFO & Principal Accounting Officer Comp: $714.93kMr. Stephan H. Fluhler (Age 54)Sr. VP & Chief Information Officer Comp: $591.69kMr. Michael C. Rechin (Age 64)Advisor & Director Comp: $48.16kMr. John J. Martin (Age 56)Exec. VP & Chief Credit Officer Comp: $691.3kMr. Marcos Nogues C.F.A.Chief Investment OfficerMs. Nicole M. WeaverVP & Director of Corp. Admin.Mr. Brian T. Hunt (Age 63)Sec. & Legal Counsel Mr. Steven C. Harris (Age 59)Sr. VP & Chief HR Officer More ExecutivesKey CompetitorsFirst Financial Bancorp.NASDAQ:FFBCBancorpNASDAQ:TBBKWesBancoNASDAQ:WSBCFulton FinancialNASDAQ:FULTNBT BancorpNASDAQ:NBTBView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsRehmann Capital Advisory GroupSold 3,739 shares on 8/23/2023Ownership: 0.045%California State Teachers Retirement SystemSold 2,963 shares on 8/21/2023Ownership: 0.118%Osaic Holdings Inc.Bought 3,104 shares on 8/21/2023Ownership: 0.054%Nuveen Asset Management LLCBought 29,318 shares on 8/16/2023Ownership: 1.253%XTX Topco LtdSold 543 shares on 8/15/2023Ownership: 0.014%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions FRME Stock - Frequently Asked Questions Should I buy or sell First Merchants stock right now? 1 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for First Merchants in the last twelve months. There are currently 1 buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "buy" FRME shares. View FRME analyst ratings or view top-rated stocks. What is First Merchants' stock price forecast for 2023? 1 brokerages have issued twelve-month target prices for First Merchants' shares. Their FRME share price forecasts range from $36.00 to $40.00. On average, they predict the company's share price to reach $38.00 in the next twelve months. This suggests a possible upside of 37.2% from the stock's current price. View analysts price targets for FRME or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts. How have FRME shares performed in 2023? First Merchants' stock was trading at $41.11 at the beginning of the year. Since then, FRME shares have decreased by 32.6% and is now trading at $27.69. View the best growth stocks for 2023 here. When is First Merchants' next earnings date? The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Tuesday, October 24th 2023. View our FRME earnings forecast. How were First Merchants' earnings last quarter? First Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July, 25th. The bank reported $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.04 by $0.02. The bank had revenue of $247.68 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $171.80 million. First Merchants had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 12.93% and a net margin of 29.25%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.01 EPS. How often does First Merchants pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for First Merchants? First Merchants announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, August 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 1st will be given a dividend of $0.34 per share on Friday, September 15th. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.91%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 31st. Read our dividend analysis for FRME. What ETFs hold First Merchants' stock? ETFs with the largest weight of First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) stock in their portfolio include ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV), First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index Fund (QABA) and First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR).Avantis U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC). Is First Merchants a good dividend stock? First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.97%. FRME has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. The company has been increasing its dividend for 12 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio is 31.19%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, FRME will have a dividend payout ratio of 39.77% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. Read our dividend analysis for FRME. What is Michael C. Rechin's approval rating as First Merchants' CEO? 48 employees have rated First Merchants Chief Executive Officer Michael C. Rechin on Glassdoor.com. Michael C. Rechin has an approval rating of 82% among the company's employees. What other stocks do shareholders of First Merchants own? Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other First Merchants investors own include BankFinancial (BFIN), Energy Transfer (ET), Main Street Capital (MAIN), Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), AbbVie (ABBV), Comerica (CMA), Huntington Bancshares (HBAN), International Business Machines (IBM), Iron Mountain (IRM) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). What is First Merchants' stock symbol? First Merchants trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "FRME." Who are First Merchants' major shareholders? First Merchants' stock is owned by a number of retail and institutional investors. Top institutional investors include BlackRock Inc. (8.19%), Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (4.76%), Earnest Partners LLC (4.75%), State Street Corp (3.05%), Cardinal Capital Management LLC CT (2.93%) and Geode Capital Management LLC (2.04%). Insiders that own company stock include Charles E Schalliol, Gary Lehman, Jason R Sondhi, Mark K Hardwick, Michael C Marhenke, Michael R Becher, Patrick A Sherman, Patrick A Sherman, Patrick J Fehring, Stephan Fluhler and William L Hoy. View institutional ownership trends. How do I buy shares of First Merchants? Shares of FRME stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include WeBull, Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab. Compare Top Brokerages Here. What is First Merchants' stock price today? One share of FRME stock can currently be purchased for approximately $27.69. How much money does First Merchants make? First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) has a market capitalization of $1.65 billion and generates $712.95 million in revenue each year. The bank earns $222.09 million in net income (profit) each year or $4.36 on an earnings per share basis. How many employees does First Merchants have? The company employs 2,124 workers across the globe. How can I contact First Merchants? First Merchants' mailing address is 200 EAST JACKSON STREET, MUNCIE IN, 47305. The official website for the company is www.firstmerchants.com. The bank can be reached via phone at (765) 747-1500, via email at nweaver@firstmerchants.com, or via fax at 765-282-6304. This page (NASDAQ:FRME) was last updated on 9/27/2023 by MarketBeat.com Staff Adding Choose a watchlist: Watchlist Adding You have already added five stocks to your watchlist. Upgrade to MarketBeat All Access to add more stocks to your watchlist. 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