NASDAQ:FRME First Merchants (FRME) Stock Forecast, Price & News $28.52 +1.76 (+6.58%) (As of 06/2/2023 08:48 PM ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$27.08▼$28.5850-Day Range$24.89▼$33.9552-Week Range$24.52▼$45.04Volume240,900 shsAverage Volume215,642 shsMarket Capitalization$1.70 billionP/E Ratio7.18Dividend Yield4.77%Price Target$44.67 ProfileProfileAnalyst RatingsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsShort InterestSocial MediaSustainabilityProfileAnalyst RatingsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsShort InterestSocial MediaSustainability First Merchants MarketRank™ ForecastAnalyst RatingBuy3.00 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside56.6% Upside$44.67 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy1.19% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthStrongBased on Four FactorsSustainability-0.75Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews Sentiment0.90Based on 2 Articles This WeekInsider TradingN/AProj. Earnings Growth-7.19%From $4.17 to $3.87 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.3.00 out of 5 starsFinance Sector110th out of 871 stocksNational Commercial Banks Industry18th out of 84 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 2 buy ratings, no hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Price Target Upside/DownsideAccording to analysts' consensus price target of $44.67, First Merchants has a forecasted upside of 56.6% from its current price of $28.52.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 Shorted1.19% 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 2.8, 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 18.89%, indicating that investor sentiment is decreasing significantly. Previous Next 5.0 Dividend Strength Dividend LeadershipFirst Merchants is a leading dividend payer. It pays a dividend yield of 4.77%, 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 34.26%. 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 35.14% 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 23.00% 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 -0.75. Previous Next 3.3 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentFirst Merchants has a news sentiment score of 0.90. 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 0.64 average news sentiment score of Finance companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 2 news articles for First Merchants this week, compared to 1 article on an average week.MarketBeat Follows2 people have added First Merchants to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 100% compared to the previous 30 days. Previous Next 1.7 Company Ownership Insider Buying vs. Insider SellingIn the past three months, First Merchants insiders have not sold or bought any company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 1.32% of the stock of First Merchants is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions71.43% 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 -7.19% in the coming year, from $4.17 to $3.87 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 7.18, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 135.00.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 7.18, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 160.19.Price to Book Value per Share RatioFirst Merchants has a P/B Ratio of 0.81. 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 Corp. (Indiana) is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It also offers personal banking, business banking, mortgage lending, treasury management services, and wealth management. The company was founded in September 1982 and is headquartered in Muncie, IN.Read More 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 Stock News HeadlinesMay 31, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comFirst Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) Raises Dividend to $0.34 Per ShareMay 12, 2023 | msn.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Declares $0.34 DividendJune 5, 2023 | Behind the Markets (Ad)The single greatest medical breakthrough of all time?We are on the cusp of a medical breakthrough. And soon, this single breakthrough could lead to the cure of over 6,000 genetic diseases, including Alzheimer's, heart disease, and even cancer! This reminds me of Amgen, where early investors made as much as 46,751% when they released their revolutionary drug to the market.May 11, 2023 | marketwatch.com8-K: FIRST MERCHANTS CORPMay 10, 2023 | msn.comFirst Merchants raises dividend by 6% to $0.34April 29, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comRaymond James Lowers First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) Price Target to $38.00April 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 MerchantsJune 5, 2023 | Behind the Markets (Ad)The single greatest medical breakthrough of all time?We are on the cusp of a medical breakthrough. And soon, this single breakthrough could lead to the cure of over 6,000 genetic diseases, including Alzheimer's, heart disease, and even cancer! This reminds me of Amgen, where early investors made as much as 46,751% when they released their revolutionary drug to the market.April 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 23, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comFirst Merchants (FRME) to Release Earnings on TuesdayApril 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 6, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comRaymond James Trims First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) Target Price to $43.00April 4, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation To Report First Quarter 2023 Financial Results, Host Conference Call And WebcastApril 2, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comFirst Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) vs. Standard Chartered (OTCMKTS:SCBFF) Financial ReviewApril 2, 2023 | americanbankingnews.comFinancial Survey: Standard Chartered (OTCMKTS:SCBFF) vs. First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME)March 21, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFRME First Merchants CorporationFebruary 8, 2023 | msn.comFirst Merchants declares $0.32 dividendFebruary 3, 2023 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation: Margin Expansion, Last Year's Acquisition To Boost EarningsJanuary 30, 2023 | markets.businessinsider.comRaymond James Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on First Merchants (FRME)See More Headlines FRME Price History View Price History Chart DataSkip Price History Chart 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart FRME Company Calendar Last Earnings10/25/2021Ex-Dividend for 3/17 Dividend3/02/2023Dividend Payable3/17/2023Ex-Dividend for 6/16 Dividend6/01/2023Today6/04/2023Dividend Payable6/16/2023Next Earnings (Estimated)7/25/2023Fiscal 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$44.67 High Stock Price Forecast$50.00 Low Stock Price Forecast$38.00 Forecasted Upside/Downside+56.6%Consensus RatingBuy Rating Score (0-4)3.00 Research Coverage2 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$3.97 Trailing P/E Ratio7.18 Forward P/E Ratio6.84 P/E GrowthN/ANet Income$222.09 million Net Margins29.37% Pretax Margin34.02% Return on Equity13.18% Return on Assets1.46% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio0.46 Current Ratio0.85 Quick Ratio0.84 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$712.95 million Price / Sales2.39 Cash Flow$4.31 per share Price / Cash Flow6.62 Book Value$35.14 per share Price / Book0.81Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares59,680,000Free Float58,893,000Market Cap$1.70 billion OptionableOptionable Beta1.05 Social Links Key ExecutivesMark K. HardwickChief Executive Officer & DirectorMichael J. StewartPresidentMichele M. KawieckiChief Financial & Accounting Officer, Executive VPStephan H. FluhlerChief Information Officer & Senior Vice PresidentJohn J. MartinChief Credit Officer & Executive Vice PresidentKey CompetitorsNBT BancorpNASDAQ:NBTBBancorpNASDAQ:TBBKWesBancoNASDAQ:WSBCFirst Financial Bancorp.NASDAQ:FFBCFulton FinancialNASDAQ:FULTView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsMacquarie Group Ltd.Sold 4,405 shares on 6/1/2023Ownership: 0.253%ProShare Advisors LLCBought 18,692 shares on 5/26/2023Ownership: 0.395%Brandywine Global Investment Management LLCBought 81,211 shares on 5/25/2023Ownership: 0.245%Ameriprise Financial Inc.Bought 2,194 shares on 5/22/2023Ownership: 0.182%New York State Common Retirement FundBought 38,040 shares on 5/18/2023Ownership: 1.068%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions FRME Stock - Frequently Asked Questions Should I buy or sell First Merchants stock right now? 2 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for First Merchants in the last year. There are currently 2 buy ratings 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? 2 equities research analysts have issued 1-year target prices for First Merchants' stock. Their FRME share price forecasts range from $38.00 to $50.00. On average, they anticipate the company's stock price to reach $44.67 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 56.6% 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 start of the year. Since then, FRME shares have decreased by 30.6% and is now trading at $28.52. 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, July 25th 2023. View our FRME earnings forecast. How were First Merchants' earnings last quarter? First Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) posted its earnings results on Monday, October, 25th. The bank reported $0.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.07. The bank had revenue of $133.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $132.07 million. First Merchants had a net margin of 29.37% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 13.18%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.67 earnings per share. How often does First Merchants pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for First Merchants? First Merchants declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.34 per share on Friday, June 16th. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 1st. This is an increase from the stock's previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. 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 First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index Fund (QABA), ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV), First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR), iShares US Small Cap Value Factor ETF (SVAL), Invesco DWA SmallCap Momentum ETF (DWAS), SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE), Avantis U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC) and VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd (CSA). 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 4.77%. 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 34.26%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, FRME will have a dividend payout ratio of 35.14% 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 variety of retail and institutional investors. Top institutional shareholders include BlackRock Inc. (7.05%), Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (4.94%), State Street Corp (2.78%), Geode Capital Management LLC (1.95%), Principal Financial Group Inc. (1.56%) and Boston Partners (1.56%). Insiders that own company stock include Charles E Schalliol, Gary Lehman, 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 $28.52. How much money does First Merchants make? First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) has a market capitalization of $1.70 billion and generates $712.95 million in revenue each year. The bank earns $222.09 million in net income (profit) each year or $3.97 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 6/5/2023 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. Adding First Merchants Co. Please log in to your account or sign up in order to add this asset to your watchlist. 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