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First Merchants (FRME) Competitors

First Merchants logo
$39.38 -0.77 (-1.92%)
As of 11:11 AM Eastern

FRME vs. BUSE, EFSC, FFBC, FULT, and STBA

Should you buy First Merchants stock or one of its competitors? MarketBeat compares First Merchants with other companies and stocks that may be similar based on industry, sector, market capitalization, business model, investor interest, or shared news coverage. Companies and stocks commonly compared with First Merchants include First Busey (BUSE), Enterprise Financial Services (EFSC), First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC), Fulton Financial (FULT), and S&T Bancorp (STBA). These companies are all part of the "regional banks" industry.

How does First Merchants compare to First Busey?

First Busey (NASDAQ:BUSE) and First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, media sentiment, risk, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership and dividends.

In the previous week, First Busey had 3 more articles in the media than First Merchants. MarketBeat recorded 4 mentions for First Busey and 1 mentions for First Merchants. First Merchants' average media sentiment score of 1.87 beat First Busey's score of 0.90 indicating that First Merchants is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company Overall Sentiment
First Busey Positive
First Merchants Very Positive

First Busey has a net margin of 19.16% compared to First Merchants' net margin of 18.87%. First Busey's return on equity of 10.19% beat First Merchants' return on equity.

Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
First Busey19.16% 10.19% 1.36%
First Merchants 18.87%9.58%1.21%

First Merchants has lower revenue, but higher earnings than First Busey. First Merchants is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Busey, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
First Busey$1.04B2.20$135.26M$2.2512.08
First Merchants$659.76M3.76$226M$3.4011.58

First Busey pays an annual dividend of $1.04 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. First Merchants pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. First Busey pays out 46.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Merchants pays out 43.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. First Busey has increased its dividend for 10 consecutive years and First Merchants has increased its dividend for 13 consecutive years.

First Busey has a beta of 0.72, indicating that its share price is 28% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Merchants has a beta of 0.85, indicating that its share price is 15% less volatile than the broader market.

First Busey currently has a consensus price target of $27.50, indicating a potential upside of 1.18%. First Merchants has a consensus price target of $48.33, indicating a potential upside of 22.74%. Given First Merchants' higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe First Merchants is more favorable than First Busey.

Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
First Busey
0 Sell rating(s)
3 Hold rating(s)
4 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.57
First Merchants
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.33

56.5% of First Busey shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 73.9% of First Merchants shares are held by institutional investors. 3.8% of First Busey shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of First Merchants shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

First Busey beats First Merchants on 10 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Merchants compare to Enterprise Financial Services?

First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) and Enterprise Financial Services (NASDAQ:EFSC) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, risk, institutional ownership, valuation, media sentiment, dividends, analyst recommendations and earnings.

In the previous week, Enterprise Financial Services had 6 more articles in the media than First Merchants. MarketBeat recorded 7 mentions for Enterprise Financial Services and 1 mentions for First Merchants. First Merchants' average media sentiment score of 1.87 beat Enterprise Financial Services' score of 1.44 indicating that First Merchants is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company Overall Sentiment
First Merchants Very Positive
Enterprise Financial Services Positive

First Merchants currently has a consensus target price of $48.33, indicating a potential upside of 22.74%. Enterprise Financial Services has a consensus target price of $66.00, indicating a potential upside of 10.83%. Given First Merchants' higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe First Merchants is more favorable than Enterprise Financial Services.

Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
First Merchants
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.33
Enterprise Financial Services
0 Sell rating(s)
1 Hold rating(s)
4 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.80

First Merchants pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. Enterprise Financial Services pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. First Merchants pays out 43.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Enterprise Financial Services pays out 25.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. First Merchants has raised its dividend for 13 consecutive years and Enterprise Financial Services has raised its dividend for 11 consecutive years. First Merchants is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

First Merchants has higher revenue and earnings than Enterprise Financial Services. Enterprise Financial Services is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Merchants, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
First Merchants$659.76M3.76$226M$3.4011.58
Enterprise Financial Services$634.39M3.43$201.37M$5.3011.24

Enterprise Financial Services has a net margin of 19.81% compared to First Merchants' net margin of 18.87%. Enterprise Financial Services' return on equity of 10.35% beat First Merchants' return on equity.

Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
First Merchants18.87% 9.58% 1.21%
Enterprise Financial Services 19.81%10.35%1.19%

First Merchants has a beta of 0.85, suggesting that its stock price is 15% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Enterprise Financial Services has a beta of 0.8, suggesting that its stock price is 20% less volatile than the broader market.

73.9% of First Merchants shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.2% of Enterprise Financial Services shares are held by institutional investors. 1.8% of First Merchants shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 2.2% of Enterprise Financial Services shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

First Merchants beats Enterprise Financial Services on 11 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Merchants compare to First Financial Bancorp.?

First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) and First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, media sentiment, valuation and earnings.

First Financial Bancorp. has higher revenue and earnings than First Merchants. First Financial Bancorp. is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Merchants, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
First Financial Bancorp.$1.26B2.50$255.60M$2.8310.60
First Merchants$659.76M3.76$226M$3.4011.58

First Financial Bancorp. pays an annual dividend of $1.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.3%. First Merchants pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. First Financial Bancorp. pays out 35.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Merchants pays out 43.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. First Financial Bancorp. has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive years and First Merchants has raised its dividend for 13 consecutive years. First Merchants is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

In the previous week, First Financial Bancorp. had 6 more articles in the media than First Merchants. MarketBeat recorded 7 mentions for First Financial Bancorp. and 1 mentions for First Merchants. First Merchants' average media sentiment score of 1.87 beat First Financial Bancorp.'s score of 0.85 indicating that First Merchants is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company Overall Sentiment
First Financial Bancorp. Positive
First Merchants Very Positive

First Financial Bancorp. has a beta of 0.93, indicating that its share price is 7% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Merchants has a beta of 0.85, indicating that its share price is 15% less volatile than the broader market.

First Financial Bancorp. currently has a consensus price target of $33.00, suggesting a potential upside of 10.04%. First Merchants has a consensus price target of $48.33, suggesting a potential upside of 22.74%. Given First Merchants' higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe First Merchants is more favorable than First Financial Bancorp..

Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
First Financial Bancorp.
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
4 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.50
First Merchants
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.33

77.2% of First Financial Bancorp. shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 73.9% of First Merchants shares are held by institutional investors. 1.1% of First Financial Bancorp. shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of First Merchants shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

First Financial Bancorp. has a net margin of 20.92% compared to First Merchants' net margin of 18.87%. First Financial Bancorp.'s return on equity of 11.09% beat First Merchants' return on equity.

Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
First Financial Bancorp.20.92% 11.09% 1.49%
First Merchants 18.87%9.58%1.21%

Summary

First Financial Bancorp. beats First Merchants on 11 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Merchants compare to Fulton Financial?

Fulton Financial (NASDAQ:FULT) and First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and media sentiment.

Fulton Financial pays an annual dividend of $0.76 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.6%. First Merchants pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. Fulton Financial pays out 36.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Merchants pays out 43.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Fulton Financial has increased its dividend for 4 consecutive years and First Merchants has increased its dividend for 13 consecutive years. First Merchants is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

72.0% of Fulton Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 73.9% of First Merchants shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.0% of Fulton Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of First Merchants shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Fulton Financial has higher revenue and earnings than First Merchants. Fulton Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Merchants, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
Fulton Financial$1.89B2.15$391.61M$2.1010.12
First Merchants$659.76M3.76$226M$3.4011.58

In the previous week, Fulton Financial had 1 more articles in the media than First Merchants. MarketBeat recorded 2 mentions for Fulton Financial and 1 mentions for First Merchants. First Merchants' average media sentiment score of 1.87 beat Fulton Financial's score of 0.90 indicating that First Merchants is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company Overall Sentiment
Fulton Financial Positive
First Merchants Very Positive

Fulton Financial has a beta of 0.8, meaning that its share price is 20% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Merchants has a beta of 0.85, meaning that its share price is 15% less volatile than the broader market.

Fulton Financial presently has a consensus price target of $23.00, indicating a potential upside of 8.18%. First Merchants has a consensus price target of $48.33, indicating a potential upside of 22.74%. Given First Merchants' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe First Merchants is more favorable than Fulton Financial.

Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
Fulton Financial
0 Sell rating(s)
5 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.29
First Merchants
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.33

Fulton Financial has a net margin of 20.85% compared to First Merchants' net margin of 18.87%. Fulton Financial's return on equity of 12.69% beat First Merchants' return on equity.

Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
Fulton Financial20.85% 12.69% 1.28%
First Merchants 18.87%9.58%1.21%

Summary

First Merchants beats Fulton Financial on 11 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does First Merchants compare to S&T Bancorp?

S&T Bancorp (NASDAQ:STBA) and First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) are both finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, valuation and media sentiment.

S&T Bancorp has a net margin of 23.71% compared to First Merchants' net margin of 18.87%. First Merchants' return on equity of 9.58% beat S&T Bancorp's return on equity.

Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
S&T Bancorp23.71% 9.35% 1.38%
First Merchants 18.87%9.58%1.21%

S&T Bancorp has a beta of 0.85, meaning that its stock price is 15% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, First Merchants has a beta of 0.85, meaning that its stock price is 15% less volatile than the broader market.

In the previous week, S&T Bancorp had 1 more articles in the media than First Merchants. MarketBeat recorded 2 mentions for S&T Bancorp and 1 mentions for First Merchants. First Merchants' average media sentiment score of 1.87 beat S&T Bancorp's score of 0.94 indicating that First Merchants is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company Overall Sentiment
S&T Bancorp Positive
First Merchants Very Positive

First Merchants has higher revenue and earnings than S&T Bancorp. First Merchants is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than S&T Bancorp, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

CompanyGross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
S&T Bancorp$410.45M3.90$134.23M$3.5712.47
First Merchants$659.76M3.76$226M$3.4011.58

65.2% of S&T Bancorp shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 73.9% of First Merchants shares are held by institutional investors. 1.2% of S&T Bancorp shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of First Merchants shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

S&T Bancorp presently has a consensus price target of $44.40, suggesting a potential downside of 0.25%. First Merchants has a consensus price target of $48.33, suggesting a potential upside of 22.74%. Given First Merchants' stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe First Merchants is more favorable than S&T Bancorp.

Company Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
S&T Bancorp
0 Sell rating(s)
5 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.29
First Merchants
0 Sell rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
2.33

S&T Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.3%. First Merchants pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.8%. S&T Bancorp pays out 41.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. First Merchants pays out 43.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. S&T Bancorp has increased its dividend for 13 consecutive years and First Merchants has increased its dividend for 13 consecutive years.

Summary

First Merchants beats S&T Bancorp on 9 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.

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Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NASDAQ and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.
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FRME vs. The Competition

MetricFirst MerchantsBANKS IndustryFinance SectorNASDAQ Exchange
Market Cap$2.48B$2.81B$13.42B$12.49B
Dividend Yield3.57%3.33%5.78%5.30%
P/E Ratio11.5810.6219.7924.34
Price / Sales3.762.65139.28125.86
Price / Cash8.9310.7319.9357.88
Price / Book0.931.212.186.76
Net Income$226M$217.16M$1.13B$337.09M
7 Day Performance-2.11%-0.77%-0.33%1.50%
1 Month Performance-2.57%1.33%-0.07%6.18%
1 Year Performance4.32%22.81%11.66%35.62%

First Merchants Competitors List

CompanyMarketRankShare PriceAnalysts' Price Target1Y Price PerformanceMarket CapRevenueP/E RatioEmployee CountIndicator(s)
FRME
First Merchants
4.65 of 5 stars
$39.38
-1.9%
$48.33
+22.7%
+7.9%$2.48B$659.76M11.582,086
BUSE
First Busey
4.0328 of 5 stars
$27.41
+1.2%
$27.50
+0.3%
+24.9%$2.32B$1.04B12.181,948
EFSC
Enterprise Financial Services
4.0413 of 5 stars
$61.23
+0.7%
$66.00
+7.8%
+16.4%$2.24B$1.00B11.551,418
FFBC
First Financial Bancorp.
3.6559 of 5 stars
$30.99
+0.8%
$33.00
+6.5%
+28.7%$3.25B$961.73M10.952,199
FULT
Fulton Financial
3.01 of 5 stars
$21.60
+0.7%
$23.00
+6.5%
+27.1%$4.13B$1.89B10.293,400

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This page (NASDAQ:FRME) was last updated on 6/3/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.
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