NASDAQ:FRME First Merchants (FRME) Stock Price, News & Analysis → Bill Clinton Backing Biden Replacement??? (From The Freeport Society) (Ad) Free FRME Stock Alerts $31.06 -0.54 (-1.71%) (As of 06/10/2024 ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$30.93▼$31.4150-Day Range$31.06▼$36.0152-Week Range$25.70▼$38.16Volume192,419 shsAverage Volume254,469 shsMarket Capitalization$1.82 billionP/E Ratio8.95Dividend Yield4.51%Price Target$41.25 Stock AnalysisStock AnalysisAnalyst ForecastsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsHeadlinesInsider TradesOptions ChainOwnershipSEC FilingsShort InterestSustainabilityTrendsStock AnalysisAnalyst ForecastsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsHeadlinesInsider TradesOptions ChainOwnershipSEC FilingsShort InterestSustainabilityTrends Get First Merchants alerts: Email Address First Merchants MarketRank™ Stock AnalysisAnalyst RatingBuy3.00 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside32.8% Upside$41.25 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy1.13% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthStrongBased on Four FactorsSustainability-0.62Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews Sentiment0.93Based on 6 Articles This WeekInsider TradingSelling Shares$778,159 Sold Last QuarterProj. Earnings Growth5.23%From $3.25 to $3.42 Per ShareSee Full Details Hide Full Details Overall MarketRank™New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank™ is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.4.92 out of 5 starsFinance Sector18th out of 816 stocksNational Commercial Banks Industry6th out of 78 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.Amount of Analyst CoverageFirst Merchants has only been the subject of 1 research reports in the past 90 days.Read more about First Merchants' stock forecast and price target. Previous Next 3.0 Short Interest Percentage of Shares Shorted1.13% 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 2.6, 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 18.80%, indicating that investor sentiment is decreasing significantly. Previous Next 3.3 Dividend Strength Dividend LeadershipFirst Merchants is a leading dividend payer. It pays a dividend yield of 4.33%, putting its dividend yield in the top 25% of dividend-paying stocks.Dividend GrowthFirst Merchants has only been increasing its dividend for 1 years.Dividend CoverageThe dividend payout ratio of First Merchants is 40.35%. 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 40.94% next year. This indicates that First Merchants will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.Read more about First Merchants' dividend. Previous Next 2.7 Sustainability and ESG Overall ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ScoreFirst Merchants has received a 19.50% 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", "Home improvement financing", "Wire transfer services", "Development loans for corporations", and "Consumer savings accounts provided by brick and mortar banks" products. See details.Environmental SustainabilityThe Environmental Impact score for First Merchants is -0.62. Previous Next 2.7 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentFirst Merchants has a news sentiment score of 0.93. 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 news sentiment score is similar to the average news sentiment of Finance companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 6 news articles for First Merchants this week, compared to 2 articles on an average week.MarketBeat Follows1 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 sold 72,761.33% more of their company's stock than they have bought. Specifically, they have bought $1,068.00 in company stock and sold $778,159.00 in company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 1.32% of the stock of First Merchants is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions73.92% of the stock of First Merchants is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company.Read more about First Merchants' insider trading history. Previous Next 2.5 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for First Merchants are expected to grow by 5.23% in the coming year, from $3.25 to $3.42 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 8.95, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 136.69.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 8.95, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 57.72.Price to Book Value per Share RatioFirst Merchants has a P/B Ratio of 0.83. P/B Ratios below 1 indicate that a company could be undervalued with respect to its assets and liabilities.Read more about First Merchants' valuation and earnings. Previous Next See Top Rated MarketRank™ Stocks Here Ad Sasco Gold LLCDon’t make this retirement mistakeIf you have over $100,000 in your 401K or IRA… Then listen closely… Your money is rotting away, and you might not even realize it.Reserve your seat here. About First Merchants Stock (NASDAQ:FRME)First Merchants Corporation operates as the financial holding company for First Merchants Bank that provides community banking services. The company offers a range of financial services, including time, savings, and demand deposits; and consumer, commercial, agri-business, public finance, and real estate mortgage loans. It also provides 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. First Merchants Corporation was founded in 1893 and is headquartered in Muncie, Indiana.Read More FRME Stock Price History View Price History Chart DataSkip Price History Chart 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart FRME Stock News HeadlinesJune 3, 2024 | insidertrades.comFirst Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) Director Sells $778,159.36 in StockJune 7, 2024 | investopedia.comMoody's Reviewing Six Regional Banks for Possible DowngradesJune 5, 2024 | americanbankingnews.comFirst Merchants Co. (FRME) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.35 on June 21stMay 22, 2024 | money.usnews.comFirst Merchants Corp.May 12, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants' (NASDAQ:FRME) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year'sMay 8, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Retirement of Board Chair Charles E. Schalliol and Appointment of New Board Chair Jean L. WojtowiczMay 8, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Retirement of Board Chair Charles E. Schalliol and Appointment of New Board Chair Jean L.May 8, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Cash DividendMay 1, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants First Quarter 2024 Earnings: EPS: US$0.80 (vs US$1.07 in 1Q 2023)April 30, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ:FRME) Q1 2024 Earnings Call TranscriptApril 29, 2024 | markets.businessinsider.comPiper Sandler Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on First Merchants (FRME)April 27, 2024 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation (FRME) Q1 2024 Earnings Call TranscriptApril 26, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corp (FRME) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript Highlights: Key Financial Metrics ...April 26, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comQ1 2024 First Merchants Corp Earnings CallApril 25, 2024 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation 2024 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call PresentationApril 25, 2024 | msn.comFRME Stock Earnings: First Merchants Beats EPS, Misses Revenue for Q1 2024April 25, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corp (FRME) Q1 2024 Earnings: Misses Analyst Expectations Amidst Economic ChallengesApril 25, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces First Quarter 2024 Earnings Per ShareApril 24, 2024 | nasdaq.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Passes Through 4% Yield MarkApril 15, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) investors are sitting on a loss of 21% if they invested three years agoApril 15, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Cash Dividend on Its Preferred StockApril 4, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation to Report First Quarter 2024 Financial Results, Host Conference Call and WebcastMarch 3, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Full Year 2023 Earnings: EPS Misses ExpectationsFebruary 24, 2024 | msn.comFirst Merchants (FRME) Price Target Increased by 6.33% to 42.84February 24, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comBe Sure To Check Out First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ:FRME) Before It Goes Ex-DividendSee 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 Company Calendar Ex-Dividend for 3/15 Dividend2/29/2024Dividend Payable3/15/2024Last Earnings4/25/2024Ex-Dividend for 6/21 Dividend6/07/2024Today6/11/2024Dividend Payable6/21/2024Next Earnings (Estimated)7/23/2024Fiscal Year End12/31/2024Get Stock AlertsIndustry, Sector and Symbol Stock ExchangeNASDAQ SectorFinance Industry National commercial banks Sub-IndustryRegional Banks Current SymbolNASDAQ:FRME CUSIP32081710 CIK712534 Webwww.firstmerchants.com Phone(765) 747-1500Fax765-282-6304Employees2,162Year Founded1982Price Target and Rating Average Stock Price Target$41.25 High Stock Price Target$42.50 Low Stock Price Target$40.00 Potential Upside/Downside+32.8%Consensus RatingBuy Rating Score (0-4)3.00 Research Coverage2 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$3.47 Trailing P/E Ratio8.95 Forward P/E Ratio9.56 P/E GrowthN/ANet Income$223.79 million Net Margins20.15% Pretax Margin23.15% Return on Equity10.21% Return on Assets1.21% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio0.33 Current Ratio0.86 Quick Ratio0.86 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$635.59 million Price / Sales2.86 Cash Flow$4.05 per share Price / Cash Flow7.66 Book Value$37.42 per share Price / Book0.83Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares58,585,000Free Float57,765,000Market Cap$1.82 billion OptionableOptionable Beta1.07 Social Links (Almost) Everything You Need To Know About The EV MarketClick the link below and we'll send you MarketBeat's guide to investing in electric vehicle technologies (EV) and which EV stocks show the most promise. Get This Free Report Key ExecutivesMr. Mark K. Hardwick (Age 53)CEO & Director Comp: $1.17MMr. Michael J. Stewart (Age 58)President Comp: $967.65kMs. Michele M. Kawiecki (Age 51)Executive VP, CFO & Principal Accounting Officer Comp: $698.49kMr. Stephan H. Fluhler (Age 55)Senior VP & Chief Information Officer Comp: $532.39kMr. Michael C. Rechin (Age 65)Advisor & Director Comp: $60.82kMr. John J. Martin (Age 57)Executive VP & Chief Credit Officer Comp: $617.04kMr. Marcos Nogues C.F.A.Chief Investment OfficerMs. Nicole M. WeaverVP & Director of Corporate AdministrationMr. Brian T. Hunt (Age 64)Secretary & Legal Counsel Mr. Steven C. Harris (Age 60)Senior VP & Chief Human Resources Officer More ExecutivesKey CompetitorsWesBancoNASDAQ:WSBCWaFdNASDAQ:WAFDFirst Midwest BancorpNASDAQ:FMBIWSFS FinancialNASDAQ:WSFSCadence BankNYSE:CADEView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsAurora Investment CounselBought 36,507 shares on 6/4/2024Ownership: 0.062%Patrick J FehringSold 23,936 sharesTotal: $778,159.36 ($32.51/share)Pathway Financial Advisers LLCBought 5,540 shares on 5/29/2024Ownership: 0.009%Boston PartnersSold 32,394 shares on 5/28/2024Ownership: 1.414%Comerica BankBought 6,752 shares on 5/17/2024Ownership: 0.012%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions FRME Stock Analysis - 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 twelve months. 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 target for 2024? 2 brokers have issued twelve-month price targets for First Merchants' shares. Their FRME share price targets range from $40.00 to $42.50. On average, they predict the company's share price to reach $41.25 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 32.8% 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 2024? First Merchants' stock was trading at $37.08 on January 1st, 2024. Since then, FRME shares have decreased by 16.2% and is now trading at $31.06. View the best growth stocks for 2024 here. When is First Merchants' next earnings date? The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Tuesday, July 23rd 2024. View our FRME earnings forecast. How were First Merchants' earnings last quarter? First Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April, 25th. The bank reported $0.85 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.82 by $0.03. The bank earned $153.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $154.95 million. First Merchants had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 10.21% and a net margin of 20.15%. How often does First Merchants pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for First Merchants? First Merchants announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, May 7th. Investors of record on Friday, June 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share on Friday, June 21st. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.51%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 7th. This is a positive change from the stock's previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. Read our dividend analysis for FRME. Is First Merchants a good dividend stock? First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) pays an annual dividend of $1.40 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.33%. FRME has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. The company does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio is 40.35%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, FRME will have a dividend payout ratio of 40.94% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. 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), First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR) and EA Bridgeway Omni Small-Cap Value ETF (BSVO).Avantis U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC). 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). Who are First Merchants' major shareholders? First Merchants' stock is owned by a variety of institutional and retail investors. Top institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group Inc. (11.15%), Earnest Partners LLC (4.47%), Principal Financial Group Inc. (1.54%), Boston Partners (1.41%), William Blair Investment Management LLC (1.41%) and Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado (1.19%). Insiders that own company stock include Charles E Schalliol, Gary Lehman, Jason R Sondhi, Michael C Rechin, Michael J Stewart, Patrick A Sherman, Patrick J Fehring and Stephan Fluhler. 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 Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services. Compare Top Brokerages Here. 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