NASDAQ:FRME First Merchants (FRME) Stock Price, News & Analysis $36.42 +0.03 (+0.08%) (As of 10:19 AM ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$36.25▼$36.6750-Day Range$31.04▼$41.3552-Week Range$25.70▼$42.44Volume14,236 shsAverage Volume251,661 shsMarket Capitalization$2.13 billionP/E Ratio10.50Dividend Yield3.84%Price Target$42.20 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 RatingModerate Buy2.60 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside15.5% Upside$42.20 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy1.22% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthStrongBased on Four FactorsSustainability-0.61Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews Sentiment0.98Based on 3 Articles This WeekInsider TradingSelling Shares$778,159 Sold Last QuarterProj. Earnings Growth7.29%From $3.29 to $3.53 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.4.86 out of 5 starsFinance Sector40th out of 863 stocksNational Commercial Banks Industry7th out of 83 stocks 2.3 Analyst's Opinion Consensus RatingFirst Merchants has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.60, and is based on 3 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Amount of Analyst CoverageFirst Merchants has only been the subject of 4 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 Shorted1.22% 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 14.67%, 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 3.86%, putting its dividend yield in the top 25% of dividend-paying stocks.Dividend GrowthFirst Merchants has been increasing its dividend for 13 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 39.66% 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 19.61% 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 -0.61. Previous Next 3.3 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentFirst Merchants has a news sentiment score of 0.98. 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 0.57 average news sentiment score of Finance companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 3 news articles for First Merchants this week, compared to 2 articles on an average week.Search Interest2 people have searched for FRME on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 100% compared to the previous 30 days.MarketBeat FollowsOnly 1 people have added First Merchants to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. This is a decrease of -50% compared to the previous 30 days. Previous Next 2.5 Company Ownership Insider Buying vs. Insider SellingIn the past three months, First Merchants insiders have sold more of their company's stock than they have bought. Specifically, they have bought $0.00 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 3.1 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for First Merchants are expected to grow by 7.29% in the coming year, from $3.29 to $3.53 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 10.53, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 145.04.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of First Merchants is 10.53, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 50.10.Price to Book Value per Share RatioFirst Merchants has a P/B Ratio of 0.98. 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 DTIAir Force quietly working with sub $10 stock on new techThere is a little-known energy technology stock that has made an incredible breakthrough… Which could become crucial to the operations of the US Military. And right now there are plans for this stock to undertake a major test project at a US Air Force based in Alaska. Now, this incredible breakthrough is still in its earliest stages… Which means you still have a chance to get in while its trading for under $10.You need to check out the full story right 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 HeadlinesAugust 19 at 8:00 AM | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Cash DividendAugust 13, 2024 | americanbankingnews.comFirst Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) Coverage Initiated by Analysts at Hovde GroupAugust 22, 2024 | DTI (Ad)Air Force quietly working with sub $10 stock on new techThere is a little-known energy technology stock that has made an incredible breakthrough… Which could become crucial to the operations of the US Military. And right now there are plans for this stock to undertake a major test project at a US Air Force based in Alaska. Now, this incredible breakthrough is still in its earliest stages… Which means you still have a chance to get in while its trading for under $10.July 31, 2024 | investing.comFirst Merchants shares poised for outperformance, says Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsJuly 29, 2024 | msn.comFirst Merchants Corporation 7.50% PFD SER Aprice alerts goes ex dividend tomorrowJuly 28, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants Corporation Just Missed EPS By 13%: Here's What Analysts Think Will Happen NextJuly 26, 2024 | msn.comFirst Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ:FRME) Q2 2024 Earnings Call TranscriptJuly 26, 2024 | gurufocus.comQ2 2024 First Merchants Corp Earnings Call TranscriptAugust 22, 2024 | DTI (Ad)Air Force quietly working with sub $10 stock on new techThere is a little-known energy technology stock that has made an incredible breakthrough… Which could become crucial to the operations of the US Military. And right now there are plans for this stock to undertake a major test project at a US Air Force based in Alaska. Now, this incredible breakthrough is still in its earliest stages… Which means you still have a chance to get in while its trading for under $10.July 26, 2024 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation (FRME) Q2 2024 Earnings Call TranscriptJuly 25, 2024 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation 2024 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call PresentationJuly 25, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2024 Earnings Per ShareJuly 15, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation Announces Cash Dividend on Its Preferred StockJuly 3, 2024 | globenewswire.comFirst Merchants Corporation to Report Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results, Host Conference Call and WebcastJune 21, 2024 | seekingalpha.comFirst Merchants Corporation: An Attractive Way To Play The Banking SectorJune 7, 2024 | investopedia.comMoody's Reviewing Six Regional Banks for Possible DowngradesMay 22, 2024 | money.usnews.comFirst Merchants Corp.May 12, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comFirst Merchants' (NASDAQ:FRME) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year'sSee 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 6/21 Dividend6/07/2024Dividend Payable6/21/2024Last Earnings7/25/2024Today8/22/2024Ex-Dividend for 9/20 Dividend9/06/2024Dividend Payable9/20/2024Next Earnings (Estimated)10/24/2024Fiscal 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) 747-1500Fax765-282-6304Employees2,120Year Founded1982Price Target and Rating Average Stock Price Target$42.20 High Stock Price Target$50.00 Low Stock Price Target$38.00 Potential Upside/Downside+16.0%Consensus RatingModerate Buy Rating Score (0-4)2.60 Research Coverage5 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$3.47 Trailing P/E Ratio10.49 Forward P/E Ratio11.06 P/E GrowthN/ANet Income$223.79 million Net Margins17.77% Pretax Margin23.15% Return on Equity9.20% Return on Assets1.09% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio0.33 Current Ratio0.86 Quick Ratio0.86 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$631.34 million Price / Sales3.38 Cash Flow$3.88 per share Price / Cash Flow9.37 Book Value$37.42 per share Price / Book0.97Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares58,585,000Free Float57,812,000Market Cap$2.13 billion OptionableOptionable Beta1.04 Social Links 13 Stocks Institutional Investors Won't Stop BuyingWhich stocks are major institutional investors including hedge funds and endowments buying in today's market? Click the link below and we'll send you MarketBeat's list of thirteen stocks that institutional investors are buying up as quickly as they can.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 CompetitorsFirst Midwest BancorpNASDAQ:FMBIWesBancoNASDAQ:WSBCWaFdNASDAQ:WAFDWSFS FinancialNASDAQ:WSFSCadence BankNYSE:CADEView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsSystematic Financial Management LPSold 4,581 shares on 8/16/2024Ownership: 1.006%Creative PlanningBought 1,349 shares on 8/16/2024Ownership: 0.022%Algert Global LLCBought 9,904 shares on 8/16/2024Ownership: 0.017%AQR Capital Management LLCBought 1,424 shares on 8/15/2024Ownership: 0.236%Susquehanna Portfolio Strategies LLCSold 7,739 shares on 8/15/2024Ownership: 0.020%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions FRME Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions How have FRME shares performed this year? First Merchants' stock was trading at $37.08 at the start of the year. Since then, FRME stock has decreased by 1.5% and is now trading at $36.53. View the best growth stocks for 2024 here. How were First Merchants' earnings last quarter? First Merchants Co. (NASDAQ:FRME) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July, 25th. The bank reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.78 by $0.10. The bank had revenue of $267.72 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $156.35 million. First Merchants had a net margin of 17.77% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 9.20%. 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. Who are First Merchants' major shareholders? Top institutional investors of First Merchants include Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (5.93%), Earnest Partners LLC (4.60%), American Century Companies Inc. (2.50%) and Victory Capital Management Inc. (1.74%). Insiders that own company stock include Patrick J Fehring, Michael J Stewart, Michael C Rechin, Patrick A Sherman, Gary Lehman, Charles E Schalliol, Stephan Fluhler and Jason R Sondhi. 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. What other stocks do shareholders of First Merchants own? Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some other companies that First Merchants investors own include BankFinancial (BFIN), Energy Transfer (ET), Main Street Capital (MAIN), Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), AbbVie (ABBV), Comerica (CMA) and Huntington Bancshares (HBAN). 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