frme-20260624
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): June 24, 2026
FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Indiana | |||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | |||||
| 001-41342 | 35-1544218 | ||||
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||
200 East Jackson Street
P.O. Box 792
Muncie, IN 47305-2814
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(765) 747-1500
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| Common Stock, $0.125 stated value per share | FRME | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||||||
| Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A | FRMEP | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||||||
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS.
On June 24, 2026, the Board of Directors of First Merchants Corporation (the "Company") approved a stock repurchase program of up to 3,125,000 shares of the Company's outstanding common stock; provided, however, that the total aggregate investment in shares repurchased under the program may not exceed $100,000,000. On a share basis, the amount of common stock subject to the repurchase program represents approximately 5% of the Company's outstanding shares. The stock repurchases may, at the discretion of management, be made from time to time, through solicited or unsolicited transactions in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan all as effected in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company is not obligated to purchase any shares under the program, and the program may be discontinued at any time. The actual timing, number and share price of shares purchased under the repurchase program will be determined by the Company at its discretion and will depend upon such factors as the market price of the stock, general market and economic conditions and applicable legal requirements. This new program replaces a similar program approved in March 2025.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| First Merchants Corporation | |||||||||||
| (Registrant) | |||||||||||
By: /s/ Michele M. Kawiecki Michele M. Kawiecki Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||||||||||
Dated: June 24, 2026 | |||||||||||