FRME

Based on First Merchants Corporation's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

What does First Merchants Corporation do?

First Merchants Corporation is the holding company for First Merchants Bank, a Midwest community bank offering deposit accounts, consumer and commercial loans, agri-business lending, real estate mortgages, trust services, and private wealth management. It operates 109 banking locations across Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan, alongside digital banking channels.

Does FRME pay dividends?

Yes, First Merchants Corporation pays a regular dividend. This is consistent with its profile as a long-established community bank that returns capital to shareholders. Investors should verify the current dividend rate and payment schedule through the company's investor relations page, as amounts can change.

When does FRME report earnings?

First Merchants reports earnings quarterly, in line with standard US-listed company requirements. For the exact schedule and most recent results, check the investor relations section of the First Merchants Corporation website.

Is FRME a good stock to buy?

UQS Score rates FRME as Below Average overall. The Valuation pillar is Attractive and Quality is rated Good, but Growth, Moat, and Risk are all Weak. Whether it fits your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance and investment goals. The full pillar breakdown is available to UQS Pro members.

Is FRME overvalued?

Based on the UQS Valuation pillar, FRME is rated Attractive, suggesting the stock is not considered overvalued relative to its fundamentals. However, an attractive price alone does not offset the Weak ratings in Growth, Moat, and Risk — context across all five pillars matters.

How does FRME compare to its competitors?

Compared to peers like Customers Bancorp, Trustmark Corporation, and WaFd, First Merchants is a traditional Midwest community bank with a broad four-state footprint. Its UQS profile — particularly the Weak Moat rating — suggests it lacks strong competitive differentiation relative to the broader regional banking sector.

What is FRME's market cap bracket?

First Merchants Corporation is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a tier above smaller community banks but below the large regional and national banking institutions, reflecting its meaningful but regionally concentrated scale.

Who founded First Merchants Corporation?

First Merchants Corporation traces its origins to 1893. Detailed founding history, including the individuals involved, is publicly available through the company's official history and investor relations materials.

Is FRME a long-term buy?

As a long-term quality indicator, FRME's UQS profile raises questions. The Weak Growth and Moat ratings suggest limited structural advantages and expansion prospects over time. The Good Quality rating offers some reassurance on operational discipline, but long-term investors should weigh all five pillars carefully before committing.

What is the main competitive advantage of First Merchants Corporation?

First Merchants' primary advantage is its deep-rooted community banking presence across four Midwest states, built over more than a century. However, the UQS Moat pillar is rated Weak, indicating this regional presence does not translate into a strong, defensible competitive moat by quantitative measures.

What sector does FRME belong to?

FRME belongs to the Financial Services sector, specifically operating as a regional community bank holding company. Community banks like First Merchants are sensitive to interest rate cycles, local economic conditions, and credit quality trends in their operating markets.

Is FRME a growth stock or value stock?

Based on its UQS pillar profile, FRME leans toward the value category. The Valuation pillar is rated Attractive, suggesting the stock may be priced modestly relative to fundamentals. However, the Weak Growth rating indicates this is not a high-growth name — making it more relevant to income or value-oriented investors.

First Merchants Corporation shows solid profitability with healthy returns on capital and reasonable margins.

First Merchants Corporation faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.

First Merchants Corporation maintains a reasonable risk profile with manageable debt levels.

First Merchants Corporation appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.

First Merchants Corporation operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for FRME.

The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for First Merchants Corporation is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.

Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.

Moat (25%) assesses First Merchants Corporation's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.

Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.

Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.

Valuation (15%) measures whether First Merchants Corporation is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.

Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.