Company: FRME
Filing Date: 2025-10-10
Form Type: S-4
Source: 0001193125-25-237211
Chunk: 12

Company: FIRST MERCHANTS CORP
Filing Date: 2025-10-10
Form: S-4
Chunk 12
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 for any applicable withholding and tax reporting with respect to the Cancellation Payments. All out-of-the-moneyFirst Savings Options, if any, will be cancelled as of the day immediately preceding the Effective Time without any payment. The term “First Merchants Average Price” means the volume weighted average trading price of a share of First Merchants common stock as reported by Bloomberg, L.P. for the 10 days that First Merchants common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market preceding the fourth calendar day prior to the Effective Time. The First Merchants Average Price will be appropriately and proportionately adjusted to reflect any share adjustments resulting from any stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalization, or similar transactions.

| Q: | When is the Merger expected to be completed? |

| A: | We are working to complete the Merger as quickly as possible. We must first obtain the necessary regulatory                                                   
 approvals and the approval of First Savings shareholders at the special meeting. We currently expect to complete the Merger during the first quarter of 2026. |

3

| Q: | What are the federal income tax consequences of the Merger to holders of First Savings common stock? |

| A: | The Merger is intended to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)                                                                                                                                                              
 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), and it is a condition to the closing of the Merger that Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP and Luse Gorman, PC deliver opinions, effective as of the date of the              
 Merger, to First Merchants and First Savings, respectively, to that effect. Such opinions will comply with the regulations and guidance of the SEC with respect to the persons entitled to rely on tax opinions contained in the Registration Statement   
 on Form S-4, of which this proxy and prospectus is a part. However, neither First Savings nor First Merchants has requested or received a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) that                                                       
 the merger will qualify as a reorganization. If the Merger qualifies as a reorganization, then, in general, a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section captioned “MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES” beginning on page [●])                     
 exchanging First Savings common stock will not recognize gain or loss on the exchange, except to the extent the U.S. Holder receives cash in lieu of a fractional share of First Merchants common