# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000712534
**File Stem:** 0000712534-25-000163
**Filing Date:** 2025-7
**Character Count:** 7221
**Document Hash:** 54039edd528ebe63a4f847e1cf690ff8
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0000712534-25-000163.hdr.sgml**: 20250715

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0000712534-25-000163

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 14

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20250715

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Other Events

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20250715

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20250715

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** FIRST MERCHANTS CORP
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000712534
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 02 Finance
- **EIN:** 351544218
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** IN
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-41342
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251123298

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 200 E JACKSON ST
- **STREET 2:** PO BOX 792
- **CITY:** MUNCIE
- **STATE:** IN
- **ZIP:** 47308-0792
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 7657471500

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 200 EAST JACKSON STREET
- **CITY:** MUNCIE
- **STATE:** IN
- **ZIP:** 47305

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? frme-20250715

**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): July 15, 2025** 

**FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION**

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Indiana | Indiana |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (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. ☐

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**ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS**

On July 15, 2025, First Merchants Corporation issued a press release announcing its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock Series A, of $46.88 per share (equivalent to $0.4688 per depositary share) payable on August 15, 2025, to stockholders of record on July 30, 2025. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The information in this Form 8-K and the attached exhibit shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

**ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.**

(a) Not applicable.

(b) Not applicable.

(c) Not applicable.

(d) Exhibits.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Exhibit 99.1 | <u>[Press Release dated](pressrelease-3rdqtr2025div.htm)[July 15](pressrelease-3rdqtr2025div.htm)[, 2025](pressrelease-3rdqtr2025div.htm)[issued by First Merchants Corporation](pressrelease-3rdqtr2025div.htm)</u>. |
| Exhibit 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |

---

------

**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: <u>/s/ Michele M. Kawiecki</u><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Michele M. Kawiecki<br>Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer |
| Dated: July 15, 2025 |  |

---

## Exhibit 99.1

**N / E / W / S R / E / L / E / A / S / E**

July 15, 2025

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

For more information, contact:

Nicole M. Weaver, First Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration

765-521-7619

<u>http://www.firstmerchants.com</u>

SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ: FRME), Muncie, Indiana

**FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES CASH DIVIDEND ON ITS PREFERRED STOCK**

First Merchants Corporation has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $46.88 per share on its 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock Series A, represented by depositary shares (NASDAQ: FRMEP) each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of the Series A preferred stock. Holders of depositary shares will receive $0.4688 per depositary share. The dividend will be payable on August 15, 2025, to stockholders of record on July 30, 2025.

<u>About First Merchants Corporation:</u>

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

First Merchants Corporation's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Depositary shares representing a 1/100th interest in a share of First Merchants Corporation's 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRMEP. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company's Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

\* \* \* \*

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