First Merchants declares $46.88 preferred dividend

Depositary-share holders of record October 30, 2026 are scheduled to receive $0.4688 per depositary share on November 16, 2026.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

First Merchants Corporation declared a quarterly cash dividend of $46.88 per share on its 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, equivalent to $0.4688 per depositary share. The dividend is payable November 16, 2026, to stockholders of record October 30, 2026. Each depositary share represents a 1/100th interest in a Series A preferred share.

8-K Event Classification

2 items: 8.01, 9.01

2 items

Item 8.01 Other Events Other

Voluntary disclosure of events the company deems important to shareholders but not covered by other items.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits

Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.

Key Figures

Series A preferred stock dividend: $46.88 per share Depositary share dividend: $0.4688 per depositary share Preferred stock rate: 7.50% +3 more

6 metrics

Series A preferred stock dividend $46.88 per share Quarterly cash dividend

Depositary share dividend $0.4688 per depositary share Quarterly cash dividend

Preferred stock rate 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

Depositary share interest 1/100th of a share Each depositary share represents an interest in a Series A preferred share

Dividend record date October 30, 2026 Stockholders of record

Dividend payment date November 16, 2026 Scheduled payment date

Key Terms

Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, depositary shares, stockholders of record

3 terms

Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock financial

"7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock Series A"

Non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock is a type of investment that pays a fixed dividend forever, without a set end date. If the company skips some dividends in a year, you don’t get that money later, and it’s gone forever. It matters because investors get regular income but may miss out if the company faces financial trouble.

depositary shares financial

"Holders of depositary shares will receive $0.4688 per depositary share"

Depositary shares are tradable certificates that represent a fractional piece of a larger security held by a third-party bank, like owning a slice of a single big pie instead of the whole pie. They let companies issue and investors buy smaller, more affordable portions of preferred stock or other instruments; holders usually receive proportional dividends and market pricing similar to ordinary shares, but may have limited voting rights and different liquidity or tax implications, which can affect income and resale value.

stockholders of record financial

"to stockholders of record on October 30, 2026"

Stockholders of record are the people or entities whose names appear on a company's official shareholder list on a specific cutoff date set by the company or its transfer agent; only those listed are entitled to receive dividends, vote at shareholder meetings, or participate in other corporate actions. Think of it like a guest list for an event: being on the list on the set day determines who gets the benefits and rights, so investors must own shares before the cutoff to qualify.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How much is the FRMEP preferred stock dividend?

First Merchants Corporation declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.4688 per FRMEP depositary share. Each depositary share represents a 1/100th interest in a Series A preferred share, on which the dividend is $46.88 per share.

When will the FRMEP dividend be paid?

The dividend is payable November 16, 2026, to stockholders of record October 30, 2026.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Available on EDGAR 10/15/2026 - 03:09 PM EDT Accepted by SEC EDGAR 10/15/2026 - 03:09 PM EDT Learn about SEC filing dates

0000712534false00007125342026-10-152026-10-150000712534us-gaap:CommonStockMember2026-10-152026-10-150000712534frme:DepositarySharesMember2026-10-152026-10-15

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): October 15, 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 October 15, 2026, 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 November 16, 2026, to stockholders of record on October 30, 2026. 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			Press Release dated October 15, 2026 issued by First Merchants Corporation.
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: /s/ Michele M. Kawiecki

Michele M. Kawiecki

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Dated: October 15, 2026

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

October 15, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

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

765-521-7619

http://www.firstmerchants.com

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 November 16, 2026, to stockholders of record on October 30, 2026.

About First Merchants Corporation:

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.

* * * *

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

5 documents

Press Releases

• EX-99.1 EX-99.1 5.0 KB

Other Documents

• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA DOCUMENT 2.7 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT 15.5 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE DOCUMENT 27.8 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT 16.2 KB