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 22, 2025
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 2.02 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION.
On October 22, 2025, First Merchants Corporation issued a press release to report its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
On October 23, 2025, First Merchants Corporation will conduct a third quarter 2025 earnings conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. (ET). A copy of the slide presentation utilized on the conference call is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to liability of that section. The information in this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing or document.
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Not applicable.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit 99.1 | |||||
| Exhibit 99.2 | |||||
| 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 (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||||||||||
Dated: October 22, 2025 | |||||||||||
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description | ||||
| 99.1 | |||||
| 99.2 | |||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | ||||