First Merchants Adds Larry Myers to Expanded Board

The latest update is out from First Merchants ( (FRME) ).

On February 9, 2026, First Merchants Corporation expanded its Board of Directors from 12 to 13 members and appointed Larry W. Myers to the new Class III seat, with his initial term running until the 2026 annual shareholders meeting. Myers, a long-time community banking executive, was also named to the Boards of First Merchants Corporation and First Merchants Bank and assigned to the corporation’s Risk and Credit Policy Committee.

Myers’ appointment follows the completion of the merger between First Merchants and First Savings Bank on February 1, 2026, which strengthened First Merchants’ presence in southern Indiana. Executives highlighted that his decades of experience, leadership roles in state and national banking associations, and deep knowledge of the southern Indiana market are expected to bolster strategic governance, support disciplined growth, and ensure the region retains a strong voice within the enlarged franchise.

The most recent analyst rating on (FRME) stock is a Buy with a $49.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on First Merchants stock, see the FRME Stock Forecast page.

Spark’s Take on FRME Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, FRME is a Outperform.

The score is driven primarily by strong underlying financial performance (profitability and growth with manageable leverage) and an upbeat earnings outlook supported by capital strength and expected acquisition synergies. Valuation is notably attractive (low P/E with a solid yield), while technicals add support through an established uptrend with moderate momentum.

To see Spark’s full report on FRME stock, click here.

More about First Merchants

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, with $21.4 billion in assets and a single full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The bank also operates under the brands First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors and First Savings Bank as divisions of First Merchants Bank, and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FRME.

The company focuses on community and regional banking services, including wealth management and credit solutions, with a growing presence in southern Indiana. Its expansion strategy includes integrating acquired institutions such as First Savings Bank to deepen market penetration and broaden its footprint across key Midwestern markets.

Average Trading Volume: 304,228

Technical Sentiment Signal: Strong Buy

Current Market Cap: $2.67B

See more insights into FRME stock on TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.