News Release Details

First Merchants Corporation to Report Fourth Quarter 2005 Financial Results, Host Conference Call

01/20/2006

MUNCIE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2006--First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ:FRME) will report fourth quarter 2005 financial results on January 27, 2006. The Corporation will host a fourth quarter earnings conference call at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Friday, January 27, 2006. To participate dial (Toll Free) 877-407-9210 and reference First Merchants Corporation's fourth quarter earnings release. A replay will be available until February 3, 2006. To access, US/Canada participants should dial (Toll Free) 877-660-6853 or for International participants, dial 201-612-7415. The replay will require the Account # 286 and Conference ID # 186821.

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. Subsidiaries of the Corporation include First Merchants Bank, Madison Community Bank, United Communities National Bank, First National Bank, Decatur Bank & Trust Company, Frances Slocum Bank, Lafayette Bank & Trust Company, Commerce National Bank and Merchants Trust Company. The Corporation also operates First Merchants Insurance Services, a full-service property casualty, personal lines, and healthcare insurance agency, headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, and is a majority member of Indiana Title Insurance Company, LLC, a title insurance agency.

First Merchants Corporation's common stock is traded over-the-counter on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company's Internet web page (http:/www.firstmerchants.com).

    CONTACT: First Merchants Corporation, Muncie, IndianaMark K. Hardwick, 765-751-1857
             http://firstmerchants.com

    SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation
  • First Merchants Corporation

    200 East Jackson Street
    P.O. Box 792
    Muncie, IN 47305-2814

    (765) 747-1500

  • Investor Relations Contact

    Nicole M. Weaver
    765.521.7619 or
    800.262.4261, Ext. 47619

    nweaver@firstmerchants.com

  • Shareholder Relations Contact

    Cindy Holaday
    765.741.7278 or
    800.262.4261, Ext. 27278

    shareholderrelations
    @firstmerchants.com

  • Transfer Agent

    Broadridge
    PO Box 1342
    Brentwood, NY 11717-0718
    (888) 401-4448