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): March 1, 2005
------------------------------
FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
-------------------------------
INDIANA 0-17071 35-1544218
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission file number) (IRS Employer
of incorporation) 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)
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))
Page 1 of 5
ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS
On March 1, 2005, First Merchants Corporation issued a press
release announcing the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.23 per
share. The cash dividend is payable on March 21, 2005 to stockholders of record
as of March 7, 2005. 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) Exhibits.
Exhibit 99.1 Press Release, dated March 1, 2005, issued by
First Merchants Corporation
Page 2 of 5
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/ Mark K. Hardwick
--------------------------------------------
Mark K. Hardwick
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Chief
Accounting Officer)
Dated: March 1, 2005
Page 3 of 5
EXHIBIT INDEX
-------------
Exhibit No.
- -----------
99.1 Description
-----------
Press Release, dated March 1, 2005, issued by
First Merchants Corporation.
Page 4 of 5
First Merchants Corporation
Exhibit No. 99.1
Press Release, dated March 1, 2005
N / E / W / S R / E / L / E / A / S / E
March 1, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Mark K. Hardwick, Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, 765-751-1857
http://firstmerchants.com
SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq: FRME), Muncie, Indiana
FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
The Board of Directors of First Merchants Corporation, on February 8, 2005,
declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.23.
The dividend is payable March 21, 2005, to stockholders of record March 7, 2005.
For purposes of broker trading, the ex-date of the cash dividend is March 2,
2005.
About First Merchants Corporation
First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in
Muncie, Indiana. Since its organization in 1982, the Corporation has grown to
include nine affiliate banks with over 70 locations in 17 Indiana and three Ohio
counties, a trust company, a multi-line insurance company, and a title company.
Bank subsidiaries of the Corporation include:
o First Merchants Bank in Delaware and Hamilton counties
o Madison Community Bank in Madison County
o First United Bank in Henry County
o United Communities National Bank in Randolph, Union, Fayette, Wayne,
and Butler (OH) counties
o First National Bank in Jay County
o Decatur Bank & Trust Company in Adam County
o Frances Slocum Bank in Wabash, Howard, and Miami counties
o Lafayette Bank and Trust Company in Tippecanoe, Carroll, Jasper, and
White counties
o Commerce National Bank in Franklin and Hamilton counties in Ohio
The Corporation also operates First Merchants Insurance Services, a full-service
property, casualty, personal lines, and health care insurer, and is the majority
owner of the Indiana Title Insurance Company LLC. Merchants Trust Company unites
the trust and asset management services of all affiliate banks of the
Corporation and represents one of the largest trust companies in the State of
Indiana, with assets in excess of $1.5 billion.
For more information, visit www.firstmerchants.com.
###
Page 5 of 5