FIRST MERCHANTS (FRME) EVP Martin John Receives 8,000 Shares

What Happened

• Martin John, Chief Credit Officer and Executive Vice President of First Merchants Corp (FRME), received an award of 8,000 shares on 2026-08-03 valued at $349,040 (price reported $43.63). On 2026-08-02 the filing shows 1,761 shares disposed at $43.14 for $75,970 as tax withholding (code F). Net effect: a gain of 6,239 shares and a net value increase of about $273,070.

Key Details

• Transactions:
  • 2026-08-02: 1,761 shares disposed for tax withholding (F) at $43.14 — $75,970.
  • 2026-08-03: 8,000 shares acquired as award/grant (A) at $43.63 — $349,040.
• Net change: +6,239 shares (8,000 acquired minus 1,761 withheld); net value ~ $273,070.
• Shares owned after transaction: not explicitly listed in the provided data; filing footnote notes Restricted Stock Awards totaling 24,908.238 shares (F1).
• Filing timeliness: Report filed 2026-08-04 for transactions on 2026-08-02 and 2026-08-03 — appears timely.
• Footnote: F1 indicates the holdings include Restricted Stock Awards totaling 24,908.238 shares.

Context

• The 1,761-share disposition was tax withholding tied to the award (routine, not an open-market sale). The 8,000-share line is an award/grant (an acquisition), which increases insider holdings. Awards and withholding are common compensation events and do not by themselves indicate trading for liquidity.