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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , DC 20549 [ Mark One ] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 OR TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Title of Each Class Common Stock , $ 0.125 stated value per share FORM 10 - K For the transition period from to Commission file number 0-17071 FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Large Accelerated Filer Smaller Reporting Company Indiana ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 200 East Jackson Street , Muncie , IN ( Address of principal executive offices ) 35-1544218 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) 47305-2814 ( Zip code ) Registrant's telephone number , including area code : (765)747-1500 Not Applicable ( Former name , former address and former fiscal year , if changed since last report ) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) FRME Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes > No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every interactive data file required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( §232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) Yes No Accelerated Filer Emerging Growth Company Name of each exchange on which registered Nasdaq Global Select Market Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . 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 . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No Non - Accelerated Filer Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C.7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . As of February 23 , 2021 there were 54,347,186 outstanding common shares , without par value , of the registrant . The aggregate market value ( not necessarily a reliable indication of the price at which more than a limited number of shares would trade ) of the voting stock held by non - affiliates of the registrant was $ 1,483,142,000 as of the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter ( June 30 , 2020 ) .