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Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. First Merchants's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 1.30%.
The historical rank and industry rank for First Merchants's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
FRME'
s 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -12.3 Med: -4.8 Max: 1.3
Current: 1.3
During the past 13 years, First Merchants's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 1.30%. The lowest was -12.30%. And the median was -4.80%.
FRME's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is ranked better than 81.56% of 1041
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: -0.2
vs FRME: 1.30
First Merchants (NAS:FRME) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
First Merchants 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
FRME vs NBTB, WAFD, TRMK: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Banks - Regional subindustry, First Merchants's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
First Merchants 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, First Merchants's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where First Merchants's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
First Merchants 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Calculation
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 1.30 mean?
First Merchants (FRME) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 1.30 as of Jun. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for First Merchants and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, First Merchants ranks #192 out of 1041 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 18.4%.
Is First Merchants' 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
First Merchants' current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 1.30. Based on the distribution chart, First Merchants ranks #192 out of 1041 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, First Merchants has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does First Merchants' 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to NBTB and WAFD?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, First Merchants ranks #192 out of 1041 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places First Merchants in the top 18% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for a Banks company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Banks industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for First Merchants and its competitors. First Merchants's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 1.30. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is First Merchants stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Merchants (FRME) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $39.72, compared to a current price of $42.43 — trading 6.8% above its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 1.30. First Merchants' overall GF Score™ is 63/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For First Merchants (FRME), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 1.30 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is First Merchants (FRME) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Merchants stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $42.43 is trading 6.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $39.72.
GuruFocus considers First Merchants to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for FRME:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: 1.30
GF Value™: $39.72 vs. price of $42.43 (6.8% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRME stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
First Merchants Corp, through its subsidiaries, provides its customers with financial services delivered locally by bankers. It offers personal banking, business banking, real estate mortgage lending, cash management services, brokerage, wealth management, and insurance. The company reports in only one segment, which is community banking.
63GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FRME
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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