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): February 11, 2020

 Commission File Number 0-17071

FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indiana	35-1544218
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(IRS Employer 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)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 (b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.125 state value per share	FRME	Nasdaq Global Select Market

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))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

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. ☐

ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

The executive officers of First Merchants Corporation intend to use the material filed herewith, in whole or in part, in one or more meetings with investors and analysts. A copy of the investor presentation is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

First Merchants Corporation does not intend for this item 7.01 or Exhibit 99.1 to be treated as "filed" for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or incorporated into its filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(a) Not applicable.

(b) Not applicable.

(c) Not applicable.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit 99.1 First Merchants Corporation Investor Presentation

Exhibit 104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

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

Executive Vice President,

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Dated: February 11, 2020