First Merchants Corporation: Decent Return Potential With Earnings Likely To Recover Next Year

Earnings of First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ: FRME ) will likely drop this year before recovering next year. Margin pressure will likely hold earnings back, while loan growth will lift earnings. Overall, I'm expecting earnings to fall by 11% to $3.31 per share in 2024, and increase Analyst's Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expre ...