First Merchants (FRME) Q2 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how First Merchants performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Net Interest Margin (FTE): 3.4% versus 3.4% estimated by three analysts on average.
• Efficiency Ratio: 55.1% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 55.7%.
• Average Balance - Total Earning Assets: $19.58 billion versus $19.56 billion estimated by two analysts on average.
• Net Charge-offs (Recoveries) as % of Average Loans (Annualized): 0.1% compared to the 0.2% average estimate based on two analysts.
• Total Non-Interest Income: $37.16 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $36.99 million.
• Net gains and fees on sales of loans: $7.74 million versus $7.03 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Card payment fees: $5.51 million versus $5.38 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Derivative hedge fees: $1.12 million versus $0.82 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Other income: $0.58 million versus $1 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Fiduciary and wealth management fees: $9.64 million versus $10.05 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Other customer fees: $0.88 million versus $0.65 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Earnings on bank-owned life insurance: $2.33 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.3 million.

View all Key Company Metrics for First Merchants here>>>

Shares of First Merchants have returned +5.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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