Month: September 2026

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: GHVNF) (FSE: 4QS) (the “Company” or “GoldHaven”) is pleased to announce that it has closed a further tranche of its previously announced non-brokered flow-through financing (the “Flow-Through Offering”) through the issuance of 4,206,906 flow-through common shares (the “FT Shares”) at a price of $0.265 per FT Share for aggregate proceeds of $1,114,830.

With the completion of this tranche, GoldHaven has raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $3.0 million under the Flow-Through Offering.

The additional capital is expected to provide GoldHaven with increased financial flexibility to advance exploration at its Magno Project and build upon the Company’s ongoing 2026 exploration program.

Rob Birmingham, CEO of GoldHaven, commented: “We are very pleased with the strong support for this financing and the additional demand that allowed us to close approximately $3.0 million. This capital strengthens our ability to advance the exploration program at Magno and build on the momentum we have established on the ground. We appreciate the continued support from both existing and new investors as we move through this important phase of exploration.”

In connection with the closing, the Company paid cash finder’s fees totaling $27,825 and issued 105,000 non-transferable finder warrants (each, a “Finder Warrant”) to certain eligible arm’s-length finders who introduced subscribers to the Offering. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share (a “Finder Share”) at a price of $0.35 per Finder Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months plus one day from closing, in accordance with applicable securities laws and Canadian Securities Exchange requirements.

USE OF PROCEEDS

The gross proceeds from the Offering will be used to incur eligible Canadian exploration expenses that will qualify as “Critical Mineral Mining Expenditures” as defined under the Income Tax Act (Canada). The expenditures will be renounced to subscribers effective December 31, 2026.

Funds from the Offering are expected to support ongoing exploration and advancement of the Company’s Magno Project.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Rob Birmingham, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:
Rob Birmingham, CEO
www.GoldHavenresources.com
info@goldhavenresources.com
Office Direct: (604) 629-8254

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE- Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, those listed below under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements in This News Release” are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: “believes”, “will”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “may”, “should”, “potential”, “scheduled”, or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that there will be investor interest in future financings, market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration and development of any future projects in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for exploration and development of future projects and the Company’s ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the inability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing required to conduct its business and affairs, as currently contemplated, the inability of the Company to enter into definitive agreements in respect of possible Letters of Intent, the timing and amount of estimated future production, the costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, including by the Exchange, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s latest interim Management’s Discussion and Analysis and filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company’s Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

Forward-Looking Statements in This News Release

The following statements in this news release constitute forward-looking information:

• The expectation that the additional capital will provide GoldHaven with increased financial flexibility to advance exploration at its Magno Project and build upon the Company’s ongoing 2026 exploration program
• GoldHaven’s plan to further strengthen its exploration program at Magno while maintaining the momentum established on the ground
• The expenditures from the Offering being renounced to subscribers effective December 31, 2026

TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final September 2026 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on September 24, 2026 will receive cash distributions payable on September 29, 2026.

Details regarding the final “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

Fund Name	Fund Ticker	Cash Distribution Per Unit
iShares Premium Money Market ETF	CMR	$0.093

Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca.

About BlackRock
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate.

About iShares ETFs
iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of more than 1,700 exchange traded funds (ETFs) and approximately $6.2 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.   

iShares^® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Canada.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Contact for Media:
Sydney Punchard
Email: Sydney.Punchard@blackrock.com

Vectus CEO Erik Prince confirms intent to purchase at least 40 Swarmer-built air defense systems in year one and 80 or more in year two following the start of production in Poland

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Swarmer, Inc (“Swarmer”) (NASDAQ: SWMR), a drone autonomy platform company that has supported more than 100,000 real-world combat missions in Ukraine since April 2024, today announced it has signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with Vectus Air Defense Systems, a company in which Swarmer holds a 20% interest, to manufacture, sell and deploy end-to-end air defense systems in eligible markets, subject to applicable export-control, sanctions, procurement, and other governmental requirements.

Swarmer intends to establish an air defense system manufacturing facility in Poland. Under the memorandum, Vectus has confirmed its intent to purchase and deploy at least 40 Swarmer-built systems in year one and 80 or more in year two following the start of production.

“We intend to manufacture an end-to-end solution that includes radars, cameras, fire control and effectors to target a variety of threats, including newer jet-powered Shahed-type attack drones,” said Alex Fink, Swarmer U.S. CEO and president. “The systems use combat-proven Gatling-type rotary cannons, capable of firing 20mm rounds at a rate of up to 6,000 rounds per minute, as the last line of defense.”

Fink estimates each system will retail at approximately $5 million to $6 million. Gun-based kinetic effectors are intended to significantly reduce the cost per kill compared with multimillion-dollar precision-guided missiles. Historically, drones are much cheaper than the missiles used to intercept them, whereas 20mm ammunition is relatively inexpensive and widely available.

“In my experience, high-powered rotary cannons produce a wall of lead that few aerial threats can survive,” said Erik Prince, who acts as both Vectus’ CEO and Swarmer’s board chairman. “I believe these systems will be in high demand because they are portable, affordable and designed to destroy targets on impact. High-speed enemy drones may outfly an interceptor, but they can’t outfly thousands of 20mm rounds.”

Final quantities, pricing, financing, specifications, and delivery schedules remain subject to definitive agreements.

About Swarmer

Swarmer™ (Nasdaq: SWMR) is a defense technology company that specializes in vendor-agnostic software which allows one operator to intuitively control hundreds of autonomous platforms in real time. Swarmer’s primary mission areas include autonomous swarm coordination, integration of multi-domain unmanned systems and AI-powered autonomy software for distributed operations. Swarmer’s technology has been rigorously validated in real-world kinetic environments and was first deployed in combat operations in Ukraine in April 2024. Since then, it has completed more than 100,000 combat missions, generating terabytes of proprietary data that informs its machine-learning models and enables the replication of advanced pilot performance at scale. Swarmer’s routine use in combat missions generates continuous streams of telemetry, sensor data and operational feedback which are then used to refine performance, increase resilience and accelerate learning. Swarmer has headquarters in Austin, Texas, and maintains operations and teams in Ukraine, Poland and Estonia. For more information, visit www.swarmer.com.

About Vectus Air Defense Systems

Vectus Air Defense Systems provides Air Defense as a Service for sovereign governments and critical infrastructure operators. The company designs, integrates and continuously operates layered air-defense systems under multi-year service agreements, while monitoring evolving threats and upgrading deployed systems as technologies and tactics change. Its mission is to help ensure that critical infrastructure remains operational when disruption is not an option. For more information, visit: https://www.vectusairdefense.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements between Swarmer and Vectus; the proposed establishment, timing, financing and operation of manufacturing operations in Poland; the anticipated development, manufacturing, pricing, commercial availability, sales, purchase, deployment, delivery, capabilities and performance of the air defense systems; Vectus’ intended purchases including anticipated quantities and timing; potential customer demand, cost savings and market opportunity; Swarmer’s product roadmap, commercialization plans, customer adoption, growth strategy and defense technology strategy; and any other statements using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “designed,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the risk that the nonbinding memorandum of understanding may be terminated or may not result in definitive agreements or binding purchase orders; the risk that Vectus may purchase fewer systems than currently contemplated or none at all; the risk that required financing, permits, regulatory approvals or governmental authorizations may not be obtained or may be subject to conditions; the risk that the proposed manufacturing operations in Poland may be delayed, reduced in scope or not established; the risk that final pricing, quantities, configurations, delivery schedules and other commercial terms may differ from current expectations; the risk that product development, testing, validation, commercial availability, production or deliveries may be delayed or unsuccessful; risks associated with sourcing and integrating radars, cameras, fire-control systems, effectors, ammunition and other third-party components; reliance on partners, suppliers, customers and government stakeholders; technical, operational, cybersecurity, safety and field-performance risks; the risks related to government, defense and international procurement processes; risks related to operating in or supporting customers in active conflict zones, including Ukraine; geopolitical, sanctions, export-control, defense-trade-control and other regulatory risks; competition in the defense technology sector; and the risk that the transactions and relationships described in this press release may not produce the anticipated operational, commercial, technical or strategic benefits.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Swarmer undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in Swarmer’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the caption “Risk Factors” in Swarmer’s registration statement and other filings filed with or furnished to the SEC.

Investor Contact (Swarmer): swmr@gateway-grp.com 

Media Contact (Swarmer): media@swarmer.tech 

Dr. Jennifer Billingsley Appointed President

PHOENIX, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aspen Group, Inc. (“AGI”) (OTCQB: ASPU), an education technology holding company and the parent company of Aspen University (AU) and United States University (USU), announced today that Dr. Scott Burrus has resigned as President of USU and AU (the “Universities”), effective September 23, 2026. Dr. Jennifer Billingsley, DNP, FNP-BC, CNE, currently Provost and Chief Academic Officer of the Universities, has been appointed President, effective immediately.

Dr. Billingsley brings more than 20 years of experience in academic leadership, higher education and clinical practice to the role. As a member of the Aspen Group leadership team for over 8 years, she is currently serving in the role of Provost and Chief Academic Officer where she oversees USU’s and AU’s academic programs, student services, accreditation and faculty development. Dr. Billingsley previously served as Dean and Professor of USU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, where she helped launch the University’s first doctoral program, supported the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (“CCNE”) accreditation and led initiatives focused on student success and faculty development.

“Jennifer is an accomplished academic leader who has played an important role in the development of our institutions,” said Matt LaVay, Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Group. “Her deep knowledge of their academic programs and students, together with her experience in accreditation and academic leadership, makes her well suited to lead them through their next phase, including the pending merger of AU into USU. We look forward to working with Jennifer as we continue to advance our academic programs and support student success.”

LaVay continued, “On behalf of USU and AU, I would also like to thank Scott for his leadership and contributions to the Universities. During his tenure, Scott played an important role in the academic and institutional development of both institutions. We appreciate his service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Prior to joining USU’s senior leadership team, Dr. Billingsley served as Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Earlier in her career, she served at Grand Canyon University, including as Chair of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Nursing in Family Nurse Practitioner from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as President of both USU and AU,” said Dr. Billingsley. “I have had the privilege of working alongside our faculty, staff and students and have seen firsthand their commitment to academic excellence and student success. I look forward to building on that foundation as we continue to advance the Universities’ mission and provide accessible, high-quality educational opportunities for our students.”

About Aspen Group, Inc.

Aspen Group, Inc. is an education technology holding company that leverages its infrastructure and expertise to allow its two universities, United States University and Aspen University, to deliver on the vision of making college affordable again. For more information, visit www.aspu.com.

Contact Information:

Hayden IR
Kimberly Rogers
(385) 831-7337
Kim@HaydenIR.com

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW.

The final short form prospectus is accessible through SEDAR+

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (“Alaris” or the “Trust“) (TSX: AD.UN) is pleased to announce today that it has filed, and obtained a receipt for, a final short form prospectus (the “Prospectus“) in each of the provinces of Canada, other than Québec, with respect to the previously announced bought deal offering of 4,465,000 trust units of the Trust (“Units“) at a price of $22.40 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $100 million (the “Offering“) through a syndicate of underwriters (the “Underwriters“) led by CIBC Capital Markets, Acumen Capital Finance Partners Limited and National Bank of Canada Capital Markets. The Trust has also granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 669,750 Units, on the same terms and conditions as the Offering, exercisable in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, up to 30 days following closing of the Offering to cover over-allotments and for market stabilization purposes, for additional gross proceeds of up to approximately $15 million.

Access to the Prospectus and any amendment thereto is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a prospectus and any amendment thereto. The Prospectus and any amendment thereto is accessible on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Prospectus and any amendment thereto may be obtained, without charge, by contacting CIBC Capital Markets, 161 Bay Street, 5th floor, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S8, by telephone at 1-416-956-6378 or by email at mailbox.canadianprospectus@cibc.com, from Acumen Capital Finance Partners Limited at info@acumencapital.com or from National Bank of Canada Capital Markets by telephone at 416-869-8414 or by email at nbf-syndication@bnc.ca, by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable. Prospective investors should read the Prospectus in its entirety before making an investment decision.

The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on September 28, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

ABOUT ALARIS

Alaris’ investment and investing activity refers to providing, through the wholly-owned subsidiaries of Alaris (the “Acquisition Entities“), structured equity to private companies (“Partners“) to meet their business and capital objectives, which includes management buyouts, dividend recapitalization, growth and acquisitions. Alaris achieves this by investing its unitholder capital, as well as debt, through the Acquisition Entities, in exchange for distributions, dividends or interest (collectively, “Distributions“) as well as capital appreciation on both preferred and common equity. The principal objective is to generate predictable cash flows for distribution payments to its unitholders while growing net book value through returns from capital appreciation. Distributions, other than common equity Distributions, from the Partners are adjusted annually based on the percentage change of a “top-line” financial performance measure such as gross margin or same store sales and rank in priority to common equity position.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words “expect”, “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”, “believe”, “plans”, “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. In particular, but without limiting the forgoing, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Underwriters’ over-allotment option and the expected closing date of the Offering. Although Alaris believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Alaris can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Alaris undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

For further information please contact:

ir@alarisequity.com
P: (403) 260-1457
Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust
Suite 250, 333 24th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2S 3E6
www.alarisequitypartners.com

MUNCIE, Ind., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq: FRME) (the “Company”) today announced the pricing of its offering of $100 million of its 6.750% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the “Notes”) in a registered public offering (the “Offering”). The Notes will initially bear interest at 6.750% per annum from and including September 25, 2026 to, but excluding, October 1, 2031, with interest payable semiannually in arrears commencing on April 1, 2027. Commencing October 1, 2031, the interest rate on the Notes will reset quarterly to a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate that is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR (which is defined in the Notes) plus 202 basis points, with interest payable quarterly in arrears.

The Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, on October 1, 2031 and on any interest payment date thereafter at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The Notes will mature on October 1, 2036 if they are not earlier redeemed.

The Company expects to close the Offering, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, on or about September 25, 2026. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, the repurchase of its common shares. The Notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes.

Piper Sandler is acting as the sole book-running manager for the Offering. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, Hovde Group and Brean Capital are serving as co-managers.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities of the Company. There will be no sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Any offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to purchase securities of the Company will be made only pursuant to a prospectus supplement and prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) (File No. 333-298983) and a preliminary prospectus supplement with the SEC for the Offering to which this press release relates. Before making an investment decision, you should read the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents that the Company has filed with the SEC for additional information about the Company and the Offering.

Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the Offering can be obtained without charge by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or may be obtained by emailing Piper Sandler & Co. at fsg-dcm@psc.com.

About First Merchants Corporation

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and any other written or oral statements made by us from time to time may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believe”, “continue”, “pattern”, “estimate”, “project”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “expect” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will”, “would”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “can”, “may”, or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include (i) statements of the Company’s goals, intentions, and expectations; (ii) statements regarding the Company’s business plan and growth strategies; (iii) statements regarding the asset quality of the Company’s loan and investment portfolios; and (iv) estimates of the Company’s risks and future costs and benefits.

All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: (i) fluctuations in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, which could negatively affect our net interest margin, asset valuations, and expense expectations; (ii) adverse changes in the economy, which might affect our business prospects and could cause credit-related losses and expenses; (iii) the impacts of epidemics, pandemics, or other infectious disease outbreaks; (iv) the impacts related to or resulting from recent bank failures or adverse developments at other banks on general investor sentiment regarding the stability and liquidity of banks; (v) adverse developments in our loan and investment portfolios; (vi) competitive factors in the banking industry, such as the trend towards consolidation in our market; (vii) changes in the banking legislation or the regulatory requirements of federal and state agencies applicable to bank holding companies and banks like our affiliate bank; (viii) acquisitions of other businesses by us and integration of such acquired businesses; (ix) changes in market, economic, operational, liquidity, credit, and interest rate risks associated with our business; and (x) the continued availability of earnings and excess capital sufficient for the lawful and prudent declaration and payment of cash dividends.

Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, those discussed under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2026, and other factors discussed in the filings we make with the SEC.

All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made. Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. There is no assurance that future results, levels of activity, performance, or goals will be achieved.

For more information, contact:
First Merchants Corporation
Nicole M. Weaver, First Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration
765-521-7619
http://www.firstmerchants.com

SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation, Muncie, Indiana