FirstMerit (FMER) Commences $315M Common Stock Offering

FirstMerit Corporation (Nasdaq: FMER) announced today that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of $315 million of its common stock. The purpose of the offering includes to provide additional capital to FirstMerit Bank, National Association following its assumption of certain liabilities and deposits and acquisition of certain assets of Midwest Bank and Trust Company on May 14, 2010.

FirstMerit intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the number of shares sold in the offering to cover over-allotments, if any.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, RBC Capital Markets Corporation and Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. are the bookrunning managers for the offering.