8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 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): November 2, 2020

____________________

Mercantile Bank Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Michigan	000-26719	38-3360865
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)	Number)	Identification Number)

310 Leonard Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan	49504
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code	616-406-3000

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐  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))

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	MBWM	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).                                   

 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 8.01     Other Events.

On November 2, 2020, Mercantile Bank of Michigan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercantile Bank Corporation, issued a press release announcing the opening of a new mortgage lending center in Cincinnati, Ohio. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press release of Mercantile Bank of Michigan dated November 2, 2020.
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.

	Mercantile Bank Corporation
	By:	/s/ Charles E. Christmas
		Charles E. Christmas
		Executive Vice President, Chief
		Financial Officer and Treasurer
Date: November 2, 2020

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

MERCANTILE BANK OF MICHIGAN ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO OHIO WITH OPENING OF NEW MORTGAGE LENDING CENTER IN CINCINNATI

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., November 2, 2020 – Mercantile Bank of Michigan (“Mercantile Bank”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercantile Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: MBWM), announced the opening of a new mortgage lending center in Cincinnati. The opening of this office will feature a highly qualified team of mortgage lending professionals and will mark Mercantile Bank’s first location outside of Michigan.

"The decision to expand our lending presence to the Cincinnati Tri-State Area was driven by our confidence in the exceptional mortgage bankers joining the Mercantile team, coupled with our personal approach to the mortgage lending process. We look forward to joining the greater Cincinnati community where we believe that our people and commitment to providing an exceptional mortgage loan experience will be a welcomed addition,” said Ray Reitsma, President of Mercantile Bank. “Our entire Mercantile family is excited to extend our team with the entrance into this market, as we continue to strategically grow our mortgage lending operation.”

“Our mortgage lenders in this office will offer a robust set of residential mortgage loan products to customers. From new purchases, to home refinancing and new construction loans, we are committed to providing innovative options and exceptional service, both of which have made us a premier choice for home loans in Michigan,” said Scott Setlock, Mercantile Bank’s Senior Vice President, Mortgage and Consumer Lending. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand our lending footprint into, and become part of, the Cincinnati Tri-State market."

About Mercantile Bank

Mercantile Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercantile Bank Corporation. Mercantile Bank provides banking services to businesses, individuals and governmental units, and differentiates itself on the basis of service quality and the expertise of its banking staff. Mercantile Bank has assets of approximately $4.4 billion and operates 39 banking offices.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains comments or information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such comments are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results expressed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include changes in interest rates and interest rate relationships; demand for products and services; the degree of competition by traditional and nontraditional competitors; changes in banking regulation or actions by bank regulators; changes in tax laws; changes in prices, levies, and assessments; the impact of technological advances; governmental and regulatory policy changes; the outcomes of contingencies; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; changes in local real estate values; changes in the national and local economies, including the significant disruption to financial market and other economic activity caused by the outbreak of COVID-19; and other factors, including risk factors, disclosed from time to time in filings made by Mercantile with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mercantile undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

AT MERCANTILE BANK:

Scott Setlock

SVP, Mortgage & Consumer Lending

616-726-5869

ssetlock@mercbank.com

XML

Document And Entity Information	Nov. 02, 2020
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity, Registrant Name	Mercantile Bank Corporation
Document, Type	8-K
Document, Period End Date	Nov. 02, 2020
Entity, Incorporation, State or Country Code	MI
Entity, File Number	000-26719
Entity, Tax Identification Number	38-3360865
Entity, Address, Address Line One	310 Leonard Street NW
Entity, Address, City or Town	Grand Rapids
Entity, Address, State or Province	MI
Entity, Address, Postal Zip Code	49504
City Area Code	616
Local Phone Number	406-3000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Trading Symbol	MBWM
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity, Emerging Growth Company	false
Amendment Flag	false
Entity, Central Index Key	0001042729