** Shares of Indiana-based German American Bancorp GABC.O
fall 2.4% to $39.67 after the bell
** GABC agrees to buy Ohio-based community lender Heartland
BancCorp HLAN.PK in an all-stock deal valued at $330.2 mln,
the banks say
** The deal will create a combined lender with more than
$8.1 bln in assets and expand GABC's footprint into Columbus and
Cincinnati, Ohio
** HLAN shareholders will receive 3.90 shares of GABC for
each held
** HLAN CEO Scott McComb set to join GABC board as part of
the deal, which is expected to close in Q1 2025
** Keefe, Bruyette & Woods served as the adviser to German
American while Raymond James is advising Heartland
** As of last close, GABC shares up 25.5% YTD
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))