BANGOR – Merrill Merchants Bancshares, the parent company of Merrill Merchants Bank, has announced that the company is declaring a cash dividend of 15 cents a share on the company’s common stock. This is an increase of 2 cents per share over the dividend paid during the fourth quarter last year. It will be paid Jan. 31, 2005, to all shareholders of record on Jan. 15, 2005.

Merrill Merchants has 11 locations in central and eastern Maine.

It is a preferred lender for the U.S. Small Business Administration.