<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000063296-19-000024.txt : 20190318
<SEC-HEADER>0000063296-19-000024.hdr.sgml : 20190318
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20190318171114
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000063296-19-000024
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20190314
FILED AS OF DATE:		20190318
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20190318

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Whitaker Jerry R.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001526497

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-09115
		FILM NUMBER:		19689134

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER
		CITY:			PITTSBURGH
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			15212

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000063296
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NONFERROUS FOUNDRIES (CASTINGS) [3360]
		IRS NUMBER:				250644320
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			PA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER
		CITY:			PITTSBURGH
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			15212-5851
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4124428200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER
		CITY:			PITTSBURGH
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			15212-5851

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MATTHEWS JAMES H & CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19780823
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>wf-form4_155294345909842.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-03-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000063296</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MATW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001526497</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Whitaker Jerry R.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15212</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3291</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3291.0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3291</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Stock Units under 2014 Director Fee Plan</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>71</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>71.0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4282</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Award of restricted share units made under the 2019 Director Fee Plan subject to the agreement entered into under the 2019 Director Fee Plan. Each restricted share unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Company's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The number of restricted share units issued by the Issuer to the Reporting Person was calculated based on $37.99, which represents the mean of the highest and lowest sales prices per share of the Issuer's Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Exchange on the date of issuance.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The award generally vests on March 14, 2021 at which point the units will be converted to an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock. Upon the vesting of this award of restricted share units, the reporting person deferred the receipt of the Class A common stock underlying the award subject to a timely deferral election, unless such deferral election is timely modified or revoked pursuant to its terms.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each Deferred Stock Unit (&quot;DSU&quot;) is the economic equivalent of one share of Class A common stock.  The DSUs become payable in common stock in accordance with a deferral election made by the reporting person or pursuant to the Issuer's Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan. A copy of such deferral election is on file with the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">DSUs were issued by the Issuer to the Reporting Person pursuant to dividend equivalent rights issued in the following increments: 15 on 05/15/2018; 15 on 08/13/2018; 20 on 12/10/2018; 21 on 02/18/2019.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The Power of Attorney dated November 29, 2017 was filed on March 9, 2018, in Form 4, and is incorporated herein by reference.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Brian D. Walters (Attorney-in-Fact)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-03-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
