First Busey (BUSE) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $2.19B
• Dividend Yield: 4.1%
• Average Volume (3M): 540.94K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 21.9
• Beta (1Y): 0.97
• Revenue Growth: 26.75%
• EPS Growth: -42.01%
• Country: US
• Employees: 1,965
• Sector: Financial
• Sector Strength: 70
• Industry: Banks - Regional
• EPS (TTM): 0.52
• Shares Outstanding: 89,065,910
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 707,742
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 540,939
• PEG Ratio: -1.30
• Price to Book (P/B): 0.96
• Price to Sales (P/S): 2.01
• P/FCF Ratio: 7.76
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.06
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.85
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 4.58
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 17.16
• 1Y Price Target: $27.60
• Price Target Upside: 14.43% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 5

• Rating: 74 Outperform
• Price Target: $28.00 ▲(16.09% Upside)

First Busey is well-positioned with strong financial performance and positive technical indicators. However, valuation concerns and a potential tax liability pose risks. The company's strategic focus on balance sheet strength and shareholder returns is a positive factor.

First Busey Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

First Busey Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Busey Bank that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individual, corporate, institutional, and governmental customers in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Banking, FirsTech, and Wealth Management. It offers customary types of demand and savings deposits; and commercial, agricultural, real estate construction, commercial and residential real estate, and consumer loans, as well as home equity lines of credit. The company also provides money transfer, safe deposit, IRA, and other fiduciary services through banking center, ATM and technology-based networks. In addition, it offers investment management, trust, estate advisory, and financial planning services, as well as business succession and employee retirement planning services; investment strategy consulting and fiduciary services; and security brokerage services. Further, the company provides asset management, philanthropic advisory, tax preparation, and professional farm management services; and commercial depository services, such as cash management services. Additionally, it offers payment technology solutions through its payment platform, such as walk-in payment processing for customers at retail pay agents; online bill payment solutions; customer service payments accepted over the telephone; mobile bill pay; direct debit services; electronic concentration of payments delivered to automated clearing house network; money management and credit card networks; and lockbox remittance processing to make payments by mail, as well as provides tools related to billing, reconciliation, bill reminders, and treasury services. The company has 46 banking centers in Illinois; 8 in Missouri; 3 in southwest Florida; and 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana. First Busey Corporation was founded in 1868 and is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois.

How the Company Makes Money

First Busey generates revenue through several key streams. Primarily, the company earns interest income from loans provided to customers, including commercial, residential, and consumer loans. Additionally, it receives interest from investment securities. Non-interest income is another significant revenue source, which includes fees from services such as asset management, mortgage origination, and transaction fees. The company also benefits from its wealth management division, which provides advisory services and generates fees from managing client assets. Strategic partnerships with local businesses and community organizations further enhance its service offerings and customer base, contributing to overall earnings.

First Busey Financial Statement Overview

Summary

First Busey demonstrates strong revenue growth and a stable financial position with low leverage. However, declining profit margins and return on equity indicate potential profitability challenges. The company shows resilience in cash flow generation, though there are signs of pressure on cash flow relative to earnings.

Income Statement

First Busey shows a strong revenue growth rate of 18.36% in the TTM, indicating robust top-line expansion. However, the gross profit margin has decreased from previous years, suggesting increased cost pressures. The net profit margin has also declined, reflecting reduced profitability. Despite these challenges, the company maintains a healthy EBIT and EBITDA margin, showcasing operational efficiency.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet is solid with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09 in the TTM, indicating conservative leverage. The return on equity has decreased, suggesting a decline in profitability relative to equity. However, the equity ratio remains strong, highlighting a stable financial position with ample equity backing.

Cash Flow

Cash flow analysis reveals a positive free cash flow growth rate of 13.69% in the TTM, indicating improved cash generation. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong, reflecting efficient cash conversion. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio has slightly decreased, suggesting potential pressures on cash flow relative to earnings.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	816.49M	662.51M	600.59M	486.60M	431.60M	444.86M
Gross Profit	508.02M	452.86M	440.67M	445.43M	418.60M	362.40M
EBITDA	135.69M	173.86M	176.61M	187.39M	185.00M	156.15M
Net Income	77.52M	113.69M	122.56M	128.31M	123.45M	100.34M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	18.92B	12.05B	12.28B	12.34B	12.86B	10.54B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	796.29M	1.93B	2.81B	2.69B	4.82B	2.95B
Total Debt	464.18M	469.19M	523.58M	917.70M	638.82M	486.29M
Total Liabilities	16.51B	10.66B	11.01B	11.19B	11.54B	9.27B
Stockholders Equity	2.41B	1.38B	1.27B	1.15B	1.32B	1.27B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	162.40M	171.84M	163.86M	160.80M	156.97M	158.98M
Operating Cash Flow	170.34M	178.27M	173.39M	165.79M	162.01M	163.17M
Investing Cash Flow	1.03B	657.90M	550.99M	-290.86M	-829.19M	-729.54M
Financing Cash Flow	-732.63M	-858.09M	-231.96M	-483.86M	814.74M	725.61M

First Busey Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Neutral
• Last Price: 24.12
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For BUSE, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 24.12 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 24.61, above the 50-day MA of 23.77, and above the 200-day MA of 22.76, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.19 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 47.32 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 27.14 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for BUSE.

First Busey Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
OFG	78 Outperform	1.97B	10.44	14.59%	2.48%	4.15%	4.39%
EFSC	77 Outperform	2.18B	11.25	10.44%	2.00%	5.66%	16.11%
BUSE	74 Outperform	$2.19B	21.93	4.14%	4.10%	26.75%	-42.01%
NBTB	74 Outperform	2.24B	15.42	7.39%	3.25%	10.00%	7.35%
TRMK	73 Outperform	2.44B	11.37	10.48%	2.35%	17.17%	―
Sector *	68 Neutral	$18.00B	11.42	9.92%	3.81%	9.73%	1.22%

First Busey Corporate Events

First Busey Highlights Strong Financial Position August 2025

First Busey Corporation has released its investor highlights for August 2025, emphasizing its robust financial position and strategic focus on balance sheet strength. The company reported a total asset value of $18.9 billion and a total capital ratio of 15.8% as of the second quarter of 2025. It has successfully returned $26.5 million to shareholders via an active share repurchase plan by June 30, 2025. Busey also highlighted its diversified and conservatively underwritten commercial loan portfolio and its top three deposit market share in Central Illinois markets. The company continues to optimize profitability following its acquisition of CrossFirst Bankshares announced in August 2024, with a focus on maintaining a resilient liquidity profile and active risk management.

First Busey Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

On August 8, 2025, First Busey Corporation announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.578646 per depositary share on its 8.25% Fixed-Rate Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock. This dividend, payable on September 2, 2025, to stockholders of record as of August 18, 2025, reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to providing returns to its shareholders.

First Busey Reports Q2 Earnings Amid Tax Dispute

On July 22, 2025, First Busey Corporation announced its second-quarter earnings for 2025, reporting a net income of $47.4 million. The company is also dealing with a franchise tax dispute with the Illinois Secretary of State, which could potentially result in additional liabilities exceeding $28 million. Busey intends to contest the preliminary estimate and defend its position, which could impact its financial standing.

First Busey Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend

On July 8, 2025, First Busey Corporation announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share on its common stock, to be paid on July 25, 2025, to stockholders of record as of July 18, 2025. This declaration reflects the company’s commitment to returning value to its shareholders and may influence investor sentiment and market perception of the company’s financial health.