WinstonWınston
Back
First Busey Corporation logo

First Busey Corporation

BUSE
60
Banks - Regional · Financial Services
Price
$30.30
+0.09 (+0.30%)
Market Cap
$2.56B
Exchange
NASDAQ
Winston Score
60
Winston is curious
A decent business — some strong pillars, some weaker.
Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Jun 30, 2026
How the score breaks down
Growth
Strong
Valuation
Good
Dividends
Good

Share count rising — dilution

+59.2% over 4y

The company has issued more shares over this period, which dilutes each existing shareholder’s stake.

Diluted shares outstanding: 56.0M (2021) → 89.1M (2025)

Winston Score History

The full picture

First Busey Corporation is a regional bank holding company based in Champaign, Illinois. It operates through its main subsidiary, Busey Bank, which offers everyday banking services like checking and savings accounts, loans, and mortgages to individuals and businesses. The company also runs a wealth management division called Busey Wealth Management and a payment processing unit called FirsTech.

First Busey makes money primarily through interest income on loans and fees from banking and wealth management services. It operates mainly across Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Florida, with roughly $12 billion in total assets, making it a mid-sized regional bank. The company's long history in the Midwest and its mix of banking, wealth management, and payment services give it some diversification compared to pure-play community banks. The main risk it faces is interest rate sensitivity — changes in rates directly affect how much profit it earns on loans versus what it pays depositors, which can squeeze margins quickly.

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

-63.7% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Revenue declining

EPS Growth

-205.7% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Earnings declining

R&D Spend

$0/ year

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (7%)

Research and development spending

Insider Activity

4.7%ownership

Flat

Insider ownership roughly steady over the past year

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

$16.8B cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↑ Burn rate improving

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Revenue declining

First Busey Corporation's revenue is actually shrinking. In a growth stock, that removes the core investment thesis. The low Winston Score here may be warranted — unless there's a turnaround story.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Bank Quality

Not applicable for this business.

Growth

Sales growth
Sales YoY
+14.8%
Fast-growing sales (+14.8% YoY)
Profit growth
EPS YoY
+28.9%
Earnings growing fast (+28.9% YoY)

Earnings growing 25%+ a year. The compounder zone.

How steady the profit is
EPS Consistency
6/8 quarters
Earnings grew in most of the last 8 quarters

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Capital Strength

Not applicable for this business.

Asset Quality

Not applicable for this business.

Valuation

Price vs profit
P/E Ratio (TTM)
10.9x
Attractive valuation — P/E 10.9

P/E in the normal range. Price is roughly $15 for every $1 of yearly profit.

Cheaper or dearer next year
P/E vs Forward
-1.5
SLOWING
Earnings expected to fall — forward P/E higher than today

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Dividends

Dividend
Dividend Yield
3.26%
Moderate income — 3.26% yield

Standard yield zone for stable dividend payers. A meaningful piece of total return.

Dividend record
Dividend Growth
+4.0%
Dividend growing modestly (4.0% YoY)

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free
🔒 See full fundamentals and if they are improving or declining — click here for your free trial now.
Start free trial