Should I Buy BUSE? BUSE 2026 Analysis

Should You Buy First Busey Corp (BUSE) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Conclusion

Buy

Latest Price

24.680

1 Day change

1.19%

52 Week Range

26.080

Analysis Updated At

2026/01/28

BUY now for a beginner long-term investor with $50k–$100k. BUSE is pulling back (-2.40% to $24.31) after strong Q4 results (big YoY revenue and profit growth and an EPS beat), while the broader trend remains constructive (bullish moving averages). With no Intellectia AI Stock Picker or SwingMax signal today, this is not a “trade” call—it’s a fundamentals-plus-trend entry. Given you’re impatient and don’t want to wait for an ideal dip, a practical approach is to start a position now and add if it tags support near ~$23.95.

Technical Analysis

Price/Trend: Despite today’s drop to $24.31, the moving average stack is bullish (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200), which typically supports a continued intermediate uptrend. Momentum: RSI(6) ~44.7 is neutral-to-slightly weak (not overbought), consistent with a pullback rather than a blow-off top. MACD histogram is positive (0.0201) but contracting, implying bullish momentum is slowing near-term. Levels: Pivot ~24.86 is immediate overhead; reclaiming it improves near-term tone. Support S1 ~23.95 (first area buyers may defend); deeper support S2 ~23.39. Resistance: R1 ~25.76 then R2 ~26.32. Pattern/near-term odds: Similar-pattern stats suggest modest downside bias over the next day/week, but a positive 1-month expectation (+4.04%), fitting a long-term accumulation rather than short-term chasing.

Options Data

Bullish

Open Interest Put-Call Ratio

Bullish

Option Volume Put-Call Ratio

Sentiment from options positioning is strongly bullish: open interest is overwhelmingly call-heavy (call OI 222 vs put OI 5; OI put/call ~0.02). However, volume is effectively zero today (no call/put volume reported), so the signal reflects positioning more than fresh conviction. Volatility: 30D IV ~64.6 versus historical volatility ~32, and IV percentile ~68.4—options are priced rich relative to realized moves, often seen around earnings/news. This can coincide with heightened event expectations, but it also means options traders are already paying up for movement.

Technical Summary

Sell

Buy

Positive Catalysts

1) Q4 (2025/Q4) earnings strength (reported 2026-01-28): net income $56.16M and EPS $0.63 vs $0.49 prior year; adjusted EPS $0.68 beat vs ~$0.62 estimate; revenue surged to ~$200.25M (very strong YoY growth).
2) Market confidence tailwind from a clear earnings beat (news flow is positive and straightforward).
3) Technical backdrop remains supportive with bullish moving averages; a pullback toward support can offer a reasonable long-term entry.
4) Wall Street remains constructive: Piper Sandler maintains Overweight (even after lowering PT).

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

1) Near-term momentum is cooling (MACD histogram still positive but contracting) and price is below the pivot (~24.86), so the stock may chop or retest support (~23.95).
2) Analyst note flagged prior issues: loan and core deposit shrinkage (a key watch item for banks, impacting growth narrative).
3) Options implied volatility is elevated; expectations are higher, which can amplify price reactions around updates.
4) No notable supportive flows from hedge funds/insiders recently (both listed as neutral).

Financial Performance

Latest quarter: 2025/Q4. Growth trends were strong: Revenue ~$200.25M (reported as ~+71% in news; snapshot indicates ~+99.6% YoY), Net Income $56.16M (~+99.8% YoY), EPS $0.63 (+28.6% YoY). Adjusted EPS ($0.68) also exceeded expectations (~$0.62). Overall, this is a clear acceleration versus last year and supports a long-term buy case. Event note: The calendar also shows an earnings entry (QDEC 2025) dated 2026-02-03 after hours, which may be a scheduled/estimated listing; the news indicates Q4 results were already reported on 2026-01-28—confirming the next catalyst timing would be helpful, but the key takeaway is that the most recent results were strong.

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

Recent trend: Piper Sandler (2025-10-31) kept an Overweight rating but lowered the price target from $30 to $26. Wall Street pro view (pros): Bullish stance maintained; expectation for multiple expansion toward peers; outlook for a rebound in loan/core deposit growth and strong core fee income. Wall Street con view (cons): The price target cut reflects near-term growth headwinds (loan/core deposit shrinkage) despite solid profitability and net interest margin progress. Positioning/Influential trading: No recent congress trading data available; hedge funds and insiders are neutral with no significant recent trend.

3 Analyst Rating

Wall Street analysts forecast BUSE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BUSE is 26.33 USD with a low forecast of 24 USD and a high forecast of 29 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.

2 Buy

1 Hold

0 Sell

Moderate Buy

Current: 24.390

Low

Averages

26.33

High

Current: 24.390

Low

Averages

26.33

High

Piper Sandler

Overweight

downgrade

$30 -> $26

AI Analysis

2025-10-31

Reason

Piper Sandler

Price Target

$30 -> $26

AI Analysis

2025-10-31

downgrade

Overweight

Reason

Piper Sandler lowered the firm's price target on First Busey to $26 from $30 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. Apart from shrinkage in both loans and core deposits, First Busev posted solid Q3 results as PPNR was within 1% of expectations and aided by greater net interest margin expansion, the firm says. Piper remains bullish with First Busev well-positioned for multiple expansion closer to peers via a likely rebound to low-to-mid-single digit loan and core deposit growth as well as with strong core fee income increases.

Raymond James

Outperform

maintain

$27 -> $28

2025-08-29

Reason

Raymond James

Price Target

$27 -> $28

2025-08-29

maintain

Outperform

Reason

Raymond James raised the firm's price target on First Busey to $28 from $27 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares following investor meetings with the CEO and other executives from the bank. The tone of meetings was "positive," says the analyst, who remains bullish on the bank's ability to integrate the CrossFirst deal and grow in new markets without diluting its core deposit strength.

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BUSE Should I Buy

BUSE Should I Buy

Should You Buy First Busey Corp (BUSE) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Technical Analysis

Options Data

Technical Summary

Positive Catalysts

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Financial Performance

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

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