The bank demonstrates consistent capital return capabilities, utilizing $66.1 million for share buybacks in 2026Q1 while maintaining an OCF/NI ratio that averaged above 1.0 in most recent periods.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 235.73M | 192.57M | 178.27M | 173.39M | 165.79M | 162.01M | 163.17M | 88.32M | 202.55M | 253.36M | -20.89M | 61.51M | 68.11M | 98.15M | 49.07M | 115.88M | 87.77M | 51.39M | 81.38M | 35.57M | 29.32M | 30.3M | 48.6M | 54.57M | -14.12M | 2.27M | 22.34M | 21.7M | 8.5M | 10.3M | 13.79M |
| Operating CF Growth % | 630.94% | 8.02% | 2.81% | 4.59% | 2.33% | -0.71% | 84.75% | -56.39% | -20.05% | 1312.59% | -133.97% | -9.7% | -30.61% | 100.03% | -57.65% | 32.02% | 70.78% | -36.84% | 128.8% | 21.31% | -3.26% | -37.65% | -10.93% | 486.41% | -723.21% | -89.86% | 2.97% | 155.29% | -17.48% | -25.31% | -2.36% |
| Net Income | 215.23M | 135.26M | 113.69M | 122.56M | 128.31M | 123.45M | 100.34M | 102.95M | 98.93M | 62.73M | 49.69M | 39.01M | 32.77M | 28.73M | 22.36M | 29.87M | 23.23M | -323.11M | -37.95M | 31.48M | 28.89M | 26.93M | 22.45M | 19.86M | 17.9M | 15.65M | 14.05M | 12.5M | 11.4M | 10.4M | 9.31M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 27.88M | 30.2M | 20.56M | 22.7M | 25.65M | 28.18M | 27.95M | 24.14M | 16.94M | 15.37M | 11.73M | 8.89M | 8.46M | 8.6M | 8.76M | 9.06M | 10.28M | 12.25M | 11.91M | 8.05M | 5.46M | 4.72M | 3.52M | 3.53M | 4.2M | 5.72M | 6.05M | 4.5M | 4M | 3.5M | 3.35M |
| Deferred Taxes | 1.58M | 8.07M | 1.38M | 6.08M | 5.06M | 10.23M | -3M | 1.3M | 7.12M | 14.1M | 2.95M | 2.98M | 12.71M | 10.11M | 8.57M | 12.78M | 2.11M | -46.5M | -23.67M | -2.17M | -2.05M | -698K | 0 | 344K | -1.37M | -407K | 287K | -700K | -300K | -500K | -373K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.28M | 45.52M | 29M | 24.45M | 55.11M | 17.1M | 49.62M | -36.69M | 67.13M | 156.03M | -78.86M | 12.13M | 12.31M | 41.27M | 634K | 60.42M | 24.36M | 447.85M | 130.06M | 1.6M | -5.41M | -1.04M | 22.89M | 32.21M | -37.19M | -16.44M | 1.63M | 8.7M | -7M | -3.2M | 194K |
| Working Capital Changes | -28.11M | -43.61M | 5.91M | -9M | -57.31M | -24.8M | -18.87M | -7.37M | 8.71M | 2.38M | -8.22M | -2.92M | 666K | 8.37M | 7.76M | 3.25M | 27.59M | -39.23M | 929K | -3.39M | 2.43M | 386K | -268K | -1.38M | 2.32M | -2.26M | 319K | -3.3M | 400K | 100K | 1.31M |
| Cash from Investing | 542.56M | 1.1B | 657.9M | 550.99M | -290.86M | -829.19M | -729.54M | 57.44M | -55.35M | -293.85M | 149.74M | -134.25M | -51.26M | -118.7M | -204.44M | 13.24M | 351.98M | 278.93M | -313.35M | -720K | -241.05M | -126.22M | -273.59M | -118.56M | -92.08M | 48.33M | -122.22M | -116.2M | -38.4M | -37.3M | -30.24M |
| Purchase of Investments | -350.51M | -547.2M | -213.03M | -17.05M | -294.9M | -2.31B | -1.3B | -409.49M | -342M | -494.36M | -182.55M | -251.58M | -183.15M | -84.56M | -454.54M | -374.3M | -252.5M | -205.12M | -355.92M | -466.46M | -166.61M | -178.15M | -273.27M | -212.44M | -118.03M | -125.17M | -89.4M | -139.7M | -141.1M | -121.2M | -466.54M |
| Sale/Maturity of Investments | 544.87M | 1.09B | 546.26M | 491.87M | 555.67M | 1.17B | 680.34M | 785.02M | 337.65M | 344.33M | 298.1M | 226.33M | 259.45M | 220.27M | 277.37M | 140.51M | 219.32M | 263.74M | 320.05M | 606.91M | 137.45M | 222.85M | 195.88M | 221.53M | 119.91M | 163.77M | 72.09M | 165.1M | 160.3M | 117.8M | 437.99M |
| Net Investment Activity | 194.36M | 538.56M | 333.24M | 474.81M | 260.76M | -1.14B | -614.99M | 375.53M | -4.35M | -150.04M | 115.55M | -25.25M | 76.3M | 135.72M | -177.17M | -233.79M | -33.17M | 58.62M | -35.87M | 140.45M | -29.16M | 44.7M | -77.39M | 9.08M | 1.88M | 38.6M | -17.31M | 25.4M | 19.2M | -3.4M | -28.55M |
| Acquisitions | 292K | 385.8M | 18.38M | 0 | 0 | 228.28M | 0 | -61.48M | 0 | 26.98M | 25.57M | 12.11M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.39M | -35.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -20.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | 368.23M | 192.82M | 312.72M | 85.71M | -546.63M | 90.35M | -108.92M | -243.37M | -39.38M | -155.81M | 17.61M | -117M | -123.79M | -251.87M | -18.65M | 249.78M | 387.19M | 224M | -267.12M | -126.72M | -205.28M | -157.04M | -156.68M | -123.91M | -92.06M | 12.11M | -97.92M | -117.1M | -53.4M | -30.5M | 31K |
| Cash from Financing | -1.68B | -1.69B | -858.09M | -231.96M | -483.86M | 814.74M | 725.61M | 143.56M | -260.5M | 227.06M | -281.42M | 52.58M | 90.99M | -99.11M | 191.57M | -233.03M | -227.86M | -313.37M | 296.86M | 27.07M | 214.09M | 108.88M | 220.58M | 68.74M | 112.26M | -67.6M | 88.74M | 128.5M | 22.2M | 36.6M | 10.82M |
| Dividends Paid | -103.97M | -90.99M | -54.17M | -53.08M | -50.86M | -50.76M | -48.01M | -45.17M | -39.01M | -30.71M | -22.75M | -18.62M | -17.22M | -14.04M | -24.43M | -18.34M | -15.62M | -18.95M | -28.68M | -19.25M | -13.66M | -11.56M | -10.38M | -9.21M | -8.13M | -7.01M | -6.41M | -6M | -5.4M | -4.8M | -4.38M |
| Share Repurchases | -130.72M | -69.86M | 0 | -4.48M | -9.91M | -33.04M | -12.27M | -24.29M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -78.97M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -10.62M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -605K |
| Stock Issued | 744K | 1.39M | -3K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30M | 50M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52.45M | 116.85M | 326K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 797K |
| Net Stock Activity | -129.98M | -68.47M | -3K | -4.48M | -9.91M | -33.04M | -12.27M | -24.29M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -48.97M | 50M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52.45M | 116.85M | -10.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 192K |
| Debt Issuance (Net) | 901K | -1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 0 | -1000K | -1000K | -1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K |
| Other Financing | -1.5B | -1.64B | -736.47M | 176.65M | -738.5M | 844.2M | 745.98M | 183.69M | 4.01M | 138.95M | -149.77M | 120.17M | 58.21M | -78.07M | 228M | -164.03M | -258.06M | -376.27M | 279.36M | 40.62M | 205.44M | 111.15M | 155.14M | 42.99M | 107.61M | -42.79M | 120.81M | 69.2M | 15.2M | 38.2M | -6.02M |
| Net Change in Cash | -898M | -403.61M | -21.92M | 492.42M | -608.93M | 147.56M | 159.25M | 289.31M | -113.3M | 186.57M | -152.57M | -20.16M | 107.83M | -119.65M | 36.2M | -103.91M | 211.89M | 16.96M | 64.89M | 61.91M | 2.36M | 12.97M | -4.41M | 4.75M | 6.07M | -17M | -11.14M | 34.1M | -7.7M | -33.7M | -5.62M |
| Exchange Rate Effect | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash at Beginning | 280.23M | 697.66M | 719.58M | 227.16M | 836.1M | 688.54M | 529.29M | 239.97M | 353.27M | 166.71M | 319.28M | 339.44M | 231.6M | 351.25M | 315.05M | 418.96M | 207.07M | 190.11M | 125.23M | 63.32M | 60.96M | 47.99M | 52.4M | 47.65M | 41.58M | 58.59M | 69.72M | 35.6M | 43.3M | 33.7M | 39.36M |
| Cash at End | 288.46M | 294.05M | 697.66M | 719.58M | 227.16M | 836.1M | 688.54M | 529.29M | 239.97M | 353.27M | 166.71M | 319.28M | 339.44M | 231.6M | 351.25M | 315.05M | 418.96M | 207.07M | 190.11M | 125.23M | 63.32M | 60.96M | 47.99M | 52.4M | 47.65M | 41.58M | 58.59M | 69.7M | 35.6M | 70.3M | 33.74M |
| Interest Paid | 348.19M | 320.01M | 208.36M | 135.48M | 35.3M | 25.37M | 53.6M | 70.58M | 40.64M | 19.34M | 9.67M | 6.28M | 6.67M | 9.09M | 15.52M | 23.95M | 43.72M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Income Taxes Paid | 6.92M | 20.91M | 12.91M | 25.41M | 30.68M | 22.49M | 22.2M | 24.73M | 23.18M | 26.42M | 20.19M | 17.17M | 6.39M | 4.75M | 1.04M | 2.76M | 1.25M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Free Cash Flow | 214.29M | 173.76M | 171.84M | 163.86M | 160.8M | 156.97M | 158.98M | 75.08M | 190.93M | 238.38M | -29.89M | 57.39M | 64.33M | 95.6M | 40.46M | 113.13M | 85.73M | 46.58M | 71.02M | 21.12M | 22.7M | 28.82M | 45.07M | 50.84M | -16.02M | -114K | 15.35M | 17.7M | 4.3M | 6.9M | 12.08M |
| FCF Growth % | 50.51% | 1.12% | 4.87% | 1.9% | 2.44% | -1.26% | 111.74% | -60.68% | -19.9% | 897.65% | -152.07% | -10.79% | -32.71% | 136.3% | -64.24% | 31.96% | 84.07% | -34.42% | 236.35% | -6.98% | -21.23% | -36.07% | -11.35% | 417.38% | -13952.63% | -100.74% | -13.27% | 311.63% | -37.68% | -42.87% | -2.1% |
Regional credit concentration risk
According to recent quarterly filings, BUSE has maintained a consistent ability to generate operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio averaging above 1.0 in most periods, suggesting that reported earnings are generally supported by actual cash generation despite the volatility observed in the 2025Q1 period.
The bank's ability to convert net income into operating cash flow appears stable, providing a foundation for organic capital growth. Investors should monitor whether the recent surge in interest-earning assets continues to pressure the efficiency of this conversion as the bank scales its diverse business segments.
Based on reported financial statements, BUSE has actively managed its investment securities portfolio, frequently rotating assets as evidenced by the $638.8 million in proceeds from sales during 2025Q1, which significantly outpaced the $337.2 million in purchases made during the same period to adjust liquidity positions.
The high volume of sales relative to purchases suggests a proactive approach to managing duration and liquidity in response to interest rate volatility. This activity may indicate that management is utilizing the securities portfolio as a primary lever to offset fluctuations in loan demand and deposit flows.
As reported in recent filings, BUSE has demonstrated a commitment to returning capital to shareholders, with dividend payments totaling $27.2 million in 2026Q1, while simultaneously utilizing $66.1 million for share buybacks, reflecting a strategy that balances growth-oriented capital deployment with consistent investor distributions.
The aggressive buyback activity in early 2026 suggests management's confidence in the bank's capital position following recent inorganic growth phases. However, analysts should evaluate whether these return levels remain sustainable if the bank's efficiency ratio faces further pressure from its specialized tech and wealth segments.
Based on the provided data, the bank's provision for loan losses has exhibited significant variability, peaking at a $42.5 million charge in 2025Q1, which directly impacted the cash flow profile and highlights the sensitivity of the bank's earnings to regional credit quality shifts.
The erratic nature of these provisions suggests that the bank's cash flow is susceptible to periodic adjustments in credit risk assessments. This volatility warrants further investigation into the underlying health of the agricultural and commercial real estate portfolios that dominate the bank's regional footprint.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BUSE stock.
First Busey Corporation (BUSE) generated $192.6M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
First Busey Corporation (BUSE) generated $173.8M in free cash flow in 2025. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
First Busey Corporation (BUSE) spent $19.6M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, First Busey Corporation (BUSE) returned $91.0M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $69.9M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.