First Busey Short Interest Rises 28.8% in February

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First Busey Corporation (NASDAQ:BUSE), a regional bank headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 13th, short interest totaled 2,074,813 shares, up 28.8% from the January 29th total of 1,610,775 shares. This represents 2.4% of the company's outstanding stock, with the short interest ratio currently at 2.7 days based on the bank's average daily trading volume.

Why it matters

The rise in short interest suggests that some investors are betting against First Busey's stock performance in the near term, potentially due to concerns about the bank's financial outlook or the broader economic environment. Short selling activity can influence a stock's price and volatility, and the increase may indicate growing bearish sentiment around the company.

The details

According to the report, the short interest increase came as First Busey's stock price fluctuated in recent months, trading between a 52-week low of $18.40 and a high of $27.65. The bank has a market capitalization of $2.27 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.91. First Busey provides a range of banking services, including commercial lending, deposit-taking, and wealth management, primarily serving customers in its Champaign, Illinois-based operating footprint.

• As of February 13th, 2026, short interest in First Busey totaled 2,074,813 shares.
• This represents a 28.8% increase from the January 29th, 2026 short interest total of 1,610,775 shares.