First Busey Corp (BUSE): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

Q: Is it too late to buy First Busey Corp (BUSE) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, BUSE has moved +9.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +5.8% for the XLF sector ETF — an outperformance of +3.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), BUSE gained +11.7% vs +9.5% for XLF. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

First Busey Corp (BUSE)

241 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in BUSE. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Smart Money Signals — BUSE

Based on 244 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q

For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added BUSE than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

🏔️

At the ownership peak (99% of max)

99% of all-time peak

244 hedge funds hold BUSE right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.

〰️

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

fund count last 6Q

The number of hedge funds holding BUSE is almost the same as a year ago (-3 funds, -1% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.

🟡

Slight buying edge — 58% buying

124 buying90 selling

Last quarter: 124 funds bought or added vs 90 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

📈

More new buyers each quarter (+14 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening a new BUSE position: 30 → 20 → 29 → 43. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.

🔒

51% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 51% conviction (2yr+) ■ 28% medium ■ 21% new

125 out of 244 hedge funds have held BUSE for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

📈

Growing discovery — still being found

71 → 30 → 20 → 29 → 43 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 30 → 20 → 29 → 43. A growing number of institutions are discovering BUSE each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.

🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 56% veterans vs 31% newcomers

■ 56% veterans ■ 13% 1-2yr ■ 31% new

Entry-cohort mix of 244 holders: 137 (56%) are 2+ year veterans, 31 entered 1–2 years ago, and 76 (31%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.

🏆

Elite ownership — 54% AUM from top-100 funds

54% from top-100 AUM funds

45 of 244 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 54% of total institutional value in BUSE. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

3.5

out of 10

Low Exit Risk

Exit risk score 3.5/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)	Prior (2025 Q4)	Change
Funds Holding	241	227	6.17%
13F Shares	55M	57M	-4.75%
Total Value	$1.34B	$1.49B	-10.15%
New Positions	42	29	+13
Increased Positions	81	63	+18
Closed Positions	28	23	+5
Reduced Positions	62	85	-23
Total Calls	0	0	-
Total Puts	0	0	-
PUT/CALL Ratio	0.0	0.0	Bullish

Metric

All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)

Prior (2025 Q4)

Change

Funds Holding

241

227

6.17%

13F Shares

55M

57M

-4.75%

Total Value

$1.34B

$1.49B

-10.15%

New Positions

+13

Increased Positions

+18

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

-23

Total Calls

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.0

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

241 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in BUSE. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:

FILTER:All New Added To Reduced No Change | Overweight >5%

Top 25 BUSE holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Rhino Investment Partners, Inc	3.46%	492,113	$12.4M
2	Mirabella Financial Services LLP	2.99%	1,249,884	$31.6M
3	EJF Capital LP	2.76%	154,834	$3.9M
4	Elizabeth Park Capital Advisors, Ltd.	1.94%	99,797	$2.5M
5	Sunesis Advisors, LLC	1.79%	156,862	$4.0M
6	Towle & Co	1.26%	127,979	$3.2M
7	Maltese Capital Management LLC	1.18%	237,500	$6.0M
8	Savvy Advisors, Inc.	0.87%	1,294,378	$32.7M
9	Banc Funds Co LLC	0.60%	127,077	$3.2M
10	Watershed Asset Management, L.L.C.	0.47%	17,770	$449K
11	Bridgeway Capital Management, LLC	0.32%	632,633	$16.0M
12	Sapience Investments, LLC	0.30%	91	$2K
13	Osborne Partners Capital Management, LLC	0.28%	210,214	$5.3M
14	Cozad Asset Management Inc	0.27%	137,179	$3.5M
15	Daytona Street Capital LLC	0.27%	13,350	$345K
16	MPS Loria Financial Planners, LLC	0.25%	37,190	$940K
17	Odyssean, LLC	0.24%	26,299	$665K
18	Black Maple Capital Management LP	0.22%	15,359	$388K
19	Oxford Asset Management LLP	0.21%	18,971	$479K
20	Millstone Evans Group, LLC	0.20%	13,350	$337K
21	Bayview Asset Management, LLC	0.19%	20,000	$505K
22	Kuhn & Co Investment Counsel	0.16%	10,018	$253K
23	Ellsworth Advisors, LLC	0.16%	33,119	$837K
24	Flywheel Private Wealth LLC	0.14%	10,000	$253K
25	Basswood Capital Management, L.L.C.	0.14%	117,192	$3.0M

Investor	Ownership History	% of Portfolio	Prev %	Rank	Conviction	Avg Buy Price	13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y	Sell Timing	Shares	Mkt Value	Change	Change %	Source	Quarter	Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — First Busey Corp (BUSE)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for BUSE?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added BUSE than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for BUSE?

Slight buying edge — 58% buying: Last quarter: 124 funds bought or added vs 90 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for BUSE holders?

Elite ownership — 54% AUM from top-100 funds: 45 of 244 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 54% of total institutional value in BUSE. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held BUSE?

51% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 125 out of 244 hedge funds have held BUSE for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy First Busey Corp (BUSE) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, BUSE has moved +9.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +5.8% for the XLF sector ETF — an outperformance of +3.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), BUSE has gained +11.7% vs +9.5% for XLF. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

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First Busey Corp (BUSE)

Smart Money Signals — BUSE

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

At the ownership peak (99% of max)

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

Slight buying edge — 58% buying

More new buyers each quarter (+14 vs last Q)

51% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Growing discovery — still being found

Veteran-anchored — 56% veterans vs 31% newcomers

Elite ownership — 54% AUM from top-100 funds

Institutional Sentiment Summary — BUSE

Hedge Fund Ownership: BUSE

Market Analysis: BUSE

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: BUSE

Is It Too Late to Buy First Busey Corp (BUSE) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Hedge Fund Positioning: BUSE

Statistics: BUSE

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — First Busey Corp (BUSE)

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