First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, in an earnings release filed with the SEC on October 27, 2026. For the third quarter of 2026, the company reported net income of $55.8 million, or $0.61 per diluted common share. This represents a decrease from the $63.2 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, reported in the second quarter of 2026.
Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter were $0.63. The company noted that results were impacted by a single commercial relationship in the Central region that incurred a partial charge-off and moved to non-accrual status during the quarter. Excluding this credit event, underlying trends remained solid. Quarterly provision expense increased to $9.6 million from $2.2 million in the prior quarter, primarily due to this credit issue.
Operating revenue remained stable at $194.3 million, supported by growth in net interest income. Wealth management revenue increased 15.5% compared to the prior year. The company maintained strong expense discipline, producing an efficiency ratio of 54.4%. Deposit growth was a highlight, increasing at an annualized rate of 11% for the second consecutive quarter. Loan balances declined during the quarter, including the repositioning of approximately $65 million of lender finance loans to held for sale. As a result, the loan-to-deposit ratio improved to 82.5% from 87.2% in the previous quarter.
Capital ratios remained strong, with Common Equity Tier 1 Capital to Risk Weighted Assets rising to 12.5% compared to 12.3% a year ago. The company repurchased $59.6 million of its common stock during the third quarter, bringing year-to-date repurchases to $188.4 million. Net interest margin for the quarter was 3.58%.
