BUSE vs HBT: Correlation
First Busey Corporation (BUSE) and HBT Financial, Inc. (HBT) show a very strong relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.85.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BUSE and HBT?
Over the past 3 years, BUSE and HBT moved with a correlation of 0.85, which is very strong, meaning they move nearly in lockstep. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.87 over 1 year against 0.85 over 3. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.80, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 607.4 %².
Among the 38 assets we track against BUSE, HBT ranks #18 by 3-year correlation. On 12-month performance HBT holds a 10.8-point edge, +27.5% against +38.3%.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
BUSE vs HBT: side by side
| BUSE (First Busey Corporation) | HBT (HBT Financial, Inc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +27.5% | +38.3% |
| 5-year return | +56.7% | +160.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 26.7% | 26.7% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.79 | 0.80 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -31.0% | -18.7% |
| Market cap | $2.5B | $1.3B |
| P/E (trailing) | 12.3 | 15.2 |
| Dividend yield | 3.39% | 2.47% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BUSE | HBT |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -5.5% | +8.1% |
| 2023 | +5.1% | +11.7% |
| 2024 | -1.2% | +7.7% |
| 2025 | +5.5% | +22.2% |
| 2026 | +30.7% | +41.4% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BUSE and HBT good diversifiers for each other?
No. With a correlation of 0.85, BUSE and HBT move nearly in lockstep, so holding both adds very little diversification.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BUSE and HBT?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between BUSE and HBT is 0.85 over 3 years, 0.87 over 1 year and 0.80 over 5 years.
Is HBT a good diversifier for BUSE?
No. With a correlation of 0.85, BUSE and HBT move nearly in lockstep, so holding both adds very little diversification.
What does a correlation of 0.85 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.85 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
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Related comparisons
Hubs: BUSE correlations · HBT correlations
