3 Reasons to Sell BKU and 1 Stock to Buy Instead
Since December 2025, BankUnited has been in a holding pattern, posting a small return of 4.7% while floating around $46.68. The stock also fell short of the S&P 500’s 10.9% gain during that period.
Is there a buying opportunity in BankUnited, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Check out our in-depth research report to see what our analysts have to say, it’s free.
Why Is BankUnited Not Exciting?
We’re swiping left on BankUnited for now. Here are three reasons why BKU doesn’t excite us, plus one stock we’d rather own.
1. Net Interest Income Points to Soft Demand
Net interest income commands greater market attention due to its reliability and consistency, whereas one-time fees are often seen as lower-quality revenue that lacks the same dependable characteristics.
BankUnited’s net interest income has grown at a 5.5% annualized rate over the last five years, worse than the broader banking industry. Its growth was driven by an increase in its net interest margin, which represents how much a bank earns in relation to its outstanding loans, as its loan book shrank throughout that period.
2. Low Net Interest Margin Reveals Weak Loan Book Profitability
The net interest margin (NIM) is a key profitability indicator that measures the difference between what a bank earns on its loans and what it pays on its deposits. This metric measures how efficiently it can generate income from its core lending activities.
Over the past two years, we can see that BankUnited’s net interest margin averaged a weak 2.9%, meaning it must compensate for lower profitability through increased loan originations.
3. EPS Barely Growing
Analyzing the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) shows whether a company’s incremental sales were profitable — for example, revenue could be inflated through excessive spending on advertising and promotions.
BankUnited’s EPS grew at a weak 1.2% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, lower than its 4.5% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded.
Final Judgment
BankUnited isn’t a terrible business, but it isn’t one of our picks. With its shares lagging the market recently, the stock trades at 1.1× forward P/B (or $46.68 per share). This valuation is reasonable, but the company’s shakier fundamentals present too much downside risk. We’re fairly confident there are better stocks to buy right now. Let us point you toward a top digital advertising platform riding the creator economy.
Stocks We Like More Than BankUnited
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