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BFST Stock Chart & Stats
$31.47
$0.53(1.68%)
At close: 4:00 PM EDT
$31.47
$0.53(1.68%)
Day’s Range― - ―
52-Week Range$22.56 - $32.53
Previous CloseN/A
Volume65.16K
Average Volume (3M)130.33K
Market Cap
$1.05B
Enterprise Value$1.12K
Total Cash (Recent Filing)$1.62B
Total Debt (Recent Filing)$616.08M
Price to Earnings (P/E)11.4
Beta0.87
Next Earnings
Oct 22, 2026EPS Estimate
0.75Next Dividend Ex-DateN/A
Dividend Yield1.87%
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)2.82
Shares Outstanding32,549,885
10 Day Avg. Volume162,832
30 Day Avg. Volume130,328
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.41
Price to Book (P/B)0.86
Price to Sales (P/S)1.51
P/FCF Ratio8.39
Enterprise Value/Market Cap<0.01
Enterprise Value/Revenue<0.01
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit<0.01
Enterprise Value/Ebitda<0.01
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$36.00Price Target Upside14.39% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering2
EPS Forecast (FY)3.01
Revenue Forecast (FY)$370.68M
Bulls Say, Bears Say
Bulls Say
Strong Cash Generation And ConversionBFST's TTM operating cash flow (~$103M) and free cash flow (~$100M) that nearly match reported earnings indicate high cash conversion and earnings quality. Durable cash generation supports dividend continuity, targeted buybacks, organic loan growth, and provides buffer for provisioning and capital needs over the medium term.
Strengthened Capital And Improved LeverageThe $85M subordinated debt issuance meaningfully increased regulatory capital (added ~50 bps), while equity has grown materially over recent years. Improved capital ratios and lower leverage expand capacity to support loan growth, absorb potential credit losses, and maintain dividend/shareholder actions without jeopardizing regulatory targets.
Improving Credit MetricsMaterial reduction in nonperforming loans and problem-credit resolutions lower expected loss incidence and provisioning needs, improving net interest margins and long-term earnings stability. Sustained credit improvement enhances lending capacity and reduces capital volatility tied to loan-loss cycles over the coming quarters.
Bears Say
Recent Revenue Decline And Margin CompressionA significant TTM revenue decline alongside sharp EBIT margin compression materially reduces operating leverage and long-term earnings power. Unless revenue trends stabilize or structural cost efficiencies are realized, sustained top-line weakness and lower margins could constrain capital accumulation, dividend flexibility, and reinvestment capacity.
Quarterly Deposit Outflows And Funding Mix RiskMeaningful deposit declines in a quarter force greater reliance on wholesale funding (FHLB borrowings rose $181.7M) and can raise funding costs and volatility. Persistent deposit attrition would pressure net interest margin and liquidity cushions, increasing sensitivity to funding markets and reducing structural funding resilience.
Charge-off And Execution Uncertainty Resolving Problem CreditsThe firm faces execution risk: resolving troubled credits may trigger elevated charge-offs and reserves in coming quarters. Such losses would erode capital and earnings, while successful redeployment of sale proceeds and converting the loan pipeline are required to restore structural profitability. Execution missteps could delay recovery.
Business First Bancshares News
BFST FAQ
What was Business First Bancshares Inc’s price range in the past 12 months?
Business First Bancshares Inc lowest stock price was $22.56 and its highest was $32.52 in the past 12 months.
What is Business First Bancshares Inc’s market cap?
Business First Bancshares Inc’s market cap is $1.05B.
When is Business First Bancshares Inc’s upcoming earnings report date?
Business First Bancshares Inc’s upcoming earnings report date is Oct 22, 2026 which is in 67 days.
How were Business First Bancshares Inc’s earnings last quarter?
Business First Bancshares Inc released its earnings results on Jul 23, 2026. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.7 by $0.01.
Is Business First Bancshares Inc overvalued?
According to Wall Street analysts Business First Bancshares Inc’s price is currently Undervalued.
Does Business First Bancshares Inc pay dividends?
Business First Bancshares Inc pays a Quarterly dividend of $0.15 which represents an annual dividend yield of 1.87%. See more information on Business First Bancshares Inc dividends here
What is Business First Bancshares Inc’s EPS estimate?
Business First Bancshares Inc’s EPS estimate is 0.75.
How many shares outstanding does Business First Bancshares Inc have?
Business First Bancshares Inc has 32,549,885 shares outstanding.
What happened to Business First Bancshares Inc’s price movement after its last earnings report?
Business First Bancshares Inc reported an EPS of $0.71 in its last earnings report, beating expectations of $0.7. Following the earnings report the stock price went up 2.265%.
Which hedge fund is a major shareholder of Business First Bancshares Inc?
Currently, no hedge funds are holding shares in BFST
What is the TipRanks Smart Score and how is it calculated?
Smart Score combines eight research factors - such as analyst recommendations, hedge fund trends, and technical indicators - to measure a stock’s outlook. These signals are unified into a single score that reflects bullish or bearish momentum. See detailed methodology
Business First Bancshares Stock Smart Score
Neutral
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Analyst Consensus
Moderate Buy
Average Price Target:
$36.00 (14.39% Upside)
$36.00 (14.39% Upside)
Blogger Sentiment
Bullish
BFST Sentiment 67%
Sector Average ―
Sector Average ―
Hedge Fund Trend
Increased
By 12.7K Shares
Last Quarter.
Last Quarter.
Insider Transactions
Sold Shares
Worth $4.1M over
the Last 3 Months
the Last 3 Months
Technicals
SMA
Positive
20 days / 200 days
Momentum
7.18%
12-Months-Change
Fundamentals
Return on Equity
1.87%
Trailing 12-Months
Asset Growth
12.02%
Trailing 12-Months
Company Description
Business First Bancshares Inc
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) serves as the bank holding company for b1BANK, delivering an extensive array of banking products and financial services. Its deposit offerings include checking, demand, money market, time, and savings accounts, alongside certificates of deposit, and modern conveniences such as remote and direct deposit capabilities. The company provides a diverse portfolio of lending solutions. These include commercial and industrial loans for working capital, equipment financing, asset acquisition, expansion, and development, featuring lines of credit, letters of credit, term loans, and borrowing base facilities. BFST also finances construction and development projects, commercial real estate, and residential properties, offering first and second lien mortgages for 1-4 family homes, plus home equity lines of credit. Consumer loan options span both secured and unsecured installment and term arrangements. Beyond traditional banking, BFST offers wealth management services, encompassing mutual funds, annuities, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), other investment products, fiduciary services, and private banking solutions. A wide range of additional financial tools are available, including debit and credit cards, comprehensive treasury and cash management services (such as merchant services, automated clearing house (ACH), lock-box, receivables factoring, and correspondent banking), and employee and payroll benefits solutions. Customer access points feature drive-through facilities, ATMs, night depositories, personalized checks, electronic funds transfer (EFT), domestic and international wire transfers, traveler's checks, vault services, sweep accounts, and robust online and mobile banking platforms, e-statements, and bank-by-mail services. As of March 1, 2022, Business First Bancshares operated approximately 48 full-service banking centers and three loan production offices across Louisiana, and in the Dallas and Houston metropolitan areas. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
BFST Company Deck
BFST Earnings Call
Q2 2026
0:00 / 0:00
Earnings Call Sentiment|Positive
The call conveyed a generally positive outlook: solid core earnings, margin expansion (+8 bps), capital-raising success, and meaningful credit improvements (NPL ratio improvement to 1.26% and ~30% reduction in NPLs) are notable strengths. Challenges include a sizable deposit outflow in the quarter (partially strategic), elevated noninterest expense tied to one-time marketing and legal items, softer noninterest income from swap fees, and near-term uncertainty tied to loan sale redeployment and potential charge-offs while resolving problem credits. Management provided clear mitigation plans (redeploying proceeds, expecting deposit seasonality to reverse, expense normalization in Q3/Q4, and capital flexibility), and reiterated achievable targets for margin, loan growth, and end-of-year capital ratios, supporting a constructive forward view.View all BFST earnings summariesBFST Stock 12 Month Forecast
Average Price Target
$36.00
▲(14.39% Upside)
Technical Analysis
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Ownership Overview
4.80% Insiders
17.82% Mutual Funds
9.87% Other Institutional Investors
49.77% Public Companies and
Individual Investors