Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)Financial Services | Banks - Regional | Baton Rouge, United States | NasdaqGS
29.00 USD
+0.85
(3.020%)
⇧
(April 17, 2026, 4 p.m.
EDT)
After hours: 29.00 Short-term: ★★★☆☆ | Long-term: ★★★★☆ | Dividends: ★★★★☆ |
Hot Take | April 11, 2026, 3:54 p.m. EDT
BFST appears to be a solid long-term investment with a consistent dividend history and a strong payout ratio, suggesting reliability. The recent price movement shows a slight uptrend, and the recent news about capital raising and earnings releases could support further growth. However, the short-term options data indicates mixed signals, with both bullish and bearish positions, suggesting that traders might be cautious. While the stock has a good fundamental base, short-term traders should be aware of the potential volatility and consider the options activity for strategic entry points. |
| Model | MAE |
|---|---|
| AutoTheta ✓ | 0.036043 |
| MSTL | 0.036301 |
| AutoETS | 0.037279 |
| AutoARIMA | 0.037280 |
Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoTheta
| Forecast Reliability | |
|---|---|
| Score | 80% |
| H-stat | 0.19 |
| Ljung-Box p | 0.000 |
| Jarque-Bera p | 0.310 |
| Excess Kurtosis | -1.09 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Sector | Financial Services |
| Ex Dividend Date | 2026-02-12 |
| Last Dividend Date | 2026-02-12 |
| Revenue per Share | 10.639 |
| Market Cap | 948,603,008 |
| Trailing P/E | 10.39 |
| Forward P/E | 8.83 |
| Beta | 0.82 |
| Profit Margins | 28.09% |
| Website | https://www.b1bank.com |
As of April 11, 2026, 3:54 p.m. EDT: The options data shows mixed signals. For the near-term (April 17), there is a notable concentration of open interest and volume around the 25.0 strike, indicating potential support or a bullish bias. However, the higher IV on puts suggests some caution. For the July 17 expiration, the 30.0 strike has significant open interest, which could indicate a bearish sentiment or a potential price target. The October 16 expiration shows similar patterns with the 30.0 strike as a key anchor. Overall, the options activity suggests a cautious outlook with some bullish and bearish positioning, indicating potential volatility in the short term.
| Last Yield | 1yr Yield | 3yr Avg | 5yr Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.51% | 2.28% | 2.52% | 2.39% |
| Date | Dividend | Yield % |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-13 | 0.15 | 0.514580 |
| 2025-11-14 | 0.15 | 0.598808 |
| 2025-08-15 | 0.14 | 0.595326 |
| 2025-05-15 | 0.14 | 0.574837 |
| 2025-02-14 | 0.14 | 0.521852 |
| 2024-11-15 | 0.14 | 0.510386 |
| 2024-08-15 | 0.14 | 0.654158 |
| 2024-05-14 | 0.14 | 0.685399 |
| 2024-02-14 | 0.14 | 0.684805 |
| 2023-11-14 | 0.14 | 0.683929 |
| 2023-08-14 | 0.12 | 0.609790 |
| 2023-05-12 | 0.12 | 0.921916 |
| 2023-02-14 | 0.12 | 0.637830 |
| 2022-11-14 | 0.12 | 0.547700 |
| 2022-08-12 | 0.12 | 0.530991 |
| 2022-05-12 | 0.12 | 0.607208 |
| 2022-02-14 | 0.12 | 0.492094 |
| 2021-11-12 | 0.12 | 0.468441 |
| 2021-08-12 | 0.12 | 0.555647 |
| 2021-05-13 | 0.12 | 0.561713 |
| 2021-02-11 | 0.10 | 0.513758 |
| 2020-11-12 | 0.10 | 0.600647 |
| 2020-08-13 | 0.10 | 0.774842 |
| 2020-05-14 | 0.10 | 1.027812 |
| 2020-02-13 | 0.10 | 0.433641 |
| 2019-11-14 | 0.10 | 0.467782 |
| 2019-08-14 | 0.10 | 0.510678 |
| 2019-05-14 | 0.10 | 0.458993 |
| 2019-02-14 | 0.08 | 0.382896 |
| 2018-11-14 | 0.08 | 0.364721 |
| 2018-08-14 | 0.08 | 0.371951 |
| 2018-05-14 | 0.08 | 0.377313 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| 52 Week Change | 0.2900356 |
| Address1 | 500 Laurel Street |
| Address2 | Suite 101 |
| All Time High | 30.32 |
| All Time Low | 9.17 |
| Ask | 29.02 |
| Ask Size | 2 |
| Audit Risk | 9 |
| Average Analyst Rating | 1.2 - Strong Buy |
| Average Daily Volume10 Day | 213,770 |
| Average Daily Volume3 Month | 193,388 |
| Average Volume | 193,388 |
| Average Volume10Days | 213,770 |
| Beta | 0.82 |
| Bid | 28.89 |
| Bid Size | 2 |
| Board Risk | 6 |
| Book Value | 25.22 |
| City | Baton Rouge |
| Compensation As Of Epoch Date | 1,767,139,200 |
| Compensation Risk | 5 |
| Country | United States |
| Crypto Tradeable | 0 |
| Currency | USD |
| Current Price | 29.0 |
| Custom Price Alert Confidence | HIGH |
| Date Short Interest | 1,774,915,200 |
| Day High | 29.44 |
| Day Low | 28.59 |
| Display Name | Business First Bancshares |
| Dividend Date | 1,772,236,800 |
| Dividend Rate | 0.58 |
| Dividend Yield | 2.0 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp End | 1,777,298,400 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp Start | 1,777,298,400 |
| Earnings Growth | 0.376 |
| Earnings Quarterly Growth | 0.356 |
| Earnings Timestamp | 1,777,293,000 |
| Earnings Timestamp End | 1,777,293,000 |
| Earnings Timestamp Start | 1,777,293,000 |
| Ebitda Margins | 0.0 |
| Enterprise To Revenue | 3.164 |
| Enterprise Value | 989,463,936 |
| Eps Current Year | 3.01 |
| Eps Forward | 3.284 |
| Eps Trailing Twelve Months | 2.79 |
| Esg Populated | 0 |
| Ex Dividend Date | 1,770,940,800 |
| Exchange | NMS |
| Exchange Data Delayed By | 0 |
| Exchange Timezone Name | America/New_York |
| Exchange Timezone Short Name | EDT |
| Fifty Day Average | 27.7378 |
| Fifty Day Average Change | 1.2621994 |
| Fifty Day Average Change Percent | 0.045504667 |
| Fifty Two Week Change Percent | 29.003561 |
| Fifty Two Week High | 30.32 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change | -1.3199997 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change Percent | -0.04353561 |
| Fifty Two Week Low | 22.24 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change | 6.76 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent | 0.30395684 |
| Fifty Two Week Range | 22.24 - 30.32 |
| Financial Currency | USD |
| First Trade Date Milliseconds | 1,524,490,200,000 |
| Five Year Avg Dividend Yield | 2.2 |
| Float Shares | 30,917,587 |
| Forward Eps | 3.284 |
| Forward P E | 8.830694 |
| Full Exchange Name | NasdaqGS |
| Full Time Employees | 821 |
| Gmt Off Set Milliseconds | -14,400,000 |
| Governance Epoch Date | 1,775,001,600 |
| Gross Margins | 0.0 |
| Gross Profits | 312,756,992 |
| Has Pre Post Market Data | 1 |
| Held Percent Insiders | 0.05069 |
| Held Percent Institutions | 0.49165002 |
| Implied Shares Outstanding | 32,710,447 |
| Industry | Banks - Regional |
| Industry Disp | Banks - Regional |
| Industry Key | banks-regional |
| Is Earnings Date Estimate | 0 |
| Language | en-US |
| Last Dividend Date | 1,770,940,800 |
| Last Dividend Value | 0.15 |
| Last Fiscal Year End | 1,767,139,200 |
| Long Business Summary | Business First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for b1BANK that provides various banking products and services in Louisiana and Texas. It offers various deposit products and services, including checking and savings, time, and money market accounts; and certificates of deposits, remote deposit capture, and direct deposit services. The company also provides commercial and industrial loans, such as working capital, term, equipment financing, asset acquisition, expansion and development, borrowing base, and other loan products, as well as commercial lines of credit, accounts receivable factoring, agricultural financing, and letters of credit; construction and development loans; commercial real estate loans; residential real estate loans comprising first and second lien 1-4 family mortgage loans, and home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans, including secured and unsecured installment, and term loans. In addition, it offers wealth management products, including mutual funds, annuities, individual retirement accounts, and other financial products, as well as other fiduciary and private banking products and services. Further, the company provides a range of other financial services comprising debit and credit cards, treasury and cash management, merchant, automated clearing house, lock-box, receivables factoring, correspondent banking, and other treasury services, as well as employee and payroll benefits solutions; and drive-through banking facilities, automated teller machines, night depository, personalized checks, electronic funds transfer, domestic and foreign wire transfer, traveler's checks, vault, loan and deposit sweep accounts, interest-rate swaps, small business administration products, online and mobile banking, e-statements, and bank-by-mail services. Business First Bancshares, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. |
| Long Name | Business First Bancshares, Inc. |
| Market | us_market |
| Market Cap | 948,603,008 |
| Market State | CLOSED |
| Max Age | 86,400 |
| Message Board Id | finmb_45842867 |
| Most Recent Quarter | 1,767,139,200 |
| Net Income To Common | 82,460,000 |
| Next Fiscal Year End | 1,798,675,200 |
| Non Diluted Market Cap | 948,074,409 |
| Number Of Analyst Opinions | 5 |
| Open | 28.59 |
| Operating Cashflow | 92,083,000 |
| Operating Margins | 0.36235002 |
| Overall Risk | 5 |
| Payout Ratio | 0.2043 |
| Phone | 225 248 7600 |
| Post Market Change | 0.0 |
| Post Market Change Percent | 0.0 |
| Post Market Price | 29.0 |
| Post Market Time | 1,776,458,603 |
| Previous Close | 28.15 |
| Price Eps Current Year | 9.634552 |
| Price Hint | 2 |
| Price To Book | 1.1498811 |
| Price To Sales Trailing12 Months | 3.0330353 |
| Profit Margins | 0.28092 |
| Quote Source Name | Nasdaq Real Time Price |
| Quote Type | EQUITY |
| Recommendation Key | strong_buy |
| Recommendation Mean | 1.2 |
| Region | US |
| Regular Market Change | 0.85 |
| Regular Market Change Percent | 3.01954 |
| Regular Market Day High | 29.44 |
| Regular Market Day Low | 28.59 |
| Regular Market Day Range | 28.59 - 29.44 |
| Regular Market Open | 28.59 |
| Regular Market Previous Close | 28.15 |
| Regular Market Price | 29.0 |
| Regular Market Time | 1,776,456,001 |
| Regular Market Volume | 230,521 |
| Return On Assets | 0.010930001 |
| Return On Equity | 0.103590004 |
| Revenue Growth | 0.129 |
| Revenue Per Share | 10.639 |
| Sand P52 Week Change | 0.38150132 |
| Sector | Financial Services |
| Sector Disp | Financial Services |
| Sector Key | financial-services |
| Share Holder Rights Risk | 2 |
| Shares Outstanding | 32,692,221 |
| Shares Percent Shares Out | 0.016 |
| Shares Short | 524,620 |
| Shares Short Previous Month Date | 1,772,150,400 |
| Shares Short Prior Month | 305,668 |
| Short Name | Business First Bancshares, Inc. |
| Short Percent Of Float | 0.016900001 |
| Short Ratio | 2.7 |
| Source Interval | 15 |
| State | LA |
| Symbol | BFST |
| Target High Price | 34.0 |
| Target Low Price | 31.0 |
| Target Mean Price | 32.6 |
| Target Median Price | 32.5 |
| Total Cash | 609,155,008 |
| Total Cash Per Share | 18.623 |
| Total Debt | 578,086,016 |
| Total Revenue | 312,756,992 |
| Tradeable | 0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Rate | 0.58 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Yield | 0.020603908 |
| Trailing Eps | 2.79 |
| Trailing P E | 10.394265 |
| Trailing Peg Ratio | None |
| Triggerable | 1 |
| Two Hundred Day Average | 25.9544 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change | 3.045601 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent | 0.117344305 |
| Type Disp | Equity |
| Volume | 230,521 |
| Website | https://www.b1bank.com |
| Zip | 70,801 |