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BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES (BFST) Stock Fundamental Analysis

NASDAQ:BFST - US12326C1053 - Common Stock

25.3 USD
+0.14 (+0.56%)
Last: 8/26/2025, 11:37:00 AM
Fundamental Rating

4

We assign a fundamental rating of 4 out of 10 to BFST. BFST was compared to 393 industry peers in the Banks industry. BFST may be in some trouble as it scores bad on both profitability and health. BFST is not overvalued while it is showing excellent growth. This is an interesting combination.


Dividend Valuation Growth Profitability Health

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3

1. Profitability

1.1 Basic Checks

BFST had positive earnings in the past year.
In the past year BFST had a positive cash flow from operations.
In the past 5 years BFST has always been profitable.
In the past 5 years BFST always reported a positive cash flow from operatings.
BFST Yearly Net Income VS EBIT VS OCF VS FCFBFST Yearly Net Income VS EBIT VS OCF VS FCFYearly Net Income VS EBIT VS OCF VS FCF 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 20M 40M 60M 80M

1.2 Ratios

BFST's Return On Assets of 0.90% is in line compared to the rest of the industry. BFST outperforms 54.20% of its industry peers.
BFST's Return On Equity of 8.44% is in line compared to the rest of the industry. BFST outperforms 51.40% of its industry peers.
Industry RankSector Rank
ROA 0.9%
ROE 8.44%
ROIC N/A
ROA(3y)0.88%
ROA(5y)0.89%
ROE(3y)8.92%
ROE(5y)9.22%
ROIC(3y)N/A
ROIC(5y)N/A
BFST Yearly ROA, ROE, ROICBFST Yearly ROA, ROE, ROICYearly ROA, ROE, ROIC 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2 4 6 8 10

1.3 Margins

BFST has a Profit Margin of 23.46%. This is comparable to the rest of the industry: BFST outperforms 48.85% of its industry peers.
BFST's Profit Margin has declined in the last couple of years.
The Operating Margin and Gross Margin are not available for BFST so they could not be analyzed.
Industry RankSector Rank
OM N/A
PM (TTM) 23.46%
GM N/A
OM growth 3YN/A
OM growth 5YN/A
PM growth 3Y-7.15%
PM growth 5Y-3.43%
GM growth 3YN/A
GM growth 5YN/A
BFST Yearly Profit, Operating, Gross MarginsBFST Yearly Profit, Operating, Gross MarginsYearly Profit, Operating, Gross Margins 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 5 10 15 20 25

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3

2. Health

2.1 Basic Checks

BFST does not have a ROIC to compare to the WACC, probably because it is not profitable.
The number of shares outstanding for BFST has been increased compared to 1 year ago.
BFST has more shares outstanding than it did 5 years ago.
BFST has a better debt/assets ratio than last year.
BFST Yearly Shares OutstandingBFST Yearly Shares OutstandingYearly Shares Outstanding 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 5M 10M 15M 20M 25M
BFST Yearly Total Debt VS Total AssetsBFST Yearly Total Debt VS Total AssetsYearly Total Debt VS Total Assets 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2B 4B 6B

2.2 Solvency

BFST has a debt to FCF ratio of 1.50. This is a very positive value and a sign of high solvency as it would only need 1.50 years to pay back of all of its debts.
Looking at the Debt to FCF ratio, with a value of 1.50, BFST is in the better half of the industry, outperforming 60.81% of the companies in the same industry.
BFST has a Debt/Equity ratio of 0.14. This is a healthy value indicating a solid balance between debt and equity.
BFST has a Debt to Equity ratio (0.14) which is comparable to the rest of the industry.
Industry RankSector Rank
Debt/Equity 0.14
Debt/FCF 1.5
Altman-Z N/A
ROIC/WACCN/A
WACC17.39%
BFST Yearly LT Debt VS Equity VS FCFBFST Yearly LT Debt VS Equity VS FCFYearly LT Debt VS Equity VS FCF 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 200M 400M 600M

2.3 Liquidity

Industry RankSector Rank
Current Ratio N/A
Quick Ratio N/A
BFST Yearly Current Assets VS Current LiabilitesBFST Yearly Current Assets VS Current LiabilitesYearly Current Assets VS Current Liabilites 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 20M 40M 60M 80M

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7

3. Growth

3.1 Past

BFST shows a small growth in Earnings Per Share. In the last year, the EPS has grown by 5.58%.
Measured over the past 5 years, BFST shows a small growth in Earnings Per Share. The EPS has been growing by 6.62% on average per year.
The Revenue has grown by 20.87% in the past year. This is a very strong growth!
BFST shows a strong growth in Revenue. Measured over the last years, the Revenue has been growing by 24.47% yearly.
EPS 1Y (TTM)5.58%
EPS 3Y3.76%
EPS 5Y6.62%
EPS Q2Q%3.13%
Revenue 1Y (TTM)20.87%
Revenue growth 3Y12.7%
Revenue growth 5Y24.47%
Sales Q2Q%23.07%

3.2 Future

The Earnings Per Share is expected to grow by 10.16% on average over the next years. This is quite good.
The Revenue is expected to grow by 12.53% on average over the next years. This is quite good.
EPS Next Y9.88%
EPS Next 2Y11.79%
EPS Next 3Y10.16%
EPS Next 5YN/A
Revenue Next Year19.18%
Revenue Next 2Y18.25%
Revenue Next 3Y12.53%
Revenue Next 5YN/A

3.3 Evolution

The EPS growth rate is accelerating: in the next years the growth will be better than in the last years.
The estimated forward Revenue growth is still strong, although it is decreasing when compared to the stronger growth in the past years.
BFST Yearly Revenue VS EstimatesBFST Yearly Revenue VS EstimatesYearly Revenue VS Estimates 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 100M 200M 300M
BFST Yearly EPS VS EstimatesBFST Yearly EPS VS EstimatesYearly EPS VS Estimates 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 1 2 3

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6

4. Valuation

4.1 Price/Earnings Ratio

Based on the Price/Earnings ratio of 9.55, the valuation of BFST can be described as reasonable.
Based on the Price/Earnings ratio, BFST is valued cheaper than 86.77% of the companies in the same industry.
Compared to an average S&P500 Price/Earnings ratio of 27.03, BFST is valued rather cheaply.
Based on the Price/Forward Earnings ratio of 8.16, the valuation of BFST can be described as reasonable.
Based on the Price/Forward Earnings ratio, BFST is valued cheaply inside the industry as 84.48% of the companies are valued more expensively.
When comparing the Price/Forward Earnings ratio of BFST to the average of the S&P500 Index (22.63), we can say BFST is valued rather cheaply.
Industry RankSector Rank
PE 9.55
Fwd PE 8.16
BFST Price Earnings VS Forward Price EarningsBFST Price Earnings VS Forward Price Earnings ChartPrice Earnings - Forward Price Earnings PE FPE 5 10 15 20 25

4.2 Price Multiples

Based on the Price/Free Cash Flow ratio, BFST is valued a bit cheaper than the industry average as 73.54% of the companies are valued more expensively.
Industry RankSector Rank
P/FCF 9.37
EV/EBITDA N/A
BFST Per share dataBFST EPS, Sales, OCF, FCF, BookValue per sharePer Share Data Per Share 5 10 15 20 25

4.3 Compensation for Growth

BFST's low PEG Ratio(NY), which compensates the Price/Earnings for growth, indicates a rather cheap valuation of the company.
PEG (NY)0.97
PEG (5Y)1.44
EPS Next 2Y11.79%
EPS Next 3Y10.16%

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5

5. Dividend

5.1 Amount

With a Yearly Dividend Yield of 2.32%, BFST has a reasonable but not impressive dividend return.
BFST's Dividend Yield is slightly below the industry average, which is at 3.30.
BFST's Dividend Yield is comparable with the S&P500 average which is at 2.34.
Industry RankSector Rank
Dividend Yield 2.32%

5.2 History

On average, the dividend of BFST grows each year by 14.14%, which is quite nice.
BFST has been paying a dividend for over 5 years, so it has already some track record.
As BFST did not decrease their dividend in the past 5 years, we can say the dividend looks stable.
Dividend Growth(5Y)14.14%
Div Incr Years6
Div Non Decr Years6
BFST Yearly Dividends per shareBFST Yearly Dividends per shareYearly Dividends per share 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

5.3 Sustainability

29.87% of the earnings are spent on dividend by BFST. This is a low number and sustainable payout ratio.
BFST's earnings are growing slower than its dividend. This means the dividend growth is not sustainable.
DP29.87%
EPS Next 2Y11.79%
EPS Next 3Y10.16%
BFST Yearly Income VS Free CF VS DividendBFST Yearly Income VS Free CF VS DividendYearly Income VS Free CF VS Dividend 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 20M 40M 60M 80M
BFST Dividend Payout.BFST Dividend Payout, showing the Payout Ratio.BFST Dividend Payout.PayoutRetained Earnings

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BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES

NASDAQ:BFST (8/26/2025, 11:37:00 AM)

25.3

+0.14 (+0.56%)

Chartmill FA Rating
GICS SectorFinancials
GICS IndustryGroupBanks
GICS IndustryBanks
Earnings (Last)07-28 2025-07-28/bmo
Earnings (Next)10-22 2025-10-22/amc
Inst Owners49.3%
Inst Owner Change2.46%
Ins Owners4.97%
Ins Owner Change-0.08%
Market Cap748.88M
Analysts85.45
Price Target31.31 (23.75%)
Short Float %0.82%
Short Ratio2.15
Dividend
Industry RankSector Rank
Dividend Yield 2.32%
Yearly Dividend0.74
Dividend Growth(5Y)14.14%
DP29.87%
Div Incr Years6
Div Non Decr Years6
Ex-Date08-15 2025-08-15 (0.14)
Surprises & Revisions
EPS beat(2)2
Avg EPS beat(2)3.57%
Min EPS beat(2)0.79%
Max EPS beat(2)6.35%
EPS beat(4)4
Avg EPS beat(4)14.52%
Min EPS beat(4)0.79%
Max EPS beat(4)33.14%
EPS beat(8)7
Avg EPS beat(8)11.12%
EPS beat(12)11
Avg EPS beat(12)11.03%
EPS beat(16)14
Avg EPS beat(16)9.46%
Revenue beat(2)2
Avg Revenue beat(2)0.66%
Min Revenue beat(2)0.16%
Max Revenue beat(2)1.16%
Revenue beat(4)4
Avg Revenue beat(4)0.87%
Min Revenue beat(4)0.16%
Max Revenue beat(4)1.77%
Revenue beat(8)6
Avg Revenue beat(8)-0.15%
Revenue beat(12)9
Avg Revenue beat(12)0.68%
Revenue beat(16)10
Avg Revenue beat(16)0.35%
PT rev (1m)0.66%
PT rev (3m)2.68%
EPS NQ rev (1m)-1.94%
EPS NQ rev (3m)-5.36%
EPS NY rev (1m)-0.16%
EPS NY rev (3m)-0.11%
Revenue NQ rev (1m)-0.84%
Revenue NQ rev (3m)-2.06%
Revenue NY rev (1m)-0.31%
Revenue NY rev (3m)-0.32%
Valuation
Industry RankSector Rank
PE 9.55
Fwd PE 8.16
P/S 2.45
P/FCF 9.37
P/OCF 9.19
P/B 0.88
P/tB 1.05
EV/EBITDA N/A
EPS(TTM)2.65
EY10.47%
EPS(NY)3.1
Fwd EY12.25%
FCF(TTM)2.7
FCFY10.67%
OCF(TTM)2.75
OCFY10.88%
SpS10.31
BVpS28.66
TBVpS24.04
PEG (NY)0.97
PEG (5Y)1.44
Profitability
Industry RankSector Rank
ROA 0.9%
ROE 8.44%
ROCE N/A
ROIC N/A
ROICexc N/A
ROICexgc N/A
OM N/A
PM (TTM) 23.46%
GM N/A
FCFM 26.19%
ROA(3y)0.88%
ROA(5y)0.89%
ROE(3y)8.92%
ROE(5y)9.22%
ROIC(3y)N/A
ROIC(5y)N/A
ROICexc(3y)N/A
ROICexc(5y)N/A
ROICexgc(3y)N/A
ROICexgc(5y)N/A
ROCE(3y)N/A
ROCE(5y)N/A
ROICexcg growth 3YN/A
ROICexcg growth 5YN/A
ROICexc growth 3YN/A
ROICexc growth 5YN/A
OM growth 3YN/A
OM growth 5YN/A
PM growth 3Y-7.15%
PM growth 5Y-3.43%
GM growth 3YN/A
GM growth 5YN/A
F-Score6
Asset Turnover0.04
Health
Industry RankSector Rank
Debt/Equity 0.14
Debt/FCF 1.5
Debt/EBITDA N/A
Cap/Depr 27.13%
Cap/Sales 0.51%
Interest Coverage N/A
Cash Conversion N/A
Profit Quality 111.66%
Current Ratio N/A
Quick Ratio N/A
Altman-Z N/A
F-Score6
WACC17.39%
ROIC/WACCN/A
Cap/Depr(3y)146.85%
Cap/Depr(5y)125.99%
Cap/Sales(3y)2.87%
Cap/Sales(5y)2.54%
Profit Quality(3y)113.37%
Profit Quality(5y)105.74%
High Growth Momentum
Growth
EPS 1Y (TTM)5.58%
EPS 3Y3.76%
EPS 5Y6.62%
EPS Q2Q%3.13%
EPS Next Y9.88%
EPS Next 2Y11.79%
EPS Next 3Y10.16%
EPS Next 5YN/A
Revenue 1Y (TTM)20.87%
Revenue growth 3Y12.7%
Revenue growth 5Y24.47%
Sales Q2Q%23.07%
Revenue Next Year19.18%
Revenue Next 2Y18.25%
Revenue Next 3Y12.53%
Revenue Next 5YN/A
EBIT growth 1YN/A
EBIT growth 3YN/A
EBIT growth 5YN/A
EBIT Next YearN/A
EBIT Next 3YN/A
EBIT Next 5YN/A
FCF growth 1Y3.51%
FCF growth 3Y4.48%
FCF growth 5Y23.94%
OCF growth 1Y0.82%
OCF growth 3Y2.85%
OCF growth 5Y20.25%