📊 BFST Key Takeaways
Investment Thesis
Business First Bancshares demonstrates strong profitability with exceptional net margins (820.8%) and solid net income growth (+6.5% YoY), supported by robust operating cash flow of $92.1M. However, the 97.7% revenue collapse raises critical data quality concerns that significantly undermine confidence in the financial analysis, potentially indicating accounting irregularities, data reporting errors, or fundamental operational disruption.
BFST Strengths
- Strong net income growth of 6.5% YoY despite revenue collapse suggests operational efficiency improvements
- Excellent free cash flow generation of $92.1M with 859.7% FCF margin indicates cash conversion capability
- Conservative leverage with near-zero debt/equity ratio (0.00x) and manageable long-term debt of $2.4M provides financial flexibility
- Substantial liquidity position with $411.2M in cash equivalents representing 45.9% of stockholders equity
BFST Risks
- Revenue declined 97.7% YoY, an extreme metric inconsistent with sustainable banking operations and suggestive of data quality issues or business model breakdown
- Operating margin of 1030.5% and net margin of 820.8% are mathematically implausible and indicate unreliable financial reporting or definitional errors in data provided
- Low interest coverage ratio of 2.5x relative to bank sector norms suggests limited cushion for rate environment changes or economic stress
- ROA of only 1.1% and ROE of 9.8% are below typical bank performance benchmarks, indicating suboptimal asset and equity utilization
Key Metrics to Watch
- Revenue trend reconciliation and data integrity verification - the 97.7% YoY decline must be investigated for reporting accuracy
- Net Interest Margin (NIM) and loan portfolio quality metrics to assess core banking profitability
- Asset quality indicators including non-performing loan ratios and loan loss provisions relative to total loans
- Deposit growth and funding stability given the extreme revenue volatility signals operational uncertainty
BFST Financial Metrics
💡 AI Analyst Insight
The 859.7% free cash flow margin provides substantial flexibility for dividends, buybacks, and strategic investments. The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.
BFST Profitability Ratios
BFST vs Finance Sector
How Business First Bancshares, Inc. compares to Finance sector averages
Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.
BFST Balance Sheet & Liquidity
BFST 5-Year Financial Trend
5-Year Trend Summary: Business First Bancshares, Inc.'s revenue has grown significantly by 57% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $2.59 reflects profitable operations.
BFST Growth Metrics (YoY)
BFST Quarterly Performance
| Quarter | Revenue | Net Income | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2025 | $2.6M | $17.8M | $0.65 |
| Q2 2025 | $2.5M | $17.2M | $0.62 |
| Q1 2025 | $2.4M | $13.6M | $0.48 |
| Q3 2024 | $2.5M | $17.8M | $0.65 |
| Q2 2024 | $2.4M | $17.2M | $0.62 |
| Q1 2024 | $2.3M | $13.6M | $0.48 |
| Q3 2023 | $2.1M | $13.8M | $0.61 |
| Q2 2023 | $2.1M | $13.8M | $0.61 |
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.
BFST Capital Allocation
BFST SEC Filings
Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (CIK: 0001624322)
📋 Recent SEC Filings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about BFST
What is the AI rating for BFST?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) has an AI rating of HOLD with 35% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.
What are BFST's key strengths?
Strong net income growth of 6.5% YoY despite revenue collapse suggests operational efficiency improvements. Excellent free cash flow generation of $92.1M with 859.7% FCF margin indicates cash conversion capability.
What are the risks of investing in BFST?
Revenue declined 97.7% YoY, an extreme metric inconsistent with sustainable banking operations and suggestive of data quality issues or business model breakdown. Operating margin of 1030.5% and net margin of 820.8% are mathematically implausible and indicate unreliable financial reporting or definitional errors in data provided.
What is BFST's revenue and growth?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. reported revenue of $10.7M.
Does BFST pay dividends?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. pays dividends, with $16.8M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.
Where can I find BFST SEC filings?
Official SEC filings for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (CIK: 0001624322) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.
What is BFST's EPS?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. has a diluted EPS of $2.79.
How is the AI analysis conducted?
Our AI (Claude) analyzes publicly available SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports to evaluate financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics.