Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) earns a Roarable Rating of B- (Buy) with 70/100 RQD Confidence. High-quality cash engine (steady margins, 10% return on capital) with steady institutional support. The company’s underlying cash engine and institutional positioning keep the composite score in the Green Buy zone.
As of 2026-11-02, Business First Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) is rated B- (Buy / BUY) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 70/100 at a spot price of $31.80 (+0.09% 1D, market cap $1.03B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 14/20, Executive Insider Alignment 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20. Across 1096 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #130 in composite RQD confidence.
Within the Financials sector (Major Banks), BFST carries a Roarable B- (70/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 11.8x, gross margin of —, and ROIC of 9.8%. By comparison, MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) holds a C grade (62/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.04B) and EGBN (Eagle Bancorp Inc.) posts a D+ grade (55/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -12.2%, cap $1.02B). Among the 5-stock peer group, BFST leads on earnings multiple (11.8x) while MCBS leads on capital efficiency (12.6% ROIC).
Per BFST's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001624322), Business First Bancshares Inc. generated $0 in revenue, $87.9M in net income, and $92.0M in free cash flow against $8.21B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (steady margins)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer
SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 80% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares)
SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 2.3% FCF Margin ($92.0M FCF) & 52% Gross Margin
Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (58.7) create a -8 pt regime headwind
Even with a 70/100 (B-) score, BFST faces multiple-compression risk if 11.8x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.
Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.
Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 49.5% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.
Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($31.11) or 200D SMA ($29.38) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($33.52) toward Bear Floor ($26.08).
Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) advanced +0.09% to $31.80, trading at 91% of its 52-week range ($24.06 – $32.53). High-quality cash engine (steady margins, 10% return on capital) with steady institutional support.
Yahoo Finance report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Moomoo report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
TradingView report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Seeking Alpha report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Stock Titan report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
GuruFocus report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
marketscreener.com report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774926033999/bfbi20261029_8k.htm
DA Davidson analyst Gary Tenner maintains Business First Bancshares (NASDAQ:BFST) with a Buy and raises the price target from $35 to $39.
Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).
vs. +6.0% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).
No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on BFST today. View full Setup Ledger →
No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for BFST. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.
Across 1096 tracked Financials securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) ranks #130 by composite RQD confidence (70/100, grade B-) and #547 by equity capitalization ($1.03B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, BFST leads on earnings valuation at 11.8x trailing P/E, while MCBS leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 12.6% ROIC and — gross margin. BFST currently leads its immediate peer cohort in composite quantitative strength at 70/100 (B-).
| Ticker / Company | Roarable Grade | RQD Score | Trailing P/E | Gross Margin | ROIC | 1D Change | Market Cap | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFST
ACTIVE
Business First Bancshares Inc. | B- | 70/100 | 11.8x | — | 9.8% | +0.09% | $1.03B | Benchmark Subject |
| MCBS MetroCity Bankshares Inc. | C | 62/100 | 15.1x | — | 12.6% | -0.47% | $1.04B | /mcbs-vs-bfst → |
| EGBN Eagle Bancorp Inc. | D+ | 55/100 | — | — | -12.2% | -0.57% | $1.02B | /egbn-vs-bfst → |
| MBWM Mercantile Bank Corporation | C- | 59/100 | 11.8x | — | 12.2% | -1.38% | $1.05B | /mbwm-vs-bfst → |
| CCNE CNB Financial Corporation | C+ | 66/100 | 16.0x | — | 7.6% | -0.42% | $1.05B | /ccne-vs-bfst → |
In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) reported GAAP revenue of $0 (N/A vs. FY2024 revenue of $0 ) , GAAP net income of $87.9M, operating cash flow of $92.1M, and free cash flow of $92.0M (+53.8% YoY). On the balance sheet, BFST closed FY2025 with $8.21B in total assets against $0 in total debt (Altman Z-Score: N/A, Piotroski F-Score: 5/9).
| Fiscal Period | Filing Date | Revenue | Net Income | Operating Cash Flow | Free Cash Flow | Total Assets | Total Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (FY) | 2025-12-31 | $0 | $87.9M | $92.1M | $92.0M | $8.21B | — |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2024-12-31 | $0 | $65.1M | $61.4M | $59.8M | $7.86B | — |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2023-12-31 | $0 | $71.0M | $91.0M | $91.0M | — | — |
As of 2026-11-02, Business First Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) is rated B- (Buy / BUY) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 70/100 at a spot price of $31.80 (+0.09% 1D, market cap $1.03B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 14/20, Executive Insider Alignment 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20. Across 1096 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #130 in composite RQD confidence.
Within the Financials sector (Major Banks), BFST carries a Roarable B- (70/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 11.8x, gross margin of —, and ROIC of 9.8%. By comparison, MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) holds a C grade (62/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.04B) and EGBN (Eagle Bancorp Inc.) posts a D+ grade (55/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -12.2%, cap $1.02B). Among the 5-stock peer group, BFST leads on earnings multiple (11.8x) while MCBS leads on capital efficiency (12.6% ROIC).
Per BFST's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001624322), Business First Bancshares Inc. generated $0 in revenue, $87.9M in net income, and $92.0M in free cash flow against $8.21B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (steady margins)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
BFST last traded at $31.80 (+0.09% on volume of 171,774 shares), positioning the stock +2.22% above its 50-day simple moving average ($31.11) and +8.24% above its 200-day simple moving average ($29.38). Across its 52-week range of $24.06 to $32.53, BFST sits at the 91.4% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 58.7 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±3.5% ($30.69 to $32.91).
Why BFST Stock advanced +0.09% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash. High-quality cash engine (steady margins, 10% return on capital) with steady institutional support.
Per the Roarable RQD rating, BFST scores 70 out of 100, a B- grade, with the verdict "Roarable Buy — Sound Institutional Accumulation." The five pillars are:
Taken together, the pillars point to upside drivers in insider activity and cash returns, with valuation supported by a forward P/E of 11 (per market data), and tradeoffs in limited macro differentiation and a mid-range balance sheet score. The rating is an educational summary of the data, not a recommendation.
Business First Bancshares Inc. is a NASDAQ-listed issuer classified in the Financials sector, Major Banks industry, per the company profile. The profile does not describe its specific products, customer base, or revenue model. Not available in source data for the remaining business description details.
| Period | Revenue | Operating Income | Net Income | EPS | FCF | Cash | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 | $0.0M | $0.0M | $87.9M | N/A | $92.0M | $411.2M | N/A |
| FY 2024 | $0.0M | $0.0M | $65.1M | N/A | $59.8M | $319.1M | N/A |
| FY 2023 | $0.0M | $0.0M | $71.0M | N/A | $91.0M | N/A | N/A |
Per the SEC financials, net income rose from $65.1M in FY 2024 to $87.9M in FY 2025, while cash grew from $319.1M to $411.2M. Per the market data, gross, operating, and net margins are each reported as 0%, which the source data does not explain, so margin analysis cannot be reliably performed. Per the market data, ROIC is 9.8%. Per the RQD rating, the Altman Z-Score is 2.5 and the Piotroski F-Score is 5/9. Per the RQD rating, Debt/Equity is 0.5.
Per the recent news data, five headlines are catalogued, all relating to BFST:
Per the news data, the repurchase authorization and Q3 margin commentary are the most material catalysts. Risk watch items are not separately identified in the source data. Per the Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph, the supply chain is listed as NONE, with no butterfly links and no proprietary signals.
Per the Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph, the supply chain is NONE, with no upstream or downstream links recorded and no proprietary signals. Sector correlations and second-order bottlenecks are not available in source data. The graph's absence means that ripple analysis cannot be grounded in the provided data; a prospective investor should note that the sector context (Financials, Major Banks) is the only structural information available.
Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below
Yahoo Finance report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Moomoo report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
TradingView report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Seeking Alpha report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Stock Titan report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
GuruFocus report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
marketscreener.com report covering Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Welcome to the BFST (Business First Bancshares Inc.) Roar Pit. Current RQD Composite is 70/100 (Roarable Buy — Sound Institutional Accumulation) in Major Banks. Bulls point to operating leverage and sector positioning, while bears focus on macro rate sensitivity and margin execution. Pick your side (🐂 Bull or 🐻 Bear) and drop your price target below.
Everyone in here is repeating the bull case on BFST, but look at what you are paying: 11.8x trailing P/E with tightening sector spreads. Unless Business First Bancshares Inc. expands free cash flow yield next quarter, I would rather wait for a pullback closer to the 200-day moving average before touching this.
Looking at the 5-pillar RQD breakdown on BFST, the market is fixating on short-term headline noise in Major Banks and ignoring the balance sheet and cash flow trajectory. At $31.77 (52-wk range $24.06 - $32.53), any beat on forward guidance forces shorts and underweight funds to chase.
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