Business First Bancshares (BFST) Reports 14% EPS Growth in Q4 2025 and Initiates Stock Buyback
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Strong Earnings Performance: Business First Bancshares reported a net income of $21 million and EPS of $0.71 in Q4 2025, reflecting a 20% year-over-year increase, which significantly enhances market confidence in the company's profitability.
- Stock Buyback Initiative: The company initiated a stock repurchase for the first time in nearly six years, buying back approximately 150,000 shares at around $24.70, indicating management's confidence in future prospects and helping to boost EPS.
- Loan and Deposit Growth: Total loans increased by $168.4 million, with an annualized growth rate of 11.1%, while total deposits rose by $191.7 million, primarily due to a net increase in interest-bearing deposits, showcasing the company's competitive edge and customer appeal.
- Positive Future Outlook: Management expects to focus on optimizing existing systems in 2026, targeting mid-single-digit loan growth, and anticipates non-interest income to remain in the $13 million to $14 million range, demonstrating a clear strategy for sustained growth and risk management.
Analyst Views on BFST
Wall Street analysts forecast BFST stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BFST is 32.33 USD with a low forecast of 31.00 USD and a high forecast of 34.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 28.210
Low
31.00
Averages
32.33
High
34.00
Current: 28.210
Low
31.00
Averages
32.33
High
34.00
About BFST
Business First Bancshares, Inc., through its banking subsidiary b1BANK, operates banking centers and loan production offices in markets across Louisiana and Texas, providing commercial and personal banking products and services. The Company's personal banking products and services include personal checking, personal savings, digital banking, long term savings, personal lending and additional services. Its commercial products and services include commercial checking, commercial savings, commercial lending, online banking, and treasury management. The Company's wealth management products and services include investments, financial planning, and insurance. It also provides private client banking products and services. Its personal checking products include MAX Checking and FLEX Checking. Its personal savings products include MAX Money Market, FLEX Savings and AIM Savings. Its commercial checking products include Essential Business Checking, Aspire Checking, and MAX Business Checking.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
