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 2026-11-03, 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 $32.72 (+2.89% 1D, market cap $1.04B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 14/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 16/20. Across 1097 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #109 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, MBWM (Mercantile Bank Corporation) holds a D+ grade (56/100 RQD, P/E 11.8x, ROIC 12.2%, cap $1.03B) and MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) posts a C grade (62/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.03B). 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 $3.45B in revenue (+4.6% YoY), $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): 2.7% FCF Margin ($92.0M FCF) & 52% Gross Margin
Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (59.2) 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 ($31.12) or 200D SMA ($29.40) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($34.49) toward Bear Floor ($26.83).
Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) surged +2.89% to $32.72, trading at 99% of its 52-week range ($24.06 – $32.72). 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. +4.6% 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 1097 tracked Financials securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) ranks #109 by composite RQD confidence (70/100, grade B-) and #542 by equity capitalization ($1.04B). 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% | +2.89% | $1.04B | Benchmark Subject |
| MBWM Mercantile Bank Corporation | D+ | 56/100 | 11.8x | — | 12.2% | +2.32% | $1.03B | /mbwm-vs-bfst → |
| MCBS MetroCity Bankshares Inc. | C | 62/100 | 15.1x | — | 12.6% | +2.34% | $1.03B | /mcbs-vs-bfst → |
| CCNE CNB Financial Corporation | C | 65/100 | 16.0x | — | 7.6% | +3.10% | $1.05B | /ccne-vs-bfst → |
| EGBN Eagle Bancorp Inc. | D+ | 54/100 | — | — | -12.2% | +2.67% | $1.01B | /egbn-vs-bfst → |
In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) reported GAAP revenue of $3.45B (+4.6% vs. FY2024 revenue of $3.30B , and +898.1% cumulative change since FY2023) , 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 | $3.45B | $87.9M | $92.1M | $92.0M | $8.21B | — |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2024-12-31 | $3.30B | $65.1M | $61.4M | $59.8M | $7.86B | — |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2023-12-31 | $345.7M | $71.0M | $91.0M | $91.0M | — | — |
As of 2026-11-03, 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 $32.72 (+2.89% 1D, market cap $1.04B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 14/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 16/20. Across 1097 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #109 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, MBWM (Mercantile Bank Corporation) holds a D+ grade (56/100 RQD, P/E 11.8x, ROIC 12.2%, cap $1.03B) and MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) posts a C grade (62/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.03B). 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 $3.45B in revenue (+4.6% YoY), $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 $32.72 (+2.89% on volume of 219,139 shares), positioning the stock +5.14% above its 50-day simple moving average ($31.12) and +11.29% above its 200-day simple moving average ($29.40). Across its 52-week range of $24.06 to $32.53, BFST sits at the 100.0% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 59.2 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±3.4% ($31.61 to $33.83).
Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 70/100, corresponding to a B- letter grade (Roarable Buy) at a spot price of $32.72 (+2.89% 1D, market capitalization $1.04B).
Business First Bancshares Inc. Is a NASDAQ-listed issuer classified in the Financials sector, Major Banks industry. The profile does not describe its specific products, customer base, or revenue model. — for the remaining business description details.
In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) reported $3.45B in annual revenue (up from $3.30B in FY2024, +4.6% YoY) and $87.9M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($345.7M revenue, $71.0M net income) through FY2025, BFST scaled operating cash flow to $92.1M and free cash flow to $92.0M, backed by $8.21B in total assets against $0 in total debt.
The supply chain is NONE, with no upstream or downstream links recorded and no proprietary signals. 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.
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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.
Don't sleep on BFST's setup in Financials. Insider conviction (16/20) and a 8.9% FCF yield with 9.8% ROIC point to strong cash generation and insider support at a forward P/E of 11.. Beta of 1.0 means it moves fast when momentum turns, and the 5-pillar RQD gauge (70/100) backs up the fundamental quality.
@BearTrap_Alert Fair point on 11.8x trailing P/E, but you're ignoring the forward operating leverage in Major Banks. If gross margin (0.0%) holds, EPS grows into the multiple faster than bears think.
Fading this rally in BFST at $31.80. Macro regime fit (12/20) and a Piotroski F-Score of 5/9 show limited defensive positioning and mixed balance-sheet quality, with key financial lines reported as zero or N/A.. With a beta of 1.0 and the stock sitting at $31.80 (52-wk range $24.06–$32.53), the easy multiple expansion is already priced in.
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