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Upturn AI SWOT - About
BFST 
Business First Bancshares Inc (BFST)
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Upturn Advisory Summary
11/03/2025: BFST (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Upturn Star Rating
Not Recommended Performance
These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.
Number of Analysts
5 Analysts rated it
Limited analyst coverage, niche firm, research info may be scarce.
1 Year Target Price $30.62
1 Year Target Price $30.62
| 4 | Strong Buy |
| 1 | Buy |
| 0 | Hold |
| 0 | Sell |
| 0 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -12.97% | Avg. Invested days 35 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Star Rating | Upturn Advisory Performance  2.0 | Stock Returns Performance  1.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 11/03/2025 |
Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 726.17M USD | Price to earnings Ratio 9.47 | 1Y Target Price 30.62 |
Price to earnings Ratio 9.47 | 1Y Target Price 30.62 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 5 | Beta 0.85 | 52 Weeks Range 19.84 - 29.66 | Updated Date 11/2/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 19.84 - 29.66 | Updated Date 11/2/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) 2.32% | Basic EPS (TTM) 2.59 |
Earnings Date
Report Date 2025-10-23 | When After Market | Estimate 0.67 | Actual 0.72 |
Profitability
Profit Margin 27% | Operating Margin (TTM) 38.63% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 1.11% | Return on Equity (TTM) 10.39% |
Valuation
Trailing PE 9.47 | Forward PE 9.68 | Enterprise Value 799368896 | Price to Sales(TTM) 2.39 |
Enterprise Value 799368896 | Price to Sales(TTM) 2.39 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 4.41 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA - | Shares Outstanding 29615370 | Shares Floating 28119202 |
Shares Outstanding 29615370 | Shares Floating 28119202 | ||
Percent Insiders 4.79 | Percent Institutions 51.75 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Business First Bancshares Inc
Company Overview
History and Background
Business First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 2006 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It aimed to provide personalized banking services to businesses and individuals in underserved markets. Through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, it has expanded across the Southeast United States.
Core Business Areas
- Commercial Banking: Offers a range of commercial lending products, deposit accounts, and treasury management services to businesses of all sizes.
- Retail Banking: Provides personal banking services, including checking and savings accounts, mortgages, and consumer loans.
- Wealth Management: Offers wealth management, trust, and investment services to individuals and families.
Leadership and Structure
Jude Melville serves as President and CEO. The company operates with a board of directors overseeing strategic direction. Organizational structure includes regional presidents and department heads responsible for various business lines.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Commercial Loans: Provides loans to businesses for working capital, expansion, and equipment financing. While specific market share data is unavailable, competition includes larger regional and national banks like Hancock Whitney (HWC) and Regions Financial (RF).
- Deposit Accounts: Offers checking, savings, and money market accounts for businesses and individuals. Competition comes from various banks and credit unions.
- Mortgages: Offers a variety of mortgage products for home purchases and refinancing. Competitors include traditional banks and mortgage lenders like Rocket Mortgage.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The banking industry is currently facing increasing regulatory scrutiny, technological disruption (FinTech), and fluctuating interest rates. Competition is intense, with both traditional and non-traditional players vying for market share.
Positioning
Business First Bancshares positions itself as a community-focused bank providing personalized service and local expertise. Its competitive advantage lies in its relationships with local businesses and its responsiveness to customer needs.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The TAM for banking services in the Southeast United States is substantial, estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Business First Bancshares is positioned to capture a portion of this market through its expansion strategy and focus on underserved areas.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Strong local market presence
- Personalized customer service
- Experienced management team
- Solid credit quality
Weaknesses
- Smaller scale compared to larger competitors
- Limited geographic diversification
- Dependence on local economy
- Higher cost of funds than larger competitors
Opportunities
- Expansion into new markets
- Increased adoption of technology
- Growing demand for wealth management services
- Strategic acquisitions
Threats
- Increased competition from larger banks and fintech companies
- Economic downturn
- Rising interest rates
- Regulatory changes
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- HWC
- RF
- OZK
- FFBC
Competitive Landscape
Business First Bancshares competes with larger regional and national banks, as well as smaller community banks. Its competitive advantage lies in its personalized service and local expertise, but it faces challenges due to its smaller scale and limited geographic diversification.
Major Acquisitions
Texas Citizens Bancorp, Inc
- Year: 2021
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 131.9
- Strategic Rationale: Expansion into the Texas market and increased market share.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Business First Bancshares has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions, expanding its footprint across the Southeast.
Future Projections: Analyst estimates suggest continued revenue growth driven by loan growth and fee income. Profitability is expected to improve as the bank achieves greater scale.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives include expanding into new markets, investing in technology, and launching new products and services.
Summary
Business First Bancshares is a regional bank with a strong local presence and a focus on personalized customer service. It has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. However, it faces challenges from larger competitors and economic fluctuations. Its commitment to local relationships and community focus are key strengths for future growth.
Similar Stocks
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company Filings (10-K, 10-Q)
- Analyst Reports
- Company Website
- SEC Filings
Disclaimers:
This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investment decisions should be made based on your own research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Market share data is based on estimates and may not be precise.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Business First Bancshares Inc
Exchange NASDAQ | Headquaters Baton Rouge, LA, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 2018-04-09 | Chairman, President & CEO Mr. David R. Melville III | ||
Sector Financial Services | Industry Banks - Regional | Full time employees 849 | Website https://www.b1bank.com |
Full time employees 849 | Website https://www.b1bank.com | ||
Business First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for b1BANK that provides various banking products and services in Louisiana and Texas. It offers various deposit products and services, including checking, demand, money market, time, and savings accounts; and certificates of deposits, remote deposit capture, and direct deposit services. The company also provides commercial and industrial loans, such as working capital, term, equipment financing, asset acquisition, expansion and development, borrowing base, and other loan products, as well as commercial lines of credit, accounts receivable factoring, agricultural financing, and letters of credit; construction and development loans; commercial real estate loans; residential real estate loans comprising first and second lien 1-4 family mortgage loans, and home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans, including secured and unsecured installment, and term loans. In addition, it offers wealth management products, including mutual funds, annuities, individual retirement accounts, and other financial products, as well as other fiduciary and private banking products and services. Further, the company provides a range of other financial services comprising debit and credit cards, treasury and cash management, merchant, automated clearing house, lock-box, receivables factoring, correspondent banking, and other treasury services, as well as employee and payroll benefits solutions; and drive-through banking facilities, automated teller machines, night depository, personalized checks, electronic funds transfer, domestic and foreign wire transfer, traveler's checks, vault, loan and deposit sweep accounts, interest-rate swaps, small business administration products, online and mobile banking, e-statements, and bank-by-mail services. Business First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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