The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being under ...

Shares of Business First (BFST) have gained 4.7% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $24.25, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $30.9 indicates a potential upside of 27.4%.The mean estimate comprises five short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $0.74. While the lowest estimate of $30.00 indicates a 23.7% increase from the curr ...

Investors in Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jan 16, 2026 $15.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. ...

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics a ...

Financial Performance - Net income available to common shareholders for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $61.5 million, a $16.9 million, or 37.9%, increase from the same period in 2024[139] - Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $202.3 million, an increase of $40.6 million, or 25.1%, from the same period in 2024[139] - For the three months ended September 30, 2025, net interest income totaled $69.3 million, an increase from $56.1 million in the same period of 2024[143] - Total noninterest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, increased by $7.0 million, or 21.6%, compared to the same period in 2024[160] - Core net income available to common shareholders for Q3 2025 was $21.2 million, or $0.72 per diluted common share, compared to $17.2 million, or $0.68 per diluted common share for Q3 2024, reflecting a 23.3% increase in core net income[250] - Interest income for Q3 2025 was $118.7 million, compared to $102.7 million in Q3 2024, indicating a 15.6% year-over-year growth[252] Asset and Loan Growth - Total assets increased to $8.0 billion, a $96.8 million, or 1.2%, increase from December 31, 2024[139] - Total loans held for investment reached $6.0 billion, a $39.7 million, or 0.7%, increase from December 31, 2024[139] - Total interest-earning assets increased to $7.46 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2025, from $6.36 billion in 2024[148] - Average loans outstanding increased to $6,001,647 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $5,327,466 thousand for the same period in 2024, representing a growth of 12.7%[200] Capital and Equity - Total shareholders' equity increased to $878.4 million as of September 30, 2025, representing a 9.9% increase from $799.5 million as of December 31, 2024, driven by net income of $65.5 million[223] - Book value per common share increased by 10.6% to $27.23 from $24.62 at December 31, 2024[143] - Tangible common equity rose to $670,228,000 as of September 30, 2025, compared to $588,712,000 as of December 31, 2024, marking an increase of about 13.9%[261] - Common equity to total assets ratio improved to 10.1% as of September 30, 2025, compared to 9.3% as of December 31, 2024[261] Credit Quality and Allowance for Losses - The allowance for credit losses was 1.03% of total loans held for investment, up from 0.98% as of December 31, 2024[143] - As of September 30, 2025, nonperforming assets totaled $66.1 million, up from $30.5 million as of December 31, 2024, indicating a significant increase in asset quality concerns[187] - The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans held for investment increased to 0.82% as of September 30, 2025, compared to 0.42% as of December 31, 2024[188] - Provision for credit losses was $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, up from $1.7 million in the same period in 2024[157] Deposits and Funding - Total deposits as of September 30, 2025, were $6.5 billion, a decrease of $4.5 million, or 0.1%, compared to December 31, 2024[212] - Total uninsured deposits were $2.8 billion, or 42.6%, of total deposits as of September 30, 2025, compared to 43.4% as of December 31, 2024[212] - Average deposits for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, were $6.4 billion, an increase of $676.0 million, or 11.8%, over the full year average for 2024[214] Acquisitions and Strategic Initiatives - The acquisition of Oakwood contributed significantly to the increase in net income and net interest income[139] - The company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Progressive Bancorp, which had approximately $755.3 million in total assets as of June 30, 2025[138] Risk Management - The company actively manages interest rate, credit, and liquidity risks through established policies and procedures[262] - Liquidity risk management includes a contingency funding plan to ensure the ability to meet obligations to borrowers and depositors[263] - Credit risk is primarily related to the loan portfolio, with a disciplined approach to evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses[264]

Core Points - Business First Bancshares, Inc. has announced a stock repurchase program with an aggregate purchase price of up to $30 million over a 24-month period starting from October 28, 2025, to October 28, 2027 [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Repurchase Program - The repurchases may occur in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, depending on management's assessment of attractive prices and the best interests of the company and its shareholders [2]. - The program is not obligatory, and there is no assurance that shares will be repurchased; it can be modified, suspended, or terminated at the Board's discretion [3]. Group 2: Company Overview - As of September 30, 2025, Business First Bancshares, Inc. has $8.0 billion in assets and $5.7 billion in assets under management through its affiliate, Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC, excluding $0.9 billion of b1BANK assets managed by SSW [5]. - b1BANK operates banking centers and loan production offices in Louisiana and Texas, offering commercial and personal banking products and services [5]. - b1BANK has received accolades such as the 2024 Mastercard "Innovation Award" and has been recognized multiple times by American Banker Magazine as one of the "Best Banks to Work For" [5].

Core Viewpoint - Business First (BFST) shows potential for significant upside, with a mean price target of $30.7 indicating a 26.6% increase from the current price of $24.26 [1] Price Targets - The average price target consists of five estimates ranging from $30.00 to $32.00, with a standard deviation of $0.84, suggesting a consensus among analysts [2] - The lowest estimate indicates a 23.7% increase, while the highest suggests a 31.9% upside [2] - A low standard deviation indicates a high degree of agreement among analysts regarding price movement [9] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts have shown increasing optimism about BFST's earnings prospects, as evidenced by upward revisions in EPS estimates [11] - Over the last 30 days, two estimates have been revised higher, leading to a 1.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate [12] - BFST holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [13] Caution on Price Targets - Solely relying on price targets for investment decisions may not be prudent, as analysts' ability to set unbiased targets has been questioned [3][7] - Analysts often set optimistic price targets due to business incentives, which can lead to inflated estimates [8] - While price targets should not be ignored, they should be approached with skepticism [10]

Core Viewpoint - Business First Bancshares (BFST) is identified as a strong value stock with a favorable Zacks Rank and attractive valuation metrics, indicating potential undervaluation in the current market [3][7]. Valuation Metrics - BFST has a Forward P/E ratio of 8.38, which is lower than the industry average of 9.46, suggesting it may be undervalued compared to peers [3]. - The company's P/B ratio stands at 0.93, compared to the industry average of 1.06, indicating a solid market value relative to its book value [4]. - BFST's P/S ratio is 1.4, which is lower than the industry average of 1.86, reinforcing the perception of undervaluation [5]. - The P/CF ratio for BFST is 8.69, significantly lower than the industry average of 15.77, highlighting its attractive cash flow valuation [6]. Investment Outlook - The combination of BFST's strong earnings outlook and favorable valuation metrics positions it as an impressive value stock in the current market environment [7].

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]