---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-22-024791"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BFST"
cik: "0001624322"
company_name: "Business First Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2022-10-26T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-23T00:50:53.116469+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.72
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.72
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Business First Q3 net income $13.8M, EPS $0.61; core EPS rises to $0.72

## Summary
- Loans held for investment grew $316.2M (7.69% QoQ) to $4.4B; annualized 30.74%.
- Net interest margin expanded to 4.05% from 3.98% QoQ; core NIM 3.92%.
- Nonperforming loans ratio fell to 0.25% from 0.42% QoQ, aided by a $6.3M loan payoff.
- Completed $72M private placement of 7.50% fixed-to-floating non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock on Sept 1, 2022.
- Quarterly dividend maintained at $0.12 per share; payable Nov 30, 2022 to holders of record Nov 15, 2022.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-22-024791
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BFST
- cik: 0001624322
- company_name: Business First Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2022-10-26T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.72
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.72
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 7.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774922024791/0001437749-22-024791-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774922024791/bfbi20221024_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-22-024791
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-22-024791.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-22-024791.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.