---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-23-020892"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BFST"
cik: "0001624322"
company_name: "Business First Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2023-07-27T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-13T00:34:05.593651+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.65
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Business First Q2 2023 net income $18.4M, EPS $0.73; core EPS $0.70

## Summary
- GAAP EPS $0.73, up $0.19 QoQ and $0.12 YoY; core EPS $0.70, up $0.15 QoQ and $0.06 YoY.
- Net interest margin 3.63%; loans held for investment grew $95.7M (2.0%) QoQ.
- Deposits increased $208.3M (4.3%) QoQ; brokered deposits drove $211.2M of the rise.
- Nonperforming loans stable at 0.36% of loans; ROAA of 1.18% improved from 0.91% prior quarter.
- Declared $0.12/common share dividend, unchanged from prior quarter; payable Aug 31 to holders of record Aug 15.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-23-020892
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BFST
- cik: 0001624322
- company_name: Business First Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2023-07-27T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.65
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 7.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774923020892/0001437749-23-020892-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774923020892/bfbi20230726_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020892
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020892.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020892.txt

## Key facts
- Earnings Releases
  Business First Bancshares, Inc. reported the quarter ended June 30, 2023 results: net income net income available to common shareholders of $18.4 million, EPS $0.73 per diluted common share.
  - Period: the quarter ended June 30, 2023
  - Net income: net income available to common shareholders of $18.4 million
  - EPS: $0.73 per diluted common share
  - Result: reported results
  source text: Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST) (Business First), parent company of b1BANK, today announced its unaudited results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, including net income available to common shareholders of $18.4 million, or $0.73 per diluted common share,
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774923020892/0001437749-23-020892-index.htm

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