---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-25-033016"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BFST"
cik: "0001624322"
company_name: "Business First Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2025-11-04T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-17T00:38:22.792288+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Business First Bancshares enters amended CEO agreement and new change-in-control pacts with four officers

## Summary
- CEO Melville's new agreement provides base salary of at least $827,500, initial 5-year term with auto-renewal.
- Severance on qualifying termination: 3x (base salary + avg bonus) for Melville; 2x for four other executives.
- Change-in-control protection window: 3 months before to 24 months after a change in control.
- Two-year non-solicitation and non-competition covenants apply post-termination for all covered executives.
- Agreements dated October 29, 2025; prior 2019 CEO agreement and older CIC agreements superseded.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-25-033016
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BFST
- cik: 0001624322
- company_name: Business First Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2025-11-04T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774925033016/0001437749-25-033016-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000143774925033016/bfbi20251104_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-25-033016
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-25-033016.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-25-033016.txt

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