---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001624322-25-000019"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BFST"
cik: "0001624322"
company_name: "Business First Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2025-04-24T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-23T07:04:11.069289+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.65
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Business First Bancshares Q1 2025 EPS $0.65, NIM expands 7 bps; NPL ratio rises to 0.69%

## Summary
- Net income available to common shareholders $19.2M ($0.65 diluted EPS), up from $15.1M linked quarter.
- Net interest margin 3.68%, up 7 bps from 3.61% linked quarter; net interest income $66.0M.
- Nonperforming loans to total loans at 0.69%, up 27 bps; provision for credit losses $2.8M (down from $6.7M).
- Tangible book value per share $20.84, up 4.6% from $19.92 at Dec. 31, 2024.
- Declared common dividend $0.14/share and preferred dividend $18.75/share, payable May 31, 2025.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001624322-25-000019
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BFST
- cik: 0001624322
- company_name: Business First Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2025-04-24T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.65
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000162432225000019/0001624322-25-000019-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000162432225000019/bfst-20250424.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-25-000019
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-25-000019.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-25-000019.txt

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