Business First Bancshares, Inc. has recently released its 10-Q report, providing a detailed overview of its financial condition and operations. The company operates as the bank holding company for b1BANK, offering a wide range of banking products and services in Louisiana and Texas. As of March 31, 2025, the company had total assets of $7.8 billion, total loans of $6.0 billion, total deposits of $6.5 billion, and total shareholders’ equity of $826.3 million.
In the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section, Business First Bancshares highlighted several key developments. The company participated in the Bank Term Funding Program, with outstanding debt of $300.0 million at December 31, 2023. Additionally, the company opened two new lines of credit through the Federal Reserve discount window, totaling $1.3 billion and $907.7 billion as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively.
Furthermore, the report detailed the acquisition of Waterstone LSP, LLC and Oakwood Bancshares, Inc. The acquisition of Waterstone was completed on January 31, 2024, with a cash payment of $3.3 million. On October 1, 2024, Business First Bancshares merged with Oakwood, issuing 3,973,134 shares of common stock to the former shareholders of Oakwood. The company also sold the Kaplan banking center to Currency Bank on April 4, 2025.
Financial highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2025, include a 0.9% decrease in total assets, a 0.8% decrease in total deposits, and a 0.0% change in total loans held for investment from December 31, 2024. Net income available to common shareholders increased by 57.1% to $19.2 million, and net interest income increased by 28.0% to $66.0 million compared to the same period in 2024. The company reported an allowance for credit losses of 1.01% of total loans held for investment and a ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans held for investment of 0.69%.
Earnings per common share for the first three months of 2025 were $0.65 per basic and diluted common share, compared to $0.49 per basic common share and $0.48 per diluted common share for the first three months of 2024. The return on average assets increased to 1.00% in the first three months of 2025, compared to 0.74% for the same period in 2024. Additionally, the return on average common equity rose to 10.48% in the first three months of 2025, compared to 8.51% in the first three months of 2024. The capital ratios for Tier 1 Leverage, Common Equity Tier 1, Tier 1 Risk-based, and Total Risk-based Capital also saw increases compared to the previous period.
Today the company's shares have moved 1.9% to a price of $23.54. For the full picture, make sure to review Business First Bancshares's 10-Q report.
