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Why BFST Stock advanced +0.41% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
$31.77 +0.41% NASDAQ • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot)
EXT / AFTER-HRS: $31.73
Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) carries a Roarable Rating of C+ (Hold) with 69/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.
ROARABLE C+ • HOLD / WATCH
Cap $1.03B
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Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on BFST Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude
🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief)
Is BFST stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?
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As of 2026-11-01, Business First Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) is rated C+ (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 69/100 at a spot price of $31.77 (+0.41% 1D, market cap $1.03B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 9/20, Executive Insider Alignment 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 16/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20. Across 1096 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #186 in composite RQD confidence.
✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief
🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief)
How does BFST compare to MCBS and EGBN in the Financials sector?
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Within the Financials sector (Major Banks), BFST carries a Roarable C+ (69/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 11.8x, gross margin of —, and ROIC of 9.8%. By comparison, MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) holds a C grade (65/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.04B) and EGBN (Eagle Bancorp Inc.) posts a D grade (45/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -12.2%, cap $1.02B). Among the 5-stock peer group, BFST leads on earnings multiple (11.8x) while MCBS leads on capital efficiency (12.6% ROIC).
✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief
🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief)
What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for BFST?
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Per BFST's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001624322), Business First Bancshares Inc. generated $0 in revenue, $87.9M in net income, and $92.0M in free cash flow against $8.21B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (steady margins)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief
🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).
INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:
EXT / AFTER-HRS: $31.73 (-0.12%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 15/20 (B) • 2.3% FCF Margin
Verify 90D Bucket Audit →📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 69/100 (C+) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+2.0% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 57.3% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).
Audit Bucket Track Record →RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C+
2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bullish
Cash
SEC
Whale
Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer
5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw C+ · Rk B
Each axis scored 0–20
12M PRICE TARGET CONE+4.9% Base Target
WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for BFST)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±3.6%
Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (69/100 Composite)
🔍 WHY BFST SCORES 69/100 (C+) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag
▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Macro Regime Fit+16/20 pts (23% of score)
FRED Regime × Technicals: 91% of 52W Range • RSI-14 at 59.4 (BULLISH MOMENTUM)
▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+16/20 pts (23% of score)
SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 80% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares)
▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Whale & Options Positioning9/20 pts (-11 pt drag)
Put hedging (50% put share) caps near-term gamma upside (-11 pts vs max)
📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current
Q1 (-3Q)Grade C$30.49+2.7% Next Q
61
Q2 (-2Q)Grade C+$31.31+1.6% Next Q
64
Q3 (-1Q)Grade B-$31.80-0.1% Next Q
66
CurrentGrade C+$31.77+2% Hist 90D α
69
Trajectory: C (61) → C+ (69)Full Audit →
⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER
⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the BFST Bull Thesis Could Fail
Even with a 69/100 (C+) score, BFST faces multiple-compression risk if 11.8x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1
Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2
Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 49.5% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.
⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3
Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($31.10) or 200D SMA ($29.35) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($33.34) toward Bear Floor ($26.01).
🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $BFST• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite
Contract: “BFST Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”
AUTOMATED RQD QUANT DESK MOVER BRIEFINGFull Market News Desk →
Why BFST Stock advanced +0.41% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) advanced +0.41% to $31.77, trading at 91% of its 52-week range ($24.06 – $32.53). Solid steady margins (10% return on capital), mixed timing at 12x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.
- ▸Technical Tape: Trading at 91% of its 52-week range ($24.06 – $32.53) with RSI-14 at 59.4 (BULLISH MOMENTUM).
- ▸Volatility Profile: Historical 20-day realized swing band of ±3.6% around $31.77 (no active unusual options sweep snapshot on file).
- ▸Fundamental Anchor: Roarable C+ (Hold) backed by 52% gross margin and $92.0M annual free cash flow.
Live BFST Headlines & Catalysts
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Scheduled RQD Strong Buys & Whale Accumulation Briefing (BFST Tape Review)
- ✓Breakdown of the highest-scoring RQD Green-Light breakouts across our 5,200+ rated universe
- ✓Forensic Red-Light accounting & dilution traps to review on your watchlist
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BFST // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +16.03%📐 HORIZONTAL RANGE
2026-10-30O $32.12H $32.33L $31.66C $31.77VOL 171.8K
RES: $34.35SUP: $29.51SMA50: $31.10SMA200: $29.35
PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK
BFST Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure
Share Count & Dilution Monitor (#25)
Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).
Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle (#30)
2.2%/yr Implied 5Y Growth
vs. +6.0% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).
Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger (#33)
No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on BFST today. View full Setup Ledger →
🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections
Open Graph →
No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for BFST. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.
AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video
🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for BFST today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →
DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK
📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (BFST)
Financials Rank #186 of 1096
⚔️ MCBS vs BFST Full Matrix →
1. Head-to-Head Financials Peer Comparison (BFST vs. MCBS, EGBN, MBWM, CCNE)
Industry: Major Banks (248 Tracked Issuers)Across 1096 tracked Financials securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) ranks #186 by composite RQD confidence (69/100, grade C+) and #547 by equity capitalization ($1.03B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, BFST leads on earnings valuation at 11.8x trailing P/E, while MCBS leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 12.6% ROIC and — gross margin. BFST currently leads its immediate peer cohort in composite quantitative strength at 69/100 (C+).
| Ticker / Company | Roarable Grade | RQD Score | Trailing P/E | Gross Margin | ROIC | 1D Change | Market Cap | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFST
ACTIVE
Business First Bancshares Inc. | C+ | 69/100 | 11.8x | — | 9.8% | +0.41% | $1.03B | Benchmark Subject |
| MCBS MetroCity Bankshares Inc. | C | 65/100 | 15.1x | — | 12.6% | +0.59% | $1.04B | /mcbs-vs-bfst → |
| EGBN Eagle Bancorp Inc. | D | 45/100 | — | — | -12.2% | +1.30% | $1.02B | /egbn-vs-bfst → |
| MBWM Mercantile Bank Corporation | D+ | 58/100 | 11.8x | — | 12.2% | +0.53% | $1.05B | /mbwm-vs-bfst → |
| CCNE CNB Financial Corporation | C+ | 67/100 | 16.0x | — | 7.6% | +0.56% | $1.05B | /ccne-vs-bfst → |
2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)
SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0001624322In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Business First Bancshares Inc. (BFST) reported GAAP revenue of $0 (N/A vs. FY2024 revenue of $0 ) , GAAP net income of $87.9M, operating cash flow of $92.1M, and free cash flow of $92.0M (+53.8% YoY). On the balance sheet, BFST closed FY2025 with $8.21B in total assets against $0 in total debt (Altman Z-Score: N/A, Piotroski F-Score: 5/9).
| Fiscal Period | Filing Date | Revenue | Net Income | Operating Cash Flow | Free Cash Flow | Total Assets | Total Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (FY) | 2025-12-31 | $0 | $87.9M | $92.1M | $92.0M | $8.21B | — |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2024-12-31 | $0 | $65.1M | $61.4M | $59.8M | $7.86B | — |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2023-12-31 | $0 | $71.0M | $91.0M | $91.0M | — | — |
3. BFST Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)
✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLEDIs BFST stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?
As of 2026-11-01, Business First Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) is rated C+ (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 69/100 at a spot price of $31.77 (+0.41% 1D, market cap $1.03B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 9/20, Executive Insider Alignment 13/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 16/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20. Across 1096 tracked Financials issuers, BFST ranks #186 in composite RQD confidence.
How does BFST compare to MCBS and EGBN in the Financials sector?
Within the Financials sector (Major Banks), BFST carries a Roarable C+ (69/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 11.8x, gross margin of —, and ROIC of 9.8%. By comparison, MCBS (MetroCity Bankshares Inc.) holds a C grade (65/100 RQD, P/E 15.1x, ROIC 12.6%, cap $1.04B) and EGBN (Eagle Bancorp Inc.) posts a D grade (45/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -12.2%, cap $1.02B). Among the 5-stock peer group, BFST leads on earnings multiple (11.8x) while MCBS leads on capital efficiency (12.6% ROIC).
What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for BFST?
Per BFST's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001624322), Business First Bancshares Inc. generated $0 in revenue, $87.9M in net income, and $92.0M in free cash flow against $8.21B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (steady margins)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Where is BFST trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?
BFST last traded at $31.77 (+0.41% on volume of 189,277 shares), positioning the stock +2.15% above its 50-day simple moving average ($31.10) and +8.25% above its 200-day simple moving average ($29.35). Across its 52-week range of $24.06 to $32.53, BFST sits at the 91.0% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 59.4 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±3.6% ($30.63 to $32.91).
BFST Investor FAQ & Complete 8-Part Research Index
100% OPEN ACCESS • SEC EDGAR × CBOE × FREDWhy is BFST stock moving today?
Why BFST Stock advanced +0.41% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash. Solid steady margins (10% return on capital), mixed timing at 12x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.