BFST Q3 2026: Core EPS $0.79, NIM 3.86%, Loans +7.2% Annualized
BFST sits 38% above its 52-week low of $23.08.
Summary
Business First Bancshares reported Q3 2026 core net income of $26.0 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, on a 3.86% net interest margin, with loans up 7.2% annualized. A wider $54.9 million AOCI loss trimmed book value per share to $28.77.
Key Events · Earnings and Guidance · BFST
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Q3 Core EPS Rises to $0.79
Core net income available to common was $26.0 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, up from $23.3 million and $0.71 in Q2 2026. GAAP net income available to common was $23.2 million, or $0.71 per share.
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Margin Expands 13 bps to 3.86%
Net interest margin rose to 3.86% from 3.73%, or 3.80% versus 3.68% excluding loan discount accretion, helped by a $65.9 million drop in brokered deposits and a $107.8 million reduction in borrowings.
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Loans and Deposits Grow ~7% Annualized
Loans held for investment increased $121.4 million (7.23% annualized) to $6.78 billion and deposits rose $141.2 million (7.74% annualized) to $7.38 billion, led by Houston and Southwest Louisiana.
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AOCI Loss Widens to $54.9 Million
Accumulated other comprehensive loss grew from $35.8 million to $54.9 million on $24.2 million of negative pre-tax securities fair value adjustments, pulling book value per share to $28.77 from $28.79 and common equity to assets to 10.39% from 10.52%.
Analysis · BFST · Finance
Core earnings jumped to $26.0 million ($0.79 per diluted share) from $23.3 million ($0.71) in the linked quarter, with the margin widening 13 bps to 3.86% as brokered deposits fell $65.9 million and borrowings dropped $107.8 million. Loan and deposit growth of roughly 7% annualized shows the Progressive conversion did not cost the franchise momentum. The offset is capital: an AOCI loss that widened to $54.9 million from $35.8 million cut book value per share to $28.77 from $28.79 even as tangible book value rose to $23.71, and common equity to assets slipped to 10.39% from 10.52%. Management is still buying back stock ($6.3 million in Q3 at $30.81 average) while the securities book bleeds fair value, which is the tension investors will weigh against the stronger core run rate.
How filings like this one have moved
In the 30 days to Oct 26, 2026, 29.9% of the 1374 measured filings Wiseek scored 7 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.12%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
Measured one observation per ticker per day, after exclusions. Current figures: Filing Impact Tracker · open dataset
At the time of this filing, BFST was trading at $31.80 on NASDAQ in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $1B. The 52-week trading range was $23.08 to $32.53. This filing was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.