Business First Bancshares (BFST) Debt/Equity Ratio: History & Chart

Business First Bancshares, Inc.(BFST)

Banks - Regional · Baton Rouge, LA

$31.00+0.13 (+0.42%)

Delayed quote: Oct 6, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT

About Business First Bancshares, Inc.

Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) serves as the bank holding company for b1BANK, delivering an extensive array of banking products and financial services. Its deposit offerings include checking, demand, money market, time, and savings accounts, alongside certificates of deposit, and modern conveniences such as remote and direct deposit capabilities. The company provides a diverse portfolio of lending solutions. These include commercial and industrial loans for working capital, equipment financing, asset acquisition, expansion, and development, featuring lines of credit, letters of credit, term loans, and borrowing base facilities. BFST also finances construction and development projects, commercial real estate, and residential properties, offering first and second lien mortgages for 1-4 family homes, plus home equity lines of credit. Consumer loan options span both secured and unsecured installment and term arrangements. Beyond traditional banking, BFST offers wealth management services, encompassing mutual funds, annuities, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), other investment products, fiduciary services, and private banking solutions. A wide range of additional financial tools are available, including debit and credit cards, comprehensive treasury and cash management services (such as merchant services, automated clearing house (ACH), lock-box, receivables factoring, and correspondent banking), and employee and payroll benefits solutions. Customer access points feature drive-through facilities, ATMs, night depositories, personalized checks, electronic funds transfer (EFT), domestic and international wire transfers, traveler's checks, vault services, sweep accounts, and robust online and mobile banking platforms, e-statements, and bank-by-mail services. As of March 1, 2022, Business First Bancshares operated approximately 48 full-service banking centers and three loan production offices across Louisiana, and in the Dallas and Houston metropolitan areas. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Baton Rouge, LA

832 employees

www.b1bank.com

Financial Services / Banks - Regional

Sector: Financial Services
Industry: Banks - Regional
CEO: David R. Melville

View full financials

BFST Debt to Equity Ratio Metrics

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO

0.61

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG TTM

0.58

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG 3Y

0.63

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG 5Y

0.75

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG 10Y

0.53

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG 15Y

N/A

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO AVG 20Y

N/A

CURRENT VS TTM AVG

+5.33%

CURRENT VS 3Y AVG

-2.78%

CURRENT VS 5Y AVG

-18.15%

CURRENT VS 10Y AVG

+14.43%

CURRENT VS 15Y AVG

N/A

CURRENT VS 20Y AVG

N/A

SECTOR MEDIAN · FINANCIAL SERVICES

0.34

median of 514 covered companies

CURRENT VS SECTOR MEDIAN

+77.05%

vs the sector median at left

NAME	MARKET CAP	DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO	TTM	3Y	5Y
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)	$1.01B	0.61	0.58	0.63	0.75
OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC)vs ›	$1.01B	0.95	0.86	0.82	0.63
MetroCity Bankshares, Inc. (MCBS)vs ›	$1.01B	0.71	0.95	0.97	1.02
CNB Financial Corporation (CCNE)vs ›	$1.01B	0.31	0.30	0.40	0.35
CNB Financial Corporation (CCNEP)vs ›	$1.02B	0.31	0.30	0.40	0.35
Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (ESQ)vs ›	$1.02B	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.00
Mercantile Bank Corporation (MBWM)vs ›	$1.03B	0.91	1.13	1.32	1.35
Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (HBNC)vs ›	$997.08M	0.52	1.18	1.32	1.21
Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation (OCSL)vs ›	$1.04B	1.04	1.06	1.05	0.99
Northeast Bank (NBN)vs ›	$1.05B	1.42	1.05	1.26	0.89

NAME

MARKET CAP

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO

TTM

Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)

$1.01B

0.61

0.58

0.63

0.75

OceanFirst Financial Corp. (OCFC)vs ›

$1.01B

0.95

0.86

0.82

0.63

MetroCity Bankshares, Inc. (MCBS)vs ›

$1.01B

0.71

0.95

0.97

1.02

CNB Financial Corporation (CCNE)vs ›

$1.01B

0.31

0.30

0.40

0.35

CNB Financial Corporation (CCNEP)vs ›

$1.02B

0.31

0.30

0.40

0.35

Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (ESQ)vs ›

$1.02B

0.00

0.01

0.00

Mercantile Bank Corporation (MBWM)vs ›

$1.03B

0.91

1.13

1.32

1.35

Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (HBNC)vs ›

$997.08M

0.52

1.18

1.32

1.21

Oaktree Specialty Lending Corporation (OCSL)vs ›

$1.04B

1.04

1.06

1.05

0.99

Northeast Bank (NBN)vs ›

$1.05B

1.42

1.05

1.26

0.89

Debt to Equity Ratio FAQ

What is the debt to equity ratio for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)?

The debt to equity ratio for BFST stock is 0.61.

Is Business First Bancshares, Inc.'s debt to equity ratio high or low?

The debt to equity ratio of 0.61 is 18% below its 5-year average of 0.75, near the low end of its 5-year range (0.33–1.43).

What is the TTM average debt to equity ratio for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)?

The TTM average debt to equity ratio for BFST stock is 0.58.

What is the 3Y average debt to equity ratio for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)?

The 3Y average debt to equity ratio for BFST stock is 0.63.

What is the 5Y average debt to equity ratio for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)?

The 5Y average debt to equity ratio for BFST stock is 0.75.

What is the 10Y average debt to equity ratio for Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST)?

The 10Y average debt to equity ratio for BFST stock is 0.53.

DATE	DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO
2026-06-30	0.61
2026-03-31	0.39
2025-12-31	0.61
2025-09-30	0.56
2025-06-30	0.72
2025-03-31	0.53
2024-12-31	0.60
2024-09-30	0.71
2024-06-30	0.64
2024-03-31	0.66
2023-12-31	0.99
2023-09-30	1.06
2023-06-30	1.32
2023-03-31	1.43
2022-12-31	0.96
2022-09-30	1.33
2022-06-30	0.88
2022-03-31	0.48
2021-12-31	0.43
2021-09-30	0.41
2021-06-30	0.33
2021-03-31	0.33
2020-12-31	0.26
2020-09-30	0.46
2020-06-30	0.47
2020-03-31	0.65
2019-12-31	0.65
2019-09-30	0.66
2019-06-30	0.54
2019-03-31	0.25
2018-12-31	0.35
2018-09-30	0.48
2018-06-30	0.49
2018-03-31	0.52
2017-12-31	0.45
2017-09-30	0.60
2017-06-30	0.61
2017-05-05	0.63
2016-12-31	0.47
2016-09-30	0.41
2016-06-30	0.40
2016-03-31	0.40
2015-12-31	0.42
2015-09-30	0.44
2015-06-30	0.44
2015-03-31	0.31
2014-12-31	0.19
2014-09-30	0.19
2014-06-30	0.20
2014-03-31	0.00
2013-12-31	0.21
2013-09-30	0.00
2013-06-30	0.00
2013-03-31	0.00

DATE

DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO

2026-06-30

0.61

2026-03-31

0.39

2025-12-31

0.61

2025-09-30

0.56

2025-06-30

0.72

2025-03-31

0.53

2024-12-31

0.60

2024-09-30

0.71

2024-06-30

0.64

2024-03-31

0.66

2023-12-31

0.99

2023-09-30

1.06

2023-06-30

1.32

2023-03-31

1.43

2022-12-31

0.96

2022-09-30

1.33

2022-06-30

0.88

2022-03-31

0.48

2021-12-31

0.43

2021-09-30

0.41

2021-06-30

0.33

2021-03-31

0.33

2020-12-31

0.26

2020-09-30

0.46

2020-06-30

0.47

2020-03-31

0.65

2019-12-31

0.65

2019-09-30

0.66

2019-06-30

0.54

2019-03-31

0.25

2018-12-31

0.35

2018-09-30

0.48

2018-06-30

0.49

2018-03-31

0.52

2017-12-31

0.45

2017-09-30

0.60

2017-06-30

0.61

2017-05-05

0.63

2016-12-31

0.47

2016-09-30

0.41

2016-06-30

0.40

2016-03-31

0.40

2015-12-31

0.42

2015-09-30

0.44

2015-06-30

0.44

2015-03-31

0.31

2014-12-31

0.19

2014-09-30

0.19

2014-06-30

0.20

2014-03-31

0.00

2013-12-31

0.21

2013-09-30

0.00

2013-06-30

0.00

2013-03-31

0.00

Debt to Equity Ratio: 0.61

BFST Debt to Equity Ratio

BFST Average Debt to Equity Ratio Chart

BFST Current vs Average Debt to Equity Ratio Chart

BFST Debt to Equity Ratio Metrics

BFST Competitors' Debt to Equity Ratio

Financial Health

Debt to Equity Ratio Formula & Definition

Debt to Equity Ratio FAQ

BFST Debt to Equity Ratio History

Related Metrics