Business First Bancshares reports Q4 EPS 66c, consensus 49c

Reports Q4 net interest income totaled $65.7M compared to $56.1M from the linked quarter. Loan and interest-earning asset yields of 7.05% and 6.38%, decreased 7 and 4 basis points, respectively, compared to 7.12% and 6.42% from the linked quarter due to recent decline in the interest rate environment. However, net interest margin and net interest spread were 3.61% and 2.77% compared to 3.51% and 2.54% for the linked quarter. The overall cost of funds, which included noninterest-bearing deposits, declined 14 bps from 3.07% from the linked quarter to 2.93% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 due to the interest rate environment, along with decisive deposit rate management. .”I’m pleased to report the fourth quarter of 2024 positively reflected our year as a whole,” said Jude Melville, chairman, president and CEO of Business First Bancshares (BFST). “Solid fundamental performance led to productive growth, increasing diversification of revenue sources, healthy asset quality, successful incorporation of new team members, and expansion of our client base, all of which point to an exciting 2025 in which we anticipate not only meeting but growing stakeholder expectations.” y