Barclays PLC, a leading global financial institution, has recently increased its stake in Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:BFST). According to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Barclays PLC raised its stake by 44.9% during the first quarter. The institutional investor now owns 32,247 shares of the company’s stock, after acquiring an additional 9,991 shares in the last quarter. At the end of the most recent quarter, these shares were valued at approximately $553,000.
The move by Barclays PLC indicates a growing interest in Business First Bancshares and showcases confidence in the company’s potential for growth and profitability. As a major player in the financial industry, Barclays’ increased stake could have positive implications for both Business First Bancshares and its shareholders.
Several research firms have also expressed positive sentiments towards BFST. Piper Sandler recently boosted their price objective on shares of Business First Bancshares from $19.00 to $21.00 in a report released on July 28th. Furthermore, Stephens raised their price objective from $18.00 to $25.00 and assigned an “overweight” rating to BFST stock on the same day. Raymond James also upgraded their rating on Business First Bancshares from “market perform” to “outperform,” setting a price objective of $20.00.
On Friday, August 27th, BFST opened at $20.15, showcasing stability in its stock value amidst recent developments. The company also demonstrates strong financial indicators with a quick ratio and current ratio of 1.04 each. Additionally, it has maintained a relatively low debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46.
With regards to its market performance over the past year, Business First Bancshares has experienced fluctuations within a range of $13.05 to $25.00 per share as its lowest and highest points respectively. This volatility suggests potential opportunities for investors who closely follow market trends.
On the technical front, Business First Bancshares has shown a 50-day moving average of $17.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $17.17. These averages can be utilized by investors to determine potential entry or exit points based on stock price movements.
With a market capitalization of $510.60 million, Business First Bancshares is considered a mid-cap company within its industry. It maintains a relatively low P/E ratio of 7.90, which could signal an undervaluation of the company’s stock compared to its earnings potential.
It is essential for investors and analysts to keep an eye on any further developments related to Business First Bancshares, such as financial performance reports or news regarding Barclays PLC’s ongoing involvement and stake in the company. Such information could provide valuable insights for making informed investment decisions in the future.
Business First Bancshares, Inc.
BFST
Buy
Updated on: 07/12/2023
Healthy 
Recent Investments and Predictions for Business First Bancshares, Inc.
In recent news, various hedge funds and other institutional investors have been actively buying and selling shares of Business First Bancshares. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD., for instance, increased its stake in the company by 32.6% during the first quarter, now owning 23,150 shares valued at $397,000 after purchasing an additional 5,695 shares. Russell Investments Group Ltd. followed suit, raising its stake by a staggering 1,071.9% in the fourth quarter, resulting in ownership of 174,494 shares valued at $3,863,000 after acquiring an additional 159,604 shares.
John W. Rosenthal Capital Management Inc. also joined the fray by boosting its holdings in Business First Bancshares by 118.3% during the first quarter. The firm now possesses 93,000 shares amounting to $1,593,000 after acquiring an additional 50,400 shares. Additionally, Stieven Capital Advisors L.P. made a notable move in the fourth quarter by purchasing a new stake valued at approximately $1,812,000.
Another player in this investment game is SG Americas Securities LLC which increased their holdings by 27.6% during the same period mentioned above; they currently own 7,995 shares worth $177,000 after purchasing an additional 1,729 shares.
According to reports from August 27th of this year – one of which was disclosed on SEC’s website – Director Rick D. Day bought a total of 2,o00 shares of Business First Bancshares’ stock on May 31st totaling $29,o00 as part of a transaction that saw him acquire them at an average cost price of $14.60 per share.
Equivalently noteworthy is EVP Jesse Jackson who sold off a total of 3,o00 shares on Wednesday August ninth fetching about $62,o10 at an average price per share equal to $20.87.
Various research firms recently provided their analysis on BFST and its stock valuation. Piper Sandler, for example, amped up its price objective from $19 to $21 in its report released on July 28th. Correspondingly, Stephens also increased the price objective of Business First Bancshares shares from $18 to a hefty $25 and granted the stock an “overweight” rating within its report published on the same date. Similarly, Raymond James upgraded Business First Bancshares from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating whilst setting a target price for shares at $20 according to a report released that same day.
Business First Bancshares, Inc., which trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol BFST, announced its earnings results last July 27th. These results highlighted an impressive earnings per share (EPS) of $0.70 for the quarter, surpassing consensus estimates by $0.18 per share.
The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to approximately $65.28 million amidst predictions that it would only reach around $60.34 million.
With a net margin of 19.57% and return on equity at 13.67%, Business First Bancshares continues to prove itself as a formidable player in the industry.
Furthermore, another piece of information worth noting is that Business First Bancshares recently declared a quarterly dividend scheduled to be paid out on Thursday August 31st. Stockholders who were officially recorded as such by Tuesday August 15th will receive a dividend of $0.12 per share based on this record date with Monday August 14th being recognized as the official ex-dividend date.
This dividend represents an annualized payout of $0.48 and equates to a yield of 2.38% based on current valuations.
As things stand right now, institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own approximately 41.81% of Business First Bancshares’ stock.
With these ongoing developments and the company’s consistent track record, industry experts predict that Business First Bancshares, Inc. will post earnings per share of approximately $2.35 for the current year.
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