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BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) (Business First), parent company of b1BANK, today announced its unaudited results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Business First reported net income available to common shareholders of $15.1 million or $0.51 per diluted common share, decreases of $1.4 million and $0.14, respectively, compared to the linked quarter ended September 30, 2024. On a non-GAAP basis, core net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, which excludes certain income and expenses, was $19.5 million or $0.66 per diluted common share, an increase of $2.2 million and decrease of $0.02, from the linked quarter. The quarter ended December 31, 2024, included the consummation of the Oakwood Bancshares, Inc. (Oakwood) transaction.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, Business First reported net income available to common stockholders of $59.7 million or $2.26 per diluted common share, decreases of $5.9 million and $0.34, respectively, from the prior year ended December 31, 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, core net income for the year ended December 31, 2024, which excludes certain income and expenses, was $65.7 million or $2.49 per diluted common share, decreases of $0.6 million and $0.13, respectively, from prior year ended December 31, 2023.

"I鈥檓 pleased to report the fourth quarter of 2024 positively reflected our year as a whole,鈥� said Jude Melville, chairman, president and CEO of Business First Bancshares. 鈥淪olid 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."

On Thursday, January 23, 2025, Business First鈥檚 board of directors declared a quarterly preferred dividend in the amount of $18.75 per share, which is the full quarterly dividend of 1.875% based on the per annum rate of 7.50%. Additionally, the board of directors declared a quarterly common dividend based upon financial performance for the fourth quarter in the amount of $0.14 per share of common stock. The preferred and common dividends will be paid on February 28, 2025, or as soon thereafter as practicable, to the shareholders of record as of February 15, 2025.

Quarterly Highlights

• Net Interest Margin (NIM) Expansion. For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, net interest income totaled $65.7 million and net interest margin and net interest spread were 3.61% and 2.77%, respectively, compared to $56.1 million, 3.51% and 2.54% for the linked quarter. Non-GAAP net interest margin and net interest spread (excluding loan discount accretion of $1.0 million) were 3.56% and 2.72% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to 3.46% and 2.50% (excluding loan discount accretion of $0.7 million) for the linked quarter. The increase was driven by a reduction in Business First's overall cost of funding.
  
  
• Noninterest Income Investments. Business First again demonstrated increasing revenue from noninterest income sources. For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, the customer swap business produced revenue of $1.3 million, an increase of $0.4 million when compared to the linked quarter, along with continued progress in many of the other noninterest income revenue streams.
  
  
• Strong Deposit Growth. During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, deposits increased $870.4 million or 15.43%, 61.38% annualized, compared to the linked quarter. Excluding ending December 31, 2024 deposit balances from Oakwood, organic deposit growth was $156.8 million or 2.78%, 11.06% annualized.
  
  
• Measured Loan Growth. Loans held for investment increased $761.3 million or 14.58%, 58.02% annualized, from the linked quarter. Excluding ending December 31, 2024 loan balances from Oakwood, organic loan growth was $62.8 million or 1.20%, 4.79% annualized.
  
  
• Oakwood Acquisition. On October 1, 2024, Business First closed its previously announced acquisition of Oakwood and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Oakwood Bank. Oakwood had approximately $863.6 million of total assets, $700.2 million of loans, and $741.3 million of deposits as of September 30, 2024. Business First does not anticipate material synergies to be reflected in its earnings until after conversion in the fourth quarter.

• Consistent Core Performance. Return to common shareholders on average assets, on an annualized basis, was 0.78% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, or 1.00% on a non-GAAP basis, with the difference largely attributable to the exclusion of acquisition-related costs, including $4.8 million provision expense for the Oakwood loan portfolio.

Statement of Financial Condition

Loans

Loans held for investment increased $761.3 million or 14.58%, 58.02% annualized, from the linked quarter. Excluding ending December 31, 2024 loan balances from Oakwood, organic loan growth was $62.8 million or 1.20%, 4.79% annualized. For the year ended December 31, 2024, organic loan growth was $291.0 million or 5.83%. Organic loan growth for the quarter was highlighted by a $54.3 million or 3.63% increase in the commercial and industrial (C&I) portfolio and $20.8 million or 2.80% in the residential real estate portfolio, as well as a reduction of $31.9 million or 4.87% in the construction and development (C&D) portfolio.

Organic production for the quarter was led by the Capital, Southwest, and New Orleans Louisiana regions which accounted for all of the net loan growth from the linked quarter based on unpaid principal balance. Based on unpaid principal balances, Texas-based loans represented approximately 41% of the overall loan portfolio as of December 31, 2024, with the 6% increase from linked quarter attributed to the Oakwood acquisition.

Credit Quality

Credit quality metrics remain solid, with improvement during the quarter from the acquisition of the Oakwood portfolio as well as in the organic portfolio through resolution of nonaccrual loans. The ratio of nonperforming loans compared to loans held for investment decreased 8 basis points to 0.42% at December 31, 2024, while the ratio of nonperforming assets compared to total assets decreased 1 basis point to 0.39%. The decreases were attributable to the acquired loans from the Oakwood portfolio and the $1.1 million decrease in nonperforming loans compared to the linked quarter.

Securities

The securities portfolio decreased $22.5 million, or 2.46%, from the linked quarter, impacted by $21.4 million in negative fair value adjustments. The securities portfolio, based on estimated fair value, represented 11.37% of total assets as of December 31, 2024.

Deposits

Deposits increased $870.4 million or 15.43%, 61.38% annualized, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to the linked quarter. Excluding ending December 31, 2024 deposit balances from Oakwood, organic deposit growth was $156.8 million or 2.78%, 11.06% annualized. For the year ended December 31, 2024, organic deposit growth was $548.9 million or 10.46%.

Organic deposit growth for the quarter was highlighted by increases in money market accounts and noninterest bearing accounts, with increases of $51.8 million or 2.49% and $33.3 million or 2.79%, respectively, compared to the linked quarter.

Borrowings

Borrowings decreased $10.3 million, or 2.09%, from the linked quarter due primarily to a reduction in short-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances.

厂丑补谤别丑辞濒诲别谤蝉鈥� Equity

Shareholders' equity increased $99.9 million, of which $103.8 million was due to the acquisition of Oakwood, during the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) decreased $16.9 million, or 36.52%, during the fourth quarter due to negative after-tax fair value adjustments in the securities portfolio. Book value per common share increased to $24.62 at December 31, 2024, compared to $24.59 at September 30, 2024. On a non-GAAP basis, tangible book value per common share decreased from $20.60 at September 30, 2024, to $19.92 at December 31, 2024 due largely to the decreases in AOCI which accounted for $0.57 of the decrease.

Results of Operations

Net Interest Income

For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, net interest income totaled $65.7 million, compared to $56.1 million 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.

Non-GAAP net interest income (excluding loan discount accretion of $1.0 million) totaled $64.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $55.4 million (excluding loan discount accretion of $0.7 million) for the linked quarter. Non- GAAP net interest margin and net interest spread (excluding loan discount accretion of $1.0 million) were 3.56% and 2.72%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to 3.46% and 2.50% (excluding loan discount accretion of $0.7 million) for the linked quarter. Excluding loan discount accretion, loan yields decreased 9 basis points to 6.98% from 7.07%, and interest earnings asset yields decreased 5 basis points to 6.33% from 6.38%, compared to the linked quarter.

Provision for Credit Losses

During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, Business First recorded a provision for credit losses of $6.7 million, compared to $1.7 million from the linked quarter. The current quarter鈥檚 reserve growth was largely associated with a $4.8 million increase due to the initial acquisition of Oakwood, along with loan growth, net charge-offs, offset by slight improvements in the economic forecasts.

Other Income

For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, other income increased $1.1 million or 10.05%, compared to the linked quarter. The net increase was largely attributable to a a $351,000 increase in swap fee income, $311,000 increase in bank owned life insurance due to a benefit payout and the addition of Oakwood, and $205,000 increase in debit card and ATM fee income.

Other Expenses

For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, other expenses increased by $7.1 million or 16.77%, compared to the linked quarter. The increase was largely attributable to expenses associated with the acquisition of Oakwood, approximately $4.8 million, along with increases in advertising and promotions, $653,000, salaries and employee benefits (excluding Oakwood), $533,000, and ad valorem/shareholders taxes, $457,000.

Return on Assets and Common Equity

Return to common shareholders on average assets and common equity, each on an annualized basis, were 0.78% and 8.23% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to 0.97% and 10.76%, respectively, for the linked quarter. Non-GAAP return to common shareholders on average assets and common equity, each on an annualized basis, were 1.00% and 10.58% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to 1.01% and 11.23%, respectively, for the linked quarter.

Conference Call and Webcast

Executive management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss results on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time. Interested parties may attend the call by dialing toll-free 1-800-715-9871 (North America only), conference ID 3805642, or asking for the Business First Bancshares conference call. The live webcast can be found at On the day of the presentation, the corresponding slide presentation will be available to view on the b1BANK website at .

About Business First Bancshares, Inc.

Business First Bancshares, Inc., (Nasdaq: BFST) through its banking subsidiary b1BANK, has $7.9 billion in assets, $6.9 billion in assets under management through b1BANK鈥檚 affiliate Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC (SSW) (excludes $0.9 billion of b1BANK assets managed by SSW) and operates Banking Centers and Loan Production Offices in markets across Louisiana and Texas providing commercial and personal banking products and services. Commercial banking services include commercial loans and letters of credit, working capital lines and equipment financing, and treasury management services. b1BANK was awarded #1 Best-In-State Bank, Louisiana, by Forbes and Statista, and is a multiyear winner of American Banker鈥檚 鈥淏est Banks to Work For.鈥� Visit b1BANK.com for more information.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures (e.g., referenced as 鈥渃ore鈥� or 鈥渢angible鈥�) intended to supplement, not substitute for, comparable GAAP measures. 鈥淐ore鈥� measures typically adjust income available to common shareholders for certain significant activities or transactions that, in management鈥檚 opinion, can distort period-to-period comparisons of Business First鈥檚 performance. Transactions that are typically excluded from non-GAAP 鈥渃ore鈥� measures include realized and unrealized gains/losses on former bank premises and equipment, investment sales, acquisition- related expenses (including, but not limited to, legal costs, system conversion costs, severance and retention payments, etc.). 鈥淭angible鈥� measures adjust common equity by subtracting goodwill, core deposit intangibles, and customer intangibles, net of accumulated amortization. Management believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of Business First鈥檚 core business. These non- GAAP disclosures are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP measures that may be presented by other companies. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures are provided at the end of the tables below.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release may not be based on historical facts and are 鈥渇orward-looking statements鈥� within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may be identified by their reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 鈥渁nticipate,鈥� 鈥渂elieve,鈥� 鈥渆stimate,鈥� 鈥渆xpect,鈥� 鈥渕ay,鈥� 鈥渕ight,鈥� 鈥渨ill,鈥� 鈥渨ould,鈥� 鈥渃ould,鈥� or 鈥渋ntend.鈥� We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, in that actual results could differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those factors specified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other public filings. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this news release.

Additional Information

For additional information about Business First, you may obtain Business First鈥檚 reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) free of charge by using the SEC鈥檚 EDGAR service on the SEC鈥檚 website at or by contacting the SEC for further information at 1-800-SEC-0330. Alternatively, these documents can be obtained free of charge from Business First by directing a request to: Business First Bancshares, Inc., 500 Laurel Street, Suite 101, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

No Offer or Solicitation

This release does not constitute or form part of any offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities of Business First. There will be no sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

Misty Albrecht
b1BANK
225.286.7879