Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST), the holding company for b1BANK, announced on October 29, 2026, that its Board of Directors has approved a new stock repurchase program. The program authorizes the company to repurchase shares of its common stock with an aggregate purchase price of up to $30,000,000.
The repurchase authorization is effective immediately and will remain in effect for a 24-month period, ending on October 28, 2028. The company stated that the program does not obligate it to repurchase any shares and that there is no assurance that repurchases will be made.
Business First noted that the new program is intended to replace a previous authorization. The prior program, which became effective on October 28, 2025, had authorized repurchases of up to $30 million. As of October 29, 2026, approximately $12.4 million remained available for repurchases under that prior program, and no further repurchases will be made under it.
Repurchases under the new program may be executed through open market purchases in accordance with SEC Rule 10b-18, privately negotiated transactions, or other methods compliant with federal securities laws. The timing, price, and number of shares repurchased will be at the sole discretion of management and will depend on factors including market conditions, the financial and regulatory condition of Business First and b1BANK, and liquidity needs.
Business First Bancshares, Inc. has $8.9 billion in assets and operates through its banking subsidiary b1BANK, which has $5.5 billion in assets under management through its affiliate, Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC.
