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Investing.com - DA Davidson raised its price target on Business First Banchsares (NASDAQ:BFST) to $32.00 from $31.00 on Tuesday, while maintaining a Buy rating on the stock. According to InvestingPro data, the company, currently valued at $746 million, appears slightly overvalued based on its Fair Value analysis.
The investment firm cited better-than-expected pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) driven by improved operating expenses, which offset weaker net interest income and fees in its decision to raise the target.
Business First Banchsares reported stable net interest margin, 5% loan growth, and a 2% decline in deposits, according to DA Davidson’s analysis of the company’s latest quarterly results.
The firm raised its earnings per share outlook for BFST based on improved fee income, operating expenses, and loan growth projections, noting that the stock was down 1% year-to-date compared to the KRX index before the earnings report. InvestingPro data reveals the company has raised its dividend for 7 consecutive years and trades at a P/E ratio of 10.49x. Get access to 12+ additional exclusive ProTips and comprehensive analysis with InvestingPro.
Despite an uptick in non-performing loans that contributed to a 2% stock decline on Tuesday, DA Davidson highlighted that net charge-offs remain low at 6 basis points, with approximately 50% of non-performing loans well-reserved and expected to be resolved over the next several quarters. The bank maintains a GOOD overall financial health score of 2.58 according to InvestingPro’s comprehensive assessment.
In other recent news, Business First Bancshares Inc. reported its second-quarter earnings for 2025, surpassing analysts’ expectations. The company achieved an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.66, which was higher than the projected $0.64. Additionally, Business First Bancshares reported revenue of $81.46 million, exceeding the anticipated $78.94 million. These results highlight the company’s strong financial performance in the quarter. Despite the positive earnings report, the stock experienced a decline in pre-market trading. No further developments or analyst upgrades or downgrades have been reported recently for Business First Bancshares. These recent developments offer insight into the company’s current financial standing.
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