Trailing Dividend / Share
$0.57
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) Dividend History
Income profile from 2016 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.1%
Payout Ratio
19.2%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
10 years
BFST Dividend Income Check
Safety
19.2% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
10 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 2.8% and trend is rising.
BFST Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.1%
Trailing DPS$0.57
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M5
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout19.2%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout21.2%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score7/9
Growth
Growth Streak10 years
3Y CAGR5.9%
5Y CAGR7.3%
Yield on Cost (5Y)2.8%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.4%
Total Shareholder Yield2.5%
1Y Total Return20.0%
5Y Total Return26.4%
Div Contribution (5Y)10.9%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$12,64410Y ago$12,42720Y ago$12,447
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). BFST's recent 5Y regime has been stronger than its full 10Y period, so 5Y can appear higher than 10Y.
BFST Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (10 years of payments)
BFST Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Business First Bancshares, Inc. distributes 19.2% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 21.2%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
BFST has raised its dividend for 10 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 5.9% and 5-year CAGR of 7.3%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, BFST returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.1% dividend yield, 0.4% buyback yield, 2.5% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 2.8% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 26.4%, with dividends contributing 10.9% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $12,427 today.
BFST Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$2.65
Avg/Payment$0.1325
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2026Latest | $0.1500 | — | 2.15% | May 29, 2026 |
| Feb 13, 2026 | $0.1500 | — | 1.99% | Feb 28, 2026 |
| Nov 14, 2025 | $0.1500 | ↑ +7.1% | 2.26% | Nov 30, 2025 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | $0.1400 | — | 2.35% | Aug 31, 2025 |
| May 15, 2025 | $0.1400 | — | 2.26% | May 31, 2025 |
| Feb 14, 2025 | $0.1400 | — | 2.04% | Feb 28, 2025 |
| Nov 15, 2024 | $0.1400 | — | 1.99% | Nov 30, 2024 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | $0.1400 | — | 2.53% | Aug 31, 2024 |
BFST Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#6 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.1%
#6 of 8
Safety
Sustainable
19.2% payout
Streak
10Y
7.3% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
2.5%
#6 of 8
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFSTBusiness First Bancs… | $904M | 2.1% | 19.2% | 10 | Sustainable |
 FFINFirst Financial Bank… | $4.6B | 2.2% | 46.0% | 11 | Sustainable |
 TCBITexas Capital Bancsh… | $4.5B | 0.4% | — | 3 | Unknown |
3rd  HOMBHome Bancshares, Inc… | $5.3B | 2.8% | 37.3% | 21 | Sustainable |
2nd  LKFNLakeland Financial C… | $1.6B | 3.2% | 49.7% | 12 | Sustainable |
1st  HOPEHope Bancorp, Inc. | $1.6B | 4.3% | 1.2% | 0 | Sustainable |
 BANFBancFirst Corporatio… | $3.8B | 1.5% | 26.7% | 11 | Sustainable |
 TRMKTrustmark Corporatio… | $2.6B | 2.1% | 26.1% | 1 | Sustainable |
BFST Annual Dividend History (2012–2026)
15 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.30 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1.5% |
| 2025 | $0.57 | 1.8% | 4 | $2.78 | 20.5% | 4.88x | 2.8% |
| 2024 | $0.56 | 12.0% | 4 | $2.26 | 24.8% | 4.04x | 2.8% |
| 2023 | $0.50 | 4.2% | 4 | $2.59 | 19.3% | 5.18x | 2.5% |
| 2022 | $0.48 | 4.3% | 4 | $2.32 | 20.7% | 4.83x | 2.4% |
| 2021 | $0.46 | 15.0% | 4 | $2.53 | 18.2% | 5.50x | 2.3% |
| 2020 | $0.40 | 5.3% | 4 | $1.64 | 24.4% | 4.10x | 2.0% |
| 2019 | $0.38 | 58.3% | 4 | $1.74 | 21.8% | 4.58x | 1.9% |
| 2018 | $0.24 | — | 3 | $1.22 | 19.7% | 5.08x | 1.2% |
| 2017 | $0.00 | -100.0% | 0 | $0.70 | — | — | — |
See BFST's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
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Start ComparisonBFST — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BFST stock.
How much dividend does BFST pay per share?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $0.57 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.1%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is BFST's next ex-dividend date?
BFST's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. BFST typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is BFST's dividend safe?
BFST's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +19.2% and FCF payout ratio of +21.2%. The 10-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
Is BFST a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Business First Bancshares, Inc. is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 10 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +7.3%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does BFST pay dividends?
Business First Bancshares, Inc. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $0.57 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 10+ years from 2016 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in BFST grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in BFST five years ago would be worth approximately $12,644 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is BFST's yield on cost for long-term holders?
BFST's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +2.8% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +2.1% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.