Business First (BFST Quick QuoteBFST - Free Report) reported $89.25 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 12.7%. EPS of $0.73 for the same period compares to $0.65 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.65% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $89.83 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.69, the EPS surprise was +5.8%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Business First performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Net Interest Margin: 3.7% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 3.7%.
• Efficiency Ratio: 64.5% versus 63% estimated by two analysts on average.
• Total Other Income: $14.05 million compared to the $13.22 million average estimate based on two analysts.
• Net Interest Income: $75.2 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $76.61 million.

View all Key Company Metrics for Business First here>>>

Shares of Business First have returned +6.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.