In This Article:
Business First (BFST) reported $66.89 million in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.6%. EPS of $0.68 for the same period compares to $0.71 a year ago.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.53% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $65.24 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.57, the EPS surprise was +19.30%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
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: 3.5% versus 3.4% estimated by two analysts on average.
-
Efficiency Ratio: 63.5% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 67.1%.
-
Total other income (Non-Interest Income): $10.77 million compared to the $10.22 million average estimate based on two analysts.
-
Net Interest Income: $56.11 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $54.87 million.
View all Key Company Metrics for Business First here>>>
Shares of Business First have remained unchanged over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) : Free Stock Analysis Report