Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Business First Bancshares In (BFST)

162 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in BFST. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +3
Streak
3Q ▲
Buyers last Q
57%

Smart Money Signals — BFST

Based on 164 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added BFST than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak
164 hedge funds hold BFST right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶

Steady growth — +11% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+16 new funds entered over the past year (+11% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 57% buying

83 buying63 selling
Last quarter: 83 funds bought or added vs 63 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
➡️

Steady new buyers — ~26 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 17 → 22 → 22 → 26. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒

48% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 48% conviction (2yr+) ■ 27% medium ■ 24% new
79 out of 164 hedge funds have held BFST for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
📈

Growing discovery — still being found

23 → 17 → 22 → 22 → 26 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 17 → 22 → 22 → 26. A growing number of institutions are discovering BFST each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 55% veterans vs 30% newcomers

■ 55% veterans ■ 15% 1-2yr ■ 30% new
Entry-cohort mix of 164 holders: 90 (55%) are 2+ year veterans, 25 entered 1–2 years ago, and 49 (30%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆

Elite ownership — 46% AUM from top-100 funds

46% from top-100 AUM funds
43 of 164 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 46% of total institutional value in BFST. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.8
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.8/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — BFST

In 2026 Q1, 83 hedge funds were net buyers of BFST (26 opened a new position, 57 added to an existing one), while 63 reduced or exited (40 trimmed, 23 sold completely) — a 57% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. This marks 3 consecutive quarters of net institutional buying — a persistent conviction signal. 46% of total institutional value in BFST is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +3 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 164.

Hedge Fund Ownership: BFST

How many hedge funds hold BFST — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of BFST vs. share price

Market Analysis: BFST

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: BFST

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Business First Bancshares In (BFST) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much BFST has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLF) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 79d ago
BFST
+5.6%
XLF
+9.5%

BFST outperformed XLF by -3.9% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 34d ago
BFST
+6.4%
XLF
+5.8%

Since the filing became public, BFST outperformed XLF by +0.6% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

18 top-rated funds 0 high-conviction
Consensus
5.6
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
1.0
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: BFST
162 + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in BFST. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 162 161 0.62%
13F Shares 17M 15M 8.14%
Total Value $445M $399M 11.51%
New Positions 24 22 +2
Increased Positions 57 53 +4
Closed Positions 23 13 +10
Reduced Positions 40 53 -13
Total Calls 0 0 -
Total Puts 0 0 -
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: BFST

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

162 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in BFST. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 BFST holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Mendon Capital Advisors Corp 2.62% 250,000 $6.8M
2 Vines Capital Management, LLC 1.31% 49,062 $1.3M
3 Banc Funds Co LLC 1.18% 234,257 $6.3M
4 Fourthstone LLC 1.06% 231,075 $6.2M
5 Womack Financial LLC 1.01% 50,661 $1.4M
6 Ranger Investment Management, L.P. 0.63% 321,290 $8.7M
7 Meriwether Wealth & Planning, LLC 0.56% 37,583 $1.0M
8 Montz Harcus Wealth Management LLC 0.44% 40,530 $1.1M
9 MQS Management LLC 0.39% 21,397 $579K
10 FreeGulliver LLC 0.34% 30,014 $812K
11 Hartmann Taylor Wealth Management, LLC 0.33% 18,506 $500K
12 Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC 0.28% 47,383 $1.3M
13 Summit Financial Wealth Advisors, LLC 0.23% 59,449 $1.6M
14 Royce & Associates LP 0.22% 836,098 $22.6M
15 JMN Financial LLC 0.21% 7,986 $216K
16 Argent Advisors, Inc. 0.18% 24,896 $673K
17 Gator Capital Management, LLC 0.18% 33,168 $897K
18 Polaris Capital Management, LLC 0.18% 82,400 $2.2M
19 KG Capital Management 0.17% 8,831 $239K
20 Daytona Street Capital LLC 0.17% 8,000 $221K
21 1492 Capital Management LLC 0.17% 16,216 $438K
22 Steel Grove Capital Advisors, LLC 0.14% 47,736 $1.3M
23 EntryPoint Capital, LLC 0.13% 15,774 $427K
24 Curi Capital, LLC 0.12% 250,009 $6.8M
25 Bridgeway Capital Management, LLC 0.11% 207,204 $5.6M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Business First Bancshares In (BFST)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for BFST?

Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row: For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added BFST than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for BFST?

Slight buying edge — 57% buying: Last quarter: 83 funds bought or added vs 63 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for BFST holders?

Elite ownership — 46% AUM from top-100 funds: 43 of 164 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 46% of total institutional value in BFST. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held BFST?

48% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 79 out of 164 hedge funds have held BFST for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Business First Bancshares In (BFST) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, BFST has moved +6.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +5.8% for the XLF sector ETF — an outperformance of +0.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), BFST has gained +5.6% vs +9.5% for XLF. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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