STOCK TITAN

Business First Bancshares (BFST) director sells 12,000 shares

(Moderate)
(Negative)
Form Type
4

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Business First Bancshares, Inc. director Joseph Vernon Johnson reported selling a total of 12,000 shares of common stock in late July 2026, including 10,000 shares on July 28 at a weighted average price of $31.75 (with trades from $31.65 to $31.85) and 2,000 shares on July 29 at $31.15. He also reports holding 998 unvested time-based restricted stock units granted June 25, 2026 under the company’s 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, scheduled to fully vest on June 25, 2027 and each economically equivalent to one share of common stock, subject to forfeiture upon certain events.

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Insider Johnson Joseph Vernon
Role Director
Sold 12,000 shs ($380K)
Type Security Shares Price Value
Sale COMMON STOCK 2,000 $31.15 $62K
Sale COMMON STOCK F1 10,000 $31.75 $318K
holding Restricted Stock Units F2 -- -- --
Holdings After Transaction: COMMON STOCK — 172,073 shares (Direct); Restricted Stock Units — 998 shares (Direct)
Footnotes (2)
  1. F1. This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $31.65 to $31.85. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transaction was effected.
  2. F2. The time-based restricted stock units were granted to the reporting person on June 25, 2026, under the Business First Bancshares, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. The time-based restricted stock units will fully vest on June 25, 2027. Each time-based restricted stock unit is economically equivalent to one share of common stock of the issuer. Under the terms of the relevant restricted stock unit grant, the reported unvested restricted stock units are subject to forfeiture upon the occurrence of certain events.
Total shares sold 12,000 shares Aggregate common stock sales reported for late July 2026
Shares sold on July 28, 2026 10,000 shares Open-market or private sale at weighted average price $31.75
Price range on July 28 sale $31.65 to $31.85 Multiple trades with weighted average $31.75
Shares sold on July 29, 2026 2,000 shares Open-market or private sale of common stock at $31.15 per share
Unvested RSUs underlying shares 998 shares Time-based restricted stock units equivalent to common shares, vesting June 25, 2027
RSU exercise price $0.0000 Exercise price for time-based restricted stock units granted June 25, 2026
weighted average sale price financial
"The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price."
time-based restricted stock units financial
"The time-based restricted stock units were granted to the reporting person"
Time-based restricted stock units are a form of employee compensation where individuals are granted company shares that are earned over a set period, often as a reward for staying with the company. These shares typically become fully owned and transferable only after passing specific time milestones, encouraging long-term commitment. For investors, they highlight a company's focus on employee retention and can influence future stock supply and company stability.
Equity Incentive Plan financial
"granted to the reporting person on June 25, 2026, under the Business First Bancshares, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan"
An equity incentive plan is a program that gives employees, executives or directors the right to receive company stock or options to buy stock as part of their pay. Think of it as offering slices of future company profit to motivate people to boost long‑term performance; for investors it matters because it can align employee goals with shareholder value but also increases the number of shares outstanding, which can dilute existing ownership.
subject to forfeiture financial
"the reported unvested restricted stock units are subject to forfeiture upon the occurrence of certain events"

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FAQ

What insider stock sales did BFST director Joseph Vernon Johnson report?

Joseph Vernon Johnson reported selling 12,000 shares of Business First Bancshares common stock in July 2026. The sales were 10,000 shares on July 28 at a weighted average $31.75 and 2,000 shares on July 29 at $31.15, both as open-market or private transactions.

At what prices did BFST shares trade in Johnson’s July 28, 2026 sale?

The 10,000-share sale on July 28, 2026 used a reported weighted average price of $31.75. A footnote explains the trade executed in multiple lots at prices ranging from $31.65 to $31.85, with full trade details available upon request.

How many BFST shares did Joseph Vernon Johnson sell on July 29, 2026?

On July 29, 2026, Joseph Vernon Johnson sold 2,000 shares of Business First Bancshares common stock. The reported transaction price was $31.15 per share, and the transaction is characterized as a sale in the open market or a private transaction.

What restricted stock units does BFST director Johnson currently report holding?

Johnson reports holding 998 unvested time-based restricted stock units tied to BFST common stock. These RSUs were granted on June 25, 2026, carry a $0.00 exercise price, fully vest on June 25, 2027, and are subject to forfeiture upon specified events.

Under what plan were Joseph Vernon Johnson’s BFST restricted stock units granted?

The unvested 998 restricted stock units were granted to Johnson under the Business First Bancshares, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. Each RSU is economically equivalent to one share of the company’s common stock and will fully vest on June 25, 2027, subject to forfeiture conditions.

Does Johnson’s BFST Form 4 indicate use of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan?

The filing’s Rule 10b5-1 checkbox is not selected, and the transactions are described simply as sales in the open market or private transactions. The disclosure does not characterize these trades as being executed under an affirmed Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
SEC Form 4
FORM 4UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number:3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:0.5
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Johnson Joseph Vernon

(Last)(First)(Middle)
500 LAUREL STREET, SUITE 101

(Street)
BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA 70801

(City)(State)(Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Business First Bancshares, Inc. [ BFST ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
XDirector10% Owner
Officer (give title below)Other (specify below)
2a. Foreign Trading Symbol
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
07/28/2026
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
XForm filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
CodeVAmount(A) or (D)Price
COMMON STOCK07/28/2026S10,000D$31.75(1)174,073D
COMMON STOCK07/29/2026S2,000D$31.15172,073D
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
CodeV(A)(D)Date ExercisableExpiration DateTitleAmount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units$0.0000 (2) (2)Common Stock998998D
Explanation of Responses:
1. This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $31.65 to $31.85. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transaction was effected.
2. The time-based restricted stock units were granted to the reporting person on June 25, 2026, under the Business First Bancshares, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan. The time-based restricted stock units will fully vest on June 25, 2027. Each time-based restricted stock unit is economically equivalent to one share of common stock of the issuer. Under the terms of the relevant restricted stock unit grant, the reported unvested restricted stock units are subject to forfeiture upon the occurrence of certain events.
/s/ Heather Roemer, as attorney-in-fact for Joseph Vernon Johnson07/30/2026
** Signature of Reporting PersonDate
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)