[Form 4] Business First Bancshares, Inc. Insider Trading Activity

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Business First Bancshares EVP Donald Chad Carter reported equity compensation activity in company stock. On March 2, 2026, he received a grant of 4,020 time-based restricted stock units, which will vest in three equal installments on March 2, 2027, 2028, and 2029.

On March 1, 2026, he exercised 1,337 restricted stock units into an equal number of common shares at a price of $0.00 per share. To cover tax obligations related to this equity event, 366 common shares were withheld at $27.30 per share. After these transactions, he directly owned 14,834 common shares and 9,319 restricted stock units.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED 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

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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^*

Carter Donald Chad

(Last) (First) (Middle)

500 LAUREL STREET, SUITE 101

(Street)

BATON ROUGE LA 70801

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Business First Bancshares, Inc. [ BFST ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	EVP, Correspondent Banking

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/01/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

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)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
COMMON STOCK	03/01/2026		M		1,337	A	(3)	15,200(1)(2)	D
COMMON STOCK	03/01/2026		F		366	D	$27.3	14,834(1)(2)	D

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)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units	(3)	03/01/2026		M			1,337	(3)	(3)	Common Stock	1,337	(3)	5,299	D
Restricted Stock Units	$0	03/02/2026		A		4,020(4)		(4)	(4)	Common Stock	4,020	(4)	9,319(5)	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Includes units of the employer stock fund through the issuer's 401(k) plan equivalent to 6,799 shares of common stock of the issuer.

2. Includes 1,156 shares of unvested restricted stock granted on February 1, 2024, which will vest on March 31, 2026. Under the terms of the relevant restricted stock grants, the reported shares of unvested restricted stock are subject to forfeiture upon the occurrence of certain events.

3. The reporting person received an award of 4,052 time-based restricted stock units on March 1, 2025, vesting in three substantially equal installments on the first, second, and third anniversary of the issuance date.

4. Reflects the grant of 4,020 time-based restricted stock units granted to the reporting person on March 2, 2026, of which 1,340 shares will vest on March 2, 2027, 1,340 shares will vest on March 2, 2028, and the remaining 1,340 shares will vest on March 2, 2029. Each time-based restricted stock unit is economically equivalent to one share of common stock of the issuer.

5. Includes: (a) 2,584 time-based restricted stock units granted on December 12, 2024, which will vest in two substantially equal installments on the second and third anniversary of the issuance date; (b) 2,715 time-based restricted stock units granted to the reporting person on March 1, 2025, which will vest in two substantially equal installments on the second and third anniversary of the issuance date; and (c) 4,020 time-based restricted stock units granted to the reporting person on March 2, 2026, which will vest in three substantially equal installments on the first, second, and third anniversary of the issue date.

	/s/ Heather Roemer, as attorney-in-fact for Donald Chad Carter	03/03/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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).
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