STOCK TITAN

Business First Bancshares (BFST) director sells 20,000 shares of stock

(High)
(Negative)
Form Type
4

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Business First Bancshares, Inc. director George W. Cummings III reported selling 20,000 shares of common stock in two open‑market or private transactions on July 28–29, 2026, at $31.86 and $31.88 per share. He also reports 998 time‑based restricted stock units vesting June 25, 2027, each equal to one share, 3,911 indirect shares held by his spouse, and 223,669 pledged shares included in his reported holdings.

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Insider Cummings George W. III
Role Director
Sold 20,000 shs ($637K)
Type Security Shares Price Value
Sale COMMON STOCK F1 10,000 $31.88 $319K
Sale COMMON STOCK F1 10,000 $31.86 $319K
holding Restricted Stock Units F2 -- -- --
holding COMMON STOCK -- -- --
Holdings After Transaction: COMMON STOCK — 241,180 shares (Direct); Restricted Stock Units — 998 shares (Direct); COMMON STOCK — 3,911 shares (Indirect, By Spouse)
Footnotes (2)
  1. F1. Includes 223,669 pledged shares of common stock of the issuer.
  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.
Shares sold on July 29, 2026 10,000 shares Common stock sale at $31.88 per share on July 29, 2026
Shares sold on July 28, 2026 10,000 shares Common stock sale at $31.86 per share on July 28, 2026
Total shares sold 20,000 shares Aggregate common stock sold across the two reported transactions
Sale price on July 29, 2026 $31.88 per share Price for 10,000‑share common stock sale
Sale price on July 28, 2026 $31.86 per share Price for 10,000‑share common stock sale
Time-based restricted stock units 998 units Unvested RSUs granted June 25, 2026, vesting June 25, 2027
Indirect spouse-held shares 3,911 shares Common stock held indirectly by spouse as reported in holdings
Pledged common shares 223,669 shares Footnote states reported holdings include 223,669 pledged shares
Restricted Stock Units financial
"The time-based restricted stock units were granted to the reporting person"
Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.
time-based restricted stock units financial
"The time-based restricted stock units will fully vest on June 25, 2027"
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.
pledged shares financial
"Includes 223,669 pledged shares of common stock of the issuer"
Equity Incentive Plan financial
"granted ... 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.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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FAQ

What insider stock sales did Business First Bancshares (BFST) director George W. Cummings III report?

George W. Cummings III reported selling 20,000 shares of Business First Bancshares common stock in two transactions on July 28–29, 2026, at prices of $31.86 and $31.88 per share, classified as open‑market or private sales.

At what prices did BFST director George W. Cummings III sell his shares?

He sold 10,000 shares at $31.86 per share on July 28, 2026, and another 10,000 shares at $31.88 per share on July 29, 2026, in transactions reported as open‑market or private sales of common stock.

How many restricted stock units does BFST director George W. Cummings III hold?

He reports 998 time‑based restricted stock units, granted June 25, 2026, that will fully vest on June 25, 2027. Each unit is economically equivalent to one share of Business First Bancshares common stock and is subject to forfeiture under certain conditions.

What indirect holdings does George W. Cummings III report in BFST stock?

The filing reports 3,911 shares of Business First Bancshares common stock held indirectly through his spouse. These shares are listed separately from his direct holdings, indicating beneficial ownership via a related party rather than in his own name.

What does the pledged shares disclosure mean in the BFST Form 4 for George W. Cummings III?

A footnote states that his reported common stock holdings include 223,669 pledged shares. This indicates a significant portion of his Business First Bancshares common stock position is pledged, while still being counted within his reported ownership in the filing.
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*
Cummings George W. III

(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$31.86251,180(1)D
COMMON STOCK07/29/2026S10,000D$31.88241,180(1)D
COMMON STOCK3,911IBy Spouse
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. Includes 223,669 pledged shares of common stock of the issuer.
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 George W. Cummings III07/30/2026
** 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)