Business First Bancshares (BFST) vs Horizon Bancorp (HBNC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Business First Bancshares (BFST) has outperformed Horizon Bancorp (HBNC) over the past year, gaining 30.1% versus a gain of 20.7%. Over five years, BFST leads with a +21.2% price change compared with +7.4% for HBNC. Business First Bancshares is the larger company by market cap ($993.1 million vs $989.7 million), about 1.0 times the size.
On valuation, Horizon Bancorp trades at a lower forward P/E (8.6x vs 9.2x for Business First Bancshares). Horizon Bancorp offers the higher dividend yield (3.32% vs 1.97%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BFST | HBNC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $30.51 | $19.28 |
| Market cap | $993.10M | $989.67M |
| 1-day change | -0.65% | -1.15% |
| YTD return | +17.48% | +14.98% |
| 1-year return | +30.13% | +20.67% |
| 5-year return | +21.19% | +7.44% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 10.86 | — |
| Forward P/E | 9.17 | 8.60 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.81 | $-2.99 |
| Dividend yield | 1.97% | 3.32% |
| Annual dividend | $0.60 | $0.64 |
| 52-week high | $32.53 | $21.04 |
| 52-week low | $22.56 | $14.97 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -6.20% | -8.39% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.39% | +19.84% |
| Average volume | 215.12K | 592.48K |
| Shares outstanding | 32.55M | 51.34M |
| Employees | 821 | 465 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Major Banks | Major Banks |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Horizon Bancorp offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.32% vs 1.97%).
About Business First Bancshares
BFST stock →Business First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for b1BANK that provides various banking products and services in Louisiana and Texas.
Finance · Major Banks · 821 employees
About Horizon Bancorp
HBNC stock →Horizon Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Horizon Bank that provides commercial and retail banking services to individuals and corporate clients in Indiana and Michigan in the United States.
Finance · Major Banks · 465 employees
BFST vs HBNC FAQ
Which is bigger, Business First Bancshares or Horizon Bancorp?
Business First Bancshares (BFST) is larger, with a market capitalization of $993.10M compared with $989.67M for Horizon Bancorp (HBNC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BFST or HBNC?
BFST returned +30.13% over the past 12 months, compared with +20.67% for HBNC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Business First Bancshares or Horizon Bancorp?
Horizon Bancorp has the higher yield at 3.32%, compared with 1.97% for Business First Bancshares.
Are Business First Bancshares and Horizon Bancorp in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.