Business First Bancshares (BFST) vs Heritage Financial (HFWA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 10, 2026.
Summary
Business First Bancshares (BFST) has outperformed Heritage Financial (HFWA) over the past year, gaining 30.0% versus a gain of 15.3%. Over five years, BFST leads with a +20.3% price change compared with +9.5% for HFWA. Heritage Financial is the larger company by market cap ($1.11 billion vs $992.4 million), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Business First Bancshares trades at a lower forward P/E (9.2x vs 10.3x for Heritage Financial). Heritage Financial offers the higher dividend yield (3.53% vs 1.97%). Business First Bancshares converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 820.8% versus 27.4%.
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 | HFWA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $30.49 | $27.16 |
| Market cap | $992.45M | $1.11B |
| 1-day change | -0.72% | -1.49% |
| YTD return | +16.64% | +14.84% |
| 1-year return | +29.97% | +15.33% |
| 5-year return | +20.32% | +9.52% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 10.85 | 12.93 |
| Forward P/E | 9.16 | 10.31 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.81 | $2.10 |
| Dividend yield | 1.97% | 3.53% |
| Annual dividend | $0.60 | $0.96 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $10.70M | $246.14M |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +1.20% | +13.51% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $87.86M | $67.53M |
| Net margin | 820.82% | 27.44% |
| 52-week high | $32.53 | $31.25 |
| 52-week low | $22.56 | $21.32 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -6.26% | -13.09% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.46% | +19.29% |
| Average volume | 216.17K | 404.22K |
| Shares outstanding | 32.55M | 40.92M |
| Employees | 821 | 976 |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Banks - Regional | Banks - Regional |
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
- BFST has outperformed HFWA by 14.6 percentage points over the past year.
- Heritage Financial offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.53% vs 1.97%).
- Business First Bancshares is more profitable, keeping 820.8 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 27.4 cents for Heritage Financial.
- Heritage Financial grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+13.51% vs +1.20%).
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.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 821 employees
About Heritage Financial
HFWA stock →Heritage Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Heritage Bank that provides various financial services to small and medium sized businesses and its owners in the United States. It accepts various deposit products, such as noninterest demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, money market accounts, savings accounts, personal checking accounts, and certificates of deposit.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 976 employees
BFST vs HFWA FAQ
Which is bigger, Business First Bancshares or Heritage Financial?
Heritage Financial (HFWA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.11B compared with $992.45M for Business First Bancshares (BFST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BFST or HFWA?
BFST returned +29.97% over the past 12 months, compared with +15.33% for HFWA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BFST or HFWA?
BFST has the lower trailing P/E at 10.9, versus 12.9 for HFWA. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Business First Bancshares or Heritage Financial?
Heritage Financial has the higher yield at 3.53%, compared with 1.97% for Business First Bancshares.
Are Business First Bancshares and Heritage Financial in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Banks - Regional industry within the Financial Services sector.