Business First Bancshares (BFST) vs Metropolitan Bank (MCB)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Business First Bancshares (BFST) has outperformed Metropolitan Bank (MCB) over the past year, gaining 28.6% versus a gain of 14.6%. Over five years, BFST leads with a +20.1% price change compared with -0.7% for MCB. Metropolitan Bank is the larger company by market cap ($1.08 billion vs $999.6 million), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Metropolitan Bank trades at a lower forward P/E (7.8x vs 9.2x for Business First Bancshares). Business First Bancshares offers the higher dividend yield (1.95% vs 0.86%).
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 | MCB |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $30.71 | $87.49 |
| Market cap | $999.61M | $1.08B |
| 1-day change | +0.89% | +0.51% |
| YTD return | +16.45% | +14.00% |
| 1-year return | +28.60% | +14.60% |
| 5-year return | +20.13% | -0.68% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 10.93 | 11.22 |
| Forward P/E | 9.23 | 7.79 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.81 | $7.80 |
| Dividend yield | 1.95% | 0.86% |
| Annual dividend | $0.60 | $0.75 |
| 52-week high | $32.53 | $102.04 |
| 52-week low | $22.56 | $64.66 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -5.58% | -14.26% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +13.64% | +20.39% |
| Average volume | 216.78K | 131.39K |
| Shares outstanding | 32.55M | 12.40M |
| Employees | 821 | 326 |
| 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
- BFST has outperformed MCB by 14.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Business First Bancshares offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.95% vs 0.86%).
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 Metropolitan Bank
MCB stock →Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Metropolitan Commercial Bank that provides a range of business, commercial, and retail banking products and services.
Finance · Major Banks · 326 employees
BFST vs MCB FAQ
Which is bigger, Business First Bancshares or Metropolitan Bank?
Metropolitan Bank (MCB) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.08B compared with $999.61M for Business First Bancshares (BFST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BFST or MCB?
BFST returned +28.60% over the past 12 months, compared with +14.60% for MCB (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BFST or MCB?
BFST has the lower trailing P/E at 10.9, versus 11.2 for MCB. 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 Metropolitan Bank?
Business First Bancshares has the higher yield at 1.95%, compared with 0.86% for Metropolitan Bank.
Are Business First Bancshares and Metropolitan Bank in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Banks industry within the Finance sector.