BATON ROUGE, La., April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:BFST) (Business First or the Company), parent company of b1BANK, is pleased to announce the completion of the private placement of $85.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.50% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes (the Notes) due 2036, to certain qualified institutional and accredited investors. The Notes have been structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital for the Company for regulatory capital purposes. The proceeds from the sale of the Notes will be utilized to redeem $66.93 million in outstanding subordinated notes, to provide additional capital support to b1BANK, to support growth, to better position the Company to take advantage of strategic opportunities that may arise from time to time, to repay other existing borrowings, and for other general corporate purposes.

The Notes will initially bear interest at an annual rate of 6.50% beginning April 2, 2026, through March 30, 2031. From March 31, 2031, to the stated maturity date or early redemption date, the interest rate will reset quarterly to an interest rate per annum equal to the then current three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 300 basis ...