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Side-by-side financial comparison of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (BFST) and FOSTER L B CO (FSTR). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FOSTER L B CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($160.4M vs $83.1M, roughly 1.9× Business First Bancshares, Inc.). On growth, FOSTER L B CO posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (25.1% vs 7.1%). Business First Bancshares, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($92.0M vs $19.8M). Over the past eight quarters, Business First Bancshares, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (16.8% CAGR vs 13.6%).

First Citizens Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company based in Raleigh, North Carolina and one of the largest banks in the United States. Its primary subsidiary is First Citizens Bank, which operates over 500 branches in 23 states. A second subsidiary is Silicon Valley Bank, which operates 39 offices in 15 states.

Foster L B Co. is a U.S.-headquartered industrial manufacturing firm that develops, produces and distributes engineered access solutions, construction components, and rail infrastructure products. It serves commercial construction, transportation, and industrial end markets across North America and selected international regions.

BFST vs FSTR — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FSTR
FSTR
1.9× larger
FSTR
$160.4M
$83.1M
BFST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FSTR
FSTR
+18.0% gap
FSTR
25.1%
7.1%
BFST
More free cash flow
BFST
BFST
$72.2M more FCF
BFST
$92.0M
$19.8M
FSTR
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
BFST
BFST
Annualised
BFST
16.8%
13.6%
FSTR

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Revenue
$83.1M
$160.4M
Net Profit
$2.4M
Gross Margin
19.7%
Operating Margin
33.2%
4.9%
Net Margin
1.5%
Revenue YoY
7.1%
25.1%
Net Profit YoY
1098.3%
EPS (diluted)
$0.71
$0.22

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$83.1M
$160.4M
Q3 25
$80.9M
$138.3M
Q2 25
$81.5M
$143.6M
Q1 25
$79.2M
$97.8M
Q4 24
$77.6M
$128.2M
Q3 24
$66.9M
$137.5M
Q2 24
$66.2M
$140.8M
Q1 24
$60.9M
$124.3M
Net Profit
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$2.4M
Q3 25
$22.9M
$4.4M
Q2 25
$22.1M
$2.9M
Q1 25
$20.5M
$-2.1M
Q4 24
$-242.0K
Q3 24
$17.8M
$35.9M
Q2 24
$17.2M
$2.8M
Q1 24
$13.6M
$4.4M
Gross Margin
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
19.7%
Q3 25
22.5%
Q2 25
21.5%
Q1 25
20.6%
Q4 24
22.3%
Q3 24
23.8%
Q2 24
21.7%
Q1 24
21.1%
Operating Margin
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
33.2%
4.9%
Q3 25
35.7%
6.0%
Q2 25
34.4%
5.3%
Q1 25
32.6%
-2.0%
Q4 24
27.5%
2.4%
Q3 24
34.0%
5.3%
Q2 24
32.9%
3.2%
Q1 24
28.2%
4.5%
Net Margin
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
1.5%
Q3 25
28.2%
3.1%
Q2 25
27.1%
2.0%
Q1 25
25.9%
-2.2%
Q4 24
-0.2%
Q3 24
26.7%
26.1%
Q2 24
26.0%
2.0%
Q1 24
22.3%
3.6%
EPS (diluted)
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$0.71
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.73
$0.40
Q2 25
$0.70
$0.27
Q1 25
$0.65
$-0.20
Q4 24
$0.51
$-0.04
Q3 24
$0.65
$3.27
Q2 24
$0.62
$0.26
Q1 24
$0.48
$0.40

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$411.2M
$4.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$42.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$896.9M
$175.3M
Total Assets
$8.2B
$330.4M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.24×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$411.2M
$4.3M
Q3 25
$399.1M
$3.4M
Q2 25
$495.8M
$4.2M
Q1 25
$312.9M
$2.6M
Q4 24
$319.1M
$2.5M
Q3 24
$213.2M
$3.1M
Q2 24
$208.1M
$4.0M
Q1 24
$185.9M
$3.1M
Total Debt
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$42.6M
Q3 25
$58.6M
Q2 25
$81.4M
Q1 25
$82.3M
Q4 24
$46.8M
Q3 24
$68.4M
Q2 24
$87.0M
Q1 24
$77.9M
Stockholders' Equity
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$896.9M
$175.3M
Q3 25
$878.4M
$174.8M
Q2 25
$848.4M
$174.4M
Q1 25
$826.3M
$170.8M
Q4 24
$799.5M
$178.3M
Q3 24
$699.5M
$181.9M
Q2 24
$664.5M
$147.1M
Q1 24
$649.0M
$144.6M
Total Assets
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$8.2B
$330.4M
Q3 25
$8.0B
$333.9M
Q2 25
$7.9B
$349.9M
Q1 25
$7.8B
$342.8M
Q4 24
$7.9B
$334.6M
Q3 24
$6.9B
$344.5M
Q2 24
$6.7B
$333.3M
Q1 24
$6.7B
$326.4M
Debt / Equity
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
0.24×
Q3 25
0.33×
Q2 25
0.47×
Q1 25
0.48×
Q4 24
0.26×
Q3 24
0.38×
Q2 24
0.59×
Q1 24
0.54×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$92.1M
$22.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$92.0M
$19.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
110.7%
12.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.1%
1.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
9.18×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$165.6M
$25.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$92.1M
$22.2M
Q3 25
$32.4M
$29.2M
Q2 25
$14.0M
$10.4M
Q1 25
$28.7M
$-26.1M
Q4 24
$61.4M
$24.3M
Q3 24
$21.4M
$24.7M
Q2 24
$15.1M
$-5.0M
Q1 24
$7.6M
$-21.4M
Free Cash Flow
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$92.0M
$19.8M
Q3 25
$32.1M
$26.4M
Q2 25
$13.8M
$7.7M
Q1 25
$27.7M
$-28.7M
Q4 24
$59.8M
$22.3M
Q3 24
$21.0M
$21.7M
Q2 24
$14.0M
$-7.0M
Q1 24
$7.2M
$-24.2M
FCF Margin
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
110.7%
12.3%
Q3 25
39.6%
19.1%
Q2 25
16.9%
5.4%
Q1 25
34.9%
-29.4%
Q4 24
77.1%
17.4%
Q3 24
31.4%
15.8%
Q2 24
21.2%
-5.0%
Q1 24
11.8%
-19.4%
Capex Intensity
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
0.1%
1.5%
Q3 25
0.4%
2.0%
Q2 25
0.3%
1.9%
Q1 25
1.3%
2.6%
Q4 24
2.0%
1.5%
Q3 24
0.6%
2.2%
Q2 24
1.6%
1.5%
Q1 24
0.6%
2.2%
Cash Conversion
BFST
BFST
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
9.18×
Q3 25
1.42×
6.70×
Q2 25
0.63×
3.61×
Q1 25
1.40×
Q4 24
Q3 24
1.20×
0.69×
Q2 24
0.88×
-1.74×
Q1 24
0.56×
-4.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BFST
BFST

Segment breakdown not available.

FSTR
FSTR

Rail Technologies And Services Segment$98.0M61%
Over Time Output Method$26.3M16%
Services$19.4M12%
Rail Technologies Products$10.0M6%
Over Time Input Method$8.3M5%

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