Business First Bancshares Inc

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

☐** **Preliminary Proxy Statement

☐** **Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

☒** **Definitive Proxy Statement

☐** **Definitive Additional Materials

☐** **Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-11(c) or § 240.14a-12

BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

☒ No fee required.

☐ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials

☐ Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

500 Laurel Street, Suite 101

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801

NOTICE OF 2025 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

AND PROXY STATEMENT

TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.: The 2025 Annual Meeting of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held: Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025 Time: 8:00 A.M. Central Time Place: 500 Laurel Street, Suite 101, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Via Live Webcast Record Date: March 28, 2025

The annual meeting is being held for the following purposes:

Shareholders will also transact any other business that properly comes before the meeting. The Board set March 28, 2025 as the Record Date for the annual meeting. Accordingly, only shareholders of record at such date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.

Attending the Meeting: The Company plans to hold this meeting in person with a virtual attendance option. We reserve the right to adjourn or postpone the meeting or change the means of convening the meeting; if we elect to do so, details on how to participate will be made available at www.b1bank.com under the “Shareholder Information” tab. If you owned shares of our common stock as of the Record Date you are entitled to attend, vote, and ask questions at this year’s annual meeting by attending in person or by logging in using the control number appearing on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, email notification, voting instruction form, or paper proxy card. Guests without a control number may also attend the meeting, but they will not be permitted to vote or submit questions. It is recommended that virtual attendees log into the meeting with sufficient time before the meeting begins to address any technical issues.

We have elected to take advantage of Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules that allow us to furnish proxy materials to certain shareholders over the internet. On or about the date of this Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, we began mailing a notice of internet availability of proxy materials (the “notice of internet availability”) to shareholders of record at the record date. The notice of internet availability contains an internet address and a control number unique to each shareholder. Please use that internet address and control number to access the proxy statement (which describes in detail each of the matters to be considered at the annual meeting), our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the form of proxy over the internet, as well as instructions on how to request a paper copy of the proxy materials.

**Your vote is important!**Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, we urge you to access the website and vote electronically, either online or by telephone. This will ensure the presence of a quorum at the meeting and that your shares are voted in accordance with your wishes. Voting electronically will not prevent you from voting your stock at the meeting if you desire to do so, as your proxy is revocable at your option. You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the meeting in the manner described in the proxy statement.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

Saundra Strong

Corporate Secretary

April 9, 2025

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 2025.

This proxy statement, along with our 2024 Annual Report, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and any amendments thereto, are available free of charge on our website, www.b1bank.com, under “Shareholder Info.”