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Business First Bancshares, Inc. Acquires American Planning Corporation, Strengthening Community Bank Advisory Services Through Smith Shellnut Wilson

  • Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) announced the acquisition of American Planning Corporation, a financial consulting firm established in 1972.
  • CEO T. Jefferson Fair and his team will join Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC (SSW), a subsidiary of b1BANK, to expand SSW's advisory platform for clients nationwide.
  • American Planning provides over five decades of experience in outsourced CFO services, financial modeling, strategic planning, capital planning, asset/liability management, stock valuations, & regulatory consulting.
  • The acquisition extends SSW's capabilities beyond investment management & asset/liability management into a comprehensive suite of strategic advisory services.
  • Business First Bancshares, Inc. reported $8.9 billion in assets as of March 31, 2026, with SSW managing $5.7 billion in assets excluding approximately $1.0 billion of b1BANK assets.
  • b1BANK operates banking centers & loan production offices in Louisiana & Texas, serving as a 2024 Mastercard Innovation Award winner & a multiyear recipient of American Banker's Best Banks to Work For recognition.