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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>&nbsp;</b></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>UNITED STATES</b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMMISSION</b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Washington, D.C. 20549</b></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><b>FORM 8-K</b></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>CURRENT REPORT</b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><b>Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Securities Exchange Act of 1934</font></b></b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of report (Date of earliest event reported<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">): <b>January 1, 2018</b></font></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>&nbsp;</b></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><b>BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.</b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</p>

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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Louisiana</b></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>333-200112</b></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>20-5340628</b></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">(I.R.S. Employer Identification <font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">No.)</font></p>
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			<td style="width: 35.8%; vertical-align: top;">&nbsp;</td>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>500 Laurel Street</b><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>, Suite 101</b></font></p>

			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Baton Rouge, Louisiana</b></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>7080</b><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>1</b></font></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">(Address of principal executive offices)</p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">(Zip code)</p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Registrant<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&rsquo;s telephone number, including area code:<b>&nbsp;</b><b>(225) 248-7600</b></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):</p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&#9744;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&#9744;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&#9744;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&#9744;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 40 of the Securities Act of 1933 (&sect;230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (&sect;240.12b-2 of this chapter).</p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 69.2%; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Emerging growth company&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9746;</font></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9746;</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>2.01<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets</font></b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>&nbsp;</b></p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Effective January 1, 2018, Business First Bancshares, Inc. (&ldquo;Business First&rdquo;), the holding company for Business First Bank, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, completed its previously announced acquisition of Minden Bancorp, Inc. (&ldquo;MBI&rdquo;), the holding company for MBL Bank, Minden, Louisiana.</p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">The acquisition was completed pursuant to the <font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">previously announced Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the &ldquo;Merger Agreement&rdquo;), dated October 5, 2017, by and among Business First, MBI and BFB Acquisition Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Business First (the &ldquo;Merger Subsidiary&rdquo;). In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time, the Merger Subsidiary was merged with and into MBI, with MBI surviving the merger, followed immediately by the merger of MBI with and into Business First, with Business First surviving the merger. Immediately following the holding company mergers, MBL Bank was merged with and into Business First Bank, with Business First Bank as the surviving bank.</font></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, all of the issued and outstanding shares of MBI common stock were converted into the right to receive aggregate cash consideration of approximately $76.<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">2 million.</font></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Business First<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&rsquo;s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 12, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>8.01<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Events</font></b><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>.</b></font></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">On January 3<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">, 2018, Business First issued the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference announcing the completion of its acquisition of MBI.</font></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>9.01<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Financial Statements and Exhibits.</font></b></p>

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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Exhibit </b></p>

			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Number</b></p>
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			<b><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description of Exhibit</font></b></p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">99.1</p>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Press Release<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> issued by Business First Bancshares, Inc., dated January 3, 2018</font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Forward-Looking Statements</b></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as &ldquo;may,&rdquo; &ldquo;will,&rdquo; &ldquo;anticipate,&rdquo; &ldquo;estimate,&rdquo; &ldquo;expect,&rdquo; &ldquo;project,&rdquo; &ldquo;intend,&rdquo; &ldquo;plan,&rdquo; &ldquo;believe,&rdquo; &ldquo;target,&rdquo; &ldquo;forecast,&rdquo; and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Business First cautions readers that any forward-looking statement is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger of Business First and MBI, including future financial and operating results; Business First&rsquo;s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties relating to: (i) the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; (ii) the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; (iii) disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or vendors; (iv) the diversion of management time on merger-related issues; and (v) other factors which Business First discusses or refers to in the &ldquo;Risk Factors&rdquo; section of its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and Business First undertakes no obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>SIGNATURES</b></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the <font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.</font></p>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dated: <font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">January 3, 2018</font></p>

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			</td>
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			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="text-transform: uppercase;"><b>Business First bancshares, inc.</b></font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="text-transform: uppercase;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td valign="top" width="50%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="text-transform: uppercase;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="3%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="35%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
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			<td valign="top" width="50%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="3%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom" width="35%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="left" style="text-align: left;" valign="top" width="50%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td style="text-align: left;" valign="top" width="3%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;By: </font></p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid;" valign="top" width="35%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">/s/&nbsp;</font>David R. Melville, III</p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td valign="top" width="50%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="3%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="35%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font>David R. Melville, II<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td valign="top" width="50%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="3%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="35%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font>President and Chief Executive Office<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">r</font></p>
			</td>
			<td valign="top" width="12%">
			<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
			</td>
		</tr>

</table>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<div id="PGBK" style="width: 100%; margin-right: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt;">
<div id="PGNUM" style="width: 100%; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div>

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<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>EXHIBIT INDEX</b></p>

<p style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="TBL4" style="width: 99.9%; text-indent: 0px; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">

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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Exhibit </b></p>

			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Number</b></p>
			</td>
			<td style="width: 1%; vertical-align: bottom;">&nbsp;</td>
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			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br>
			<b><font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description of Exhibit</font></b></p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="width: 7%; vertical-align: top;">
			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">99.1</p>
			</td>
			<td style="width: 1%; vertical-align: top;">&nbsp;</td>
			<td style="width: 92%; vertical-align: top;">
			<p style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="ex_102609.htm" style="-sec-extract: exhibit;">Press Release issued by Business First Bancshares, Inc., dated January<font style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;3, 2018</font></a></p>
			</td>
		</tr>

</table>

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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "Business First Bancshares, Inc.", "cik": "0001624322", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "205340628", "state-of-incorporation": "LA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-200112", "film-number": "18503942"}, "business-address": {"street1": "500 LAUREL STREET", "street2": "SUITE 101", "city": "BATON ROUGE", "state": "LA", "zip": "70801", "phone": "225-248-7600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "500 LAUREL STREET", "street2": "SUITE 101", "city": "BATON ROUGE", "state": "LA", "zip": "70801"}}
bfbi20180102_8k.htm
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported
):
January 1, 2018
BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Louisiana
333-200112
20-5340628
(State of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification
No.)
500 Laurel Street
, Suite 101
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7080
1
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip code)
Registrant
's telephone number, including area code:
(225) 248-7600
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 40 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company     ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
☒
2.01
Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
Effective January 1, 2018, Business First Bancshares, Inc. ("Business First"), the holding company for Business First Bank, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, completed its previously announced acquisition of Minden Bancorp, Inc. ("MBI"), the holding company for MBL Bank, Minden, Louisiana.
The acquisition was completed pursuant to the
previously announced Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Merger Agreement"), dated October 5, 2017, by and among Business First, MBI and BFB Acquisition Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Business First (the "Merger Subsidiary"). In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time, the Merger Subsidiary was merged with and into MBI, with MBI surviving the merger, followed immediately by the merger of MBI with and into Business First, with Business First surviving the merger. Immediately following the holding company mergers, MBL Bank was merged with and into Business First Bank, with Business First Bank as the surviving bank.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, all of the issued and outstanding shares of MBI common stock were converted into the right to receive aggregate cash consideration of approximately $76.
2 million.
The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Business First
's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 12, 2017, and is incorporated herein by reference.
8.01
Other Events
.
On January 3
, 2018, Business First issued the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference announcing the completion of its acquisition of MBI.
9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
Exhibit
Number
Description of Exhibit
99.1
Press Release
issued by Business First Bancshares, Inc., dated January 3, 2018
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "target," "forecast," and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Business First cautions readers that any forward-looking statement is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger of Business First and MBI, including future financial and operating results; Business First's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties relating to: (i) the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; (ii) the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; (iii) disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or vendors; (iv) the diversion of management time on merger-related issues; and (v) other factors which Business First discusses or refers to in the "Risk Factors" section of its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and Business First undertakes no obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Dated:
January 3, 2018
Business First bancshares, inc.
By:
/s/
David R. Melville, III
David R. Melville, II
I
President and Chief Executive Office
r
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
Description of Exhibit
99.1
Press Release issued by Business First Bancshares, Inc., dated January
3, 2018