Filing Details
- Accession Number:
- 0000895345-19-000132
- Form Type:
- 13G Filing
- Publication Date:
- 2019-03-18 16:44:09
- Filed By:
- EJF Capital
- Company:
- Business First Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ:BFST)
- Filing Date:
- 2019-03-18
- SEC Url:
- 13G Filing
Ownership Summary
Please notice the below summary table is generated without human intervention and may contain errors. Please refer to the complete filing displayed below for exact figures.
| Name | Sole Voting Power | Shared Voting Power | Sole Dispositive Power | Shared Dispositive Power | Aggregate Amount Owned Power | Percent of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJF Capital | 0 | 694,350 | 0 | 694,350 | 694,350 | 5.3% |
| Emanuel J. Friedman | 0 | 694,350 | 0 | 694,350 | 694,350 | 5.3% |
| EJF Sidecar Fund, Series | 0 | 644,000 | 0 | 644,000 | 644,000 | 4.9% |
| EJF Financial Services Fund | 0 | 32,949 | 0 | 32,949 | 32,949 | 0.2% |
| EJF Financial Services GP | 0 | 32,949 | 0 | 32,949 | 32,949 | 0.2% |
Filing
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
| Business First Bancshares, Inc. |
| (Name of Issuer) |
| Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share |
| (Title of Class of Securities) |
| 12326C105 |
| (CUSIP Number) |
| March 8, 2019 |
| (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) |
Check the
appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:
☐
Rule 13d-1(b)
☒
Rule 13d-1(c)
☐
Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder
of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior
cover page.
The information
required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all
other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
| CUSIP No. 12326C105 | 13G | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS | | | ||
| I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) | | | |||
| EJF Capital LLC | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | ||||
| (a)☐ | |||||
| (b)☒ | | | |||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | | | ||
| | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | | | ||
| Delaware | | | |||
| | | ||||
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH | 5 | SOLE VOTING POWER | | | |
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 10 | CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| ☐ | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) | | | ||
| 5.3% (1) | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| IA | | | |||
| | | ||||
| (1) | Based on 13,213,280 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share per share (“Common Stock”) outstanding as of
December 31, 2018, as reflected in the Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 29, 2019. |
| CUSIP No. 12326C105 | 13G | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS | | | ||
| I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) | | | |||
| Emanuel J. Friedman | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | ||||
| (a)☐ | |||||
| (b)☒ | | | |||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | | | ||
| | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | | | ||
| United States | | | |||
| | | ||||
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH | 5 | SOLE VOTING POWER | | | |
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | | | ||
| 694,350 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 10 | CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| ☐ | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) | | | ||
| 5.3% (1) | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| IN | | | |||
| | | ||||
| (1) | Based on 13,213,280 shares of Common
Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2018, as reflected in the Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the SEC on January 29, 2019. |
| CUSIP No. 12326C105 | 13G | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS | | | ||
| I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) | | | |||
| EJF Sidecar Fund, Series LLC – Small Financial Equities Series | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | ||||
| (a)☐ | |||||
| (b)☒ | | | |||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | | | ||
| | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | | | ||
| Delaware | | | |||
| | | ||||
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH | 5 | SOLE VOTING POWER | | | |
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | | | ||
| 644,000 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 644,000 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | | | ||
| 644,000 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 10 | CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| ☐ | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) | | | ||
| 4.9% (1) | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| OO | | | |||
| | | ||||
| (1) | Based on 13,213,280 shares of Common
Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2018, as reflected in the Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the SEC on January 29, 2019. |
| CUSIP No. 12326C105 | 13G | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS | | | ||
| I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) | | | |||
| EJF Financial Services Fund, LP | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | ||||
| (a)☐ | |||||
| (b)☒ | | | |||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | | | ||
| | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | | | ||
| Delaware | | | |||
| | | ||||
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH | 5 | SOLE VOTING POWER | | | |
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 10 | CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| ☐ | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) | | | ||
| 0.2% (1) | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| PN | | | |||
| | | ||||
| (1) | Based on 13,213,280 shares of Common Stock
outstanding as of December 31, 2018, as reflected in the Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the SEC on January 29, 2019. |
| CUSIP No. 12326C105 | 13G | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS | | | ||
| I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) | | | |||
| EJF Financial Services GP, LLC | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | ||||
| (a)☐ | |||||
| (b)☒ | | | |||
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | | | ||
| | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION | | | ||
| Delaware | | | |||
| | | ||||
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH | 5 | SOLE VOTING POWER | | | |
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 0 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | | | ||
| 32,949 | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 10 | CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| ☐ | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) | | | ||
| 0.2% (1) | | | |||
| | | ||||
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) | | | ||
| OO | | | |||
| | | ||||
| (1) | Based on 13,213,280
shares of Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2018, as reflected in the Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the SEC on January 29, 2019. |
| Item 1(a). | Name of Issuer: |
Business First Bancshares, Inc.
| Item 1(b). | Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices: |
500 Laurel Street, Suite 101
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801
| Item 2(a). | Name of Person Filing: |
This Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of the following persons (the “Reporting Persons”)*:
| (i) | EJF Capital LLC; |
| (ii) | Emanuel J. Friedman; |
| (iii) | EJF Sidecar Fund, Series LLC – Small Financial Equities Series (“EJF Sidecar Series SFE”); |
| (iv) | EJF Financial Services Fund, LP (the “Financial Services Fund”); and |
| (v) | EJF Financial Services GP, LLC. |
*Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement among the Reporting Persons that this Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of each of them.
| Item 2(b). | Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: |
The address of the principal
business office of each Reporting Person is:
2107 Wilson
Boulevard
Suite 410
Arlington, VA
22201
| Item 2(c). | Citizenship: |
See Item 4 of the attached cover pages.
| Item 2(d). | Title of Class of Securities: |
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share per share (“Common Stock”)
| Item 2(e). | CUSIP Number: |
12326C105
| Item 3. | If This Statement Is Filed Pursuant to Sections 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing Is a(n): |
Not Applicable.
| Item 4. | Ownership. |
| (a) | Amount beneficially owned: | |
| | | |
| | See Item 9 of the attached cover pages. | |
| | | |
| (b) | Percent of class: | |
| | | |
| | See Item 11 of the attached cover pages. | |
| | | |
| (c) | Number of shares as to which such person has: | |
| | | |
| | (i) | Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: |
| | | |
| | | See Item 5 of the attached cover pages. |
| | | |
| | (ii) | Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: |
| | | |
| | | See Item 6 of the attached cover pages. |
| | | |
| | (iii) | Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition: |
| | | |
| | | See Item 7 of the attached cover pages. |
| | | |
| | (iv) | Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition: |
| | | |
| | | See Item 8 of the attached cover pages. |
EJF Sidecar Series SFE is the record owner of the number of shares of Common Stock shown on Item 9 of its
respective cover page.
The Financial Services Fund is the record owner of the number of shares of Common Stock shown on item 9 of
its respective cover page.
EJF Financial Services GP, LLC
is the general partner of the Financial Services Fund and an investment manager of certain affiliates thereof and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of which the Financial Services Fund is the record
owner.
EJF Capital LLC is the managing member of EJF Sidecar Series SFE (and the investment manager of an affiliate thereof) and the sole member of EJF Financial Services GP, LLC, and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common
Stock of which EJF Sidecar Series SFE is the record owner and the shares of Common Stock of which EJF Financial Services GP, LLC may
share beneficial ownership. EJF Capital LLC also serves as an investment adviser to accounts that are the record owners of shares of Common Stock, and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock.
Emanuel J. Friedman is the controlling member of EJF Capital LLC and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership
of the shares of Common Stock over which EJF Capital LLC may share beneficial ownership.
| Item 5. | Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 6. | Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 7. | Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 8. | Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 9. | Notice of Dissolution of Group. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 10. | Certification. |
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.
Dated: March 18, 2019
| | EJF CAPITAL LLC | |||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EMANUEL J. FRIEDMAN | |||
| | By: | /s/ Emanuel J. Friedman | ||
| | Name: | Emanuel J. Friedman | ||
| | | | ||
| | EJF SIDECAR FUND, SERIES LLC – SMALL FINANCIAL EQUITIES SERIES | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF CAPITAL LLC Managing Member | ||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, LP | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES GP, LLC General Partner | ||
| By: | EJF CAPITAL LLC | |||
| Its: | Sole Member | |||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES GP, LLC | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF CAPITAL LLC Sole Member | ||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
EXHIBIT A
The undersigned, EJF Capital LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Emanuel J. Friedman, EJF Sidecar Fund, Series LLC – Small
Financial Equities Series, a Delaware separate series limited liability company, EJF Financial Services Fund, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and EJF Financial Services GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, hereby agree and
acknowledge that the information required by this Schedule 13G, to which this Agreement is attached as an exhibit, is filed on behalf of each of them. The undersigned further agree that any further amendments or supplements thereto shall also
be filed on behalf of each of them.
Dated: March 18, 2019
| | EJF CAPITAL LLC | |||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EMANUEL J. FRIEDMAN | |||
| | By: | /s/ Emanuel J. Friedman | ||
| | Name: | Emanuel J. Friedman | ||
| | | | ||
| | EJF SIDECAR FUND, SERIES LLC – SMALL FINANCIAL EQUITIES SERIES | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF CAPITAL LLC Managing Member | ||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, LP | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES GP, LLC General Partner | ||
| By: | EJF CAPITAL LLC | |||
| Its: | Sole Member | |||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||
| | EJF FINANCIAL SERVICES GP, LLC | |||
| | By: Its: | EJF CAPITAL LLC Sole Member | ||
| | By: | /s/ Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Name: | Neal J. Wilson | ||
| | Title: | Chief Operating Officer | ||