UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934

          Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported March 1, 2001



                       SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                 Arkansas                    0-6253          71-0407808
       (State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission       (I.R.S. employer
       incorporation or organization)      file number)    identification No.)




           501 Main Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas                 71601
           (Address of principal executive offices)            (Zip Code)



                                  (870)541-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)








ITEM: 5

The  following is the text of a press release  issued by the  registrant at 3:15
P.M. Central Standard Time on March 1, 2001.




FOR RELEASE:      Thursday, March 1, 2001


SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION DECLARES $0.21 PER SHARE DIVIDEND


         Pine  Bluff,  AR --  Simmons  First  National  Corporation's  Board  of
Directors  declared a regular $0.21 per share  quarterly  cash dividend  payable
April 2,  2001,  to  shareholders  of  record  March  15,  2001.  This  dividend
represents a $0.02 per share,  or 10.53% increase over the dividend paid for the
same period in 2000.

         Simmons First National  Corporation is a $1.9 billion financial holding
company,  with community banks in Pine Bluff,  Jonesboro,  Lake Village,  Dumas,
Rogers, Russellville,  Searcy and El Dorado, Arkansas. The Company's eight banks
conduct financial operations from 63 offices in 33 communities.

                               # # # # # # # # # #


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lawrence Fikes
Vice President, Marketing
Simmons First National Bank
870-541-1438
Ticker symbol:  SFNCA





                                    SIGNATURE

         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.


                             SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION




Date:    March 1, 2001       /s/ Barry L. Crow
     ---------------------   ---------------------------------------------------
                              Barry L. Crow, Executive Vice President
                               and Chief Financial Officer