<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000310979 <NAME> First Banks America,Inc. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-mos <FISCAL-YEAR-END> Dec-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> Jan-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> Sep-30-1998 <CASH> 26,077 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 26,902 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 6,000 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 128,577 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 2,032 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 0 <LOANS> 491,396 <ALLOWANCE> (12,449) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 722,199 <DEPOSITS> 596,094 <SHORT-TERM> 9,513 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 53,307 <LONG-TERM> 6,500 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 861 <OTHER-SE> 55,924 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 722,199 <INTEREST-LOAN> 33,493 <INTEREST-INVEST> 6,167 <INTEREST-OTHER> 979 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 40,639 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 16,296 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 17,681 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 22,958 <LOAN-LOSSES> 725 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 341 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 19,330 <INCOME-PRETAX> 6,239 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 6,239 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 3,641 <EPS-PRIMARY> .72 <EPS-DILUTED> .71 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.81 <LOANS-NON> 6,877 <LOANS-PAST> 428 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 3,828 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 11,407 <CHARGE-OFFS> (2,498) <RECOVERIES> 1,930 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 12,449 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 12,449 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 2,731