<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000356171 <NAME> TRICO BANCSHARES <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998 <CASH> 39,420 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 2,500 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 214,951 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 82,926 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 82,856 <LOANS> 491,303 <ALLOWANCE> 7,138 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 873,295 <DEPOSITS> 725,478 <SHORT-TERM> 32,600 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 10,756 <LONG-TERM> 36,432 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 48,341 <OTHER-SE> 19,688 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 873,295 <INTEREST-LOAN> 23,243 <INTEREST-INVEST> 8,175 <INTEREST-OTHER> 128 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 31,546 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 11,579 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 12,438 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 19,108 <LOAN-LOSSES> 2,060 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 137 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 17,495 <INCOME-PRETAX> 6,514 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 5,721 <EXTRAORDINARY> 793 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 4,071 <EPS-PRIMARY> $0.87 <EPS-DILUTED> $0.84 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.58 <LOANS-NON> 3,687 <LOANS-PAST> 302 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 6,459 <CHARGE-OFFS> 1,602 <RECOVERIES> 221 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 7,138 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 7,138 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0