<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000356171 <NAME> TRICO BANCSHARES <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <CASH> 35,828 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 0 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 206,290 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 78,901 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 79,438 <LOANS> 518,895 <ALLOWANCE> 7,861 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 881,508 <DEPOSITS> 724,992 <SHORT-TERM> 38,800 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 10,598 <LONG-TERM> 36,428 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 48,517 <OTHER-SE> 22,173 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 881,508 <INTEREST-LOAN> 35,909 <INTEREST-INVEST> 12,416 <INTEREST-OTHER> 133 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 48,458 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 17,453 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 19,180 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 29,278 <LOAN-LOSSES> 2,980 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 316 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 25,954 <INCOME-PRETAX> 10,067 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 10,067 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 6,355 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.91 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.87 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 5.23 <LOANS-NON> 4,356 <LOANS-PAST> 233 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 6,459 <CHARGE-OFFS> 1,831 <RECOVERIES> 253 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 7,861 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 7,861 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0