US bancorp                                                     PIPER JAFFRAY
                                                                 COMPANIES


                              U.S. BANCORP ACQUIRES
                          PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES INC.

                                DECEMBER 15, 1997






                               STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
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                   o Focuses on our clients' needs
                     -- Equity and debt underwriting
                     -- Equity research, sales & trading
                     -- M&A advisory services
                     -- Expanded private financial services
                     -- Expanded retail brokerage network

                   o  Regionally based -- nationally competitive

                   o  Provides business line synergies

                   o  Builds shareholder value - IRR > 16%


                                       -2-



                               TRANSACTION SUMMARY
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Subsidiary Name:       U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray
                       Addison L. Piper, Chairman & CEO

Purchase Price:        $730 million

Payment Method:        Cash

Per Share:             $37.25

Accounting Treatment:  Purchase accounting

Due Diligence:         Completed

Anticipated Closing:   2Q98

Employee Retention:    Retention bonuses to key employees


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                                     PRICING
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                                              RECENT REGIONAL      PUBLICLY
                            ACQUISITION       SECURITIES FIRM       TRADED
                              MULTIPLE        ACQUISITIONS(C)      PEERS(D)
- ------------------------- -----------------  ------------------ --------------
Last 12 months revenues         1.2x                 1.3x            1.6x
Last 12 months net income      13.5x(a)             14.4x           18.1x
Estimated 1998 net income      11.2x(b)                             16.0x
Book Value                      4.2x                 4.3x            3.1x
- ------------------------- -----------------  ------------------ --------------

(a)  Represents latest 12 months net income adjusted to a normalized operating
     margin (15%).
(b)  Represents purchase price divided by 1998 estimated net income plus fully
     phased in cost savings.
(c)  Alex Brown, Dillon Read, Robertson Stephens, Montgomery Securities,
     Oppenheimer & Co., Wheat First, Furman Selz. Source: Company presentations
(d)  Raymond James, EVEREN, Interra, Morgan Keegan and McDonald & Co. Source:
     Company 10Qs. Stock prices as of 12/12/97.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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                            EXCELLENT GEOGRAPHIC FIT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


o    1,000 U.S. Bank offices combined with 89 Piper Jaffray retail offices in 19
     states.
o    Will comprise the 11th largest retail brokerage network in the U.S.


MAJOR CITIES:

Minneapolis/St. Paul
Denver
Seattle
Portland
Milwaukee                                    [Map of U.S.]
Kansas City
San Francisco
Des Moines
Phoenix


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                        COMPLEMENTARY BUSINESS STRENGTHS
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    VALUE ADDED BY PIPER JAFFRAY                VALUE ADDED BY U.S. BANCORP
    ----------------------------                ---------------------------
o  Corporate finance capabilities          o  Extensive regional corporate
                                              relationships
   -- Underwriting - debt & equity            -- 40,500 middle market customers
   -- Research                                -- Middle market strength
   -- M&A advisory                            -- Commercial banking products &
                                                 services
o Over $12 billion of assets under         o Over $55 billion of assets
  management                                 under management
o Private client services/products         o 52,000 private banking and personal
o Trading expertise                          trust relationships
o Retail and corporate customers           o Significantly greater distribution
  -- $42.8 billion of clients funds          channels
  -- 122,000 households                      -- Retail banking products &
                                                services
                                             -- 4.0 million households
                                           o  Technology investment


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Leading diversified financial services provider to
         corporations, municipalities and individuals in our
         geographic territory.
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                                       -6-



                          CAPITAL MARKETS CAPABILITIES




                                     INVESTMENT BANKING
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       FIXED INCOME             MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS               EQUITY
       ------------             ----------------------               ------
                                                    
- -- Managed/co-managed 785     -- 28 transactions worth    -- Managed/co-managed 38
   offerings raising $14         $2.6 billion in 1997        public offerings raising
   billion in fiscal 1997     -- Focused industry            $2.9 billion in fiscal 1997
- -- Among top ten tax-exempt      expertise                -- Raised over $265 million in
   underwriters                                              private equity in recent years



     INSTITUTIONAL SALES & TRADING                        RESEARCH
- -------------------------------------------     --------------------------------
- -- One of the largest non-New York based        -- Industry focused
   sales and Nasdaq trading firms               -- Institutionally driven
- -- 1.9 billion Nasdaq shares traded in fiscal      product
   1997                                         -- 50 research analysts
- -- 38 institutional equity sales executives


                                       -7-



                              RETAIL BROKERAGE AND
                          PRIVATE BANKING CAPABILITIES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  o    1,235 investment executives in 89 offices

                  o    $6.2 billion in individual assets under management

                  o    400,000 total retail accounts

                  o    $42.8 billion of client funds in brokerage accounts

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                       -8-



         [Bar graph titled TOTAL ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT showing the following
information]

               Year                          Total Assets
                                             ($ billions)
               1990                               12.9
               1991                               15.0
               1992                               17.3
               1993                               21.7
               1994                               24.6
               1995                               29.2
               1996                               39.3
               3Q97                               55.3
             Pro Forma                            68.1



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                                     SUMMARY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       o Focuses on our clients' needs
                            - Equity and debt underwriting
                            - Equity research, sales & trading
                            - M&A advisory services
                            - Expanded private financial services
                            - Expanded retail brokerage network
                       o Regionally based -- nationally competitive
                       o Provides business line synergies
                       o Builds shareholder value - IRR > 16%

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      -10-