H. F. AHMANSON & COMPANY            HOME SAVINGS OF AMERICA
- ------------------------------          SAVINGS OF AMERICA

4900 Rivergrade Road, Irwindale, California 91706 - (818) 814-7922





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             Contacts:
- ---------------------                             Media:          Mary Trigg
                                                                  (626) 814-7922
                                                  Investor:       Steve Swartz
                                                                  (626) 814-7986


                  AHMANSON TERMINATES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM


     In  connection  with its  proposed  merger  with  Washington  Mutual,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:  WAMU),  H. F. Ahmanson & Company (NYSE:  AHM) today announced that its
Board of Directors  terminated its remaining stock repurchase program.  The $400
million repurchase program was announced in November 1997.


     H. F. Ahmanson & Company,  with more than $52.5  billion in assets,  is the
parent  company  of  Home  Savings  of  America,  one  of the  nation's  largest
full-service consumer and small business banks.

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