EXHIBIT 99.1



                                                  For more information, contact:
                                                              Robert D. Sznewajs
                                                                 President & CEO
                                                                  (503) 598-3243

                                                                 Anders Giltvedt
                                                  Executive Vice President & CFO
                                                                  (503) 598-3250

                           WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS
                       RECORD FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS

O    EARNINGS PER DILUTED SHARE OF $.33;  A 10% INCREASE OVER FIRST QUARTER 2003
O    TOTAL LOANS INCREASED 7% OR $87 MILLION FROM THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2003
O    RETURN ON AVERAGE EQUITY OF 14.8%, UP FROM 14.3% IN THE FIRST QUARTER 2003

Lake  Oswego,  OR - April 13,  2004- West Coast  Bancorp  (NASDAQ:  WCBO)  today
announced  quarterly earnings of $5.2 million or $0.33 per diluted share for the
first  quarter  of 2004,  compared  to  earnings  of $4.72  million or $0.30 per
diluted share in the first quarter of 2003. This represents a 10% net income and
earnings per diluted share growth from the same quarter in 2003.

           ---------------------------------------------------------
                                              Three Months Ended
                                                   March 31,
           ---------------------------------------------------------
                  (# in 000's except per
                     share data)                 2004        2003
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Earnings per Diluted Share        $      .33  $      .30
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Net Income                        $    5,171  $    4,719
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Return on Average Equity                14.8%       14.3%
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Book Value per Share              $     9.52  $     8.88
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Total Period End Loans            $1,260,771  $1,174,242
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Total Period End Deposits         $1,380,120  $1,272,475
           ---------------------------------------------------------

"The 10% increase in earnings per share,  to $.33 in the first  quarter of 2004,
from the same quarter last year represents  continued progress for the Company,"
said Robert D. Sznewajs,  President and CEO. "The Company  remains  dedicated to
its stated  strategy of growing its commercial and home equity loan  portfolios.
In addition,  the Company was successful in growing its real estate construction
loan  portfolio by almost $10 million or 9% from the end of the first  quarter a
year ago. Credit quality has also remained  consistent  with previous  quarterly
trends. Furthermore, the Company was selected by Oregon Business Magazine as one
of their `100 Best Companies To Work For' in Oregon."

Financial Results
Over the 12 months  ending March 31,  2004,  total loans for the Company grew by
more than 7%, or $87 million. The Company experienced particularly strong growth
during this period in  commercial,  real  estate  construction,  and home equity
loans.  Compared to year-end 2003,  total loans increased by nearly $40 million,
an annualized rate of 13%, with solid  increases in the commercial,  real estate
construction, and home equity loan categories.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2004, net interest income was $18.2 million;  an
increase of $1.5 million or 9% from the first  quarter of 2003.  Higher loan and
investment  balances and an improved  deposit mix contributed to the increase in
net interest  income.  The net interest  margin at 4.78 % in the latest  quarter
declined slightly from 4.82% in the same



WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
   April 13, 2004
   Page 2 of 6

quarter last year due to lower  reinvestment  yields and declining yields in the
loan and  investment  portfolios.  However,  the first quarter 2004 net interest
margin  increased 18 basis points from the fourth  quarter 2003.  The sequential
quarter  increase in the net  interest  margin was caused by an improved  mix in
average earning assets and a wider loan to deposit spread.

Total  non-interest  income increased by $.5 million or 11% in the first quarter
of 2004  compared  to the same  period a year  ago.  The  quarter  over  quarter
increase  in  deposit  accounts  and  related  fees  associated  with  overdraft
protection  activity,  additional  related payment systems revenues,  and higher
investment  product  sales  revenue  accounted  for $.4 million of the increase.
These  increases  were partly  offset by a $.3 million  decline in gain on sales
from  reduced  residential  mortgage  origination  volume  compared to the first
quarter of 2003. Other  non-interest  income increased by $.2 million due to the
one-time sale of a repossessed property.

First  quarter 2004 total  non-interest  expense  increased  11% or $1.5 million
compared to the first quarter 2003. Salaries and benefits increases  represented
$1.1 million of the year-over-year quarterly increase.  Approximately 40% of the
$1.1 million  increase in salaries and benefits was  associated  with new branch
offices and additional  commercial and residential  lending officers.  The first
quarter 2004 occupancy  expense  increased $.4 million from the first quarter of
2003,  with $.3 million being a one-time  charge as a result of  decreasing  our
book  value in an  affordable  housing  tax  credit to match  our  equity in the
project.  Year over year first quarter marketing  expenses increased $.2 million
mainly due to additional direct mail cost associated with a new product launched
in the South Puget Sound Region,  while other loan expense declined $.3 million,
primarily in the area of other real estate owned  costs.  Declining  legal costs
positively  affected  professional  expense  on a year over year  first  quarter
basis.

Annualized  net  charge-offs  were .11% of average  loans for the first  quarter
2004,  compared to .15% in the same period last year. Net  charge-offs  were $.3
million in the quarter ended March 31, 2004,  virtually  unchanged  from the $.4
million in the first quarter of 2003. At March 31, 2004,  the allowance for loan
losses  was  1.48%  of  total  loans  compared  to  1.47%  on  March  31,  2003.
Non-performing  assets  were $5.2  million or .31% of total  assets at March 31,
2004,  down from $6.4 million or .41% at March 31, 2003.  The allowance for loan
losses was 524% of total  non-performing  loans at March 31,  2004,  compared to
358% at March 31, 2003.

During the first quarter of 2004,  consistent with its capital plan and pursuant
to its  corporate  repurchase  program,  the Company  repurchased  approximately
132,400  shares.   During  the  past  twelve  months,  the  Company  repurchased
approximately  520,100  shares or 3.5% of its common  shares  outstanding  at an
average  cost of $19.70  per share.  At March 31,  2004,  approximately  188,000
shares remained available for repurchase.

Other:
The Company will hold a webcast  conference call  Wednesday,  April 14, 2004, at
8:30 a.m.  Pacific  Time,  during which the Company will discuss  first  quarter
results,  review  its  strategic  progress,  and  provide  management's  current
earnings  expectations for the full year 2004. To access the conference call via
a live webcast,  go to  www.wcb.com  and click on Investor  Relations/Conference
Call/West Coast Bancorp Webcast. The conference call



WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
   April 13, 2004
   Page 3 of 6

may also be accessed by dialing  877-604-2074  a few minutes  prior to 8:30 a.m.
PDT. The call will be available for replay by accessing the Company's website at
www.wcb.com   and  clicking  on  Investor   Relations/Conference   Call/Archived
Conference Call (Replay).

West Coast  Bancorp is a Northwest  bank  holding  company  with $1.7 billion in
assets,  operating 48 offices in Oregon and Washington.  West Coast Bancorp, the
parent  company of West Coast Bank and West Coast  Trust,  is  headquartered  in
Oregon.  West Coast Bank serves  clients who seek the  resources,  sophisticated
products and expertise of larger  financial  institutions,  along with the local
decision  making,  market  knowledge,  and  customer  service  orientation  of a
community  bank.  The  Company  offers  a broad  range of  banking,  investment,
fiduciary and trust services. For more information, please visit the Company web
site at www.wcb.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this report  regarding  future events,  performance or results are
"forward-looking  statements"  within  the  meaning  of the  Private  Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995  ("PSLRA")  and are  made  pursuant  to the safe
harbors  of the  PSLRA.  Actual  results  could be quite  different  from  those
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause
results to differ from forward-looking statements include, among others: general
economic and banking business  conditions;  evolving banking industry standards;
competitive  factors,  including  pricing  pressures on Bancorp's loan yield and
rates paid on  deposits;  changing  customer  investment,  deposit  and  lending
behaviors;  changing  interest  rate  environments,  including the shape and the
level of the yield  curve,  that  could  decrease  net  interest  income and fee
income,  including  lowers  gains on sales of  loans;  vendor  service  quality;
changes  in laws and  other  legal  developments;  government  funding  of Small
Business  Administration  ("SBA")  loans;  and changes in technology or required
investments in technology.

Furthermore,  the forward-looking statements are subject to risks related to the
Company's ability to: attract and retain  additional  lending officers and other
key personnel;  close loans in the pipeline;  generate loan and deposit balances
at projected spreads;  sustain fee generation;  maintain asset quality;  control
the level of net charge-offs;  generate retail investments;  retain customers of
greatest  value;  control  expenses;  monitor and manage the Company's  internal
operating and disclosure control environments; and other matters.

Readers  are  cautioned  not to  place  undue  reliance  on the  forward-looking
statements  which  reflect  management's  analysis  only  as of the  date of the
statements. Readers should carefully review the disclosures we file from time to
time with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").  Bancorp undertakes no
obligation to publicly  review or update  forward-looking  statements to reflect
events or circumstances that arise after the date of this report.



WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
   April 13, 2004
   Page 4 of 6




 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                                     Three months ended     Twelve months ended
 (Unaudited)                                                   March 31,             December 31,
 (Dollars and shares in thousands)                        2004        2003        2003         2002
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 
 Interest and fees on loans                             $18,936     $19,494     $77,321      $82,989
 Interest on investment securities                        3,482       3,042      12,148       12,785
 Other interest income                                       14          12         209          254
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
Total interest income                                    22,432      22,548      89,678       96,028
 Interest expense on deposit accounts                     2,751       4,187      15,131       21,319
 Interest on borrowings including trust preferred sec.    1,444       1,663       5,508        7,213
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
 Total interest expense                                   4,195       5,850      20,639       28,532
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
   Net interest income                                   18,237      16,698      69,039       67,496
 Provision for loan loss                                    900         850       3,800        4,979
 Non-interest income
   Service charges on deposit accounts                    1,855       1,672       6,960        6,352
   Other service charges, commissions and fees            1,706       1,392       6,577        5,099
   Trust revenues                                           500         414       1,776        1,683
   Gains on sales of loans                                  913       1,142       5,124        4,024
   Bank owned life insurance                                224         110         827          227
   Other                                                    310          60         590        1,309
   Gains on sales of securities                               -         192         192            -
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
 Non-interest income                                      5,508       4,982      22,046       18,694
 Non-interest expense
   Salaries and employee benefits                         8,920       7,830      32,487       24,499
   Equipment                                              1,301       1,216       5,139        5,100
   Occupancy                                              1,573       1,181       4,901        4,642
   Check and other transaction processing                   629         675       2,778        2,572
   Professional fees                                        414         501       2,314        1,834
   Courier and postage                                      466         509       1,953        1,948
   Marketing                                                492         290       2,047        2,018
   Other loan expense                                       190         447       1,624        1,276
   Communications                                           290         286       1,166        1,100
   Other taxes and insurance                                190         182         700          721
   Printing and office supplies                             176         140         637          710
   Other non-interest expense                               547         427       2,404        2,598
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
 Non-interest expense                                    15,188      13,684      58,150       54,018
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
 Income before income taxes                               7,657       7,146      29,135       27,193
 Provision for income taxes                               2,486       2,427       9,338        8,990
                                                        -------     -------     -------      -------
 Net income                                             $ 5,171     $ 4,719     $19,797      $18,203
                                                        =======     =======     =======      =======
     Basic earnings per share                           $  0.35     $  0.31     $  1.31      $  1.17
     Diluted earnings per share                         $  0.33     $  0.30     $  1.26      $  1.13

 Weighted average common shares                          14,943      15,147      15,077       15,575
 Weighted average diluted shares                         15,642      15,611      15,674       16,069






PERIOD END BALANCES                                                                   Prior        Qtr-to-Qtr
(Unaudited)                          Quarter ended  Quarter ended   Year-to-year   Quarter ended    % change
(000's except per share data)           Mar-04        Mar-03        % change          Dec-03        annualized
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        
 Total assets                         $1,684,001    $1,557,174         8.1%        $1,662,882          5.1%
 Total investment securities          $  316,410    $  265,072        19.4%        $  321,970         -6.9%
 Total loans                          $1,260,771    $1,174,242         7.4%        $1,220,881         13.1%
 Allowance for loan losses            $   18,685    $   17,246         8.3%        $   18,131         12.2%
 Total deposits                       $1,380,120    $1,272,475         8.5%        $1,404,859         -7.0%
 Total borrowings including
   including subordinated debentures  $  148,739    $  133,832        11.1%        $  103,646        174.0%
 Stockholders' equity                 $  143,114    $  134,543         6.4%        $  140,053          8.7%
 Non-performing assets                $    5,151    $    6,366       -19.1%        $    4,410         67.2%






WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
   April 13, 2004
   Page 5 of 6




WEST COAST BANCORP (unaudited)                                  First        First       Fourth        Year        Year
(in thousands except for per share data)                       Quarter      Quarter      Quarter     to date      to date
(all rates have been annualized where appropriate                2004        2003         2003         2003        2002
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ ----------- -----------
CAPITAL
                                                                                                 
 - Stockholders' equity                                     $  143,114   $  134,543   $  140,053   $  140,053   $  133,387
 - Shares outstanding period end                                15,025       15,154       15,076       15,076       15,326
 - Average stockholders' equity to average assets                 8.47%        8.74%        8.36%        8.57%        8.76%
 - Book value per common share                              $     9.52   $     8.88   $     9.29   $     9.29   $     8.70
 - Tangible book value per common share                     $     9.47   $     8.80   $     9.23   $     9.23   $     8.62
PERFORMANCE RATIOS
 - Return on average assets                                       1.25%        1.25%        1.20%        1.24%        1.22%
 - Return on average equity                                      14.79%       14.35%       14.39%       14.52%       13.96%
 - Non-interest income to average assets                          1.33%        1.32%        1.30%        1.39%        1.26%
 - Non-interest expense to average assets                         3.68%        3.64%        3.54%        3.66%        3.63%
 - Efficiency ratio, tax equivalent                              62.86%       62.38%       62.60%       62.77%       61.32%
RATES
 - Earned on interest-earning assets                              5.86%        6.46%        5.77%        6.08%        6.99%
 - Paid on interest-bearing liabilities                           1.40%        2.10%        1.54%        1.78%        2.56%
 - Net interest spread                                            4.46%        4.36%        4.23%        4.29%        4.43%
 - Net interest margin                                            4.78%        4.82%        4.60%        4.70%        4.95%
 - Tax equivalent net interest income                       $   18,655   $   17,146   $   18,200   $   70,793   $   69,402
AVERAGE ASSETS
 - Investment securities                                    $  317,741   $  263,918   $  323,210   $  280,028   $  251,728
 - Commercial loans                                         $  246,461   $  217,014   $  238,575   $  234,720   $  201,600
 - Real estate construction loans                           $  117,368   $  116,236   $  115,696   $  116,820   $  109,044
 - Real estate mortgage loans                               $  182,234   $  153,302   $  174,889   $  163,505   $  137,744
 - Real estate commercial loans                             $  656,030   $  638,222   $  645,078   $  640,349   $  633,066
 - Installment and other consumer loans                     $   38,560   $   44,194   $   39,248   $   41,568   $   46,308
 - Total loans                                              $1,240,653   $1,168,968   $1,213,486   $1,196,962   $1,127,762
 - Total interest earning assets                            $1,568,364   $1,443,984   $1,569,079   $1,504,949   $1,401,525
 - Total assets                                             $1,659,927   $1,525,676   $1,659,062   $1,590,242   $1,487,564
AVERAGE LIABILITIES
 - Total demand deposits                                    $  300,358   $  249,671   $  312,837  $   283,504   $  234,189
 - Total interest bearing demand,
    savings, and money market                               $  734,022   $  623,798   $  731,220   $  669,689   $  592,150
 - Total certificates of deposits                           $  329,418   $  370,727   $  356,911   $  371,534   $  395,161
 - Total deposits                                           $1,363,798   $1,244,196   $1,400,968   $1,324,727   $1,221,500
 - Total borrowings including subordinated debentures       $  141,389   $  137,262   $  106,014   $  117,533   $  125,997
 - Total interest bearing liabilities                       $1,204,829   $1,131,788   $1,194,144   $1,158,755   $1,113,308
 - Total liabilities                                        $1,519,305   $1,392,292   $1,520,295   $1,453,925   $1,357,188
AVERAGE ASSET/LIABILITY RATIOS
 - Average int. earning assets to int. bearing liabilities       130.2%       127.6%       131.4%       129.9%       125.9%
 - Loans to assets                                                74.7%        76.6%        73.1%        75.3%        75.8%
 - Interest bearing deposits to assets                            64.1%        65.2%        65.6%        65.5%        66.4%
ASSET QUALITY
 - Non-accruing loans                                       $    3,560   $    4,815   $    2,669   $    2,669   $    5,080
 - 90-day delinquencies                                     $        9            -            -            -   $       15
 - Total non-performing loans                               $    3,569   $    4,815   $    2,669   $    2,669   $    5,095
 - Real estate owned                                        $    1,582   $    1,551   $    1,741   $    1,741   $    1,672
 - Total non-performing assets                              $    5,151   $    6,366   $    4,410   $    4,410   $    6,767
ASSET QUALITY RATIOS
 - Allowance for loan losses to total loans                       1.48%        1.47%        1.49%        1.49%        1.45%
 - Non-performing loans to total loans                            0.28%        0.41%        0.22%        0.22%        0.44%
 - Allowance for loan losses to Non-performing loans            523.57%      358.15%      679.30%      697.30%      330.45%
 - Non-performing assets to total assets                          0.31%        0.41%        0.27%        0.27%        0.44%
 - Allowance for loan losses to Non-performing assets           362.76%      270.90%      411.08%      411.08%      248.81%
 - Net loan charge-offs to average loans (annualized)             0.11%        0.15%        0.37%        0.21%        0.30%






WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
   April 13, 2004
   Page 6 of 6




 Trailing Four Quarters                First     Fourth    Third     Second   Trailing
 Financial Data and Ratios             Quarter   Quarter   Quarter   Quarter    Four
 (Unaudited) (dollars in thousands):    2004      2003      2003      2003     Quarters
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                
 Net income                            $5,171    $5,034    $5,045    $4,999    $20,249
 Diluted earnings per share            $ 0.33    $ 0.32    $ 0.32    $ 0.32    $  1.29

 Return on average assets                1.25%     1.20%     1.24%     1.29%      1.24%
 Return on average equity               14.79%    14.39%    14.59%    14.76%     14.63%
 Net interest margin                     4.78%     4.60%     4.63%     4.78%      4.69%
 Efficiency ratio, tax equivalent       62.86%    62.60%    63.00%    63.05%     62.89%
 Non-interest income to Avg. Assets      1.33%     1.30%     1.43%     1.50%      1.39%
 Non-interest expense to Avg. Assets     3.68%     3.54%     3.66%     3.81%      3.67%