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 SECOND QUARTER
                             AND SIX MONTHS EARNINGS


O EARNINGS PER DILUTED SHARE INCREASED BY 8% FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2004
O RETURN ON AVERAGE EQUITY EXCEEDS 15% FOR SECOND QUARTER OF 2004
O COMMERCIAL AND HOME EQUITY LOAN GROWTH OF 11% AND 26% RESPECTIVELY, FROM
  JUNE 30, 2003
O THREE NEW BRANCH LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN VANCOUVER, PORTLAND AND SALEM
  IN THE LAST HALF OF 2004

Lake  Oswego,  OR - July 13,  2004-  West Coast  Bancorp  (NASDAQ:  WCBO)  today
announced  quarterly earnings of $5.3 million or $0.34 per diluted share for the
second quarter of 2004, compared to earnings of $5.00 million or $0.32 per fully
diluted share in the second  quarter of 2003.  This  represents a 6% increase in
net income and earnings per diluted share growth from the same quarter in 2003.


           ---------------------------------------------------------
                                              Three Months Ended
                                                   June 30,
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           (# in 000's except per share data)     2004         2003
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Earnings per Diluted Share             $.34         $.32
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Net Income                           $5,282       $4,999
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Return on Average Equity               15.0%       14.8%
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Book Value per Share                  $9.38        $9.07
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Total Period End Loans           $1,300,684   $1,211,778
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Total Period End Deposits        $1,424,762   $1,324,562
           ---------------------------------------------------------

"I'm  pleased to report net  income of $10.5  million or $.67 per fully  diluted
share for the first six months of 2004,  representing  an 8%  increase  from the
$9.7 million or $.62 per fully  diluted  share in the same period a year ago. In
addition, our return on average equity reached 14.9% for the first six months of
2004,  as  compared  to 14.6%  for the first six  months  in 2003.  The  Company
continues  its pattern of strong growth in  commercial  and home equity  loans",
said Robert D. Sznewajs, President and Chief Executive Officer.

"In  addition,  I am excited to announce two new branches  which are expected to
open in the last half of 2004,  along with the  previously  announced  branch in
Vancouver,  Washington. These two branches will be located in Gresham and Salem,
Oregon. Our new locations,  along with existing locations,  give West Coast Bank
the largest  number of branches  and the  greatest  deposit  market share of any
community bank in the Portland/Vancouver and Salem market areas", said Sznewajs.


WEST COAST BANCORP REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS
July 13, 2004
pAGE 2 OF 6

Financial Results:

Excluding  commercial real estate loans, average loans for the second quarter of
2004  grew  10% over the  same  period a year ago (see  reconciliations  to GAAP
financial  measure on page 6).  Extending the trend and reflecting the Company's
strategy, average commercial and home equity loan balances expanded 11% and 26%,
respectively,  from second  quarter of 2003.  Since the second  quarter of 2003,
total  average  loans  grew $82  million or 7%,  while  total  average  deposits
increased by $111 million or 9%. The Company has experienced excellent growth in
lower cost average demand and money market deposits which combined expanded $162
million or nearly 20% over the same time period in 2003.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2004, net interest  income was $18.3 million,  an
increase  of $1.1  million  compared  with the second  quarter  of 2003.  Higher
interest  earning assets  outstanding and an improved deposit mix contributed to
the increase in net interest  income.  The net interest margin declined to 4.68%
from  4.78% in the same  quarter  last year  mainly  due to lower  loan  yields,
particularly in the commercial real estate category.

Second quarter 2004 total non-interest income declined $.1 million from the same
period a year ago.  This was due to a $.5 million or 29%  reduction  in gains on
sales of loans stemming from lower residential mortgage loan production.
Combined, all other fee income sources increased $.4 million or 9%, with
especially strong growth in trust, investment sales, and payment systems related
revenues, which rose 20%, 26%, and 23%, respectively.

Total non-interest  expense increased $.5 million or 3% in the second quarter of
2004 from the second quarter of 2003.  Personnel  expense  increased $.5 million
from higher salary and benefits costs, partly offset by lower commission payouts
and higher salary reimbursement  related to strong loan originations in the most
recent  quarter.  Primarily due to branch and product  expansion,  equipment and
occupancy  expenses  increased $.2 million from the second  quarter of 2003. All
other  expenses  declined  $.2 million  despite an  increase of $.15  million in
expenses on foreclosed real estate properties.

Annualized  net  charge-offs  for the second  quarter 2004 were 0.18% of average
loans,  compared to 0.08% in the same period last year. Net charge-offs were $.6
million in the second  quarter  ended June 30, 2004,  up from $.3 million in the
second  quarter of 2003.  At June 30, 2004,  the  allowance  for loan losses was
1.47% of total loans, unchanged from June 30, 2003. Non-performing assets at the
end of the  second  quarter  2004 were  $6.6  million  or .38% of total  assets,
compared to $6.3 million or .40% at June 30, 2003. The allowance for loan losses
was 368% of total  non-performing  loans at June 30, 2004,  versus 386% the same
time last year.

During the second  quarter of 2004,  and  consistent  with its capital  plan and
pursuant to its corporate  repurchase  program,  the Company repurchased 157,600
shares at an average cost of $21.97 per share. At June 30, 2004, approximately
1 million shares remained available for future repurchases under the program.

Other:

The Company will hold a webcast  conference  call  Wednesday,  July 14, 2004, at
8:30 a.m.  Pacific Time,  during which the Company will discuss  second  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 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 REPORTS SECOND QUARTER EARNINGS
July 13, 2004
Page 3 of 6

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 release  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 lower gains on sales of loans; vendor service quality; changes
in laws and other legal  developments;  changes in  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  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
control environments, including disclosure and financial reporting controls, 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.





 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                     Three months ended   Six months ended
 (Unaudited)                                   June 30,            June 30,
 (Dollars and shares in thousands)         2004      2003       2004      2003
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            

 Interest and fees on loans              $19,170   $19,692    $38,106   $39,187
 Interest on investment securities         3,284     2,803      6,766     5,844
 Other interest income                        18        28         32        40
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Total interest income                    22,472    22,523     44,904    45,071
 Interest expense on deposit accounts      2,636     4,006      5,387     8,193
 Interest on borrowings including
   subordinated debentures                 1,544     1,283      2,988     2,946
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Total interest expense                    4,180     5,289      8,375    11,139
                                      -----------------------------------------
   Net interest income                    18,292    17,234     36,529    33,932
 Provision for loan loss                   1,000       850      1,900     1,700
 Non-interest income
   Service charges on deposit accounts     1,825     1,777      3,679     3,449
   Other service charges, commissions
     and fees                              1,940     1,712      3,645     3,104
   Trust revenues                            537       445      1,037       860
   Gains on sales of loans                 1,117     1,572      2,030     2,714
   Bank owned life insurance                 188       196        411       305
   Other                                      92       138        405       199
   Gains on sales of securities               75         -         75       192
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Non-interest income                       5,774     5,840     11,282    10,823

Non-interest expense
   Salaries and employee benefits          8,580     8,063     17,501    15,893
   Equipment                               1,307     1,245      2,607     2,461
   Occupancy                               1,313     1,174      2,887     2,355
   Check and other transaction processing    664       717      1,294     1,392
   Professional fees                         504       640        918     1,141
   Courier and postage                       473       519        939     1,028
   Marketing                                 639       678      1,130       967
   Other loan expense                        578       440        767       887
   Communications                            277       310        567       597
   Other taxes and insurance                 180       181        370       363
   Printing and office supplies              189       196        365       336
   Other non-interest expense                597       664      1,144     1,090
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Non-interest expense                     15,301    14,827     30,489    28,510
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Income before income taxes                7,765     7,397     15,422    14,545
 Provision for income taxes                2,483     2,398      4,969     4,826
                                      -----------------------------------------
 Net income                               $5,282    $4,999    $10,453    $9,719
                                      =========================================
     Basic earnings per share              $0.35     $0.33      $0.70     $0.64
     Diluted earnings per share            $0.34     $0.32      $0.67     $0.62

 Weighted average common shares            14,890    15,076     14,917    15,111
 Weighted average diluted shares           15,542    15,586     15,593    15,604







PERIOD END BALANCES                                                             Prior       Qtr-to-Qtr
(Unaudited)                     Quarter ended  Quarter ended   Year-to-year  Quarter ended   %dchange
(000's except per share data     Jun-04           Jun-03         % change       Mar-04      annualized
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              
 Total assets                   $1,717,343      $1,593,544          7.8%     $1,684,001        7.9%
 Total investment securities      $308,688        $253,130         21.9%       $316,410       -9.8%
 Total loans                    $1,300,684      $1,211,778          7.3%     $1,260,771       12.7%
 Allowance for loan losses         $19,123         $17,843          7.2%        $18,685        9.4%
 Total deposits                 $1,424,762      $1,324,562          7.6%     $1,380,120       12.9%
 Total borrowings including
   subordinated debentures        $140,341        $113,072         24.1%       $148,739      -22.6%
 Stockholders' equity             $140,334        $137,676          1.9%       $143,114       -7.8%
 Non-performing assets              $6,583          $6,324          4.1%         $5,151      111.2%






WEST COAST BANCORP (unaudited)                 Second        Second       First       Year         Year
(in thousands except for per share data)       Quarter       Quarter     Quarter     to date      to date
(all rates have been annualized where           2004          2003        2004        2004         2003
 appropriate)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 
CAPITAL
 - Stockholders' equity                       $140,334       $137,676    $143,114   $140,334    $137,676
 - Shares outstanding period end                14,968         15,179      15,025     14,968      15,179
 - Average stockholders' equity to ave asssets   8.30%          8.71%       8.47%      8.38%       8.73%
 - Book value per common share                   $9.38          $9.07       $9.52      $9.38       $9.07
 - Tangible book value per common share          $9.33          $9.00       $9.47      $9.33       $9.00
PERFORMANCE RATIOS
 - Return on average assets                      1.25%          1.29%       1.25%      1.25%       1.27%
 - Return on average equity                     15.04%         14.76%      14.79%       .92%      14.56%
 - Non-interest income to average assets         1.36%          1.50%       1.33%      1.35%       1.41%
 - Non-interest expense to average assets        3.62%          3.81%       3.68%      3.65%       3.73%
 - Efficiency ratio, tax equivalent             62.69%         63.05%      62.86%     62.77%      62.73%
RATES
 - Earned on interest-earning assets             5.73%          6.22%       5.86%      5.79%       6.33%
 - Paid on interest-bearing liabilities          1.39%          1.85%       1.40%      1.39%       1.97%
 - Net interest spread                           4.34%          4.37%       4.46%      4.40%       4.36%
 - Net interest margin                           4.68%          4.78%       4.78%      4.73%       4.80%
 - Tax equivalent net interest income          $18,709        $17,675     $18,655    $37,364     $34,820
AVERAGE ASSETS
 - Investment securities                      $310,021       $262,949    $317,741   $313,881    $263,431
 - Commercial loans                           $265,072       $239,188    $246,461   $255,767    $228,162
 - Real estate construction loans             $122,769       $118,839    $117,368   $120,068    $117,545
 - Real estate mortgage loans                 $191,269       $160,438    $182,234   $186,751    $156,890
 - Real estate commercial loans               $667,922       $642,014    $656,030   $661,976    $640,129
 - Installment and other consumer loans        $37,483        $41,870     $38,560    $38,022     $43,025
 - Total loans                              $1,284,515     $1,202,349  $1,240,653 $1,262,584  $1,185,751
 - Total interest earning assets            $1,606,929     $1,481,671  $1,568,364 $1,587,646  $1,462,931
 - Total assets                             $1,701,869     $1,559,660  $1,659,927 $1,681,173  $1,542,762
AVERAGE LIABILITIES
 - Total demand deposits                      $335,647       $266,461    $300,358   $318,314    $258,112
 - Total interest bearing demand,
    savings, and money market                 $732,928       $641,650    $734,022   $733,475    $632,774
 - Total certificates of deposits             $332,552       $382,425    $329,418   $330,985    $376,608
 - Total deposits                           $1,401,127     $1,290,536  $1,363,798 $1,382,774  $1,267,494
 - Total borrowings including subordinated
        debetures                             $147,943       $124,409    $141,389   $147,633    $130,800
 - Total interest bearing liabilities       $1,213,423     $1,148,485  $1,204,829 $1,212,093  $1,140,182
 - Total liabilities                        $1,560,643     $1,423,791  $1,519,305 $1,540,286  $1,408,128
AVERAGE ASSET/LIABILITY RATIOS
 - Average int. earning assets to
        int. bearing liabilities                132.4%         129.0%      130.2%     131.0%      128.4%
 - Loans to assets                               75.5%          77.1%       74.7%      75.1%       76.9%
 - Interest bearing deposits to assets           62.6%          65.7%       64.1%      63.3%       65.4%
ASSET QUALITY
 - Non-accruing loans                           $5,201         $4,621      $3,560     $5,201      $4,621
 - 90-day delinquencies                            -              -            $9        -           -
 - Total non-performing loans                   $5,201         $4,621      $3,569     $5,201      $4,621
 - Real estate owned                            $1,382         $1,703      $1,582     $1,382      $1,703
 - Total non-performing assets                  $6,583         $6,324      $5,151     $6,583      $6,324
ASSET QUALITY RATIOS
 - Allowance for loan losses to total            1.47%          1.47%       1.48%      1.47%       1.47%
 - Non-performing loans to total loans           0.40%          0.38%       0.28%      0.40%       0.38%
 - Allowance for loan losses to Non-
        performing loans                       367.68%        386.07%     523.57%    367.68%     386.07%
 - Non-performing assets to total assets         0.38%          0.40%       0.31%      0.38%       0.40%
 - Allowance for loan losses to Non-
        performing assets                      290.49%        282.12%     362.76%    290.49%     282.12%
 - Net loan charge-offs to average
        loans (annualized)                       0.18%          0.08%       0.11%      0.14%       0.12%






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

 Net income                                     $5,282      $5,171    $5,034    $5,045   $20,532
 Diluted earnings per share                      $0.34       $0.33     $0.32     $0.32     $1.31

 Return on average assets                        1.25%       1.25%     1.20%     1.24%     1.24%
 Return on average equity                       15.04%      14.79%    14.39%    14.59%    14.70%
 Net interest margin                             4.68%       4.78%     4.60%     4.63%     4.67%
 Efficiency ratio, tax equivalent               62.69%      62.86%    62.60%    63.00%    62.79%
 Non-interest income to Avg. Assets              1.36%       1.33%     1.30%     1.43%     1.36%
 Non-interest expense to Avg. Assets             3.62%       3.68%     3.54%     3.66%     3.63%



 NON GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES BELOW


This press release includes  information  relating to the percentage change from
prior  periods in average total loans,  that is calculated on a non-GAAP  basis.
Management uses this non-GAAP  information  internally,  and has disclosed it to
investors,  based  on its  belief  that  the  information  provides  additional,
valuable  information relating to its operating results in light of its business
strategies.

The tables  below  include a  reconciliation  of these  measures  to  comparable
measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.

 Reconciliations to GAAP financial measures
 (Unaudited) (dollars in thousands):
- -------------------------------------------

                                Quarter ended   Quarter end     Change
                                 Jun-04            Jun-03          $        %
                                -------------   -----------    --------  ------
 Average total loans excluding
 commercial real estate loans      $616,593       $560,335      $56,258     10%
 Average commercial real estate
  loans                             667,922        642,014       25,908      4%
                               ------------     ----------      -------   -----
 Average loans                   $1,284,515     $1,202,349      $82,166      7%
                               ============     ==========      ========  =====