<ARTICLE> 9 <LEGEND> This schedule contains financial information extracted from the consolidated financial statements of NS&L Bancorp, Inc. for the three months ended December 31, 1998 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998 <CASH> 9,977,059 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 575,000 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 0 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 196,688 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 13,765,528 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 13,943,735 <LOANS> 38,565,042 <ALLOWANCE> 54,106 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 64,844,341 <DEPOSITS> 49,618,177 <SHORT-TERM> 0 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 838,877 <LONG-TERM> 3,954,193 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 8,863 <OTHER-SE> 10,424,221 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 64,844,341 <INTEREST-LOAN> 715,041 <INTEREST-INVEST> 151,832 <INTEREST-OTHER> 186,559 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 1,053,432 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 533,890 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 591,897 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 461,535 <LOAN-LOSSES> 3,512 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 0 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 431,306 <INCOME-PRETAX> 149,694 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 105,184 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 105,184 <EPS-PRIMARY> .18 <EPS-DILUTED> .18 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 2.16 <LOANS-NON> 20,111 <LOANS-PAST> 0 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 51,612 <CHARGE-OFFS> 0 <RECOVERIES> 0 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 54,106 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 54,106 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0