EXHIBIT 11

                         WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                   COMPUTATION OF NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE
                      (in thousands, except per share data)

                                                     NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,         THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                   ------------------------------------   ---------------------------------------
                                                         1997               1996                1997                 1996
                                                   -----------------  -----------------   ------------------  -------------------

                                                                                                               
Net income (loss)                            (A)           $3,166           $(1,521)               $1,311                 $301
                                                   =================  =================   ==================  ===================

Average common shares outstanding                           7,631             5,992                 8,059                6,212
Average common share equivalents             (1)              486                 -                   528                  634
                                                   -----------------  -----------------   ------------------  -------------------

Weighted average common shares and
       common share equivalents              (B)            8,117              5,992                8,587                6,846
                                                   =================  =================   ==================  ===================

Net income (loss) per average
      common share                         (A/B)           $ 0.39           $ (0.25)               $ 0.15               $ 0.04
                                                   =================  =================   ==================  ===================

<FN>
(1) Common share equivalents  result from stock options,  stock rights and stock
warrants  being  treated  as if they  had been  exercised  and are  computed  by
application  of the treasury  stock  method.  No common share  equivalents  were
assumed to be outstanding  for the nine-month  period ended  September 30, 1996,
because accounting  standards require that the computation of earnings per share
shall not give effect to common stock  equivalents for any period in which their
inclusion would have the effect  decreasing the loss per share amount  otherwise
computed.
</FN>