<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
     The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Palmetto
Bancshares, Inc. and subsidiary Consolidated Statements of Operations and
Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-1997
<CASH>                                         27,523
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               1,447
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    24,805
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         79,632
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           80,065
<LOANS>                                        346,076
<ALLOWANCE>                                    (4,903)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 501,350
<DEPOSITS>                                     439,457
<SHORT-TERM>                                   24,619
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            3,215
<LONG-TERM>                                    0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       15,300
<OTHER-SE>                                     14,975
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 501,350
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                14,991
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              2,859
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               165
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               18,015
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             7,202
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             7,682
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          10,333
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  600
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             0
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                8,521
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                4,039
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     2,931
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   2,931
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.89
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.00
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 4.71
<LOANS-NON>                                    1,617
<LOANS-PAST>                                   0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               4,729
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                  (481)
<RECOVERIES>                                   55
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              4,903
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           0
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        0