EXHIBIT 13

                              SANDY SPRING BANCORP

                               1997 ANNUAL REPORT


ANNUAL MEETING
The Annual Meeting of shareholders will be held at:

Indian Spring Country Club
13501 Layhill Road
Silver Spring, Maryland
on Wendsday, April 15, 1998 at 3 p.m.

FORM 10-K
The Company's Form 10-K may be obtained free of charge by writing:

Marjorie S. Holsinger
Corporate Secretary
Sandy Spring Bancorp
17801 Georgia Avenue
Olney, Maryland 20832

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Member Federal Reserve System

Equal Housing Lender

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

STOCK LISTING
Shares of Sandy  Spring  Bancorp  are  traded  on the  National  Association  of
Security Dealers (NASDAQ) National Market under the symbol SASR.

TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005

The following  letter to  shareholders  and other portions of this Annual Report
contain forward-looking  statements,  including statements of goals, intentions,
and expectations,  regarding or based upon general economic conditions, interest
rates, developments in national and local markets, and other matters, and which,
by their  nature,  are subject to  significant  uncertainties.  Because of these
uncertainties  and the assumptions on which statements in this report are based,
the actual future  results may differ  materially  from those  indicated in this
report.

SANDY SPRING BANCORP

IS THE HOLDING  COMPANY FOR SANDY SPRING  NATIONAL BANK OF MARYLAND,  THE OLDEST
BANKING    BUSINESS    NATIVE   TO   MONTGOMERY    COUNTY.    INDEPENDENT    AND
COMMUNITY-ORIENTED,  SANDY  SPRING  NATIONAL  BANK TRACES ITS ORIGIN TO 1868 AND
CONDUCTS A FULL-SERVICE COMMERICAL BANKING BUSINESS THROUGH TWENTY-ONE COMMUNITY
OFFICES LOCATED IN MONTGOMERY, HOWARD, PRINCE GEORGE'S AND ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTIES
AND THROUGH ITS SUBSIDIARIES, SANDY SPRING MORTGAGE CORPORATION AND SANDY SPRING
INSURANCE CORPORATION.

                                       CONTENTS

                                       o    Letter to Shareholders        page 2

                                       o    Branch Sites                  page 6

                                       o    Board of Directors            page 8

                                       o    Financial Section             page 9






I am pleased and proud to report the  performance  of Sandy  Spring  Bancorp for
1997. Our results  provided a financial  return that  demonstrates  management's
commitment to building long term value for  shareholders  and the communities we
serve.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Our return on average equity has steadily grown from 12.37% in 1995 to 12.81% in
1996 to 13.25% in 1997. This is the  performance  measure upon which we are most
focused,  because it is the single best  measure of the use of your  investment.
Return on average assets has also shown steady improvement,  from 1.18% to 1.27%
to 1.28%  over the same  period.  Total net  income  for 1997 was $13.2  million
compared to $11.5 million in 1996,  while diluted  earnings per share  increased
from $1.18 to $1.34, a 13.6% increase. This earnings performance and our capital
position  allowed us to increase per share dividends from $0.39 in 1996 to $0.47
in 1997, a 20.5%  increase.  Dividend  payments have  increased 114% since 1992,
from $0.22 to $0.47 per  share.  All per share  data in this  report  takes into
account the 2-for-1 stock split declared on January 28, 1998.

     As often  happens in  industries  that have become less  regulated and more
competitive,  our basic  profit  margin  (net  interest  margin)  has been under
extreme  pressure.  Net interest margin actually  declined from 4.45% in 1996 to
4.42% in 1997. Offsetting this trend is our excellent performance in noninterest
income,  including service charges and fees on deposit accounts,  commissions on
the sales of annuities  and mutual  funds,  fees for asset and trust  management
services,  and gains on sales of residential  mortgage loans.  Total noninterest
income increased by $2.6 million or 39.5% from 1996 to 1997.

     Assets  ended 1997 at $1.1  billion and while we are proud that our success
has  allowed us to reach  this  milestone,  we do not  pursue  asset size as our
primary goal. Some activities which produce income and, therefore, return to our
shareholders,  do not require the high levels of assets traditionally associated
with banking.  We believe that  revenues and net income are much more  important
than asset size. While we do seek to increase our loan portfolio, we will not do
so at the expense of loan quality.  Total loans increased from $523.2 million at
year-end  1996 to $558.9  million  at  year-end  1997,  a 6.8%  increase.  Total
deposits  grew at the same time from $806.3  million to $853.0  million,  a 5.8%
increase.

                                       2



     We were  particularly  pleased  that our  emphasis  on  marketing  checking
accounts helped us increase  noninterest bearing deposits by 29.0% from year-end
1996 to year-end  1997.  Total  revenues (net interest  income plus  noninterest
income)  grew from  $42.9  million  in 1996 to $50.2  million  in 1997,  a 17.0%
increase.

STOCK INFORMATION

     In my letter to you last year, I reported that our stock price had declined
from $17.50 per share at year-end  1995 to $16.00 per share at year-end  1996. I
also noted that even though the return to the  shareholder had been negative for
that one-year period, the return for the previous one-year period (year-end 1994
to year-end 1995) had been 45.5%  considering  dividends and the price increase.
Even this return was exceeded in 1997,  when our stock price  improved to $25.00
per share,  producing a total annual  return of 59.2%.  The average total annual
rate of return over the last five years (1993-1997) is 26.2%.

     In  mid-April,  we announced  our  intention to  repurchase up to 5% of the
outstanding shares of our common stock. The shares repurchased are to be used in
connection  with shares  expected to be issued under the dividend  reinvestment,
stock option, and employee benefit plans and for other corporate  purposes.  The
repurchase is also in keeping with our desire to effectively  employ the capital
of your company such that we attain  excellent  returns on equity over time.  At
year-end,  we had  repurchased,  on a post-split  basis,  184,600  shares of the
492,084 shares originally  authorized.  The repurchase  program runs until March
31,  1999 unless  terminated  earlier by the board.  We added an  optional  cash
purchase feature to our dividend  reinvestment plan in 1997 whereby shareholders
who  participate  may purchase from $100 to $5,000 worth of Sandy Spring Bancorp
common stock each quarter  through the plan. This feature has been popular among
our shareholders  since it permits  purchases at market price without paying any
fees or commissions.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)



                                                  1997           1996          %Change
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       

PROFITABILITY FOR THE YEAR:
  Net Interest Income                         $   41,079     $   36,388         12.9%
  Income before Taxes                             19,783         17,283         14.5
  Net Income                                      13,195         11,494         14.8
   Return on Average Assets                         1.28%          1.27%
   Return on Average Equity                        13.25%         12.81%
   Net Interest Margin                              4.42%          4.45%

PER SHARE DATA:
  Basic Net Income Per Share                  $     1.35     $     1.18         14.4%
  Diluted Net Income Per Share                      1.34           1.18         13.6
  Dividends Declared Per Share                      0.47           0.39         20.5
  Boook Value Per Share                            10.77           9.85          9.3

AT YEAR END:
  Assets                                      $1,121,333     $  978,595         14.6%
  Deposits                                       853,011        806,341          5.8
  Loans                                          558,893        523,166          6.8
  Securities                                     464,734        361,806         28.4
  Stockholders' Equity                           104,675         96,581          8.4

CAPITAL AND CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS:

  Average Equity to Average Assets                  9.65%          9.90%
  Total Risk-based Capital Ratio                   17.07%         17.56%
  Allowance for Credit Losses to Loans              1.26%          1.22%
  Nonperforming Assets to Total Assets              0.26%          0.48%
  Net Charge-Offs to Average Loans                  0.07%          0.10%

- ----------

* Adjusted,  except  with  respect to  dividends  declared  per  share,  to give
  retroactive effect to the acquisition of Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc. completed
  on August 29, 1996.  All per share data have been adjusted to gie  retroactive
  effect to a 2-for-1 stock split declared on January 28, 1998.

SERVING OUR MARKETS

     In March,  we relocated our West Diamond Avenue office to the  Gaithersburg
Square Shopping  Center on Rt. 355. This new office is conveniently  located and
the interior design is a new concept emphasizing  customer interaction and sales
opportunities.  In August we  opened  an office on Rt. 1 near the  Laurel  Lakes

                                        3



Shopping Center. This is our first office positioned to serve the growing Laurel
and Prince  George's  County  markets.  In  December  we opened an office in the
Neelsville  Village  Center in  Germantown.  This too will  position us in a new
market where residential growth is occurring.  Also, we began work on a Jennifer
Road branch near the Annapolis  Mall. This will be our 22nd office when it opens
in the second  quarter of 1998. We expanded in a slightly  different way when we
opened an  ATM/Depository  facility in December  within  Lakeforest  Mall.  This
facility  permits all of the usual ATM  transactions and permits mall merchants,
area  businesses,  and  others  to drop  deposits  into  the  unit.  All of this
expansion is in keeping with our desire to provide  convenient access in our new
and existing  markets while  recognizing  that income growth must exceed expense
growth.

     April of 1997 was the kickoff month for our latest BankXpress services,  PC
and Internet  Banking,  which provides for bill paying,  money transfers between
accounts and banks, and account  research from the convenience of home.  Already
about 10% of our deposits are held by clients who use BankXpress.

     In April, we began operation of Sandy Spring Mortgage Corporation, bringing
focus to this fast-paced and competitive portion of our business. After doubling
our  residential  construction  and permanent  mortgage  loan  production to $95
million in 1996,  we  increased  loan  production  in these  categories  to $166
million in 1997.  Gains on selling mortgage loans, a major source of noninterest
income,  have grown from $244  thousand in 1995 to $825 thousand in 1996 to $1.2
million in 1997. We believe  meeting the needs of our clients and prospects with
competitive  mortgage loans gives us the opportunity to expand our  relationship
with them.

     Our Asset and Trust  Management  Department grew in 1997 as we continued to
serve  our mid- and  upper-Montgomery  County  customers,  while  expanding  our
presence into Bethesda and  Annapolis.  Assets under  management  increased from
$166.9 million at year-end 1996 to $187.3  million at year-end 1997.  Trust fees
increased 26%, from $943 thousand in 1996 to $1.2 million in 1997.

     We intensified  our  advertising  efforts in 1997,  placing  numerous radio
commercials  on  highly-rated  stations,  as well as newspaper  ads in community
newspapers and The Washington Post. The goal was to raise the awareness of Sandy
Spring Bank in our markets and to increase our noninterest  bearing deposits.  I
have  already  noted the  29.0%  increase  in those  deposits.  Market  research
conducted during the year indicated a significant  increase in the percentage of
people who have heard of Sandy Spring Bank, a necessary  prerequisite  to moving
their accounts to us!

BOARD CHANGES AND MANAGEMENT REORGANIZATION

     At our shareholders meeting in April, we honored retiring Directors Willard
H. Derrick and Andrew N. Adams Jr., while welcoming David E. Rippeon,  President
of Gaithersburg Ford Tractor to our Board. W. Drew Stabler, great great grandson
of the Bank's first President, Caleb Stabler, was elected Chairman. In December,
we were pleased to welcome our first  Annapolis  area  Director  when Gilbert L.
Hardesty was  appointed to the Board.  Gil had been in banking for over 25 years
before retiring as a bank executive in 1996.

     Several  internal  organizational  changes  were  made  late in the year to
better  prepare  us for the  future.  James H.  Langmead,  Frank H.  Small,  and
Lawrence T. Lewis, III were elevated to the position of Executive Vice President
to head the three major business  groups in the bank.  Sara E. Watkins,  who has
been  with the bank  over 24  years,  was named  Senior  Vice  President  and an
executive  officer to bring  further  leadership  and emphasis to our  strategic
planning and  marketing  efforts.  Stanley L. Merson,  another  long-time  Sandy
Spring  Banker,  moved full time to Sandy  Spring  Mortgage  Corporation  as its
President.  We also  completed  our  reconstruction  project at the former Coles
Furniture  building  next  door to our  headquarters,  the  Willard  H.  Derrick
Building,  in Olney. This new  Administrative  and Training Center permits us to
consolidate  a number of  departments  from  outlying  locations  and to greatly
improve our ability to conduct internal training--an  important component of our
success.

THE VIEW FORWARD

     Sandy Spring Bankers hold dear several  beliefs which shape our view of the
future,  making much of that view unchanged.  We believe our success in the past
and in the future as an  independent,  locally-owned  community  bank depends on
providing  excellent returns to our shareholders.  Further, we believe that what
makes us unique is our excellent  customer service.  We must continue to provide
such  service AND we must  improve it  constantly.  We believe that we must also
become  a  sales  organization,  meaning  that  we  help  our  customers  in  an
intentional  and active  manner.  Quality must  permeate  everything  we do. Our
facilities,  our products,  our employees,  and our processes must work right so
that we do things  right.  We believe  that acting out a set of basic  values is
important:  fairness,  respect for individual  employees and clients, and caring
for our local  communities by making them better places to live.  Over time this
view forward doesn't change.

                                        4



     With this  background,  though,  a few  things are  important  to us in the
immediate  future.  We believe  that our return on average  equity needs to move
toward 17% over the next several years in order to provide excellent shareholder
value.  To achieve this  improvement,  we must better  understand and manage the
costs and  profitability  of internal  business units and products.  Much of our
effort in 1998 will be directed toward gaining such knowledge, which will permit
us to understand the components of mutually  beneficial  relationships  with our
clients. Hiring and training employees has a "never changing" importance, but we
believe it is particularly  worthy of our attention when the economy is good and
unemployment  low. We will be concentrating in 1998 on hiring the people who can
provide  outstanding  service to our clients by  thoroughly  learning  the Sandy
Spring  style of doing  business.  In a time of rapid  change,  the  support and
enthusiasm of our employees  continues to make us Sandy Spring Bank. For that, I
am thankful.

     The last several years have been ones of expansion and the  development  of
new  products and services to take  advantage  of the  opportunities  created by
large bank merger activity.  Our focus for 1998 will be to make sure we have not
"gotten ahead of ourselves" in terms of costs and operational  requirements.  We
will be concentrating on slowing our noninterest expense growth rates which have
been in double digits the last two years. In addition,  we will be examining our
operational  processes to insure that they  continue to provide high quality and
accuracy.

     At the same time, we recognize that Annapolis cannot be fully served by the
one office we acquired in 1996 and the  additional  office to be opened in 1998.
So, we will carefully  evaluate other sites in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
for future expansion.

     We continue to believe  that the lines  between the  traditional  financial
service  areas of  insurance,  securities,  and banking  will  continue to blur.
Therefore,  we will  evaluate  how we can  profitably  enter  further  into  the
securities and insurance  businesses  while  maintaining our service quality and
sales standards.

     Marketing  and  innovation  will be  important  elements  in our  immediate
future.  We will look for ways to rapidly  develop  the  information  which will
permit us to market our products to highly targeted market segments in ways that
are friendly and beneficial to our clients.

     Please continue to refer your friends, neighbors and business associates to
us and never hesitate to call me or our Executive  Office staff.  We are here to
answer your questions and be of assistance. Thank you for your support.

Respectfully,

Hunter R. Hollar
President and Chief Executive Officer

                                        5





                              [MAP OF MARKER AREA]


EXPANDING -- IN KEEPING WITH OUR DESIRE TO PROVIDE  CONVENIENT ACCESS IN OUR NEW
AND EXISTING MARKETS



                                       6





                                                                     
AIRPARK*                           DAMASCUS*                               OLNEY*
7653 Lindbergh Drive               26250 Ridge Road                        17801 Georgia Avenue
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879       Damascus, Maryland 20872                Olney, Maryland 20832
(301) 774-8408                     (301) 253-0133                          (301) 774-8402

ANNAPOLIS*                         EAST GUDE DRIVE*                        ROCKVILLE
2024 West Street                   1601 East Gude Drive                    611 Rockville Pike
Annapolis, Maryland 214041         Rockville, Maryland 20850               Rockville, Maryland 20852
(410) 266-3000                     (301) 570-8330                          (301) 217-0555

ASHTON*                            GATHERSBURG SQUARE*                     SANDY SPRING
1 Ashton Road                      596 A North Frederick Avenue            908 Olney-Sandy Spring Road
Ashton, Maryland 20861             Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877            Sandy Spring, Maryland 20860
(301) 774-8405                     (301) 963-3600                          (301) 774-8401

ASPENWOOD                          JENNIFER ROAD*                          ADDITIONAL AUTOMATED TELLER
14400 Homecrest Road               166 Jennifer Road                       MACHINE (ATM) SITES
Silver Spring, Maryland 20906      Annapolis, Maryland 21401               Bethesda-Chevy Chase Shell Station
(301) 774-8406                     opening April 1998                      8240 Wisconsin Avenue
                                                                           Bethesda, Maryland 20814

BEDFORD COURT                      LAUREL LAKES*
3701 International Drive           14404 Baltimore Avenue                  Lakeforest Mall
Silver Spring, Maryland 20906      Laurel, Maryland 21401                  701 Russell Avenue
(301) 774-8407                     (301) 498-5050                          Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877

BETHESDA*                          LAYHILL*                                Montgomery County Fairgrounds
7126 Wisconsin Avenue              14241 Layhill Road                      16 Chestnut Street
Bethesda, Maryland 20814           Silver Spring, Maryland 20906           Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877
(301) 951-0800                     (301) 774-8406
                                                                           Montgomery General Hospital
BURTONSVILLE*                      LEISUREWORLD PLAZA*                     18101 Prince Philip Drive
3535 Spencerville Road             3801 International Drive                Olney, Maryland 20832
Burtonsville, Maryland 20866       Silver Spring, Maryland 20906
(301) 774-8404                     (301) 774-8407                          Woodmont Shell
                                                                           1250 West Montgomery Avenue
CLARKSVILLE*                       LISBON*                                 Rockville, Maryland 20850
12276 Clarksville Pike             710-N Lisbon Centre Drive
Clarksville, Maryland 21029        Woodbine, Maryland 21797                SANDY SPRING MORTGAGE CORPORATION
(410) 531-2650                     (410) 442-1878                          12501 Prosperity Drive, Suite 100
                                                                           Silver Spring, Maryland 20906
COLESVILLE*                        MILESTONE CENTER*                       (301) 680-0200
13300 New Hampshire Avenue         20930 Frederick Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20906      Germantown, Maryland 20876              2024 West Street
(301) 774-8403                     (301) 601-0405                          Annapolis, Maryland 214041
                                                                           (301) 266-3000
                                   MONTGOMERY VILLAGE*
                                   9921 Stedwick Road                      7126 Wisconsin Avenue
                                   Montgomery Village, Maryland 20879      Bethesda, Maryland 20814
                                   (301) 990-3800                          (301) 951-0800


                                       7




BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]




                                                                              
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT                                                DIRECTORS EMERITUS

Solomon Graham                               John Chirtea                            Willard H. Derrick, Chairman Emeritus
President and Chief Executive Officer        Retired from LCOR, a national
  of Quality Biological, Inc.                  real estate development company       Daniel Ligon, Chairman Emeritus

David E. Rippeon                             Susan D. Goff                           Samuel Riggs, IV, hairman Emeritus
President of Gaithersburg Ford               President of M.D.IPA, Inc.
  Tractor Company                                                                    Andrew N. Adams, Jr.

                                             Charles F. Mess, M.D.                   Thomas A. Ladson
Hunter R. Hollar                             General Orthopaedic Practice
President and Chief Executive Officer                                                Charles H. Ligon
  of the Bank and Bancorp                    Joyce Riggs Hawkins
                                             Real Estate Agent                       Louisa W. Riggs
Robert L. Orndorff, Jr.
President of RLO Contractors, Inc.           Robert L. Mitchell                      Francis Snowden
                                             President and Chief Executive Officer
W. Drew Stabler, Chairman                      of C-I/Mitchell & Best Company        Stanley P. Stabler
Partner in Pleasant Valley Farm
                                             Lewis R. Schumann                       Clyde W. Unglesbee
Thomas O. Keech                              Partner in the firm of
Retired Executive Vice President               Miller, Miller and Canby, Chtd.       Robert H. White
  the Bank and Bancorp


[GRAPHIC OMITTED]        Gilbert L. Hardesty
                         Retired Bank Executive



                                       8





INDEX TO FINANCIAL SECTION

Recent Stock Prices and Dividends                                              9
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Operations and Financial Condition    10
Financial Statements:
  At December 31, 1997 and 1996:
    Consolidated Balance Sheets                                               22
  For the Years Ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995:
    Consolidated Statements of Income                                         23
    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows                                     24
    Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity                25
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements                                26
Management's Statement of Responsibility                                      40
Report of Independent Auditors                                                40


RECENT STOCK PRICES AND DIVIDENDS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Shareholders  received  quarterly  cash  dividends  totaling  $4,603 in 1997 and
$3,620  in  1996.   Regular   dividends  have  been  declared  for  ninety-seven
consecutive  years.  The Company has increased its dividends per share each year
for the past seventeen years.  Since 1992,  dividends per share have risen at an
annual compound growth rate of 16.9%, with an increase of 20.5% in 1997.

     The ratio of dividends  per share to diluted net income per share was 35.1%
in 1997,  compared to 33.1% for 1996,  reflecting the Board of Directors' desire
to  increase  the  percentage  of earnings  which is  returned to  shareholders,
particularly in light of the Company's capital position. The amount of dividends
is established by the Board in  consideration  of operating  results,  financial
condition,  capital adequacy,  regulatory requirements,  shareholder returns and
other  factors. 

     The Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan was renamed the Dividend  Reinvestment and
Stock  Purchase  Plan in October  1997 to reflect a change  permitting  optional
quarterly  cash purchases of stock by  shareholder  participants.  Shares issued
under the plan totaled 43,327 in 1997 and 35,273 during 1996. 

     Also in 1997, the Company initiated a stock repurchase  program  permitting
repurchase of up to 5% of Bancorp's  outstanding  common stock.  Repurchases are
made in  connection  with  shares  expected  to be issued  under  the  Company's
dividend  reinvestment  and stock  purchase plan,  incentive  stock option plan,
employee  benefit  plans,  and for other  corporate  purposes.  During 1997, the
equivalent of 92,300 shares were repurchased.  On a post-split  basis*,  492,084
shares were authorized for repurchase under this program,  and the equivalent of
184,600 shares were  repurchased in 1997.

     The number of common  shareholders of record was approximately  2,400 as of
February 10, 1998 and 1997.

     Shares of Sandy  Spring  Bancorp  commenced  trading  on The  Nasdaq  Stock
Market's National Market on April 17, 1996, under the trading symbol SASR. Since
that date, the price  information  provided  below reflects  actual high and low
sales  prices as quoted on The Nasdaq  Stock  Market.  Prior to April 17,  1996,
sales  prices   reported  in  the  table  were  based  upon  reports  of  broker
transactions  published by third parties and any other transactions known to the
Company to have occurred in each quarter.

QUARTERLY STOCK INFORMATION* 



                                    1997                              1996
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    STOCK PRICE RANGE    PER SHARE     Stock Price Range       Per Share
                    -----------------    DIVIDEND      -----------------        Dividend
Quarter              LOW        HIGH                    Low       High
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  
1st               $ 15.13   $ 17.88      $ 0.10      $ 17.50    $ 19.38          $ 0.09
2nd                 16.88     18.63        0.12        17.88      20.50            0.10
3rd                 17.88     22.25        0.12        17.00      19.75            0.10
4th                 22.00     25.07        0.13        15.63      17.38            0.10
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                    $ 0.47                                  $ 0.39
                                         ======                                  ======


*Adjusted  to give  retroactive  effect to a 2-for-1  stock  split  declared  on
January 28, 1998.


                                       9




MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)


OVERVIEW

Sandy  Spring  Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Sandy  Spring" or the  "Company")  reached  the
milestone of $1 billion in total assets during 1997.  The Company's  assets have
more than doubled  since the  beginning of the decade.  Assets were  employed to
achieve  earnings of $13,195 for 1997,  14.8% higher than in 1996, with a return
on average assets of 1.28%.

     Management  believes  that a  significant  number of people in our  markets
prefer the style of  banking  Sandy  Spring  offers,  blending  state-of-the-art
computer  technology  and  investment  advisory  services  with the  comfort and
personal style of traditional community banking.

     The  Company  recorded  increases  in 1997 for total  deposits,  which were
$46,670 or 5.8% above 1996, and for total loans, which grew $35,727 or 6.8%.

     Earnings  increased to $13,195 for 1997,  $11,494 for 1996,  and $9,994 for
1995,  which  equate to diluted  earnings  per share of $1.34,  $1.18 and $1.04,
respectively. Growth rates for earnings, compared to each prior year, were 14.8%
(1997),  15.0% (1996) and 12.3% (1995). The increase for 1997, compared to 1996,
included  merger  expenses  of $558,  net of related  income  taxes,  which were
recognized in 1996 from the Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc.  acquisition.  Excluding
this and other  nonrecurring  items,  the rates of increase over the  three-year
period were 9.9%, 10.0% and 9.0%, respectively.

     Net  interest  income rose $4,691 or 12.9%  during  1997,  attributable  to
earning asset growth.

     Noninterest  income  increased  $2,585 in 1997  representing an increase of
39.5%.  Sandy Spring  continued to diversify its sources of revenue during 1997,
placing  more  emphasis on mortgage  banking,  mutual funds and  annuities,  and
investment  advisory services.  Other expanding sources of fee income were debit
and credit cards along with ATMs,  which  produced more revenue due both to more
sites and to increased  transaction volume.

     During 1997,  noninterest expenses were up $4,098 or 16.2%. While incurring
costs  in order to  pursue  business  opportunities,  the  Company  aggressively
managed its operating  expenses  relative to revenue growth in order to preserve
profitability.  As a result, the net overhead ratio,  which relates  noninterest
expense performance to revenues, improved in 1997, compared to 1996.

     Asset quality remained acceptable at December 31, 1997. Levels of net loans
charged off and  nonperforming  assets were  moderate for the year.

     The Company  continues  to be well  capitalized.  During  1997,  management
borrowed  from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta,  investing  the funds at a
profit margin,  to leverage the Company's  strong capital position and achieve a
higher return on average equity.

     The  dividend  payout  ratio  (dividends  per share  divided by diluted net
income per share) increased to 35% in 1997 from 33% in 1996 and 31% in 1995. The
decision  to give a  higher  percentage  of  earnings  back to the  shareholders
resulted in an increase  in per share  dividends  to $0.47 in 1997 from $0.39 in
1996 and $0.32 in 1995.

     The  Company's  effectiveness  in utilizing  its capital was indicated by a
return on average equity of 13.25% in 1997, preceded by ratios of 12.81% in 1996
and 12.37% in 1995. The increase in 1997 was attributable to higher earnings due
in  part  to the  leverage  program  discussed  above,  and  also  to the  stock
repurchase  plan  implemented  in  1997  which  resulted  in  the  buy-back  and
retirement of 92,300 shares during the year.

 CHANGES IN DILUTED NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE*


                                                                  1996 to 1997    1995 to 1996
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               
Prior Year Diluted Net Income Per Share                              $ 1.18          $ 1.04
Change attributed to:
 Net interest income                                                   0.31            0.25
 Provision for credit losses                                          (0.05)          (0.01)
 Noninterest income                                                    0.18            0.14
 Noninterest expenses                                                 (0.28)          (0.20)
 Income taxes                                                          0.01           (0.02)
 Increased shares outstanding                                         (0.01)          (0.02)
                                                                      ------          ------
 Total                                                                 0.16            0.14
                                                                     ------          ------
DILUTED NET INCOME PER SHARE                                         $ 1.34          $ 1.18
                                                                     ======          ======


* Adjusted  to give  retroactive  effect to a 2-for-1  stock  split  declared on
  January 28, 1998.

                                       10



HISTORICAL TRENDS IN FINANCIAL DATA 1993-1997(1)
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)




                                                      1997          1996         1995         1994         1993
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (for the year):
  Interest Income                                 $   75,565     $ 66,621     $ 62,115     $ 51,578     $ 46,189
  Interest Expense                                    34,486       30,233       29,342       21,496       19,793
    Net Interest Income                               41,079       36,388       32,773       30,082       26,396
  Provision for Credit Losses                            986          308          180          212        1,056
  Net Interest Income after Provision
    for Credit Losses                                 40,093       36,080       32,593       29,870       25,340
  Noninterest Income                                   9,132        6,547        4,478        4,189        4,870
  Noninterest Expenses                                29,442       25,344       22,424       21,462       18,340
  Income before Taxes                                 19,783       17,283       14,647       12,597       11,870
  Income Tax Expense                                   6,588        5,789        4,653        3,694        3,261
  Net Income                                          13,195       11,494        9,994        8,903        8,609

PER SHARE DATA:
  Basic Earnings Per Share                        $     1.35     $   1.18     $   1.05     $   0.95     $   0.96
  Diluted Earnings Per Share                            1.34         1.18         1.04         0.94         0.95
  Dividends Declared                                    0.47         0.39         0.32         0.27         0.25
  Book Value                                           10.77         9.85         9.02         7.86         7.82

FINANCIAL CONDITION (at year-end):
  Assets                                          $1,121,333     $978,595     $876,203     $830,834     $784,274
  Deposits                                           853,011      806,341      743,592      700,340      676,422
  Loans                                              558,893      523,166      492,540      457,052      374,740
  Securities                                         464,734      361,806      290,786      309,622      314,283
  Stockholders' Equity                               104,675       96,581       86,941       73,766       72,420

MEASUREMENTS (for the year):
  Return on Average Assets                              1.28%        1.27%        1.18%        1.14%        1.23%
  Return on Average Equity                             13.25        12.81        12.37        12.24        13.55
  Average Equity to Average Assets                      9.65         9.90         9.57         9.28         9.10
  Dividends Declared Per Share to
    Diluted Net Income Per Share                       35.07        33.05        30.77        28.72        26.32



(1)  Adjusted to give  retroactive  effect to 2-for-1  stock splits  declared on
     March 29, 1995 and January 28,  1998,  and except with respect to dividends
     declared per share, the acquisition of Annapolis Bancshares, Inc. on August
     29, 1996, which was accounted for as a pooling of interests.


                                       11



SANDY SPRING BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED AVERAGE BALANCES, YIELDS AND RATES(1)
(Dollars in thousands and tax-equivalent)



                                      1997                         1996                            1995
                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         AVERAGE                 YIELD/   Average                Yield/  Average            Yield/
                         BALANCE     INTEREST     RATE    Balance     Interest   Rate    Balance   Interest  Rate

                                                                                  
ASSETS
Loans:(2)
  Real estate(3)        $  440,980      $40,239   9.12%   $417,161    $37,866    9.08%   $400,176    $36,154    9.03%
  Consumer                  31,967        2,877   9.00      28,600      2,682    9.38      26,710      2,437    9.12
  Commercial                71,191        6,854   9.63      62,999      6,125    9.72      54,677      5,320    9.73
  Tax exempt                    20            2  10.00         169         16    9.65         479         63   13.15
                               
                        ----------      ------              -------     ------    ----     -------    -------
    Total loans            544,158       49,972   9.18     508,929     46,689    9.17     482,042     43,974    9.12
Securities:
  Taxable                  329,319       20,931   6.36     250,763     15,062    6.01     234,354     13,769    5.88
  Nontaxable                68,198        5,053   7.41      65,847      5,005    7.60      65,696      5,177    7.88
                        ----------      -------           --------    -------             -------     ------    
    Total securities       397,517       25,984   6.54     316,610     20,067    6.34     300,050     18,946    6.31
Interest-bearing
  deposits with banks        1,398           74   5.29       3,585        187    5.22         740         39    5.27
Federal funds sold          22,938        1,196   5.21      25,319      1,342    5.30      15,252        872    5.72
                        ----------      -------           --------    -------             -------     ------
    TOTAL EARNING
      ASSETS               966,011       77,226   7.99     854,443     68,285    7.99     798,084     63,831    8.00
Less: allowance for
  credit losses             (6,478)                         (6,668)                        (6,647)
Cash and due
  from banks                28,602                          25,923                         24,188
Premises and
  equipment, net            24,133                          20,559                          17,019
Other assets                19,277                          12,305                          11,174
                        ----------                        --------                        --------
    Total Assets        $1,031,545                        $906,562                        $843,818
                        ==========                        ========                        ========
LIABILITIES AND
  STOCKHOLDERS'
  EQUITY

Interest-bearing
  demand deposits       $  103,474      $ 2,496   2.41%   $ 96,940    $ 2,529    2.61%    $ 86,688   $ 2,263    2.61%
Regular savings deposits    92,911        2,593   2.79      95,636      2,695    2.82      104,971     3,218    3.07
Money market
  savings deposits         157,716        5,150   3.27     149,358      4,935    3.30      154,644     5,646    3.65
Time deposits              347,496       18,461   5.31     324,842     17,730    5.46      277,804    15,578    5.61
                           -------       ------            -------     ------              -------    ------
Total interest-bearing
  deposits                 701,597       28,700   4.09     666,776     27,889    4.18      624,107    26,705    4.28
Short-term borrowings      105,544        5,438   5.15      41,963      2,021    4.83       40,605     2,284    5.62
Long-term borrowings         5,047          348   6.90       4,854        323    6.65        6,097       353    5.79
                             -----          ---              -----        ---                -----       ---
    TOTAL INTEREST-
      BEARING
      LIABILITIES          812,188       34,486   4.25     713,593     30,233    4.24      670,809    29,342    4.37
                                         ------   ----                 ------    ----                 ------
    Net Interest Income
     and Spread                        $ 42,740   3.74%              $ 38,052    3.75%               $34,489    3.63%
                                        ========  ====                ========   ====                =======    ====
Noninterest-bearing
  demand deposits          117,148                         100,127                          90,260
Other liabilities            2,628                           3,132                           1,987
Stockholders' equity        99,581                          89,710                          80,762
                            ------                          ------                          ------
    Total liabilities
      and stockholders'
      equity            $1,031,545                        $906,562                        $843,818
                        ==========                        ========                        ========
Interest income/
  earning assets                                  7.99%                          7.99%                          8.00%
Interest expense/
  earning assets                           3.57                                  3.54                           3.68
                                           ----                                  ----                           ----
  Net Interest Margin                      4.42%                                 4.45%                          4.32%
                                           ====                                  ====                           ====


(1)  Income  and  yields  are  presented  on a  tax-equivalent  basis  using the
     applicable federal income tax rate.

(2)  Non-accrual  loans are  included  in the  average  balances.  

(3)  Includes residential mortgage loans held for sale.

                                       12



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income for 1997 was $41,079,  representing an increase of $4,691 or
12.9% from 1996. An 11.0% rise was achieved in 1996, compared to 1995, resulting
in net  interest  income of $36,388.  On a  tax-equivalent  basis,  net interest
income  amounted  to $42,740 in 1997,  representing  a 12.3%  annual  rise,  and
$38,052 in 1996, representing a 10.3% annual rise, preceded by $34,489 in 1995.

     Since net  interest  income is the most  important  category  of  earnings,
performance  in this area is  emphasized  by  management.  The  analysis  of net
interest income  performance  presented in the  "Consolidated  Average Balances,
Yields  and  Rates"  table  shows a 1997 net  interest  margin of  4.42%,  which
represents  a modest  decline  of 3 basis  points,  compared  to  1996.  The net
interest  margin for 1996 of 4.45% was 13 basis points above the 4.32%  recorded
for 1995. The table entitled  "Effect of Volume and Rate Changes on Net Interest
Income"  shows that the  increases in net interest  income during 1997 and 1996,
compared to each prior year,  were primarily  driven by increases in the volumes
of earning assets.

EFFECT OF VOLUME AND RATE CHANGES ON NET INTEREST INCOME
(Tax-equivalent basis)




                                                   1997 vs. 1996                        1996 vs. 1995
                                              -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Increase       Due to Change      Increase   Due to Change
                                                  or          in Average:(1)(2)     or      in Average:(1)(2)
                                                             ------------------            --------------------
                                              (Decrease)      Volume     Rate   (Decrease)   Volume      Rate

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         
Interest income from earning assets:
  Loans                                         $3,283        $3,236    $  47     $2,715     $2,464      $ 251
  Taxable securities                             5,860         4,947      913      1,293        981        312
  Nontaxable securities                             58           176     (118)      (172)        12       (184)
  Other investments                               (260)         (238)     (22)       618        687        (69)
                                                  ----          ----      ---        ---        ---        ---
    Total Interest Income                        8,941         8,922       19      4,454      4,503        (49)
Interest expense on funding of earning assets:
  Interest-bearing demand deposits                 (33)          164     (197)       266        268         (2)
  Regular savings deposits                        (102)          (76)     (26)      (523)      (274)      (249)
  Money market savings deposits                    215           274      (59)      (711)      (188)      (523)
  Time deposits                                    731         1,211     (480)     2,152      2,578       (426)
  Borrowings                                     3,442         3,332      110       (293)         1       (294)
                                                 -----         -----      ---       ----      -----       ----
    Total interest expense                       4,253         4,189       64        891      1,829       (938)
                                                 -----         -----       --        ---      -----       ----
      Net interest income                       $4,688        $4,733    $ (45)    $3,563     $2,674      $ 889
                                                ======        ======    =====     ======     ======      =====


(1)  Variances are computed on a line-by-line basis and are non-additive.
(2)  Combined  rate/volume  variances,  a third element of the calculation,  are
     allocated to the volume and rate variances based on their relative size.

INTEREST INCOME

The Company's  tax-equivalent  interest  income  increased by 13.1% or $8,941 in
1997,  compared to 1996, as a result of a 13.1% or $111,568  increase in average
earning assets  accompanied by an unchanged yield earned on those funds.  During
1997,  average loans,  yielding  9.18%,  rose 6.9% to $544,158 (56.3% of average
earning assets). Average mortgage loans were responsible for most of the rise in
total loans.  Average  total  securities,  yielding  6.54%,  increased  25.6% to
$397,517  (41.2% of average earning  assets).  Interest income on the investment
portfolio accounted for 28.7% of total Company revenue during 1997, versus 25.2%
in 1996.

     Tax-equivalent  interest  income  increased  by 7.0%  or  $4,454  in  1996,
compared to 1995, due to higher average earning assets.



INTEREST EXPENSE

Interest  expense  increased  14.1%  or  $4,253  in  1997,   compared  to  1996,
attributable to 13.8% or $98,595 greater  average  interest-bearing  liabilities
while  approximately the same average rate was paid for those funds. Most of the
rise in  interest-bearing  funds was  generated by growth in average  short-term
borrowings,  which amounted to $63,581. A leverage program, in which the Company
borrows  from the Federal  Home Loan Bank of Atlanta and invests the advances in
available-for-sale securities at a higher rate of return, was the primary driver
behind the increase in short-term  borrowings.  Average  repurchase  agreements,
which are  short-term  borrowings  associated  primarily  with  cash  management
services   to   business   clients,   also   increased   significantly.    Total
interest-bearing  deposits rose $34,821 or 5.2%.  Modest increases were achieved
for all major  categories of  interest-bearing  deposits except regular savings,
which declined slightly.

     In the prior year  comparison  of 1996  against  1995,  growth in  interest
expense  of 3.0% (up  $891)  was below  the  percentage  rise in  tax-equivalent
interest  income.  While  average  earning  assets and average  interest-bearing
liabilities  increased by similar percentages during 1996, compared to 1995, the
average  rate paid on  interest-bearing  liabilities  declined  13 basis  points
versus a single basis point decline in the average yield on earning assets.

                                       13



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

INTEREST RATE PERFORMANCE

Over the  three-year  period from 1995 through  1997,  Sandy Spring has achieved
fairly  consistent  interest  rate  performance.  The net interest  spread,  the
average  yield  on  earning  assets  and the  average  rate on  interest-bearing
liabilities  were  essentially  unchanged  from 1996 to 1997.  The net  interest
margin  declined from 4.45% to 4.42%,  reflecting a decline in the percentage of
average earning assets funded by noninterest-bearing  liabilities.  During 1996,
compared to 1995, the spread and margin both increased slightly.

NONINTEREST INCOME

Total  noninterest  income  was  $9,132 in 1997,  a 39.5%  increase  from  1996,
primarily reflecting higher securities gains,  stronger gains on mortgage sales,
and increases in return check charges,  trust revenue and electronic transaction
fees. An increase of 46.2% or $2,069 was posted for 1996 versus 1995.

     Securities  gains  were  $637 in 1997,  an  increase  of $607 from the 1996
amount.  Securities  losses of $279 were recorded in 1995. All securities  sales
were  from  the   available-for-sale   portfolio.   During  1997,  the  sale  of
available-for-sale debt securities generated net losses of $408, while net gains
of $836 were realized on sales of  available-for-sale  equity securities and net
gains  of  $209  from  securities  calls,  maturities  and  paydowns.  Sales  of
available-for-sale  debt  securities  generated  $66 in  net  losses  for  1996,
compared with $89 in net gains on sales of available-for-sale  equity securities
and $7 in net gains from securities calls, maturities and paydowns.

     Service  charges on deposit  accounts  increased 14.8% in 1997 and 15.4% in
1996. The majority of the change in both years was  attributable to increases in
return check charges from higher  transaction  volume and a larger customer base
while the fee charged remained the same.

     Gains on mortgage sales  increased $421 or 51.0% for 1997, when compared to
1996, largely  reflecting higher gains on a greater volume of  origination/sales
activities. A new mortgage banking subsidiary began operations in April of 1997,
achieving  gains of $1,246 for the year from  sales of  $80,233.  These  results
compare to gains of $825  achieved  on sales of $57,282  for 1996,  and gains of
$244 from sales of $19,490 for 1995.

     Trust income amounted to $1,188 for 1997, an increase of $245 or 26.0% over
1996.  Revenues of $943 for 1996  represented  an increase of $183 or 24.1% over
1995.  These results  primarily  reflect higher fees  attributable  to growth in
assets under management.

     Other income increased $873 or 48.9% to $2,658 for 1997, compared to $1,785
for 1996.  Debit card fees increased $234, while fees for mutual funds sold rose
$174. During 1997, ATM surcharge fees were initiated in line with  industry-wide
practice,  resulting  in  revenues of $141 for the year.  Other  income for 1997
included revenues of $181 from investments associated with funding the Company's
supplemental  executive  retirement  plans. The rise in other income was $601 or
50.8% in 1996,  compared  to 1995,  attributable  primarily  to higher fees from
sales of mutual funds and tax-deferred  annuity products along with nonrecurring
gains on sales of other real estate owned during 1996.

NONINTEREST EXPENSES

Noninterest  expenses  increased $4,098 or 16.2% in 1997 over 1996 and $2,920 or
13.0% in 1996 over 1995. However,  nonrecurring expenses  significantly affected
these changes.  Excluding  nonrecurring merger related costs associated with the
acquisition of Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc., which increased noninterest expenses
in 1996 by $724,  the  increase in  noninterest  expenses  amounted to $4,807 or
19.5%  in 1997  versus  1996.  Items  of  nonrecurring  expenses  affecting  the
comparison of 1996 to 1995 included the merger costs and an  industry-wide  FDIC
insurance premium reduction which reduced noninterest  expenses by $814 in 1996,
along  with  costs of  conversion  to a new data  processing  center  and  early
retirement  benefits in 1995. Without these nonrecurring  items, the increase in
noninterest expenses was $3,670 or 17.5% in 1996, compared to 1995.

     Salaries and employee benefits increased $2,377 or 16.5% in 1997 and $1,721
or 13.5% in 1996. Increases in both years reflected growth in staff, an expanded
branch network and higher incentive  compensation costs. Two new branches opened
in 1997 and two in 1996. Average full-time  equivalent  employees reached 395 in
1997,  representing an increase of 14.2% from 346 in 1996,  which was 8.8% above
318  recorded for 1995.  Despite the increase in staff,  the ratio of net income
per average  full-time-equivalent  employee was  maintained  at $33 for 1997 and
1996, representing an improvement from $31 in 1995.

     In 1997,  occupancy  expense rose 13.1% or $273,  primarily  reflecting  an
increase  in leased  premises,  while  equipment  expenses  remained  relatively
unchanged.  The rate of  increase  for  occupancy  expense was 14.8% in 1996 due
largely to facilities maintenance,  and equipment expenses rose 11.4%, driven by
higher depreciation charges and expenses for furnishings and equipment.

     Marketing,  after  nearly  doubling  in 1996 as the  Bank  entered  two new
markets,  moderated in 1997, recording a 9.5% or $109 increase. During 1997, the
Company's advertising focused on campaigns to attract new customers and increase
marketplace awareness of the Bank's style and capabilities.  Management believes
that the bank's name recognition in its markets has increased significantly over
the past two years  through  image  advertising  which  promoted  its  excellent
reputation for service and community banking heritage and philosophy.

                                       14



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

     FDIC   insurance   costs  rose  $98  in  1997,  due  to  imposition  of  an
industry-wide  deminimus  assessment.  In 1996, premiums declined  significantly
from 1995 due to an industry-wide reduction in premiums.

     Outside data services costs rose $164 or 14.8% in 1997,  reflecting  growth
in the Company's accounts and increased analysis.  Costs increased 40.9% or $322
in  1996,  due  to  growth  and  conversion  to a  new  provider  with  expanded
capabilities late in 1995.

     Other expenses of $5,426 were $1,034 or 23.5% above 1996, with the majority
of the increase  attributable to higher  communications  costs and  professional
fees and to increased  amortization of intangibles relating to an acquisition of
deposits  late in 1996.  The rise in other  expenses was 17.1% for 1996,  due in
significant part to higher professional and consulting fees.

OPERATING EXPENSE PERFORMANCE

Management  believes that the net overhead ratio (lower ratios indicate improved
productivity),  which expresses the level of net operating expenses (noninterest
expenses less noninterest income) as a percentage of tax-equivalent net interest
income,  is a good measure of overall  operating  expense  performance  and cost
management. During 1997, the Company's net overhead ratio was 47.5%, compared to
ratios of 49.4%  achieved  in 1996 and 52.0% in 1995.  Ratios  less than 50% are
considered desirable.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense amounted to $6,588 in 1997,  compared with $5,789 in 1996 and
$4,653 in 1995.  The Company's  effective tax rate for 1997 was 33.3%,  compared
with 33.5% in 1996 and 31.8% in 1995.  During 1997 and 1996,  the  Company's net
income surpassed $10,000, triggering an increase in the applicable corporate tax
rate from 34% to 35%. This  increased  rate  resulted in  additional  income tax
expense  of $61 for 1997 and $24 for  1996 on  taxable  earnings  in  excess  of
$10,000.

BALANCE SHEET ANALYSIS

The Company's size, as measured by total assets,  reached $1,121,333 at December
31,  1997 from  $978,595  at  December  31,  1996,  for an  increase of 14.6% or
$142,738.  By  comparison,  the growth  rate for 1996 was  11.7%,  based upon an
increase of $102,392.

     Earning  assets  showed a 13.6% rate of increase in 1997,  to $1,041,720 at
December 31, 1997 from $917,096 at the prior year-end, for a rise of $124,624.

LOANS

     Real estate mortgage loans rose 4.6% to $393,661 in 1997.  Included in this
category are commercial mortgages,  which increased 2.2% during 1997 and totaled
$182,560 at December 31, 1997. The Bank's commercial  mortgages consist in large
part of owner  occupied  properties  where an established  banking  relationship
exists. In addition, there were significant commercial mortgages at December 31,
1997 on investment  properties  for  warehouse,  retail and office space.  These
credits generally  involved  established  properties with a history of occupancy
and cash flow.  Home equity  lines and home equity  loans,  types of real estate
mortgages  that permit  homeowners to access their equity to make  purchases and
possibly receive an income tax deduction on the interest,  increased 3.2% during
1997 to $67,543 at year-end.  One to four family  residential  loans, up 9.8% in
1997, represented $127,840 of the real estate mortgage portfolio at December 31,
1997. Other real estate mortgages,  including  primarily  residential lot loans,
collectively  totaled  $15,718  at  December  31,  1997,  which was  essentially
unchanged from the prior year-end.

     Real  estate  construction  loans  increased  21.1% to  $57,687  from 1996,
attributable to a substantial  rise in residential  construction  activity.  The
Company conducts its commercial construction lending in the markets it knows and
understands,  works selectively with local, top-quality builders and developers,
and requires substantial equity from its borrowers.

     The Sandy Spring Mortgage  Corporation,  a new Bank subsidiary  which began
operations  in 1997,  was  formed  to  conduct  a  mortgage  banking  operation,
originating and selling  residential  real estate mortgage loans and originating
and servicing  residential  construction  loans. The Bank, in order to build its
own  portfolio,  is a significant  investor in loans  originated by its mortgage
banking subsidiary.

     The  consumer  loan  portfolio  rose 13.7% to $35,021 at December 31, 1997,
with increases shown for virtually all loan types. Consumer lending continues to
be important to the full service  community  banking  business  conducted by the
Company.

     Commercial  loans increased 5.9% to $72,511 during 1997. For the most part,
these  are  loans  to a  diverse  cross-section  of  small-  to  mid-size  local
businesses,  many of which are existing customers of the Company. These types of
banking relationships are a natural fit for the Company, which is experienced in
serving and lending to this market segment and has knowledge of the  marketplace
through its community  roots and  involvement.  The Company desires to grow this
sector of its loan portfolio.

                                       15



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

ANALYSIS OF LOANS

The following table presents the trends in the composition of the loan portfolio
over the previous five years.




                                                              December 31,
                                       -----------------------------------------------------------
                                         1997        1996        1995        1994            1993
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
Real estate--mortgage(1)               $393,661    $376,205    $363,927    $345,547        $286,542
Real estate--construction(2)             57,687      47,654      41,725      31,853          21,770
Consumer                                 35,021      30,813      28,762      28,892          19,352
Commercial                               72,511      68,467      57,718      50,224          46,405
Tax exempt                                   13          27         408         536             671
                                        -------    --------    --------    --------        --------
  TOTAL LOANS                          $558,893    $523,166    $492,540    $457,052        $374,740
                                       ========    ========    ========    ========        ========


- -------------------
(1)  Consists of fixed and adjustable rate first and second home mortgage loans,
     residential lot loans, home equity lines of credit and commercial  mortgage
     loans.

(2)  Includes both residential and commercial properties.

SECURITIES

Securities rose 28.4% or $102,928 to $464,734 at December 31, 1997 from $361,806
at December  31, 1996.  Investments  are managed to generate  interest  revenue,
provide  liquidity  and achieve  asset/liability  management  goals.  Securities
totaling $94,379 at December 31, 1997, compared to $17,981 at December 31, 1996,
were  funded by  Federal  Home Loan Bank of  Atlanta  advances  under a leverage
program,  taking profitable  advantage of the Company's  capital  position.  The
increase in these investments  accounted for approximately  three-fourths of the
growth in available-for-sale and total securities during 1997.

ANALYSIS OF SECURITIES

The composition of Securities at December 31 for each of the latest three fiscal
years was:


                                                  1997            1996           1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      
AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE:(1)
  U.S. Treasury                                $  3,003        $ 26,940        $ 15,991
  U.S. Agency                                   288,901         145,275          70,106
  State and municipal                            31,818          26,628          35,330
  Corporate debt obligations                      1,496           1,483           2,458
  Mortgage-backed securities(2)                  14,315          31,876          40,282
  Marketable equity securities                    4,725           2,221           1,786
                                               --------        --------        --------
    Total                                       344,258         234,423         165,953

HELD-TO-MATURITY AND OTHER EQUITY:
  U.S. Treasury                                       0               0             500
  U.S. Agency                                    32,294          42,932          40,185
  State and municipal                            49,371          37,152          30,522
  Mortgage-backed securities(2)                  27,326          42,188          48,579
  Certificates of deposit                             0               0             100
  Other equity securities                        11,485           5,111           4,947
                                                --------        --------        --------
   Total                                        120,476         127,383         124,833
                                                --------        --------        --------
TOTAL SECURITIES(3)                            $464,734        $361,806        $290,786
                                                ========        ========        ========


- ----------------
(1)  At estimated fair value.

(2)  Mortgage-backed  securities  are either  issued by a federal  agency or are
     secured  by  U.S.  Agency  collateral  and  therefore  are  believed  to be
     high-quality.

(3)  The outstanding balance of no single issuer, except for U.S. Government and
     U.S.  Government Agency  securities,  exceeded ten percent of stockholders'
     equity at December 31, 1997, 1996 or 1995.

                                       16



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

     Maturities   and   weighted    average    yields   for   debt    securities
available-for-sale and held-to-maturity at December 31, 1997, are shown below:




                                                               Years to Maturity
                                        --------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Within            Over 1         Over 5              Over
                                             1              through 5      through 10            10
                                        ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Amount  Yield    Amount  Yield   Amount  Yield    Amount  Yield   TOTAL     YIELD
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               
Investments
 Available-For-Sale:(1)
  U.S. Treasury                      $ 2,992    6.04%  $      0      0% $      0     0% $      0     0% $   2,992   6.04%
  U.S. Agency                         31,478    5.65    156,581   6.34    87,484  6.80    12,730  7.10    288,273   6.43
  State and municipal(2)               7,477    7.30      9,990   7.80     5,251  6.96     8,523  7.45     31,241   7.45
  Corporate debt
   obligations                           500    5.95          0      0     1,000  5.93         0     0      1,500   5.94
  Mortgage-backed
   securities                            790    6.16      6,209   6.34     6,339  6.36       931  7.61     14,269   6.43
                                      ------            -------          -------         -------         --------
    Total Debt
     Securities                      $43,237    5.97%  $172,780   6.43% $100,074  6.77%  $22,184  7.26%   338,275   6.52%
                                     =======           ========         ========         =======
  Marketable equity
   securities                                                                                               2,593
                                                                                                           ------
    TOTAL INVEST-
     MENTS AVAILABLE-
     FOR-SALE                                                                                            $340,868
                                                                                                         ========
INVESTMENTS
 HELD-TO-MATURITY:
  U.S. Agency                       $  4,990    5.66%  $ 10,764   5.89% $  4,417  6.83%  $12,123  7.32%  $ 32,294   6.51%
  State and municipal(2)                   0       0     23,674   7.46    13,780  6.96    11,917  7.24     49,371   7.27
  Mortgage-backed
   securities                          9,257    6.72     18,069   7.01         0     0         0     0     27,326   6.91
                                      ------            -------          -------         -------         --------
   TOTAL INVEST-
     MENTS HELD-
     TO-MATURITY                     $14,247    6.35%  $ 52,507   6.98% $ 18,197  6.93%  $24,040  7.28%  $108,991   6.97%
                                     =======           ========         ========         =======         ========


- ---------------

(1)  Amounts shown at amortized cost without market value  adjustments  required
     by FASB 115  (see  notes 1 and 4 of  Notes  to the  Consolidated  Financial
     Statements.

(2)  The yields on state and  municipal  securities  have been  calculated  on a
     tax-equivalent basis using the maximum applicable federal income tax rate.

OTHER EARNING ASSETS

Residential  mortgage  loans  held for sale  decreased  16.5% or $1,315 in 1997.
Originations  and  sales of  these  loans,  and the  resulting  gains on  sales,
increased substantially during 1997 under the new mortgage banking subsidiary.

     The  aggregate of federal  funds sold and  interest-bearing  deposits  with
banks decreased 52.7% or $12,716 in 1997.

PREMISES, EQUIPMENT AND OTHER ASSETS

Significant  increases were recorded for net premises and equipment (up 40.9% or
$8,257),  primarily  reflecting costs of an administration and training facility
opened in 1997  along  with new branch  offices,  and other  assets (up 50.3% or
$3,450),  attributable  largely to  investments in single premium life insurance
policies to fund the Company's supplemental executive retirement plan.



DEPOSITS AND SHORT-TERM BORROWINGS

Total deposits increased 5.8% or $46,670 during 1997 to $853,011 at December 31,
1997, from $806,341 at December 31, 1996.  Interest-bearing  deposits rose 1.9%,
while  noninterest-bearing  deposits  increased  29.0% or $33,905,  attributable
primarily to growth in commercial and small business checking balances.

     Short-term borrowings increased $77,658 in 1997 to $144,426 at December 31,
1997,  from $66,768 at the prior year-end,  while  long-term  borrowings grew by
$9,772 to $14,592  from $4,820.  Federal  Home Loan Bank of Atlanta  advances in
connection with a leverage  program  (previously  mentioned in the discussion on
securities) were  responsible for the rise in long-term  borrowings and for most
of  the  rise  in  short-term  borrowings.   Repurchase  agreements,   primarily
associated with cash management services to commercial  clients,  were the other
category of short-term borrowings which increased in 1997, by 31.7% or $14,003.

CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

During  1997,  stockholders'  equity  increased  8.4% or $8,094 to  $104,675  at
December 31, 1997,  from $96,581 at December 31, 1996. The increase for 1997 was
due to internal capital generation,  which is net earnings less dividends.  As a
percent of average  equity,  the internal  capital  generation rate was 8.6% for
1997, which was essentially

                                       17



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

unchanged from 1996 and 1995. Internal capital generation  contributed $8,592 to
stockholders'  equity in 1997,  preceded  by $7,776 and $7,096 in 1996 and 1995,
respectively.

     External  capital   formation  from  stock  purchases  under  the  dividend
reinvestment  plan,  newly expanded in 1997 to include  optional cash purchases,
and to a lesser degree,  under the profit sharing plan,  totaled $2,038 in 1997.
However,  share repurchases begun in 1997 have resulted in the retirement of the
equivalent of 92,300  shares at an aggregate  purchase  price of $3,857  through
December 31,  1997,  for a net decrease in  stockholders'  equity from  external
sources of $(1,819)  during 1997. By  comparison,  external  capital  formation,
resulting  from dividend  reinvestment,  the exercise of warrants,  and employee
stock  purchases  under the  Company's  stock option and profit  sharing  plans,
provided equity growth amounting to $1,741 in 1996 and $2,379 in 1995.

     The ratio of average equity to average assets was 9.65% for 1997,  compared
with 9.90% for 1996 and 9.57% for 1995.

REGULATORY CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS

The Company achieved a total risk-based  capital ratio of 17.07% at December 31,
1997, compared to 17.56% at December 31, 1996, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio
of 15.97% compared to 16.44%,  and a capital leverage ratio of 9.46% compared to
10.38%.  A  discussion  of these  quantitative  measures of  capitalization  and
regulatory capital requirements,  along with a presentation of the Company's and
the Bank's  capital and ratios  compared to the  various  regulatory  standards,
appears in Note 21 of the Notes to the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements.  At
December 31, 1997,  the Company and the bank  exceeded all capital  requirements
and were considered to be "well-capitalized" under regulatory definitions.

     Management monitors historical and projected earnings,  dividends and asset
growth,  as  well  as  risks  associated  with  the  various  types  of on-  and
off-balance sheet assets,  in order to determine the appropriate  capital levels
and the action needed, if any, to preserve capital adequacy.

CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT

     The  allowance  for credit  losses is a valuation  reserve  established  by
management  in an amount it deems  adequate to absorb  losses on loans which may
become  uncollectible.  The  adequacy  of the  allowance  for  credit  losses is
determined  through  careful and  continuous  review and  evaluation of the loan
portfolio  and  involves  the  balancing  of a number of factors to  establish a
prudent  level.  Management  records  provisions  for credit  losses in order to
increase the allowance to the level it deems adequate. Loan charge-offs decrease
the  allowance.  Management  believes  that the  allowance  for credit losses is
adequate.

     Nonperforming  loans decreased by $1,983 to $2,672 and total  nonperforming
assets  decreased  by $1,687 to $2,968 from  December  31, 1996 to December  31,
1997. Expressed as a percentage of total assets, nonperforming assets were 0.26%
at  December  31,  1997,  representing  a level  more in line  with  the  Bank's
historical  performance,  compared to 0.48% at December 31, 1996, reflecting the
merger with Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc. during 1996. As can be seen in the table
below, all categories of nonperforming loans declined during 1997. The allowance
for credit losses represented 263% of nonperforming  loans at December 31, 1997,
compared  to  coverage  of  137%  a  year  earlier,   with  the  change  largely
attributable to the decrease in nonperforming  loans.  Significant  variation in
the  coverage  ratio may occur  from  period to  period  because  the  amount of
nonperforming  loans  depends  largely  on the  condition  of a small  number of
individual loans and borrowers relative to the total loan portfolio.  Other real
estate owned totaled $296 at December 31, 1997, compared to no other real estate
owned properties at December 31, 1996. The balance of impaired loans was $890 at
December 31, 1997,  and there was no reserve on those loans,  compared to $1,280
with a reserve of $127 at December 31, 1996.

     The major  concentrations  of credit risk for the Company arise by customer
location,  because it operates  only in four  counties in the State of Maryland,
and by loan portfolio composition. Real estate secured credits represented 80.8%
of total loans at December  31, 1997,  and 81.0% at December  31,  1996.  In the
past,  the Company has  experienced  low loss levels,  especially in real estate
secured loans,  through various economic cycles and conditions.  The risk of the
Company's  real estate loan  concentration  is  mitigated  by the nature of real
estate collateral,  the Bank's substantial experience in most of its markets and
its intention to maintain risk averse lending practices.

     The provision for credit losses charged against  earnings was $986 in 1997,
compared with $308 in 1996, an increase of $678. The provision was $180 in 1995.
Net charge-offs of $361,  $514, and $246 were recorded in 1997,  1996, and 1995,
respectively.  The ratio of net  charge-offs to average loans was 0.07% in 1997,
compared to 0.10% in 1996 and 0.05% in 1995. Although the provision exceeded net
charge-offs  in 1997,  unlike 1996, the ratio of the allowance for credit losses
to year-end loans remained  essentially  unchanged over the period (1.26% versus
1.22%).  The allowance was $7,016 at December 31, 1997 versus $6,391 at December
31, 1996.

                                       18



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

ANALYSIS OF CREDIT RISK

Activity in the allowance for credit losses for the five years ended December 31
is shown below:



                                        1997      1996       1995       1994       1993
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     
 Balance,  January 1                   $6,391   $6,597     $6,663      $6,681    $4,213
 Provision for credit losses              986      308        180         211     1,057
 Allowance from merger transaction          0        0          0           0     1,158
 Loan charge-offs:
  Real estate--mortgage                   (60)      (3)       (33)       (135)        0
  Real estate--construction               (79)       0          0           0         0
  Consumer                               (167)    (143)      (209)        (32)     (104)
  Commercial                             (235)    (469)      (507)       (342)      (29)
                                         ----     ----       ----        ----      ----
    Total charge-offs                    (541)    (615)      (749)       (509)     (133)
Loan recoveries:
  Real estate--mortgage                     0        0        153          16        54
  Real estate--construction                 0        0          0           0         0
  Consumer                                 39       37         30          40        79
  Commercial                              141       64        320         224       253
                                         ----     ----       ----        ----      ----
    Total recoveries                      180      101        503         280       386
                                         ----     ----       ----        ----      ----
Net (charge-offs) recoveries             (361)    (514)      (246)       (229)      253
                                         ----     ----       ----        ----      ----
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31                   $7,016   $6,391     $6,597      $6,663    $6,681
                                       ======   ======     ======      ======    ======
Net  charge-offs  to average  loans      0.07%    0.10%      0.05%       0.06%        *
Allowance to total loans                 1.26%    1.22%      1.34%       1.46%     1.78%


- ---------------
*The Company  had  net  recoveries  in  1993.

The following table presents  nonperforming assets at year-end for the last five
years:




                                                                December 31,                    
                                              ------------------------------------------------  
                                              1997       1996       1995       1994       1993  
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
                                                                           
Non-accrual loans(1)                         $  890     $1,291      $590     $  866     $2,969  
Loans 90 days past due                        1,764      3,337       272        832        517  
Restructured loans                               18         27        36         44        394  
                                             ------     ------      ----      -----     ------  
    Total Nonperforming Loans(2)(3)           2,672      4,655       898      1,742      3,880  
Other real estate owned, net                    296          0        47        277      1,387  
                                             ------     ------      ----     ------     ------  
    TOTAL NONPERFORMING ASSETS               $2,968     $4,655      $734     $2,019     $5,267  
                                             ======     ======      ====     ======     ======  
    NONPERFORMING ASSETS TO TOTAL ASSETS       0.26%      0.48%     0.11%      0.24%      0.67%


(1)  Gross interest  income that would have been recorded in 1997 if non-accrual
     loans had been  current and in  accordance  with their  original  terms was
     $122, while interest actually recorded on such loans was $61.
(2)  Those performing loans considered  potential  problem loans, as defined and
     identified by management, amounted to $7,890 at December 31, 1997. Although
     these are loans  where  known  information  about the  borrowers'  possible
     credit  problems  causes  management  to have  doubts as to the  borrowers'
     ability to comply  with the present  loan  repayment  terms,  most are well
     collateralized  and are not believed to present  significant  risk of loss.
     Loans  classified  for  regulatory  purposes not included in  nonperforming
     loans  consist only of "other loans  especially  mentioned"  and do not, in
     management's  opinion,  represent  or result from  trends or  uncertainties
     reasonably   expected  to  materially  impact  future  operating   results,
     liquidity or capital  resources or represent  material  credits where known
     information about the borrowers' possible credit problems causes management
     to have  doubts  as to the  borrowers'  ability  to  comply  with  the loan
     repayment terms.
(3)  Installment  loans past due by 90 days or more are  included  in the totals
     for  the  "loans  90 days  past  due"  line in the  table  above  and  were
     immaterial at December 31, 1997 and 1996.


MARKET RISK MANAGEMENT

The Company's net income is largely dependent on the Bank's net interest income.
Net  interest  income is  susceptible  to interest  rate risk to the degree that
interest-bearing  liabilities  mature  or  reprice  on a  different  basis  than
interest-earning  assets.  When  interest-bearing  liabilities mature or reprice
more quickly  than  interest-earning  assets in a given  period,  a  significant
increase in market rates of interest could adversely affect net interest income.
Similarly,  when  interest-earning  assets  mature or reprice  more quickly than
interest-bearing liabilities,  falling interest rates could result in a decrease
in net  income.  Interest  income is also  affected by changes in the portion of
interest-earning  assets that are funded by interest-bearing  liabilities rather
than by  other  sources  of  funds,  such as  noninterest-bearing  deposits  and
stockholders' equity.

     The Bank's interest rate  sensitivity,  as measured by the repricing of its
interest  sensitive assets and liabilities at December 31, 1997, is presented in
the following  table. As indicated in the note to the table,  the data was based
in  part  on  assumptions  that  are  regularly  reviewed  for  propriety.   The
accompanying  analysis indicates a moderate level of interest rate risk based on
the  Bank's  having  approximately  52%  of its  rate  sensitive  assets  versus
approximately  54% of its rate  sensitive  liabilities  subject to  maturity  or
repricing within a one year period from December 31, 1997 (termed GAP analysis).
By managing to  approximately  match the dollar amount of assets and liabilities
whose interest rates

                                       19



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

are  subject to  change,  the Bank  seeks to  control  the risk of a  pronounced
adverse impact on its revenues (net interest income)  occurring due to a decline
in the net interest  margin.  While the Bank's  senior  management,  through its
Asset Liability  Management Committee (ALCO), has a preference for maintaining a
moderate  level of  interest  rate risk as measured by the  repricing  GAP,  the
Company's  interest  rate risk  policies  are guided by  results  of  simulation
analysis which takes into account more factors than does GAP analysis.  The ALCO
analyzes balance sheet, income statement,  and margin trends monthly. A detailed
quarterly  interest rate risk profile is performed for ALCO and is reviewed with
the Board of Directors.

     The following GAP analysis  schedule sets out the time frames from December
31, 1997, in which the Bank's assets and liabilities are subject to repricing:



                                               0-90        91-365     Over 1-3     Over 3-5    Over 5  
                                               Days        Days       Years        Years       Years   
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
                                                                                     
RATE SENSITIVE ASSETS:                                                                                 
  Loans                                       $168,647    $106,918   $179,383    $ 50,080     $ 53,865 
  Taxable securities                           110,897     113,041    105,184      17,758       19,777 
  Nontaxable securities                          2,275       5,185     17,925      15,975       39,252 
  Other investments                             32,736           0          0           0            0 
                                               -------     -------    -------    --------     -------- 
    TOTAL                                      314,555     225,144    302,492      83,813      112,894 
RATE SENSITIVE LIABILITIES:                                                                            
  Noninterest-bearing demand deposits           30,202           0     48,323      46,309       26,175 
  Interest-bearing demand deposits               6,924      20,770     55,388      32,310            0 
  Regular savings deposits                       4,593      13,778     36,741      35,210        1,531 
  Money market savings deposits                 13,058      39,173    104,462           0            0 
  Time deposits                                105,571     155,440     67,687      15,648            0 
  Short-term borrowings and other                                                                      
   rate sensitive liabilities                   96,903      59,573      1,000           0        2,020 
                                              --------    --------   --------    --------     -------- 
    TOTAL                                      257,251     288,734    313,601     129,477       29,726 
                                              --------    --------   --------    --------     -------- 
   CUMULATIVE GAP                             $ 57,304    $ (6,286)  $(17,395)   $(63,059)    $ 20,109 
                                              ========    ========   ========    ========     ======== 
      As a Percent of Total Assets                5.11%      (0.56)%    (1.55)%      5.62%        1.79%
    CUMULATIVE RATE SENSITIVE                                                                          
    ASSETS TO RATE SENSITIVE LIABILITIES          1.22        0.99       0.98        0.94         1.02 


NOTE: This analysis is based upon a number of significant  assumptions including
the  following:   Loans  are  repaid/rescheduled  by  contractual  maturity  and
repricings.  Securities, except mortgage-backed securities, are repaid according
to contractual  maturity  adjusted for call features.  Mortgage-backed  security
repricing  is adjusted for  estimated  early  paydowns.  In order to reflect the
temporary  seasonal influx of  noninterest-bearing  demand deposits at year-end,
which  inflates  short-term  rate sensitive  assets,  such deposits in excess of
their  average  balance  for the year are shown in 0-90  days.  Interest-bearing
demand,  regular  savings and money market  savings  deposits  are  estimated to
exhibit  some  rate  sensitivity  based  on  management's  analysis  of  deposit
withdrawals. Time deposits are shown in the table based on contractual maturity.

     The Bank's Board of Directors has established a comprehensive interest rate
risk management  policy,  which is administered by ALCO. The policy  establishes
limits of risk, which are quantitative  measures of the percentage change in net
interest income and equity capital  resulting from a hypothetical  plus or minus
200 basis point change in U.S.  Treasury  interest rates for maturities from one
month to  thirty  years.  By  employing  simulation  analysis  through  use of a
computer  model,  the Bank intends to effectively  manage the potential  adverse
impacts that changing  interest rates can have on the  institution's  short term
earnings,  long  term  value,  and  liquidity.  The  simulation  model  captures
optionality  factors such as call  features  and  interest  rate caps and floors
imbedded in investment  and loan portfolio  contracts.  As of December 31, 1997,
the Bank had the following estimated sensitivity profile for net interest income
and the fair value of capital:



                                                Immediate Change in Rates
                                             ------------------------------------
                                             +200 basis points  -200 basis points  Policy Limit
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
 % Change  in Net Interest  Earnings               (7.57)%            0.75%           +/-15%
 % Change in Fair Value of Capital                  7.03%           (14.24)%          +/-25%


     As with any  method of  gauging  interest  rate  risk,  there  are  certain
shortcomings  inherent in the interest rate  modelling  methodology  used by the
Company. When interest rates change, actual movements in different categories of
interest-earning assets and interest-bearing  liabilities, loan prepayments, and
withdrawals  of  time  and  other  deposits,   may  deviate  significantly  from
assumptions  used in the model.  Finally,  the  methodology  does not measure or
reflect the impact that higher rates may have on adjustable-rate loan customers'
ability to service  their  debts,  or the impact of changed  rates on demand for
loan or deposit products.  All of these factors are considered in monitoring the
Bank's exposure to interest rate risk.

     In addition to the potential  adverse  impact that changing  interest rates
may have on the Bank's interest margin and operating results,  potential adverse
impacts on  liquidity  can occur as a result of changes  in the  estimated  cash
flows from the investment,  loan and deposit  portfolios.  The Bank manages this
inherent  risk  by  maintaining  a  sizeable  portfolio  of   available-for-sale
investments  as well as a secondary  source of liquidity  from Federal Home Loan
Bank advances.

                                       20



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)

LIQUIDITY

The Company's liquidity position, considering both internal and external sources
available, exceeded anticipated short- and long-term needs at December 31, 1997.
Core deposits,  considered to be stable funds sources and defined to include all
deposits  except time  deposits of $100 or more,  equaled 75.8% of total earning
assets at December 31, 1997.  In addition,  substantial  amortizing  residential
mortgage loans, maturities, calls and paydowns of securities, deposit growth and
earnings contribute a flow of funds available to meet liquidity requirements. In
assessing   liquidity,   management   considers  operating   requirements,   the
seasonality of deposit flows, investment, loan and deposit maturities,  expected
fundings  of  loans  and  deposit   withdrawals,   and  the  market   values  of
available-for-sale  investments, so that sufficient funds are available on short
notice to meet  obligations as they arise and to ensure that the Company is able
to pursue new business opportunities.

     The Bank's liquidity  position is measured monthly,  looking forward ninety
days.  Liquid  assets,  defined to include  cash on hand,  federal  funds  sold,
interest-bearing   deposits  with  banks,  loans  held  for  sale,   investments
held-to-maturity maturing within ninety days and investments  available-for-sale
maturing within one year, net of projected loan growth over the following ninety
days,  totalled  $219,613 or 19.6% of total assets at December  31,  1997.  This
represents a liquidity  position,  net of estimated  potential cash outflows for
deposits and borrowings,  of $128,587 or 11.50% of total assets,  which exceeded
management's target range.

     The primary external source of liquidity  available is a line of credit for
$200,000  with the  Federal  Home Loan Bank of  Atlanta,  of which  $98,720  was
outstanding  at December 31, 1997.  Core  deposits  increased by $40,877  during
1997,  while loans grew by $35,727,  so that borrowed funds were not required to
support loan growth.  As disclosed  previously in the  discussion of securities,
Federal Home Loan Bank advances increased in 1997 due to management's  desire to
leverage the balance sheet at favorable  interest  spreads to enhance the return
on stockholders' equity.

     The  Company's  time  deposits  of $100 or more  represented  7.4% of total
deposits at December  31, 1997 and are shown by maturity in the table  below.


 

                                           Months to Maturity
                                      -----------------------------------
                                         3 or    Over 3  Over 6  Over
                                         less     to 6    to 12   12      TOTAL
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              
Time  deposits -- $100 or more         $20,848  $12,399 $14,802  $14,918 $62,967


YEAR 2000 ISSUE

Many computer  programs now in use have not been designed to properly  recognize
years  after  1999.  If not  corrected,  these  programs  could  fail or  create
erroneous  results.  This year 2000 issue  affects the entire  banking  industry
because of its  reliance on  computers  and other  equipment  that use  computer
chips, and may have significant effects on banking customers and regulators.  In
recognition of the potential adverse effects of the year 2000 issue,  management
of the  Company  created  a task  force and  established  a plan to  prevent  or
mitigate  adverse  effects  of the  year  2000  issue  on the  Company  and  its
customers.  The Board of Directors reviews progress under the plan each quarter.
The Company's  primary  supplier of data processing  services also has adopted a
year 2000 plan and  timetable.  Management  believes  that the cost of resolving
year 2000 issues relating to the Company's  computer  programs and those used by
its suppliers of significant  data  processing  services will not be material to
the Company's business,  operations,  liquidity, capital resources, or financial
condition,  based on information  developed to date and communications from data
processing  suppliers.  The  Company's  year 2000 plan requires an assessment of
year 2000 effects on its commercial lending and other customers.  The effects on
individual,   corporate  and  governmental  customers  of  the  Company  and  on
governmental authorities that regulate the Company and its subsidiaries, and any
resulting consequences to the Company, cannot yet be determined. The Company has
committed   significant   management  resources  to  identification  and  timely
resolution of all significant year 2000 issues.


                                       21



CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)


                                                            December 31,
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                     1997         1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               
ASSETS
 Cash and due from banks                           $ 37,644      $32,899
 Federal funds sold                                  11,036       23,278
 Interest-bearing deposits with banks                   387          861
 Residential mortgage loans held for sale             6,670        7,985
 Investments available-for-sale (at fair value)     344,258      234,423
 Investments held-to-maturity  fair value of
  $110,437 (1997) and $123,067 (1996)               108,991      122,272
 Other equity securities                             11,485        5,111
 Total loans (net of unearned income)               558,893      523,166
  Less: Allowance for credit losses                  (7,016)      (6,391)
                                                   --------      ------- 
    Net loans                                       551,877      516,775
 Premises and equipment, net                         28,468       20,211
 Accrued interest receivable                          9,908        7,917
 Other real estate owned                                296            0
 Other assets                                        10,313        6,863
                                                 ----------    ---------
     TOTAL ASSETS                                $1,121,333     $978,595
                                                 ==========    ========
LIABILITIES
  Noninterest-bearing deposits                    $ 150,957     $117,052
  Interest-bearing deposits                         702,054      689,289
     Total deposits                                 853,011      806,341
  Short-term borrowings                             144,426       66,768
  Long-term borrowings                               14,592        4,820
  Accrued interest and other liabilities              4,629        4,085
                                                 ----------    --------- 
TOTAL LIABILITIES                                 1,016,658      882,014
STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
  Common stock  par value $1.00; shares authorized 
    15,000,000; shares issued and outstanding
    4,862,574 (1997) and 4,902,113 (1996)             4,862        4,902
  Surplus                                            31,695       33,474
  Retained earnings                                  66,261       57,669
  Net unrealized gain on investments 
    available-for-sale, net of taxes                  1,857          536
                                                 ----------    --------- 
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY                           104,675       96,581
                                                 ----------    --------- 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY        $1,121,333     $978,595
                                                 ==========     ========


See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

                                       22



CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)


                                                        Years Ended December 31,
                                                --------------------------------------
                                                          1997      1996     1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        
Interest income:
  Interest and fees on loans                            $49,658   $46,491   $43,926 
  Interest on loans held for sale                           320       196        55 
  Interest on deposits with banks                            74       187        39 
  Interest and dividends on securities:
    Taxable                                              20,931    15,062    13,769 
    Nontaxable                                            3,386     3,343     3,454 

Interest on federal funds sold                            1,196     1,342       872
                                                        -------   -------   ------- 
    TOTAL INTEREST INCOME                                75,565    66,621    62,115
Interest expense:                                           
  Interest on deposits                                    28,70    27,889    26,705
  Interest on short-term borrowings                       5,438     2,021     2,284
  Interest on long-term borrowings                          348       323       353
                                                        -------   -------   ------- 
    TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE                               34,486    30,233    29,342
                                                        -------   -------   ------- 
NET INTEREST INCOME                                      41,079    36,388    32,773
Provision for Credit Losses                                 986       308       180
NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION                     -------   -------   ------- 
  FOR CREDIT LOSSES                                      40,093    36,080    32,593
Noninterest Income:
  Securities gains (losses)                                 637        30      (279)
  Service charges on deposit accounts                     3,403     2,964     2,569
  Gains on mortgage sales                                 1,246       825       244
  Trust income                                            1,188       943       760
  Other income                                            2,658     1,785     1,184
                                                        -------   -------   ------- 
    TOTAL NONINTEREST INCOME                              9,132     6,547     4,478
Noninterest Expenses:
  Salaries and employee benefits                         16,824    14,447    12,726
  Occupancy expense of premises                           2,355     2,082     1,814
  Equipment expenses                                      2,208     2,165     1,943
  Marketing                                               1,254     1,145       585
  FDIC insurance expense                                    102         4       818 
  Outside data services                                   1,273     1,109       787 
  Other expenses                                          5,426     4,392     3,751 
                                                         ------   -------    ------ 
    TOTAL NONINTEREST EXPENSES                           29,442    25,344    22,424
                                                         ------   -------    ------ 
Income before income taxes                               19,783    17,283    14,647
Income tax expense                                        6,588     5,789     4,653
                                                         ------   -------    ------
NET INCOME                                              $13,195   $11,494    $9,994
                                                        =======   =======    ======
BASIC NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE*                        $1.35     $1.18     $1.05
DILUTED NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE*                      $1.34     $1.18     $1.04


*Per share data have been adjusted to give  retroactive  effect to 2-for-1 stock
splits  declared  on  March  29,  1995  and  January  28,  1998.  See  Notes  to
Consolidated Financial Statements.

                                       23



(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)



                                                                               Years Ended December 31,
                                                                      ---------------------------------------------
                                                                            1997             1996             1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
                                                                                                         
  Net Income                                                            $  13,195       $  11,494        $    9,994
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
    operating activities:
  Depreciation and amortization                                             2,197            1,791            1,655
  Provision for credit losses                                                 986              308              180
  Deferred income taxes                                                       105              152              272
  Origination of loans held for sale                                      (77,672)         (59,717)         (23,971)
  Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale                               80,233           57,282           19,490
  Gains on sales of loans held for sale                                    (1,246)            (825)            (244)
  Securities (gains) losses                                                  (637)             (30)             278
  Net change in:                                                            
    Accrued interest receivable                                            (1,991)          (1,423)            (300)
    Accrued income taxes                                                     (469)             202              477
    Other accrued expenses                                                  1,012           (1,457)             255
    Other assets                                                           (3,927)             (72)            (191)
  Other - net                                                                (515)           2,409           (2,381)
                                                                           -------          ------           -------
     NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES                             11,271           10,114            5,514
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
  Net decrease (increase) in interest-bearing deposits with banks             474              (13)            (588)
  Purchases of investments held-to-maturity                               (22,897)         (36,941)         (26,408)
  Purchases of other equity securities                                     (6,374)            (304)               0
  Purchases of investments available-for-sale                            (456,306)        (159,085)         (38,030)
  Proceeds from sales of investments available-for-sale                    86,005           19,392           13,140
  Proceeds from maturities, calls and principal payments of
   investments held-to-maturity                                            36,380           28,815           39,902
  Proceeds from maturities, calls and principal payments of
   investments available-for-sale                                         262,918           77,075           35,729
  Proceeds from sales of loans                                                  0              291            1,620 
  Proceeds from sales of other real estate owned                              500              442              665
  Net increase in loans receivable                                        (36,457)         (31,127)         (34,701)
  Purchases of loans                                                            0                0           (2,826)
  Net funds received in branch purchase                                         0           17,181                0
  Expenditures for premises and equipment                                 (10,689)          (2,031)          (5,281)
                                                                          -------           ------           ------
  
     NET CASH USED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES                               (146,446)         (86,305)         (16,778)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
  Net increase (decrease) in demand and savings accounts                   40,224           25,484          (45,164)
  Net increase (decrease) in time and other deposits                        6,446           18,571           88,417
  Net increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings                         77,458           29,864          (13,439)
  Proceeds from long-term borrowings                                       10,000            1,800                0
  Retirement of long-term borrowings                                          (28)             (31)             (29)
  Net (decrease) increase in balance due to banks                               0           (1,733)           1,733
  Common stock purchased and retired                                       (3,857)               0                0
  Proceeds from issuance of common stock                                    2,038            1,741            2,379
  Dividends paid                                                           (4,603)          (3,763)          (2,881)
                                                                          -------           -------         -------
     NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES                            127,678           71,933           31,016
                                                                          -------           -------         -------
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUICALENTS                       (7,497)          (4,258)          19,752
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year                             56,177           60,435           40,683
                                                                           ------           ------           ------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR*                               $  48,680        $  56,177         $ 60,435
                                                                        =========        =========         ========
Supplemental Disclosures:
  Interest payments                                                     $  33,421        $  31,157         $ 29,424
  Income tax payments                                                       7,491            5,441            4,286
Noncash Investing Activities:
  Transfers from loans to other real estate owned                             730              210              419
  Reclassification of borrowings from long-term to short-term                 200            2,100                0
  Investment transfers from held-to maturity                                    0                0          443,630


*    Cash and cash  equivalents  include those amounts under the captions  "Cash
     and due from banks" and "Federal  funds sold" on the  Consolidated  Balance
     Sheets.
See Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements.

                                       24




CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)


                                                                       Years Ended December 31,
                                                                   --------------------------------
                                                                     1997       1996       1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 
Common stock:
  Balance at beginning of year                                     $4,902      $4,821     $2,484
    Increase in shares as a result of 2-for-1 stock
      split in the form of a stock dividend                             0           0      2,140
    Increase in shares as a result of a 20% stock dividend
      by pooled bank prior to acquisition                               0           0         82
    Employee stock purchases in profit sharing plan  shares issued
      9,358 (1997), 11,020 (1996) and 8,592 (1995)                      9          11          9
    Exercise of stock options  shares issued 0 (1997),
      31,565 (1996) and 9,404 (1995)                                    0          31         10
    Stock purchases under dividend reinvestment and stock purchase 
      plan  shares issued 43,327 (1997), 35,273 (1996) and 35,300
      (1995)                                                           43          35         35
    Stock repurchases  shares retired 92,300 (1997)                   (92)          0          0
    Exercise of warrants of pooled bank prior to merger
      shares issued 0 (1997), 3,755 (1996) and 61,404 (1995)            0           4         61
                                                                   ------      ------     ------
        COMMON STOCK AT END OF YEAR                                 4,862       4,902      4,821

Surplus:
    Balance at beginning of year                                   33,474      31,814     31,772
    Transfer to common stock  for 2-for-1 stock split                   0           0     (2,140)
    Transfer to common stock  20% stock dividend by pooled bank         0           0        (82)
    Employee stock purchases in profit sharing plan                   283         353        201
    Exercise of stock options                                           0          67         80
    Stock purchases in dividend reinvestment and stock
      purchase plan                                                 1,703       1,194        965
    Stock repurchases                                              (3,765)          0          0
    Exercise of warrants of pooled bank prior to merger                 0          46      1,018
                                                                   ------      ------     ------
        SURPLUS AT END OF YEAR                                     31,695      33,474     31,814
Retained earnings:
    Balance at beginning of year                                   57,669      49,893     42,797
      Net income                                                   13,195      11,494      9,994
      Cash dividends*  $0.47 (1997), $0.39 (1996) 
        and $0.32 (1995) per share                                 (4,603)     (3,620)    (2,755)
      Cash dividends by pooled bank prior to acquisition                0         (98)      (143)
                                                                    ------      ------     ------
        RETAINED EARNINGS AT END OF YEAR                           66,261      57,669     49,893

 Net unrealized gain on investments available-for-sale,
   net of taxes: 
  Balance at beginning of year                                        536         413     (3,287)

    Net change in unrealized gain on investments 
     available-for-sale, net of taxes                               1,321         123      3,700
                                                                   ------      ------     ------
NET UNREALIZED GAIN, NET OF TAXES, AT END OF YEAR                   1,857         536        413
                                                                    -----         ---        ---
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY                                        $104,675     $96,581    $86,941
                                                                 ========     =======    =======


* Per share data have been adjusted to give retroactive  effect to 2-for-1 stock
splits  declared  on  March  29,  1995  and  January  28,  1998.  See  Notes  to
Consolidated Financial Statements.

                                       25




NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

NOTE 1  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The  accounting  and reporting  policies of the Company,  which  includes  Sandy
Spring  Bancorp,  its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Sandy Spring  National  Bank of
Maryland (the Bank) and its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation and
Sandy Spring  Mortgage  Corporation,  conform to generally  accepted  accounting
principles  and  to  general  practice  within  the  banking  industry.  Certain
reclassifications  have been made to amounts previously reported to conform with
the  classifications  made in  1997.  The  following  is a  summary  of the more
significant accounting policies:

NATURE OF OPERATIONS

Through its subsidiary,  the Company conducts a full-service commercial banking,
mortgage  banking and trust  business.  Services to  individuals  and businesses
include accepting deposits, extending real estate, consumer and commercial loans
and lines of credit,  safe deposit  boxes,  and  personal  trust  services.  The
Company operates in four Maryland counties,  Montgomery,  Howard, Prince Georges
and Anne  Arundel,  and  continues to show a  concentration  in loans secured by
residential and commercial real estate. The Company has a small presence,  based
on revenue, in the annuity business through an insurance agency subsidiary.

POLICY FOR CONSOLIDATION

The  consolidated  financial  statements  include the  accounts of Sandy  Spring
Bancorp and its  subsidiaries.  Consolidation has resulted in the elimination of
all significant intercompany balances and transactions. 

     The financial  statements of Sandy Spring Bancorp (Parent Only) include its
investment in the Bank under the equity method of accounting.

USE OF ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial  statements in conformity  with generally  accepted
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect  the  reported  amounts  of assets  and  liabilities  and  disclosure  of
contingent  assets and  liabilities at the date of the financial  statements and
reported  amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting  period.  Actual
results could differ from those estimates.

RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOANS HELD FOR SALE

The Company  engages in sales of  residential  mortgage  loans.  Those loans are
originated and sold by Sandy Spring  Mortgage  Corporation.  Loans held for sale
are carried at the lower of  aggregate  cost or fair value.  Gains and losses on
sales of these loans are  recorded as a component of  noninterest  income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income.

     When the  Company  retains  the  servicing  rights  to  collect  and  remit
principal  and  interest  payments,  manage  escrow  account  matters and handle
borrower  relationships on mortgage loans sold,  resulting service fee income is
included in noninterest  income.  The Companys current practices are to sell all
loans servicing released and, therefore, it has no intangible asset recorded for
the value of such servicing.

INVESTMENTS AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE

Marketable   equity   securities   and  debt   securities   not   classified  as
held-to-maturity    are    classified    as    available-for-sale.    Securities
available-for-sale  are  acquired  as  part  of  the  Companys   asset/liability
management  strategy  and may be sold in response to changes in interest  rates,
loan  demand,   changes  in  prepayment  risk  and  other  factors.   Securities
available-for-sale  are carried at fair value,  with unrealized  gains or losses
based on the difference  between  amortized  cost and fair value,  reported as a
separate  component of stockholders  equity, net of deferred tax. Realized gains
and losses, using the specific identification method, are included as a separate
component of noninterest income.  Related interest and dividends are included in
interest  income.  Premiums on covered call options are deferred and included in
income upon option  expiration or included in the  computation of realized gains
upon option exercise.

INVESTMENTS HELD-TO-MATURITY AND OTHER EQUITY SECURITIES

Investments  held-to-maturity  are those  securities  which the  Company has the
ability and positive intent to hold until maturity.  Securities so classified at
time  of  purchase   are   recorded  at  cost.   Securities   transferred   into
held-to-maturity  from the  available-for-sale  portfolio  are  recorded at fair
value at time of transfer with  unrealized  gains or losses  reflected in equity
and amortized  over the remaining life of the security.  The carrying  values of
securities  held-to-maturity  are adjusted for premium amortization and discount
accretion.

     Other equity  securities  represent  Federal  Reserve Bank and Federal Home
Loan Bank stock, which are considered restricted as to marketability.

                                       26



LOANS

Loans are stated at their principal balance outstanding net of any deferred fees
and costs.  Interest income on loans is accrued at the contractual rate based on
the principal  outstanding.  The Company  places loans,  except for  installment
loans,  on  nonaccrual  when any portion of the  principal or interest is ninety
days past due and  collateral  is  insufficient  to discharge  the debt in full.
Interest  accrual may also be discontinued  earlier if, in managements  opinion,
collection  is  unlikely.  Generally,   installment  loans  are  not  placed  on
nonaccrual, but are charged off when they are five months past due.

     Loans are considered  impaired when,  based on current  information,  it is
probable that the Company will not collect all  principal and interest  payments
according to contractual terms.  Generally,  loans are considered  impaired once
principal  or  interest  payments  become  90 days or more past due and they are
placed on nonaccrual.  Management also considers the financial  condition of the
borrower,  cash  flows  of the loan and the  value  of the  related  collateral.
Impaired loans do not include large groups of smaller balance  homogeneous loans
such as  residential  real  estate  and  consumer  installment  loans  which are
evaluated   collectively  for  impairment.   Loans  specifically   reviewed  for
impairment  are not  considered  impaired  during  periods of  minimal  delay in
payment (90 days or less)  provided  eventual  collection  of all amounts due is
expected.  The  impairment  of a loan is measured  based on the present value of
expected future cash flows  discounted at the loans effective  interest rate, or
the fair value of the  collateral if repayment is expected to be provided by the
collateral.  Generally,  the  Companys  impairment  on such loans is measured by
reference to the fair value of the collateral. Interest income on impaired loans
is recognized on the cash basis.

ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The  allowance for credit losses  represents  an amount  which,  in  managements
judgment, will be adequate to absorb probable losses on existing loans and other
extensions  of  credit  that  may  become  uncollectible.  The  adequacy  of the
allowance for credit losses is determined  through careful and continuous review
and  evaluation of the loan  portfolio and involves the balancing of a number of
factors to establish a prudent level.  Among the factors  considered are lending
risks  associated with growth and entry into new markets,  loss  allocations for
specific  nonperforming  credits,  the level of the  allowance to  nonperforming
loans,  historical loss experience,  economic  conditions,  portfolio trends and
credit  concentrations,  and  changes  in the  size  and  character  of the loan
portfolio,  among other factors,  considered  along with  managements  judgment.
Allowances  for impaired  loans are  generally  determined  based on  collateral
values.  Loans deemed  uncollectible  are charged against,  while recoveries are
credited  to,  the  allowance.  Management  adjusts  the level of the  allowance
through the provision for credit  losses,  which is recorded as a current period
operating expense.  

Management  believes that the allowance for credit losses is
adequate.  While  management used available  information to recognize  losses on
loans,  future  additions to the allowance may be necessary  based on changes in
economic conditions.  In addition,  various regulatory agencies,  as an integral
part of their examination  process,  and independent  consultants engaged by the
Bank,  periodically  review the Banks loan  portfolio  and  allowance for credit
losses.  Such review may result in  recognition  of additions  to the  allowance
based on their  judgments of information  available to them at the time of their
examination.

PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

Premises and  equipment  are stated at cost less  accumulated  depreciation  and
amortization computed using the straight-line method. Premises and equipment are
depreciated  over  the  useful  lives  of  the  assets,   except  for  leasehold
improvements  which are amortized over the terms of the respective leases or the
estimated useful lives of the improvements,  whichever is shorter.  The costs of
major  renewals and  betterments  are  capitalized,  while the costs of ordinary
maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

OTHER REAL ESTATE OWNED (OREO)

OREO comprises  properties  acquired in partial or total satisfaction of problem
loans.  The  properties  are  recorded at the lower of cost or fair value at the
date acquired.  Losses arising at the time of acquisition of such properties are
charged against the allowance for credit losses. Subsequent write-downs that may
be required are added to a valuation reserve. Gains and losses realized from the
sale of OREO,  as well as valuation  adjustments,  are  included in  noninterest
income. Expenses of operation are included in noninterest expense.

INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense is based on the results of operations, adjusted for permanent
differences  between  items of  income  or  expense  reported  in the  financial
statements  and those  reported for tax purposes.  Under the  liability  method,
deferred  income  taxes are  determined  based on the  differences  between  the
financial  statement  carrying  amounts  and the  income tax bases of assets and
liabilities  and are  measured  at the  enacted tax rates that will be in effect
when these differences reverse.

                                       27



NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

In June 1996,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board issued  Statement of
Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 125, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing
of  Financial  Assets and  Extinguishments  of  Liabilities  (FASB  125),  which
provides new accounting and reporting standards for sales, securitizations,  and
servicing of  receivables  and other  financial  assets and  extinguishments  of
liabilities. FASB 125 is effective for transactions occurring after December 31,
1996, except for the provisions  relating to repurchase  agreements,  securities
lending and other similar  transactions and pledged collateral,  which have been
delayed  until after  December 31, 1997 by FASB 127,  Deferral of the  Effective
Date of Certain  Provisions of FASB Statement No. 125, an amendment of FASB 125.
Adoption of FASB 125 was not  material;  FASB 127 will be adopted as required in
1998 and is not  expected to have a material  impact on the  Companys  financial
condition or results of operations.

     In February  1997,  Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards  No. 128,
Earnings per Share (FASB 128),  was issued and  establishes  new  standards  for
computing  and  presenting  earnings per share.  FASB 128 is  effective  for the
Companys  December  31, 1997  financial  statements,  including  restatement  of
interim periods;  earlier  application was not permitted.  The effect of the new
standard did not have an impact on previously reported earnings per share.

     In  June  1997,  Statement  of  Financial  Accounting  Standards  No.  130,
Reporting  Comprehensive Income (FASB 130), was issued and establishes standards
for reporting and displaying  comprehensive income and its components.  FASB 130
requires  comprehensive  income  and its  components,  as  recognized  under the
accounting  standards,  to be displayed in a financial  statement  with the same
prominence  as other  financial  statements.  The  Company  plans  to adopt  the
standard,   as  required,   beginning  in  1998;  adoption  of  this  disclosure
requirement will not have a material impact on the Company.

     Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards  No. 131,  Disclosures  about
Segments of an Enterprise  and Related  Information  (FASB 131),  also issued in
June 1997,  establishes new standards for reporting  information about operating
segments in annual and interim financial statements.  The standard also requires
descriptive information about the way the operating segments are determined, the
products and services  provided by the segments,  and the nature of  differences
between  reportable  segment  measurements  and those used for the  consolidated
enterprise.  This standard is effective for years  beginning  after December 15,
1997.  Adoption in interim  financial  statements is not required until the year
after  initial  adoption,   however  comparative  prior  period  information  is
required.  The Company is evaluating the standard and plans adoption as required
in 1998; adoption of this disclosure requirement will not have a material impact
on the Company.

NOTE 2-ACQUISITION

On August 29, 1996,  the Company and its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Sandy Spring
National Bank of Maryland, merged with Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc. (ABI) and its
wholly  owned   subsidiary,   Bank  of   Annapolis,   Annapolis,   Maryland,   a
state-chartered  commercial bank. The acquisition was accounted for as a pooling
of interests, and financial information for all prior periods presented has been
restated to include the results of  operations  and  financial  position of ABI.
Based on an exchange  ratio of .62585  shares of the  Companys  common stock for
each outstanding share of ABI common stock, the Company issued 495,940 shares of
common  stock.  Pre-tax  merger-related   expenses  of  $724  were  included  in
noninterest expenses for 1996.

NOTE 3-CASH AND DUE FROM BANKS

Regulation D of the Federal  Reserve Act requires  that banks  maintain  reserve
balances with the Federal Reserve Bank based  principally on the type and amount
of their  deposits.  At its option,  the Bank maintains  additional  balances to
compensate  for clearing and  safekeeping  services.  The average  daily balance
maintained in 1997 was $19,739 and in 1996 was $20,245.

NOTE 4-INVESTMENTS AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE

The amortized cost and estimated  fair values of investments  available-for-sale
at December 31 are as follows:


                                                1997                                                  1996
                           ----------------------------------------------      ------------------------------------------------
                                        GROSS        GROSS      ESTIMATED                     Gross       Gross      Estimated
                           AMORTIZED  UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED     FAIR         Amortized   Unrealized   Unrealized     Fair
                              COST      GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE           Cost          Gains      Losses       Value
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 
U.S. Treasury              $  2,992   $    11     $     0      $  3,003       $ 26,953       $   42     $   (55)    $ 26,940
U.S. Agency                 288,273       802        (174)      288,901        145,517          186        (428)     145,275
State and municipal          31,241       577           0        31,818         26,277          382         (31)      26,628
Corporate debt obligations    1,500         0          (4)        1,496          1,500            0         (17)       1,483
Mortgage-backed securities   14,269       191        (145)       14,315         32,195          149        (468)      31,876
                           --------   -------     -------      --------       --------       ------     -------     --------
Total Debt Securities       338,275     1,581        (323)      339,533        232,442          759        (999)     232,202
Marketable equity securities  2,593     2,132           0         4,725            470        1,751           0        2,221
                           --------   -------     -------      --------       --------       ------     -------     --------
Total Investments is
Available-for-Sale         $340,868    $3,713       $(323)     $344,258       $232,912       $2,510       $(999)    $234,423
                           ========    ======       =====      ========       ========       ======       =====     ========


                                       28


     The  amortized   cost  and  estimated   fair  values  of  debt   securities
available-for-sale at December 31, 1997 and 1996 by contractual maturity, except
mortgage-backed  securities  for which an average life is used, are shown below.
Expected  maturities will differ from contractual  maturities  because borrowers
may have  the  right  to call or  prepay  obligations  with or  without  call or
prepayment penalties.


                                                  1997              1996       
                                         ---------------------------------------------------- 
                                                      ESTIMATED               Estimated       
                                         AMORTIZED       FAIR    Amortized       Fair         
                                            COST        VALUE      Cost         Value         
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                               
Due in one year or less                   $43,237      $43,294    $29,429      $29,481        
Due after one through five years          172,780      173,305    182,169      182,142        
Due after five years through ten years    100,074      100,449     17,997       17,731
Due after ten years                        22,184       22,485      2,847        2,848
                                         --------     --------   --------     --------
  Total Debt Securities                  $338,275     $339,533   $232,442     $232,202
                                         ========     ========   ========     ========

Sale of investments available-for-sale during 1997, 1996 and 1995 resulted in the following:

                                                 1997              1996                  1995
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proceeds                                       $86,005           $19,392               $13,140
Gross gains                                        998                97                     4
Gross losses                                       570                73                   345


     At  December  31,  1997 and  1996,  investments  available-for-sale  with a
carrying value of $84,962 and $60,654, respectively,  were pledged as collateral
for certain government  deposits and for other purposes as required or permitted
by law. The outstanding balance of no single issuer,  except for U.S. Government
and U.S.  Government  Agency  securities,  exceeded ten percent of  stockholders
equity at December 31, 1997 and 1996.

     The Company has covered  call  options  that are subject to  disclosure  as
derivative  financial  instruments  in  accordance  with  Statement of Financial
Accounting  Standards No. 119. These options are incident to an established plan
to enhance the yield on the Banks equity  securities  in the  available-for-sale
portfolio.  The options  contracts do not exhibit  credit risk since the Bank is
holder of the  premiums  paid.  Market  risk is  mitigated  by the fact that the
option price is stated in the contract and that the underlying  securities  held
have a significant unrealized gain position.

     At  December  31,  1997,  the  Bank had  outstanding  covered  call  option
contracts for 3,000 shares of Sallie Mae common stock,  with expiration dates of
January 17, 1998 (1,000  shares),  and April 18, 1998 (2,000  shares).  Premiums
received on these options  amounted to $35. The contracts have an average option
price of $156.67 per share and the  underlying  securities  have a quoted market
price of $139.13 per share. Excluding option premiums, these Sallie Mae holdings
had an  unrealized  gain at  December  31, 1997 of $1,004  ($138.83  per share).
Generally, the option contracts have a term of approximately one to four months.
During 1997, the Bank received total option premiums of $70.

     At  December  31,  1996,  the  Bank had  outstanding  covered  call  option
contracts for 2,000 shares of Sallie Mae common stock,  with expiration dates of
January 18, 1997 (1,000  shares),  and April 19, 1997 (1,000  shares).  Premiums
received on these options  amounted to $5. The contracts  have an average option
price of $97.50 per share and the  underlying  securities  have a quoted  market
price of $93.13 per share. Excluding option premiums,  these Sallie Mae holdings
had an  unrealized  gain at  December  31,  1996 of $1,385  ($92.83  per share).
Generally, the option contracts have a term of approximately one to four months.
During 1996, the Bank received total option premiums of $11.

NOTE 5-INVESTMENTS HELD-TO-MATURITY AND OTHER EQUITY SECURITIES

The amortized cost and estimated fair values of investments  held-to-maturity at
December 31 are as follows:#


                                                1997                                                  1996
                           ----------------------------------------------      ------------------------------------------------
                                        GROSS        GROSS      ESTIMATED                     Gross       Gross      Estimated
                           AMORTIZED  UNREALIZED   UNREALIZED     FAIR         Amortized   Unrealized   Unrealized     Fair
                              COST      GAINS        LOSSES      VALUE           Cost          Gains      Losses       Value
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  
U.S. Agency                 $32,294    $ 235         $(54)      $32,475        $42,932        $ 103       $(208)      $42,827
State and municipal          49,371    1,032          (40)       50,363         37,152          697        (167)       37,682
Mortgage-backed securities   27,326      304          (31)       27,599         42,188          449         (79)       42,558
                            -------    -----         ----       -------        -------        -----       -----       -------
Total Investments 
Held-to-Maturity           $108,991   $1,571        $(125)     $110,437       $122,272       $1,249       $(454)     $123,067
                           ========   ======        =====      ========       ========       ======       =====      ========


     In accordance with a Financial  Accounting Standards Board pronouncement in
late 1995, permitting a one-time transfer from investments held-to-maturity into
investments  available-for-sale,   the  Company  transferred  $43,630  from  its
held-to-maturity  portfolio  into  the  available-for-sale   category  with  net
unrealized  gains of $279,  net of taxes.

                                       29


     The  amortized   cost  and  estimated   fair  values  of  debt   securities
held-to-maturity at December 31, 1997 and 1996 by contractual  maturity,  except
mortgage-backed  securities  for which an average life is used, are shown below.
Expected  maturities will differ from contractual  maturities  because borrowers
may have  the  right  to call or  prepay  obligations  with or  without  call or
prepayment penalties.



                                                  1997                   1996
                                         ---------------------------------------------------- 
                                                      ESTIMATED               Estimated       
                                         AMORTIZED       FAIR    Amortized       Fair         
                                            COST        VALUE      Cost         Value         
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                               
Due in one year or less                   $14,247      $14,267    $12,926      $12,944
Due after one through five years           52,507       53,327     67,465       68,221
Due after five years through ten years     18,197       18,454     27,759       27,794
Due after ten years                        24,040       24,389     14,122       14,108
                                          -------      -------    -------      -------
  Total Investments Held-to-Maturity     $108,991     $110,437   $122,272     $123,067
                                         ========     ========   ========     ========


At December 31, 1997 and 1996, investments held-to-maturity with a book value of
$10,132  and  $21,726,  respectively,  were  pledged as  collateral  for certain
government  deposits and for other purposes as required or permitted by law. The
outstanding  balance of no single  issuer,  except for U.S.  Government and U.S.
Government  Agency  securities,  exceeded ten percent of stockholders  equity at
December  31, 1997 or 1996.  Other  equity  securities  at  December  31, are as
follows:

                                                   1997            1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Reserve Bank stock                         $1,826        $1,340
Federal Home Loan Bank stock                        9,659         3,771
                                                  -------        ------
  Total Other Equity Securities                   $11,485        $5,111
                                                  =======        ======

NOTE 6-LOANS

Book values for the two most recent years are presented below for the major loan
categories at December 31:

                                                   1997            1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real estate mortgage                               $393,661        $376,205
Real estateconstruction                             57,687          47,654
Consumer                                            35,021          30,813
Commercial                                          72,511          68,467
Tax exempt                                              13              27
                                                   -------        --------
  Total Loans                                      558,893         523,166
Less: Allowance for credit losses                   (7,016)         (6,391)
                                                   -------        --------
NET LOANS                                         $551,877        $516,775
                                                  ========        ========

     Loan fees  amounting  to $316  (1997),  $254  (1996) and $270  (1995)  were
included in interest  and fees on loans.  The  servicing  portfolio  of mortgage
loans sold  totalled  $78,344 at December  31, 1997 and $91,249 at December  31,
1996. Escrow balances relating to the servicing  portfolio  amounted to $663 and
$730 at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively.

     Activity in the allowance  for credit losses for the preceding  three years
ended December 31 is shown below:

                                           1997           1996         1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance at beginning of year             $6,391         $6,597        $6,663
Provision for credit losses                 986            308           180
Loan charge-offs                           (541)          (615)         (749)
Loan recoveries                             180            101           503
                                         ------         ------        ------
  Net charge-offs                          (361)          (514)         (246)
                                         ------         ------        ------
BALANCE AT END OF YEAR                   $7,016         $6,391        $6,597
                                         ======         ======        ======

     Information  with respect to impaired  loans at December 31, 1997 and 1996,
and for the respective years ended is as follows:


                                                                      1997            1996
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  
Impaired loans with a valuation allowance                           $    0           $  127
Impaired loans without a valuation allowance                           890            1,153
                                                                    ------           ------
  Total impaired loans                                              $  890           $1,280
                                                                    ------           ------
Allowance for credit losses related to impaired loans               $    0           $  127
Allowance for credit losses related to other than impaired loans     7,016            6,264
                                                                    ------           ------
  Total allowance for credit losses                                 $7,016           $6,391
                                                                    ======           ======
Average impaired loans for the year                                 $1,101           $1,327
                                                                    ======           ======
Interest income on impaired loans recognized on the cash basis      $    0           $    0
                                                                    ======           ======


     There were no impaired  loans at December 31, 1995.  Although $590 of loans
were  classified  as being in  nonaccrual  status  at  December  31,  1995,  the
insignificant  delay of  payments  caused  the  loans  not to be  classified  as
impaired.

                                       30



NOTE 7-PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT
Premises and equipment at December 31 consist of:
                                                            1997          1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land                                                    $  8,875      $  6,652
Buildings and leasehold improvements                      18,228        13,226
Equipment                                                 13,233        11,154
                                                        --------      --------
                                                          40,336        31,032
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization          (11,868)      (10,821)
                                                        --------      --------
NET PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT                              $ 28,468      $ 20,211
                                                        ========      ========

     Depreciation and amortization  expense for premises and equipment  amounted
to $1,825 for 1997,  $1,726 for 1996 and $1,572 for 1995.

     Total rental expenses (net of rental income) for premises and equipment for
the three years ended December 31 were $513 (1997), $303 (1996) and $447 (1995).
Lease  commitments  bear initial terms  varying from 3 to 10 years,  or they are
20-year ground leases, and are associated with premises. Future minimum payments
as of December 31, 1997 for all noncancelable operating leases are:

Year Ending                                                        Premises and
December 31,                                                         Equipment  
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998                                                                $   887
1999                                                                    865
2000                                                                    850
2001                                                                    896
2002                                                                    903
Thereafter                                                            6,404
  TOTAL                                                             --------
                                                                    $10,805
                                                                    ========

NOTE 8-DEPOSITS
Deposits outstanding at December 31 consist of:
                                                         1997            1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noninterest-bearing Deposits                            $150,957        $117,052
Interest-bearing Deposits:
  Demand                                                 115,391          98,932
  Money market savings                                   150,465         157,484
  Regular savings                                         91,853          94,974
  Time deposits                                          281,378         280,725
  Time deposits - $100 or more                            62,967          57,174
                                                        --------        --------
       Total Interest-bearing Deposits                   702,054         689,289
                                                        --------        --------
        TOTAL DEPOSITS                                  $853,011        $806,341
                                                        ========        ========

     Interest  expense  on time  deposits  of $100 or more  amounted  to $3,256,
$2,640 and $2,576 for 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively.


NOTE 9-SHORT-TERM BORROWINGS

Information relating to short-term  borrowings is as follows for the years ended
December 31:



                                              1997                1996                1995
                                        ----------------    ----------------    ----------------
                                        Amount      Rate    Amount      Rate    Amount      Rate
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
At year-end:
  Federal Home Loan Bank advances    $ 84,200        5.27%   $20,200    5.58%   $ 3,000     5.55%
  Repurchase agreements                58,196        4.80     44,193    4.65     30,554     5.03
  Other short-term borrowings           2,030        6.44      2,375    6.19      1,250     6.00
                                     --------                -------            -------
      Total                          $144,426        5.09%   $66,768    4.99%   $34,804     5.11%
                                     ========                =======            =======

Average for the year:
Federal Home Loan Bank advances       $53,965        5.27%   $ 7,316    5.59%   $ 1,811     5.89%
Repurchase agreements                  49,836        4.78     34,125    4.66     23,843     5.15
Other short-term borrowings             1,743        4.50        523    4.43     14,951     6.36
Maximum month-end balance:
Federal Home Loan Bank advances       $84,200                $20,200            $36,800
Repurchase agreements                  59,868                 44,193             32,415
Other short-term borrowings             3,575                  2,375              7,280


     The Company has a line of credit  arrangement  with the FHLB under which it
may  borrow  up  to  $200,000  at  interest  rates  based  upon  current  market
conditions.

                                       31


NOTE 10 - LONG-TERM BORROWINGS

The Company had  outstanding  mortgages with balances due of $72 at December 31,
1997,  and $100 at December  31,  1996.  Interest  rates range up to 10% and the
maximum maturity is July 2000.

     In addition,  the Company had long-term advances from the Federal Home Loan
Bank of Atlanta of $14,520 at December 31, 1997, and $4,720 at December 31, 1996
(see line of credit  described in Note 9).  Interest rates at December 31, 1997,
range up to 8.21% and the maximum maturity is March 2006.

NOTE  11 - STOCKHOLDERS  EQUITY 

Bancorps Articles of Incorporation  authorize 15,000,000 shares of capital stock
(par value $1.00 per share) which were initially classified as common stock with
the provision that remaining  unissued  shares may later be designated as either
common or preferred stock.

     Sandy  Spring  Bancorp  has a dividend  reinvestment  plan  which  provides
shareholders  with the opportunity to increase their equity ownership in Bancorp
by electing to have cash dividends automatically reinvested in additional shares
of common stock without  payment of any brokerage  commission or service charge.
On October 31,  1997,  the Company  announced  changes to the plan,  renamed the
Sandy Spring Bancorp Dividend  Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan,  permitting
shareholders  to make optional  quarterly  cash  purchases of stock,  subject to
minimum and maximum dollar amounts, and increasing the number of shares reserved
for  issuance  under the plan from 400,000 to 800,000  (share  amounts have been
adjusted to give retroactive effect to a 2-for-1 stock split declared on January
28, 1998). 

     On April 16, 1997,  the Company  announced  that its Board of Directors had
authorized  the  repurchase  of up to 5%, or 492,084  shares  (adjusted  to give
retroactive  effect to a 2-for-1 stock split  declared on January 28, 1998),  of
Bancorps outstanding common stock, par value $1.00 per share, in connection with
shares expected to be issued pursuant to the Companys dividend  reinvestment and
stock purchase plan,  incentive stock option plan,  employee  benefit plans, and
for other corporate  purposes.  The share repurchases would be made from time to
time, either on the open market or in privately negotiated  transactions,  until
March 31, 1999,  or earlier  termination  of the program by the Board.  

     Bank and  holding  company  regulations,  as well as Maryland  law,  impose
certain  restrictions  on dividend  payments by the Bank, as well as restricting
extensions  of credit and transfers of assets  between the Bank and Bancorp.  At
December 31,  1997,  the Bank could have paid  dividends  to its parent  company
amounting  to  $28,363.  There were no loans  outstanding  between  the Bank and
Bancorp at December 31, 1997 and 1996.

     Stock  warrants  were  issued  by the  pooled  bank  prior to  merger.  The
following share and price information  related to those warrants was computed by
applying  the exchange  ratio used in the merger and have been  adjusted to give
retroactive  effect to a 2-for-1  stock  split  declared  on January  28,  1998.
Nontransferrable  warrants to acquire  7,510 shares of common stock at $6.65 per
share were  outstanding  at December 31, 1997 and 1996,  and expire on March 31,
1998.

NOTE 12-INCENTIVE  STOCK OPTION PLAN 

The Companys 1992 Stock Option Plan, which essentially replaced the expired 1982
Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan,  provides  for the  granting  of  incentive  and
nonincentive  options to  selected  key  employees  on a  periodic  basis at the
discretion  of the Board.  Share  amounts  and  prices  which  follow  have been
adjusted to give  retroactive  effect to the 2-for-1  stock  splits  declared on
March 29, 1995 and on January 28, 1998. The 1992 Plan authorizes the issuance of
up to  540,000  shares  of  common  stock,  has a  term  of  ten  years,  and is
administered by the Compensation  Committee of the Board. Options are granted at
market  value at date of grant and must be exercised  within ten years.  Options
granted prior to December 1996 were immediately exercisable.  Options granted in
December 1996 and 1997 become  exercisable  over a period of two years from each
grant date.

     A total of 207,800 shares of common stock were granted under the 1982 Plan,
of which 12,000 are outstanding, and the outstanding options will continue until
exercise or expiration.

     The  following is a summary of changes in shares under option for the years
ended December 31:


                                              1997                     1996                     1995
                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    NUMBER     WEIGHTED       Number       Weighted       Number       Weighted 
                                      OF       AVERAGE         of          Average          of         Average
                                    SHARES  EXERCISE PRICE    Shares    Exercise Price    Shares    Exercise Price
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         
Balance, beginning of year           72,002     $12.67        153,872     $  8.95          164,384      $  7.82
Granted                              44,000      24.63         12,000       16.83           10,500        18.50
Exercised                                 0          0        (93,870)       7.10          (21,012)        4.88
                                    -------                   -------                      -------
BALANCE, END OF YEAR                116,002    $ 17.21         72,002     $ 12.67          153,872      $  8.95
                                    =======                   =======                      =======
Weighted average fair value of
 options granted during the year               $  4.79                     $ 3.84                       $  5.06

                                       32




     The following table  summarizes  information  about options  outstanding at
December 31, 1997:


                                  Options Outstanding                 
                     ----------------------------------------------------
                                    Weighted Average                               Options Exercisable       
                                      Remaining                             ---------------------------------
   Range of                         Contractual Life    Weighted Average                    Weighted Average
 Exercise Prices      Number         (in years)         Exercise Price        Number        Exercise Price
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
$  6.99 - $ 12.25     49,502             5.7            $ 10.43              49,502           $ 10.43
$ 16.63 - $ 24.63     66,500             9.5              22.25              33,636             20.77
                     -------                                                 ------              
                     116,002                            $ 17.17              83,138           $ 14.61
                     =======                             ======              ======


     The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the Extended Binomial  option-pricing model with the following  weighted-average
assumptions used for grants during the three years ended December 31:

                                                   1997      1996       1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividend yield                                     2.14%     2.67%     2.67%
Expected volatility                               20.41%    25.00%    25.00%
Risk-free interest rate                            5.48%     5.58%     5.58%
Expected lives (in years)                            10        10        10

     The Company has adopted the  disclosure-only  provisions  of  Statement  of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based  Compensation
(FASB 123), but applies  Accounting  Principles Board Opinion No. 25 and related
interpretations  in  accounting  for its stock  option  plans.  No  compensation
expense  related to the plans was recorded during the three years ended December
31, 1997. If the Company had elected to recognize compensation cost based on the
fair value at the grant  dates for  awards  under the plan  consistent  with the
method prescribed by FASB 123, net income and earnings per share would have been
changed to the pro forma amounts as follows for the years ended December 31:

                                                  1997       1996        1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income:
  As reported                                  $ 13,195    $ 11,494    $ 9,994
  Pro forma                                    $ 12,984    $ 11,475    $ 9,961
Basic earnings per share:
  As reported                                  $   1.35    $   1.18    $  1.05
  Pro forma                                    $   1.33    $   1.18    $  1.05
Diluted earnings per share:
  As reported                                  $   1.34    $   1.18    $  1.04
  Pro forma                                    $   1.32    $   1.18    $  1.04

     The pro forma amounts are not representative of the effects on reported net
income for future years.

NOTE 13 - PENSION, PROFIT SHARING AND OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

The Company has a  qualified,  noncontributory,  defined  benefit  pension  plan
covering substantially all employees. Benefits are based on years of service and
the  employees  compensation  during  the last  five  years of  employment.  The
Companys  funding  policy is to contribute  the maximum  amount  deductible  for
federal income tax purposes.  The Plan invests  primarily in a diverse portfolio
of managed  fixed income and equity  funds.  Contributions  provide not only for
benefits attributed to service to date, but also for those expected to be earned
in the  future.  Net  pension  cost for the  previous  three  years  include the
following components:

                                                   1997      1996       1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Service cost for benefits earned                  $ 436     $ 377     $ 333
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation       340       351       301
Actual (return) loss on plan assets                (699)     (362)     (721)
Net amortization and deferral                       283       (45)      479
Early retirement window options                       0         0       274
                                                  -----     -----     -----
PENSION EXPENSE FOR THE YEAR                      $ 360     $ 321     $ 666
                                                  =====     =====     =====

     For 1997,  1996 and 1995,  the weighted  average  discount rate and rate of
increase in future compensation levels used in determining the actuarial present
value of the projected  benefit  obligation were 7.50% and 5.50%,  respectively,
while the  expected  long-term  rate of return on assets  was  8.50%. 

     The Plans funded status as of December 3 is:


                                                                                    1997      1996
                                                                                      
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
Accumulated benefit obligation, including vested benefits 
  of $3,709 in 1997 and $2,871 in 1996                                            $ 4,079  $ 3,205
    Additional liability based upon projected compensation                          1,687    1,385
                                                                                  -------  -------
    Projected benefit obligation for service rendered to date (PBO)                 5,766    4,590
Plan assets at fair value                                                           6,110    4,903
                                                                                  -------  -------
Plan Assets greater than (less than) PBO                                              344      313
Unrecognized net gain                                                               1,199      962
Prior service cost not yet recognized in net periodic pension expense                   8        9
Unrecognized net asset, net of amortization                                            (6)      (9)
                                                                                  -------  ------- 
PREPAID PENSION COST INCLUDED IN OTHER ASSETS                                     $ 1,545  $ 1,275
                                                                                  =======  =======


                                       33



     The Company  has a  qualified,  noncontributory  profit  sharing  plan that
covers all employees after ninety days of service. The Plan permits employees to
purchase  shares of Sandy Spring Bancorps common stock with their profit sharing
allocations and other contributions under the Plan. Profit sharing contributions
by the Company, which are included in operating expenses,  totaled $465 in 1997,
$442 in 1996 and $400 in 1995.  Beginning  in 1996,  the  Company  expanded  its
benefit plans to include a performance based compensation benefit which provides
additional  incentives to employees based on the Companys financial  performance
as measured against key performance indicator goals set by management.  Payments
are made quarterly and total expense under the plan amounted to $465 in 1997 and
$510 in 1996. 

     The Company has a Supplemental  Executive  Retirement Plan (SERP) providing
for  retirement  income  benefits as well as  pre-retirement  death benefits for
selected  executives.  Retirement  benefits  payable under the SERP, if any, are
integrated  with other  pension  plan and Social  Security  retirement  benefits
expected to be received by the SERP plan  participants.  The Company is accruing
the present value of these  benefits  over the remaining  number of years to the
participants  retirement dates.  Benefit accruals included in operating expenses
for 1997, 1996 and 1995 were $55, $25 and $99, respectively. 

     The Company has an  Executive  Health Plan  effective  January 1, 1991 that
provides  for  payment of defined  medical  and dental  expenses  not  otherwise
covered for selected executives  including their families.  Benefits,  which are
paid during both employment and  retirement,  are subject to a $5 limitation for
each executive per year. Expenses under the plan, covering insurance premium and
out-of-pocket expense reimbursement  benefits,  totalled $50 in 1997, $7 in 1996
and $18 in 1995.


NOTE 14-INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense for the years ended December 31 consists of:

                                                      1997      1996      1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Income Taxes:
  Federal                                           $ 5,718  $ 4,692  $ 3,398
  State                                                 975    1,249      983
                                                    -------  -------  -------
     TOTAL CURRENT                                    6,693    5,941    4,381
Deferred Income Tax Benefit:
  Federal                                               (86)    (122)     223
  State                                                 (19)     (30)      49
                                                    -------  -------  -------
     TOTAL DEFERRED                                    (105)    (152)     272
                                                    -------  -------  -------
     TOTAL INCOME TAX EXPENSE                       $ 6,588  $ 5,789  $ 4,653
                                                    =======  =======  =======
                                                
     Temporary  differences  between  the  amounts  reported  in  the  financial
statements and the tax bases of assets and liabilities result in deferred taxes.
Deferred tax assets and  liabilities,  shown as the sum of the  appropriate  tax
effect for each  significant type of temporary  difference,  are presented below
for the years ended December 31:

                                                               1997       1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred Tax Assets:
  Allowance for credit losses                               $ 2,262    $ 2,021
  Deferred loan fees and costs                                  542        464
  Net operating loss carry forward                              395        434
  Other                                                         300        164
                                                            -------    -------
    Gross Deferred Tax Assets                                 3,499      3,083
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
  Depreciation                                                 (928)      (841)
  Pension plan costs                                           (823)      (424)
  Unrealized gains on investments available-for-sale         (1,309)      (337)
  Other                                                        (366)      (331)
                                                            -------    -------
  Gross Deferred Tax Liabilities                             (3,426)    (1,933)
                                                            -------    -------
     NET DEFERRED TAX ASSET                                 $    73    $ 1,150
                                                            =======    =======

     No  valuation  allowance  exists with  respect to deferred  tax items.  Net
deferred tax assets are included in other assets. A three-year  reconcilement of
the difference  between the statutory  federal income tax rate and the effective
tax rate for the Company is as follows:

                                                    1997       1996        1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL INCOME TAX RATE                             35.0%      35.0%      34.0%
  Increase (decrease) resulting from: 
    Tax-exempt interest income                      (5.2)      (5.8)      (7.1)
    State income taxes, net of 
     federal income tax benefits                     5.0        4.6        4.6
    Other                                           (1.5)      (0.3)       0.3
                                                    ----       ----       ----
    EFFECTIVE TAX RATE                              33.3%      33.5%      31.8%
                                                    ====       ====       ====

                                       34




NOTE 15- NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE

In February 1997, the Financial  Accounting  Standards Board issued Statement of
Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 128,  Earnings per Share (FASB 128),  which
became effective for the Company for reporting periods ending after December 15,
1997.  Under the provisions of FASB 128,  primary and fully diluted earnings per
share were  replaced  with basic and diluted  earnings per share in an effort to
simplify the  computation of these measures and align them more closely with the
methodology  used  internationally.  Basic  earnings  per share is arrived at by
dividing net income  available to common  stockholders  by the  weighted-average
number of common  shares  outstanding  and does not  include  the  impact of any
potentially  dilutive common stock  equivalents.  The diluted earnings per share
calculation method is arrived at by dividing net income by the  weighted-average
number of shares  outstanding,  adjusted for the dilutive  effect of outstanding
stock  options and warrants.  For purposes of  comparability,  all  prior-period
earnings per share data has been restated.  All per share data and share amounts
below have been adjusted to give retroactive  effect to a 2-for-1 stock split in
the form of a stock  dividend  declared on March 29, 1995. A 2-for-1 stock split
in the form of a stock  dividend was  declared on January 28, 1998,  and all per
share data and share amounts below have been adjusted to give retroactive effect
to this subsequent event.

     The calculation of net income per common share for the years ended December
31 was as follows:

                                                    1997       1996       1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic:
  Net income (available to common stockholders)  $ 13,195   $ 11,494   $ 9,994
  Average common shares outstanding                 9,799      9,736     9,544
  Basic net income per share                     $   1.35   $   1.18   $  1.05
                                                 ========   ========   =======
Diluted:
 Net income (available to common stockholders)   $ 13,195   $ 11,494   $ 9,994
 
 Average common shares outstanding                  9,799      9,736     9,544
 Stock option adjustment                               13         22        70
 Warrant stock adjustment                               5          5         4
                                                 --------   --------   -------
   Average common shares outstanding  diluted       9,817      9,763     9,618
 Diluted net income per share                    $   1.34   $   1.18      1.04
                                                 ========   ========   =======
 
NOTE 16 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Certain  directors and senior officers have loan  transactions with the Company.
Such loans were made in the  ordinary  course of business on  substantially  the
same terms, including interest rates and collateral,  as those prevailing at the
time  for  comparable  transactions  with  outsiders.   The  following  schedule
summarizes changes in amounts of loans outstanding, both direct and indirect, to
these persons during 1997.

                                                             1997         1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance at January 1                                      $ 7,401      $ 7,223
Additions                                                   1,090        4,859
Repayments                                                 (2,065)      (4,681)
                                                          -------      ------- 
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31                                    $ 6,426      $ 7,401
                                                          =======      =======

NOTE 17 - FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

In the normal  course of business,  the Company has various  outstanding  credit
commitments which are properly not reflected in the financial statements.  These
commitments are made to satisfy the financing needs of the Companys clients. The
associated  credit risk is controlled  by  subjecting  such activity to the same
credit and quality  controls as exist for the  Companys  lending and  investment
activities.  The commitments involve diverse business and consumer customers and
are generally well  collateralized.  Management does not anticipate that losses,
if any, which may occur as a result of these commitments would materially affect
the stockholders equity of the Company.  Since a portion of the commitments have
some likelihood of not being exercised, the amounts do not necessarily represent
future cash  requirements.

     Loan and credit line commitments,  excluding unused portions of home equity
lines of credit,  totaled $105,229 at December 31, 1997 and $101,126 at December
31, 1996. These commitments are contingent upon continuing  customer  compliance
with the terms of the agreement.

     Unused portions of equity lines at year-end amounted to $59,157 in 1997 and
$59,859 in 1996.  The Companys home equity line  accounts,  which are secured by
the borrowers residence,  are reviewed annually.



     Irrevocable  letters of credit,  totalling $4,124 at December 31, 1997, and
$4,082 at December 31, 1996,  are  obligations  to make  payments  under certain
conditions to meet contingencies  related to customers  contractual  agreements.
They are primarily used to guarantee a customers  contractual  and/or  financial
performance, and are seldom exercised.


NOTE 18-LITIGATION

In the normal course of business,  the Company may become involved in litigation
arising  from  banking,   financial,   and  other  activities  of  the  Company.
Management,  after consultation with legal counsel, does not anticipate that the
ultimate  liability,  if any,  arising out of these matters will have a material
effect on the Companys financial condition, operating results or liquidity.

                                       35





NOTE 19  FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 107, Disclosure About Fair Value
of  Financial  Instruments  (FASB 107),  as amended by  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting Standards No. 119, Disclosure about Derivative Financial  Instruments
and Fair Value of Financial  Instruments (FASB 119),  requires the disclosure in
statement  form of  estimated  fair values of financial  instruments.  Financial
instruments  have been defined broadly to encompass 96.6% of the Companys assets
and 99.8% of its liabilities. 

     Quoted  market  prices,  where  available,  are shown as  estimates of fair
market  values.  Because no quoted market prices are available for a significant
part of the Companys financial instruments,  the fair values of such instruments
have been  derived  based on the  amount  and  timing of future  cash  flows and
estimated  discount rates.  

     Present value  techniques  used in estimating the fair value of many of the
Companys  financial  instruments are  significantly  affected by the assumptions
used. In that regard,  the derived fair value estimates  cannot be substantiated
by comparison to independent  markets and, in many cases,  could not be realized
in immediate cash settlement of the instrument.  Additionally,  the accompanying
estimates  of fair  values  are only  representative  of the fair  values of the
individual  financial  assets and  liabilities  and should not be  considered an
indication of the fair value of the Company.

     The estimated fair values of the Companys financial instruments at December
31 are as follows:




                                                             1997                            1996
                                                   ---------------------------     -------------------------
                                                      BOOK        ESTIMATED         Book          Estimated
                                                      VALUE       FAIR VALUE        Value         Fair Value
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL ASSETS
                                                                                           

Cash and temporary investments(1)                  $ 55,737        $ 55,866        $ 65,023        $ 65,050
Investments available-for-sale                      344,258         344,258         234,423         234,423
Investments held-to-maturity and 
other equity securities                             120,476         121,922         127,383         128,178
Loans, net of allowance                             551,877         568,565         516,775         522,945
Accrued interest receivable and other assets(2)      10,254          10,254           9,404           9,404
FINANCIAL LIABILITIES
Deposits                                          $ 853,011        $853,184        $806,341        $806,602
Short-term borrowings                               144,426         144,423          66,768          66,961
Long-term borrowings                                 14,592          14,583           4,820           4,886
Accrued interest payable and other liabilities(2)     2,749           2,749           2,054           2,054


                                                                    ESTIMATED                    Estimated
                                                      AMOUNT       FAIR VALUE       Amount       Fair Value
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFF-BALANCE SHEET FINANCIAL ASSETS
Commitments to extend credit(3)                     $ 164,386        $ (567)     $ 160,985        $ (684)
Irrevocable letters of credit                           4,124           (21)         4,082           (20)
Servicing rights on mortgages sold                     78,344           783         91,249            940



(1)  Temporary investments include interest-bearing deposits with banks, federal
     funds sold and residential mortgage loans held for sale.
(2)  Only  financial  instruments  as defined in FASB 107 are  included in other
     assets and other liabilities.
(3)  Includes  loan and credit line  commitments  and unused  portions of equity
     lines.

     The following  methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value
of each  category  of  financial  instruments  for  which it is  practicable  to
estimate that value: 
     Cash  and  due  from  banks  and  federal  funds  sold.   Carrying   amount
approximated fair value.

     Interest-bearing  deposits  with  banks.  The fair value was  estimated  by
computing  the  discounted  value of  contractual  cash  flows  using a  current
interest rate for similar instruments.

     Residential  mortgage loans held for sale. The fair value of mortgage loans
held  for  sale  was  derived  from  secondary  market  quotations  for  similar
instruments.

     Securities.  The fair  value  for  U.S.  Treasury  and  Agency,  state  and
municipal,  and corporate debt  securities is based upon quoted market bids; for
mortgage-backed  securities  upon bid  prices  for  similar  pools of fixed  and
variable rate assets,  considering current market spreads and prepayment speeds;
and for equity  securities  upon quoted  market  prices. 




     Loans.  Fair value was  estimated  by  computing  the  discounted  value of
estimated cash flows,  adjusted for potential credit losses,  for pools of loans
having similar characteristics.  The discount rate was based on the current loan
origination  rate  for a  similar  loan.  Nonperforming  loans  have an  assumed
interest rate of 0%.

     Accrued interest receivable. Carrying amount approximated the fair value of
accrued  interest,  considering the short-term  nature of the receivable and its
expected  collection.

     Other assets.  Carrying amount  approximated  fair value of certain accrued
commissions in other assets, considering the short-term nature of the receivable
and its expected collection.

                                       36



     Deposit liabilities. Under FASB 107, the fair value of demand, money market
savings and regular savings  deposits,  which have no stated  maturity,  must be
considered equal to their book value, representing the amount payable on demand,
regardless of any value which may be derived from  retaining  those deposits for
an expected future period of time (the deposit base intangible). 

     The fair  value of time  deposits  was based upon the  discounted  value of
contractual  cash  flows at current  rates for  deposits  of  similar  remaining
maturity. 
 
    Short-term   borrowings.   Carrying  amount   approximated  fair  value  of
repurchase  agreements due to their variable  interest rates.  The fair value of
Federal Home Loan Bank advances was estimated by computing the discounted  value
of contractual cash flows payable at current interest rates for obligations with
similar remaining terms.

     Long-term  borrowings.  The fair value of these  mortgage  and Federal Home
Loan  Bank  advances  was  estimated  by  computing  the  discounted   value  of
contractual  cash flows payable at current  interest rates for obligations  with
similar remaining terms.

     Other  liabilities.  Carrying  amount  approximated  fair  value of accrued
interest  payable,  the Treasury  demand note,  accrued  dividends  and premiums
payable, considering their short-term nature and expected payment.

     Off-balance  sheet  instruments.  The fair value of unused lines of credit,
letters of credit, and commitments to fund and deliver loans was estimated based
upon the amount of  unamortized  fees  collected or paid incident to granting or
receiving the  commitment.  The fair value of the Banks  serviced  mortgage loan
portfolio was estimated utilizing an independent appraisal which considered fees
receivable,  number  of loans,  average  loan  size,  delinquency  data,  escrow
balances,  prepayment risks, and current market supply and demand factors. 


NOTE 20 - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION 

The  condensed  financial  statements  for Sandy Spring  Bancorp  (Parent  Only)
pertaining  to the  periods  covered  by  the  Companys  consolidated  financial
statements are presented below:


                                                                                 December 31,
                                                                            ----------------------
BALANCE  SHEETS                                                               1997          1996 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       
ASSETS 
 Cash and due from banks                                                  $    6,280      $ 10,264
 Investments available-for-sale (at  fair  value)                              3,702           831
 Investment in subsidiary                                                     93,756        85,136
 Other assets                                                                    258           261
                                                                           ---------     ---------
   Total Assets                                                            $ 103,996     $  96,492
                                                                           =========     =========
LIABILITIES 
 Other liabilities                                                         $     496     $     223
                                                                           ---------     ---------
  Total Liabilities                                                              496           223
STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
 Common stock                                                                  4,862         4,902
 Surplus                                                                      31,695        33,474
 Retained earnings                                                            66,261        57,669
 Unrealized gain on investments available-for-sale, net of taxes                 682           224
                                                                           ----------    ----------
   Total Stockholders Equity                                                 103,500        96,269
                                                                           ---------     ---------
   Total Liabilities and Stockholders Equity                               $ 103,996     $  96,492
                                                                           =========     =========

                                                                   Years Ended December 31,
                                                                ------------------------------
STATEMENTS OF INCOME                                           1997          1996           1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   

Income:
 Cash dividends from subsidiary                               $ 4,601      $ 3,620        2,826
 Interest and dividends on securities                             379          366          358
                                                              -------      -------       ------
   Total Income                                                 4,980        3,986        3,184
Interest and other expenses                                       395          647          337
                                                              -------      -------       ------
Income before income taxes and equity in   
 undistributed income of subsidiary                             4,585        3,339        2,847
Income tax expense (benefit)                                       12          (14)           8
                                                              -------      -------       ------
Income before equity in undistributed income
 of subsidiary                                                  4,573        3,353        2,839
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiary                    8,622        8,141        7,155
                                                              -------      -------       ------
   NET INCOME                                                 $13,195      $11,494       $9,994
                                                              =======      =======       ======


                                       37






                                                               Years Ended December 31,
                                                    -------------------------------------------
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS                                   1997            1996           1995
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
 Net Income                                              $ 13,195       $ 11,494       $ 9,994
 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
  provided by operating activities:
 Equity in undistributed income  subsidiary                (8,622)        (8,141)       (7,155)
 Other-  net                                                   14             73           (11)
                                                            -----          -----         ----- 
   NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES                4,587          3,426         2,828
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
 Purchase of investments available-for-sale                (2,126)             0          (465)
 Capital contributed to subsidiary                              0              0        (1,070)
                                                           ------          -----        ------ 
   NET CASH USED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES                   (2,126)             0        (1,535)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
  Retirement of long-term debt                                (23)           (21)          (17) 
  Common stock purchased and retired                       (3,857)             0             0
  Proceeds from issuance of common stock                    2,038          1,741         2,379
  Dividends paid                                           (4,603)        (3,763)       (2,881)
                                                           ------         ------        ------ 
   NET CASH USED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES                   (6,445)        (2,043)         (519)
                                                           ------         ------          ---- 
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS       (3,984)         1,383           774
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year             10,264          8,881         8,107
                                                           ------          -----         -----
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR                 $  6,280     $   10,264       $ 8,881
                                                         ========     ==========       =======



NOTE 21 -  REGULATORY MATTERS

The Company and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital  requirements
administered  by the federal banking  agencies.  Failure to meet minimum capital
requirements   can  initiate   certain   mandatory   and   possibly   additional
discretionary  actions by regulators  that, if  undertaken,  could have a direct
material  effect on the  Companys  and the  Banks  financial  statements.  Under
capital adequacy  guidelines and the regulatory  framework for prompt corrective
action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative
measures of the Banks assets,  liabilities,  and certain off-balance sheet items
as calculated under regulatory accounting  practices.  The Banks capital amounts
and classification  are also subject to qualitative  judgments by the regulators
about  components,  risk weightings,  and other factors. 

     Quantitative  measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy
require the  Company  and the Bank to maintain  amounts and ratios (set forth in
the table below) of total and Tier 1 capital (as defined in the  regulations) to
risk-weighted assets (as defined), and of Tier 1 capital (as defined) to average
assets (as defined). As of December 31, 1997 and 1996, the capital levels of the
Company and the Bank substantially  exceed all capital adequacy  requirements to
which they are subject.

     As of December 31, 1997,  the most recent  notification  from the Office of
the Comptroller of the Currency  categorized the Bank as well capitalized  under
the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. To be categorized as well
capitalized the Bank must maintain minimum total risk-based,  Tier 1 risk-based,
and Tier 1 leverage ratios as set forth in the table. There are no conditions or
events  since that  notification  that  management  believes  have  changed  the
Companys or the Banks category.

     The  Companys  and the Banks  actual  capital  amounts  and ratios are also
presented in the table.






                                                                                                To Be Well
                                                                                              Capitalized Under
                                                                            For Capital       Prompt Corrective
                                                       Actual            Adequacy Purposes    Action Provisions
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Amount   Ratio       Amount   Ratio       Amount    Ratio
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997:
  Total Capital (to risk weighted assets):
   Company                                       $ 109,043   17.07%    $ 51,116    8.00%    $ 63,895   10.00%
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           99,981   15.73       50,834    8.00       63,542   10.00
  Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets):
   Company                                         102,027   15.97       25,558    4.00       38,337    6.00
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           92,965   14.63       25,417    4.00       38,125    6.00
  Tier 1 Capital (to average assets): 
   Company                                         102,027    9.46       41,262    4.00       51,577    5.00
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           92,965    8.63       41,224    4.00       51,530    5.00
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996:
  Total Capital (to risk weighted assets):
   Company                                         100,520   17.56       45,794    8.00       57,242   10.00
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           89,611   15.68       45,718    8.00       57,147   10.00
  Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets):
   Company                                          94,129   16.44       22,897    4.00       34,345    6.00
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           83,220   14.56       22,859    4.00       34,288    6.00
  Tier 1 Capital (to average assets):
   Company                                          94,129   10.38       36,257    4.00       45,321    5.00
   Sandy Spring National Bank of Maryland           83,220    9.19       36,227    4.00       45,284    5.00



                                       38




NOTE 22- QUARTERLY FINANCIAL RESULTS (unaudited)

A summary of selected  consolidated  quarterly  financial data for the two years
ended  December 31,  1997,  is reported as follows,  with all per share  amounts
retroactively  adjusted  to give  effect to a 2-for-1  stock  split  declared on
January 28, 1998:




                                          First             Second              Third           Fourth
                                          Quarter           Quarter             Quarter         Quarter
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
                                                                                        
1997
Interest income                          $ 17,592           $ 18,693           $ 19,411         $ 19,869
Net interest income                         9,719             10,244             10,328           10,788
Provision for credit losses                   100                125                300              461
Income before income taxes                  4,817              4,815              5,277            4,874
Net income                               $  3,203           $  3,120           $  3,514         $  3,358
Basic net income per share               $   0.33           $   0.32           $   0.36         $   0.34
Diluted net income per share                 0.33               0.32               0.35             0.34

1996
Interest income                          $ 16,163           $ 16,379           $ 16,773           17,306
Net interest income                         8,704              8,929              9,193            9,562
Provision for credit losses                   183                 25                  0              100
Income before income taxes                  4,274              4,332              3,845            4,832
Net income                               $  2,876           $  2,903           $  2,473         $  3,242
Basic net income per share               $   0.30           $   0.30           $   0.26         $   0.32
Diluted net income per share                 0.30               0.30               0.26             0.32



     Amounts  shown  above for the first and second  quarters  of 1996 have been
retroactively restated to reflect the acquisition of Annapolis Bancshares,  Inc.
on August 29, 1996, and, accordingly, differ from amounts originally reported as
shown below:





                                              First Quarter                           Second Quarter
                                 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Originally    Effect          As         Originally    Effect         As
                                 Reported      of Pooling   Restated      Reported      of Pooling     Restated
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         
Interest income                 $ 14,217       $ 1,946      $  16,163     $ 14,397      $ 1,982       $ 16,379
Net interest income                7,664         1,040          8,704        7,865        1,064          8,929
Provision for credit losses          150            33            183            0           25             25
Income before income taxes         3,687           587          4,274        3,711          621          4,332
Net income                      $  2,516       $   360      $   2,876     $  2,522      $   381       $  2,903
Basic net income per share      $   0.29       $  0.01      $    0.30     $   0.29      $  0.01       $   0.30
Diluted net income per share        0.29          0.01           0.30         0.29         0.01           0.30




NOTE 23 - CONTINGENCIES

In the fourth  quarter of 1996,  the Bank learned that it had not fully complied
with  certain   requirements  of  the  federal  Bank  Secrecy  Act  and  related
regulations,  including obligations to monitor and file reports of certain types
of currency  transactions.  Financial  institutions that fail to comply with the
requirements  of the Bank  Secrecy  Act may be subject to  penalties,  including
civil money  penalties.  It is not now known whether such penalties or any other
action will be sought against the Bank in connection with its noncompliance, or,
if they are, the amount or nature of such penalties.

                                       39




MANAGEMENT'S STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY

Management acknowledges its responsibility for financial reporting (both audited
and unaudited) which provides a fair representation of the Company's  operations
and is reliable and relevant to a meaningful appraisal of the Company.

     Management  has  [re[ared  the  financial  statements  in  accordance  with
generally accepted  accounting  principles,  making appropriate use of estimates
and  judgement,  and  considering   materiality.   Except  for  tax  equivalency
adjustments made to enhance comparative  analysis,  all financial information is
consistent with the unaudited financial statements.

     Oversight  of the  financial  reporting  process is  provided  by the Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors,  which consists of outside directors.  This
Committee meets on a regular basis, in private,  with the internal auditor,  who
reports  directly to the Board of Directors,  to approve the audite schedule and
scope,  discuss the adequacy of the internal  control  system and the quality of
financial  reporting,  review audit reports and address problems.  The Committee
also reviews the Company's  annual report to shareholders  and the annual report
to the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission of Form 10-K.  The Audit  Committee
meets at least annually with the external  auditors,  and has direct and private
access to them at any time.

     The  independent  public  accounting firm of Stegman & Company has examined
the Company's  financial records.  The resulting opinion statement which follows
is based upon knowledge of the Company's accounting systems, as well as on tests
and other audit  procedures  performed in  accordance  with  generally  accepted
auditing standards.

/s/ Hunter R. Hollar                                /s/ James H. Langmead
Hunter R. Hollar                                    James H. Langmead
President and Chief Executive Officer               Vice President and Treasurer


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

STEGMAN & COMPANY
Certified Public Accountants

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS
SANDY SPRING BANCORP
ONLEY, MARYLAND

We have audited the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets of Sandy Spring
Bancorp  and  Subsidiares  as of  December  31,  1997 and 1997,  and the related
consolidated  statements of income,  changes in stockholders'  equity,  and cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended  December 31, 1997.  These
financial  statements  are the  responsiblity  of the management of Sandy Spring
Bancorp  and  Subsidiaries.  Ourresponsibility  is to epress an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits. The consolidated  financial statements
give  retroactive  effect to the merger of Sandy  Spring  Bancorp and  Annapolis
Bancshares,  Inc.,  in 1996,  which has been  accounted for using the pooling of
interest accounting method as described in Note 2 to the consolidated  financial
statements.  We did not  audit the 1995  consolidated  financial  statements  of
Annapolis  Bancshares,  Inc., which statements  reflect net income  constituting
10.7% for 1995 of the related consolidated statement of income. Those statements
were audited by other  auditors  whose report has been  furnished to us, and our
opinion, issofar as it relates to the amounts included for Annapolis Bancshares,
Inc., is based solely on the report of the other auditors.

     We conducted  our audits in accordance  with  generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatements.  An audit also includes assessing the accounting  principles used
and significant estimates made by management,  as well as evaluating the overall
financial  statement  presentation.   We  believe  that  our  audits  provide  a
reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our  opinion,  based on our  audits,  and for 1995 the  report  of other
auditors,  the  consolidated  financial  statements  referred  to above  present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Sandy Spring Bancorp
and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the results of operations
and cash flows for each of the three  years in the  period  ended  December  31,
1997, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

                                                           /s/ Stegman & Company
                                                               Stegman & Company

Baltimore, maryland
January 30, 1998

                                       40



OFFICERS
(as of March 1, 1998)


                                                                                     
SANDY SPRING BANCORP               VICE PRESIDENTS               Donna L. Lampe                SNADY SPRING MORTGAGE
                                                                                               CORPORATION
                                   Steven E. Anderson            Susan D. Lemmon

EXECUTIVE OFICERS                  James A. Berkey               Marsha E. Maloney             OFFICERS

Hunter R. Hollar                   Lynn M. Gallagher             Peter J. McGinnity            Hunter R. Hollar
President and                                                                                  Chairman
Chief Executive Officer            Victoria L. Gillespie         Douglas A. Parker
                                                                                               Stanley L. Merson
James H. Langmead                  Chrystina M. Giorgio          Richard S. Prin               President
Vice President and Treasurer
                                   Patricia M. Green             Edward C. Ramos               Richard G. Knapp, Jr.
                                                                                               Vice President
                                   Susan N. Haybyrne             Marsha K. Ritter
CORPORATE SECRETARY                                                                            David W. Pulford, Jr.
                                   Steven B. Haynes              Eric J. Schrider              Vice President
Marjorie S. Holsinger
                                   Peter L. Hickling             Cheryl A. Spell               Lynne S. White
                                                                                               Vice President and Secretary
                                   Brian J. Hiley                Thomas E. Spilman
AUDITOR                                                                                        James H. Langmead
Mark G. Shullenbarger              Robert J. Hoffman             Carla S. Taylor               Treasurer

                                   Marjorie S. Holsinger         Anthony F. Topita             Lois D. Tringali
                                                                                               Underwriting Officer
                                   A. Elizabeth Lipscomb         Janine E. Vito
SANDY SPRING NATIONAL
BANK OF MARYLAND                   Debra L. C. Liverpool         Daniel R. West

                                   Thomas H. McDowell            Debra A. Whelan

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS                 David S. Miller

Hunter R. Hollar                   James P. Morison, Jr.         OTHER OFFICERS                SANDY SPRING INSURANCE
President and                                                                                  CORPORATION
Chief Executive Officer            Richard M. Owens              Lee E. Briggs

                                   Michael R. Penyak             Barbara R. Brown              OFFICERS                
                                                                                                                       
James H. Langmead                  Pamela M. Roberts             Sheila L. Butler              Hunter R. Hollar        
Executive Vice President                                                                       President               
and Chief Financial Officer        Sally A. Shelton              Wendy J. Collins                                      
                                                                                               James H. Langmead       
Lawrence T. Lewis, III             William M. Slade              Denise M. Curtis              Vice President          
Executive Vice President                                                                                               
                                   Sandra B. Stocksdale          Sharon J. Fall                Lawrence T. Lewis, III  
Frank H. Small                                                                                 Vice President          
Executive Vice President           Russell R. Till               Anna N. Gottlieb                                      
                                                                                               Sara E. Watkins         
James R. Farmer                    Dan J. Urgo                   Eileen F. Heiss               Vice President          
Senior Vice President                                                                                                  
                                   Janet M. Van Albert           Christine L. Hill             Sandra B. Stocksdale    
Stanley L. Merson                                                                              Secretary and Treasurer 
Senior Vice President              William A. Walker, II         Joyce C. Howes                
                                                                                               
Sara E. Watkins                    William C. Watkins            Laura E. C. Johnson
Senior Vice President
                                   Jeffrey A. Wood               Brita M. Jones

                                                                 Kenneth G. Kubu
                                   ASSISTANT VICE
                                   PRESIDENTS                    Walter J. Laderer
CORPORATE SECRETARY
                                   Richard A. Adamson            Ronda M. Long
Marjorie S. Holsinger
                                   Harriet B. Argentiere         Mary C. Matthews

AUDITOR                            C. Louise Basore              Nicol M. Morris 

Mark G. Shullenbarger              Fredrick T. Billig            Kevin W. O'Hara

                                   Joseph F. Brown               Gizelle Petit     
                                                                                   
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS             Mary Jo Clark                 Sharon L. Rhodes  
                                                                                   
Frank L. Bentz                     Elenore W. Cone               Lisa R. Saunders  
                                                                                   
Janice L. Biennas                  Shirley A. Connelly           Melanie N. Stranix 
                                                                                   
Carole A. Corrigan                 Michael J. Dee                Carolyn S. Tihila 
                                                                                   
Dennis P. Neville                  Dominick A. Del Grosso        Kenneth V. Wilhelm
                                                                                   
Kathleen F. Pieper                 Donald S. Emel                Marcia M. Wong    
                                                                                   
Daniel J. Schrider                 Nancy J. Gibson               Sandra S. Wright  
                                                                                   
                                   Edward W. Kinsella            Cathryn D. Zinkgraf











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