<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000310979 <NAME> First Banks America, Inc. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-mos <FISCAL-YEAR-END> Dec-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> Jan-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> Mar-31-1999 <CASH> 31,032 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 507 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 1,000 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 116,513 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 2,019 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 1,987 <LOANS> 689,844 <ALLOWANCE> 14,037 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 889,976 <DEPOSITS> 755,388 <SHORT-TERM> 15,401 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 8,377 <LONG-TERM> 44,171 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 956 <OTHER-SE> 65,683 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 889,976 <INTEREST-LOAN> 12,869 <INTEREST-INVEST> 1,828 <INTEREST-OTHER> 98 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 14,795 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 5,394 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 5,502 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 9,293 <LOAN-LOSSES> 90 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 86 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 7,506 <INCOME-PRETAX> 2,852 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 2,852 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 1,631 <EPS-PRIMARY> .29 <EPS-DILUTED> .28 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.66 <LOANS-NON> 6,952 <LOANS-PAST> 261 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 0 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 10,365 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 12,127 <CHARGE-OFFS> 480 <RECOVERIES> 834 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 14,037 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 9,330 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 4,707