Banks in Springfield report increased earnings

|tab|

Three banks Guaranty Fedreal Savings Bank, Commerce Bank and Great Southern Bank recently announced increased earnings for the second quarter ended Dec. 31.|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Guaranty Federal|ret||ret||tab|

Guaranty Federal Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Guaranty Federal Savings Bank, reported a 24 percent increase in quarterly earnings per share. Earnings were at 31 cents per share ($868,000), up from the 25 cents per share ($933,000) the company earned during the same quarter in the prior year. |ret||ret||tab|

A stock repurchase plan, announced Jan. 5, 2001, has been completed with the company repurchasing 437,764 shares of common stock at an average price of $12.80 per share.|ret||ret||tab|

Guaranty Federal Savings Bank has eight branches and 18 ATM locations in Greene and Christian counties. |ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Commerce|ret||ret||tab|

Commerce Bancshares Inc. announced record earnings of $2.89 per share in 2002 compared to $2.60 per share in 2001, for an 11 percent increase. Total earnings for 2002 totaled $199.5 million, an increase of 10 percent, compared to $182 million earned in 2001. |ret||ret||tab|

Earnings per share were 76 cents, compared to 67 cents for the same period last year, for an increase of 13 percent. Total earnings for the quarter amounted to $51.5 million, compared to $46.8 million last year. |ret||ret||tab|

The company declared and paid its ninth consecutive annual 5 percent stock dividend during the fourth quarter.|ret||ret||tab|

This marks the company's 18th consecutive year of record earnings and double-digit growth in earnings per share. Commerce Bancshares Inc. operates in 340 banking locations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Great Southern|ret||ret||tab|

Great Southern Bancorp Inc. reported earnings of 77 cents per share ($5,356,000) up from the 67 cents per share ($4,649,000) the company earned during the same quarter in the prior year. This represents a 15 percent increase in earnings per share over the same quarter in the previous year. |ret||ret||tab|

Preliminary earnings for the year ended Dec. 31, 2002, were $3.34 per share ($23,212,00), up 24 percent from the $2.70 the company earned during the same period in the prior year.|ret||ret||tab|

With its headquarters in Springfield, Great Southern Bancorp Inc. operates 29 branches and more than 130 ATMs throughout southwest and central Missouri.|ret||ret||tab|

[[In-content Ad]]