BUSINESS MEMO: COMMERCE BANK EARNINGS

Commerce Bancshares Inc. has announced record earnings of $133 million for 1997, an increase of 13 percent from the $120 million in 1996. Per-share earnings were $3.36 for 1997, compared to $2.97 for 1996. Return on assets for the year was 1.46 percent.

Net income for the three months ending Dec. 31 was $37 million, up 13 percent from the same period of 1996. Per-share earnings for the final quarter were 93 cents compared to 81 cents in 1996, an increase of 15 percent.

Commerce Bancshares is a registered bank-holding company operating at 270 sites in Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, including Cape Girardeau. Total assets Dec. 31 were $10 billion, total loans were $6.2 billion and total deposits were $8.7 billion.