UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 28, 2001



                       SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



           Arkansas                     0-6253                 71-0407808
(State or other jurisdiction of      (Commission            (I.R.S. employer
 incorporation or organization)      file number)           identification No.)




  501 Main Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas                             71601
(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)



                                 (870) 541-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



ITEM: 9 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

The following is the text of a press release issued by the registrant at 3:15
P.M. Central Standard Time on August 28, 2001.

FOR RELEASE:      Tuesday, August 28, 2001


      SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION DECLARES $0.22 PER SHARE DIVIDEND
      --------------------------------------------------------------------


     Pine Bluff, AR -- Simmons First National  Corporation's  Board of Directors
declared a regular $0.22 per share  quarterly cash dividend  payable  October 1,
2001, to shareholders of record  September 17, 2001. This dividend  represents a
$0.02 per share,  or 10.00%  increase over the dividend paid for the same period
in 2000.

     Simmons First  National  Corporation  is a $1.9 billion  financial  holding
company,  with community banks in Pine Bluff,  Jonesboro,  Lake Village,  Dumas,
Rogers, Russellville,  Searcy and El Dorado, Arkansas. The Company's eight banks
conduct financial operations from 64 offices in 33 communities.

                               # # # # # # # # # #


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lawrence Fikes
Vice President, Marketing
Simmons First National Bank
870-541-1438
Ticker symbol:  SFNCA




                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                    SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION


Date:    August 28, 2001            /s/ Barry L. Crow
     ---------------------          -------------------------------------------
                                    Barry L. Crow, Executive Vice President
                                      and Chief Financial Officer