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) December 3, 2002



                       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 December 3, 2002.

      SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION DECLARES $0.25 PER SHARE DIVIDEND


     Pine Bluff, AR--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 2002--Simmons First National
Corporation's Board of Directors declared a regular $0.25 per share quarterly
cash dividend payable January 2, 2003, to shareholders of record December 16,
2002. This dividend represents a $0.01 per share, or 4.17% increase over the
previous quarter and a $0.02 per share, or 8.70% increase over the dividend paid
for the same period in 2001.
     Simmons First National Corporation is a $2 billion financial holding
company, with community banks in Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, Lake Village, Rogers,
Russellville, Searcy and El Dorado, Arkansas. The Company's seven banks conduct
financial operations from 65 offices in 34 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: December 3, 2002                 /s/ Barry L. Crow
    ---------------------              ---------------------------------------
                                       Barry L. Crow, Executive Vice President
                                       and Chief Financial Officer