SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                            WASHINGTON, D.C.   20549


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT


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


         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) APRIL 27, 1998
                                                          --------------


                              COASTAL BANCORP, INC.
                              ---------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


          TEXAS                                 0-24526               76-0428727
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)          (IRS Employer
     of  incorporation)                                      Identification No.)







                                                 
5718 WESTHEIMER, SUITE 600, HOUSTON, TEXAS . . . .            77057
- --------------------------------------------------  ---------------
(Address of Principal executive offices) . . . . .       (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number including area code.   (713) 435-5000
                                                    ---------------




(Former  name  or  former  address,  if  changed since last report)          Not
                                                                             ---
applicable
     -----



ITEM  5.                    OTHER  EVENTS.
- --------                    --------------

          On  April  27,  1998,  the Board of Directors of Coastal Bancorp, Inc.
declared a 3:2 stock split to be paid on June 15, 1998 to stockholders of record
on  May  15,  1998.


ITEM  7.               FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND
- --------               ---------------------------------------------------------
EXHIBITS.
- ---------

     (a)          Financial  Statements
                  ---------------------

               No  financial  statements  are  required.

     (b)          Pro  Forma  Financial  Information
                  ----------------------------------

               No  pro  forma  financial  information  is  required.

     (c)          Exhibits
                  --------

               No.                    Description
               ---                    -----------
               99                    Press  Release,  dated  April  27,  1998





     SIGNATURES

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  hereunto  duly  authorized.

COASTAL  BANCORP,  INC.


/s/  Catherine  N.  Wylie                    Date:    April  28,  1998
- -------------------------
by:    Catherine  N.  Wylie,  Executive  Vice  President
     and  Chief  Financial  Officer






























                              COASTAL BANCORP, INC.




                                   EXHIBIT 99


              PRESS RELEASE OF THE REGISTRANT DATED APRIL 27, 1998



     NEWS  RELEASE
                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                   COASTAL BANCORP, INC. ANNOUNCES STOCK SPLIT

     HOUSTON  (April  27,  1998)  -  Coastal Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSA) (the "
Company")  announced today that its Board of Directors at their meeting on April
23,  1998  declared a three-for-two {3:2} stock split on the common stock of the
Company  payable  on June 15, 1998 to the stockholders of record at the close of
business  on  May  15,  1998.
     In  announcing  the stock split, Manuel J. Mehos, Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer of Coastal, noted that this action was taken in light of
the  Company's  results  over the past several years, the recent increase in the
stock  price and to provide greater liquidity in the Company's shares.  On April
15,  1998,  the  Company reported net income available to common shareholders of
$5.9  million  for the quarter ended March 31, 1998.  Diluted earnings per share
for  the  quarter  were  $1.14  compared to $0.63 for the same period last year.
     At  March  31,  1998,  on a consolidated basis, Coastal had $3.0 billion in
total  assets,  $1.4 billion in total deposits, $28.8 million in preferred stock
of  Coastal  Banc  ssb  and  $110.5  million  in  common  stockholders'  equity.
     Coastal  Bancorp,  Inc.  through  its wholly-owned subsidiary, Coastal Banc
Holding Company, Inc., owns 100 percent of the voting stock of Coastal Banc ssb,
a  Texas-chartered,  state  savings bank headquartered in Houston.  Coastal Banc
ssb  operates  37 branch offices in metropolitan Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi
and  small  cities  in  the  south  east  quadrant of Texas.  At March 31, 1998,
Coastal Banc ssb was considered to be a "well capitalized" institution according
to  FDIC  guidelines.
     "Safe  Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of  1995:    The  statements  contained in this release which are not historical
facts  contain forward looking information with respect to plans, projections or
future performance of the Company, the occurrence of which involve certain risks
and  uncertainties  detailed  in  the  Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission.



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