8-K

              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                                February 26, 2003
(Date of earliest event reported)            (February 26, 2003)


                HEARTLAND FINANCIAL, USA, INC.
    (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                           Delaware
        (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


       0-24724                               42-1405748
(Commission File Number)                  (I.R.S. Employer
                                     Identification Number)


1398 Central Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa                    52001
(Address of principal executive offices)          (Zip Code)


                        (563) 589-2100
     (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


Item 5.  Other Information

On February 26, 2003, Heartland Financial USA, Inc. issued a
press release announcing that Heartland filed an application with
The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. to make its common stock eligible
for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market System.  The press
release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
Exhibits

     (a)  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED.

          None.

     (b)  PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

          None.

     (c)  EXHIBITS.

          99.1  Press Release dated February 26, 2003.


                           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.

                              HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC.



Dated:  February 26, 2003       By:/s/ John K. Schmidt
                                ---------------------------
                                John K. Schmidt
                                Executive Vice President
                                and Chief Financial Officer

EX-99

Exhibit 99.1

[LOGO]
Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


             HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC. ANNOUNCES
   FILING OF APPLICATION TO LIST ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET

     (Dubuque, Iowa)--Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (HTLF - OTC
BB) announced today that it has filed an application with The
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. to make its common stock eligible for
quotation on the Nasdaq National Market System. The application
process is expected to be completed in the second quarter.  Once
the application is approved by Nasdaq, the Company anticipates
that its common stock will continue to be quoted under the symbol
"HTLF".

     Heartland is a $1.8-billion financial services company  with
six  banks  in  Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and New Mexico.   Other
subsidiaries include:  ULTEA, Inc., a fleet leasing company  with
offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Citizens Finance
Co., a consumer finance company operating in Iowa, Wisconsin  and
Illinois.

For additional information, please contact Mr. John K. Schmidt,
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, at (563)
589-1994.


                              ####

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

     This   document   (including  information  incorporated   by
reference)  contains, and future oral and written  statements  of
the  Company  and  its  management may  contain,  forward-looking
statements   within   the  meaning  of  the  Private   Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act  of 1995 with respect  to  the  financial
condition,  results  of  operations,  plans,  objectives,  future
performance   and   business  of  the  Company.   Forward-looking
statements,  which  may be based upon beliefs,  expectations  and
assumptions  of  the  Company's  management  and  on  information
currently available to management, are generally identifiable  by
the  use  of  words  such  as "believe," "expect,"  "anticipate,"
"plan,"  "intend,"  "estimate," "may," "will," "would,"  "could,"
"should"   or  other  similar  expressions.   Additionally,   all
statements    in   this   document,   including   forward-looking
statements,  speak  only as of the date they are  made,  and  the
Company undertakes no obligation to update any statement in light
of new information or future events.

     A number of factors, many of which are beyond the ability of
the Company to control or predict, could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements.
These factors include, among others, the following: (i) the
strength of the local and national economy; (ii) the economic
impact of future terrorist actions or threats or acts of war and
the response of the United States to any such attacks or threats;
(iii) changes in state and federal laws, regulations and
governmental policies concerning the Company's general business;
(iv) changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of the
Company's assets; (v) increased competition in the financial
services sector and the inability to attract new customers;
(vi) changes in technology and the ability to develop and
maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; (vii) the loss
of key executives or employees; (viii) changes in consumer
spending; (ix) unexpected results of acquisitions; (x) unexpected
outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; and
(xi) changes in accounting policies and practices.  These risks
and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-
looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on
such statements.  Additional information concerning the Company
and its business, including additional factors that could
materially affect the Company's financial results, is included in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.