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	August 31, 2004
( Date of earliest event reported)	August 31, 2004

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
(Adress of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

(563) 589-2100

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

    o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

    o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

    o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

    o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01 Other Information

       On August 31, 2004, Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release announcing that its subsidiary, Heartland Financial Capital Trust I, will redeem on September 30, 2004 (the "Redemption Date") all of its 9.60% Trust Preferred Securities and its 9.60% Common Securities at a redemption price equal to the $25.00 liquidation amount of each security plus all accrued and unpaid interest per security up to the Redemption Date. A copy of the Company’s press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01 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 August 31, 2004

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.
Date:  August 31, 2004	By:	/s/  John K. Schmidt
		John K. Schmidt
		Executive Vice President, COO and CFO

EX-99

              

                                           RE:  Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

               1398 Central Avenue

               Dubuque, IA 52001

               Ph: (563) 589-2100

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

AT THE COMPANY:	AT FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD:
John K. Schmidt	Jeff Wilhoit	Shelly Faaborg
Chief Operating Officer	General Inquiries	Analyst Inquiries
Chief Financial Officer	(312) 640-6757	(310) 407-6555
(563) 589-1994	jwilhoit@ financialrelationsboard.com	sfaaborg@ financialrelationsboard.com
jschmidt@ dubuquebank.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2004

HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC. ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION

OF TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES

DUBUQUE, IA, August 31, 2004 - Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: HTLF) (the "Company") announced today that Heartland Financial Capital Trust I (the "Trust"), a trust subsidiary of the Company, will redeem on September 30, 2004 (the "Redemption Date") all of its 9.60% Trust Preferred Securities (the "Trust Preferred Securities") (AMEX: HFT.Pr) and its 9.60% Common Securities (the "Trust Common Securities") at a redemption price equal to the $25.00 liquidation amount of each security plus all accrued and unpaid interest per security to the Redemption Date. The Trust Preferred Securities were originally issued in 1999 and are listed on the American Stock Exchange. All interest accruing on the Trust Preferred Securities and the Trust Common Securities will cease to accrue effective on the Redemption Dat e.  Wachovia Trust Company, property trustee of the Trust Preferred Securities, will notify the holders of the redemption.

HFT.Pr holders do not need to take any action to receive payment for the redemption of the Trust Preferred Securities. On September 30, 2004, funds will be deposited with the Depository Trust Corporation ("DTC") to pay the redemption price for all the Trust Preferred Securities. The DTC will then distribute funds to its participants.

The Trust is taking such action in connection with the concurrent redemption by the Company of all of its $25,780,000 9.60% Debentures due September 30, 2029 (the "Debentures") which are held exclusively by the Trust. The Debentures are to be redeemed on the Redemption Date at a redemption price equal to the principal outstanding amount of the Debentures plus interest accrued on the Debentures up through Redemption Date.

About Heartland Financial USA:

Heartland is a $2.5 billion financial services company with eight banks in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona and Montana:

Dubuque Bank and Trust Company, with eight offices in Dubuque, Epworth, Farley and Holy Cross, Iowa

Galena State Bank and Trust Company, with three offices in Galena and Stockton, Illinois

First Community Bank, with three offices in Keokuk, Iowa and Carthage, Illinois

Riverside Community Bank, with three offices in Rockford, Illinois

Wisconsin Community Bank, with seven offices in Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, Green Bay, Middleton, Monroe and Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Minnesota

New Mexico Bank & Trust, with twelve offices in Albuquerque, Clovis, Melrose, Portales and Santa Fe, New Mexico

Arizona Bank & Trust, with two offices in Mesa and Chandler, Arizona

Rocky Mountain Bank, with eight offices in Bigfork, Billings, Bozeman, Broadus, Plains, Plentywood, Stevensville and Whitehall, Montana

Other subsidiaries include:

ULTEA, Inc., a fleet management company with offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois

Citizens Finance Co., a consumer finance company with offices in Madison and Appleton, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; and Rockford, Illinois

HTLF Capital Corp., an investment banking firm in Denver, Colorado

Heartland’s shares are traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol HTLF.

Additional information about Heartland is available through our website at www.htlf.com.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and future oral and written statements of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (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 press release, including forward-looking s tatements, 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. 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.