CMA - news) today
reported record 1998 earnings.  Comerica reported earnings per share of
$3.72, up 17 percent from $3.19 per share in 1997.  Net income was $607
million, up 14 percent from $530 million for 1997.  Return on common equity
was 22.54 percent and return on assets was 1.74 percent, compared to 21.32
percent and 1.52 percent, respectively, for 1997.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 1998 was $158 million or $0.97 per
share, up 13 percent from $140 million or $0.85 per share for the same period
in 1997.  Return on common equity was 22.49 percent and return on assets was
1.78 percent, compared to 21.68 percent and 1.57 percent, respectively, for
the fourth quarter of 1997.
``We are pleased to announce another year of record earnings,'' said Eugene
A. Miller, chairman and chief executive officer.  ``Our financial performance
reflects continued strong loan demand and the successful implementation of
revenue enhancement and expense control strategies, while maintaining a
historically high level of asset quality.  Nineteen ninety eight was a year of
change, which included exiting certain non-relationship consumer businesses to
focus reinvestment on our strength -- commercial lending -- successfully
completing Direction 2000 and making significant progress in our year 2000
readiness.''
Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 1998 was $371 million, an
increase of $5 million from the same period last year.  Net interest income
and the net interest margin were both affected by the sale of $2.0 billion of
indirect consumer loans and non-relationship credit card receivables in the
second quarter of 1998.  The net interest margin was 4.54 percent for the
fourth quarter of 1998, compared to 4.48 percent for the comparable quarter of
1997.
Noninterest income was $167 million for the fourth quarter of 1998,
compared to $141 million for the same quarter last year.  Excluding the
effect of certain nonrecurring items, securities gains and divestitures in
both periods, noninterest income increased 12 percent in the fourth quarter of
1998, compared to the fourth quarter of 1997.
Noninterest expenses were $263 million for the fourth quarter of 1998,
compared to $257 million in 1997.  Excluding the effect of certain
nonrecurring items and divestitures in both periods, noninterest expenses
increased 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 1998, compared to the fourth
quarter of 1997.
The provision for credit losses was $36 million in the fourth quarter of
1998, a decrease of $1 million compared to the same period in 1997.  Net
charge-offs for the quarter were $23 million or 0.30 percent of average total
loans, compared with $25 million or 0.36 percent in the fourth quarter of
1997.  Nonperforming assets were $121 million or 0.39 percent of loans and
other real estate at December 31, 1998, compared to $103 million or 0.36
percent at December 31, 1997.
Assets totaled $37 billion at December 31, 1998, compared with $36 billion
one year earlier, while common shareholders' equity was $2.8 billion, compared
to $2.5 billion in 1997.  Shares of common stock outstanding at December 31,
1998 were 156 million compared to 157 million at December 31, 1997.  Total
loans were $31 billion and total deposits were $24 billion at year-end 1998.
Total loans and total deposits at year-end 1997 were $29 billion and $23
billion, respectively.
Comerica Incorporated is a multi-state financial services provider
headquartered in Detroit that operates banking subsidiaries in Michigan,
California and Texas.  Comerica also operates banking subsidiaries in Canada
and Mexico.  Comerica is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 1999.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
Comerica Incorporated and Subsidiaries
(in thousands, except per share data)
Three Months Ended
December 31
1998 1997
INTEREST INCOME
Interest and fees on loans $601,165 $603,633
Interest on investment
securities:
Taxable 47,522 74,117
Exempt from federal income
tax 1,478 2,319
Total interest on investment
securities 49,000 76,436
Interest on short-term investments 1,956 2,094
Total interest income 652,121 682,163
INTEREST EXPENSE
Interest on deposits                       163,472        170,601
Interest on short-term
borrowings:
Federal funds purchased and
securities sold under
agreements to repurchase 42,961 27,958
Other borrowed funds 7,559 18,859
Interest on medium- and
long-term debt 77,991 110,227
Net interest rate swap income (10,612) (11,364)
Total interest expense 281,371 316,281
Net interest income 370,750 365,882
Provision for credit losses 36,000 37,000
Net interest income after
provision for credit losses 334,750 328,882
    NONINTEREST INCOME
    Income from fiduciary
      activities                                42,742         40,465
    Service charges on deposit
      accounts                                  40,133         36,093
    Securities gains                             6,081          3,836
    Other noninterest income                    78,431         60,370
        Total noninterest income               167,387        140,764
    NONINTEREST EXPENSES
    Salaries and employee benefits             150,290        135,257
    Net occupancy expense                       23,038         21,681
    Equipment expense                           14,897         15,471
    Telecommunications expense                   7,423          7,045
    Other noninterest expenses                  67,403         77,914
        Total noninterest expenses             263,051        257,368
    Income before income taxes                 239,086        212,278
    Provision for income taxes                  81,266         72,351
    NET INCOME                                $157,820       $139,927
    Net income applicable to
      common stock                            $153,545       $135,652
    Basic net income per common
      share                                      $0.99          $0.86
    Diluted net income per common
      share                                      $0.97          $0.85
    Cash dividends declared on
      common stock                             $49,788        $44,996
    Dividends per common share                   $0.32          $0.29
                                                     Year Ended
                                                     December 31
                                                 1998          1997
    INTEREST INCOME
    Interest and fees on loans               $2,382,329     $2,317,844
    Interest on investment
      securities:
       Taxable                                  218,378        310,399
       Exempt from federal income
        tax                                       7,252         10,797
          Total interest on investment
            securities                          225,630        321,196
    Interest on short-term investments            8,815          8,363
        Total interest income                 2,616,774      2,647,403
    INTEREST EXPENSE
    Interest on deposits                        647,825        673,265
    Interest on short-term
      borrowings:
       Federal funds purchased and
         securities sold under
         agreements to repurchase               136,616        110,752
       Other borrowed funds                      49,095         98,258
    Interest on medium- and
      long-term debt                            367,777        374,022
    Net interest rate swap income               (45,810)       (51,670)
        Total interest expense                1,155,503      1,204,627
        Net interest income                   1,461,271      1,442,776
    Provision for credit losses                 113,000        146,000
        Net interest income after
          provision for credit losses         1,348,271      1,296,776
    NONINTEREST INCOME
    Income from fiduciary
      activities                                166,374        147,336
    Service charges on deposit
      accounts                                  157,416        141,078
    Securities gains                              6,116          5,195
    Other noninterest income                    273,242        234,343
        Total noninterest income                603,148        527,952
    NONINTEREST EXPENSES
    Salaries and employee benefits              565,303        538,926
    Net occupancy expense                        89,911         89,380
    Equipment expense                            60,147         61,759
    Telecommunications expense                   27,613         28,010
    Other noninterest expenses                  277,070        289,911
        Total noninterest expenses            1,020,044      1,007,986
    Income before income taxes                  931,375        816,742
    Provision for income taxes                  324,299        286,266
    NET INCOME                                 $607,076       $530,476
    Net income applicable to
      common stock                             $589,976       $513,376
    Basic net income per common
      share                                       $3.79          $3.24
    Diluted net income per common
      share                                       $3.72          $3.19
     Cash dividends declared on
      common stock                             $199,403       $181,272
    Dividends per common share                    $1.28          $1.15
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    Comerica Incorporated and Subsidiaries
    (in thousands, except share data)
                                                 Dec. 31,        Dec. 31,
                                                   1998            1997
    ASSETS
    Cash and due from banks                    $1,773,100      $1,927,087
Short-term investments 109,640 202,957
    Investment securities
      available for sale                        2,712,165       4,005,962
    Commercial loans                           19,086,541      15,805,549
    International loans                         2,713,259       2,085,090
    Real estate construction
      loans                                     1,079,614         940,910
    Commercial mortgage loans                   4,179,271       3,633,785
    Residential mortgage loans                  1,037,941       1,565,445
    Consumer loans                              1,861,630       4,347,665
    Lease financing                               646,607         516,600
       Total loans                             30,604,863      28,895,044
    Less allowance for credit
      losses                                     (452,409)       (424,147)
       Net loans                               30,152,454      28,470,897
    Premises and equipment                        352,650         380,157
    Customers' liability on
      acceptances outstanding                      12,335          18,392
    Accrued income and other
      assets                                    1,488,487       1,286,946
       Total assets                           $36,600,831     $36,292,398
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS'
     EQUITY
    Noninterest-bearing deposits               $6,999,337      $6,761,202
    Interest-bearing deposits                  17,313,796      15,825,115
       Total deposits                          24,313,133      22,586,317
    Federal funds purchased and
      securities sold under
      agreements to repurchase                  3,108,985         592,860
    Other borrowed funds                          471,168       2,600,041
    Acceptances outstanding                        12,335          18,392
    Accrued expenses and other
      liabilities                                 366,338         446,625
    Medium- and long-term debt                  5,282,259       7,286,387
       Total liabilities                       33,554,218      33,530,622
    Nonredeemable preferred stock
      - $50 stated value:
      Authorized - 5,000,000 shares
      Issued - 5,000,000 shares at
        12/31/98 and 12/31/97                     250,000         250,000
    Common stock - $5 par value:
      Authorized - 325,000,000
        shares
      Issued - 157,233,088 shares
        at 12/31/98 and 156,815,367
        shares at 12/31/97                        786,165         784,077
    Capital surplus                                24,649               -
    Unrealized gains and losses
      on investment securities
      available for sale                           (6,455)         (1,937)
    Retained earnings                           2,086,589       1,731,419
    Deferred compensation                          (5,202)         (1,783)
    Less cost of common stock in
      treasury - 1,351,997 shares
      at 12/31/98                                 (89,133)              -
       Total shareholders'
        equity                                  3,046,613       2,761,776
       Total liabilities and
        shareholders' equity                  $36,600,831     $36,292,398
    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    Comerica Incorporated and Subsidiaries
    (in thousands, except per share data,
     average balances and ratios)
                                              Three Months Ended
                                                  December 31
                                          1998                 1997
    PER SHARE AND COMMON STOCK
      DATA
    Diluted net income                   $0.97                $0.85
    Cash dividends declared               0.32                 0.29
    Common shareholders' equity
      (at December 31)                   17.94                16.02
Average diluted shares 158,197 160,220
    KEY RATIOS (in percent)
    Return on average common
      equity                             22.49                21.68
    Return on average assets              1.78                 1.57
    Average common equity as a
      percentage of average assets        7.71                 7.03
    Core capital ratio (1998 estimated)   6.36                 6.28
    Total capital ratio (1998 estimated) 10.45                 9.90
    Leverage ratio (1998 estimated)       7.68                 7.09
    AVERAGE BALANCES (in millions)
    Commercial loans (including
      lease financing)                 $18,864              $15,417
    International loans                  2,612                2,086
    Real estate construction loans       1,061                  963
    Commercial mortgage loans            4,040                3,626
    Residential mortgage loans           1,113                1,607
    Consumer loans                       1,870                4,403
    Total loans                        $29,560              $28,102
    Earning assets                      32,613               32,670
    Total assets                        35,445               35,613
    Interest-bearing deposits           16,571               15,960
    Noninterest-bearing deposits         6,268                6,055
    Total interest-bearing
      liabilities                       25,802               26,347
    Common shareholders' equity          2,731                2,503
     NET INTEREST INCOME
    Net interest
      income (fully taxable
      equivalent basis)               $372,298            $368,049
    Fully taxable equivalent
     adjustment                          1,548               2,168
    Net interest margin (in percent)      4.54                4.48
    CREDIT QUALITY
    Nonaccrual loans                  $108,233             $78,159
    Reduced-rate loans                   7,464               7,583
    Other real estate                    4,956              17,046
    Total nonperforming assets         120,653             102,788
    Loans 90 days past due              40,209              52,805
    Gross charge-offs                   29,746              37,678
    Recoveries                           7,226              12,243
    Net charge-offs                     22,520              25,435
    Allowance for credit losses
     as a percentage of total
     loans (in percent)                   1.48                1.47
    Nonperforming assets as a
     percentage of total
     loans and other real
     estate (in percent)                  0.39                0.36
    Net loans charged off as
     a percentage of average
     total loans (in percent)             0.30                0.36
    Allowance for credit losses
     as a percentage of total
     nonperforming assets (in
     percent)                              375                 413
    ADDITIONAL DATA
    Goodwill                          $344,347            $231,974
    Core deposit intangible             18,035              23,345
    Other intangibles                    2,286               3,117
    Loan servicing rights                4,223              28,476
    Amortization of intangibles          8,485               7,243
                                                Year Ended
                                                December 31
                                         1998                 1997
    PER SHARE AND COMMON STOCK
      DATA
    Diluted net income                   $3.72               $3.19
    Cash dividends declared               1.28                1.15
    Common shareholders' equity
      (at December 31)
Average diluted shares 158,757 161,040
    KEY RATIOS (in percent)
    Return on average common
      equity                             22.54               21.32
    Return on average assets              1.74                1.52
    Average common equity as a
      percentage of average assets        7.48                6.91
    Core capital ratio (1998 estimated)
    Total capital ratio (1998 estimated)
    Leverage ratio (1998 estimated)
     AVERAGE BALANCES (in millions)
    Commercial loans (including
      lease financing)                 $17,549             $14,681
    International loans                  2,342               1,953
    Real estate construction loans         989                 866
    Commercial mortgage loans            3,819               3,547
    Residential mortgage loans           1,325               1,676
    Consumer loans                       2,575               4,486
    Total loans                        $28,599             $27,209
    Earning assets                      32,113              32,025
    Total assets                        34,987              34,869
    Interest-bearing deposits           16,102              16,131
    Noninterest-bearing deposits         6,151               5,815
    Total interest-bearing
      liabilities                       25,554              25,929
    Common shareholders' equity          2,617               2,408
    NET INTEREST INCOME
    Net interest
      income (fully taxable
      equivalent basis)             $1,468,422          $1,452,218
    Fully taxable equivalent
     adjustment                          7,151               9,443
    Net interest margin (in percent)      4.57                4.53
    CREDIT QUALITY
    Nonaccrual loans
    Reduced-rate loans
    Other real estate
    Total nonperforming assets
    Loans 90 days past due
    Gross charge-offs                 $125,627            $131,140
    Recoveries                          40,889              42,122
    Net charge-offs                     84,738              89,018
    Allowance for credit losses
     as a percentage of total
     loans (in percent)
    Nonperforming assets as a
     percentage of total
     loans and other real
     estate (in percent)
    Net loans charged off as
     a percentage of average
     total loans (in percent)             0.30                0.33
    Allowance for credit losses
     as a percentage of total
     nonperforming assets (in
     percent)
    ADDITIONAL DATA
    Goodwill
    Core deposit intangible
    Other intangibles
    Loan servicing rights
    Amortization of intangibles         30,414              28,375


