content: 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:  April 26, 1999
                                
                                
                  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                                
                                
                                
       FLORIDA                                   1-9109
  59-1517485
    (State of incorporation)                      (Commission
  (IRS Employer Identification
  
  File Number)                      Number)
  
  
  
  880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida
  33716
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  (Zip Code)
  
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code
  (727) 573-3800
  
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
  
        On  April  14,  1999, Raymond James  Financial,  Inc.,
  ("RJF"),  entered  into an Agreement (the "Agreement")  with
  BANK  ONE  CORPORATION ("Bank One") to acquire Roney  &  Co.
  ("Roney"), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary  of  Bank
  One.  Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, RJF will pay $
  80  million  to  acquire Roney.  The acquisition,  which  is
  subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the
  June quarter of 1999.
        Bank One owned Roney by virtue of it's acquisition  in
  May 1998 of First Chicago NBD Corporation, who had purchased
  Roney only a month earlier.  A portion of the Roney purchase
  price  was  deferred at that time and subjected to  a  three
  year  employment  requirement.   In  addition,  a  retention
  formula  was  established  for key producers,  also  vesting
  ratably  over  a  three  year  period.   As  part   of   its
  acquisition   price  for  Roney,  RJF  will   assume   these
  obligations  and  thus  have a total  of  approximately  $28
  million in deferred amounts in place through May 2001.
        Due  to the amortization of goodwill and the expensing
  of   retention  amounts,  the  acquisition   of   Roney   is
  anticipated to have a neutral to slightly dilutive impact on
  RJF's earnings per share for the first two years.
  
       Please see the attached press release dated April 14,
  1999.
  
                           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 thereunto duly
  authorized.
  
  
  
  
  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
  
  (Registrant)
  
  
  
  
  Date: April 26,1999
  ____/s/ Jeffrey P. Julien_______
  
  Jeffrey P. Julien
  
  Vice President - Finance
  
  and Chief Financial
  
  Officer
  Release No. 499-1
  April 14, 1999                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL
  ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE
  RONEY & CO. FROM BANK ONE
  
        ST.  PETERSBURG, Fla. - Raymond James Financial  today
  
  announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Roney & Co.
  
  from BANK ONE CORPORATION for $80 million.
  
        Roney's  operations will become a division of  Raymond
  
  James  Financial's  Raymond James & Associates  wholly-owned
  
  New York Stock Exchange member subsidiary.
  
        Roney  & Co.'s 28 branch offices in Michigan,  Indiana
  
  and  Ohio  will  geographically complement Raymond  James  &
  
  Associates'   retail  brokerage  network,  which   currently
  
  includes 56 domestic retail offices, according to Thomas  A.
  
  James, chairman of Raymond James Financial, and will provide
  
  a springboard for additional expansion in the Midwest.
  
       Together, the firms will have 900 Financial Advisors.
  
       The closing is expected prior to June 30, pending
  
  regulatory agreement.
  
        William  C. Roney III, chairman of Roney &  Co.,  will
  
  continue in a management role at Raymond James & Associates,
  
  as well as serve on its board, and will lead the Roney & Co.
  
  transition team in Detroit as president of the division.
  
                          -    more  -
  
  Page   2                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  
  FINANCIAL
  
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  
  
  
  
        "We are very pleased to be able to include Roney & Co.
  
  within  Raymond  James & Associates," James  said.  "I  have
  
  known  Bill and his company for a long time and I have great
  
  respect for them.
  
       "Raymond  James & Associates had already  targeted  the
  
  Midwest   as   an  expansion  opportunity  for  its   retail
  
  distribution   and   investment  banking  services,"   James
  
  continued.  "We  recently opened offices in Des  Moines  and
  
  Chicago. This acquisition will accelerate our entry. We  are
  
  gratified  to  have the opportunity to add  such  a  premier
  
  group to our growing brokerage network.
  
        "Both  Roney and Raymond James have similar  corporate
  
  cultures," he continued. "Equally important, both firms  use
  
  the  same  operating  system,  allowing  Raymond  James   to
  
  establish a
  
  second  operations  site  in  Detroit.  The  two  operations
  
  locations
  
  will    provide   each   other   with   backup    processing
  
  capabilities."
  
       "Raymond James & Associates was identified as the most
  
  compatible partner in terms of a similar culture and client-
  
  centered focus," explained Roney. "Raymond James & Associates is
  
  a highly regarded firm within our industry and we believe that
  
  this is a `best of both worlds' situation with the critical mass
  
  of a large company and the one-on-one personal service that has
  
                           -  more  -
  
  Page   3                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  FINANCIAL
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  
  long distinguished Roney & Co."
  
        At this point, according to James and Roney, they have
  
  made no determination about any departments in Roney & Co.'s
  
  Detroit headquarters, but it is likely that Capital Markets,
  
  as  well  as  Operations,  will be represented  in  Detroit,
  
  possibly leading to additional hiring. Every effort will  be
  
  made  to  retain  as  many  Roney  associates  as  possible.
  
  Additionally, Raymond James & Associates has more  than  125
  
  job  openings within its corporate headquarters as a  result
  
  of its continuing growth.
  
       "One of the reasons that this is a good fit for Roney &
  
  Co.," according to Roney, "is, because we both use the same
  
  operating system, the technical integration for our clients and
  
  financial consultants should be facilitated.
  
       "As for our branches," Roney added, "we expect a positive
  
  effect  due to the expanded array of investment alternatives
  
  and
  
  enhanced  recruiting  opportunities  that  Raymond  James  &
  
  Associates' national reputation brings to our firm."
  
        "After a strategic review of our investment management
  
  business,  we  determined  that  Roney  &  Co.,  given   its
  
  concentrated  regional  focus,  could  achieve  its   growth
  
  potential  more effectively outside Bank One," according  to
  
  David J. Kundert,
  
                          -    more  -
  
                                
  
  Page   4                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  
  FINANCIAL
  
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  
  
  
  
  chairman  and  CEO of Banc One Investment Management  Group,
  
  the  investment  management arm  of  BANK  ONE  CORPORATION.
  
  "Within  our  fast-growing national investment business,  we
  
  are  directing  our  focus on growing the  $123  billion  in
  
  assets  we manage for individual and institutional  clients,
  
  which  includes our proprietary $56 billion One Group Mutual
  
  Funds."
  
       The Roney name will remain for the time being, although
  
  it will operate as a division of Raymond James & Associates.
  
       "With the continuing consolidation within our industry,
  
  unified  branding  has  become  increasingly  important   to
  
  reinforce  a  shared identity," continued a  statement  from
  
  Roney  and  James.  "Consequently,  we  have  made  a  joint
  
  decision to adopt the more established, national recognition
  
  of Raymond James & Associates over time."
  
       That will allow Roney & Co. to better capitalize on the
  
  Raymond  James national branding campaign, which is centered
  
  on
  
  its  1998  naming  of  Raymond James  Stadium,  Tampa's  new
  
  football   facility  used  by  the  Tampa  Bay   Buccaneers,
  
  professional  soccer's Tampa Bay Mutiny  and  University  of
  
  South Florida's football team, the Bulls.
  
                           -  more  -
  
  
  Page   5                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  FINANCIAL
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  
       Concerning the consolidation, James stressed that "we have
  
  not yet finalized the timing. Reflecting the similar cultures,
  
  values and operating systems, we anticipate a relatively smooth
  
  integration."
  
       Roney & Co. will add its $112.6 million in revenues to
  
  Raymond James Financial's fiscal 1998 $1.1 billion.
  
       Raymond James Financial (NYSE - RJF) provides financial
  
  services  to  individuals, corporations  and  municipalities
  
  through its two wholly-owned investment firms, Raymond James
  
  &  Associates  and Raymond James Financial  Services,  which
  
  have  more  than 3,300 Financial Advisors in 1,400 locations
  
  throughout  the  United  States and  overseas,  as  well  as
  
  through  its  asset management subsidiaries which  currently
  
  manage in excess of $12 billion.
  
                            -  30  -
  
                   For additional information,
         please contact Lawrence Silver at 727-573-3800.
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text: 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:  April 26, 1999
                                
                                
                  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                                
                                
                                
       FLORIDA                                   1-9109
  59-1517485
    (State of incorporation)                      (Commission
  (IRS Employer Identification
  
  File Number)                      Number)
  
  880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida
  33716
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code
  (727) 573-3800
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
        On  April  14,  1999, Raymond James  Financial,  Inc.,
  ("RJF"),  entered  into an Agreement (the "Agreement")  with
  BANK  ONE  CORPORATION ("Bank One") to acquire Roney  &  Co.
  ("Roney"), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary  of  Bank
  One.  Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, RJF will pay $
  80  million  to  acquire Roney.  The acquisition,  which  is
  subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the
  June quarter of 1999.
        Bank One owned Roney by virtue of it's acquisition  in
  May 1998 of First Chicago NBD Corporation, who had purchased
  Roney only a month earlier.  A portion of the Roney purchase
  price  was  deferred at that time and subjected to  a  three
  year  employment  requirement.   In  addition,  a  retention
  formula  was  established  for key producers,  also  vesting
  ratably  over  a  three  year  period.   As  part   of   its
  acquisition   price  for  Roney,  RJF  will   assume   these
  obligations  and  thus  have a total  of  approximately  $28
  million in deferred amounts in place through May 2001.
        Due  to the amortization of goodwill and the expensing
  of   retention  amounts,  the  acquisition   of   Roney   is
  anticipated to have a neutral to slightly dilutive impact on
  RJF's earnings per share for the first two years.
  
       Please see the attached press release dated April 14,
  1999.
  
                           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 thereunto duly
  authorized.
  
  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL, INC.
  
  (Registrant)
  
  Date: April 26,1999
  ____/s/ Jeffrey P. Julien_______
  
  Jeffrey P. Julien
  
  Vice President - Finance
  
  and Chief Financial
  
  Officer
  Release No. 499-1
  April 14, 1999                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
  RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL
  ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE
  RONEY & CO. FROM BANK ONE
  
        ST.  PETERSBURG, Fla. - Raymond James Financial  today
  
  announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Roney & Co.
  
  from BANK ONE CORPORATION for $80 million.
  
        Roney's  operations will become a division of  Raymond
  
  James  Financial's  Raymond James & Associates  wholly-owned
  
  New York Stock Exchange member subsidiary.
  
        Roney  & Co.'s 28 branch offices in Michigan,  Indiana
  
  and  Ohio  will  geographically complement Raymond  James  &
  
  Associates'   retail  brokerage  network,  which   currently
  
  includes 56 domestic retail offices, according to Thomas  A.
  
  James, chairman of Raymond James Financial, and will provide
  
  a springboard for additional expansion in the Midwest.
  
       Together, the firms will have 900 Financial Advisors.
  
       The closing is expected prior to June 30, pending
  
  regulatory agreement.
  
        William  C. Roney III, chairman of Roney &  Co.,  will
  
  continue in a management role at Raymond James & Associates,
  
  as well as serve on its board, and will lead the Roney & Co.
  
  transition team in Detroit as president of the division.
  
                          -    more  -
  
  Page   2                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  
  FINANCIAL
  
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
        "We are very pleased to be able to include Roney & Co.
  
  within  Raymond  James & Associates," James  said.  "I  have
  
  known  Bill and his company for a long time and I have great
  
  respect for them.
  
       "Raymond  James & Associates had already  targeted  the
  
  Midwest   as   an  expansion  opportunity  for  its   retail
  
  distribution   and   investment  banking  services,"   James
  
  continued.  "We  recently opened offices in Des  Moines  and
  
  Chicago. This acquisition will accelerate our entry. We  are
  
  gratified  to  have the opportunity to add  such  a  premier
  
  group to our growing brokerage network.
  
        "Both  Roney and Raymond James have similar  corporate
  
  cultures," he continued. "Equally important, both firms  use
  
  the  same  operating  system,  allowing  Raymond  James   to
  
  establish a
  
  second  operations  site  in  Detroit.  The  two  operations
  
  locations
  
  will    provide   each   other   with   backup    processing
  
  capabilities."
  
       "Raymond James & Associates was identified as the most
  
  compatible partner in terms of a similar culture and client-
  
  centered focus," explained Roney. "Raymond James & Associates is
  
  a highly regarded firm within our industry and we believe that
  
  this is a `best of both worlds' situation with the critical mass
  
  of a large company and the one-on-one personal service that has
  
                           -  more  -
  
  Page   3                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  FINANCIAL
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  long distinguished Roney & Co."
  
        At this point, according to James and Roney, they have
  
  made no determination about any departments in Roney & Co.'s
  
  Detroit headquarters, but it is likely that Capital Markets,
  
  as  well  as  Operations,  will be represented  in  Detroit,
  
  possibly leading to additional hiring. Every effort will  be
  
  made  to  retain  as  many  Roney  associates  as  possible.
  
  Additionally, Raymond James & Associates has more  than  125
  
  job  openings within its corporate headquarters as a  result
  
  of its continuing growth.
  
       "One of the reasons that this is a good fit for Roney &
  
  Co.," according to Roney, "is, because we both use the same
  
  operating system, the technical integration for our clients and
  
  financial consultants should be facilitated.
  
       "As for our branches," Roney added, "we expect a positive
  
  effect  due to the expanded array of investment alternatives
  
  and
  
  enhanced  recruiting  opportunities  that  Raymond  James  &
  
  Associates' national reputation brings to our firm."
  
        "After a strategic review of our investment management
  
  business,  we  determined  that  Roney  &  Co.,  given   its
  
  concentrated  regional  focus,  could  achieve  its   growth
  
  potential  more effectively outside Bank One," according  to
  
  David J. Kundert,
  
                          -    more  -
  
                                
  
  Page   4                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  
  FINANCIAL
  
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
  chairman  and  CEO of Banc One Investment Management  Group,
  
  the  investment  management arm  of  BANK  ONE  CORPORATION.
  
  "Within  our  fast-growing national investment business,  we
  
  are  directing  our  focus on growing the  $123  billion  in
  
  assets  we manage for individual and institutional  clients,
  
  which  includes our proprietary $56 billion One Group Mutual
  
  Funds."
  
       The Roney name will remain for the time being, although
  
  it will operate as a division of Raymond James & Associates.
  
       "With the continuing consolidation within our industry,
  
  unified  branding  has  become  increasingly  important   to
  
  reinforce  a  shared identity," continued a  statement  from
  
  Roney  and  James.  "Consequently,  we  have  made  a  joint
  
  decision to adopt the more established, national recognition
  
  of Raymond James & Associates over time."
  
       That will allow Roney & Co. to better capitalize on the
  
  Raymond  James national branding campaign, which is centered
  
  on
  
  its  1998  naming  of  Raymond James  Stadium,  Tampa's  new
  
  football   facility  used  by  the  Tampa  Bay   Buccaneers,
  
  professional  soccer's Tampa Bay Mutiny  and  University  of
  
  South Florida's football team, the Bulls.
  
                           -  more  -
  
  Page   5                                     RAYMOND   JAMES
  FINANCIAL
  Rel. No. 499-1
  
       Concerning the consolidation, James stressed that "we have
  
  not yet finalized the timing. Reflecting the similar cultures,
  
  values and operating systems, we anticipate a relatively smooth
  
  integration."
  
       Roney & Co. will add its $112.6 million in revenues to
  
  Raymond James Financial's fiscal 1998 $1.1 billion.
  
       Raymond James Financial (NYSE - RJF) provides financial
  
  services  to  individuals, corporations  and  municipalities
  
  through its two wholly-owned investment firms, Raymond James
  
  &  Associates  and Raymond James Financial  Services,  which
  
  have  more  than 3,300 Financial Advisors in 1,400 locations
  
  throughout  the  United  States and  overseas,  as  well  as
  
  through  its  asset management subsidiaries which  currently
  
  manage in excess of $12 billion.
  
                            -  30  -
  
                   For additional information,
         please contact Lawrence Silver at 727-573-3800.