Form 13F Cover Page

Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: September 30, 2012

Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report:

Name:  		ARGENT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Address:  	100 S. Brentwood Blvd., Suite 110
		St. Louis, MO 63105

13F File Number 28-05933

The institutional investment manager filing this report
and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that
the person signing the report is authorized to submit it,
that all information contained herein is true, correct and
complete, and that it is understood that all required items,
statements, schedules, lists and tables, are considered
integral parts of this form.

Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager:

Name:  	Laurie Hayek
Title:	Chief Compliance Officer
Phone:	314-727-3222
Signature, Place and Date of Signing:
Laurie A. Hayek, Argent Capital Management, 11-13-12.
Form 13F Summary Page

Report Summary:
Number of Other Included Managers: 		0

Form 13F Information Table Entry Total:  154

Form 13F Information Table Value Total	$1,174,224,733



					
      NAME OF      	TITLE OF         	Value 	Shares/Prn           	Invstm  Other  	 Sole
      ISSUER        	CLASS    CUSIP  	x$1000   Amt Sh/Prn	Put/Ca	Dscret Managers	Voting

Abbott Laboratories	COM	002824100	4909	71599	SH		SOLE		71599
Akorn Inc		COM	009728106	1268	95925	SH		SOLE		90300
Allergan, Inc.		COM	018490102	21542	235221	SH		SOLE		230224
Allstate		COM	020002101	30552	771328	SH		SOLE		760678
American Express Co	COM	025816109	295	5181	SH		SOLE		2413
Anika Therapeutics Inc	COM	035255108	762	50760	SH		SOLE		47860
Apple Computer		COM	037833100	33152	49696	SH		SOLE		47962
AT&T Inc.		COM	00206r102	4921	130531	SH		SOLE		130531
Automatic Data Proc	COM	053015103	387	6600	SH		SOLE		6600
Avon Products Inc	COM	054303102	1311	82202	SH		SOLE		82202
BancorpSouth Capital	PFD	05969e305	236	8900	SH		SOLE		8900
Barrett Business Svc	COM	068463108	1812	66875	SH		SOLE		63050
Berkshire Hathaway Cl B	COM	084670702	239	2710	SH		SOLE		2710
Bill Barrett Corp	COM	06846n104	1295	52300	SH		SOLE		49200
Biogen Idec Inc.	COM	09062x103	45012	301670	SH		SOLE		295638
BOFI Holding Inc	COM	05566u108	1258	48285	SH		SOLE		45596
Bristol-Myers		COM	110122108	4307	127615	SH		SOLE		124272
Bryn Mawr Bank Corp	COM	117665109	2269	101125	SH		SOLE		95500
Calavo Growers, Inc.	COM	128246105	1208	48300	SH		SOLE		45475
CBS Corp		COM	124857202	38315	1054635	SH		SOLE		1040085
CenturyLink Inc.	COM	156700106	3346	82810	SH		SOLE		82810
Chevron Corp New	COM	166764100	27037	231960	SH		SOLE		227667
Cirrus Logic, Inc.	COM	172755100	1560	40625	SH		SOLE		38275
Citrix Systems, Inc.	COM	177376100	23855	311707	SH		SOLE		305960
Clearwater Paper Corp.	COM	18538r103	1323	32025	SH		SOLE		30150
Coca-Cola		COM	191216100	639	16852	SH		SOLE		16852
Coinstar Inc		COM	19259p300	1592	35400	SH		SOLE		33375
Computer Task Group	COM	205477102	591	36496	SH		SOLE		34371
ConocoPhillips		COM	20825c104	3892	68062	SH		SOLE		68062
Cubist Pharmaceuticals	COM	229678107	718	15050	SH		SOLE		14150
CVS Corp		COM	126650100	294	6067	SH		SOLE		0
Dana Holding Corp.	COM	235825205	648	52650	SH		SOLE		49550
Danaher Corp.		COM	235851102	35517	644013	SH		SOLE		634013
Darden Restaurants Inc	COM	237194105	3822	68554	SH		SOLE		68554
Datalink Corp		COM	237934104	729	88097	SH		SOLE		83122
Deckers Outdoor Corp	COM	243537107	626	17075	SH		SOLE		16075
Dreamworks AnimationSKG	COM	26153c103	1010	52500	SH		SOLE		49450
DUSA Pharmaceuticals	COM	266898105	1164	171490	SH		SOLE		161940
DXP Enterprises, Inc.	COM	233377407	616	12900	SH		SOLE		12175
Eaton Corp.		COM	278058102	27482	581384	SH		SOLE		573734
Ebay, Inc		COM	278642103	31746	656322	SH		SOLE		641919
EMC Corp.		COM	268648102	30490	1118095	SH		SOLE		1093600
Emerson Electric Co.	COM	291011104	3716	76987	SH		SOLE		76987
Encore Capital Group	COM	292554102	3690	130576	SH		SOLE		123051
Energizer Holdings	COM	29266R108	372	4987	SH		SOLE		4987
Evolving Systems Inc.	COM	30049r209	5294	859472	SH		SOLE		812322
Express Scripts Holding	COM	30219G108	34782	555357	SH		SOLE		542825
Express, Inc.		COM	30219e103	746	50350	SH		SOLE		47400
Exxon Mobil Corp	COM	30231G102	5115	55933	SH		SOLE		53608
Finish Line		COM	317923100	739	32500	SH		SOLE		30625
First PacTrust Bancorp	COM	33589v101	5495	439270	SH		SOLE		414095
First Pfd CapTrIV8.15%	PFD	33610a209	447	18900	SH		SOLE		18900
Forest Laboratories ClA	COM	345838106	33778	948560	SH		SOLE		934410
Franklin Resources Inc.	COM	354613101	25327	202502	SH		SOLE		199402
General Electric	COM	369604103	4526	199310	SH		SOLE		185062
General Mills		COM	370334104	3094	77651	SH		SOLE		77651
Gilead Sciences, Inc.	COM	375558103	46914	707276	SH		SOLE		693134
Google, Inc.		COM	38259P508	50204	66539	SH		SOLE		65169
GP Strategies Corp	COM	36225v104	550	28443	SH		SOLE		26843
Greenbrier Cos Inc	COM	393657101	763	47250	SH		SOLE		44475
Gulfport Energy Corp	COM	402635304	492	15750	SH		SOLE		14850
Hasbro			COM	418056107	3964	103865	SH		SOLE		103865
Heinz H J Co		COM	423074103	274	4900	SH		SOLE		4900
Helix Energy Solutions	COM	42330p107	3736	204500	SH		SOLE		192425
Home Depot		COM	437076102	544	9018	SH		SOLE		4300
HomeAway Inc.		COM	43739q100	576	24600	SH		SOLE		23150
IBM Corporation		COM	459200101	235	1132	SH		SOLE		427
Integrated Device Tech	COM	458118106	698	118915	SH		SOLE		112190
Integrated Silicon Solu	COM	45812p107	584	63105	SH		SOLE		59555
Intel Corp.		COM	458140100	28010	1236358	SH		SOLE		1220558
Jabil Circuit Inc.	COM	466313103	28824	1539740	SH		SOLE		1518640
Jacobs Engineering	COM	469814107	21306	526992	SH		SOLE		518942
John B Sanfilippo & Son	COM	800422107	1265	97142	SH		SOLE		91492
Johnson & Johnson	COM	478160104	4380	63558	SH		SOLE		63558
JP Morgan Chase & Co.	COM	46625H100	23702	585524	SH		SOLE		574803
KapStone Paper and Pkg	COM	48562p103	668	29850	SH		SOLE		28225
L.B. Foster Company	COM	350060109	609	18825	SH		SOLE		17775
LeMaitre Vascular Inc	COM	525558201	3919	610418	SH		SOLE		575618
Libbey Inc.		COM	529898108	989	62650	SH		SOLE		59050
Lockheed Martin Corp	COM	539830109	4268	45706	SH		SOLE		45706
Lowes Cos		COM	548661107	39156	1294840	SH		SOLE		1277090
Magnachip Semiconductor	COM	55933j203	2199	186370	SH		SOLE		175695
Main Street Capital	COM	56035L104	904	30650	SH		SOLE		28850
Marriott Vacations WW	COM	57164y107	738	20500	SH		SOLE		19300
MasterCard, Inc.	COM	57636q104	28547	63229	SH		SOLE		61961
Maxim Integrated Prod	COM	57772k101	2238	84063	SH		SOLE		84063
McDonalds Corp		COM	580135101	296	3221	SH		SOLE		2306
MDU Resources Group 	COM	552690109	3239	146974	SH		SOLE		146974
Merck & Co		COM	58933y105	531	11765	SH		SOLE		11765
Microsemi Corp		COM	595137100	1855	92425	SH		SOLE		87025
Microsoft Corp.		COM	594918104	5647	189752	SH		SOLE		183545
Mitcham Industries Inc	COM	606501104	1246	78175	SH		SOLE		73690
Molex Inc.		COM	608554101	3772	143530	SH		SOLE		143530
News Corporation	COM	65248e104	263	10716	SH		SOLE		0
NextEra Energy Inc	COM	65339f101	4531	64430	SH		SOLE		64430
Oasis Petroleum Inc.	COM	674215108	497	16850	SH		SOLE		15875
OM Group Inc.		COM	670872100	640	34500	SH		SOLE		32500
On Assignment Inc	COM	682159108	777	39010	SH		SOLE		36860
Oracle Corp.		COM	68389X105	24763	787127	SH		SOLE		775227
Park-Ohio Holdings 	COM	700666100	615	28400	SH		SOLE		26725
PDC Energy, Inc.	COM	69327r101	614	19400	SH		SOLE		18275
PepsiCo, Inc.		COM	713448108	4602	65028	SH		SOLE		63331
Perficient Inc		COM	71375u101	5073	420318	SH		SOLE		396318
Pfizer Inc.		COM	717081103	4895	196994	SH		SOLE		196994
Philip Morris Intl	COM	718172109	535	5951	SH		SOLE		4353
PhotoMedex, Inc.	COM	719358301	704	50050	SH		SOLE		47100
Post Holdings Inc	COM	737446104	22857	760393	SH		SOLE		748268
Priceline.com		COM	741503403	23190	37460	SH		SOLE		36895
Principal Finl Group	COM	74251v102	30631	1137000	SH		SOLE		1122150
Procter & Gamble	COM	742718109	615	8870	SH		SOLE		8870
Provident New York Banc	COM	744028101	1400	148826	SH		SOLE		140401
Pulaski Financial Corp	COM	745548107	7997	969300	SH		SOLE		915476
QUALCOMM Incorporated	COM	747525103	40182	643222	SH		SOLE		630287
Quality Systems, Inc.	COM	747582104	951	51300	SH		SOLE		48325
Ralcorp Holdings, Inc.	COM	751028101	20021	274256	SH		SOLE		270156
Renasant Corp.		COM	75970e107	902	46000	SH		SOLE		43350
Rent-A-Center		COM	76009n100	611	17450	SH		SOLE		16400
Resolute Energy Corp.	COM	76116a108	777	87600	SH		SOLE		82475
SCBT Financial Corp	COM	78401v102	1847	45850	SH		SOLE		43175
Schlumberger LTD	COM	806857108	21871	302374	SH		SOLE		295414
Silicon Image, Inc	COM	82705t102	598	130800	SH		SOLE		123375
Silicon Motion Tech	COM	82706c108	626	42355	SH		SOLE		40030
Skyworks Solutions	COM	83088m102	3708	157375	SH		SOLE		148250
Suntrust Banks		COM	867914103	36837	1303025	SH		SOLE		1283425
Superior Energy Svc	COM	868157108	523	25500	SH		SOLE		23975
Susquehanna Bancshares	COM	869099101	1189	113750	SH		SOLE		107125
Teradyne, Inc.		COM	880770102	3644	256275	SH		SOLE		241525
Time Warner Cable	COM	88732j207	283	2977	SH		SOLE		2259
Titan International	COM	88830m102	2226	126050	SH		SOLE		118725
Titan Machinery Inc	COM	88830r101	2559	126200	SH		SOLE		119225
Trex Company Inc.	COM	89531p105	1587	46525	SH		SOLE		43800
TriMas Corp		COM	896215209	1387	57525	SH		SOLE		54175
Triumph Group		COM	896818101	627	10025	SH		SOLE		9475
United Technologies	COM	913017109	222	2839	SH		SOLE		700
United Therapeutics	COM	91307c102	785	14050	SH		SOLE		13225
Universal Forest Prd	COM	913543104	743	17875	SH		SOLE		16800
Urstadt Biddle Prop	COM	917286205	969	47913	SH		SOLE		45013
US Bancorp		COM	902973304	464	13529	SH		SOLE		13529
Valassis Communications	COM	918866104	1278	51750	SH		SOLE		48775
Vascular Solutions	COM	92231m109	2251	152102	SH		SOLE		143577
Vera Bradley, Inc.	COM	92335c106	1956	82000	SH		SOLE		77225
Verizon Communications	COM	92343v104	3941	86489	SH		SOLE		86489
Vitran Corporation Inc	COM	92850e107	599	101375	SH		SOLE		95350
Waddell & Reed Finl	COM	930059100	3637	111000	SH		SOLE		111000
Wal-Mart		COM	931142103	5483	74293	SH		SOLE		74293
Walt Disney Co.		COM	254687106	593	11338	SH		SOLE		6442
Warnaco Group, Inc.	COM	934390402	1204	23200	SH		SOLE		21850
Web.com Group Inc	COM	94733a104	2370	132033	SH		SOLE		124383
Wells Fargo & Co.	COM	949746101	4217	122115	SH		SOLE		122115
Williams Sonoma Inc.	COM	969904101	23578	536220	SH		SOLE		527870
Wintrust Financial 	COM	97650w108	734	19550	SH		SOLE		18400
Woodward Inc.		COM	980745103	702	20650	SH		SOLE		19450
Zagg Inc		COM	98884u108	1203	141045	SH		SOLE		133095
Zion Cap Tr B 8% Pfd	PFD	989703202	430	16600	SH		SOLE		16600