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    <periodOfReport>2018-04-16</periodOfReport>

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    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000714603</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DST SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DST</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001463574</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hooley Stephen C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>333 WEST 11TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>true</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, CEO &amp; President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>21.9125</value>
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                <value>2018-04-16</value>
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                    <value>62.0875</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-02-14</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-12-14</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                    <value>60.245</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-12-01</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-12-01</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Consists of accelerated vesting of PSUs pursuant to the terms of that certain Separation Agreement dated as of February 26, 2018 among Mr. Hooley, the Company and SS&amp;C.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Consists of shares of common stock, vested RSUs and vested PSUs that were cancelled in exchange for $84.00 per share pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement) dated as of January 11, 2018 among DST Systems, Inc. (the Company), SS&amp;C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (SS&amp;C) and Diamond Merger Sub, Inc. (Merger Sub), pursuant to which Merger Subs will merge (the Merger) with and into the Company, whereupon the existence of Merger Sub will cease and the Company will become the surviving corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SS&amp;C and the terms of the Separation Agreement. The Merger became effective on April 16, 2018 (the Effective Time).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">These performance based options were granted by the Committee on December 14, 2009, and the Committee certified goal achievement on February 24, 2011. These options were canceled in the Merger in exchange for a cash payment of $4,967,000.00, representing the difference between the exercise price of the option ($21.9125 per share) and the merger consideration ($84.00 per share).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This option, which provided for vesting in three equal annual installments beginning December 1, 2012, was canceled in the Merger in exchange for a cash payment of $4,655,733.60, representing the difference between the exercise price of the option ($23.7550 per share) and the merger consideration ($84.00 per share).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stephen C. Hooley</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-04-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
