8-K

UNITED STATES
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 (Date of earliest event reported): September 1, 2006

Commerce Bancshares, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Missouri	0-2989	43-0889454
(State of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
1000 Walnut, Kansas City, MO		64106
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

(816) 234-2000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(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:

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))

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Item 8.01 Other Events
	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
SIGNATURE
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Press Release

Item 8.01 Other Events

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (Commerce) and West Pointe Bancorp, Inc. (West Pointe) completed the acquisition of West Pointe through a merger of the two entities. The transaction, valued at $80.9 million in stock and cash, became effective on September 1, 2006. Commerce’s acquisition of West Pointe adds approximately $460 million in assets, $259 million in gross loans and $392 million in total deposits.

On September 1, 2006, Commerce and West Pointe issued a joint press release announcing the completion of the acquisition. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c) Exhibits

     99.1 Press release dated September 1, 2006

SIGNATURE

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.

COMMERCE BANCSHARES, INC.
By:	\s\ Jeffery D. Aberdeen
	Jeffery D. Aberdeen
	Controller      (Chief Accounting Officer)

Date: September 1, 2006

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press release dated September 1, 2006

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jeanne Howard, Director of Regional Marketing
Commerce Bank, 314-746-3672, or Jeanne.Howard@CommerceBank.com

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Completes Merger
with West Pointe Bancorp, Inc.

(St. Louis, MO, September 1, 2006) — Commerce Bancshares, Inc. and West Pointe Bancorp, Inc. jointly announced the completion of the acquisition of West Pointe through a merger of the two entities. The transaction, valued at $80.9 million in stock and cash, became effective today. Commerce’s acquisition of West Pointe adds approximately $460 million in assets, $259 million in gross loans and $392 million in total deposits. The transaction also adds five full-service branches to Commerce Bank’s growing network, for a total of seven branches in Southwestern Illinois and a total of 55 branches in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. is a $14 billion bank holding company with approximately 340 locations in Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas and is the largest independent bank headquartered in the Lower Midwest. The West Pointe acquisition will increase the size of Commerce Bank in St. Louis to approximately $4 billion in deposits.

Seth Leadbeater, chairman of Commerce Bank, St. Louis Region, commented, “We are excited to announce that our acquisition of West Pointe, located in the Southwestern Illinois region of St. Louis, has been completed. Soon customers of West Pointe will benefit by having expanded branch and ATM locations as well as access to a full range of products and services, including Small Business, Trust, Brokerage, Commercial, and Mortgage.”

Beginning today, West Pointe customers will have the added convenience of making withdrawals from Commerce Bank ATMs without incurring a service charge. Additional conversion steps are ongoing, including conversion of West Pointe’s business systems to Commerce Bank’s platform in mid-November. Until then, it will be business and banking as usual for both West Pointe and Commerce Bank customers.

-more-

2 — Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Announces Merger with West Pointe Bancorp is complete

Commerce Bank announced its merger plans with West Pointe Bancorp in April, 2006.

About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the principal subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $14.3 billion regional bank holding company. For more than 140 years, Commerce has been meeting the financial services needs of individuals and businesses. Commerce provides a diversified line of financial services, including business and personal banking, wealth management and estate planning and investments through its affiliated companies. Commerce currently operates in approximately 340 locations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. Commerce also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.

For additional information, please visit www.commercebank.com or email mymoney@commercebank.com.

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