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): OCTOBER 21, 2004
                                                        (OCTOBER 20, 2004)

                             ----------------------

                                DST SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact Name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                             ----------------------

                                    DELAWARE
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

         1-14036                                           43-1581814
(Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)

333 WEST 11TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI                              64105
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)

                                 (816) 435-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 NOT APPLICABLE
         (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 (see General Instruction A.2.):

     [ ]  Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
          (17 CFR 230.425)

     [ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
          CFR 240.14a-12)

     [ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)  under the
          Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

     [ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)  under the
          Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



ITEM 1.01 ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT

     DST  Systems,  Inc.  ("DST") has entered  into a Stock  Purchase  Agreement
("Agreement")   dated  as  of  October  20,  2004,  to  sell   EquiServe,   Inc.
("EquiServe"),  which  is a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of DST and the  owner  of
EquiServe  Trust,  N.A.  The  Agreement  is among DST,  Computershare  Ltd.,  an
Australian   corporation   ("CPU"),   Computershare  (US),  a  Delaware  general
partnership  ("CPUUS"),  and EQAC Inc., a Delaware  corporation and wholly-owned
subsidiary of CPUUS.  A copy the Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Form
8-K. No material  relationship  exists between DST and any of CPU, CPUUS or EQAC
Inc.

     Pursuant to the  Agreement,  DST will receive  $216,000,000  and 29,605,000
shares  of  CPU  in  exchange   for  all  of  the  shares  of   EquiServe   (the
"Transaction").  The  Transaction is the subject of a News Release dated October
20, 2004, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

     For a period of five years from the  Transaction  close date, and except in
certain  circumstances  set  forth  in the  Agreement,  DST and  certain  of its
affiliates  shall not engage  directly or indirectly in a competing  business to
EquiServe.

     In addition to customary closing conditions,  certain regulatory  approvals
are necessary prior to consummation of the  Transaction.  The Transaction is not
subject to approval of the shareholders of DST or CPU.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(C). EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT
NUMBER              DESCRIPTION
---------------     ------------------------------------------------------------
10.1                Stock Purchase  Agreement  dated October 20, 2004 among DST,
                    CPU, CPUUS, and EQAC Inc.
99.1                News Release dated October 20, 2004


                                   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 hereunto duly authorized on this 21st day of October, 2004.


                                               DST SYSTEMS, INC.


                                               By:    /s/ Randall D. Young
                                                  -----------------------------
                                               Name:  Randall D. Young
                                               Title: Vice President, General
                                                      Counsel, Secretary