Hancock Holding Company to Announce First Quarter Earnings

GULFPORT, Miss., April 1, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Executives of Hancock Holding Company (NasdaqGS:HBHC - News) today announced that the company will release first quarter 2009 earnings results after close of business on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

Founded in 1899 on principles of honor and integrity, strength and stability, commitment to service, teamwork, and personal responsibility, Hancock Bank recently ranked third among America's top-performing financial institutions and has rated among the country's strongest, safest banks for 78 consecutive quarters. Hancock Holding Company - parent company of Hancock Bank (Mississippi), Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida, and Hancock Bank of Alabama - has assets of approximately $7.16 billion.

Hancock offers comprehensive financial solutions through an extensive network of 157 banking and financial services offices, 137 ATMs, and e-banking. Hancock Bank subsidiaries include Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency and its division of Ross King Walker and J. Everett Eaves, and Harrison Finance Company. More corporate information is available at http://www.hancockbank.com.

The Hancock Holding Company logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2758

``SAFE HARBOR'' STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: Congress passed the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995 in an effort to encourage corporations to provide information about companies' anticipated future financial performance. This act provides a safe harbor for such disclosure, which protects the companies from unwarranted litigation if actual results are different from management expectations. This release contains forward-looking statements and reflects management's current views and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance, and financial results. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause the company's actual results and experience to differ from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements.

          Hancock Holding Company
          Carl J. Chaney, President & Chief Executive Officer
          Michael M. Achary, Chief Financial Officer
          Paul D. Guichet, V.P., Investor Relations
          800.522.6542
          228.563.6559