GULFPORT, Miss., Jan. 28, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hancock Holding Company (Nasdaq:HBHC) today announced that the company's board of directors approved a regular first quarter 2013 common stock cash dividend of $0.24 per share.

Approved during the January meeting of the company's board of directors, the regular quarterly common stock cash dividend is payable March 15, 2013 to shareholders of record as of March 5, 2013.

About Hancock Holding Company

Hancock Holding Company, the parent company of Hancock Bank and Whitney Bank, operates more than 250 branches and over 350 ATMs across Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Texas.

The Hancock Holding Company family of financial services companies also includes Hancock Investment Services, Inc.; Hancock Insurance Agency and Whitney Insurance Agency, Inc.; and corporate trust offices in Gulfport and Jackson, Miss., New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., and Orlando, Fla.; and Harrison Finance Company. 

Additional information is available at www.hancockbank.com and www.whitneybank.com.

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

CONTACT: For More Information
         Trisha Voltz Carlson, SVP Investor Relations Manager
         504-299-5208 or trisha.carlson@hancockbank.com
Source: Hancock Holding Company
distributed by