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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2006
Hancock
Holding Company increases quarterly dividend 13 percent
GULFPORT, MS (May 16, 2006) - Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ:
HBHC) today announced that the company's board of directors
approved a regular second quarter 2006 common stock cash dividend
of $0.22 per share - a per share increase of $0.025, or 13
percent from the previous quarter's regular common stock cash
dividend.
Approved
during the company's May board of directors meeting, the regular
second quarter common stock cash dividend is payable June
15, 2006, to shareholders of record as of June 5, 2006.
"We
are very pleased to share Hancock Holding Company's success
with our stockholders through this increased dividend. The
company's strong performance reflects both our shareholders'
confidence in the Hancock organization and the ongoing efforts
of our entire Hancock team to preserve the strength, stability,
integrity, and service that have distinguished Hancock as
a financial services leader for 107 years," said Hancock
Holding Company President Leo W. Seal, Jr.
Hancock
Holding Company - parent company of Hancock Bank (Mississippi),
Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida, and Magna
Insurance Company - has assets of $6.26 billion. Founded in
1899, Hancock Bank stands among the strongest, safest financial
institutions in the United States and is the only financial
services company headquartered in the Gulf South to rate among
the top 20 percent of America's top-performing banks. Hancock
offers comprehensive financial solutions through 144 banking
and financial services offices and more than 125 automated
teller machines across South Mississippi, Louisiana, southern
Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. Additional corporate
information and on-line
banking and bill
pay services are available online.
"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.
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FOR
MORE INFORMATION
George A. Schloegel, Chief Executive Officer
Carl J. Chaney, Chief Financial Officer
Paul D. Guichet, VP, Investor Relations
800.522.6542 or 228.214.5242
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