Hancock Holding Company announces quarterly dividend

GULFPORT, MS (November 13, 2007) - Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ: HBHC) today announced that the company's board of directors approved a regular fourth quarter 2007 common stock cash dividend of $0.24 per share.

Approved during the November meeting of the company's board of directors, the regular quarterly common stock cash dividend is payable December 17, 2007, to shareholders of record as of December 5, 2007.

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 more than $5.9 billion. Bank subsidiaries include Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency, and Harrison Finance Company. Founded October 9, 1899, Hancock Bank 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 consistently ranks as one of the country's strongest, safest financial institutions, according to Veribanc, Inc., and BauerFinancial Services, Inc. Thomson Financial also recently listed Hancock as the ninth largest corporate trustee bank in the U.S.

Investors can access additional corporate information or online banking and bill pay services at www.hancockbank.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Carl J. Chaney, Chief Executive Officer
John M. Hairston, Chief Executive Officer
Michael M. Achary, Chief Financial Officer
Paul D. Guichet, VP, Investor Relations
800.522.6542 or 228.563.6559