News/Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2005

March 18th Hancock Holding Company presentation
at Cohen Bros. investors conference rescheduled for morning slot

     GULFPORT, MS (March 17, 2005) - A review of corporate performance and business strategies by Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ: HBHC) senior executives on Friday, March 18, 2005, at the Cohen Bros. & Co., Inc., 1st Annual Investors Conference in New York, NY, will take place from 9:25 - 9:55 a.m. (EST), rather than during the mid-afternoon timeframe announced earlier this week.

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Carl J. Chaney and Vice President and Investor Relations Manager Paul D. Guichet will present the Hancock Holding Company report during the conference at New York's Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

A live webcast of the conference will be available . A replay of the conference will be available at this link for a period of 12 months after the conference. Investors and analysts can access a copy of the presentation by visiting Hancock's web site and selecting the Investor Relations link.

Hancock Holding Company is the parent company of Hancock Bank Mississippi, Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida, and Magna Insurance Company and has assets of $4.7 billion. Founded in 1899, Hancock Bank consistently ranks among America's strongest, safest financial institutions. Hancock Bank operates 102 full-service offices and more than 140 automated teller machines throughout South Mississippi, Louisiana, and the Florida Panhandle, as well as subsidiaries Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency, and Harrison Finance Company.

Additional corporate information and online banking and bill-pay services are available.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
R. Paul Maxwell, VP & Corporate Communications Manager
(228) 214-5252 or 1.800.522.6542 (x.85252)
paul_maxwell@hancockbank.com