News/Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2006

Hancock Holding Company to present at emerging growth forum

GULFPORT, MS (April 4, 2006) - Executives of Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ: HBHC), the parent company of 107-year-old Hancock Bank, will present a corporate overview to attendees at the Sidoti & Company 10th Annual Emerging Growth Institutional Investor Forum at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York from 9:40 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, April 5, 2006.

At the conference, Hancock's chief financial officer Carl J. Chaney will review the company's recent financial performance and business strategies. Investor Relations vice president Paul D. Guichet will also be present to coordinate one-on-one meetings with analysts and investors.

Hancock Holding Company - the parent company of Hancock Bank (Mississippi), Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida, and Magna Insurance Company - has assets of more than $6.0 billion. Founded in 1899, Hancock Bank stands among the strongest, safest financial institutions in America. Hancock Bank operates 102 offices and more than 130 automated teller machines throughout South Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle as well as subsidiaries Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency, and Harrison Finance Company.

Investors can access additional corporate information or on-line banking and bill pay services 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
Paul D. Guichet, VP, Investor Relations
800.522.6542 or 228.563.6559
paul_guichet@hancockbank.com