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Forbes Taps Hancock Bank among Americaa?s aMost Trustworthya? for Second Year

^{Published on 2010-12-16 08:06:08 - Market Wire}
 

GULFPORT, Miss.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ: HBHC), parent company of 112-year-old Hancock Bank, recently made Forbesa™ a100 Most Trustworthy Companiesa for the second consecutive year a" one of only 66 banks nationwide on this yeara™s elite roster.

Hancock scored 99 on the 100-point Accounting and Governance Risk (AGR) scale used to assess the true quality of corporate accounting and management practices of companies considered for the list.

aWe are honored with this recognition,a said Hancock Bank President and CEO Carl Chaney. aHancock Bank was founded 112 years ago on principles of honor and integrity a" values that remain core to how we do business. Our associatesa™ commitment to these unwavering ideals over the last century have sustained Hancock Banka™s strength and stability through some of the best and the most challenging times in Americaa™s history. We consider this accolade a testament to the continued confidence of our shareholders, customers, and communities and remain very grateful for the ongoing opportunity to earn their enduring trust.a

Forbes commissioned Audit Integrity, an independent Los Angeles-based financial analytics firm, to compile the top-100 list by examining more than 8,000 companies across America. Audit Integrity looked beyond the raw data typically reported in companiesa™ income statements and balance sheets, using a proprietary AGR analysis of accounting and governance factors historically linked to fraud and increased shareholder risk.

Overall, fewer than five percent of public companies surveyed make Audit Integritya™s list. For the complete 2010 list, go to [ http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/05/most-trustworthy-companies-personal-finance-audit-integrity.html ].

Hancock Bank consistently rates as one of the nationa™s strongest, safest financial institutions. U.S. Banker magazine listed Hancock 12^th in Americaa™s Top 25 financial institutions, and the American Bankers Association Banking Journal named Hancock Bank one of Americaa™s Top 25 banks. For the past 21 consecutive years, BauerFinancial, a leading independent bank analysis and research firm, has ranked Hancock Bank in the top 20 percent of the countrya™s most financially sound banks.

Hancock Holding Company had assets of approximately $8.2 billion. More corporate information and e-banking are available at [ www.hancockbank.com ].