GULFPORT, Miss., July 16, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- BauerFinancial, Inc., the country's leading independent bank rating and research firm, has named Hancock Bank among America's strongest, safest institutions for the 75th consecutive quarter. That rating places Hancock among the top 25 percent of 8,500 institutions rated for financial soundness.
Amid a national quagmire of consumer uncertainties, BauerFinancial's announcement offers third-party reinforcement of Hancock Bank's trademark strength and stability and reiterates the 109-year-old bank's steadfast commitment to providing customers a safe place for deposits.
"In a climate where it is increasingly difficult to shine, Hancock Bank proves it can be done," remarked Karen L. Dorway, president of BauerFinancial, Inc. "In fact, local residents should be proud that their community bank is one of the elite financial institutions in the nation. They can rest assured that their deposits are well-placed."
The BauerFinancial rating follows Hancock's recent listings in Forbes as third among community banks with strong deposit growth; in Bank Director magazine as third among the nation's top 150 top-performing banks; and in Who's Who in Bank Wealth Management (2008), a study of the top 60 bank wealth managers published by Bank Insurance Market Research Group (BIMRG). Hancock officials attribute the bank's standing to a corporate-wide commitment to a strong capital base, solid asset quality, and proactive risk management complemented by unwavering core values that include strength and stability.
"Hancock's founding pledge to a conservative business philosophy and strong financial fundamentals has sustained the company during some of the country's most turbulent economic periods, including the Great Depression, recessions of the 1970s and 1980s, wars, the September 11th tragedy, and Hurricane Katrina," said Carl J. Chaney, chief executive officer of Hancock Holding Company, the bank's parent company. "We are honored by BauerFinancial's rating and, especially, by our customers' continued confidence in Hancock Bank."
Located in Coral Gables, FL, BauerFinancial, Inc., has analyzed and reported on the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays for ratings or can elude its ratings. Consumers can visit www.bauerfinancial.com for more information.
Founded in 1899, Hancock Bank, an FDIC insured institution, operates 164 banking and financial services offices and 134 ATMs through four separately chartered state banks in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. 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 approximately $6.4 billion. Bank subsidiaries include Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency, and Harrison Finance Company. Additional corporate information and online banking are available at www.hancockbank.com.
The Hancock Bank logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2759