Hancock Whitney
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking |
| Founded | 1 January 1899 in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, United States |
| Founder | Group of 19 founders |
| Headquarters | Gulfport , United States |
Area served | Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas |
| Products | Banking, Trust and Asset Management, Insurance |
| Website | www |
Hancock Whitney Corp. is a bank holding company with its main office located in Gulfport, Mississippi. It operates 237 branch locations throughout Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. The corporation serves as the official financial institution for both the New Orleans Saints and LSU Athletics, offering exclusive debit and credit card programs tailored to these sports entities.
Early history
Established in 1899 in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi by a group of 19 founders, Hancock County Bank commenced operations with $10,000 in initial capital and deposits totaling $8,277.41. The bank originally concentrated on industries such as lumber, cotton, wool, as well as poultry and produce trading. By 1902, it had expanded its presence with additional branches in Pearlington, Mississippi and Pass Christian, Mississippi.
As the lumber sector declined, the bank redirected its efforts toward Gulfport, Mississippi and Biloxi, Mississippi. After the 1929 financial crash led to numerous bank closures across Mississippi, Hancock Bank established a branch in downtown Gulfport to address the local banking needs. In 1933, it moved its headquarters to One Hancock Plaza in Gulfport, officially changed its domicile to that city, and adopted the name Hancock Bank.
Recent history
The bank pursued growth through targeted acquisitions: it purchased American Bank of Baton Rouge in 1990; acquired Washington Bank and Trust Co. for $15 million in 1994; and added American Security Bank in 1999, which increased total assets to $3 billion. Expansion into south-central Mississippi occurred with the acquisition of Lamar Bank in 2001. In 2004, Hancock Bank entered the Florida market by acquiring Guaranty National Bank based in Tallahassee along with its five branches.
Hancock also enhanced its insurance offerings by acquiring Ross King Walker, Inc. in 2004 and J. Everett Eaves, Inc. in 2005. The bank secured an Alabama charter in 2006 to broaden its regional footprint.
In 2009, following regulatory seizure, Hancock acquired Peoples First Bank located in Panama City, Florida. Further growth was achieved by acquiring Whitney Holding Corporation—the parent company of New Orleans-based Whitney Bank founded in 1883—in 2011. After regulatory intervention, First NBC Bank was acquired by Hancock in 2017.
The company rebranded as Hancock Whitney Corp. in May 2018. That same year saw the acquisition of Capital One’s Trust and Asset Management division. Continuing its expansion across the Gulf South region, Hancock Whitney purchased MidSouth Bank in 2019.