News

Officials of BancorpSouth announced today the Company has plans to make major contributions to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. The cash contributions will be made during the week of September 8 in support of BancorpSouth's employees, customers and shareholders throughout its Gulf Coast market areas which were affected by the recent storm.

BancorpSouth is the largest financial institution headquartered in Mississippi and operates approximately 300 commercial banking, insurance, trust and broker/dealer locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

While a number of the Company's locations in the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast areas were affected by the storm, all BancorpSouth offices on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are open and operating normally. The majority of BancorpSouth's offices in the Louisiana market areas of Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs and Lafayette are open.

The BancorpSouth Insurance divisions of Stewart Sneed Hewes in Mississippi and the Wright & Percy insurance division in Louisiana are processing insurance claims and serving their customer's needs.

Aubrey Patterson, BancorpSouth Chairman and CEO, said, "We are saddened for our customers, employees and others in those communities affected by this recent storm. At the same time, we are pleased to be able to provide a major level of support to those who are working so diligently to provide relief. We are encouraging our employees, as well as the general public, to join with BancorpSouth in making contributions to these agencies or other relief agencies of their choice."

Patterson went on to praise the efforts of BancorpSouth's team members in the affected areas who are continuing to serve their customers as well those employees from other areas of the Company providing support services.

BancorpSouth, Inc., is a financial holding company headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi, with approximately $13.4 billion in assets. BancorpSouth Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of BancorpSouth, Inc.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: chuck.mcintosh@bxs.com

SOURCE: BancorpSouth, Inc.