Mississippi

Renasant Corp. in Tupelo, Miss., said late Tuesday that its second-quarter earnings jumped 51.7% from a year earlier, to $5.8 million, due to a wider net interest margin and a decline in its loan-loss provision.

Renasant said the deal will increase its wealth management and trust assets under management and advisement to about $1.5 billion.

Hancock Holding Co. in Gulfport, Miss., and PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles are scheduled to exchange Standard & Poor's indexes.

First Bancshares in Hattiesburg, Miss., is buying seven Whitney National Bank branches in a deal that would more than double its branch network along the Gulf Coast and move it into a new market in Louisiana.

The $13.5 billion-asset company said this week that it will shutter nine branches in Arkansas, eight in Mississippi — including two in its headquarters city — three in Tennessee, and one each in Texas, Alabama and Missouri.

Hancock Holding of Gulfport, Miss., has won all federal approvals to acquire Whitney Holding in New Orleans, setting the stage for the deal to close on June 4 and create a $20 billion-asset company with more than 300 branches stretching from Florida to Texas.

Trustmark Corp. in Jackson, Miss., said Tuesday that Daniel Grafton has become chairman of both the company and Trustmark Bank.

Coming off a weak first quarter, BancorpSouth Inc. in Tupelo, Miss., announced Tuesday that it would close or consolidate 23 underperforming branches this year.

Trustmark Corp. in Jackson, Miss., announced Tuesday that it has named board member Daniel Grafton as chairman of both the company and its main subsidiary, Trustmark Bank.

There are lists you want to be on, say, Santa's for presents. And there are lists you don't, such as the informal one Wall Street puts together of banks that may be compelled to sell under duress.

BancorpSouth Inc. in Tupelo, Miss., reported a first-quarter loss because of higher credit costs and a decline in mortgage-related revenue.

Whitney Holding Corp. in New Orleans reported a profitable first quarter on Thursday, a day after the company that is buying it did the same.

Hancock Holding Co. in Gulfport, Miss., said its earnings rose 11% from a year earlier. The $8.31 billion-asset company posted earnings of $15.3 million, compared with $13.8 million a year earlier.

Six banks in four states met their demise and two new banks were chartered in their ashes in perhaps the busiest night the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has had so far in 2011.

Hancock Holding Co. in Gulfport, Miss., said Monday that Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. notified it last week that it had failed to comply with a rule dealing with director independence.

First National Bankers Bankshares Inc. in Baton Rouge, La., said late Friday that it consolidated its four banks along the Gulf Coast.

Hancock Holding Co. in Gulfport, Miss., said Monday that it began a $200 million public offering that would help it redeem an acquisition target's Treasury Department funds.

Community Bancorp LLC of Houston has completed its acquisition of Cadence Financial Corp. of Starkville, Miss., with a $144 million investment, the companies announced Monday.

Renasant Corp. took a gamble six months ago, promising investors it would buy a failed bank with their money or they would get it back. The $4.3 billion-asset company in Tupelo, Miss., has surpassed that expectation.

Britton & Koontz Capital Corp. in Natchez, Miss., reported a fourth-quarter profit despite a rise in nonperforming assets.