Mississippi

Dan Rollins engineered nearly a dozen deals while at Prosperity Bank. Now CEO at BancorpSouth, he has returned to M&A after spending four frustrating years dealing with compliance issues.

BancorpSouth, which had two prior deals delayed over BSA and CRA issues, has agreed to buy a bank in the Houston area.

An increase in total loans and a lower tax rate helped the Mississippi company offset revenue it lost after selling a consumer finance business.

The Mississippi company will gain nearly $2 billion in loans after it buys Brand Group Holdings.

BankFirst Financial Services in Columbus, Miss., has acquired HomeFirst, a mortgage services firm.

Harrison Finance has 35 offices, nearly 140 employees and about $95 million of outstanding loans.

The company sold common stock to employees, existing shareholders and new investors.

The Mississippi company reported strong loan growth, even as it reduced exposure to energy-related borrowers. Higher revenue also helped Hancock lower its efficiency ratio.

The company, which agreed to buy Southwest Bancshares in Mobile, also plans to sell $45 million in stock to help fund the deal.

Increased investor appetite and the emergence of specialized debt ratings are expected to spur demand, and community banks are looking for ways to fund expansion and hedge against future economic downturns.