MetroCorp Bancshares 8-K/A Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard

EXHIBIT 99.1

MetroCorp Announces Receipt of Compliance Letter From NASDAQ

HOUSTON, Dec. 3, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:MCBI) announced that it received a NASDAQ letter of staff compliance on November 29, 2007, advising the Company that it has regained compliance with Marketplace Rule 4350, as the result of the appointment of Mr. Krishnan Balasubramanian on November 27, 2007 as a Class III director to the board. The board also determined that Mr. Balasubramanian is an independent director.

MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc., provides a full range of commercial and consumer banking services through its wholly owned subsidiaries, MetroBank, N.A. and Metro United Bank. The Company has twelve full-service banking locations in the greater Houston, and Dallas, Texas metropolitan areas, and six full service banking locations in the greater San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California metropolitan areas. As of September 30, 2007, the Company had consolidated assets of $1.4 billion. For more information, visit the Company's web site at www.metrobank-na.com.

The MetroCorp Bancshares Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2894

CONTACT:  MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc.
          George M. Lee, Chief Executive Office and Executive
           Vice Chairman
          (713)776-3876