1 SCHEDULE 14A (RULE 14a-101) INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. ) Filed by the registrant /X/ Filed by a party other than the registrant / / Check the appropriate box: / / Preliminary proxy statement /X/ Definitive proxy statement / / Definitive additional materials / / Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 Hancock Holding Company - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) Judy H. Galloway - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement) Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box): /X/ $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(j)(2). / / $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 14a-6(i)(3). / / Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transactions applies: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:(1) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- / / Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing. (1) Amount previously paid: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) Form, schedule or registration statement no.: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) Filing party: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) Date filed: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------- (1) Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined. 2 (LOGO) HANCOCK HOLDING COMPANY One Hancock Plaza Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO THE HOLDERS OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to call of its Directors, the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Hancock Holding Company (the "Company") will be held at HANCOCK BANK, One Hancock Plaza, Gulfport, Mississippi, on February 24, 1994, at 5:00 P.M., local time, for the purpose of considering and voting upon the following matters: 1. To elect three (3) Directors to hold office for a term of three (3) years or until their successors are elected and qualified. 2. To approve the appointment of Deloitte & Touche as the independent public accountants of the Company. 3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof. Only those shareholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 1993, shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting or any adjournments thereof. WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING, PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN PROMPTLY THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY. IF YOU DO ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN PERSON. By Order of the Board of Directors Date: January 25, 1994 __________________________________ Leo W. Seal, Jr. President 3 HANCOCK HOLDING COMPANY One Hancock Plaza Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 (601) 868-4000 PROXY STATEMENT This statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of Hancock Holding Company, Gulfport, Mississippi (the "Company" or "HHC"), of Proxies for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting") to be held at Hancock Bank, One Hancock Plaza, Gulfport, Mississippi, on February 24, 1994, at 5:00 P.M., local time, and any adjournment thereof, for the purposes stated below. It is anticipated that the Proxy Statement and Proxy first will be sent or given to shareholders on January 25, 1994. Holders of record of the Company's Common Stock, par value $3.33 per share (the "Common Stock"), as of December 31, 1993 (the "Record Date") are entitled to vote at the meeting or any adjournments thereof. Each share of Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to one (1) vote on each matter presented at the Annual Meeting for Shareholder approval. On December 31, 1993, there were 7,023,829 shares of Common Stock entitled to vote. Of this total, 937,229.3 shares of the Common Stock were held in various trust accounts by the Trust Department of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hancock Bank, in a fiduciary capacity as trustee, under terms that permit the Trust Department to vote the shares (either by itself or jointly with others). It is expected that these 937,229.3 shares will be voted in favor of the elections of the nominees listed on page 4 and the appointment of Deloitte & Touche. Shareholders of the Company do not have cumulative voting rights with respect to the election of Directors at the Annual Meeting. A shareholder has the right to vote the number of shares owned by him in the election of each Director. With respect to the election of three (3) Directors to hold office for a term of three (3) years, the nominees receiving the most votes, up to three (3), will be elected. If the proxy is marked to vote for the three (3) Directors as a group, one vote will be cast for each Director for each share entitled to vote. If any shareholder wishes to vote for fewer than three (3) Directors, he may line through or otherwise strike out the name of any nominee. Pursuant to Mississippi Law and the Company's Bylaws, Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of Directors. A "plurality" means that the individuals with the largest number of favorable votes are elected as Directors, up to the maximum number of Directors to be chosen at the meeting. 1 4 Pursuant to Mississippi law and the Company's Bylaws, action on a matter (other than the election of Directors) is approved if the votes cast favoring the action exceed the votes cast opposing the action, unless the Company's Articles of Incorporation or Mississippi law specifically requires a greater number of affirmative votes on a particular matter. Broker non-votes and shareholder abstentions are not counted in determining whether or not a matter has been approved by shareholders. The selection of Deloitte & Touche as the Company's Auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1994 will be ratified if more votes are cast at the Annual Meeting favoring the appointment than opposing it. Any person giving a Proxy has the right to revoke it at any time before it is exercised. A shareholder may revoke his Proxy (1) by personally appearing at the Annual Meeting, (2) by written notification to the Company which is received prior to the exercise of the Proxy or (3) by a subsequent Proxy executed by the person executing the prior Proxy and presented at the Annual Meeting. All properly executed Proxies, if not revoked, will be voted as directed on all matters proposed by the Board of Directors, and, if the shareholder does not direct to the contrary, the shares will be voted "FOR" each of the proposals described below. Solicitation of Proxies will be primarily by mail. Officers, Directors, and employees of Hancock Bank and Hancock Bank of Louisiana (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Banks") also may solicit Proxies personally. The Company will reimburse brokers and other persons holding stock in their names, or in the names of nominees, for their expenses for sending Proxy material to principals and obtaining their Proxies. The cost of soliciting Proxies will be borne by the Company. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors, by a vote of a majority of the full Board, has nominated the persons named below for election to serve as Directors. The term of each of the three (3) newly-elected Directors will expire at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 1997 and when his successor has been elected and qualified. The Company's Articles of Incorporation provide for a Board of at least nine (9) Directors classified into three (3) classes of Directors. At each Annual Meeting, each class of Directors whose term has expired will be elected to hold office until the third succeeding Annual Meeting and until their successors have been elected and qualified. These staggered terms of service by Directors of the Company may make it more difficult for the Company's shareholders to effect a change in the 2 5 majority of the Company's Directors since replacement of a majority of the Board of Directors will normally require two (2) Annual Meetings of Shareholders. Accordingly, this provision may have the effect of discouraging hostile attempts to gain control of the Company, but is applicable to all elections of Directors. It is the intent of the persons named in the Proxy to vote such Proxy "FOR" the election of the nominees listed below, unless otherwise specified in the Proxy. In the event that any such nominee should be unable to accept the office of Director, which is not anticipated, it is intended that the persons named in the Proxy will vote for the election of such person in the place of such nominee as the Board of Directors may recommend. Nominations for election to the Board of Directors, other than those made by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, may be made by a shareholder by delivering written notice to the Company's secretary not less than fifty (50) nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the meeting at which Directors are to be elected, provided that the Company has mailed the first notice of the meeting at least sixty (60) days prior to the meeting date. If the Company has not given such notice, shareholder nominations must be submitted within ten (10) days following the earlier of (i) the date that notice of the date of the meeting was first mailed to the shareholders or (ii) the date on which public disclosure of such date was made. The shareholder's notice must set forth as to each nominee (i) the name, age, business address, and residence address of such nominee; (ii) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee; (iii) the class and number of shares of the Company's Common Stock which are beneficially owned by such nominee; and (iv) any other information relating to such nominee that may be required under federal securities laws to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Directors. The shareholder's notice must also set forth as to the shareholder giving the notice (i) the name and address of such shareholder and (ii) the class and amount of such shareholder's beneficial ownership of the Company's Common Stock. If the information supplied by the shareholder is deficient in any material aspect or if the foregoing procedure is not followed, the chairman of the annual meeting may determine that such shareholder's nomination should not be brought before the meeting and that such nominee shall not be eligible for election as a Director of the Company. 3 6 INFORMATION CONCERNING NOMINEES Amount and Nature of Beneficial Percent of Ownership of Common Name, Age, Principal Occupation for the Director Common Stock Stock Last Five Years and Bank or Company of Company as of December Beneficially Offices Currently Held Since 20, 1993(a) Owned(a) --------------------------------------- ---------- ----------------- ------------ For a Three (3) Year Term Expiring in 1997 - ------------------------------------------ L. A. Koenenn, Jr. (74) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1988 3,548(1) .05% Public Accountant, Gulfport, Mississippi Dr. Homer C. Moody, Jr. (69) . . . . . . . . . . . 1984 9,424(2) .1% Retired Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Poplarville, Mississippi George A. Schloegel (53) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1984 90,100.7(3) 1.3% President, Hancock Bank, Gulfport, Mississippi, since 1990; Vice Chairman of the Board, Hancock Holding Company, since 1984; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1990 INFORMATION CONCERNING CONTINUING DIRECTORS Term Expires ------- A. F. Dantzler (78) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1985 44,694(4) .6% 1995 President and Chief Executive Officer of Fuel Services, Inc. (Chevron Jobber; Oil Field Vessels), Pascagoula, Mississippi Victor Mavar (67) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1993 8,926.9 .1% 1995 President of Mavar, Inc. (Real Estate Firm), Biloxi, Mississippi Leo W. Seal, Jr. (69) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1984 1,107,120.9(5) 15.8% 1995 Chief Executive Officer, Hancock Bank, Gulfport, Mississippi, since 1963; President and Chief Executive Officer, Hancock Holding Company, since 1984; Advisory Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1993 4 7 Amount and Nature of Beneficial Percent of Ownership of Common Name, Age, Principal Occupation for the Director Common Stock Stock Last Five Years and Bank or Company of Company as of December Beneficially Term Offices Currently Held Since 20, 1993 (a) Owned(a) Expires --------------------------------------- ---------- ----------------- ------------ ------- Joseph F. Boardman, Jr.(64) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1984 8,800(6) .1% 1996 Retired Director of Coast Materials Company (Ready Mixed Concrete Business), Gulfport, Mississippi; Chairman of the Board, Hancock Holding Company, Gulfport, Mississippi, since 1987 Charles H. Johnson(60) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1987 6,147.7(7) .09% 1996 President, Charles H. Johnson, Inc. (Residential General Contracting Business), Waveland, Mississippi; President, Universal Warehouse, Inc., (Mini-Storage Business), Waveland, Mississippi Thomas W. Milner, Jr.(80) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1984 2,948 .04% 1996 Retired Vice Chairman of the Board, Hancock Bank, Gulfport, Mississippi INFORMATION CONCERNING EXECUTIVE OFFICERS A. Bridger Eglin(50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 803 .01% President, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991(10) Theresa Johnson(66) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,086 .01% Executive Vice President, Hancock Bank since 1985; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Hancock Holding Company since 1992 Charles A. Webb, Jr.(63) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,596.4(8) .09% Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Secretary, Hancock Holding Company since 1992; Executive Vice President, Hancock Bank since 1977; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991 ALL DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS A GROUP 1,290,185.6(9) 18.4% 5 8 __________ (a) Constitutes sole ownership unless otherwise indicated. (1) Represents 3,548 shares held in L.A., Jr. and Mae D. Koenenn Revocable Trust. Mr. Koenenn has the sole power to vote and dispose of these shares. (2) Includes 8,160 shares owned jointly by Dr. Moody and his wife and 504 shares owned jointly with his children and 504 shares owned jointly by his wife and children. (3) Includes 32,740 shares owned jointly by Mr. Schloegel and his wife; 84 shares owned by Mr. Schloegel's minor child; 1,696.8 shares held for Mr. Schloegel's account in the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan; 626.9 shares held in a self-directed IRA for Mr. Schloegel; and 156.7 shares held in a self-directed IRA for his wife. (4) Includes 3,000 shares owned by Mr. Dantzler's wife, and 35,694 shares held in a trust of which Mr. Dantzler serves as trustee and has sole voting rights and power of disposition. Does not include 6,000 shares held in his adult son's trust to which he has voting authority. Mr. Dantzler is not a beneficiary of these trusts. Mr. Dantzler disclaims beneficial owership of these 44,694 shares. (5) Includes 1,880.9 shares owned by Mr. Seal's wife, and excludes 378,108 shares held in a fiduciary capacity by the Hancock Bank's Trust Department as to which Mr. Seal has sole voting rights but no power of disposition. Mr. Seal's Sister and her children are beneficiaries of these trusts. Mr. Seal disclaims beneficial ownership of these 378,108 shares. (6) Includes 400 shares owned by Mr. Boardman's wife. (7) Includes 539.4 shares owned by Mr. Johnson's wife. (8) Includes 6,052 shares owned jointly with Mr. Webb's wife. (9) All of the Directors and executive officers of the Company as a group (consisting of twelve (12) persons) beneficially owned, in the aggregate, 1,712,987.6 shares (24.4%) of Common Stock of the Company, including the shares as to which beneficial ownership has been disclaimed above. (10) See "Executive Officers" for Mr. Eglin's principal occupations for the last five (5) years. None of the Directors is a director of another company with a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or subject to the reporting requirements of Section 15(d) of the Act, or registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, except Leo W. Seal, Jr., who is a director of Mississippi Power Company, Gulfport, Mississippi. 6 9 INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS The Board of Directors has appointed Deloitte & Touche, a firm of independent certified public accountants, as auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1994, and until their successors are selected. Deloitte & Touche and its predecessor, Touche Ross & Company, have been auditors for the Company since it commenced business in 1984, for Hancock Bank since 1981 and Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1990. The Company has been advised that neither the firm nor any of its partners has any direct or any material indirect financial interest in the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as auditors and consultants on accounting procedures and tax matters. The Board does not anticipate that representatives of Deloitte & Touche will attend the Annual Meeting. Although not required to do so, the Board of Directors has chosen to submit its appointment of Deloitte & Touche for ratification by the Company's shareholders. It is the intention of the persons named in the Proxy to vote such Proxy FOR the ratification of this appointment. If this proposal does not pass, the Board of Directors will reconsider the matter. The proposal will be ratified if the votes cast favoring the appointment exceed the votes cast opposing it. PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS The following table sets forth information concerning the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company held as of December 20, 1993 by the only shareholders who are known to management to be the beneficial owners of more than five percent (5%) of the Company's outstanding shares: Name and Address Amount and Nature of Percent of Beneficial Owner Beneficial Ownership of Class ------------------- -------------------- -------- Hancock Bank Trust Department 937,229.3(1) 13.3% One Hancock Plaza Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 Leo W. Seal, Jr. 1,107,120.9(2) 15.8% 408 North Beach Boulevard Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520 _______________ <FN> (1) Consists of shares held and voted by the Hancock Bank Trust Department as trustee for 141 different accounts. Within these 141 accounts, the Trust Department has sole voting rights on 917,659.8 shares, shared voting rights on 0 shares and no power to vote 95,088.7 shares. The Trust Department has the sole right to dispose of 863,785.1 shares, shared right to dispose of 311 shares and no authority to dispose of 148,652.3 shares. 7 10 (2) Includes 1,880.9 shares owned by Mr. Seal's wife, and excludes 378,108 shares held in three (3) trusts by Hancock Bank's Trust Department (not included in the 937,229.3 shares shown above as beneficially owned by the Trust Department) as to which Mr. Seal has sole voting rights, but no power of disposition. Mr. Seal's sister and her children are the beneficiaries of these trusts. COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Company has an Audit Committee currently composed of Messrs. Boardman, Koenenn and Mavar. The Audit Committee was formed in October 1991 in connection with the listing of the Company's Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market System. The Audit Committee oversees the operations of the Company's Audit Department and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning the independent accountants for the Company and its subsidiaries. The Audit Committee met eleven (11) times during 1993. The Company has a Loan Review Committee which meets monthly and is currently composed of the following members: Joseph F. Boardman, Jr., A. F. Dantzler, Charles H. Johnson and Charles A. Webb, Jr. It met twelve (12) times during 1993. The Company has a Compensation Committee which determines the salary of the executive officers of the Company. It met one time during 1993 and is composed of J. F. Boardman, Jr., A. F. Dantzler, Donald Green, Charles H. Johnson, L. A. Koenenn, Jr., Victor Mavar, T. W. Milner, Jr., Dr. H. C. Moody, Victor Mavar, George A. Schloegel and Leo W. Seal, Jr. Hancock Holding Company does not have a Nominating Committee. Hancock Bank has, among other committees, an Investment Committee which meets monthly and a Salary Committee. The Salary Committee is composed of six members who determine wages and compensation for Bank officers and other employees. George A. Schloegel and Leo W. Seal, Jr., both of whom are Directors of the Company, are two of the six members. The Salary Committee of Hancock Bank met five (5) times during the year ended December 31, 1993. The Board of Directors of the Company met a total of thirteen (13) times during the year ended December 31, 1993. During 1993, all Directors attended 75 percent or more of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board of Directors and the total number of meetings held by committees on which they served. 8 11 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the executive officers of the Company and the Banks as of December 31, 1993: NAME (AGE) PRESENT POSITION ---------- ---------------- Joseph F. Boardman, Jr. (64) Director since 1984; Chairman of the Board since 1987 George A. Schloegel (53) Director since 1984; Vice Chairman of the Board since 1984; President, Hancock Bank since 1990; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1990 Leo W. Seal, Jr. (69) Director since 1984; President and Chief Executive Officer since 1984; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hancock Bank since 1990 Charles A. Webb, Jr. (63) Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Secretary, Hancock Holding Company since 1992; Executive Vice President of Hancock Bank since 1977; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1990 A. Bridger Eglin (50) President, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991; Director, Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991 Theresa Johnson (66) Executive Vice President, Hancock Bank since 1985; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Hancock Holding Company since 1992 - ------------ Mr. Boardman is a retired director and President of Coast Materials Company, which sells ready-mixed concrete, and is located in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was elected Chairman of the Company in 1987. Mr. Schloegel was employed part-time with Hancock Bank from 1956-1959 and began full-time employment in 1962. He served in various capacities until being named President in 1990. Mr. Schloegel serves as Vice Chairman of the Company and President of Hancock Bank Securities Corporation, a subsidiary of Hancock Bank. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of Hancock Bank and Hancock Bank of Louisiana. Mr. Seal was employed by Hancock Bank in 1947. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 1961 and named President of Hancock Bank in 1963. In 1977, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Hancock Bank. In 1990, he became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hancock Bank. He is currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and also serves as an Advisory Director of Hancock Bank of Louisiana. 9 12 Mr. Webb served as Vice President and Secretary of the Company from 1984 until 1992, when he became Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Secretary. He has served as Executive Vice President of Hancock Bank since 1977 and as a Director of Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1990. Mr. Eglin has served as President of Hancock Bank of Louisiana since 1991. Prior to that, he served for a brief time as Commissioner of Financial Institutions for the State of Louisiana. From 1989 to 1990 he served as First Assistant to the Secretary of the State of Louisiana. Mr. Eglin was President of Baton Rouge Bank and Trust Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 1986 to 1988 and Executive Director of that institution from 1988 to 1989. Ms. Johnson joined Hancock Bank in 1985 following the acquisition of Pascagoula Moss Point Bank. No family relationships exist among the executive officers of the Company or the Banks. SUMMARY MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION TABLE Annual Compensation - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Other Annual All Other Compen- Compen- Name and sation sation(5) Principal Position Year Salary($) Bonus($) ($) ($) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leo W. Seal, Jr. 1993 85,000 15,000 560(1) 2,547 CEO, Hancock Bank 18,000(2) President & CEO, HHC 4,506(3) 7,560(4) 1992 60,000 0 560(1) 1,349 18,000(2) 1,321(3) 7,560(4) 1991 60,000 0 2,085(1) 551 18,000(2) 7,560(4) 10 13 Annual Compensation - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Other Annual All Other Compen- Compen- Name and sation sation(5) Principal Position Year Salary($) Bonus($) ($) ($) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- George A. Schloegel 1993 185,000 35,000 1,181(1) 7,774 President, Hancock Bank 5,000(3) Vice Chairman, HHC 1,728(4) 1992 169,615 25,000 1,095(1) 5,855 3,744(2) 1,256(3) 1,728(4) 1991 153,229 20,000 874(1) 3,290 4,518(2) 482(3) 1,728(4) Charles A. Webb, Jr. 1993 122,500 24,000 1,743(1) 3,681 Ex. V.P., Hancock Bank 5,000(2) Ex. V.P., & Sec. and 4,212(4) Chief Credit Officer, HHC 1992 115,588 20,000 1,495(1) 2,600 5,000(2) 4,212(4) 1991 105,461 15,000 1,290(1) 952 5,000(2) 4,212(4) Theresa Johnson 1993 117,500 10,000 321(1) 3,541 Ex. V.P., Hancock Bank 7,560(4) Ex. V.P., & CFO, HHC 1992 115,000 3,500 751(1) 2,498 7,560(4) 1991 112,500 2,500 496(1) 905 4,212(4) A. Bridger Eglin 1993 116,500 9,000 1,523(1) 1,873 President, Hancock Bank 373(4) of Louisiana 1992 110,231 7,500 832(1) 965 205(4) 1991 67,981 1,000 208(1) N/A 89(4) 11 14 1) Automobile compensation. 2) Deferred compensation. 3) Executive supplemental plan. 4) Cost of excess life insurance. 5) Includes stock purchase plan contribution and profit sharing plan contribution. Directors' Fees Directors of the Company who are not also full-time employees of Hancock Bank or Hancock Bank of Louisiana (i.e., all Directors except Messrs. Seal and Schloegel) receive $275 for each regular Board meeting attended and $200 for each special Board meeting attended. Mr. Dantzler, however, receives a consultant fee of $400 per month but no retainer or additional compensation for attendance at Board meetings. Directors may elect to defer the receipt of their Directors' fees for a specified period of time. Directors who choose such deferral also receive a $20,000 term life insurance policy. During 1993, Messrs. Milner and Johnson participated in this deferral program. Directors of the Company who are not full-time employees of Hancock Bank or Hancock Bank of Louisiana and are also Directors of one of the Banks, receive an additional $275 for each meeting of the Bank's Board of Directors attended, provided that such meetings are not held on the same day as meetings of the Company. Directors of the Company who are not full-time employees of Hancock Bank or Hancock Bank of Louisiana and are members of a Bank committee, also receive $225 for each committee meeting attended and $100 for each Gulfport loan meeting. Pension Plan Hancock Bank, along with some of its affiliated companies, maintains a non-contributory integrated pension plan and trust agreement (the "Pension Plan") covering all full-time salaried employees (including executive officers of the Company who are also employees of the Banks) who have completed one (1) year of service and have attained age 21. Employees become participants in the Pension Plan on the January 1 or July 1 following the satisfaction of the eligibility requirements. The benefit formula was modified by an amendment and restatement of the Pension Plan dated December 31, 1992. Under this formula, a participant accrues his benefit under the Pension Plan on the basis of his years of service with the Bank and its affiliated companies, his years of participation in the Pension Plan, his average annual compensation (calculated by using his base compensation for the five consecutive years of service that produce the highest average), and Social Security laws and amounts. His benefit accrues in increments based on his years of participation at any time of determination and the number of years of participation he would have at his normal retirement age (that is, the date on which the participant has attained age 65 but not earlier than the fifth anniversary of the first day of the Pension Plan year (January 1 - - December 31) during which the participant commenced participation in the Pension Plan). A participant's normal retirement date is the first day of the month coincident with or immediately preceding his normal retirement age. A participant is eligible to elect early retirement after he has either (1) completed fifteen years of service and attained age 55 or (2) completed twelve years of service and attained age 62. 12 15 A participant becomes vested in his accrued benefit under the Pension Plan upon the earlier of attainment of his normal retirement age or the completion of five years of service. A participant with a vested accrued benefit will be entitled to receive a retirement benefit upon termination of his employment. In some situations, distributions may be delayed until the participant attains his normal or early retirement date. The spouse or other beneficiary of a vested participant who dies while employed will be eligible for a survivor benefit. The normal form of benefit under the Pension Plan (1) for unmarried participants generally is a ten year certain and life annuity and (2) for married participants generally is a joint and 50% survivor annuity which is the actuarial equivalent of the unmarried participant's normal form. A participant may elect certain specified optional forms of distribution. The Pension Plan provides for the Banks and other participating companies to make all contributions to the Pension Plan in amounts sufficient to fund benefit payments and to satisfy legal funding requirements. All contributions are held in a trust fund of which Hancock Bank is the trustee. Pension costs were $1,075,347.00 for 1993. The table set forth below shows the estimated annual base payments payable under the present benefit formula to persons retiring upon attainment of age 65 in 1993 in the indicated earnings classifications and with the indicated number of years of service for purposes of computing retirement benefits. Pension Plan Table(1)(2)(3) Years of Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- Remuneration 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 - ------------ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- $ 50,000 11,813 16,050 20,288 24,525 28,763 33,000 36,250 $100,000 24,413 33,150 41,888 50,625 59,363 68,100 74,600 $150,000 37,013 50,250 63,488 76,725 89,963 103,200(4) 112,950(4) $200,000 49,613 67,350 85,088 102,825(4) 120,563(4) 138,300(4) 151,300(4) $250,000 52,651 71,473 90,296 109,118(4) 127,941(4) 146,763(4) 160,547(4) __________ <FN> (1) Assuming continued employment, the years of service at age 65 for Mr. Schloegel will be 46 years; for Mr. Seal was 42; for Ms. Johnson was 45; for Mr. Webb will be 47; and for Mr. Egin will be 17. (2) Earnings covered by the Pension Plan consist of basic salary and do not include bonuses. The benefit amounts are not subject to reduction for social security benefits, but social security amounts were taken into account under the benefit formula. (3) This table reflects the normal form of benefit under the Pension Plan which is a ten year certain and life annuity. 13 16 (4) The annual amount exceeds the IRC Section 415 limit of $104,077 for a ten year certain and life annuity. The Section 415 is indexed, so that these amounts may eventually be paid. Compensation covered by the Pension Plan is found in the Salary column of the Summary Management Compensation Table for the executive officers of the Company. It covers the three years listed in the Table and 1989 and 1990. Covered compensation for named executive officers as of the end of the last calendar year is: Seal $62,800; Schloegel $158,200; Webb $108,200; Eglin $111,333; and Johnson $104,780. Executive Supplemental Reimbursement Plan Hancock Bank maintains an executive Supplemental Reimbursement Plan ("ESR Plan") for members of the Bank's Management Committee. Currently, Leo W. Seal, Jr., George A. Schloegel and Charles A. Webb are three of the six members of the Management Committee. Under the ESR Plan, Hancock Bank will pay or reimburse each participating committee member for up to $5,000 of expenses that the committee member incurs during each calendar year for life insurance, education, residential security system and club dues. If the amount paid or reimbursed for a committee member is less than $5,000 for a calendar year, the unused portion will be contributed to a deferred compensation account for all members except Leo W. Seal, Jr. An administrative committee of at least three persons appointed by the Board of Directors of Hancock Bank administers and interprets the plan and has sole discretion to award any benefit to committee members. Bank Automobile Plan Hancock Bank has a Bank Automobile Plan for the members of the Management Committee. The members are given the use of Bank automobiles for Bank business during the day and are permitted to take them home at night and on weekends for their personal use. Stock Purchase Plan The Company maintains an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") that is designed to provide the employees of the Company, the Banks and certain subsidiaries of Hancock Bank a convenient means of purchasing Common Stock of the Company. All employees (except Leo W. Seal, Jr.) of the Company, the Banks, and the other participating subsidiaries, who have completed two or more years of continuous full-time, or five or more years of continuous part-time, employment with the Company, the Banks, or the participating subsidiaries, and are 21 years of age, are eligible to participate in the ESPP. Each employee of the Company, the Banks or a participating subsidiary who qualifies to and does participate in the ESPP (a "Participant") is permitted to authorize payroll deductions, which may not exceed 5% of the Participant's base salary for the pay period. At the end of each plan year (January 1 through December 31), the participating company employing a Participant who is still employed at that time, contributes an amount equal to 25% of such Participant's payroll deductions for that plan year. 14 17 Employee and Company contributions are forwarded to Hancock Bank's Trust Department, which uses the funds to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock through brokers or dealers or directly from individuals (including officers, directors or employees of the Company, the Banks or the participating subsidiaries) at the prevailing market price in the Gulfport, Mississippi over-the-counter market on the date of such purchase. Brokerage commissions, service charges and other transactional costs associated with the purchase of shares by the Plan, if any, are paid by the Plan from its assets (and therefore are borne indirectly by the Plan Participants). Administrative fees and expenses are paid by the Company. Purchases are made in the name of the ESPP at such times and in such amounts as the Bank's Trust Department deems appropriate, and shares are allocated to each Participant as of June 30 and December 31 of each year. A Participant may withdraw the Common Stock and cash held in his Hancock Bank account at any time (but only once in a plan year without penalty). For 1993, Hancock Bank contributed $2,096 under the Plan on behalf of George A. Schloegel, and Hancock Bank of Louisiana contributed $650 on behalf of Bridger Eglin. These are the only two executive officers of the Company who participate in the Plan. COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION This report reflects the Company's compensation philosophy for all executive officers, as endorsed by the Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee. The Committee, comprised of the Company Directors and two advisory directors, named below, determines annual base salary adjustments and annual bonus awards. There are two interlocking Committee and Board member relationships which are disclosed elsewhere under "Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation." In determining the compensation to be paid to the Company's executive officers in 1993, the Compensation Committee employed compensation policies designed to align the compensation with the Company's overall business strategy, values and management initiatives. These policies are intended to reward executives for long-term strategic management and the enhancement of shareholder value and support a performance-oriented environment that rewards achievement of internal goals. Additionally, the Company subscribes to and participates in the Wyatt Data Services/Cole Survey for Financial Institutions Compensation and the Mississippi and Louisiana Bankers Associations' surveys, which provide the Committee with comparative compensation data from the Company's market areas and its peer groups. This information is used by the Committee to make sure that it is providing compensation opportunities comparable to its peer group, thereby allowing the Company to retain talented executive officers who contribute to the Company's overall and long-term success. Mr. Seal's compensation is reflective of his philosophy and heritage. His father, who served as Hancock Bank's President from 1932 until his demise in 1963, instilled in Mr. Seal a sense of responsibility as to their own compensation. Hence, like his father before him, Mr. Seal's relatively low salary, in comparison to the other executive officers of the Company, is the result of Mr. Seal's express wishes and it is in no way a reflection of his performance or ability as CEO or his value to the Company. 15 18 Submitted by the Company's Compensation Committee: J. F. Boardman, Jr. L. A. Koenenn, Jr. Vertis G. Ramsay A. F. Dantzler Victor Mavar George A. Schloegel Donald R. Green T. W. Milner, Jr. Leo W. Seal, Jr. Charles H. Johnson Dr. H. C. Moody, Jr. COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION Leo W. Seal, Jr. and George A. Schloegel both served on the Compensation Committee of the Company for 1993. Although Mr. Seal, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Schloegel, the Company's Vice Chairman, served on the Committee, neither participated in any decisions regarding his own compensation as an executive officer other than on Mr. Seal's expressed wishes described in the aforementioned paragraph. CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS Directors, officers and principal shareholders of the Company and their associates have been customers of the Banks from time to time in the ordinary course of business and additional transactions may be expected to take place in the future. All loans to such persons were made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons and did not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or embody other unfavorable features. At December 31, 1993, the aggregate amount of such loans and extensions of credit outstanding was approximately $4.3 million. Leo W. Seal, Jr., serves as President of Hancock Insurance Agency ("Hancock Insurance"), for which he receives no fees or other compensation. For the year ended December 31, 1993, the Company paid Hancock Insurance $764,104 in premiums for general insurance products, which sum constituted approximately 24% of the gross consolidated revenues of Hancock Insurance for the year ended December 31, 1993. Management believes that the terms of the insurance transactions between the Company and Hancock Insurance were no less favorable to the Company than if the transactions had been made with nonaffiliates. FIVE YEAR SHAREHOLDER RETURN COMPARISION The Securities and Exchange Commission requires that the Company include in its Proxy Statement a line graph presentation comparing cumulative, five-year shareholder returns on an indexed basis with a performance indicator of the overall stock market and either a nationally recognized industry standard or an index of peer companies selected by the Company. The broad market index used in the graph is the NASDAQ Market Index. The peer group index is the Media General Financial Services Industry Group 045-East South Central Banks and a list of the companies included in the index follows the graph. 16 19 COMPARE 5-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN AMONG HANCOCK HOLDING COMPANY, NASDAQ MARKET INDEX AND PEER GROUP INDEX HANCOCK NASDAQ PEER GROUP HOLDING CO. MARKET INDEX INDEX ----------- ------------ ---------- 1989 . . . . . . . . $ 91.16 $112.89 $104.81 1990 . . . . . . . . 78.89 91.57 92.42 1991 . . . . . . . . 114 117.56 151.19 1992 . . . . . . . . 161.15 118.71 156.82 1993 . . . . . . . . 187.03 142.4 165.75 ASSUMES $100 INVESTED ON JANUARY 1, 1989 ASSUMES DIVIDEND REINVESTED FISCAL YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1993 20 MG Industry Group 045-East South Central Banks: AmSouth Bancorporation First Alabama Bancshares, Inc. Bancfirst Corporation Alabama First American Corporation, Tennessee Banco Central Hispano S.A. First City Bancorp, Inc. BancorpSouth First Fed Financial, Kentucky Bank of Nashville, Tennessee First Tennessee National Corporation Cardinal Bancshares, Inc. Grenada Sunburst System Corporation CBT Corporation Hancock Holding Company Colonial BancGroup Class A Kentucky Enterprise Bancorp Community Bancshares Tennessee Leader Financial Corporation Compass Bancshares, Inc. Liberty National Bancorp, Inc. Deposit Guaranty Corporation Mid-America Bankcorp Farmers Capital Bank Corporation National Commerce Bancorporation Peoples First Corporation Peoples Holding Company Pikeville National S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. South Alabama Bancorp SouthTrust Corporation Tennessee Bancorp, Inc. Trans Financial Bancorp, Inc. Trustmark Corporation Union Planters Corporation 17 21 OTHER MATTERS The Board of Directors does not intend to bring any matters before the Annual Meeting other than those specifically set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, nor does it know of any matters to be brought before the Annual Meeting by others. If, however, any other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying Proxy to vote such Proxy in accordance with the judgment of the Board on any such matters. The Annual Report of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993 is enclosed. The Annual Report is not to be regarded as proxy soliciting material. Any shareholder who has not received an Annual Report may obtain one from the Company. The Company also will provide, on request, without charge, copies of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Shareholders wishing to receive a copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K are directed to write to George A. Schloegel, Vice Chairman, at the address of the Company. PROPOSALS FOR 1995 ANNUAL MEETING Any shareholder who wishes to present a proposal at the Company's next Annual Meeting and who wishes to have the proposal included in the Company's Proxy Statement and form of proxy for the meeting, must submit the proposal to the undersigned at the address of the Company not later than September 20, 1994. THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MAY BE REVOKED PRIOR TO ITS EXERCISE. By Order of the Board of Directors Dated January 25, 1994 ______________________________ Leo W. Seal, Jr. President 18 22 PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING HANCOCK HOLDING COMPANY, GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned shareholder of HANCOCK HOLDING COMPANY, GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI, does hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint Leo W. Seal, Jr., Thomas W. Milner, Jr., and J.F. Boardman, Jr. as proxies or any of them (with full power of substitution), and hereby authorizes them to represent and vote, as designated below, all the shares of Hancock Holding Company held of record by the undersigned on December 31, 1993, at the annual meeting of its stockholders to be held at HANCOCK BANK, One Hancock Plaza, Gulfport, Mississippi, on February 24, 1994, or any adjournments thereof, with all the powers the undersigned would possess if personally present, as follows: 1. The election of the following 3 persons as directors, to serve until the Annual Meeting in 1997 or until each person's successor has been elected and qualified. (INSTRUCTION: AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY NOMINEE MAY BE WITHHELD BY LINING THROUGH OR OTHERWISE STRIKING OUT THE NAME OF ANY NOMINEE). L. A. KOENENN, JR. DR. HOMER C. MOODY, JR. GEORGE A. SCHLOEGEL For all nominees except as indicated ______________ Withhold authority to vote for all nominees _______________ 2. Proposal to approve the appointment of Deloitte & Touche as the independent public accountants of the Company. For _______ Against _______ Abstain ______ 3. In their descretion, Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. For _______ Against _______ Abstain ______ 23 This Proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in accordance with the specific indication above, IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH INDICATION, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED "FOR" THE NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 1, and ''FOR'' PROPOSAL 2. If any other matters shall properly come before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named as proxy holders to vote on such matters in accordance with their judgment. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MAY BE REVOKED PRIOR TO ITS EXERCISE. DATED: _____________________ 1994 Signature _______________________ Signature _______________________ When signing as attorney, executor, trustee, or guardian, please give full title. If more than one trustee, all should sign. All joint owners must sign. Number of shares: _________________ IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE PLACE A CHECK MARK HERE ____________. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND, PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN AT ONCE. 24 Index to Exhibits Exhibit 13 -- Form of Annual Report for Hancock Holding Company for the period ended December 31, 1993.