MidSouth Bancorp Announces Commencement of Common Stock Offering

LAFAYETTE, La., Dec. 9  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. ("MidSouth") (NYSE Amex: MSL), announced today that it has commenced an offering of up to $30 million of its common stock in an underwritten public offering with Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, Inc. acting as sole book running manager and Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. and FIG Partners, LLC serving as co-managers. MidSouth intends to grant the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $4.5 million of common stock offered to cover over-allotments, if any.

MidSouth plans to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes including ongoing and anticipated growth, which may include potential acquisition opportunities.

This announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.  A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective.  These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.  The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus which is a part of such registration statement.  A copy of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, Inc. at 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60606, 1-800-800-4693.

About MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.

MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana with assets of $948 million as of September 30, 2009.  Through our wholly owned subsidiary, MidSouth Bank, N.A., we offer a full range of banking services to commercial and retail customers in south Louisiana and southeast Texas.  MidSouth Bank has 35 locations in Louisiana and Texas and more than 50 ATMs.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties.  Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.  Factors that might cause such a difference include, among other matters, changing market conditions, MidSouth's ability to complete the offering; and other factors discussed in MidSouth's Registration Statement on Form S-1 related to this offering and in its other filings with the SEC.  MidSouth does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. 

DATASOURCE: MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.



CONTACT:  C.R. Cloutier or Jim McLemore, both of MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.,

[phone]

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