Renasant Corporation and The First Bancshares, Inc. have received regulatory approval for their planned merger. The merger, expected to close on April 1, 2025, will integrate The First Bank into Renasant Bank, creating a financial institution with approximately $26 billion in assets and over 250 locations across the Southeast.

Renasant CEO Mitch Waycaster highlighted the partnership’s alignment in values and commitment to serving communities. The First CEO Hoppy Cole expressed confidence that the merger will create new opportunities for both banks.

Renasant, a 120-year-old institution with $18 billion in assets, provides banking, mortgage, wealth management, and asset-based lending services. The First Bancshares, founded in 1996, operates in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

The companies previously secured shareholder approval in October 2024, and the merger remains subject to customary closing conditions.