Mid-South Bank Posts Fourth Quarter Profits

MidSouth Bancorp Inc. posted a sharp increase in fourth-quarter profit as it cut its provision for bad loans. For the October-through-December period, Lafayette-based MidSouth said it earned $1.6 million, or 16 cents per share, compared with year-ago earnings in the fourth quarter of $890,000, or 13 cents per share. The company's loan-loss provision was cut to $870,000 from $1.4 million a year ago and $1.5 million for the third quarter of 2010.