Louisiana bank to acquire Atlanta’s Georgia Commerce Bancshares

Iberia Bank Corp. said Monday it is acquiring Atlanta-based Georgia Commerce Bancshares in a $195 million deal that will bring the Louisiana bank into the Atlanta market.

Iberia, headquartered in Lafayette, La., expects to complete the all-stock acquisition of the closely-held institution by mid-2015, bringing it to $18.4 billion in assets.

Iberia said the acquisition of Georgia Commerce, with $1 billion in assets, 142 employees and nine offices in metro Atlanta, will add one of the fastest-growing markets bordering its six-state territory, giving it a presence in the five largest metro areas in the southeast. The bank has 280 branches and other offices in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Florida.