EXHIBIT 99.1

Home BancShares, Inc. Announces Record Net Income of $63.0 Million for 2012

CONWAY, Ark., Jan. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. (Nasdaq:HOMB), parent company of Centennial Bank, today announced record net income for the year ended December 31, 2012 of $63.0 million compared to $54.7 million for the year ended 2011. Diluted earnings per share for the year ended 2012 were $2.23 per share compared to $1.85 per share for 2011, an increase of $0.38 per share or 20.5%.

For the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company recorded record quarterly net income of $16.9 million, or $0.60 diluted earnings per common share, compared to $14.2 million of net income, or $0.50 diluted earnings per common share for the same quarter in 2011, an increase of $0.10 per share or 20.0%.

Because acquisitions are growth and capital management strategies, earnings excluding amortization of intangibles after-tax are useful in evaluating the Company. Diluted earnings per common share excluding intangible amortization for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $0.62 compared to $0.51 diluted earnings per common share excluding intangible amortization for the same period in 2011.

"The record net income reported for 2012 is an exceptional achievement for our Company," said John Allison, Chairman. "The hard work this year to expand earnings was successful. Not only did we reach annual record earnings during 2012, but we also achieved record earnings each quarter consecutively during the year. Throughout the year, we continued to keep our traditionally strong capital levels considerably above the regulators' capital requirements. It is possible, therefore, to remain in a position to benefit from opportunistic deals as they are presented."

Randy Sims, Chief Executive Officer, added, "This quarter the Company increased its earnings above our previously recorded record earnings by $844,000 or 5.2%. During the fourth quarter of 2012, we improved our net interest margin 13 basis points when compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. The achievements reached during 2012 are no doubt impressive and encouraging for the year ahead."

Operating Highlights

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2012 increased 16.9% to $41.3 million from $35.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2011. For the fourth quarter of 2012, the effective yield on non-covered loans and covered loans was 6.03% and 7.83%, respectively. Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, was 4.86% for the quarter just ended compared to 4.73% in the fourth quarter of 2011, an increase of 13 basis points. The Company's ability to improve pricing on interest bearing deposits and hold the changes of interest rates on loans to a minimum allowed the Company to improve net interest margin.

The Company reported $16.2 million of non-interest income for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to $12.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2011. The most important components of the fourth quarter non-interest income were $5.2 million from gain on acquisition, $4.1 million from service charges on deposits accounts, $3.1 million from other service charges and fees, $1.5 million from mortgage lending income, $635,000 in dividends, $368,000 from insurance commissions, $229,000 of accretion on the FDIC indemnification asset and $121,000 gain on sale of OREO. The $635,000 in dividends includes a non-recurring dividend of approximately $463,000 from our investment in a private equity and venture capital firm which invests in small and lower middle market companies located in Arkansas and across the Midwest and Southeast United States.

Non-interest expense for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $29.6 million compared to $23.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2011. Excluding merger expenses, non-interest expense only increased 5.5% when compared to 17.7% in asset growth. For the fourth quarter of 2012, our core efficiency ratio was 44.40% or improved by 436 basis points from the same period of the previous year.

Financial Condition

Total non-covered loans were $2.33 billion at December 31, 2012 compared to $1.76 billion at December 31, 2011. Total covered loans were $384.9 million at December 31, 2012 compared to $481.7 million at December 31, 2011. Total deposits were $3.48 billion at December 31, 2012 compared to $2.86 billion at December 31, 2011. Total assets were $4.24 billion at December 31, 2012 compared to $3.60 billion at December 31, 2011.

Non-performing non-covered loans were $27.3 million as of December 31, 2012, of which $15.2 million were located in Florida. Non-performing non-covered loans as a percent of total non-covered loans were 1.17% as of December 31, 2012 compared to 1.56% as of December 31, 2011. Non-performing non-covered assets were $47.8 million as of December 31, 2012, of which $23.2 million were located in Florida. Non-performing non-covered assets as a percent of total non-covered assets were 1.30% as of December 31, 2012 compared to the 1.53% reported for December 31, 2011.

The Company's allowance for loan losses for non-covered loans was $45.2 million at December 31, 2012, or 1.94% of total non-covered loans, compared to $52.1 million, or 2.96% of total non-covered loans, at December 31, 2011. As of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the allowance for loan losses for non-covered loans plus discount for credit losses on non-covered loans acquired to total non-covered loans plus discount for credit losses on non-covered loans acquired was 5.26% and 3.10%, respectively. As of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company's allowance for loan losses for non-covered loans was 166% and 190% of its total non-performing non-covered loans, respectively.

Stockholders' equity was $515.5 million at December 31, 2012 compared to $474.1 million at December 31, 2011, an increase of $41.4 million. Book value per common share was $18.34 at December 31, 2012 compared to $16.77 at December 31, 2011.

Stock Repurchase Program

During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company repurchased a total of 203,404 shares with a weighted average stock price of $34.33. For 2012, the Company repurchased a total of 455,448 shares with a weighted average stock price of $29.72. The Company believes the stock repurchased at these prices is a good investment. The 2012 earnings were used to fund these repurchases.

Branches

Presently, the Company is evaluating opportunities but has no firm commitments for additional de novo branch locations. During December, the Company closed two branches acquired in the Vision acquisition—one in Florida and one in Alabama. These branch closures were completed to eliminate repetitive branches and maximize profitability from the Vision transaction. During the first part of January 2013, one branch in south Arkansas was closed. It is anticipated three to four branches will close in the Tallahassee, FL area early in the second quarter of 2013. The Company currently has 46 branches in Arkansas, 54 branches in Florida and 7 branches in Alabama.

Conference Call

Management will conduct a conference call to review this information at 1:00 p.m. CT (2:00 ET) on Thursday, January 17, 2013. Interested parties can listen to this call by calling 1-877-317-6789 and asking for the Home BancShares conference call. A replay of the call will be available by calling 1-877-344-7529, Passcode: 10022263, which will be available until January 25, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. CT (9:00 ET). Internet access to the call will be available live or in recorded version on the Company's website at www.homebancshares.com under "Investor Relations" for 12 months.

General

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors, including, but not limited to, economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions and changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Additional information on factors that might affect Home BancShares, Inc.'s financial results are included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has locations in central Arkansas, north central Arkansas, southern Arkansas, the Florida Keys, southwestern Florida, central Florida, the Florida Panhandle and south Alabama. The Company's common stock is traded through the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "HOMB."

CONTACT: Brian S. Davis
         Chief Accounting Officer &
         Investor Relations Officer
         Home BancShares, Inc.
         (501) 328-4770