HOUSTON, Jan. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allegiance Bank ("Allegiance"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABTX), announced the opening of a Loan Production Office at 5330 Griggs Road, Houston, Texas, 77021, located in the historic Palm Center.  "Allegiance is committed to supporting the needs of small businesses throughout the communities we serve," said Ray Vitulli, President and Chief Operating Officer of Allegiance Bank.  "We also understand the vital contribution that small businesses provide to the economic development, revitalization, and stabilization of low to moderate income communities.  To show our commitment and support, Allegiance has provided a $150,000 grant to Houston Business Development, Inc. ('HBDi') to create a Business Information Center where small business owners will have access to Allegiance, HBDi, and SCORE (providers of free business counseling and assistance) to address their business needs," concluded Vitulli.  Since 1986, HBDi has been helping to finance and build successful small businesses in Houston, Texas.  As a community-based, non-profit organization, HBDi serves as a catalyst for stimulating economic growth and revitalizing communities in Houston, Texas and surrounding areas.

Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. is a $2.46 billion asset Houston, Texas-based bank holding company of Allegiance Bank. Allegiance Bank provides a diversified range of commercial banking services primarily to Houston metropolitan area-based small to medium-sized businesses and individual customers. Allegiance's unique super-community banking strategy was designed to foster strong customer relationships while benefitting from a platform and scale that is competitive with larger local and regional banks.  Allegiance Bank operates 16 full-service banking locations in the Houston metropolitan area. Visit www.allegiancebank.com for more information.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws that are based on various facts and derived utilizing important assumptions, present expectations, estimates and projections about Allegiance and its subsidiaries. Statements preceded by, followed by or  that otherwise include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "plans" and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "should," "would," "may" and "could" are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing words. Forward-looking statements include information concerning Allegiance's future financial performance, business and growth strategy, projected plans and objectives, as well as projections of macroeconomic and industry trends, which are inherently unreliable due to the multiple factors that impact economic trends, and any such variations may be material. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Allegiance's control, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to whether Allegiance can: continue to develop and maintain new and existing customer and community relationships; successfully implement its growth strategy, including identifying suitable acquisition targets and integrating the businesses of acquired companies and banks; continue to sustain its current internal growth rate; provide quality and competitive products and services that appeal to its customers; continue to have access to debt and equity capital markets; and achieve its performance objectives. These and various other risk factors are discussed in Allegiance's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and in other reports and statements Allegiance has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of such filings are available for download free of charge from the Investor Relations section of Allegiance's website at www.allegiancebank.com, under Financial Information, SEC Filings.  Any forward-looking statement made by Allegiance in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause Allegiance's actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Allegiance to predict all of them. Allegiance undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.