The board of authorized aquarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per common share, an increase of 1 cent pershare from the previous quarter's payout of 9 cents per share.

According to the company'sfirst-quarter earnings release, the dividend is payable May 20 to shareholdersof record as of May 9.

The Lafayette, La.-based company alsodisclosed a new repurchase program, which allows the company to buy back up to365,000 shares, or about 5%, of its outstanding common stock.

Home Bancorp reported net income of$3.4 million, or 47 cents per share, for the first quarter, compared to $2.8million, or 41 cents per share, for the year-ago period.