Lakeland Finl Corp Stock Price, News & Analysis

Lakeland Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: LKFN) and Lake City Bank have appointed two new members to their Boards of Directors: Dan Starr, CEO of Do it Best Corp., and Mindy Creighton Truex, President of Creighton Brothers Farms LLC.

Starr brings extensive experience as CEO of Do it Best Corp., a Fort Wayne-based hardware and building materials cooperative with global presence. He previously served as a partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP and currently chairs the Parkview Health Board of Directors.

Creighton Truex, a sixth-generation Kosciusko County farmer, leads Creighton Brothers Farms and has significant experience in agricultural advocacy, serving on various boards including the American Egg Board and United Egg Producers.

Lake City Bank, founded in 1872, operates 54 branch offices across Central and Northern Indiana with $6.9 billion in assets.

Lakeland Financial (LKFN) reported Q1 2025 net income of $20.1 million, down 14% from $23.4 million in Q1 2024. Net interest income increased 12% with a net interest margin of 3.40%, up 25 basis points year-over-year.

Key highlights include:

• Diluted EPS decreased to $0.78 from $0.91 year-over-year
• Average loans grew 4% to $5.19 billion
• Core deposits increased 7% to $5.83 billion
• Tangible book value per share grew 7% to $26.85

The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, a 4% increase from Q1 2024, and reauthorized a share repurchase program with $30.0 million remaining capacity through April 2027. The bank maintains strong capital levels with total capital at 15.77% of risk-weighted assets.

Lakeland Financial reported annual net income of $93.5 million for 2024, slightly down from $93.8 million in 2023. Q4 2024 net income was $24.2 million, an 18% decrease from Q4 2023, with diluted EPS of $0.94, down 19% year-over-year.

The company demonstrated solid growth with average loans increasing 5% to $5.04 billion and core deposits growing 5% to $5.9 billion. Net interest margin improved to 3.25% in Q4 2024, up from 3.16% in Q3 2024. The total capital ratio strengthened to 15.90%, well above the 10% regulatory requirement.

Notable Q4 metrics include tangible book value per share growth of 5% to $26.47, return on average equity of 13.87%, and return on average assets of 1.42%. The board approved a Q4 cash dividend of $0.50 per share, representing a 4% increase from Q4 2023.

Lake City Bank has promoted Stephanie R. Leniski to Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Banking Officer. With a 30-year banking career that began as a teller in 1995, Leniski joined Lake City Bank in 2002 and has held various leadership positions, including Vice President, North Region Retail Banking Manager, and Senior Vice President.

In her role, Leniski oversees 54 offices and 286 Retail Banking team members. She leads retail product innovations, serves on multiple bank committees, and co-leads the Branch Development Committee. Lake City Bank, a $6.6 billion institution headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, operates throughout Central and Northern Indiana, focusing on community banking while delivering technology-forward solutions for retail and commercial clients.

Lakeland Financial (LKFN), parent company of Lake City Bank, has announced a 4% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share, up from $0.48 in 2024. The dividend will be payable on February 5, 2025, to shareholders of record as of January 25, 2025.

The company highlighted its impressive 11% compound annual growth rate in dividends over the past five years. Lake City Bank, founded in 1872, operates 54 branch offices throughout Central and Northern Indiana, with assets of $6.7 billion. The bank emphasizes building long-term customer relationships while offering advanced digital banking solutions for both retail and commercial clients.

Lake City Bank has promoted Carrie A. Gutman to Chief Wealth Advisory Officer, succeeding Jonathan P. Steiner who will retire on December 6, 2024. Gutman, who joined the bank's Management Committee, brings extensive experience in trust administration and civil law. She previously practiced at Hawk Haynie Kammeyer & Smith for 20 years before starting her banking career in 2016. Steiner, who is retiring after a 40-year banking career including 14 years at Lake City Bank, has led significant growth in the Wealth Advisory Group since 2010. Lake City Bank, a $6.6 billion institution headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, operates 54 branch offices serving Central and Northern Indiana.

Lakeland Financial reported Q3 2024 net income of $23.3 million, down 8% from $25.3 million in Q3 2023. Diluted EPS decreased 7% to $0.91. The company showed organic growth with average loans up 4% to $5.06 billion and core deposits increasing 5% to $5.74 billion. The net interest margin was 3.16%, slightly down from 3.21% year-over-year. Total capital ratio improved to 15.75%, and tangible book value per share grew 25% to $27.07. Commercial loan originations reached $316 million in Q3, with line of credit usage at 41%. The company maintained strong liquidity with access to $3.7 billion in resources.

Lake City Bank (Nasdaq: LKFN) has acquired a 35,600 square foot office building in Warsaw, Indiana, expanding its downtown campus. The building, purchased on August 30, 2024, will be renovated and renamed the Lake City Bank Innovation and Technology Center. This acquisition marks the 6th building in the bank's Downtown Warsaw campus, reinforcing its commitment to its hometown.

The new center will house the bank's Technology Services, Information Security, Application Management, and Project Management teams, supporting Lake City Bank's growth and technology-driven solutions. Since 2010, the bank has invested approximately $30 million in Warsaw facilities and Kosciusko County offices. The renovation will include modern amenities such as a coffee meeting location, a walk-up ITM, and advanced conference calling capabilities.

Lakeland Financial (Nasdaq: LKFN), parent company of Lake City Bank, reported a net income of $22.5 million for Q2 2024, a 54% increase from $14.6 million in Q2 2023. Diluted EPS rose to $0.87, up 53% from $0.57 last year. However, net income fell by 4% from Q1 2024. Key metrics include a 5% loan growth to $5.03 billion and a 5% rise in core deposits to $5.60 billion. The net interest margin slightly decreased to 3.17% from 3.28% in Q2 2023. The company experienced a significant increase in nonperforming loans to $57.2 million. Pretax pre-provision earnings increased by 105% year-over-year to $35.4 million. Noninterest income surged 78% to $20.4 million, driven by a $9.0 million gain on Visa shares. The capital ratio improved to 15.54%. Lakeland Financial also opened its 54th branch in Indianapolis and reported a 10% growth in tangible book value per share to $25.34.