WARSAW, Ind., Oct. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN), parent company of Lake City Bank, today reported record quarterly net income of $20.6 million for the three months ended September 30, an increase of 30% versus $15.8 million for the third quarter of 2017. Diluted earnings per share increased 29% to $0.80 for the third quarter of 2018, versus $0.62 for the third quarter of 2017, also representing a record quarter for the company and its shareholders. On a linked quarter basis, net income increased by 2% and diluted earnings per share increased 3%. Net income increased $428,000 from $20.1 million in the second quarter ended June 30, 2018 and diluted earnings per share increased $0.02 from $0.78.

David M. Findlay, President and CEO commented, "With record net income for the quarter and the first nine months of 2018, the Lake City Bank team continues a strong 2018. We are particularly pleased with the strong revenue growth in the quarter. With a 12% growth in revenue, it's clear that our relationship driven business model is working. We benefited from a significant increase in fee-based services within our Commercial and Wealth Advisory business units, which complimented our healthy expansion in the net interest margin."

• Return on average equity of 16.6%, up from 13.7% a year ago
• Organic average loan growth of $220 million or 6%
• Average deposit growth of $309 million or 8%
• Net interest income increase of $3.3 million or 10%
• Net interest margin increase of 7 basis points to 3.42%
• Noninterest income increase of $936,000, or 10%
• Revenue growth of $4.2 million, or 10%
• Total equity and tangible common equity¹ increase of $36 million and $35 million, respectively, or 8%

Return on average total equity for the third quarter of 2018 was 16.55%, compared to 13.71% in the third quarter of 2017 and 16.86% in the linked second quarter of 2018. Return on average total equity for the first nine months of 2018 was 16.42%, compared to 13.73% in the same period of 2017. Return on average assets for the third quarter of 2018 was 1.72%, compared to 1.41% in the third quarter of 2017 and 1.70% in the linked second quarter of 2018. Return on average assets for the first nine months of 2018 was 1.67% compared to 1.39% in the same period of 2017. The company's total capital as a percent of risk-weighted assets was 14.14% at September 30, 2018, compared to 13.58% at September 30, 2017 and 13.76% at June 30, 2018. The company's tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio² was 10.41% at September 30, 2018, compared to 10.32% at September 30, 2017 and 10.15% at June 30, 2018.

Findlay noted, "The overall strength of economic conditions in our markets is reflected in the 6% loan growth we experienced over the last year. We are pleased with our gross originations, which have been strong this year. We continue to experience higher than normal levels of loan payoffs in the agricultural and commercial real estate portfolios as long term, non-bank financing alternatives have emerged for these segments. In addition, the commercial and industrial portfolio has been impacted by large payoffs due to consolidations and business sales."

Average total deposits for the third quarter of 2018 were $4.03 billion, an increase of $309.1 million, or 8%, versus $3.72 billion for the third quarter of 2017. Total deposits grew $141.9 million, or 4%, from $3.87 billion as of September 30, 2017 to $4.02 billion as of September 30, 2018. In addition, total core deposits, which exclude brokered deposits, increased $255.0 million, or 7%, from $3.58 billion at September 30, 2017 to $3.84 billion at September 30, 2018 due to growth in commercial deposits of $115.8 million or 13%, growth in public fund deposits of $100.8 million or 9% and growth in retail deposits of $38.4 million or 3%. On a linked quarter basis, core deposits increased by $123.9 million or 3% due to growth in commercial deposits of $89.0 million, growth in public funds deposits of $25.6 million and retail deposit growth of $9.6 million.

The company's net interest margin increased seven basis points to 3.42% for the third quarter of 2018 compared to 3.35% for the third quarter of 2017 and was unchanged from the second quarter of 2018.  The higher margin in the third quarter of 2018 was due to higher yields on loans, partially offset by a higher cost of funds, which was driven by the Federal Reserve Bank increasing the target Federal Funds Rate in mid-March 2018, mid-June 2018 and late September 2018. Net interest income increased $3.3 million, or 10%, to $37.9 million for the third quarter of 2018, versus $34.6 million in the third quarter of 2017 due to both growth in loans and deposits as well as expanding net interest margin. Net interest income increased by $11.2 million or 11% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 as compared to the first nine months of 2017 due to both net interest margin expansion and volume growth. The company's net interest margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was 3.40% compared to 3.32% in the prior year nine-month period.

The company recorded a provision for loan losses of $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2018 compared to $450,000 for the third quarter 2017 and down from $1.7 million during the linked second quarter of 2018. The company's allowance for loan losses as of September 30, 2018 was $48.3 million compared to $45.5 million as of September 30, 2017 and $47.7 million as of June 30, 2018. The allowance for loan losses represented 1.26% of total loans as of September 30, 2018 versus 1.25% at September 30, 2017 and 1.24% as of June 30, 2018.

Net charge offs for the quarter were $463,000 versus net recoveries of $484,000 in the third quarter of 2017 and net recoveries of $379,000 during the linked second quarter 2018. Annualized net charge offs to average loans were 0.05% for the third quarter of 2018 compared to net recoveries of 0.05% for the third quarter of 2017 and net recoveries of 0.04% for the second quarter of 2018. On a year-to-date basis, net charge offs to average loans were 0.17% compared to net recoveries of 0.02% for the first nine months of 2017.

The company's noninterest income increased $936,000, or 10%, to $10.4 million for the third quarter of 2018, compared to $9.5 million for the third quarter of 2017. On a linked quarter basis, noninterest income increased by $740,000 or 8%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the company's noninterest income increased 13% to $30.0 million compared to $26.5 million in the prior year period. Noninterest income was positively impacted for both the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 by increases in service charges on deposit accounts primarily related to business accounts, loan and service fees, and wealth advisory and brokerage fees due to continued growth of client relationships.

The company's noninterest expense increased $1.7 million, or 9%, to $22.0 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $20.3 million in the third quarter of 2017. On a linked quarter basis, noninterest expense increased by $1.7 million or 9%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the company's noninterest expense increased by $3.8 million or 6% to $63.5 million compared to $59.7 million in the prior year period. Salaries and employee benefits increased during 2018 primarily due to an increase to the company's minimum hiring wage, normal merit increases and increased health insurance cost. Data processing fees also increased during 2018 primarily due to the company's continued investment in technology-based solutions. Corporate and business development expense decreased during 2018 primarily due to a reduction in charitable contributions as well as lower advertising expenses.

The effective tax rate for the third quarter 2018 was 18.5%, compared to 32.4% for the third quarter 2017 and reflects the effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered the company's federal tax rate to 21% from 35% effective January 1, 2018. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was 18.1% compared with 31.0% in the prior year period. Through the preparation of the Company's 2017 corporate tax return and the completion of cost segregation studies on new construction projects, the Company was able to recognize a permanent tax savings of approximately $400,000, which was finalized and recognized during the third quarter of 2018.

Information regarding Lakeland Financial Corporation may be accessed on the home page of its subsidiary, Lake City Bank, at lakecitybank.com. The company's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under "LKFN." In addition to the results presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, this earnings release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. The company believes that providing non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with information useful to understanding the company's financial performance. Additionally, these non-GAAP measures are used by management for planning and forecasting purposes, including measures based on "tangible common equity" which is "common stockholders' equity" excluding intangible assets, net of deferred tax and "tangible assets" which is "assets" excluding intangible assets, net of deferred tax. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP equivalent are included in the attached financial tables where the non-GAAP measures are presented. 

This document contains, and future oral and written statements of the company and its management may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of the company. Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the company's management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "continue," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should" or other similar expressions. The company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain and, accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made by the company. Additionally, all statements in this document, including forward-looking statements, speak only as of the date they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events. Numerous factors could cause the company's actual results to differ from those reflected in forward-looking statements, including trade policy and those identified in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.