Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN), parent company of Lake City Bank, today reported record quarterly net income of $23.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, an increase of 33% versus $17.3 million for the first quarter of 2020. Diluted earnings per share increased 34% to $0.90 for the first quarter of 2021, versus $0.67 for the first quarter of 2020. On a linked quarter basis, net income decreased $1.6 million, or 7%, from the fourth quarter of 2020, in which the company had net income of $24.6 million, or $0.97, diluted earnings per share. Pretax pre-provision earnings were $29.5 million for the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 7%, or $1.9 million, from $27.5 million for the first quarter of 2020. On a linked quarter basis, pretax pre-provision earnings decreased 7%, or $2.1 million, from $31.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2020. Read more.