Why Lakeland Financial (LKFN) is a Top Dividend Stock for Your Portfolio

Company Overview - Lakeland Financial (LKFN) is based in Warsaw and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -4.3% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.5 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.04%, which is slightly below the Banks - Midwest industry's yield of 3.05% but significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.54% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Lakeland Financial is $2, reflecting a 4.2% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend four times, achieving an average annual increase of 12.70% [4] - The company's payout ratio stands at 55%, indicating that it distributes 55% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects earnings of $3.70 per share, which corresponds to a year-over-year growth rate of 6.63% [5] Investment Appeal - Lakeland Financial is characterized as an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, supported by a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]