 WARSAW, Ind., Oct. 26, 2020 GLOBE NEWSWIRE -- Lakeland Financial Corporation Nasdaq Global SelectLKFN, parent company of Lake City Bank, today reported record quarterly net income of 22.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, an increase of 6 versus 21.5 million for the third quarter of 2019. Diluted earnings per share increased 7 to 0.89 for the third quarter of 2020, versus 0.83 for the third quarter of 2019. This quarterly net income and earnings per share performance both represent quarterly records for the company and its shareholders. On a linked quarter basis, net income increased 3.1 million, or 16, from the second quarter of 2020, in which the company had net income of 19.7 million, or 0.77, diluted earnings per share. Pretax pre-provision earnings1 were 29.9 million for the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 8, or 2.3 million, from 27.6 million for the third quarter of 2019. On a linked quarter basis, pretax pre-provision earnings increased 1, or 285,000, from 29.6 million for the second quarter of 2020. 