Stephens raised the firm's price target on Lakeland Financial to $66 from $64 and keeps an Equal Weight rating on the shares. Lakeland's Q4 earnings were 9.4% above consensus due to more favorable revenue trends, no loan loss provision recorded, and a lower rate, the analyst tells investors. The benefits of a healthy Indiana economy and ongoing investments translating into accelerating loan growth, combined with net interest margin expansion, should drive 7.5% growth in net interest income in 2026, the analyst forecasts.
