8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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FORM 8-K

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CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) April 10, 2018

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Lakeland Financial Corporation

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

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Indiana	0-11487	35-1559596
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer
Of incorporation)		Identification No.)

202 East Center Street, P.O. Box 1387, Warsaw, Indiana 46581-1387 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(574) 267-6144 (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]  Solicitation material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR  240.14d-2(b)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)

Item 7.01.    Regulation FD Disclosure.

On April 10, 2018 Lakeland Financial Corporation issued a news release announcing that on April 10, 2018, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Lakeland Financial Corporation (the "Company") declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.26 per share of Company common stock for the first quarter of 2018, payable on May 7, 2018, to shareholders of record as of April 25, 2018.  The news release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.  The following exhibits are filed herewith:

99.1 Press Release issued by Lakeland Financial Corporation on April 10, 2018.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

LAKELAND FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Dated:  April 10, 2018By:  /s/Lisa M. O'Neill

                                 Lisa M. O'Neill

                                 Executive Vice President and

                                 Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

NEWS FROM LAKELAND FINANCIAL CORPORATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact

Lisa M. O'Neill

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(574) 267-9125 office

lisa.oneill@lakecitybank.com

Lake City Bank Parent Announces

18% Increase in Quarterly Dividend

Warsaw, Indiana (April 10, 2018) – Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN), parent company of Lake City Bank, announced that the Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend for the first quarter of 2018 of $0.26 per share, payable on May 7, 2018 to shareholders of record as of April 25, 2018. The quarterly dividend represents a 18% increase over the quarterly dividend rate paid in 2017.

"The strength of our balance sheet and our historically solid earnings performance creates the capacity to significantly increase our dividend again. Our shareholder value equation is further enhanced by this dividend increase," said David M. Findlay, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Lake City Bank, a $4.7 billion bank headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, is the fourth largest bank in the state, and the largest bank 100% invested in Indiana. Lake City Bank operates 49 branch offices in northern and central Indiana, delivering technology-driven solutions in a client-centric way to individuals and businesses. The bank is the single bank subsidiary of Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN). For more information visit www.lakecitybank.com.

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," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should" or other similar expressions. 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.  Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that could materially affect the Company's financial results, is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.