Stock fact sheet · data as of
Lakeland Financial Corporation (LKFN): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · United States · Defensive
Is LKFN undervalued?
LKFN closed at 57.91 on 16 Oct 2026 against a GLS average fair value of 53.65 - 7.9% above fair value, which our screens read as "fairly priced". 4 of 9 models are above the current price. There is no discount to lean on here, so the margin of safety is not the reason to look at the stock.
There is a wide gap between GLS Growth (11.92) and 10 Cap (112.74). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
The nightly engine files LKFN under Defensive: a low beta, a dividend and positive earnings.
Nine valuation models for LKFN
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 57.96 | +0% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 55.52 | -4% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 65.83 | +14% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 14.80 | -74% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 11.92 | -79% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 112.74 | +95% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 84.47 | +46% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 30.31 | -48% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 49.32 | -15% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -243.67 | -521% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 68.67 | +19% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Lakeland Financial Corporation scores 8 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, the nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency on the latest annual accounts - a strong reading that passes the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule with room to spare. On durability LKFN scores 6.2/10 on the GLS Moat - a middle reading; the Scorecard on the Quote page's Financials tab shows which ten-year lines are steady and which are not.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 10.9%, ROE 13.6%, ROA 1.5% - with debt at 0.24 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 7.8%.
The dividend yield is 3.56% at a payout ratio of 47%; for a wheel trader holding assigned shares the dividend adds to the covered-call premium, and the ex-dividend date is worth knowing before a call is sold.
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 5/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 8 / 9 | ROIC | 10.9% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 6.2 / 10 | ROE | 13.6% |
| Debt / equity | 0.24 | ROA | 1.5% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 7.8% | Payout ratio | 47% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 5 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 67: Good
With a Wheel Score of 67 - the Good band - Lakeland Financial Corporation falls just short of the Sunday Scan's "70 or higher" rule. The parts: Value 9/25, Health 18/20, Moat 9/15, Premium 19/20, Stability 12/20; Value (9/25) scores lowest.
Implied volatility is 34% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out: some premium, but under the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for (19 of 20 points). Chain open interest is thin - 95 contracts across every expiry - so fills at a fair price are not guaranteed; a 30-45-day put may not exist at a usable strike.
Volume runs at 361k shares a day on a market cap of $1.4B, with a beta of 0.76 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 12 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 9 / 25 | -8% margin of safety | |
| Health | 18 / 20 | Piotroski 8/9 | |
| Moat | 9 / 15 | moat 6.2/10 | |
| Premium | 19 / 20 | implied volatility 34% | |
| Stability | 12 / 20 | 361k shares/day, $1.4B cap, beta 0.76 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
Lakeland Financial Corporation reports earnings on 26 Oct 2026 (before the open) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk. The shares go ex-dividend on 23 Oct 2026 (0.5200 per share), so a covered call sold before then carries a small early-assignment risk around that date.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Banks - Regional
The 12 companies below are the closest to Lakeland Financial Corporation by market cap within the Banks - Regional industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESQ Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. | 118.95 | 148.10 | +20% | 39No options | $1.4B |
| TFIN Triumph Financial, Inc. | 61.26 | 46.74 | -31% | 49Weak | $1.5B |
| BHRB Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp. | 69.75 | 95.74 | +27% | 39No options | $1.4B |
| AMAL Amalgamated Financial Corp. | 47.09 | 76.20 | +38% | 84Prime | $1.4B |
| CASH Pathward Financial, Inc. | 72.12 | 296.28 | +76% | 83Prime | $1.5B |
| TMP Tompkins Financial Corporation | 95.86 | 129.17 | +26% | 72Good | $1.4B |
| WABC Westamerica Bancorporation | 58.70 | 68.31 | +14% | 70Good | $1.4B |
| CNOBP ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. | 25.28 | 58.37 | +57% | 39No options | $1.5B |
| CNOB ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. | 30.43 | 62.04 | +51% | 73Good | $1.5B |
| CTBI Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. | 74.43 | 107.06 | +30% | 80Prime | $1.4B |
| OCFC OceanFirst Financial Corp. | 15.96 | 19.34 | +17% | 74Good | $1.5B |
| BLX Bladex, Inc. | 54.43 | 170.94 | +68% | 74Good | $1.6B |
⚖ Compare LKFN with 7 of them All Financial Services stocks →
Screen the whole market the same way
A free GLS Equity account gets you nightly fair value and the Wheel Score on ~7,400 US stocks, a watchlist, the scanner preview and the Sunday Scan - the same eight-rule screen, emailed every week. Pro adds the full put and call scanners, unlimited watchlists with alerts and the trade journal.
Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about LKFN
Is LKFN undervalued right now?
Not meaningfully: at 57.91 the stock trades within a few percent of the GLS average fair value of 53.65 (7.9% above fair value, data as of 16 Oct 2026).
What is the Wheel Score of LKFN and what does it mean?
LKFN scores 67 out of 100 (Good). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for LKFN?
53.65 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 9 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Lakeland Financial Corporation report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 26 Oct 2026 (before the open), 10 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does LKFN have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 122 listed contracts with 95 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 34% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.