Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) today reported net income available to common stockholders of $23.3 million, or $0.76 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to $18.0 million, or $0.68 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2017. Return on average common equity was 9.32% and return on average assets was 0.97% for the first quarter of 2018, compared to 9.71% and 0.89%, respectively, for the same quarter in 2017.