Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) has been named a “Forbes Best Bank 2018.” In its annual review of the largest publicly traded banks and thrifts, Forbes ranked Heartland Financial USA, Inc. 60th among a nationwide group of 100 leading banking organizations with assets ranging from $9 billion to over $2 trillion. Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is the only banking organization headquartered in Iowa to receive the prestigious recognition from Forbes, this year.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) today reported net income available to common stockholders of $13.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared to $19.1 million, or $0.74 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2016. Return on average common equity was 5.50% and return on average assets was 0.55% for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to 10.48% and 0.92%, respectively, for the same quarter in 2016.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) announced that its board of directors approved an eighteen percent increase in its regular quarterly cash dividend to $0.13 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable March 2, 2018, to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 16, 2018.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) announced that its board of directors declared a special cash dividend of $0.07 per share on the company's common stock at its meeting Tuesday. The special dividend is payable on December 29, 2017, to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 22, 2017. Together with the four regular cash dividends paid in 2016, the special dividend brings the total dividends paid this year to $0.51 per common share.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) announced today that it has named Deborah Deters as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. She will join the company’s Executive Leadership Team and report to President, Bruce Lee.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF) today reported net income available to common stockholders of $21.6 million, or $0.72 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, compared to $20.2 million, or $0.81 per diluted common share, for the third quarter of 2016.

Return on average common equity was 8.99% and return on average assets was 0.89% for the third quarter of 2017, compared to 11.64% and 0.98%, respectively, for the same quarter in 2016.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF), announced that its board of directors approved a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable December 1, 2017, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 17, 2017. At September 30, 2017, there were 29,946,069 common shares outstanding listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol HTLF.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF) recently announced that for a second year in a row, it has been ranked among the top U.S. Visa® commercial credit card issuers in terms of purchase volume according to the June 2017 issue of The Nilson Report. The Nilson Report is a leading publication covering payment systems worldwide.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF), a 2017 recipient of Forbes Best Banks in America, announced today that Laura J. Hughes has joined the company as Executive Vice President - Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, Hughes will drive corporate marketing strategy.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF) today reported net income available to common stockholders of $21.9 million, or $0.81 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, compared to $20.9 million, or $0.84 per diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2016. Return on average common equity was 11.13% and return on average assets was 1.06% for the second quarter of 2017, compared to 12.58% and 1.03%, respectively, for the same quarter in 2016.