Form 4: Columbia Financial Officer Boosts Equity Stake

Columbia Financial's SEVP & Chief Risk Officer, John Klimowich, acquired additional common stock and detailed his equity holdings.

Summary

• John Klimowich, SEVP & Chief Risk Officer of Columbia Financial, Inc. (CLBK), acquired 46.5011 shares of common stock on October 17, 2025.
• The acquisition was made at a price of $13.73 per share as phantom stock through the Columbia Bank Stock Based Deferral Plan, a non-qualified stock-based deferral plan.
• Klimowich's beneficial ownership includes shares held indirectly through various plans: 7,938.0771 shares via Stock-Based Deferral Plan, 17,130 shares via 401(k), 7,620 shares via ESOP, 7,051 shares via SERP, 4,214 shares via SIM, 13,781 shares via Stock Award II, 12,068 shares via Stock Award III, and 11,723 shares via Stock Award IV.
• He also holds stock options for 188,235 shares (fully vested, exercise price $15.60), 12,030 shares (vesting from May 1, 2024, exercise price $15.94), 8,850 shares (vesting from March 6, 2025, exercise price $16.49), and 20,310 shares (vesting from March 3, 2026, exercise price $16.23).

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: The acquisition of common stock by a senior executive, even if non-discretionary, increases insider ownership and generally indicates a positive alignment of interests with shareholders, contributing to a moderately positive sentiment.

Positives

• SEVP & Chief Risk Officer John Klimowich increased his beneficial ownership of common stock by acquiring 46.5011 shares at $13.73 per share through a stock-based deferral plan, aligning his interests further with shareholders.

Future Outlook

NA

Industry Context

NA

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders may view the increase in beneficial ownership by a senior executive as a positive signal regarding the company's future performance and management's confidence, potentially fostering investor trust.

Next Steps

• Continued vesting of Stock Award II, III, and IV based on performance criteria and time, as per the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan.
• Continued vesting of stock options granted on May 1, 2024, March 6, 2025, and March 3, 2026, in approximately equal annual installments.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The acquisition of common stock by a senior executive, John Klimowich, as part of a non-discretionary stock-based deferral plan, increases his beneficial ownership and aligns his interests with shareholders. While not a direct open-market purchase, this increase in insider holdings is generally viewed as a neutral to slightly positive indicator. It reinforces a 'hold' position for existing investors, but does not provide a strong enough signal for a 'buy' recommendation without further fundamental analysis.

Keywords

Columbia Financial, CLBK, Insider Trading, Form 4, Stock Options, Equity Incentive Plan, John Klimowich, Beneficial Ownership