UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

____________________________________

FORM 8-K

____________________________________

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 2327, 2026

____________________________________

WAFD, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

____________________________________

Washington

001-34654

91-1661606

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

425 Pike Street

Seattle

Washington

98101

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (206) 624-7930

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

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

☐ Soliciting 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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share

WAFD

NASDAQ Stock Market

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of 4.875% Fixed Rate Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock

WAFDP

NASDAQ Stock Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐


Item 5.02			Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On February 27, 2026, the Board of Directors of WaFd, Inc. (the “Company”), upon recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee, appointed Ms. Erin Hill to the Board to fill the vacancy created by David K. Grant, whose term expired at the 2026 Annual Meeting, effective March 2, 2026. Ms. Hill will also serve as a director of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary WaFd Bank.

Ms. Hill will receive compensation and participate in plans and policies applicable to and on the same basis as the Company’s other non-employee directors, as described in the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed December 19, 2025, including an annual stock award, and annual retainer fees.

Ms. Hill will serve in the class of Directors with terms expiring in 2027 and has also been appointed as a member of the Audit Committee. There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Hill and any other persons pursuant to which she was selected as a director, and she has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Our board has affirmatively determined that Ms. Hill is independent of our Company and its management under Nasdaq Listing Rules.


Item 7.01			Regulation FD Disclosure

~~WaFd,~~On ~~Inc.~~March is hereby furnishing a slide presentation that executive management intends to use in meetings with institutional investors and industry analysts. The slide presentation is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and will be available on WaFd Bank's investor relations website at https://www.wafdbank.com/about-us/investor-relations. The presentation includes forward looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 19342, as2026 ~~amended,~~ the ~~Securities~~Company ~~Act~~issued ofa ~~1933,~~press asrelease ~~amended,~~announcing ~~and~~ the ~~rules~~appointment ~~under each~~ of ~~those statutes~~Ms. ~~All~~ ~~information~~Hill ~~in Exhibit 99.1 is presented~~ as director of ~~the particular date or dates referenced therein, and~~ WaFd, Inc. ~~does not undertake any obligation to,~~ and ~~disclaims~~WaFd ~~any~~Bank ~~duty~~which ~~to,~~is ~~update~~furnished ~~any~~as ofExhibit ~~the information provided~~99. A1 ~~complete~~to ~~discussion~~this ofcurrent ~~relevant~~report ~~risks is set forth in the registrant’s most recent Annual Report~~ on Form 108-K ~~for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024; our most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q; and our other filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission~~. ~~The sections of these reports entitled “Risk Factors” describes the facts, circumstances, conditions and risks that may cause us to deviate from the expectations set forth in this presentation.~~

The information ~~provided~~contained in this Item 7.01 and in Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished pursuant to ~~this~~ Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, ~~and~~nor shall ~~not~~it be deemed to be incorporated by reference ~~into~~in any filing orunder ~~other document filed by~~ the ~~Company~~Securities ~~pursuant~~Act toof ~~the~~1933 ~~Exchange Act~~ or the ~~Securities~~Exchange Act ~~except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing or document~~. ~~The information provided pursuant to this Item 7.01 shall instead be deemed “furnished.”~~


Item 9.01			Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) The following exhibits are being furnished herewith:

Exhibit 99.1 WaFd, Inc. ~~investor~~press ~~presentation~~release dated March 2, 2026

Exhibit 104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within with Inline XBRL)

Important Cautionary Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K, please see the risks and uncertainties identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2025, and our other reports filed with the SEC which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K, please see the risks and uncertainties identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2025, and our other reports filed with the SEC which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

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 thereunto duly authorized.

February 23, 2026

WAFD, INC.

March 2, 2026

WAFD, INC.

By:

/s/ KELLI J. HOLZ

Kelli J. Holz

Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Financial Officer

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