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 9, 2026

Columbia Financial, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


Delaware	001-38456	22-3504946
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification Number)

19-01 Route 208 North, Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410

(Address of principal executive offices)

(800) 522-4167

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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:

☐ 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(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share	CLBK	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 9, 2026, Paul Van Ostenbridge notified the Board of Directors of Columbia Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) of his intention to retire from the Boards of Directors of the Company and its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Columbia Bank (the “Bank”), effective upon the expiration of his current term at the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. Mr. Van Ostenbridge’s decision to retire from the Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank is not the result of any disagreement with the Company or the Bank with respect to the Company’s or the Bank’s operations, policies or procedures.


Exhibit Number						Description
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunder duly authorized.

Date:

February 17, 2026

/s/Dennis E. Gibney

Dennis E. Gibney

First Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer

Columbia Financial, Inc. 8-K