---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-26-008967"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "CLBK"
cik: "0001723596"
company_name: "Columbia Financial, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-02-02T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-16T05:40:30.714868+00:00"
event_type: "m_and_a"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.9
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Columbia Financial enters merger agreement with Northfield Bancorp, plans conversion to public stock holding company

## Summary
- Columbia Financial and Northfield Bancorp executed Merger Agreement on Jan 31, 2026, unanimously approved by both boards.
- Northfield shareholders may elect stock or cash consideration; exchange ratio varies based on final appraisal thresholds of $2.3B and $2.6B.
- Post-merger, Steven M. Klein of Northfield appointed Senior EVP and COO of holding company and Columbia Bank.
- Termination fee of $23.7 million payable by either party under certain circumstances.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-26-008967
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: CLBK
- cik: 0001723596
- company_name: Columbia Financial, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-02-02T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: m_and_a
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.9
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000110465926008967/0001104659-26-008967-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000110465926008967/tm264645d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-008967
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-008967.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-008967.txt

## Key facts
- Material Agreements
  Columbia Financial, Inc. entered into Agreement and Plan of Merger with Northfield Bancorp, Inc. (effective 2026-01-31).
  - Action: entry
  - Agreement: merger
  - Counterparty: Northfield Bancorp, Inc.
  - Effective: 2026-01-31
  source text: On January 31, 2026, Columbia Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “ Merger Agreement ”) with Columbia Financial, Inc., a newly-formed Maryland corporation (the “ Holding Company ”), Columbia Bank MHC, the parent mutual holding company of the Company (the “ MHC ”), and Northfield Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Northfield ”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000110465926008967/0001104659-26-008967-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.