Columbia Financial (NASDAQ:CLBK) Issues Earnings Results

Columbia Financial (NASDAQ:CLBK) released its earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.15 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.15, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $68.78 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $59.20 million. Columbia Financial had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 4.36%.

Here are the key takeaways from Columbia Financial’s conference call:

• Columbia announced a merger to acquire Northfield in a transaction valued at $597 million, creating a pro forma ~$18 billion regional bank and pursuing a simultaneous second-step conversion to a fully public holding company, with closing expected early Q3 2026.
• Management projects significant financial benefits including roughly 50% EPS accretion in 2027, a 4.4% tangible book value dilution and an earnback of about 1.8 years, with pro forma metrics of ~1.06% ROA and a ~48% efficiency ratio.
• The deal consideration is based on an independent appraisal (reported at ~0.86x Northfield TBV) with a per‑share range of $14.25–$14.65, payable in stock or up to 30% cash, and represents a >15% premium to Northfield’s recent close.
• Extensive due diligence and independent reviews produced a credit mark of $81 million (≈2.1% of loans); Northfield’s $419M NYC rent‑regulated multifamily exposure shows conservative underwriting (avg LTV <50%, DCR ~1.6x) and minimal historical charge‑offs.
• Leadership continuity (Tom Kemly to remain CEO, Steve Klein joining as COO) and a combined board of 13 support integration plans focused on C&I growth, technology investment, branch density in Brooklyn/Staten Island, and de‑emphasizing additional M&A for ~18 months to prioritize integration and organic growth.

Columbia Financial Trading Up 8.9%

Shares of CLBK stock opened at $17.71 on Tuesday. Columbia Financial has a 1 year low of $12.64 and a 1 year high of $18.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.85 billion, a PE ratio of 118.07 and a beta of 0.23. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $16.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $15.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.01.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Columbia Financial

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Rafferty Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Columbia Financial by 60.8% in the 2nd quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC now owns 22,330 shares of the company’s stock worth $324,000 after acquiring an additional 8,444 shares during the period. Engineers Gate Manager LP bought a new stake in Columbia Financial during the second quarter worth approximately $496,000. Quantinno Capital Management LP lifted its position in Columbia Financial by 130.1% in the second quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 23,297 shares of the company’s stock worth $338,000 after purchasing an additional 13,171 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in Columbia Financial by 8.1% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 17,949 shares of the company’s stock worth $260,000 after purchasing an additional 1,342 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi bought a new position in Columbia Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at $366,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 12.72% of the company’s stock.

Columbia Financial News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Columbia Financial this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results showed a clear improvement: EPS matched consensus at $0.15, revenue of $68.8M beat estimates, and the company moved from a prior‑year loss to quarterly net income — a key operational inflection that supports earnings outlooks. Columbia Financial, Inc. Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Year Ended December 31, 2025
• Positive Sentiment: Columbia agreed to acquire Northfield Bancorp in a deal valued at roughly $597M — a transformational M&A move that expands footprint and assets, and management is pursuing a second‑step conversion from mutual to stock to facilitate the transaction. Columbia Financial to buy Northfield for transaction value of ~$597M
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment and trading reaction were strong (reports show a double‑digit intraday jump), as market participants priced in deal synergies and the quarter’s revenue beat. Why Columbia Financial Stock Rocked the Market Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst note: EPS matched Zacks consensus ($0.15) — the beat was primarily on revenue and core net income improvements rather than EPS upside, so expectations may be tempered until synergies from the acquisition are clearer. Columbia Financial (CLBK) Matches Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage/valuation pieces and commentary flagged recent executive/leadership context and valuation implications — useful for longer‑term investors but not immediate catalysts. Columbia Financial (CLBK) Valuation Check After Recent Executive Leadership Changes
• Negative Sentiment: Two shareholder law firms have announced investigations into whether the Northfield merger is fair to Columbia shareholders — potential litigation or deal‑terms disputes could delay the transaction or create settlement risk. SHAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Announces An Investigation of Columbia Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLBK)
• Negative Sentiment: Halper Sadeh LLC also opened an investigation into whether the merger is fair to shareholders, adding to legal pressure and raising execution risk around the deal. CLBK Stock Alert: Halper Sadeh LLC is Investigating Whether the Merger of Columbia Financial, Inc. is Fair to Shareholders

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on CLBK. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Columbia Financial from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Columbia Financial in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Columbia Financial presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $17.00.

About Columbia Financial

Columbia Financial, Inc is the bank holding company for Columbia Bank, a commercial bank headquartered in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Through its principal subsidiary, Columbia Bank, the company offers a comprehensive suite of retail and commercial banking products and services. These offerings include deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage lending, commercial real estate financing, and business banking solutions tailored to small- and medium-sized enterprises.

On the consumer side, Columbia Bank provides checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, home equity lines of credit, and residential mortgage loans.