Thomas J. Kemly, President and CEO of Columbia Financial, Inc./MD/ (NASDAQ:CLBK), filed a Form 4 on August 11, 2026, disclosing a non-discretionary acquisition of phantom stock units on August 7, 2026, through the company's Stock Based Deferral Plan.

Key Highlights

  • Transaction: 171.3736 shares of common stock were acquired at $10.84 per share on August 7, 2026, indirectly through the Columbia Bank Stock Based Deferral Plan.
  • Nature of acquisition: According to the filing, the shares represent phantom stock purchased on a non-discretionary basis by the trustee of the Bank's rabbi trust; units will be settled in shares upon distribution.
  • Indirect holdings following transaction: Kemly's beneficial ownership in the Stock Based Deferral Plan totaled 153,658.8392 shares after the transaction.
  • Direct holdings: The filing reports 588,391 shares of common stock held directly by the reporting person.
  • Stock options: Kemly holds options to purchase a combined 2,019,067 shares across five grants, with exercise prices ranging from $7.10 to $8.31, all held directly.
  • Additional indirect holdings: Shares are also reported indirectly through a 401(k), SERP, SIM, ESOP, spouse, and three Stock Award plans.

Kemly's Beneficial Ownership Across Multiple Plans at Columbia Financial

According to the Form 4 filed with the SEC on August 11, 2026, Thomas J. Kemly, who serves as both a Director and President and CEO of Columbia Financial, Inc./MD/ (NASDAQ:CLBK), reported a single acquisition transaction dated August 7, 2026. The filing indicates that 171.3736 shares were acquired at a price of $10.84 under transaction code "A" through the Columbia Bank Stock Based Deferral Plan, a non-qualified stock-based deferral plan. The filing notes that these interests "will be settled in shares of stock upon distribution to the reporting person."

Beyond the reported transaction, the filing discloses a broad set of beneficial ownership positions across multiple vehicles. Kemly holds 588,391 shares directly, and additional indirect holdings include 103,138 shares through a 401(k), 77,679 shares through a SERP, 91,458 shares through a SIM, 19,117 shares through an ESOP (reflecting an increase of 2 shares from the prior report due to rounding), and 13,052 shares through a spouse. The filing also notes 101,371 shares held indirectly under Stock Award III, 120,318 under Stock Award IV, and 118,452 under Stock Award V, each granted under the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan with specified vesting schedules tied to performance criteria or time-based installments.

In Table II, the filing reports five stock option grants, all carrying the right to buy common stock. These carry exercise prices of $7.10, $7.25, $7.50, $7.38, and $8.31, covering 1,444,236, 83,366, 81,769, 208,447, and 201,249 shares respectively, for a total of 2,019,067 option shares, all held directly. The filing states that the options at $7.10 and $7.25 are fully vested and exercisable, while the remaining three vest in annual installments commencing on their respective grant anniversary dates.

What Was Disclosed

The filing discloses a single non-discretionary phantom stock acquisition of 171.3736 shares at $10.84 on August 7, 2026, along with a comprehensive snapshot of Kemly's direct and indirect beneficial ownership of Columbia Financial common stock and stock options across multiple plans.