Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (Form 4)

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Gibney Dennis E. 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Columbia Financial, Inc. [CLBK] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) 1st Sr. EVP, CBO (Last) (First) (Middle) 19-01 ROUTE 208 NORTH 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/02/2026 (Street) FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/02/2026 A 31,213 A $ 0 31,213 I By Stock Award V(1) Common Stock 1,953.3245 I By Stock-Based Deferral Plan Common Stock 156,801(2) D Common Stock 7,620(3) I By ESOP Common Stock 10,614(3) I By SERP Common Stock 10,000 I By SEP-IRA Common Stock 3,000 I By IRA Common Stock 10,000 I By Spouse Common Stock 15,349 I By Stock Award II(4) Common Stock 13,441 I By Stock Award III(5) Common Stock 13,136 I By Stock Award IV(6)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Options (right to buy)

$18.28

03/02/2026

A

53,033

03/02/2027(7)

03/02/2036

Common Stock

53,033

$ 0

53,033

D

Stock Options (right to buy)

$15.6

07/23/2020(8)

07/23/2029

Common Stock

240,000

240,000

D

Stock Options (right to buy)

$15.94

05/01/2024(9)

05/01/2033

Common Stock

13,398

13,398

D

Stock Options (right to buy)

$16.49

03/06/2025(10)

03/06/2034

Common Stock

9,856

9,856

D

Stock Options (right to buy)

$16.23

03/03/2026(11)

03/03/2035

Common Stock

22,757

22,757

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Gibney Dennis E. 19-01 ROUTE 208 NORTH FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410			1st Sr. EVP, CBO

Signatures

/s/ Dennis E. Gibney		03/04/2026
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive plan, which vest upon achievement of certain specified performance-based vesting criteria, which if achieved, such Awards would vest three years after the date of the Award on March 2, 2029.
(2)	The number of shares held directly includes certain shares that were previously held by Stock Award and that have subsequently vested.
(3)	This form reflects increases in beneficial ownership resulting from exempt acquisitions pursuant to rule 16b-3(c).
(4)	Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive plan, 25% of which vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on May 1, 2024; and the remaining 75% of which vest upon achievement of certain specified performance-based vesting criteria, which if achieved, such Awards would vest three years after the date of the Award.
(5)	Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive plan, 25% of which vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on March 6, 2025; and the remaining 75% of which vest upon achievement of certain specified performance-based vesting criteria, which if achieved, such Awards would vest three years after the date of the Award.
(6)	Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive plan, which vest upon achievement of certain specified performance-based vesting criteria, which if achieved, such Awards would vest three years after the date of the Award on March 3, 2028.
(7)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on March 2, 2027.
(8)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan are fully vested and exercisable.
(9)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on May 1, 2024.
(10)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on March 6, 2025.
(11)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan vest in three approximately equal annual installments commencing on March 3, 2026.

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