Columbia Financial SEVP John Klimowich buys $350,000 in stock By Investing.com

John Klimowich, SEVP & Chief Risk Officer at Columbia Financial, Inc. (), recently increased his stake in the company through a series of stock purchases. On July 20, 2026, Klimowich acquired a total of 35,000 shares of common stock at a price of $10.0 per share, amounting to a total value of $350,000.

The transactions included a direct acquisition of 5,000 shares. Additionally, 30,000 shares were acquired indirectly through a 401(k) plan. The insider purchase comes as CLBK stock trades at $10.94, representing a 63% gain over the past year, according to InvestingPro data.

Following these transactions, Klimowich’s beneficial ownership includes a direct holding of 145,056 common shares. His indirect holdings through various plans include 67,686 shares via his 401(k), 20,339 shares in a Stock-Based Deferral Plan, 16,779 shares in a SERP, 19,115 shares in an ESOP, and 9,270 shares in a SIM. While the stock has delivered strong returns, InvestingPro analysis indicates CLBK appears overvalued at current levels, trading at a P/E ratio of 20. The platform offers 11 additional ProTips for investors seeking deeper insights into the company’s valuation and performance metrics.

Klimowich also holds stock awards granted under the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive plan. These include 24,136 shares from Stock Award III (1), 25,790 shares from Stock Award IV (2), and 26,193 shares from Stock Award V (3). The vesting schedules for these awards vary, with some vesting in installments and others upon achievement of specified performance-based criteria.

Furthermore, Klimowich holds several tranches of stock options, representing the right to buy additional common stock. These include 414,117 options with an exercise price of $7.1 and 26,466 options at $7.25, both of which are fully vested and exercisable (4). Other options, with exercise prices ranging from $7.38 to $8.31, are scheduled to vest in approximately equal annual installments commencing between March 2025 and March 2027 (5, 6, 7).

In other recent news, Columbia Financial, Inc. announced the completion of its conversion from a mutual holding company structure and its merger with Northfield Bancorp, Inc. This development means Columbia Bank is now fully owned by the company, which is entirely held by public stockholders, with Northfield Bank merged into Columbia Bank. The Federal Reserve Board had approved these applications, allowing Columbia Financial to convert to stock form and acquire Northfield Bancorp, thereby becoming a savings and loan holding company. Additionally, Columbia Financial entered into an agreement with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. (KBW) to manage the sale of its common stock through subscription and community offerings. KBW will serve as the lead-left book running manager for any firm commitment underwritten offering. In leadership news, Columbia Financial’s Board of Directors designated Thomas Splaine, Jr. as the principal financial officer and principal accounting officer for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reporting matters. Splaine was previously appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer earlier this year. These recent developments highlight Columbia Financial’s strategic moves in the financial sector.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.