UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 5, 2019

COLUMBIA FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware	001-38456	22-3504946
(State or other jurisdiction of	(Commission	(IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)	File Number)	Identification No.)

19-01 Route 208 North, Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(800) 522-4167

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share	CLBK	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company x

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On December 5, 2019, Columbia Financial, Inc. (the “Company”), the holding company for Columbia Bank, issued a press release announcing that it has expanded its stock repurchase program to acquire an additional 3,000,000 shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock in addition to the shares remaining under the repurchase program announced on June 11, 2019. Through September 30, 2019, the Company has repurchased approximately 2,742,000 shares for approximately $42.1 million under its previously announced stock repurchase program.

Repurchases under the stock repurchase program may be made in open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions, and pursuant to a trading plan that the Company intends to adopt in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, market conditions, and other corporate liquidity requirements and priorities. The repurchase program does not obligate the Company to purchase any particular number of shares.

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Other Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Number Description

99.1 Press Release dated December 5, 2019

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

		COLUMBIA FINANCIAL, INC.
Date: December 11, 2019	By:	/s/ Dennis E. Gibney
		Dennis E. Gibney Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer