Acquisitions

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Stewardship Financial Corporation

On November 1, 2019, the Company completed its acquisition of Stewardship Financial Corporation ("Stewardship"), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 6, 2019 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among Columbia Financial, Broadway Acquisition Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Financial) and Stewardship. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each outstanding share of Stewardship common stock was converted into the right to received $15.75 in cash at the effective time of the merger. At the time of closing, Stewardship had $956.0 million in total assets, including $756.9 million in net loans receivable and $52.6 million in securities, and $877.8 million in total liabilities, including $781.4 million in deposits and $81.8 million in borrowings. The deposits initially acquired from Stewardship were held across a network of 12 branches located in New Jersey throughout Bergen, Morris, and Passaic Counties. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, four of these branches were closed, and the Bank recorded a loss of $770,000 related to these branch closures.

Merger-related expenses are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income and are expensed as incurred. Direct acquisition and other charges incurred in connection with the Stewardship acquisition totaled $248,000 and $1.3 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively. Merger expenses recorded during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 totaled $740,000 and $1.2 million, respectively.

The assets acquired and liabilities assumed have been accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. The fair value estimates are subject to change for up to one year after the closing date of the transaction if additional information (existing at the date of closing) relative to closing date fair values becomes available. There were no adjustments recorded to the amounts as of November 1, 2019.

2. Acquisitions (continued)

Roselle Bank

On April 1, 2020, the Company completed its acquisition of RSB Bancorp, MHC, RSB Bancorp, Inc. and Roselle Bank (collectively, the "Roselle Entities" or "Roselle"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, RSB Bancorp, MHC merged with and into the MHC, with the MHC as the surviving entity; RSB Bancorp, Inc. merged with and into Columbia Financial, with the Columbia Financial as the surviving entity; and Roselle Bank merged with and into the Bank, with the Bank as the surviving institution. Under the terms of the merger agreement, depositors of Roselle Bank became depositors of the Bank and have the same rights and privileges in the MHC as if their accounts had been established at the Bank on the date established at Roselle Bank. The Company issued 4,759,048 shares of its common stock to the MHC, representing an amount equal to the fair value of the Roselle Entities as determined by an independent appraiser, at the effective time of the merger.

Merger-related expenses are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income and are expensed as incurred. Direct acquisition and other charges incurred in connection with the acquisition of the Roselle Entities totaled $175,000 and $618,000 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively. There were no merger expenses recorded during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

The following table sets forth assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition of the Roselle Entities, at their estimated fair values as of the closing date of the transaction:


	April 1, 2020
	(In thousands)
Assets acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	155,248
Debt securities available for sale	51,479
Debt securities held to maturity	13,418
Equity securities	1,796
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	2,010
Loans receivable	171,593
Accrued interest receivable	679
Office properties and equipment, net	5,774
Bank-owned life insurance	17,245
Deferred tax asset, net	1,334

Other assets	1,489
Total assets acquired	$	422,065

Liabilities assumed:
Deposits	$	333,234
Borrowings	37,728
Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance	982
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	5,400
Total liabilities assumed	$	377,344

Net assets acquired	44,721
Fair market value of stock issued to Columbia Bank MHC for purchase	68,530
Goodwill recorded at merger	$	23,809

2. Acquisitions (continued)

The assets acquired and liabilities assumed have been accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. The assets and liabilities were recorded at their fair values as of April 1, 2020, and resulted in the recognition of goodwill of $23.8 million. The determination of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed required management to make estimates about discount rates, future expected cash flows, market condition, and other future events that are highly subjective in nature and subject to change. The fair value estimates are subject to change for up to one year after the closing date of the transaction if additional information (existing at the date of closing) relative to closing date fair values becomes available. As the Company continues to analyze the acquired assets and assumed liabilities, there may be adjustments to the recorded carrying values. However, management does not expect significant future adjustments to the recorded amounts as of April 1, 2020.

Fair Value Measurement of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed

Described below are the methods used to determine the fair values of the significant assets acquired and liabilities assumed:

Cash and cash equivalents. The estimated fair values of cash and cash equivalents approximate their stated face amounts, as these financial instruments are either due on demand or have short-term maturities.

Debt securities available for sale. The estimated fair values of the debt securities were calculated utilizing Level 2 inputs. The majority of the acquired securities were fixed income instruments that are not quoted on an exchange, but are traded in active markets. The prices for these instruments are obtained through an independent pricing service when available, or dealer market participants with whom the Company has historically transacted with for both purchases and sales of securities. The prices are derived from market quotations and matrix pricing. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include dealer quotes, market spreads, cash flows, the U.S. Treasury yield curve, and the bond's terms and conditions, among other things. Management reviewed the data and assumptions used in pricing securities by its third party provider to ensure the highest level of significant inputs are derived from market observable data.

Loans receivable. The acquired loan portfolio was segregated into pools for valuation purposes primarily based on loan type, non-accrual status, and credit risk rating. The estimated fair values were computed by discounting the expected cash flows from the respective pools. Cash flows were estimated by using valuation models that incorporated estimates of current key assumptions such as prepayment speeds, default rates, and loss severity rates. The process included: (1) projecting monthly principal and/or interest cash flows based on the contractual terms of the loans, including both maturity and contractual amortization; (2) adjusting projected cash flows for expected losses and prepayments, where appropriate; (3) developing a discount rate based on the relative risk of the cash flows, considering the loan type, liquidity risk, the maturity of the loans, servicing costs, and a required return on capital; and (4) discounting the projected cash flows to a present value, to arrive at the calculated value of the loans.

The methods used to estimate the fair values of loans are extremely sensitive to the assumptions and estimates used. While management attempted to use assumptions and estimates that best reflected the acquired loan portfolios and current market conditions, a greater degree of subjectivity is inherent in the values than in those determined in active markets.

Office properties and equipment, net. The fair value of land and buildings was estimated using current appraisals. Acquired equipment was not material. Buildings are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Equipment is amortized or depreciated over their estimated useful lives usually ranging for three to ten years.

Goodwill. Goodwill is not amortized for book purposes: however, it is reviewed at least annually for impairment and is not deductible for tax purposes.

Deposits. The fair values of deposit liabilities with no stated maturity (i.e., non-interest bearing and interest-bearing demand deposit accounts, money market and savings and club accounts) are equal to the carrying amounts payable on demand. The fair value of certificates of deposit represent contractual cash flows, discounted to present value using interest rates currently offered on deposits with similar characteristics and remaining maturities.

Borrowings. The fair values of borrowings consisting of FHLB advances were estimated by discounting future cash flows using market discount rates for borrowings with similar characteristics, terms and remaining maturities.