Columbia Banking System Declares $0.37 Quarterly Dividend
Columbia Banking System, Inc., a Pacific Northwest regional bank, declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.37 per common share on February 13, 2026. The dividend was paid March 16, 2026.
Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ: COLB), a Pacific Northwest regional bank, declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.37 per common share on February 13, 2026. The dividend was paid March 16, 2026. Read more dividend announcements.
The $0.37 per share payment matches the bank's prior quarter dividend, maintaining the consistency the company has shown in recent quarters. In the first quarter of 2025, the bank paid $0.36 per share.
| Dividend Details | Date |
|---|---|
| Amount | $0.37 per share |
| Declaration Date | February 13, 2026 |
| Record Date | Not disclosed |
| Ex-Dividend Date | Not disclosed |
| Payment Date | March 16, 2026 |
First Quarter Financial Performance
Columbia Banking reported diluted earnings of $0.66 per common share for the first quarter of 2026, down from $0.72 in the prior quarter but up from $0.41 a year earlier. Return on average assets was 1.18%, compared to 1.27% in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Net interest income totaled $594 million, down $33 million from the prior quarter. The decline reflected lower average interest-earning asset balances, partially offset by a more profitable balance sheet mix. The prior quarter had included $17 million of net interest income related to premium amortization on acquired time deposits and an accelerated loan repayment that did not repeat.
Net interest margin compressed 10 basis points to 3.96% from 4.06% in the fourth quarter. Excluding the 11-basis point benefit in the prior quarter from premium amortization and the accelerated loan repayment, the margin was relatively stable.
Credit Quality and Expenses
Provision for credit losses totaled $28 million, up from $23 million in the prior quarter. Net charge-offs were 0.30% of average loans and leases on an annualized basis, compared to 0.25% in the fourth quarter. The non-performing assets to total assets ratio rose to 0.40% from 0.30% as of December 31, 2025.
Non-interest expense decreased $18 million to $394 million, driven by lower merger expense and the realization of acquisition-related cost savings. Non-interest income fell $7 million to $83 million due to lower swap, syndication, and international banking revenue following strong performance in the prior quarter.
Capital Management
Columbia Banking repurchased $200 million of common stock under its current repurchase plan during the quarter. The bank's estimated total risk-based capital ratio stood at 13.3%, with an estimated common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 11.5%.
The bank reported that its first small business and retail campaign of 2026, running through April 30, 2026, brought nearly $450 million in new deposits through mid-April and generated new SBA lending relationships.