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Columbia FinancialCLBK +0.04%56 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.81% as of Mar. 2026, which is 3% below its 10-year median of 7.00. GuruFocus rates CLBK with a GF Score™ of 56/100 and a GF Value™ of $23.26 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,420 Banks companies, Columbia Financial ranks worse than 77.68% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Columbia Financial's forward rate of return for was 6.81%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
CLBK'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.9 Med: 7 Max: 17.49
Current: 8.59
During the past 10 years, Columbia Financial's highest Forward Rate of Return was 17.49. The lowest was 5.90. And the median was 7.00.
CLBK's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than 77.68% of 1420
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: 15.36
vs CLBK: 8.59
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Columbia Financial (NAS:CLBK) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of Book Value per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Columbia Financial Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Columbia Financial Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Columbia Financial Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
CLBK vs FMBL, PFBC, HFWA: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Banks - Regional subindustry, Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Columbia Financial Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Columbia Financial Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.81% mean?
Columbia Financial (CLBK) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.81% as of Mar. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Columbia Financial and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 7.00. Over the past decade, Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 5.90 to 17.49. According to the industry distribution chart, Columbia Financial ranks #1103 out of 1420 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 77.7%.
Is Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Columbia Financial's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.81% is near median its 10-year median of 7.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.90 to a high of 17.49. The Banks industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 15.36. Columbia Financial's value of 6.81% is 55.7% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Columbia Financial ranks #1103 out of 1420 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Columbia Financial has a GF Score™ of 56/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Columbia Financial's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to FMBL and PFBC?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, Columbia Financial ranks #1103 out of 1420 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Columbia Financial in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 15.36. Columbia Financial's value of 6.81% is 55.7% below this benchmark. Historically, Columbia Financial's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 5.90 to 17.49 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 7.00 vs. the industry median of 15.36, Columbia Financial has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Banks company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Banks companies is 15.36, based on 1,420 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Columbia Financial's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 6.81% is 55.7% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Columbia Financial and its competitors. For the Banks industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 15.36 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Columbia Financial's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.81%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 7.00. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Columbia Financial stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Columbia Financial (CLBK) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $23.26, compared to a current price of $11.71 — trading 49.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.81%, which is near median its 10-year median of 7.00 and 55.7% below the Banks industry median of 15.36. Columbia Financial's overall GF Score™ is 56/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Columbia Financial (CLBK), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.81% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Columbia Financial (CLBK) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Columbia Financial stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $11.71 is trading 49.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $23.26.
GuruFocus considers Columbia Financial to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for CLBK:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 6.81% (near median its 10-year median of 7.00)
GF Value™: $23.26 vs. price of $11.71 (49.7% below fair value)
Industry Position: 55.7% below the Banks median (#1103 of 1420)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CLBK stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Columbia Financial Inc is a federally chartered savings bank that serves the financial needs of depositors and the local community as a customer service-focused institution. The company offers traditional financial services to businesses and consumers in its market areas. It attracts deposits from the general public and uses those funds to originate various loans, including multifamily and commercial real estate loans, commercial business loans, one-to-four family real estate loans, construction loans, home equity loans and advances, and other consumer loans. The company also offers title insurance through its wholly owned subsidiary and provides a broad range of insurance products, including personal and business lines of insurance, mainly to customers and New Jersey residents.
56GF Score
Get the complete analysis for CLBK
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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