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Benefit Plans (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, and Funded Status of the Plan
The following table sets forth the change in the projected benefit obligation, the change in fair value of plan assets and the funded status and amounts recognized in Valley’s consolidated financial statements for the Pension and OPEB plans at December 31, 2025 and 2024, if applicable:
PensionOPEB
2025202420252024
 (in thousands)
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year$170,523 $179,918 $5,153 $5,451 
Interest cost8,780 8,542 244 245 
Actuarial gain (loss) 5,217 (6,017)685 178 
Benefits paid(13,345)(11,920)(1,011)(721)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year$171,175 $170,523 $5,071 $5,153 
Change in fair value of plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$351,723 $302,860 $— $— 
Actual return on plan assets46,816 30,595 — — 
Employer contributions1,602 30,188 1,011 721 
Benefits paid(13,345)(11,920)(1,011)(721)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year *$386,796 $351,723 $— $— 
Funded status of the plan
Assets (liabilities) recognized$215,621 $181,200 $(5,071)$(5,153)
Accumulated benefit obligation171,175 170,523 5,071 5,153 
*    Pension assets include accrued interest receivables of $1.2 million and $986 thousand as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Amounts recognized as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss at end of year that have not been recognized as a component of the net periodic pension expense for Valley’s Pension and OPEB plans are presented in the following table:
PensionOPEB
2025202420252024
 (in thousands)
Net actuarial loss (gain)$13,519 $31,227 $(8)$(749)
Prior service cost145 180 — — 
Deferred tax (benefit) expense(3,787)(8,630)206 
Total$9,877 $22,777 $(4)$(543)
Projected Benefit Obligation, Accumulated Benefit Obligation, and Fair Value of Plan Assets for Non-Qualified Plans
The non-qualified plans presented within Pension in the tables above had a projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation, and fair value of plan assets at December 31, 2025 and 2024 as follows:
20252024
 (in thousands)
Projected benefit obligation$11,760 $13,418 
Accumulated benefit obligation11,760 13,418 
Fair value of plan assets— — 
Components of Net Periodic Pension Income for Qualified and Non-Qualified Plans
The net periodic benefit (income) cost for the Pension and OPEB plans were reported within other non-interest expense included the following components for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:
PensionOPEB
202520242023202520242023
 (in thousands)
Interest cost$8,780 $8,542 $8,923 $244 $245 $279 
Expected return on plan assets(24,426)(22,327)(22,792)— — — 
Amortization of net loss (gain)535 234 58 (56)(60)(54)
Amortization of prior service cost135 135 135 — — — 
Net periodic benefit (income) cost$(14,976)$(13,416)$(13,676)$188 $185 $225 
Qualified and Non-Qualified Plan Assets and Benefit Obligations Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows:
PensionOPEB
2025202420252024
 (in thousands)
Net actuarial (gain) loss$(17,173)$(14,285)$685 $178 
Amortization of prior service cost(135)(135)— — 
Amortization of actuarial (loss) gain(535)(234)56 60 
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss$(17,843)$(14,654)$741 $238 
Total recognized in net periodic benefit (income) cost and other comprehensive (income) loss (before tax)$(32,819)$(28,070)$929 $423 
Schedule of Expected Future Benefit Payments
The benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, (as appropriate) expected to be paid in future years, are presented in the following table:
YearPensionOPEB
(in thousands)
2026$13,482 $310 
202713,369 337 
202813,373 318 
202913,432 321 
203013,325 323 
Thereafter64,034 1,620 
Assumptions Used to Determine Pension Expense
The weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit (income) cost for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:
PensionOPEB
202520242023202520242023
Discount rate - projected benefit obligation5.57 %5.00 %5.31 %5.17 %4.96 %5.29 %
Discount rate - interest cost5.78 %4.92 %5.23 %5.50 %4.96 %5.29 %
Expected long-term return on plan assets7.25 %7.25 %7.50 %N/AN/AN/A
Assumed healthcare cost trend rate *N/AN/AN/A7.75 %7.00 %5.50 %
*The assumed healthcare cost trend rate used to measure the expected cost of benefits covered by the OPEB plans for 2026 is 7.75 percent. The rate to which the healthcare cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate) along with the year that the ultimate trend rate will be reached is 4.50 percent in 2039.
Fair Value Measurements
The following tables present the weighted-average asset allocations by asset category for the defined benefit pension plans that are measured at fair value by level within the fair value hierarchy at December 31, 2025 and 2024. See Note 2 for further details regarding the fair value hierarchy.
   Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
 % of Total
Investments
December 31, 2025Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable  Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 ($ in thousands)
Assets:
Investments:
Mutual funds 30 %$119,638 $119,638 $— $— 
Corporate bonds26 99,621 — 99,621 — 
U.S. Treasury securities21 79,903 79,903 — — 
Equity securities19 72,009 72,009 — — 
U.S. government agency securities8,167 — 8,167 — 
Cash and money market funds6,300 6,300 — — 
Total investments100 %$385,638 $277,850 $107,788 $— 
   Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
 % of Total
Investments
December 31, 2024Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 ($ in thousands)
Assets:
Investments:
Mutual funds31 %$109,951 $109,951 $— $— 
Corporate bonds21 73,599 — 73,599 — 
U.S. Treasury securities14 50,573 50,573 — — 
Equity securities17 58,474 58,474 — — 
Commingled funds12 41,277 — 41,277 — 
U.S. government agency securities9,780 — 9,780 — 
Cash and money market funds7,083 7,083 — — 
Total investments100 %$350,737 $226,081 $124,656 $— 
Disclosure of Share-Based Compensation Arrangements by Share-Based Payment Award
The table below summarizes average grant date fair values of RSUs for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023:
Restricted Stock Units Average Grant Date Fair Values
 202520242023
Average grant date fair value per share:
Performance-based RSUs$10.91 $7.88 $12.80 
Time-based RSUs$9.88 $8.46 $11.25 
Changes in RSUs Outstanding
The following table sets forth the changes in RSUs outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:
Restricted Stock Units Outstanding
 202520242023
Outstanding at beginning of year6,822,555 5,694,330 5,196,609 
Granted4,135,125 4,573,601 2,944,837 
Vested(2,766,589)(2,616,787)(2,110,120)
Forfeited(444,305)(828,589)(336,996)
Outstanding at end of year7,746,786 6,822,555 5,694,330 
Changes in Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding
The following table sets forth the changes in restricted stock awards outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2023. There were no restricted stock awards outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding
 2023
Outstanding at beginning of year5,245 
Vested(5,245)
Outstanding at end of year— 
Stock Options Activity
The following table summarizes stock option activity as of December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 and changes during the years ended on those dates: 
 202520242023
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Stock optionsSharesPriceSharesPriceSharesPrice
Outstanding at beginning of year2,623,120 $2,914,829 $2,927,031 $
Exercised(2,102,481)(259,709)(12,202)
Forfeited or expired— — (32,000)10 — — 
Outstanding at end of year520,639 2,623,120 2,914,829 
Exercisable at year-end520,639 2,623,120 2,914,829 
Stock Options Outstanding and Exercisable
The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2025:
Options Outstanding and Exercisable
Range of Exercise PricesNumber of OptionsWeighted Average
Remaining Contractual
Life in Years
Weighted Average
Exercise Price
$4-6
27,102 0.2$
6-8
75,617 0.7
8-10
392,320 1.1
10-12
25,600 2.710 
520,639 1.1