EXHIBIT 10.4

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  FORM OF

  NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

  

  

  Granted by

  

  

  KEARNY FINANCIAL CORP.

  

  

  under the

  

  

  KEARNY FINANCIAL CORP.

  2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

  

  

  This stock option agreement (“Option”
    or “Agreement”) is and will be subject in every respect to the provisions of the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) of Kearny Financial Corp. (the “Company”), which are incorporated
    herein by reference and made a part hereof, subject to the provisions of this Agreement.  A copy of the Plan and related prospectus have been provided to each person granted a stock option pursuant to the Plan.  The holder of this Option (the “Participant”) hereby accepts this Option, subject to all the terms and provisions of the Plan and this Agreement, and agrees that all decisions under and
    interpretations of the Plan and this Agreement by the committee appointed to administer the Plan (the “Committee”) or the Board of Directors will be
    final, binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.  Except where the context otherwise requires, the term “Company” includes the parent and all present and future
    subsidiaries of the Company as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”). 
    Capitalized terms used herein but not defined will have the same meaning as in the Plan.

  

    	1.	
            Name of Participant:__________________

          


  

  

  

  
    	2.	
            Date of Grant:  __________, 20      .

          


  

   

  
    

    

    

  
    	
            3.

          	
            Total number of shares of Company
                common stock, $0.01 par value per share, that may be acquired pursuant to this Option:________

              (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9 hereof).

             

            

          


  

  
    	
            •

          	
            This is a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

          


  

  

    	4.	
            
              Exercise price per share: $
                  _______

              (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9 below)

            

          


  

  

  	5.	
          Expiration Date of Option:  _________, 20      .  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no part of this Option may be exercised at any time on or after the expiration date.

           

          

        


  	6.	
          Vesting Schedule.  Unless sooner vested in accordance with the
            terms of the Plan and this Agreement, the Option granted hereunder will vest (i.e., become exercisable) in accordance with the following schedule:

           

          

        


  Vesting Date Number of Shares Exercisable

  

  

  

  

  As set forth in Section 10 of this Agreement, vesting will automatically accelerate pursuant to Sections 2.5, 2.7 and 4.1 of the Plan
    in the event of death or Disability or an Involuntary Termination at or following a Change in Control.

  
    
      


  

  
  	7.	
          Exercise Procedure and Delivery of Notice of Exercise of Option. 
            This Option may be exercised in whole or in part by the Participant’s delivery to the Company of written notice (the “Notice of Exercise of Option”
            attached hereto as Exhibit A or as otherwise acceptable to the Company) setting forth the number of shares with respect to which this Option is to be exercised, together with payment by cash or other means acceptable to the Committee, in
            accordance with Section 2.2(b) of the Plan.

           

          

        


  	8.	
          Delivery of Shares.  Delivery of shares of Stock upon the exercise
            of this Option will comply with all applicable laws (including the requirements of the Securities Act) and the applicable requirements of any securities exchange or similar entity.

        


  

    	9.	
            Adjustment Provisions.

          


  

  

  

  This Option, including the number of shares subject to the Option and the exercise price, will be adjusted upon
    the occurrence of the events specified in, and in accordance with the provisions of, Section 3.4 of the Plan.

  

    	10.	
            Accelerated Vesting and Exercisability Period.

          


  

  

    

  The vesting of this Option will accelerate as set forth in the following  provisions:

   

  

  
    	
            (i)

          	
            Death.  In the event of the Participant’s
              Termination of Service by reason of death, any unvested portion of the Option subject to this Agreement will vest and any unexercised portion of the Option may thereafter be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative or beneficiaries
              for a period of one (1) year from the Participant’s death.

             

            

          


  

  
    	
            (ii)

          	
            Disability.  In the event of the
              Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of the Participant’s Disability, any unvested portion of this Option will vest and any unexercised portion of the Option may thereafter be exercised by the Participant or the Participant’s legal
              representative for a period of one (1) year following the Termination of Service due to Disability.

             

            

          


  

  
    	
            (iii)

          	
            Change in Control.  In the event of the
              Participant’s Involuntary Termination at or following a Change in Control, any unvested portion of the Option will vest and any unexercised portion of the Option may be exercised by the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative
              for a period of one (1) year following the Participant’s Involuntary Termination.

          


  

  

  

  
    	
            (iv)

          	
            Retirement.  In the event of the
              Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of the Participant’s Retirement, vested Options may be exercised for a period of one (1) year from the date of Termination of Service. Options that have not vested will expire and be forfeited on
              the date of Termination of Service by reason of Retirement.  “Retirement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(a) of the Plan.

          


  

  

  

  
    	
            (v)

          	
            Termination for Cause.  In the event of the Participant’s Termination of Service for Cause, all Options subject to this Agreement that have not been exercised will immediately
              expire and be forfeited.

          


  

  

  

  	

        	(vi)	
          Other Termination.  In the event of the Participant’s Termination from Service for any reason other than due to death, Disability, Involuntary Termination at or following a Change in Control or for Cause,
            this Option may thereafter be exercised, only to the extent it was exercisable at the time of the termination and only for a period of three (3) months following the termination.

        


  
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    	11.	
            Miscellaneous.

          


  

  

  

  	

        	11.1	
          No Option will confer upon the Participant any rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the date on which the individual fulfills all conditions for receipt of
            such rights.

        


  

  

  	

        	11.2	
          This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified unless evidenced in writing and signed by the Company and the Participant.

        


  

  

  	

        	11.3	
          At the discretion of the Committee, a Non-Qualified Option granted under the Plan may be transferable by the Participant, provided, however, that transfers will be
            limited to Immediate Family Members of Participants, trusts and partnerships established for the primary benefit of such family members or to charitable organizations, and provided, further, that the transfers are not made for consideration to
            the Participant.

        


  

  

  	

        	11.4	
          This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.

        


  

  

  	

        	11.5	
          This Option will be subject to any required federal, state and local tax withholding, which may be effected in the manner or manners permitted by the Company.

           

          

        


  	

        	11.6	
          The granting of this Option does not confer upon the Participant any right to be retained in the service of the Company or any subsidiary.

        


  

  

  	

        	11.7	
          This Option is subject to forfeiture in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.16 of the Plan or as otherwise adopted by the Company.

        


  

  

  [Signature Page to Follow]

  
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  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf as of the date
    of grant of this Option set forth above.

  KEARNY FINANCIAL CORP.

  By: ______________________

  Its: ______________________

  

  

  PARTICIPANT’S ACCEPTANCE

  The undersigned hereby accepts the foregoing Option and agrees to the terms and conditions hereof, including the
    terms and provisions of the Plan.  The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and related prospectus.

  PARTICIPANT

   

  

   

  

   

  

  __________________________

  

  

  

  

  

   

  

  

  

  
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  EXHIBIT A

  NOTICE OF EXERCISE OF OPTION

  

  

  I hereby exercise the stock option (the “Option”) granted to me by Kearny Financial Corp. (the “Company”) or its affiliate, subject to all
    the terms and provisions set forth in the Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) and the Kearny Financial Corp. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) referred to therein, and notify you of my desire to purchase __________________
    shares of common stock of the Company (“Common Stock”) for a purchase price of $______ per share.

  

  

  I elect to pay the exercise price by:

  

  

  	

        	___	
          Cash or personal, certified or cashier’s check in the sum of $_______, in full/partial payment of the purchase price.

        


  	

        	___	
          Stock of the Company with a fair market value of $______ in full/partial payment of the purchase price.*

        


  	

        	___	
          My check in the sum of $_______ and stock of the Company with a fair market
            value of $______, in full/partial payment of the purchase price.*

        


  

  

  	

        	___	
          A net settlement of the Option, using a portion of the shares obtained on exercise in payment of the exercise price of the Option (and, if applicable, any minimum
            required tax withholding).

        


  	

        	___	
          Selling  ______ shares from my Option shares through a broker in full/partial payment of the purchase price.

        


  I understand that after this exercise, ____________ shares of Common Stock remain subject to the Option, subject to
    all terms and provisions set forth in the Agreement and the Plan.

  I hereby represent that it is my intention to acquire these shares for the following purpose:

  ___ investment

  ___ resale or distribution

  

  

  Please note: if your intention is to resell (or distribute within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act
    of 1933) the shares you acquire through this Option exercise, the Company or transfer agent may require an opinion of counsel that such resale or distribution would not violate the Securities Act of 1933 prior to your exercise of such Option.

  Date: ____________, _____.                      _________________________________________

  Participant’s signature

  

  

  * If I elect to exercise by exchanging shares I already own, I will constructively
      return shares that I already own to purchase the new option shares.  If my shares are in certificate form, I must attach a separate statement indicating the certificate number of the shares I am treating as having exchanged.  If the shares are held
      in “street name” by a registered broker, I must provide the Company with a notarized statement attesting to the number of shares owned that will be treated as having been exchanged.  I will keep the shares that I already own and treat them as if they
      are shares acquired by the option exercise.  In addition, I will receive additional shares equal to the difference between the shares I constructively exchange and the total new option shares that I acquire.

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