Article 4. Issuance Of Stock And Certificates of California Financial Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 4.

(a) A stock association may issue shares of common stock and preferred stock, with or without par value, and common and preferred stock may be divided into classes and the classes into series.
  (b) Stock associations which have withdrawable shares outstanding as of the effective date of this section may continue to issue savings accounts in that form and the holders of these accounts shall have the same rights as they had before this section became law.

(a) With the approval of the commissioner, a mutual association may amend its articles of incorporation to authorize the issuance of stock and may issue stock. Any amendment to the articles of incorporation and bylaws of an association which for the first time authorizes it to issue stock shall be approved by the vote or written assent of a majority of the total votes of members outstanding, except that the amendment shall require approval only of the commissioner and board of directors of an association if the commissioner finds that grounds exist for the appointment of a conservator for the association pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 8225.
  (b) An amendment to the articles of incorporation of an association pursuant to this section may include provisions with respect to the surplus, reserves, and undivided profits of the association and in that case the surplus, reserves, and undivided profits shall be retained and disposed of in accordance with those provisions.
  (c) The corporate existence of a mutual association which amends its articles of incorporation pursuant to this section to authorize the issuance of stock and which issues stock shall continue to be, and the resulting stock association shall be deemed to be, a continuation of the mutual association. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 563b.41 (d)(3) of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations sets forth the law of this state with regard to the continuity of corporate existence in mutual association to stock association conversions and that this section has reflected that law from the time of the original adoption of Section 563b.41 of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Capital stock of a stock association shall be issued pursuant to the following requirements:
  (a) Except for stock issued pursuant to a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, reclassification of outstanding stock into stock of another class, exchange of outstanding stock for stock of another class or other change affecting outstanding stock or an employee stock option plan or a plan of merger, consolidation, conversion from a mutual to a stock association, or other type of reorganization that has been approved by the commissioner, the consideration for the issuance of capital stock shall be money paid, debts or securities canceled or tangible or intangible property actually received either by the association or by a wholly owned subsidiary. The par value or stated value of stock shall be maintained as the permanent capital of the association and any additional amount paid in shall be credited to paid-in surplus.
  (b) The aggregate par value or stated value of all outstanding shares of capital stock shall be the permanent capital of the association and except as otherwise specifically provided by this division, capital stock shall not be retired until final liquidation of the association.
  (c) No association shall reduce the par or stated value of its outstanding capital stock without first obtaining the written approval of the commissioner, and approval shall be withheld if the reduction would cause the par or stated value of outstanding capital stock to be less than the minimum required by this division or would result in less than adequate statutory net worth as the commissioner may determine under Section 6475.
  (d) No association shall retire any part of its capital stock unless the retirement is approved by the commissioner.
  (e) No association shall make loans secured by its capital stock.
  (f) With the written approval of the commissioner, an association may purchase its capital stock or may contract with a stockholder for purchase of stock upon the stockholder's death. However, the purchase shall not reduce the net worth accounts of the association, or any of them, to an amount less than required by applicable law. An association which agrees with a stockholder to purchase that stockholder's capital stock upon death may purchase insurance upon the life of the stockholder to fund or partially fund the purchase.

A mutual association may issue mutual capital certificates in accordance with regulations of the commissioner.

An association may issue net worth certificates in accordance with applicable regulations of the Office of Thrift Supervision or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.