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12 U.S.C. § 51b–1Consideration of preferred stock in determining impairment of capital; dividends; retirement

submitted 91 years ago by ch. 614 to r/title-12-BANKS-AND-BANKING · 348 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

When a bank's capital includes preferred stock, the bank counts that stock at its par value to figure out capital impairment, even if it would pay more than par value if retired. A bank with certain Reconstruction Finance Corporation notes can count its capital as unimpaired if its assets cover its liabilities. Preferred stock from the 1933 Emergency Banking Act gets special cumulative dividend and payout protection, and gets paid before common stock in a liquidation.

If part of a national bank's, state member bank's, or Federal-Reserve-applicant bank's capital consists of preferred stock, the bank uses the stock's par value — not its potential payout value — to figure out whether the bank's capital is impaired, and by how much. If the bank also has outstanding capital notes or debentures of the type the Reconstruction Finance Corporation is allowed to buy under section 51d, the bank's capital can be treated as unimpaired as long as the sound value of its assets is at least equal to its total liabilities (including capital stock, but not counting those RFC-eligible notes or any debt expressly subordinated to them). Despite any other law, holders of preferred stock issued under the 1933 Emergency Banking and Bank Conservation Act get cumulative dividends based on what the bank was originally paid for the stock. If that stock is retired, holders get a retirement price — set in the bank's articles of association with Comptroller approval — that cannot exceed the original purchase price plus all accumulated dividends. If the bank goes into voluntary liquidation, or gets a conservator or receiver, common stockholders get nothing until these preferred stockholders are paid in full the amount set in the articles of association (again, capped at purchase price plus accumulated dividends).
the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

If any part of the capital of a national bank, State member bank, or bank applying for membership in the Federal Reserve System consists of preferred stock, the determination of whether or not the capital of such bank is impaired and the amount of such impairment shall be based upon the par value of its stock even though the amount which the holders of such preferred stock shall be entitled to receive in the event of retirement or liquidation shall be in excess of the par value of such preferred stock. If any such bank or trust company shall have outstanding any capital notes or debentures of the type which the Reconstruction Finance Corporation is authorized to purchase pursuant to the provisions of section 51d of this title, the capital of such bank may be deemed to be unimpaired if the sound value of its assets is not less than its total liabilities, including capital stock, but excluding such capital notes or debentures and any obligations of the bank expressly subordinated thereto. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the holders of preferred stock issued by a national banking association pursuant to the provisions of the Emergency Banking and Bank Conservation Act, approved March 9, 1933, as amended, shall be entitled to receive such cumulative dividends on the purchase price received by the association for such stock and, in the event of the retirement of such stock, to receive such retirement price, not in excess of such purchase price plus all accumulated dividends, as may be provided in the articles of association with the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. If the association is placed in voluntary liquidation, or if a conservator or a receiver is appointed therefor, no payment shall be made to the holders of common stock until the holders of preferred stock shall have been paid in full such amount as may be provided in the articles of association with the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency, not in excess of such purchase price of such preferred stock plus all accumulated dividends.

Source credit: (Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, title III, § 345, 49 Stat. 722; Pub. L. 96–221, title VII, § 703, Mar. 31, 1980, 94 Stat. 186.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit
  • 1935Enacted · Act of Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614 · 49 Stat. 722
  • 1980Amended · Pub. L. 96-221 · 94 Stat. 186

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 614 on 1935-08-23.

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