2023 California Code › Corporations Code - CORP › TITLE 1 - CORPORATIONS › DIVISION 1 - GENERAL CORPORATION LAW › CHAPTER 5 - Dividends and Reacquisitions of Shares › Section 510.

510. (a) When a corporation reacquires its own shares, those shares are restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares, unless the articles prohibit the reissuance thereof.
(b) When a corporation reacquires authorized shares of a class or series and the articles prohibit the reissuance of those shares:
(1) If all of the authorized shares of that class or series, as the case may be, are reacquired, then (A) that class or series is automatically eliminated, (B) in the case of reacquisition of all of the authorized shares of a series, the authorized number of shares of the class to which the shares belonged is reduced by the number of shares so reacquired, and (C) the articles shall be amended to eliminate any statement of rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions relating solely to that class or series.
(2) If less than all of the authorized shares but all of the issued and outstanding shares of that class or series, as the case may be, are reacquired, the authorized number of shares of the class or series is automatically reduced by the number of shares so reacquired, and the board shall determine either (A) to eliminate that class or series, whereupon the articles shall be amended to eliminate any statement of rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions relating solely to that class or series, or (B) not to eliminate that class or series, whereupon the articles shall be amended to reflect that reduction of the number of authorized shares of that class or series by the shares so reacquired.
(3) If less than all of the authorized shares and less than all of the issued and outstanding shares of a class or series, as the case may be, are reacquired, the authorized number of shares of that class or series shall be automatically reduced by the number of shares reacquired, and the articles shall be amended to reflect that reduction.
(c) When a corporation reacquires authorized shares of a series of shares and the articles only prohibit the reissuance of those shares as shares of the same series:
(1) If all of the authorized shares of that series are reacquired, then that series is automatically eliminated, the articles shall be amended to eliminate any statement of rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions relating solely to that series, and the board shall determine either (A) to return those shares to the status of authorized but undesignated shares of the class to which they belong or (B) to eliminate those shares entirely, whereupon the articles in either case shall be amended to reflect the reduction in the authorized shares of that series and the effect, if any, on the class to which that series belongs.
(2) If all of the issued and outstanding shares of that series (but less than all of the authorized shares of that series) are reacquired, the board shall determine either (A) to eliminate that series, whereupon the articles shall be amended to eliminate any statement of rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions relating solely to that series, or (B) not to eliminate that series, whereupon the articles shall be amended to reflect the return of the reacquired shares to the status of authorized but undesignated shares of the class to which they belong.
(3) If less than all of the issued and outstanding shares of that series are reacquired, the authorized number of shares of that series shall be automatically reduced by the number of shares reacquired, and the board shall determine either (A) to return those shares to the status of authorized but undesignated shares of the class to which they belong, or (B) to eliminate those shares entirely, whereupon the articles in either case shall be amended to reflect the reduction in the authorized shares of that series and the effect, if any, on the class to which that series belongs.
(d) “Reacquires” as used in this section means that a corporation purchases, redeems, acquires by way of conversion to another class or series, or otherwise acquires its own shares or that issued and outstanding shares cease to be outstanding.
(e) The provisions of this section are subject to any contrary or inconsistent provision in the articles.
(f) A certificate of amendment shall be filed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 900) reflecting any elimination or reduction of authorized shares set forth in subdivisions (b) and (c), and any related elimination from the articles of the designation and the rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions of any series or class of stock that is eliminated, except that approval by the outstanding shares (Section 152) shall not be required to adopt any such amendment. Nothing contained in this section is intended to alter or otherwise affect the powers of the board to amend the articles as contemplated in Sections 202 and 401.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 154, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1996.)