Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Equity [Abstract]

Shareholders' Equity

Note 16 – Shareholders’ Equity

Dividends Paid

The Bank paid to the Company cash dividends in the aggregate amounts of $32,669,000, $26,432,000, and $19,236,000 in 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. The Bank is regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the State of California Department of Business Oversight. Absent approval from the Commissioner of the Department of Business Oversight, California banking laws generally limit the Bank’s ability to pay dividends to the lesser of (1) retained earnings or (2) net income for the last three fiscal years, less cash distributions paid during such period. Under this law, at December 31, 2019, the Bank could have paid dividends of $131,000,000 to the Company without the approval of the Commissioner of the Department of Business Oversight.

Stock Repurchase Plan

On November 12, 2019 the Board of Directors approved the authorization to repurchase up to 1,525,000 shares of the Company's common stock (the 2019 Repurchase Plan), which approximates 5.0% of the shares outstanding as of the approval date. The actual timing of any share repurchases will be determined by the Company's management and therefore the total value of the shares to be purchased under the program is subject to change. The 2019 Repurchase Plan has no expiration date and as of and for year ended December 31, 2019, the Company has repurchased no shares.

In connection with approval of the 2019 Repurchase Plan, the Company’s previous repurchase program adopted on August 21, 2007 (the 2007 Repurchase Plan) was terminated. Under the 2007 Repurchase Plan, as of December 31, 2018, the Company had repurchased 196,566 total shares and during the year ended December 31, 2018, there were 26,966 shares of common stock with a fair value of $968,000 repurchased under this plan. There were no shares of common stock repurchased under the 2007 Repurchase Plan during 2019 or 2017.

Stock Repurchased Under Equity Compensation Plans

The Company's shareholder-approved equity compensation plans permit employees to tender recently vested shares in lieu of cash for the payment of withholding taxes on such shares. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, employees tendered 115,954, 59,025, and 92,410 shares, respectively, of the Company's common stock in connection with option exercises. Employees also tendered 15,242, 45,964 and 14,980 shares in connection with other share based awards during December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. In total, shares of the Company's common stock tendered had market values of $5,108,000, $3,001,000, and $3,854,000 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The tendered shares were retired. The market value of tendered shares is the last market trade price at closing on the day an option is exercised or the other share based award vests. Stock repurchased under equity incentive plans are not included in the total of stock repurchased under the 2019 or 2007 Repurchase Plans.