Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 35. CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS

CHAPTER 14. MONTANA BUSINESS CORPORATION ACT

Part 6. Shares and Distributions

Issuance Of Shares

35-14-621. Issuance of shares. (1) The powers granted in this section to the board of directors may be reserved to the shareholders by the articles of incorporation.

(2) The board of directors may authorize shares to be issued for consideration consisting of any tangible or intangible property or benefit to the corporation, including cash, promissory notes, services performed, contracts for services to be performed, or other securities of the corporation.

(3) Before the corporation issues shares, the board of directors shall determine that the consideration received or to be received for shares to be issued is adequate. That determination by the board of directors is conclusive insofar as the adequacy of consideration for the issuance of shares relates to whether the shares are validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

(4) When the corporation receives the consideration for which the board of directors authorized the issuance of shares, the shares issued are fully paid and nonassessable.

(5) The corporation may place in escrow shares issued for a contract for future services or benefits or for a promissory note or make other arrangements to restrict the transfer of the shares and may credit distributions in respect of the shares against their purchase price until the services are performed, the benefits are received, or the note is paid. If the services are not performed, the benefits are not received, or the note is not paid, the shares escrowed or restricted and the distributions credited may be canceled in whole or part.

(6) (a) An issuance of shares or other securities convertible into or rights exercisable for shares in a transaction or a series of integrated transactions requires approval of the shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum consisting of a majority, or a greater number the articles of incorporation may prescribe, of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter exists if:

(i) the shares, other securities, or rights are to be issued for consideration other than cash or cash equivalents; and

(ii) the voting power of shares that are issued and issuable as a result of the transaction or series of integrated transactions will comprise more than 20% of the voting power of the shares of the corporation that were outstanding immediately before the transaction.

(b) In this subsection (6):

(i) For purposes of determining the voting power of shares issued and issuable as a result of a transaction or series of integrated transactions, the voting power of shares or other securities convertible into or rights exercisable for shares is the greater of:

(A) the voting power of the shares to be issued; or

(B) the voting power of the shares that would be outstanding after giving effect to the conversion of convertible shares and other securities and the exercise of rights to be issued.

(ii) A series of transactions is integrated only if consummation of one transaction is made contingent on consummation of one or more of the other transactions.

History: En. Sec. 51, Ch. 271, L. 2019.