UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 13, 2024

CALIFORNIA BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

California

001-39242

82-1751097

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)


1300 Clay Street, Suite 500
Oakland, California		94612
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

(510) 457-3737

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☒	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading
Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock

CALB

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 8.01

Other Events

On May 13, 2024, California BanCorp (“CBC”) and Southern California Bancorp (“SCB”) issued a joint press release announcing that they have received required regulatory approvals from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco necessary to complete their previously announced merger of equals between the two bank holding companies and their respective subsidiaries, California Bank of Commerce and Bank of Southern California, N.A., pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated January 30, 2024 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and between CBC and SCB.

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits


Exhibit No.		Description

99.1		Joint Press Release, dated May 13, 2024

104		Cover Page Interactive Data File

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements, including but not limited to certain plans, expectations, projections and statements about the benefits of the proposed merger (the “Merger”), the timing of completion of the Merger, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan,” “target,” “goal,” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “would,” “could,” or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Factors that could cause or contribute to results differing from those in or implied in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of SCB or CBC to terminate their agreement with respect to the Merger; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against SCB or CBC; delays in completing the Merger; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals impose conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Merger); the failure to obtain shareholder approvals or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the Merger on a timely basis or at all; the ability to complete the Merger and integration of SCB and CBC successfully; costs being greater than anticipated; cost savings being less than anticipated; changes in economic conditions; the risk that the Merger disrupts the business of SCB, CBC or both; difficulties in retaining senior management, employees or customers; the impact of bank failures or other adverse developments at other banks on general investor sentiment regarding the stability and liquidity of banks; and other factors that may affect the future results of SCB and CBC. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in SCB’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is available in the “Investor Relations” section of SCB’s website, www.banksocal.com, in CBC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is on file with the SEC and is available in the “Investor Relations” section of CBC’s website, www.californiabankofcommerce.com, and in other documents that SCB and CBC file with the SEC. Investors may obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC on its website at www.sec.gov.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on information available at that time. Neither SCB nor CBC assumes any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by federal securities laws. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

In connection with the Merger, SCB will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a joint proxy statement of SCB and CBC and a prospectus of SCB, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. Certain matters in respect of the Merger will be submitted to SCB’s and CBC’s shareholders for their consideration. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE MERGER WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE MERGER BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Investors will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about SCB and CBC, without charge, at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, in the “Investor Relations” section of SCB’s website at www.banksocal.com (for SCB’s filings) and in the “Investor Relations” section of CBC’s website, www.californiabankofcommerce.com (for CBC’s filings).

PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

SCB, CBC and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of SCB and CBC in connection with the Merger. Information regarding SCB’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of SCB common stock is available in SCB’s definitive proxy statement for its 2024 annual meeting of shareholders filed with the SEC on April 18, 2024 and other documents filed by SCB with the SEC. Information regarding CBC’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of CBC common stock is available in CBC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024 and other documents filed by CBC with the SEC. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and their ownership of common stock will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Merger. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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CALIFORNIA BANCORP

Date: May 13, 2024

/s/ THOMAS A. SA

Thomas A. Sa

President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

California BanCorp 8-K