Journal Entry for Issuing Common Stock for Service With 2 Practical Examples

The Cash account increases with a debit for $45 times 1,000 shares, or $45,000. The Preferred Stock account increases for the par value of the preferred stock, $8 times 1,000 shares, or $8,000. The excess of the issue price of $45 per share over the $8 par value, times the 1,000 shares, is credited as an increase to Additional Paid-in Capital from Preferred Stock, resulting in a credit of $37,000. The preferred stock was issued for land having a fair market value of $296,000.

When a company raises capital from investors, it does so by issuing securities, which are financial instruments that represent ownership in the company or the right to receive a future financial benefit. Common shares are one type of security that companies may issue to raise capital. Common shares represent an asset to the holder of the shares (the owner of the common shares) and are classified as equity on the corporation which issued the common shares. If allowed by state laws and the corporation’s bylaws, the board of directors can vote to retire shares of stock. This action goes beyond the acquisition of treasury shares by actually removing them from the issued category. Figure 5.60 shows what the equity section of the balance sheet will reflect after the preferred stock is issued.

3 Accounting for the issuance of common stock—updated November 2021

Under this approach, the cost at which shares are bought back is listed in a treasury stock account, which is reported in the stockholders’ equity section of the balance sheet as a deduction (this is a contra equity account). When a company issues stock for property or services, the company increases the respective asset account with a debit and the respective equity accounts with credits. The company plans to issue most of the shares in exchange for cash, and other shares in exchange for kitchen equipment provided to the corporation by one of the new investors. Two common accounts in the equity section of the balance sheet are used when issuing stock—Common Stock and Additional Paid-in Capital from Common Stock.

Stock is an ownership share in an entity, representing a claim against its assets and profits. The owner of stock is entitled to a proportionate share of any dividends declared by an entity’s board of directors, as well as to any residual assets if the entity is liquidated or sold. If there are no residual assets in the event of a liquidation or sale, then the stock is worthless. Depending upon the type of stock issued, the holder of stock may be entitled to vote on certain entity decisions. 5As mentioned earlier, the issuance of capital stock is not viewed as a trade by the corporation because it merely increases the number of capital shares outstanding.

Journal entries for the issuance of common shares

This entry records the receipt of additional cash of $15,000 ($25 per share x 1,000 shares) and the issuance of common stock at the stated par value of $10,000 ($10 per share x 1,000 shares). If a new shareholder is issued the stock, the corporation will need to also record a contra equity account credit for the difference between the par value paid and the fair market value of the stock issued in the journal entry. When a company issues new stock for cash, assets increase with a debit, and equity accounts increase with a credit.

For instance, if the company’s par value of a stock is at $8 per share, but the price of the stock falls to $4 per share, the shareholders are liable for $4 per share if the stocks are redeemed at their par value. The par value of a stock has no relationship to the price at which it is traded; investors will pay whatever they feel the stock is worth at the time. Common shares may also be referred to as common stock, ordinary shares, junior equity, or voting shares. In the first case, when the retirement price is equal to the original issue price, the only remaining entry is a credit to Cash. The debit to Retained Earnings reflects the position that the $8,000 was paid to satisfy stockholder claims that had arisen through operating activities subsequent to the issuance of the shares. The date of record refers to the date a cash dividend is paid to stockholders.

Capitalization of Retained Earnings to Paid-Up Capital

2Many other laws have been passed over the years that have been much more effective at protecting both creditors and stockholders. At Finance Strategists, we partner with financial experts to ensure the accuracy of our financial content. In effect, the balance of the Treasury Stock contra account is closed into the balance of the Common Stock account. This will ensure accurate and transparent financial reporting for the company. Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) has worked as a university accounting instructor, accountant, and consultant for more than 25 years.

Par value may be any amount—1 cent, 10 cents, 16 cents,  $ 1,  $5, or  $100. Occasionally, a corporation’s board of directors will vote to execute a special purchase of non-callable stock with the express purpose of retiring the shares rather than holding them indefinitely as Treasury Stock. This situation https://turbo-tax.org/life-in-pieces-on-cbs/ is typically encountered only in companies with relatively few stockholders. Occasionally, a corporation’s board of directors will vote to execute a special purchase of non-callable stock with the express purpose of retiring the shares rather than holding them indefinitely as treasury stock.