Unassociated Document
 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
(Amendment No.  )*


Sierra Bancorp
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, no par value
(Title of Class of Securities)

82620P102
(CUSIP Number)

December 31, 2013
(Date of Event which Requires Filing
of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

[X]     Rule 13d-1(b)
[   ]     Rule 13d-1(c)
[   ]     Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
 
 
 
 
1
 
 


CUSIP No. 82620P102
13G
Page 2  of 7 Pages
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
 
Basswood Capital Management, L.L.C.
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a)   o
(b)   x      
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
 
 
4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
Delaware
 
NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
5
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
6
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,182,624
7
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
8
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,182,624
9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,182,624
10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   o
 
 
11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
 
8.33%
12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
 
IA

 
 
 
2
 
 

 
CUSIP No. 82620P102
13G
Page 3   of 7 Pages
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
 
Matthew Lindenbaum
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a)   o
(b)   x
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
 
 
4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
United States
NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
5
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
6
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,182,624
7
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
8
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,182,624
9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,182,624
10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   o
 
 
11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
 
8.33%
12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
 
IN
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
 

 
CUSIP No. 82620P102
13G
Page 4  of 7 Pages
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
 
Bennett Lindenbaum
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a)   o
(b)   x
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
 
 
4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
United States
NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
5
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
6
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,182,624
7
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
8
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,182,624
9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,182,624
10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   o
 
 
11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
 
8.33%
12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
 
IN
 
 
 
 
 
4
 
 

 
Item 1(a)
Name of Issuer:
   
 
Sierra Bancorp
   
Item 1(b)
Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
   
 
86 North Main Street
 
Porterville, CA 93257
   
Item 2(a)
Name of Person Filing:
   
 
See Cover Pages, Item 1.
   
Item 2(b)
Address or Principal Business Office:
   
 
c/o Basswood Capital Management, L.L.C.
 
645 Madison Avenue, 10th Floor
 
New York, NY 10022
   
Item 2(c)
Citizenship:
   
 
See Cover Pages, Item 4.
   
Item 2(d)
Title of Class of Securities:
   
 
Common Stock, no par value
   
Item 2(e)
CUSIP Number:
   
 
82620P102
   
Item 3
Not Applicable
   
Item 4
Ownership:
   
 
The information required by Items 4(a)-(c) is set forth in Rows 5-11 of the cover page hereto for each Reporting Person and is incorporated herein by reference for each such Reporting Person.
   
Item 5
Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
   
 
Not Applicable
   
Item 6
Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:
   
 
Not Applicable
 
 
 
 
 
5
 
 

 
Item 7
Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:
   
 
Not Applicable
   
Item 8
Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
   
 
Not Applicable
   
Item 9
Notice of Dissolution of Group:
   
 
Not Applicable
   
Item 10
Certification:
   
By signing below the signatory certifies that, to the best of his knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
 

 
SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
 
Dated:  February 12, 2014
 
 
BASSWOOD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.
       
 
By:
/s/ Matthew Lindenbaum      
   
Name:
Matthew Lindenbaum
   
Title:
Managing Member
   
   
 
/s/ Matthew Lindenbaum         
 
Matthew Lindenbaum, an individual
   
   
 
/s/ Bennett Lindenbaum         
 
Bennett Lindenbaum, an individual
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7