(D) The acquisition raises no significant issues of law or policy under then current Office policy;

(E) Prior to consummation of the reorganization transaction, the holding company shall enter into any dividend limitation, regulatory capital maintenance, or prenuptial agreement required by Office regulations, or in the absence thereof, required pursuant to policy guidelines issued by the OTS;

(F) The holding company shall furnish the following information in accordance with the specified time frames:

(1) On the business day prior to the date of consummation of the acquisition, the chief financial officers of the holding company and the savings association shall certify to the OTS in writing that no material adverse events or material adverse changes have occurred with respect to the financial condition or operations of the holding company or the savings association since the date of the financial statements submitted with the application;

(2) No later than thirty days from the date of consummation of the acquisition, the holding company shall file with the OTS a certification by legal counsel stating the effective date of the acquisition, the exact number of shares of stock of the savings association acquired by the holding company, and that the acquisition has been consummated in accordance with the provisions of all applicable laws and regulations and the application;

(3) No later than thirty days from the date of consummation of the acquisition, the holding company shall file with the OTS an opinion from its independent auditors certifying that the transaction was consummated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

(4) No later than thirty days from the date of consummation of the acquisition, the holding company shall file with the OTS a certification stating that the holding company will not cause the savings association to deviate materially from the business plan submitted in connection with the application, unless prior written approval from the OTS is obtained;

(G) In the event an interim association is utilized to facilitate the reorganization transaction, the resulting association shall, no later than 30 days from the date of consummation of the reorganization transaction, furnish a certification by legal counsel stating:

(1) The effective date of the merger involving the interim association and that the merger has been consummated in accordance with the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization or similar document pursuant to which the transaction was accomplished;

(2) The interim association has not opened for business;

(3) The merger was consummated within 120 calendar days of the date of approval: and

(4) After completion of the organization of the interim association, the board of directors of the interim association ratified the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization or similar document; and

(H) The proposed acquisition shall be consummated within 120 days after the application is automatically approved under this §574.7(a)(2).

(3) To the extent that an association reorganizing into holding company form is subject to provisions relating to its mutual to stock conversion imposed by 12 CFR 563b.3(c)(9), (c)(17), (c)(18), (c)(19), (g)(1) or (i), such provisions shall be applicable to any holding company approved automatically pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(b) Acquisition by a savings and loan holding company. The Office shall not approve an acquisition by a savings and loan holding company to acquire control of a savings association, by any other company to acquire control of more than one savings association, by any director or officer of a savings and loan holding company, or any individual who owns, controls, or holds with power to vote (or holds proxies representing) more than 25 percent of the voting stock of a savings and loan holding company to acquire control of a savings association, or by a savings and loan holding company to acquire a qualified stock issuance by a savings association pursuant to §574.8 of this

part, except in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. Before approving any such acquisition, except a transaction under section 13(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, the Office shall request from the Attorney General and consider any report rendered within 30 days of such request on the competitive factors involved. Acquisitions involving mergers (including mergers with an interim association) shall also be subject to §§ 546.2, 552.13, and 563.22 of this chapter.

(c) Application criteria. (1) The OTS may deny an application by a company or certain persons, described in paragraph (b) of this section, affiliated with a savings and loan holding company, to acquire control of a savings association, or by a savings and loan holding company to acquire a qualified stock issuance pursuant to §574.8 of this part: (i) If the OTS finds that the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the acquiror and association involved would be detrimental to the association or the insurance risk of the SAIF or BIF; or

(ii) If the acquiror fails or refuses to furnish information requested by the OTS.

(2) Consideration of the managerial resources of a company or savings association shall include consideration of the competence, experience, and integrity of the officers, directors, and controlling shareholders of the company or association. In connection with the applications filed pursuant to §§ 574.6 (a)(3) and 574.8 of this part, the OTS will also consider the convenience and needs of the community to be served. Moreover, the OTS shall not approve any proposed acquisition:

(i) Which would result in a monopoly, or which would be in furtherance of any combination or conspiracy to monopolize or to attempt to monopolize the savings and loan business in any part of the United States;

(ii) The effect of which on any section of the country may be substantially to lessen competition, or tend to create a monopoly, or which in any other manner would be in restraint of trade, unless the OTS finds that the anticompetitive effects of the proposed acquisition are clearly outweighed in the public interest by the probable ef

fect of the acquisition in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served;

(iii) If the company fails to provide adequate assurances to the OTS that the company will make available to the OTS such information on the operations or activities of the company, and any affiliate of the company, as the OTS determines to be appropriate to determine and enforce compliance with the Home Owners' Loan Act; or

(iv) In the case of an application by a foreign bank, if the foreign bank is not subject to comprehensive supervision or regulation on a consolidated basis by the appropriate authorities in the home country of the foreign bank. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(2)(iv), "comprehensive supervision or regulation on a consolidated basis by the appropriate authorities" shall be determined using the standards set forth at 12 CFR 211.24(c)(1)(ii).

(d) Notice criteria. In making its determination whether to disapprove a notice, the Office may disapprove any proposed acquisition, if the Office determines that:

(1) The proposed acquisition of control would result in a monopoly or would be in furtherance of any combination or conspiracy to monopolize or to attempt to monopolize the banking business in any part of the United States;

(2) The effect of the proposed acquisition of control in any section of the country may be substantially to lessen competition or to tend to create a monopoly or the proposed acquisition of control would in any other manner be in restraint of trade, and the anticompetitive effects of the proposed acquisition of control are not clearly outweighed in the public interest by the probable effect of the transaction in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served;

(3) The financial condition of the acquiring person is such as might jeopardize the financial stability of the association or prejudice the interests of the depositors of the association;

(4) The competence, experience, or integrity of the acquiring person or any of the proposed management personnel indicates that it would not be in the interests of the depositors of the

association, the Office, or the public to permit such person to control the association;

(5) The acquiring person fails or refuses to furnish information requested by the Office; or

(6) The Office determines that the proposed acquisition would have an adverse effect on the SAIF or the BIF.

(e) Failure to disapprove a notice. If, upon expiration of the 60-day review period of any notice deemed to be sufficient filed pursuant to §574.6(c), or extension thereof, the Office has failed to disapprove such notice, the proposed acquisition may take place: Provided, That it is consummated within one year and in accordance with the terms and representations in the notice and that there is no material change in circumstances prior to the acquisition.

(f) [Reserved]

(g) Presumptive disqualifiers—(1) Integrity factors. The following factors shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that an acquiror may fail to satisfy the managerial resources and future prospects tests of paragraph (c) of this section or the integrity test of paragraph (d)(4) of this section:

(i) During the 10-year period immediately preceding filing of the application or notice, criminal, civil or administrative judgments, consents or orders, and any indictments, formal investigations, examinations, or civil or administrative proceedings (excluding routine or customary audits, inspections and investigations) that terminated in any agreements, undertakings, consents or orders, issued against, entered into by, or involving the acquiror or affiliates of the acquiror by any federal or state court, any department, agency, or commission of the U.S. Government, any state or municipality, any Federal Home Loan Bank, any self-regulatory trade or professional organization, or any foreign government or governmental entity, which involve:

(A) Fraud, moral turpitude, dishonesty, breach of trust or fiduciary duties, organized crime or racketeering;

(B) Violation of securities or commodities laws or regulations;

(C) Violation of depository institution laws or regulations;

(D) Violation of housing authority laws or regulations; or

(E) Violation of the rules, regulations, codes of conduct or ethics of a self-regulatory trade or professional organization;

(ii) Denial, or withdrawal after receipt of formal or informal notice of an intent to deny, by the acquiror or affiliates of the acquiror, of

(A) Any application relating to the organization of a financial institution, (B) An application to acquire any financial institution or holding company thereof under the Holding Company Act or the Bank Holding Company Act or otherwise,

(C) A notice relating to a change in control of any of the foregoing under the Control Act or the Repealed Control Act; or

(D) An application or notice under a state holding company or change in control statute;

(iii) The acquiror or affiliates of the acquiror were placed in receivership or conservatorship during the preceding 10 years, or any management official of the acquiror was a management official or director (other than an official or director serving at the request of the Office, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Resolution Trust Corporation, or the former Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation) or controlling shareholder of a company or savings association that was placed into receivership, conservatorship, or a management consignment program, or was liquidated during his or her tenure or control or within two years thereafter;

(iv) Felony conviction of the acquiror, an affiliate of the acquiror or a management official of the acquiror or an affiliate of the acquiror;

(v) Knowingly making any written or oral statement to the Office or any predecessor agency (or its delegate) in connection with an application, notice or other filing under this part that is false or misleading with respect to a material fact or omits to state a material fact with respect to information furnished or requested in connection with such an application, notice or other filing;

(vi) Acquisition and retention at the time of submission of an application or

notice, of stock in the savings association by the acquiror in violation of § 574.3 or its predecessor sections.

(2) Financial factors. The following shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that an acquiror may fail to satisfy the financial-resources and futureprospects tests of paragraph (c) of this section, or the financial condition test of paragraph (d)(3) of this section:

(i) Liability for amounts of debt which, in the opinion of the Office, create excessive risks of default and pressure on the savings association to be acquired; or

(ii) Failure to furnish a business plan or furnishing a business plan projecting activities which are inconsistent with economical home financing.

[54 FR 49690, Nov. 30, 1989, as amended at 57 FR 14349, Apr. 20, 1992; 59 FR 28471, June 2, 1994; 59 FR 44627, Aug. 30, 1994; 60 FR 66720, Dec. 26, 1995]

§ 574.8 Qualified stock issuances by undercapitalized savings associations or holding companies.

(a) Acquisitions by savings and loan holding companies. No savings and loan holding company shall be deemed to control a savings association solely by reason of the purchase by such savings and loan holding company of shares issued by such savings association, or issued by any savings and loan holding company (other than a bank holding company) which controls such savings association, in connection with a qualified stock issuance if prior approval of such acquisition is granted by the Office under this §574.8, unless the acquiring savings and loan holding company, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with 1 or more other persons, or through 1 or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, or holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, more than 15 percent of the voting shares of such savings association or holding company.

(b) Qualification. For purposes of this section, any issuance of shares of stock shall be treated as a qualified stock issuance if the following conditions are met:

(1) The shares of stock are issued by

(i) An undercapitalized savings association, which for purposes of this

paragraph (b)(1)(i) shall mean any savings association

(A) The assets of which exceed the liabilities of such association; and

(B) Which does not comply with one or more of the capital standards in effect under section 5(t) of the Home Owners' Loan Act; or

(ii) A savings and loan holding company which is not a bank holding company but which controls an undercapitalized savings association if, at the time of issuance, the savings and loan holding company is legally obligated to contribute the net proceeds from the issuance of such stock to the capital of an undercapitalized savings association subsidiary of such holding company.

(2) All shares of stock issued consist of previously unissued stock or treasury shares.

(3) All shares of stock issued are purchased by a savings and loan holding company that is registered, as of the date of purchase, with the Office in accordance with the provisions of section 10(b) of the Home Owners' Loan Act and the Office's regulations promulgated thereunder.

(4) Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, the Office approves the purchase of the shares of stock by the acquiring savings and loan holding company.

(5) The entire consideration for the stock issued is paid in cash by the acquiring savings and loan holding company.

(6) At the time of the stock issuance, each savings association subsidiary of the acquiring savings and loan holding company (other than an association acquired in a transaction pursuant to section 13(c) or 13(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or section 408(m) of the National Housing Act, as in effect immediately prior to enactment of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989) has capital (after deducting any subordinated debt, intangible assets, and deferred, unamortized gains or losses) of not less than 61⁄2 percent of the total assets of such savings association.

(7) Immediately after the stock issuance, the acquiring savings and loan holding company holds not more

than 15 percent of the outstanding voting stock of the issuing undercapitalized savings association or savings and loan holding company.

(8) Not more than one of the directors of the issuing association or company is an officer, director, employee, or other representative of the acquiring company or any of its affiliates.

(9) Transactions between the savings association or savings and loan holding company that issues the shares pursuant to this section and the acquiring company and any of its affiliates shall be subject to the provisions of section 11 of the Home Owners' Loan Act and the Office's regulations promulgated thereunder.

(c) Approval of acquisitions—(1) Criteria. The Office, in deciding whether to approve or deny an application filed on the basis that it is a qualified stock issuance, shall apply the application criteria set forth in §574.7(c) of this part, including the presumptive disqualifiers set forth in §574.7(g) of this part.

(2) Additional capital commitments not required. The Office shall not disapprove any application for the purIchase of stock in connection with a qualified stock issuance on the grounds that the acquiring savings and loan holding company has failed to undertake to make subsequent additional capital contributions to maintain the capital of the undercapitalized savings association at or above the minimum level required by the Office or any other Federal agency having jurisdiction.

(3) Other conditions. The Office shall impose such conditions on any approval of an application for the purchase of stock in connection with a qualified stock issuance as the Office determines to be appropriate, including

(i) A requirement that any savings association subsidiary of the acquiring savings and loan holding company limit dividends paid to such holding company for such period of time as the Office may require; and

(ii) Such other conditions as the Office deems necessary or appropriate to prevent evasions of this section, including, but not limited to, requiring a rebuttal of control agreement in a form

substantially similar to that appearing at § 574.100.

(4) Application deemed approved if not disapproved within 90 days. An application for approval of a purchase of stock in connection with a qualified stock issuance shall be deemed to have been approved by the Office if such application has not been disapproved by the Office before the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date such application has been deemed sufficient under this part.

(d) No limitation on class of stock issued. The shares of stock issued in connection with a qualified stock issuance may be shares of any class.

(e) Application form. A savings and loan holding company making application to acquire a qualified stock issuance pursuant to this §574.8, shall use Form H-(e)2, as provided in § 574.6(a)(3).

$574.100 Rebuttal of control agreement.

AGREEMENT

Rebuttal of Rebuttable Determination Of Control Under Part 574

I. WHEREAS

A. [] is the owner of [ ] shares (the "Shares") of the [ ] stock (the "Stock") of [name and address of association], which Shares represent [ ] percent of a class of "voting stock" of [ ] as defined under the Acquisition of Control Regulations ("Regulations") of the Office of Thrift Supervision ("Office"), 12 CFR part 574 (“Voting Stock"); B. [ ] is a "savings association" within the meaning of the Regulations;

C. [] seeks to acquire additional shares of stock of [ ] ("Additional Shares"), such that's ownership thereof will exceed 10 percent of a class of Voting Stock but will not exceed 25 percent of a class of Voting Stock of []; [and/or] [ ] seeks to [ ], which would constitute the acquisition of a "control factor" as defined in the Regulations ("Control Factor");

D. [] does not seek to acquire the [Additional Shares or Control Factor] for the purpose or effect of changing the control of [ ] or in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect;

E. The Regulations require a company or a person who intends to hold 10 percent or more but not in excess of 25 percent of any class of Voting Stock of a savings association or holding company thereof and that also would possess any of the Control Factors specified in the Regulations, to file and

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