(1) In general. A savings association operating in mutual form may reorganize so
as to become a holding company by—
(A) chartering an interim
savings association, the stock of which is to be wholly owned, except
as otherwise provided in this section, by the mutual association;
and
(B) transferring
the substantial part of its assets and liabilities, including all
of its insured liabilities, to the interim savings association.
(2) Directors and certain account holders’ approval
of plan required. A reorganization is not authorized under this
subsection unless—
(A) a plan providing for such reorganization
has been approved by a majority of the board of directors of the mutual
savings association; and
(B) in the case of an association in
which holders of accounts and obligors exercise voting rights, such
plan has been submitted to and approved by a majority of such individuals
at a meeting held at the call of the directors in accordance with
the procedures prescribed by the association’s charter and bylaws.
(3) Notice to the Director; disapproval period.
(A) Notice
required. At least 60 days prior to taking any action described
in paragraph (1), a savings association seeking to establish a mutual
holding company shall provide written notice to the Director. The
notice shall contain such relevant information as the Director shall
require by regulation or by specific request in connection with any
particular notice.
(B) Transaction allowed if not disapproved. Unless the Director within such 60-day notice period disapproves
the proposed holding company formation, or extends for another 30
days the period during which such disapproval may be issued, the savings
association providing such notice may proceed with the transaction,
if the requirements of paragraph (2) have been met.
(C) Grounds
for disapproval. The Director may disapprove any proposed holding
company formation only if—
(i) such disapproval is necessary to prevent
unsafe or unsound practices;
(ii) the financial or management resources of the savings association
involved warrant disapproval;
(iii) the savings association fails to furnish
the information required under subparagraph (A); or
(iv) the savings association fails to comply
with the requirement of paragraph (2).
(D) Retention
of capital assets. In connection with the transaction described
in paragraph (1), a savings association may, subject to the approval
of the Director, retain capital assets at the holding company level
to the extent that such capital exceeds the association’s capital
requirement established by the Director pursuant to subsections (s)
and (t) of section 1464 of this title.
(4) Ownership.
(A) In general. Persons having ownership rights in the mutual association pursuant
to section 1464 (b)(1)(B) of this title or State law shall have the
same ownership rights with respect to the mutual holding company.
(B) Holders of certain accounts. Holders of
savings, demand or other accounts of—
(i) a savings association
chartered as part of a transaction described in paragraph (1); or
(ii) a mutual savings association
acquired pursuant to paragraph (5)(B), shall have the same ownership
rights with respect to the mutual holding company as persons described
in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(5) Permitted activities. A mutual holding
company may engage only in the following activities:
(A) Investing
in the stock of a savings association.
(B) Acquiring a mutual association through
the merger of such association into a savings association subsidiary
of such holding company or an interim savings association subsidiary
of such holding company.
(C) Subject to paragraph (6), merging
with or acquiring another holding company, one of whose subsidiaries
is a savings association.
(D) Investing in a corporation the capital
stock of which is available for purchase by a savings association
under Federal law or under the law of any State where the subsidiary
savings association or associations have their home offices.
(E) Engaging in the activities
described in subsection (c)(2) or (c)(9)(A)(ii) of this section.
(6) Limitations on certain activities of acquired
holding companies.
(A) New activities. If a mutual holding company acquires or merges with another holding
company under paragraph (5)(C), the holding company acquired or the
holding company resulting from such merger or acquisition may only
invest in assets and engage in activities which are authorized under
paragraph (5).
(B) Grace period for divesting prohibited assets
or discontinuing prohibited activities. Not later than 2 years
following a merger or acquisition described in paragraph (5)(C), the
acquired holding company or the holding company resulting from such
merger or acquisition shall—
(i) dispose of any asset which
is an asset in which a mutual holding company may not invest under
paragraph (5); and
(ii)
cease any activity which is an activity in which a mutual holding
company may not engage under paragraph (5).
(7) Regulation. A mutual holding company shall
be chartered by the Director and shall be subject to such regulations
as the Director may prescribe. Unless the context otherwise requires,
a mutual holding company shall be subject to the other requirements
of this section regarding regulation of holding companies.
(8) Capital improvement.
(A) Pledge
of stock of savings association subsidiary. This section shall
not prohibit a mutual holding company from pledging all or a portion
of the stock of a savings association chartered as part of a transaction
described in paragraph (1) to raise capital for such savings association.
(B) Issuance of nonvoting shares. This section
shall not prohibit a savings association chartered as part of a transaction
described in paragraph (1) from issuing any nonvoting shares or less
than 50 percent of the voting shares of such association to any person
other than the mutual holding company.
(9) Insolvency
and liquidation.
(A) In general. Notwithstanding any provision of law, upon—
(i) the default
of any savings association—
(I) the stock of which is owned by any mutual holding company; and
(II) which was chartered
in a transaction described in paragraph (1);
(ii) the default of a mutual
holding company; or
(iii) a foreclosure on a pledge by a mutual
holding company described in paragraph (8)(A), a trustee shall be
appointed receiver of such mutual holding company and such trustee
shall have the authority to liquidate the assets of, and satisfy the
liabilities of, such mutual holding company pursuant to title 11.
(B) Distribution of net proceeds. Except as
provided in subparagraph (C), the net proceeds of any liquidation
of any mutual holding company pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be
transferred to persons who hold ownership interests in such mutual
holding company.
(C) Recovery by Corporation. If the
Corporation incurs a loss as a result of the default of any savings
association subsidiary of a mutual holding company which is liquidated
pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Corporation shall succeed to the
ownership interests of the depositors of such savings association
in the mutual holding company, to the extent of the Corporation’s
loss.
(10) Definitions. For purposes of this subsection—
(A) Mutual holding company. The term
“mutual holding company” means a corporation organized as a holding
company under this subsection.
(B) Mutual
association. The term “mutual association” means a savings association
which is operating in mutual form.
(C) Default. The term “default” means an adjudication or other official determination
of a court of competent jurisdiction or other public authority pursuant
to which a conservator, receiver, or other legal custodian is appointed.