(a) Prior agency approval. For three years after conversion, no person may, directly or indirectly, acquire or offer to acquire the beneficial ownership of more than 10 percent of any class of the savings association's equity securities without the appropriate Federal banking agency's prior written approval. If a person violates this prohibition, the savings association may not permit the person to vote shares in excess of 10 percent, and may not count the shares in excess of 10 percent in any shareholder vote.

(b) Beneficial ownership. A person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 10 percent of a class of shares when he or she holds any combination of the savings association's stock or revocable or irrevocable proxies under circumstances that give rise to a conclusive control determination or rebuttable control determination under 12 CFR 5.50. The appropriate Federal banking agency will presume that a person has acquired shares if the acquiror entered into a binding written agreement for the transfer of shares. For purposes of this section, an offer is made when it is communicated. An offer does not include non-binding expressions of understanding or letters of intent regarding the terms of a potential acquisition.

(c) Exceptions. Notwithstanding the restrictions in this section:

(1) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to any offer with a view toward public resale made exclusively to the savings association, to the underwriters, or to a selling group acting on the savings association's behalf.

(2) Unless the appropriate Federal banking agency objects in writing, any person may offer or announce an offer to acquire up to one percent of any class of shares. In computing the one percent limit, the person must include all of his or her acquisitions of the same class of shares during the prior 12 months.

(3) A corporation whose ownership is, or will be, substantially the same as the savings association's ownership may acquire or offer to acquire more than 10 percent of the savings association's common stock, if it makes the offer or acquisition more than one year after the savings association's conversion.

(4) One or more of the savings association's tax-qualified employee stock benefit plans may acquire the savings association's shares, if the plan or plans do not beneficially own more than 25 percent of any class of the savings association's shares in the aggregate.

(5) An acquiror does not have to file a separate application to obtain the appropriate Federal banking agency's approval under paragraph (a) of this section if the acquiror files an application under 12 CFR 5.50 that specifically addresses the criteria listed under paragraph (d) of this section and the savings association does not oppose the proposed acquisition.

(d) Factors for agency denial. The appropriate Federal banking agency may deny an application under paragraph (a) of this section if the proposed acquisition:

(1) Is contrary to the purposes of this part;

(2) Is manipulative or deceptive;

(3) Subverts the fairness of the conversion;

(4) Is likely to injure the savings association;

(5) Is inconsistent with the savings association's plan to meet the credit and lending needs of its proposed market area;

(6) Otherwise violates laws or regulations; or

(7) Does not prudently deploy the savings association's conversion proceeds.