(a) Equity investments—

(1) Prohibited investments. No insured state savings association may directly acquire or retain as principal any equity investment of a type, or in an amount, that is not permissible for a Federal savings association unless the exception in paragraph (a)(2) of this section applies.

(2) Exception: Equity investment in service corporations. An insured state savings association that is and continues to be in compliance with the applicable capital standards as prescribed by the appropriate Federal banking agency may acquire or retain an equity investment in a service corporation:

(i) Not permissible for a Federal savings association to the extent the service corporation is engaging in activities that are allowed pursuant to the provisions of or an application under §362.12(b); or

(ii) Of a type permissible for a Federal savings association, but in an amount exceeding the investment limits applicable to Federal savings associations, if the insured state savings association obtains the FDIC's prior consent. Consent will be given only if the FDIC determines that the amount of the investment in a service corporation engaged in such activities does not present a significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. Applications should be filed in accordance with §303.141 of this chapter and will be processed under §303.142(b) of this chapter. Approvals granted under §303.142(b) of this chapter may be made subject to any conditions or restrictions found by the FDIC to be necessary to protect the Deposit Insurance Fund from significant risk, to prevent unsafe or unsound practices, and/or to ensure that the activity is consistent with the purposes of Federal deposit insurance and other applicable law.

(b) Activities other than equity investments—

(1) Prohibited activities. An insured state savings association may not directly engage as principal in any activity, that is not an equity investment, of a type not permissible for a Federal savings association, and an insured state savings association shall not make nonresidential real property loans in an amount exceeding that described in section 5(c)(2)(B) of HOLA (12 U.S.C. 1464(c)(2)(B)), unless one of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(2) of this section applies. This section shall not be read to require the divestiture of any asset (including a nonresidential real estate loan), if the asset was acquired prior to August 9, 1989; however, any activity conducted with such asset must be conducted in accordance with this subpart. On and after July 21, 2012, an insured savings association directly or through a subsidiary (other than, in the case of a mutual savings association, a subsidiary that is a qualified affiliate), shall not acquire or retain a corporate debt security unless the savings association, prior to acquiring the security and periodically thereafter, determines that the issuer of the security has adequate capacity to meet all financial commitments under the security for the projected life of the security. Saving associations have until January 1, 2013 to come into compliance with this treatment of corporate debt securities.

(2) Exceptions—

(i) Consent obtained through application. An insured state savings association that meets and continues to meet the applicable capital standards set by the appropriate Federal banking agency may directly conduct activities prohibited by paragraph (b)(1) of this section if the savings association obtains the FDIC's prior consent. Consent will be given only if the FDIC determines that conducting the activity designated poses no significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. Applications should be filed in accordance with §303.141 of this chapter and will be processed under §303.142(b) of this chapter. Approvals granted under §303.142(b) of this chapter may be made subject to any conditions or restrictions found by the FDIC to be necessary to protect the Deposit Insurance Fund from significant risk, to prevent unsafe or unsound practices, and/or to ensure that the activity is consistent with the purposes of Federal deposit insurance and other applicable law.

(ii) Nonresidential realty loans permissible for a Federal savings association conducted in an amount not permissible. An insured state savings association that meets and continues to meet the applicable capital standards set by the appropriate Federal banking agency may make nonresidential real property loans in an amount exceeding the amount described in section 5(c)(2)(B) of HOLA, if the savings association files a notice in compliance with §303.141 of this chapter and the FDIC processes the notice without objection under §303.142(a) of this chapter. Consent will be given only if the FDIC determines that engaging in such lending in the amount designated poses no significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund.

(iii) Acquiring and retaining adjustable rate and money market preferred stock.

(A) An insured state savings association's investment of up to 15 percent of the association's tier one capital in adjustable rate preferred stock or money market (auction rate) preferred stock does not represent a significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. An insured state savings association may conduct this activity without first obtaining the FDIC's consent, provided that the association meets and continues to meet the applicable capital standards as prescribed by the appropriate Federal banking agency. The fact that prior consent is not required by this subpart does not preclude the FDIC from taking any appropriate action with respect to the activities if the facts and circumstances warrant such action.

(B) An insured state savings association may acquire or retain other instruments of a type determined by the FDIC to have the character of debt securities and not to represent a significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. Such instruments shall be included in the 15 percent of tier one capital limit imposed in paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(A) of this section. An insured state savings association may conduct this activity without first obtaining the FDIC's consent, provided that the association meets and continues to meet the applicable capital standards as prescribed by the appropriate Federal banking agency. The fact that prior consent is not required by this subpart does not preclude the FDIC from taking any appropriate action with respect to the activities if the facts and circumstances warrant such action.

(3) Activities permissible for a Federal savings association conducted in an amount not permissible. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, an insured state savings association may engage as principal in any activity, which is not an equity investment of a type permissible for a Federal savings association, in an amount in excess of that permissible for a Federal savings association, if the savings association meets and continues to meet the applicable capital standards set by the appropriate Federal banking agency, the institution has advised the appropriate regional director (DSC) under the procedure in §303.142(c) of this chapter within thirty days before engaging in the activity, and the FDIC has not advised the insured state savings association that conducting the activity in the amount indicated poses a significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. This section shall not be read to require the divestiture of any asset if the asset was acquired prior to August 9, 1989; however, any activity conducted with such asset must be conducted in accordance with this subpart.

[63 FR 66326, Dec. 1, 1998, as amended at 71 FR 20527, Apr. 21, 2006; 77 FR 43155, July 24, 2012]