(a) Minimum requirements. Prior to filing an application for conversion, a savings association must adopt a business plan reflecting its intended plans for deployment of the proposed conversion proceeds. The savings association's business plan is required, under §192.150, to be included in its application for conversion. At a minimum, the business plan must address:

(1) The savings association's projected operations and activities for three years following the conversion. These projections must include how the savings association will accomplish the following by the final year of the business plan:

(i) Deploy the conversion proceeds at the converted savings association (and holding company, if applicable);

(ii) What opportunities are available to reasonably achieve its planned deployment of conversion proceeds in the proposed market areas; and

(iii) How the deployment will provide a reasonable return on investment commensurate with investment risk, investor expectations, and industry norms. The savings association must include three years of projected financial statements. The business plan must provide that the converted savings association must retain at least 50 percent of the net conversion proceeds. The appropriate Federal banking agency may require that a larger percentage of proceeds remain in the institution.

(2) The savings association's plan for deploying conversion proceeds to meet credit and lending needs in the proposed market areas. The appropriate Federal banking agencies strongly discourage business plans that provide for a substantial investment in mortgage securities or other securities, except as an interim measure to facilitate orderly, prudent deployment of proceeds during the three years following the conversion or as part of a properly managed leverage strategy.

(3) The risks associated with the savings association's plan for deployment of conversion proceeds, and the effect of this plan on management resources, staffing, and facilities.

(4) The expertise of the savings association's management and board of directors, or plans for adequate staffing and controls to prudently manage the growth, expansion, new investment, and other operations and activities proposed in the business plan.

(b) Prohibited information. The savings association may not project returns of capital or special dividends in any part of the business plan. A newly converted company may not plan on stock repurchases in the first year of the business plan.