§ 152.14 - Dissenter and appraisal rights.

(a) Right to demand payment of fair or appraised value. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, any stockholder of a stock association combining in accordance with §152.13 of this part shall have the right to demand payment of the fair or appraised value of his stock: Provided, That such stockholder has not voted in favor of the combination and complies with the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) Exceptions. No stockholder required to accept only qualified consideration for his or her stock shall have the right under this section to demand payment of the stock's fair or appraised value, if such stock was listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers' Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) on the date of the meeting at which the combination was acted upon or stockholder action is not required for a combination made pursuant to §152.13(h)(2) of this part. “Qualified consideration” means cash, shares of stock of any association or corporation which at the effective date of the combination will be listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on NASDAQ, or any combination of such shares of stock and cash.

(c) Procedure—(1) Notice. Each constituent Federal stock association shall notify all stockholders entitled to rights under this section, not less than twenty days prior to the meeting at which the combination agreement is to be submitted for stockholder approval, of the right to demand payment of appraised value of shares, and shall include in such notice a copy of this section. Such written notice shall be mailed to stockholders of record and may be part of management's proxy solicitation for such meeting.

(2) Demand for appraisal and payment. Each stockholder electing to make a demand under this section shall deliver to the Federal stock association, before voting on the combination, a writing identifying himself or herself and stating his or her intention thereby to demand appraisal of and payment for his or her shares. Such demand must be in addition to and separate from any proxy or vote against the combination by the stockholder.

(3) Notification of effective date and written offer. (i) Within ten days after the effective date of the combination, the resulting association shall:

(A) Give written notice by mail to stockholders of constituent Federal stock associations who have complied with the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section and have not voted in favor of the combination, of the effective date of the combination;

(B) Make a written offer to each stockholder to pay for dissenting shares at a specified price deemed by the resulting association to be the fair value thereof; and

(C) Inform them that, within sixty days of such date, the respective requirements of paragraphs (c)(5) and (c)(6) of this section (set out in the notice) must be satisfied.

(ii) The notice and offer shall be accompanied by a balance sheet and statement of income of the association the shares of which the dissenting stockholder holds, for a fiscal year ending not more than sixteen months before the date of notice and offer, together with the latest available interim financial statements.

(4) Acceptance of offer. If within sixty days of the effective date of the combination the fair value is agreed upon between the resulting association and any stockholder who has complied with the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section, payment therefore shall be made within ninety days of the effective date of the combination.

(5) Petition to be filed if offer not accepted. If within sixty days of the effective date of the combination the resulting association and any stockholder who has complied with the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section do not agree as to the fair value, then any such stockholder may file a petition with the OCC, with a copy by registered or certified mail to the resulting association, demanding a determination of the fair market value of the stock of all such stockholders. A stockholder entitled to file a petition under this section who fails to file such petition within sixty days of the effective date of the combination shall be deemed to have accepted the terms offered under the combination.

(6) Stock certificates to be noted. Within sixty days of the effective date of the combination, each stockholder demanding appraisal and payment under this section shall submit to the transfer agent his certificates of stock for notation thereon that an appraisal and payment have been demanded with respect to such stock and that appraisal proceedings are pending. Any stockholder who fails to submit his or her stock certificates for such notation shall no longer be entitled to appraisal rights under this section and shall be deemed to have accepted the terms offered under the combination.

(7) Withdrawal of demand. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time within sixty days after the effective date of the combination, any stockholder shall have the right to withdraw his or her demand for appraisal and to accept the terms offered upon the combination.

(8) Valuation and payment. The Comptroller shall, as he or she may elect, either appoint one or more independent persons or direct appropriate staff of the OCC to appraise the shares to determine their fair market value, as of the effective date of the combination, exclusive of any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the combination. Appropriate staff of the OCC shall review and provide an opinion on appraisals prepared by independent persons as to the suitability of the appraisal methodology and the adequacy of the analysis and supportive data. The Comptroller after consideration of the appraisal report and the advice of the appropriate staff shall, if he or she concurs in the valuation of the shares, direct payment by the resulting association of the appraised fair market value of the shares, upon surrender of the certificates representing such stock. Payment shall be made, together with interest from the effective date of the combination, at a rate deemed equitable by the Comptroller.

(9) Costs and expenses. The costs and expenses of any proceeding under this section may be apportioned and assessed by the Comptroller as he or she may deem equitable against all or some of the parties. In making this determination the Comptroller shall consider whether any party has acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith in respect to the rights provided by this section.

(10) Voting and distribution. Any stockholder who has demanded appraisal rights as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section shall thereafter neither be entitled to vote such stock for any purpose nor be entitled to the payment of dividends or other distributions on the stock (except dividends or other distribution payable to, or a vote to be taken by stockholders of record at a date which is on or prior to, the effective date of the combination): Provided, That if any stockholder becomes unentitled to appraisal and payment of appraised value with respect to such stock and accepts or is deemed to have accepted the terms offered upon the combination, such stockholder shall thereupon be entitled to vote and receive the distributions described above.

(11) Status. Shares of the resulting association into which shares of the stockholders demanding appraisal rights would have been converted or exchanged, had they assented to the combination, shall have the status of authorized and unissued shares of the resulting association.