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PROSPECTUS Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-57377
SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP
(PROPOSED HOLDING COMPANY FOR SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION)
$10.00 PER SHARE
2,252,925 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK (MINIMUM)
3,048,075 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK (MAXIMUM)
3,505,286 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK (ADJUSTED MAXIMUM)
Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association, a federally-chartered
mutual savings association (the "Association"), is reorganizing to form a
federally-chartered mutual holding company (the "Reorganization"). As part of
the Reorganization, the Association will convert to a federally-chartered stock
savings association and will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sound Federal
Bancorp, a federal stock corporation (the "Company"). The Company will become
the majority-owned subsidiary of Sound Federal, MHC (the "Mutual Holding
Company"), a federal mutual holding company. Concurrently with the
Reorganization, the Company is offering for sale between 2,252,925 and 3,048,075
shares of its common stock, par value $0.10 per share (the "Common Stock"), in a
subscription offering to qualifying depositors and borrowers, the Association's
tax-qualified employee benefit plans including its employee stock ownership
plan, and to employees, officers and directors of the Association. Any
unsubscribed shares may be offered for sale to the public in a community
offering or syndicated community offering (the subscription and community
offerings are referred to collectively as the "Offering"). The Common Stock
offered for sale in the Offering will represent a minority ownership interest of
the Company's total outstanding shares of Common Stock. As part of the
Reorganization, and in addition to the shares sold in the Offering and issued to
the Mutual Holding Company, the Company will contribute shares of Common Stock
equal to 1.96% of its issued and outstanding shares to the Sound Federal Savings
and Loan Association Charitable Foundation (the "Charitable Foundation"). The
contribution to the Charitable Foundation results in a proportionate dilution of
the ownership and voting interests of the Mutual Holding Company and persons who
purchase Common Stock in the Offering. Consequently, following completion of the
Reorganization, Offering and contribution to the Charitable Foundation, persons
who purchase Common Stock in the Offering and the Mutual Holding Company will
own 44.12% and 53.92%, respectively, of the total outstanding shares of Common
Stock. The Reorganization and Offering are being made pursuant to the terms of
a plan of reorganization which must be approved by a majority of the eligible
votes of members of the Association and by the Office of Thrift Supervision
(the "OTS"). The Reorganization will not go forward and the Offering will not
be completed if the Association does not receive these approvals and the
Company does not sell at least 2,252,925 shares of Common Stock.
Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P. ("Sandler O'Neill") will use its best
efforts to assist the Company in selling at least the minimum number of shares,
but does not guarantee that this number will be sold. Sandler O'Neill has no
obligation to take or purchase any unsold shares. All funds received from
subscribers will be held in an interest bearing account at the Association until
the completion or termination of the Reorganization.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO SUBSCRIBE,
PLEASE CALL THE STOCK CONVERSION CENTER AT (914) 670-0123
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THESE SECURITIES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR ACCOUNTS AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION OR BY ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT
AGENCY.
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PLEASE REFER TO RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 17 OF THIS DOCUMENT.
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NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, THE OFFICE OF THRIFT
SUPERVISION, NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES REGULATOR HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED
THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE OR COMPLETE. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
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TERMS OF THE OFFERING
An independent appraiser has estimated that as of June 12, 1998, the
pro forma market value of the Common Stock of the Company was between $51.1
million and $69.1 million, with a midpoint of $60.1 million. The 2,252,925 to
3,048,075 shares of Common Stock being sold in the Offering represent a minority
ownership interest in the Company equal to 44.12% of the minimum and maximum of
the estimated pro forma value of the Common Stock of the Company. Subject to OTS
approval, up to 3,505,286 shares of Common Stock will be offered for sale in the
Offering in the event of an increase in the pro forma market value of the Common
Stock. Based on these estimates, the Company is making the following Offering of
shares of Common Stock.
PURCHASE PRICE REORGANIZATION EXPENSES NET PROCEEDS
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Minimum Per Share $10.00 $0.39 $9.61
Midpoint Per Share $10.00 $0.35 $9.65
Maximum Per Share $10.00 $0.33 $9.67
Minimum Total $22,529,250 $883,000 $21,646,250
Midpoint Total $26,505,000 $937,000 $25,568,000
Maximum Total $30,480,750 $992,000 $29,488,750
Adjusted Maximum $35,052,860 $1,055,000 $33,997,860
SANDLER O'NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.
PROSPECTUS DATED AUGUST 13, 1998
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THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WHICH INVOLVE RISKS
AND UNCERTAINTIES. THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM
THE RESULTS DISCUSSED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. FACTORS THAT MIGHT
CAUSE SUCH A DIFFERENCE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE DISCUSSED IN
"RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 17 OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
PLEASE SEE THE GLOSSARY BEGINNING ON PAGE G-1 FOR THE MEANING OF
CAPITALIZED TERMS THAT ARE USED IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE STOCK OFFERING
Q: WHAT IS THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY?
A: Sound Federal, MHC (the "Mutual Holding Company") is a
federally-chartered mutual corporation that is being established in
connection with the mutual holding company reorganization (the
"Reorganization") of Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association (the
"Association"). The Mutual Holding Company will be chartered under the
laws of the United States and will be regulated by the Office of Thrift
Supervision ("OTS"). The Mutual Holding Company will own 53.92% of the
outstanding Common Stock of Sound Federal Bancorp (the "Company"), or
3,239,618 shares at the midpoint of the valuation range established by
the independent appraisal. The remaining 46.08% of the Common Stock of
the Company will be owned by persons who purchase Common Stock in the
Offering, and the Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association Charitable
Foundation (the "Charitable Foundation"). Members of the Association
currently have voting rights in the Association. After the
Reorganization is completed, all of the current membership and voting
rights of the Association's members will become membership and voting
rights with respect to the Mutual Holding Company. The former members
of the Association who controlled 100% of the votes eligible to be cast
by the Association's members prior to the Reorganization will, through
the Mutual Holding Company, control 53.92% of the votes eligible to be
cast by the Company's stockholders following the Reorganization.
Q: WHO WILL BE THE MINORITY STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY?
A: All persons who purchase Common Stock in the Offering, including the
employee stock ownership plan ("ESOP") of the Association as well as
the Charitable Foundation will be the minority stockholders (the
"Minority Stockholders") of the Company, and will own 46.08% of its
Common Stock upon completion of the Offering. The Mutual Holding
Company will own 53.92% of the Common Stock of the Company, and will
remain its majority stockholder as long as the Mutual Holding Company
remains in existence.
Q: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING?
A: The primary purpose of the Reorganization and Offering is to raise
additional equity capital to support the growth and expansion of the
Association. The increased capital also will be used to expand the
Association's lending and investment activities. The Reorganization
will create a holding company and a stock charter, which is the
corporate form used by all commercial banks and an increasing number of
savings institutions. The holding company structure will expand the
investment and operating authority currently available to the
Association. The Offering also will provide you with the opportunity to
become a stockholder of the Company. We are also establishing the
Charitable Foundation which will be dedicated exclusively to supporting
charitable causes and community development activities in our market
area.
Q: WHY IS THE ASSOCIATION FORMING A TWO-TIER MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY AND
CONDUCTING A MINORITY STOCK OFFERING INSTEAD OF UNDERGOING A FULL
CONVERSION TO STOCK FORM?
A: At the present time, the Association does not need all of the capital
that would be raised in a full stock conversion. A savings institution
that converts to stock form using the mutual holding company structure
sells only a minority of its shares to the public. By doing so, the
converting institution raises less than half the capital that would be
raised in a full conversion. However, with the mutual holding company
structure the Association will have the flexibility to raise additional
capital in the future. Moreover, the Association's Board of Directors
intends to maintain the independence and community control of the
Association. Because the Mutual Holding Company will control a majority
of the Company's Common Stock, the Reorganization will permit the
Association to achieve the benefits of being a stock company without
the loss of control.
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Q: HOW DO I ORDER THE COMMON STOCK?
A: You must complete and return the Stock Order Form to the Association,
together with your payment, on or before September 14, 1998. Please
review the Stock Order Form carefully before sending us any payment.
Q: HOW MUCH STOCK MAY I ORDER?
A: The minimum order is 25 shares (or $250). The maximum order for any
individual person or persons ordering through a single account is
15,000 shares (or $150,000). In certain instances, your order may be
grouped together with orders by other persons who are associated with
you (such as your spouse, child or relatives living in your home or
corporations, partnership and trusts of which you are an officer,
director or trustee), or with whom you are acting in concert, and, in
that event, the aggregate order may not exceed 30,000 shares (or
$300,000). The maximum purchase limitation may be increased without
notifying you. However, if the maximum purchase limitation is
increased, and you previously subscribed for the maximum number of
shares, you will be notified of the increase, as well as the
opportunity to subscribe for additional shares.
Q: WHO HAS SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AND WHAT ARE THE SUBSCRIPTION PRIORITIES?
A: Subscription rights to purchase Common Stock will be offered on a
priority basis to the following classes of persons:
- First, to persons who had one or more deposit accounts with
the Association aggregating at least $50 on March 31, 1997.
(The Association's tax-qualified employee benefit plans,
including the Association's ESOP, will have priority over such
persons if more than 3,048,075 shares are sold. Assuming that
3,505,286 (the adjusted maximum) shares of Common Stock are
sold, the ESOP may purchase 292,874 shares, all of which would
be purchased in the first priority.)
- Second, to the Association's tax-qualified employee benefit
plans, including the Association's ESOP.
- Third, to persons who had one or more deposit accounts with
the Association aggregating at least $50 on June 30, 1998.
- Fourth, to depositors (who are not eligible depositors as of
March 31, 1997 or June 30, 1998) and borrowers of the
Association as of August 3, 1998.
- Fifth, to employees, officers and directors of the
Association.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SHARES TO FILL ALL ORDERS?
A: If the Offering is oversubscribed, shares will be allocated based upon
a deposit formula set forth in the Plan of Reorganization. In recent
periods a number of stock offerings by financial institutions have been
oversubscribed. There can be no assurance that a subscriber in the
offering will have his or her subscription filled. If insufficient
shares of Common Stock are available in the first category, the
Association will allocate shares in such a manner that will allow
Eligible Account Holders to purchase the lesser of 100 shares or the
amount subscribed for. Likewise, if insufficient shares of Common Stock
are available in the third category, the Company will allocate shares
in such a manner that will allow Supplemental Eligible Account Holders
to purchase the lesser of 100 shares of the amount of stock subscribed
for.
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Q: WILL SHARES BE OFFERED TO ANYONE OTHER THAN PERSONS WITH SUBSCRIPTION
RIGHTS?
A: If persons with subscription rights do not subscribe for all of the
shares offered, the remaining shares will be offered to certain members
of the general public in a community offering, with a preference for
natural persons residing in Westchester County.
Q: WHAT PARTICULAR FACTORS SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
TO BUY COMMON STOCK?
A: Before you decide to purchase Common Stock, you should read the entire
Prospectus, including the "Risk Factors" section beginning on page 17
of the Prospectus.
Q: AS A DEPOSITOR OR BORROWER OF THE ASSOCIATION, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DO
NOT ORDER ANY COMMON STOCK?
A: You presently have membership rights in the Association, which include
the right to elect directors and vote on certain other matters.
However, once the Reorganization is completed these membership rights
in the Association will be converted into membership rights in the
Mutual Holding Company, regardless of whether or not you purchase
Common Stock. You will retain your membership rights in the Mutual
Holding Company so long as your existing borrowings from the
Association remain outstanding, or so long as you remain a depositor of
the Association. If you purchase Common Stock, you will also have
voting rights in the Company, but such rights will depend on the amount
of Common Stock that you own and not on your deposit account or lending
relationship at the Association. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PURCHASE
COMMON STOCK. YOUR DEPOSIT ACCOUNT, CERTIFICATE ACCOUNTS AND ANY LOANS
YOU MAY HAVE WITH THE ASSOCIATION WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE
REORGANIZATION.
Q: WHO CAN HELP ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I MAY HAVE ABOUT THE OFFERING?
A: In order to make an informed investment decision, you should read this
entire Prospectus. This question and answer section highlights selected
information and may not contain all of the information that is
important to you. In addition, you may contact:
STOCK CONVERSION CENTER
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
429 MAMARONECK AVENUE
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK 10543
(914) 670-0123
SELLING OR ASSIGNING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS IS ILLEGAL. ALL PERSONS
EXERCISING THEIR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO CERTIFY THAT THEY ARE
PURCHASING SHARES SOLELY FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT AND THAT THEY HAVE NO AGREEMENT
OR UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF SUCH SHARES. THE ASSOCIATION
INTENDS TO PURSUE ANY AND ALL LEGAL AND EQUITABLE REMEDIES IN THE EVENT IT
BECOMES AWARE OF THE TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS. ORDERS KNOWN TO INVOLVE
THE TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS WILL NOT BE HONORED. IN ADDITION, PERSONS
WHO VIOLATE THE PURCHASE LIMITATIONS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES
IMPOSED BY THE OTS.
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SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information from this Prospectus and
does not contain all the information that you need to know before making an
informed investment decision. To understand the Offering fully, you should read
the entire Prospectus carefully, including the financial statements and the
notes to the financial statements of Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association.
Certain financial information contained in the Prospectus has been derived from
the audited financial statements of Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association.
You should note as you read this Prospectus that at times capitalized
terms are used. These capitalized terms are generally defined in the glossary
that is at the end of this Prospectus. Defined terms are used to help you
differentiate between the various components of the transaction, to simplify the
discussion and to avoid unnecessary repetition by not having to define or
describe a term each time it is used. For example, to avoid confusion, all of
the steps that are part of the transactions described in this Prospectus are
referred to as the "Reorganization," and the offer and sale of 44.12% of the
Company's Common Stock is referred to as the "Offering." References to the
"Association" refer to Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association. References to
the "Company" refer to Sound Federal Bancorp, and references to the "Mutual
Holding Company" refer to Sound Federal, MHC. To further assist you in reading
this Prospectus, in addition to including a glossary, each term defined in the
glossary is also defined the first time that it is used in the Prospectus.
THE REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING
The Reorganization involves a number of steps, including the following:
- The Association will establish the Company and the Mutual
Holding Company, neither of which will have any assets prior
to the completion of the Reorganization.
- The Association will convert from the mutual form of
organization to the capital stock form of organization and
issue 100% of its capital stock to the Company.
- The Company will issue between 5,106,630 and 6,908,970 shares
of its Common Stock in the Reorganization; 53.92% of these
shares (or between 2,753,675 shares and 3,725,560 shares) will
be issued to the Mutual Holding Company, 1.96% (or between
100,030 shares and 135,335 shares) will be contributed to the
Charitable Foundation and 44.12% (or between 2,252,925 shares
and 3,048,075 shares) will be offered for sale in the
Offering.
- Membership interests that depositors had in the Association
will become membership interests in the Mutual Holding
Company. As a result, members of the Association who
controlled 100% of the votes eligible to be cast by members
prior to the Reorganization will control 100% of the votes
eligible to be cast by members of the Mutual Holding Company
immediately after the Reorganization, and through the Mutual
Holding Company, will control 53.92% of the votes eligible to
be cast by the Company's stockholders immediately following
the Reorganization.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY STRUCTURE
The mutual holding company structure differs in significant respects
from the savings and loan holding company structure that is used in a standard
mutual-to-stock conversion. A savings institution that converts from the mutual
to stock form of organization using the mutual holding company structure sells
only a minority of its shares at the time of the reorganization and offering. By
doing so, a converting institution will raise less than half the capital that
would be raised in a "standard" mutual-to-stock conversion. The shares that are
issued to the Mutual Holding Company may be subsequently offered for sale to the
Association's depositors and others if the mutual holding organization. See
"Conversion of the Mutual Holding
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Company to the Stock Form of Organization." In addition, because the Mutual
Holding Company will control a majority of the Company's Common Stock, the
Reorganization and Offering will permit the Association to become a stock
company without a loss of control that may occur after a standard conversion
from mutual to stock form.
Because the Mutual Holding Company is a mutual corporation, its actions
will not necessarily always be in the interests of the Company's stockholders.
In making business decisions, the Mutual Holding Company's Board of Directors
will consider a variety of constituencies, including the depositors of the
Association, the employees of the Company and the Association, and the
communities in which the Association operates. As the majority stockholder of
the Company, the Mutual Holding Company is also interested in the continued
success and profitability of the Association and the Company. Consequently, the
Mutual Holding Company will act in a manner that furthers the general interests
of all of its constituencies, including, but not limited to, the interests of
the stockholders of the Company. The interests of the stockholders of the
Company and those of the Mutual Holding Company's other constituencies will be
the same in many circumstances, such as the ongoing profitability of the Company
and the Association and continued service to the communities in which the
Association operates.
CONVERSION OF THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY TO THE STOCK FORM OF ORGANIZATION
OTS regulations and the Plan of Reorganization permit the Mutual
Holding Company to convert from the mutual to the capital stock form of
organization. There can be no assurance that such a transaction will ever occur,
and the Board of Directors has no current intention or plan to undertake such a
transaction. If the Mutual Holding Company were to convert to the capital stock
form of organization, eligible depositors would receive the right to subscribe
for additional shares of the new stock holding company that would be formed in
the transaction. In such a transaction, each share of Common Stock outstanding
and held by persons other than the Mutual Holding Company would be converted
automatically into shares of common stock of the new stock holding company. The
number of shares that each stockholder would receive would be determined
pursuant to an exchange ratio that ensures that after the transaction (subject
only to an adjustment to reflect any dividends that the Mutual Holding Company
may have waived and any assets that the Mutual Holding Company may have other
than common stock of the Company), the percentage of the to-be outstanding
shares of the new stock holding company received by such stockholder in exchange
for his/her Common Stock equals the percentage of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock owned by such stockholder immediately prior to the conversion
transaction.
THE COMPANIES
Sound Federal, MHC
300 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, New York 10543
(914) 698-6400
The Mutual Holding Company is not currently an operating company and
has not engaged in any business to date. Upon completion of the Reorganization,
the Mutual Holding Company will be chartered under Federal law and will own
53.92% of the outstanding Common Stock of the Company. So long as the Mutual
Holding Company exists, it will own at least 50.1% of the Company's voting
stock. Following completion of the Reorganization, persons who were members of
the Association will become members of the Mutual Holding Company, so long as
their existing borrowings from the Association remain outstanding or they
continue to maintain a deposit account with the Association.
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Sound Federal Bancorp
300 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, New York 10543
(914) 698-6400
The Company is not currently an operating company and has not engaged
in any business to date. The Company will be chartered under Federal law and
will own 100% of the common stock of the Association. The Company will sell
44.12% of its Common Stock in the Offering, contribute 1.96% of its Common Stock
to the Charitable Foundation and issue the remaining 53.92% of the Common Stock
to the Mutual Holding Company.
Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association
300 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, New York 10543
(914) 698-6400
The Association was organized as a New York-chartered savings bank in
1891 and became a federally-chartered savings association in 1934. The
Association is a community-oriented federal mutual savings association,
providing banking and financial services to individuals, families and small
businesses from its main office in Mamaroneck and branch offices in Harrison and
Rye Brook, New York. Historically, the Association has emphasized residential
mortgage lending. At March 31, 1998, the Association had total assets of $254.7
million, total deposits of $219.9 million, and total equity of $31.9 million.
See pages 72 to 90.
THE OFFERING
The Company is offering for sale between 2,252,925 and 3,048,075 shares
of its Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share, at a price of $10.00 per share.
The Offering may be increased to 3,505,286 shares without further notice to you
if the estimated pro forma market value of the Common Stock (the "Independent
Valuation") is increased as a result of changes in market or financial
conditions prior to the completion of the Offering. The shares sold in the
Offering will represent a minority ownership interest of 44.12% of the shares of
Common Stock of the Company which, together with the 1.96% of the shares of
Common Stock to be contributed to the Charitable Foundation, will constitute the
"Minority Ownership Interest." The remaining 53.92% of the shares of Common
Stock of the Company will be issued to the Mutual Holding Company.
STOCK PURCHASE PRIORITIES
The Common Stock is being offered for sale in the following order of
priority in a Subscription Offering:
(i) the Association's Eligible Account Holders (holders of deposit
accounts totaling $50 or more as of March 31, 1997);
(ii) the Association's tax-qualified employee benefit plans,
including the Association's ESOP;
(iii) the Association's Supplemental Eligible Account Holders
(holders of deposit accounts totaling $50 or more as of June
30, 1998);
(iv) depositors and borrowers of the Association as of the Voting
Record Date (August 3, 1998) who are not Eligible Account
Holders or Supplemental Eligible Account Holders; and
(v) employees, officers and directors of the Association.
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Any shares of Common Stock not subscribed for in the Subscription
Offering may be offered for sale in a Community Offering and a Syndicated
Community Offering. See pages 46 to 52. Sandler O'Neill will assist in selling
the Common Stock on a best efforts basis.
THE OFFERING RANGE AND OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE
FinPro, Inc. ("FinPro"), an appraisal firm independent of the
Association and experienced in appraisals of savings associations, has estimated
that in its opinion, as of June 12, 1998, the aggregate pro forma market value
of the Company and the Association ranged from $51.1 million to $69.1 million
(the "Estimated Valuation Range") with a midpoint of $60.1 million. The Company
is offering to sell 44.12% of its Common Stock in the Offering and, based on the
Independent Valuation, 44.12% of the Common Stock ranged in value from $22.5
million to $30.5 million, with a midpoint of $26.5 million (the "Offering
Range"). The Company is offering its Common Stock for sale at $10.00 per share,
representing 2,252,925 shares and 3,048,075 shares at the minimum and maximum of
the Offering Range, respectively, with a midpoint of 2,650,500 shares. The
$10.00 per share offering price was determined in consultation with Sandler
O'Neill and represents the price most commonly used in initial public stock
offerings involving financial institutions. The Independent Valuation was based
in part upon the Association's financial condition and operations and the effect
of the additional capital raised by the sale of Common Stock in the Offering. In
addition to the 2,252,925 to 3,048,075 shares to be sold in the Offering,
between 2,753,675 and 3,725,560 shares will be issued to the Mutual Holding
Company, which will represent 53.92% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
and 100,030 to 135,335 shares will be contributed to the Charitable Foundation,
which represents 1.96% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. The
Independent Valuation will be updated prior to the completion of the Offering.
If the Independent Valuation increases, there will be a corresponding change in
the total number of shares issued to the Mutual Holding Company and the
Charitable Foundation in the Reorganization and sold to subscribers in the
Offering, but the percentage of shares of the Company's Common Stock owned by
the Mutual Holding Company and the Minority Stockholders will not change as a
result of a change in the Independent Valuation. If the Independent Valuation
increases by 15%, or up to $77,895,250, the number of shares sold in the
Offering will, subject to OTS approval, increase to 3,505,286 shares, the number
of shares issued to the Mutual Holding Company will increase to 4,284,395 shares
and the number of shares to be contributed to the Charitable Foundation will
increase to 155,635. Prospective purchasers will be given the opportunity to
change or withdraw their purchase orders only if the Estimated Valuation Range
decreases below the minimum or increases by more than 15% above the maximum of
such range, or if fewer than 2,252,925 shares or more than 3,505,286 shares are
sold in the Offering. See pages 46 to 51.
TERMINATION OF THE OFFERING
The Subscription Offering will terminate at 3:00 p.m., New York time,
on September 14, 1998. The Community Offering, if one is held, is expected to
begin immediately after the termination of the Subscription Offering, but may
begin at any time during the Subscription Offering. The Community Offering may
terminate on or after September 14, 1998, but in any event, no later than
October 29, 1998, without OTS approval.
BENEFITS TO MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES FROM THE OFFERING
The Company intends to implement for the benefit of the employees,
directors and officers of the Company and the Association the ESOP, a stock
option plan ("Stock Option Plan") and a stock award plan ("Stock Award Plan").
These benefit plans would result in employees, officers and directors being
eligible to receive in the aggregate 609,000 shares of Common Stock (at the
midpoint of the Offering Range). Assuming that the Stock Option Plan and Stock
Award Plan were funded from shares purchased in the open market, employees,
directors and officers would own 22% of the outstanding Minority Ownership
Interest, inclusive of ESOP shares but exclusive of other shares such persons
may have acquired individually.
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ESOP. Full-time employees of the Association will participate in an
ESOP, which is a form of retirement plan, that will purchase shares of Common
Stock. The ESOP intends to purchase up to 8% of the Minority Ownership Interest.
The estimated cost to fund the ESOP is $1.9 million at the minimum of the
Offering Range and $2.5 million at the maximum of the Offering Range. A portion
of the net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the purchase of shares
for the ESOP. For further information, see "Executive Compensation and Related
Transactions of the Association--Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust."
STOCK OPTION PLAN. The Stock Option Plan will provide for the grant of
options to purchase Common Stock equal to 10% of the Minority Ownership
Interest. The exercise price of each option will be equal to the closing price
of the Common Stock on the date the option is granted. No options will be
granted until after stockholders approve the Stock Option Plan. For further
information, see "Executive Compensation and Related Transactions of the
Association--Stock Option Plan." The Board of Directors has not yet approved the
Stock Option Plan or determined how many options each individual officer,
director or employee will receive.
STOCK AWARD PLAN. The Stock Award Plan will provide for the award of
shares of Common Stock equal to 4% of the Minority Ownership Interest to
officers, employees and directors of the Association, if the Stock Award Plan is
implemented within one year after the completion of the Offering. If the Stock
Award Plan is implemented later than one year after the completion of the
Offering, up to 5% of the Minority Ownership Interest may be granted, subject to
stockholder approval. Shares of Common Stock awarded under the Stock Award Plan
will be at no cost to the recipient, and in the aggregate will have a value of
$941,000 at the minimum of the Offering Range and $1.5 million at the adjusted
maximum of the Offering Range, assuming a value of $10 per share. For further
information, see "Executive Compensation and Related Transactions of the
Association--Stock Award Plan." The Board of Directors has not yet approved the
Stock Award Plan or determined how many shares of Common Stock will be awarded
to officers, directors or employees of the Association.
The Stock Award Plan and Stock Option Plan may not be adopted until at
least six months after the completion of the Reorganization, and are subject to
shareholder approval and compliance with OTS regulations. See pages 96 to 98.
The following table presents the dollar value of the shares to be
granted pursuant to the proposed stock benefit plans and the percentage of the
Company's outstanding Common Stock which will be represented by these shares.
PERCENTAGE OF
VALUE OF OUTSTANDING
SHARES GRANTED(1) COMMON STOCK
----------------- ------------
BENEFIT PLAN:
ESOP...................................... $ 2,214,546 3.69%
Stock Award Plan.......................... 1,107,273 1.84
Stock Option Plan......................... --(2) 4.61
------------ -------
$ 3,321,819 10.14%
============ =======
- -------------------------
(1) Assumes shares are granted at $10.00 per share and that shares are sold
in the Offering at the midpoint of the Offering Range.
(2) Recipients of stock options realize value only in the event of an
increase in the price of the Common Stock of the Company following the
date of grant of the stock options. Options to purchase 276,818 shares
at the midpoint of the Offering Range may be granted if the Stock
Option Plan is approved by shareholders.
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USE OF THE PROCEEDS RAISED FROM THE SALE OF COMMON STOCK
The Company will retain up to 50% of the net proceeds from the Offering
and will contribute the remainder of the net proceeds to the Association. The
Company intends to use part of the net proceeds to make a loan to the ESOP to
fund its purchase of up to 8% of the Minority Ownership Interest. The remainder
of the net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, and initially
is expected to be invested in U.S. Government securities and other federal
agency securities. See pages 26 and 27.
DIVIDENDS
The Company does not initially intend to pay a dividend, although it
may consider the payment of such dividends in the future. Future decisions as to
whether or not to declare dividends by the Company will depend upon a number of
factors including investment opportunities available to the Company or the
Association and the Company's financial condition and results of operations. If
the Company decides to pay dividends on the Common Stock, the Mutual Holding
Company may waive its receipt of cash dividends, subject to regulatory approval.
See pages 27 and 28.
THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
In furtherance of its commitment to its local community, the Company
intends to establish the Charitable Foundation as part of the Reorganization.
Upon completion of the Reorganization, the Company will contribute 1.96% of its
to-be issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock to the Charitable
Foundation. By forming the Charitable Foundation, the Company will recognize an
expense equal to the value of the shares contributed, less applicable tax
benefits, during the quarter in which the contribution is made, which is
expected to be the calendar quarter ending December 31, 1998. Such expense will
reduce earnings and have a material impact on the Company's earnings for such
quarter and for the year ending March 31, 1999. See "Risk Factors--The Expense
Effect and Dilutive Effect of the Contribution of Shares to the Charitable
Foundation," "Pro Forma Data," and "The Reorganization and
Offering--Establishment of the Charitable Foundation--Structure of the
Charitable Foundation." Due to the issuance of shares of Common Stock to the
Charitable Foundation, both the Mutual Holding Company and persons purchasing in
the Offering will have their ownership and voting interests diluted. The Mutual
Holding Company and persons purchasing shares of Common Stock will have their
ownership and voting interests in the Company diluted by approximately 1.96%. As
a result, the Mutual Holding Company's voting and ownership interest in the
Company will decrease from 55.0% to 53.92% and persons purchasing shares will
have their ownership and voting interests in the Company decreased from 45.0% to
44.12%.
MARKET FOR THE COMMON STOCK
The Company has never issued capital stock. The Company expects that
the Common Stock will be quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
"SFFS," and has filed an application with the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
requesting to be listed and quoted thereon. However, there can be no assurance
that an active and liquid trading market in the Common Stock will develop or be
maintained. The requirements for listing include a minimum number of publicly
traded shares, market makers and record holders, and a minimum market
capitalization. Sandler O'Neill has indicated its intention to make a market in
the Common Stock, subject to compliance with applicable provisions of federal
and state securities laws and other regulatory requirements, although Sandler
O'Neill is not required to do so. If you purchase shares, you may not be able to
sell them when you want to at a price that is equal to or more than the price
you paid. See page 28.
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PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
SELLING OR ASSIGNING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS IS ILLEGAL. IF YOU
EXERCISE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO CERTIFY THAT YOU ARE
PURCHASING SHARES SOLELY FOR YOUR OWN ACCOUNT AND THAT YOU HAVE NO AGREEMENT OR
UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF SUCH SHARES. THE ASSOCIATION
INTENDS TO PURSUE ANY AND ALL LEGAL AND EQUITABLE REMEDIES IN THE EVENT THE
ASSOCIATION BECOMES AWARE OF THE TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS, AND THE
ASSOCIATION WILL NOT HONOR ORDERS KNOWN TO INVOLVE THE TRANSFER OF SUCH RIGHTS.
IN ADDITION, PERSONS WHO VIOLATE THE PURCHASE LIMITATIONS MAY BE SUBJECT TO
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE OTS. CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING SHARES OF
COMMON STOCK PURCHASED IN THE SUBSCRIPTION OFFERING MUST BE REGISTERED IN THE
NAME OF THE ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT HOLDER OR, SUPPLEMENTAL ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT HOLDER OR
OTHER MEMBER, AS THE CASE MAY BE. JOINT STOCK REGISTRATION WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY
IF THE QUALIFYING DEPOSIT ACCOUNT IS SO REGISTERED.
IMPORTANT RISKS IN PURCHASING AND OWNING THE COMMON STOCK
Before you decide to purchase Common Stock in the Offering, you should
read the "Risk Factors" section on pages 17 through 22 of this Prospectus, in
addition to the other sections of this Prospectus.
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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
The following selected historical financial data at and for each of the
years in the five-year period ended March 31, 1998 is derived in part from the
audited financial statements of the Association. The following selected
financial data of the Association is qualified in its entirety by, and should be
read in conjunction with, the financial statements, including the notes thereto,
included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
AT MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
SELECTED FINANCIAL CONDITION DATA:
Total assets........................................... $ 254,749 $ 242,983 $230,026 $214,225 $204,283
Loans, net............................................. 128,558 121,617 113,532 108,584 104,127
Mortgage-backed securities:(1)
Held to maturity..................................... 53,421 52,901 48,307 40,046 --
Held for investment.................................. -- -- -- -- 36,332
Other securities(1) :
Held to maturity..................................... 11,477 10,452 11,184 13,005 --
Held for investment.................................. -- -- -- -- 12,013
Available for sale................................... 2,994 1,995 1,994 1,986 --
Deposits............................................... 219,913 211,223 200,611 186,951 179,980
Equity................................................. 31,901 29,017 26,726 24,325 21,591
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
SELECTED OPERATING DATA:
Interest and dividend income........................... $ 17,618 $ 16,637 $ 15,732 $ 14,033 $ 13,429
Interest expense....................................... 8,743 7,917 7,848 5,594 5,278
--------- --------- -------- -------- --------
Net interest income.................................. 8,875 8,720 7,884 8,439 8,151
Provision for loan losses.............................. 155 146 98 82 82
--------- --------- -------- -------- --------
Net interest income after provision for loan losses 8,720 8,574 7,786 8,357 8,069
Noninterest income..................................... 186 301 208 201 236
Noninterest expense (excluding special assessment) 3,956 4,028 3,865 3,526 3,311
SAIF special assessment(2)............................. -- 1,232 -- -- --
--------- --------- -------- -------- --------
Income before income tax expense..................... 4,950 3,615 4,129 5,032 4,994
Income tax expense..................................... 2,065 1,325 1,732 2,290 2,149
--------- --------- -------- -------- --------
Net income........................................... $ 2,885 $ 2,290 $ 2,397 $ 2,742 $ 2,845
========= ========= ======== ======== ========
(footnotes on next page)
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AT OR FOR THE
YEAR ENDED MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
SELECTED FINANCIAL RATIOS AND OTHER DATA:
PERFORMANCE RATIOS:
Return on assets (ratio of net income to average total assets)(3) 1.16% 0.97% 1.09% 1.33% 1.47%
Return on equity (ratio of net income to average equity)(3) ..... 9.47 8.17 9.35 11.89 14.08
Average interest rate spread(3)(4) .............................. 3.29 3.42 3.31 3.91 4.10
Net interest margin(3)(5) ....................................... 3.69 3.78 3.68 4.23 4.34
Efficiency ratio(6) ............................................. 43.66 44.65 47.76 40.81 39.48
Noninterest expense to average total assets(3)(7) ............... 1.60 2.22 1.75 1.71 1.71
Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing
liabilities(3) ................................................ 110.98 110.51 110.04 109.40 108.40
ASSET QUALITY RATIOS:
Nonperforming assets to total assets ............................ 0.82 0.98 1.37 1.17 0.87
Nonperforming loans to total loans .............................. 1.50 1.83 2.65 2.04 1.63
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans ................ 50.26 37.32 23.48 29.03 33.08
Allowance for loan losses to total loans ........................ 0.75 0.68 0.62 0.59 0.54
CAPITAL RATIOS:
Equity to total assets at end of period ......................... 12.52 11.94 11.62 11.35 10.57
Average equity to average assets for the period ................. 12.29 11.82 11.60 11.20 10.43
OTHER DATA:
Number of full-service offices .................................. 3 3 3 3 3
- -------------------------
(1) The Association has classified its securities as "held to maturity" or
"available for sale" since April 1, 1994, when it adopted Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 115, "Accounting for Certain
Investments in Debt and Equity Securities." Prior thereto, all
securities were classified as "held for investment."
(2) Represents the Association's share of a special assessment imposed on
all financial institutions with deposits insured by the Savings
Association Insurance Fund (the "SAIF"). See "Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations--Comparison of Results of Operations for the Years Ended
March 31, 1998 and 1997."
(3) Ratio is based on average monthly balances during the indicated
periods.
(4) The average interest rate spread represents the difference between the
weighted-average yield on interest-earning assets and the
weighted-average cost of interest-bearing liabilities for the period.
(5) The net interest margin represents net interest income as a percent of
average interest-earning assets for the period.
(6) The efficiency ratio represents noninterest expense (other than the
special assessment described in note (2) in fiscal 1997) divided by the
sum of net interest income and noninterest income.
(7) Excluding the SAIF special assessment described in note (2), the ratio
of noninterest expense to average total assets for fiscal 1997 was
1.70%.
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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The following tables set forth certain financial and other information
of the Association for the periods and as of the dates indicated. The financial
data as of March 31, 1998 has been derived in part from the audited financial
statements of the Association and notes thereto presented elsewhere in the
Prospectus. The financial data as of June 30, 1998 and 1997 and for the
three-month periods then ended has been derived in part from unaudited financial
statements of the Association which, in the opinion of management, include all
adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for the fair
presentation of such information. The results of operations for the three months
ended June 30, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations
which may be expected for the year ending March 31, 1999.
At At
June 30, 1998 March 31, 1998
------------- --------------
(In Thousands)
SELECTED FINANCIAL CONDITION DATA:
Total assets.................................................... $ 256,753 $254,749
Loans, net...................................................... 130,503 128,558
Mortgage-backed securities held to maturity..................... 53,489 53,421
Other securities:
Held to maturity.............................................. 12,046 11,477
Available for sale............................................ 2,998 2,994
Deposits........................................................ 222,200 219,913
Equity.......................................................... 32,644 31,901
Three Months Ended June 30,
----------------------------------
1998 1997
------------- --------------
(In Thousands)
SELECTED OPERATING DATA:
Interest and dividend income.................................... $ 4,544 $ 4,345
Interest expense................................................ 2,256 2,125
--------- --------
Net interest income........................................... 2,288 2,220
Provision for loan losses....................................... 81 37
--------- --------
Net interest income after provision for loan losses........... 2,207 2,183
Noninterest income.............................................. 50 55
Noninterest expense............................................. 994 931
--------- --------
Income before income tax expense.............................. 1,263 1,307
Income tax expense.............................................. 517 545
--------- --------
Net income.................................................... $ 746 $ 762
========= ========
At or for the Three Months Ended June 30,
-----------------------------------------
1998 1997
---- ----
SELECTED FINANCIAL RATIOS AND OTHER DATA:
PERFORMANCE RATIOS (1):
Return on assets (ratio of net income to average total assets) 1.17% 1.25%
Return on equity (ratio of net income to average equity) 9.24 10.41
Average interest rate spread.................................. 3.28 3.35
Net interest margin........................................... 3.70 3.73
Efficiency ratio.............................................. 42.51 40.92
Noninterest expense to average total assets................... 1.56 1.52
Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing
liabilities ................................................ 111.30 110.70
ASSET QUALITY RATIOS:
Nonperforming assets to total assets.......................... 0.62 1.06
Nonperforming loans to total loans............................ 1.11 2.00
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans.............. 72.30 35.44
Allowance for loan losses to total loans...................... 0.81 0.71
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At or for the Three Months Ended June 30,
-----------------------------------------
1998 1997
---- ----
CAPITAL RATIOS:
Equity to total assets at end of period......................... 12.71% 12.09%
Average equity to average assets for the period................. 12.66 11.96
OTHER DATA:
Number of full-service offices.................................. 3 3
- ----------------------
(1) Where applicable, ratios for the three-month periods were annualized
and computed based on the monthly average balances.
REGULATORY CAPITAL
The table below sets forth the Association's regulatory capital at June 30,
1998:
AMOUNT PERCENT
------ -------
(Dollars in Thousands)
Equity under generally accepted accounting principles............. $ 32,644 12.71%
---------- ----------
Tangible capital.................................................. $ 32,644 12.71%
Tangible capital requirement...................................... 3,851 1.50
---------- ----------
Excess............................................................ $ 28,793 11.21%
---------- ----------
Core capital...................................................... $ 32,644 12.71%
Core capital requirement.......................................... 7,703 3.00
---------- ----------
Excess............................................................ $ 24,941 9.71%
---------- ----------
Risk-based capital................................................ $ 33,709 35.33%
Risk-based capital requirement.................................... 7,634 8.00
---------- ----------
Excess............................................................ $ 26,075 27.33%
---------- ----------
COMPARISON OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT JUNE 30, 1998 AND MARCH 31, 1998
ASSETS. Total assets increased by $2.0 million, or 0.8%, to $256.7
million at June 30, 1998 as compared to $254.7 million at March 31, 1998. This
increase resulted primarily from a $1.9 million increase in net loans to $130.5
million at June 30, 1998 from $128.6 million at March 31, 1998. In addition,
securities held to maturity increased slightly to $65.5 million at June 30, 1998
from $64.9 million at March 31, 1998. Asset growth was funded through deposit
inflows and cash provided by the Association's operations. Overall asset growth
reflected the Association's strategy of investing in fixed rate residential
mortgage loans, short term liquid investments and adjustable rate
mortgage-backed securities. The increase in loans resulted primarily from the
increased demand for fixed rate mortgage loans in the current low interest rate
environment. The increase in investments held to maturity resulted primarily
from the investment of funds provided by deposit in flows in excess of loan
demand.
LIABILITIES. Deposits increased to $222.2 million at June 30, 1998 from
$219.9 million at March 31, 1998. The deposit growth reflected an increase of
$3.6 million, or 3.0% in certificate accounts, partially offset by a $1.3
million, or 1.3% decrease in passbook and other accounts. The increase in
certificate accounts was due primarily to the Association's marketing efforts.
EQUITY. Total equity increased $743,000 to $32.6 million at June 30,
1998 from $31.9 million at March 31, 1998. This increase was due primarily to
net income of $746,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 1998.
COMPARISON OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998 AND
1997
NET INCOME. Net income was $746,000 for the three months ended June 30,
1998 compared to $762,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1997. The $16,000
decrease in net income was due primarily to a $63,000
14
17
increase in noninterest expenses to $994,000 and a $44,000 increase in the
provision for loan losses to $81,000, partially offset by a $68,000 increase in
net interest income to $2.3 million and a $28,000 decrease in income tax expense
to $517,000.
INTEREST INCOME. Interest income increased $199,000, or 4.6%, to $4.5
million for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $4.3 million for
the same period in 1997. This increase was due to a $9.7 million increase in the
average balance of interest-earning assets to $247.6 million and a 3 basis point
increase in the average yield on interest-earning assets to 7.34%.
Interest income on loans totaled $2.7 million for the three months
ended June 30, 1998 compared to $2.5 million for the same period in 1997. This
$189,000, or 7.4%, increase was due to an $8.2 million increase in the average
balance of loans to $129.9 million and a 6 basis point increase in the yield on
loans to 8.43%.
Interest income on mortgage-backed securities remained virtually
unchanged at $873,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to
$872,000 for the same period in 1997. The average balance of mortgage-backed
securities was $53.6 million for the 1998 period compared to $53.0 million for
the 1997 period. The increase in the average balance was offset by a 7 basis
point decrease in the average yield on mortgage-backed securities to 6.51% for
the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to 6.58% for the three months
ended June 30, 1997. Interest income on federal funds sold increased $17,000, or
3.6%, to $494,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $477,000
for the three months ended June 30, 1997. This increase was due to an $850,000
increase in the average balance of federal funds sold to $35.0 million, and a 6
basis point increase in the yield earned on federal funds to 5.65%.
Interest income on certificates of deposit decreased by $11,000 to
$178,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $189,000 for the
three months ended June 30, 1997. For these periods, the average balances of
certificates of deposit were $11.6 million and $12.4 million, respectively, and
the average yields earned were 6.12% and 6.09%, respectively.
INTEREST EXPENSE. Interest expense totalled to $2.3 million for the
three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $2.1 million for the same period in
1997. The $131,000 or 6.2% increase was due to a $7.6 million increase in the
average balance of interest-bearing liabilities to $222.5 million. The average
cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased from 3.96% to 4.06%. The increase
in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities was due primarily to an
$8.3 million increase in the average balance of certificates of deposit to
$120.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to the same
period in 1997. Interest expense on certificates of deposit totaled $1.6 million
for three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $1.5 million for the same
period in the prior year. In addition to the increase in the average balance,
the average cost of certificates of deposit increased 8 basis points to 5.36%.
Certificates of deposit comprised 54.1% of the average interest-bearing
liabilities during the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to 52.2% for
the same period in 1997, reflecting growth in certificate accounts attributable
to the Association's marketing efforts. Total interest expense on other deposit
accounts (passbook, club, money market and NOW accounts) was $632,000 for the
three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $635,000 for the same period in
1997. For these periods, the average balances of such accounts was $100.5
million and $101.2 million, respectively, and the average cost was 2.52% for
both periods.
NET INTEREST INCOME. Net interest income was $2.3 million and $2.2
million for the three months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively. For
these periods, the Association's average interest rate spread was 3.28% and
3.35%, respectively, and the net interest margin was 3.70% and 3.73%,
respectively. The ratio of average interest-earning assets to average
interest-bearing liabilities was 111.30% and 110.70% for the three months ended
June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively.
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES. The provision for loan losses was $81,000
and $37,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively. The
provisions for loan losses represents charges to income in order
15
18
to maintain the allowance for loan losses at a level which is adequate to cover
probable losses inherent in the existing loan portfolio. The allowance for loan
losses consists of amounts specifically allocated to nonperforming loans and
potential problem loans (if any) as well as allowances determined for each major
loan category. Loan categories, such as single-family residential mortgages and
consumer loans (which represented 94.4% and 1.0%, respectively, of the
Association's total loans at June 30, 1998) are generally evaluated on an
aggregate or "pool" basis. In recent years, the Association's allowance for loan
losses was predominately determined on a pool basis by applying loss factors to
the current balances of the various loan categories. The loss factors are
determined by management based on an evaluation of historical loss experience,
delinquency trends, volume and type of lending conducted, and the impact of
current economic conditions in the Association's market area. The allowance for
loan losses was $1.1 million, or 0.81% of total loans at June 30, 1998, compared
to $984,000 or 0.75% of total loans at March 31, 1998, and $881,000 or 0.71% at
June 30, 1997. The increases in the allowance for loan losses were made in light
of the continued growth in the loan portfolio and management's ongoing
assessment of the inherent risk in the portfolio. Management regularly reviews
the Association's loan portfolio and makes provisions for loan losses in order
to maintain the adequacy of the allowance. At June 30, 1998, the allowance for
loan losses as a percentage of total nonperforming loans was 72.30%, compared to
50.26% at March 31, 1998 and 35.44% at June 30, 1997.
NONINTEREST INCOME. Non-interest income totaled $50,000 and $55,000 for
the three months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively. Non-interest income
primarily consists of service charges and fees.
NONINTEREST EXPENSE. Non-interest expense totaled $994,000 for the
three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to $931,000 for the same period in
1997, representing a $63,000 increase. Compensation and benefits increased
$30,000 to $542,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1998 compared to the
three months ended June 30, 1997. For those same periods, other non-interest
expense increased $69,000, and occupancy and equipment expense decreased
$46,000.
INCOME TAX EXPENSE. Income tax expense was $517,000 and $545,000 for
the three months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively. The effective tax
rates for these periods were 40.9% and 41.7%, respectively.
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19
RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information in this Prospectus, you should
consider carefully the following risk factors in evaluating an investment in the
Common Stock.
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES AND THE CURRENT INTEREST RATE
ENVIRONMENT
The Association's profitability, like that of most financial
institutions, depends substantially on its net interest income, which is the
difference between the interest income earned on interest-earning assets (such
as loans and securities) and the interest expense paid on interest-bearing
liabilities (such as deposits). The Association's net interest income is
affected primarily by market interest rates and the amount, maturity and yield
on the Association's interest-earning assets relative to the amount, maturity
and cost of its interest-bearing liabilities. If an institution's
interest-earning assets have longer effective maturities than its
interest-bearing liabilities, the yield on the institution's interest-earning
assets generally will adjust more slowly than the cost of its interest-bearing
liabilities and, as a result, the institution's net interest income and interest
rate spread would be adversely affected by material and prolonged increases in
interest rates.
The Association's primary lending activity is the origination of
fixed-rate mortgage loans with terms of up to 30 years, and a substantial
percentage of the Association's interest-earning assets have longer effective
maturities than its interest-bearing liabilities. Accordingly, an increase in
interest rates generally would result in a decrease in the Association's average
interest rate spread and net interest income. During the year ended March 31,
1998, the Association originated $28.6 million of loans with fixed rates of
interest, which represented 99.0% of all loans originated by the Association
during the year. Furthermore, at March 31, 1998, $124.0 million, or 95.1%, of
the Association's loan portfolio consisted of fixed rate loans. The Association
has sought to improve the interest rate sensitivity of its interest-earning
assets by investing in adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities and in shorter
term investment securities, federal funds sold and certificates of deposit at
other financial institutions. At March 31, 1998, the Association had $52.2
million of adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities, which represented 20.5%
of total assets and $8.0 million of other securities with terms of five years or
less, which represented 3.1% of total assets. Moreover, at March 31, 1998, the
Association had invested $47.9 million, or 18.8% of total assets, in federal
funds sold and in short-term certificates of deposit. By investing in
short-term, liquid securities the Association believes it is better positioned
to react to increases in market interest rates. However, investments in shorter
term securities generally bear lower yields than longer term investments. These
strategies may result in the Association receiving less interest income than
could be obtained by investing in longer term fixed rate loans. The Association
has also emphasized offering certificate of deposit accounts which mature in two
years or less. At March 31, 1998, the Association had $108.9 million of
certificate of deposit accounts with remaining terms to maturity of one year or
less. By emphasizing short-term certificate of deposit accounts in a rising
interest rate environment, the Association may experience an increased cost of
funds in order to retain maturing certificates of deposit. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations--Management of Market Risk-Interest Rate Risk."
Changes in interest rates can also affect the average life of loans and
mortgage-backed securities. Relatively lower interest rates in recent periods
have resulted in increased prepayments of loans and mortgage-backed securities,
as borrowers have refinanced their mortgages to reduce their borrowing costs.
Under these circumstances, the Association is subject to risk to the extent that
it is not able to reinvest such prepayments at rates which are comparable to the
rates on the prepaid loans or securities. Moreover, volatility in interest rates
can also result in the flow of funds away from the Association into investments
such as U.S. Government and corporate securities and other investments that
generally pay higher rates of return than the rates paid on deposits by savings
institutions.
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20
POSSIBLE INCREASE IN INDEPENDENT VALUATION AND NUMBER OF SHARES SOLD - DILUTION
OF OWNERSHIP INTERESTS OF PURCHASERS
As a result of changes in market and economic conditions, the
Independent Valuation may increase when it is updated at the conclusion of the
Offering, and, in such event, the number of shares to be sold in the Offering
would increase. INVESTORS WILL NOT BE RESOLICITED UNLESS THE INDEPENDENT
VALUATION INCREASES BY MORE THAN 15%, OR TO MORE THAN $77,895,250, OR THE NUMBER
OF SHARES SOLD IN THE OFFERING INCREASES BY MORE THAN 15%, OR TO MORE THAN
3,505,286 SHARES. If the Independent Valuation increases, then the interests of
those who purchase shares in the Offering would be diluted because more shares
would be outstanding at the conclusion of the Offering. See "Pro Forma Data" and
"The Reorganization and Offering--Stock Pricing and Number of Shares to be
Issued."
REDUCED RETURN ON EQUITY AFTER REORGANIZATION
Return on equity (net income for a given period divided by average
equity during that period) is a ratio used by many investors to compare the
performance of a particular financial institution to its peers. The
Association's equity as a percentage of assets will significantly increase as a
result of the net proceeds received in the Offering. The Association anticipates
that it will take time to prudently deploy the capital raised in the Offering.
Consequently, the Company's post-Reorganization return on equity is expected to
be less than the average return on equity for publicly traded thrift
institutions and their holding companies. See "Selected Financial and Other Data
of Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association" for numerical information
regarding the Association's historical return on equity and "Capitalization" for
a discussion of the Company's estimated pro forma consolidated capitalization as
a result of the Reorganization and Offering. In addition, the expenses
associated with the ESOP and the Stock Award Plan, along with other ongoing
post-Reorganization expenses, are expected to contribute initially to reduced
earnings. See "Pro Forma Data." In the short term, the Association will have
difficulty in improving its interest rate spread and thus the return on equity
to stockholders. Consequently, for the foreseeable future, investors should not
expect a return on equity that will meet or exceed the average return on equity
for publicly traded thrift institutions, and no assurances can be given that
this goal can be attained.
THE EXPENSE AND DILUTIVE EFFECT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF SHARES TO THE CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION
Pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization, the Association intends to
establish a Charitable Foundation in connection with the Reorganization. In
addition to the shares to be sold to depositors and the public, the Company
intends to contribute shares to the Charitable Foundation equal to 1.96% of the
shares outstanding after the Offering, or 117,682 shares at the midpoint of the
Offering Range, which contribution would have a value equal to $1,176,820 based
upon the Common Stock's initial offering price of $10.00 per share. Due to the
issuance of shares of Common Stock to the Charitable Foundation, the Mutual
Holding Company and persons purchasing shares in the Offering will have their
voting and ownership interests in the Company diluted by approximately 1.96%.
Consequently, the Mutual Holding Company's ownership and voting interests in the
Company will decrease from 55.0% to 53.92%, and the ownership and voting
interests of persons purchasing Common Stock will decrease from 45.0% to 44.12%.
The contribution of Common Stock to the Charitable Foundation will have an
adverse impact on the reported earnings of the Company in fiscal 1999, the
fiscal year in which the Charitable Foundation is to be established and the
contribution made. If the Charitable Foundation had been established at March
31, 1998, the Association would have reported net income of $2.2 million,
compared to net income of $2.9 million actually reported for the year. Upon
completion of the Reorganization, the Charitable Foundation will own
approximately 1.96% of the total shares of the Common Stock to be issued and
outstanding. The OTS has imposed a condition (which may be waived in certain
circumstances) on its approval of the Reorganization that the shares held by the
Charitable Foundation will be voted in the same ratio as all other shares of the
Company as to any proposals considered by the stockholders. The establishment of
the Charitable Foundation is subject to the approval of the Association's
members. See "The Reorganization and Offering--Establishment of the Charitable
Foundation."
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CONTROL BY CURRENT DIRECTORS
As the majority stockholder of the Company, the Mutual Holding Company
will be able to elect all of the directors of the Company and direct its
business and affairs. The Company will be controlled by its Board of Directors
which will consist initially of those persons who currently are directors of the
Association. After the Reorganization, the initial Board of Directors of the
Mutual Holding Company will also consist of those persons who currently are
members of the Board of Directors of the Association. As a result, it is
expected that the Board of Directors of the Mutual Holding Company will exercise
control over the Mutual Holding Company and, consequently, may be capable of
perpetuating the Board of Directors and management of the Mutual Holding
Company, the Company and the Association. Executive officers and directors of
the Company will own 2.5% of the Common Stock outstanding at the completion of
the Offering (assuming shares are sold at the midpoint of the Offering Range and
executive officers and directors receive all the shares for which they are
expected to subscribe). Assuming shares are sold at the midpoint of the Offering
Range and including shares held by the Mutual Holding Company, directors may
control up to 56.4% of the Common Stock following the Offering. Such percentage
may increase if the Stock Award Plan and Stock Option Plan are approved by the
stockholders. THE PURCHASERS OF THE COMMON STOCK IN THE OFFERING WILL BE
MINORITY STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY AND WILL HAVE LIMITED INFLUENCE IN ELECTING
DIRECTORS OR OTHERWISE DIRECTING THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY AS LONG AS THE
MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY REMAINS IN EXISTENCE. THE COMPANY'S FEDERAL CHARTER WILL
PROHIBIT CUMULATIVE VOTING. THEREFORE, THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY WILL HAVE THE
POWER TO ELECT ALL THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY. NO ASSURANCES CAN BE GIVEN THAT
THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY WILL NOT TAKE ACTION THAT INDIVIDUAL MINORITY
STOCKHOLDERS BELIEVE TO BE CONTRARY TO THEIR INTERESTS.
WAIVER OF DIVIDENDS BY THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY
The Company does not initially intend to pay dividends on its Common
Stock. However, in the event the Company pays cash dividends, the Mutual Holding
Company may, if permitted by regulatory authorities, waive the receipt of such
dividends if the Mutual Holding Company's board of directors determines that
such waiver is in the best interests of the Mutual Holding Company. The Board of
Directors of the Association, which will be the initial Board of Directors of
the Mutual Holding Company, currently believes that it will be in the best
interests of the Mutual Holding Company to waive the receipt of cash dividends.
A waiver of cash dividends by the Mutual Holding Company will result in a
greater likelihood that dividends will be paid to Minority Stockholders. There
is no assurance that the Mutual Holding Company will waive the receipt of cash
dividends, and any dividend waiver by the Mutual Holding Company will require
the prior approval of the OTS.
MINORITY PUBLIC OWNERSHIP AND CERTAIN ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS
VOTING CONTROL OF THE MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY. Under OTS regulations and
the Plan of Reorganization, a majority of the Company's voting shares must be
owned by the Mutual Holding Company, and the Mutual Holding Company will own
53.92% of the Common Stock outstanding at the completion of the Offering. The
Mutual Holding Company will be controlled by its executive officers and
directors, who initially will consist of persons who are executive officers and
directors of the Company. Assuming shares are sold at the midpoint of the
Offering Range and including shares held by the Mutual Holding Company,
executive officers and directors may control up to 56.4% of the Common Stock
outstanding following the Offering. Such percentage may increase assuming the
exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Plan and the
awards of shares under the Stock Award Plan. The Mutual Holding Company will
elect all members of the Board of Directors of the Company and, with certain
exceptions, will control the outcome of matters presented to the stockholders of
the Company for resolution by vote. The situations in which the Mutual Holding
Company may not control the outcome of such vote include any stockholder vote to
approve a restricted stock plan or stock option plan implemented within one year
of the Offering (which would require the approval of a majority of the shares
other than shares held by the Mutual Holding Company), any stockholder vote
relating to the Mutual Holding Company's conversion from the mutual to the stock
form of organization, the decision to contribute additional Common Stock to the
Charitable Foundation (which must be approved by a majority of the Minority
Stockholders) or any other stockholder vote in which the OTS may impose
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such a requirement. The Mutual Holding Company, acting through its Board of
Directors, will be able to control the business and operations of the Company
and the Association and will be able to prevent any challenge to the ownership
or control of the Company by stockholders other than the Mutual Holding Company.
Although OTS regulations and the Plan of Reorganization permit the Mutual
Holding Company to convert from the mutual to the capital stock form of
organization, there can be no assurance when, if ever, a conversion of the
Mutual Holding Company will occur.
PROVISIONS IN THE COMPANY'S AND THE ASSOCIATION'S GOVERNING
INSTRUMENTS. In addition, certain provisions of the Company's Charter and
Bylaws, as well as certain federal regulations will assist the Company in
maintaining its status as an independent, publicly owned corporation. These
provisions provide for, among other things, staggered boards of directors, no
cumulative voting for directors and limits on the calling of special meetings of
shareholders.
CONVERSION OF MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY TO STOCK FORM - IMPACT OF WAIVED DIVIDENDS
ON MINORITY STOCKHOLDERS AND LIMITATIONS ON STOCKHOLDER PURCHASES IN A
CONVERSION TRANSACTION
OTS regulations permit a mutual holding company to convert to stock
form (a "Conversion Transaction"). The Plan provides that in a Conversion
Transaction, the Mutual Holding Company may merge into the Company or the
Association, with either the Company or the Association as the surviving entity,
and depositors of the Association will have the right to subscribe for shares of
Common Stock of the Company or its successor. The additional shares of Common
Stock would be sold at their aggregate pro forma market value as determined by
an independent appraisal at the time of the Conversion Transaction. Pursuant to
the Plan, in any Conversion Transaction the Minority Stockholders will be
entitled to maintain the same percentage ownership interest in the Company after
the Conversion Transaction as their percentage ownership interest in the Company
immediately before the Conversion Transaction (the "Minority Ownership
Interest"), subject only to the following adjustments if required by federal
law, regulation or policy to reflect: (i) the cumulative effect of the aggregate
amount of dividends waived by the Mutual Holding Company, and (ii) the market
value of the Mutual Holding Company's assets other than its Common Stock of the
Company. Pursuant to OTS policy and the Association's Plan, the benefit to
Minority Stockholders of any dividends waived by the Mutual Holding Company must
be taken into account in any Conversion Transaction, and would likely reduce the
percentage of Common Stock of the Company owned by Minority Stockholders
following a Conversion Transaction.
The adjustment referred to in clause (i) of the preceding paragraph
would require that the Minority Ownership Interest be adjusted by multiplying
the Minority Ownership Interest (expressed as a percentage) immediately prior to
the Conversion Transaction by the following fraction:
(Company stockholders' equity immediately prior to Conversion Transaction) -
(aggregate amount of dividends waived by Mutual Holding Company)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Company stockholders' equity immediately prior to Conversion Transaction
The adjustment referred to in clause (ii) above would further adjust
the Minority Ownership Interest (expressed as a percentage) by multiplying it by
the following fraction:
(pro forma market value of Company) - (market value of assets of Mutual
Holding Company other than Company Common Stock)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pro forma market value of Company
At the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Mutual Holding
Company and the Company, a Conversion Transaction may be effected in any other
manner necessary to qualify the Conversion Transaction as a tax-free
reorganization under applicable federal and state tax laws, provided such
Conversion Transaction does not diminish the rights and ownership interest of
Minority Stockholders. Management of the Association has no current intention to
conduct a Conversion Transaction. A Conversion Transaction would require the
approval of applicable federal regulators and a majority of the eligible votes
of the members of the Mutual Holding Company.
In addition, if the Mutual Holding Company conducts a Conversion
Transaction, the Plan of Conversion or OTS policy will require that shares of
the resulting entity received by Minority Stockholders in exchange for their
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shares of Common Stock be included in determining whether a purchaser has
reached the maximum purchase limitation applicable to the Stock Offering
conducted as part of the Conversion Transaction. If this occurs, certain
Minority Stockholders will be unable to fully exercise their subscription
rights, and in certain circumstances may be required by the OTS to divest shares
of Common Stock. A Conversion Transaction and related contribution to the
Charitable Foundation must be voted on separately and receive the affirmative
vote of a majority of (i) all shares of Common Stock outstanding, (ii) shares of
Common Stock held by Minority Stockholders, and (iii) votes eligible to be cast
by the Mutual Holding Company's members.
COMPETITION
Numerous commercial banks and savings institutions have branches in the
immediate vicinity of the Association. There is strong competition from
financial institutions and mortgage brokers in the Association's local market,
as well as from mutual funds, in both originating loans and attracting funds.
The Association's primary competitors are other savings institutions, commercial
banks, mortgage banking companies and mortgage brokers. Trends toward the
consolidation of the financial institutions industry and removal of restrictions
on interstate banking and branching may make it more difficult for smaller
institutions such as the Association to compete effectively with large national
and regional banking institutions. Such competition may have an adverse effect
on the Association's growth and profitability in the future. See "Competition."
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION OF LOANS
The Association's mortgage loans are secured by real estate properties
located primarily in Westchester County, New York. If the local economy,
national economy or real estate market weakens, the financial condition and
results of operations of the Association could be adversely affected. A
weakening in the local real estate market or a decline in the local economy
could increase the number of delinquent or nonperforming loans and reduce the
value of the collateral securing such loans, which would reduce the
Association's net income.
INTENT TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT
The Association has operated as an independent community-oriented
savings association since 1891. The Association intends to continue to operate
as an independent community-oriented savings association following the
Reorganization. The Association and the Company will be controlled by the Mutual
Holding Company, and, under current OTS policy, control of the Mutual Holding
Company may not be sold to a third party. Accordingly, you are urged not to
subscribe for shares of Common Stock if you are anticipating a sale of control
of the Association or the Company. See "Business of the Association."
LACK OF ACTIVE MARKET FOR THE COMMON STOCK
The Company has never issued capital stock to the public, and there can
be no assurance that an active and liquid trading market for the Common Stock
will develop or be maintained. It is anticipated that the Common Stock will be
quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "SFFS," and has filed an
application with the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. requesting to be listed and
quoted thereon. Sandler O'Neill has indicated its intention to make a market in
the Common Stock, subject to compliance with applicable provisions of federal
and state securities laws and other regulatory requirements, although Sandler
O'Neill is not required to do so. If you purchase shares of Common Stock, you
may not be able to sell them when you want to at a price that equals or exceeds
the price you paid for the Common Stock.
EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH ESOP AND STOCK AWARD PLAN
The Association will recognize material employee compensation and
benefit expenses assuming the ESOP and the Stock Award Plan are implemented. The
actual aggregate amount of these new expenses cannot be predicted
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at the present time because applicable accounting practices require that such
expenses be measured based on the fair market value of the shares of Common
Stock. In the case of the ESOP, fair market value would be measured when shares
are committed to be released for allocation to the ESOP participants; in the
case of the Stock Award Plan, fair market value would be measured at the grant
date and amortized over the award's vesting period. These expenses have been
reflected in the pro forma financial information under "Pro Forma Data" assuming
the Purchase Price ($10.00 per share) represents the fair market value for
accounting purposes. Actual expenses, however, will be based on the fair market
value of the Common Stock at future dates, which may be higher or lower than the
Purchase Price. See "Executive Compensation and Related Transactions of the
Association--Benefits--Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust" and
"--Benefits--Stock Award Plan."
DILUTIVE EFFECT OF STOCK AWARD PLAN, STOCK OPTION PLAN AND ESOP
If the Reorganization and Offering are completed and stockholders
approve the Stock Award Plan and Stock Option Plan, the Company intends to issue
shares of Common Stock to officers and directors of the Association through
these plans. If the shares for these plans are issued from the Company's
authorized but unissued Common Stock, the book value and earnings per share of
minority stockholders would be diluted, and the trading price of the Company's
Common Stock may be reduced. It is expected that earnings per share would be
reduced by approximately $0.02 and stockholders' equity per share would be
reduced by approximately $0.18 as a result of the implementation of the Stock
Award Plan. In addition, it is expected that earnings per share would be reduced
by approximately $0.02 and stockholders' equity per share would be reduced by
approximately $0.37 as a result of establishing the ESOP and funding it with
shares equal to 8% of the Minority Ownership Interest. See "Pro Forma Data" and
"Executive Compensation and Related Transactions of the Association."
CAPABILITY OF THE ASSOCIATION'S DATA PROCESSING TO ACCOMMODATE THE YEAR 2000
Like many financial institutions, the Association relies upon computers
for the daily conduct of its business and for data processing generally. There
is concern that on January 1, 2000 computers will be unable to "read" the new
year and as a consequence, there may be widespread computer malfunctions. The
Association's loan portfolio primarily consists of loans secured by real estate.
Consequently, the Association does not believe that its lending operations are
dependent on borrowers' compliance with the year 2000 issue. The Association
generally relies on independent third parties to provide data processing
services to the Association, and has been advised by such parties that the issue
is being addressed and that it should not affect the Association's external data
processing. The Association is in the process of testing its computer
applications and hardware to ensure that they will be able to read the year
2000, and intends to complete testing by December 1998. Through March 31, 1998,
the costs incurred to address the year 2000 issue had not been significant.
Management does not expect that the additional costs to be incurred in
connection with the year 2000 issue will have a material impact on the
Association's financial condition and results of operations. However, there can
be no assurance that the Association's third party data service provider will be
able to satisfactorily address the year 2000 issue, or that the associated costs
will not exceed management's estimate. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--Capability of the
Association's Data Processing to Accommodate the Year 2000."
RISK OF DELAYED OFFERING
Although the Reorganization and Offering are expected to be completed
within the time periods indicated in this Prospectus, it is possible that
adverse market, economic or other factors may significantly delay the completion
of the Reorganization and Offering, which could significantly increase the costs
of the Reorganization and Offering. See "The Reorganization and Offering."
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PROPOSED PURCHASES BY DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table sets forth the approximate purchases of Common
Stock by each director and executive officer of the Association and their
Associates in the Offering. All shares will be purchased for investment purposes
and not for purposes of resale. This table excludes shares to be purchased by
the ESOP, as well as Stock Award Plan awards and grants under the Stock Option
Plan that may be made no earlier than six months after the completion of the
Reorganization. The table assumes that 2,650,500 shares (the midpoint of the
Offering Range) of Common Stock will be sold at $10.00 per share and that
sufficient shares will be available to satisfy subscriptions.
TOTAL SHARES AGGREGATE PRICE
PROPOSED TO BE OF INTENDED PERCENT OF
NAME POSITION SUBSCRIBED FOR (1) PURCHASES SHARES SOLD
---- -------- ------------------ --------- -----------
Bruno J. Gioffre Chairman of the Board 30,000 $ 300,000 1.13%
Richard P. McStravick President, Chief 25,000 250,000 0.94%
Executive Officer
and Director
Joseph Dinolfo Director 15,000 150,000 0.57%
Donald H. Heithaus Director 20,000 200,000 0.75%
Robert P. Joyce Director 16,000 160,000 0.60%
Joseph A. Lanza Director 14,000 140,000 0.53%
Arthur C. Phillips, Jr. Director 20,000 200,000 0.75%
James Staudt Director 5,000 50,000 0.19%
Stephen P. Milliot Chief Financial Officer 200 2,000 0.01%
and Treasurer
William H. Morel Senior Vice President 7,500 75,000 0.28%
and Secretary ------- ---------- -----
All directors and executive
officers as a group (10 persons) 152,700 $1,527,000 5.76%
======= ========== ====
- ---------------------------
(1) Includes purchases by associates.
SOUND FEDERAL, MHC
The Mutual Holding Company will at all times own a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock. Each member of the Association immediately
prior to the Reorganization will receive the same membership rights in the
Mutual Holding Company after the Reorganization that such person had in the
Association before the Reorganization so long as such member continues to
maintain a deposit account with the Association after the Reorganization, or, in
the case of a borrower member, such member's borrowings from the Association, as
of the effective date of the Reorganization, remain outstanding. Borrowers will
not receive membership rights for any new borrowings from the Stock Association
after the completion of the Reorganization. The Mutual Holding Company will be
chartered as a federal mutual holding company and will be subject to regulation
by the OTS.
Although many federal mutual holding companies waive the receipt of
cash dividends declared by their subsidiaries, the Mutual Holding Company
intends to make such a determination at the time the Company declares a
dividend. OTS regulations require the Mutual Holding Company to give the OTS
prior written notice of any such
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waiver, and the conditions pursuant to which the OTS generally approves dividend
waivers are described in "Regulation--Savings and Loan Holding Company
Regulation." The Mutual Holding Company's Board of Directors will waive
dividends paid by the Company if the Board determines that such a waiver is in
the Mutual Holding Company's members' best interest because, among other
reasons: (i) the Mutual Holding Company has no need for the dividend considering
its business operations; (ii) the cash that would be received could be invested
by the Company or the Association at a more favorable rate of return; (iii) such
waiver may increase the capital of the Association and enhance its business so
that members will continue to have access to the services of the Association;
and (iv) such waiver preserves the net worth of the Mutual Holding Company
through its principal asset (the Company, and indirectly, the Association),
which would be available for distribution in the unlikely event of a voluntary
liquidation of the Company and the Association after satisfaction of claims of
depositors and creditors. The Board of Directors may consider other factors in
determining whether such waiver is consistent with its fiduciary duties to
members of the Mutual Holding Company. Any waiver of dividends by the Mutual
Holding Company is likely to result in an adjustment to the ratio pursuant to
which shares of Common Stock are exchanged for shares of the resulting company
in a Conversion Transaction.
The Mutual Holding Company's Board of Directors may accept dividends
paid by the Company in an amount necessary to pay the Mutual Holding Company's
expenses, and will accept additional dividends if it determines that accepting
such dividends is in the Mutual Holding Company's members' best interest
because, among other reasons: (i) the Mutual Holding Company may increase its
direct ownership of the Company, and indirect ownership of the Association, by
using cash dividends to purchase additional shares of Common Stock in the open
market from time to time; and (ii) such dividends may be used to promote
activities that are in the interest of members and the members' community. Any
purchases of Common Stock by the Mutual Holding Company will increase the
percentage of the Company's Common Stock held by the Mutual Holding Company and,
in a Conversion Transaction, will decrease the aggregate number of shares of the
resulting company issued to Minority Stockholders in exchange for their shares
of Common Stock.
Immediately after the Reorganization, it is expected that the only
business activity of the Mutual Holding Company will be to own a majority of the
Common Stock. The Mutual Holding Company, however, will be authorized to engage
in any other business activities that are permissible for mutual holding
companies under federal law, including investing in loans and securities.
SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP
The Company will be formed as a federal corporation and will own 100%
of the Association's common stock. The Company has not engaged in any business
to date and, for that reason, its financial statements are not included in this
Prospectus. The Company has received approval from the OTS to become a savings
and loan holding company through the acquisition of all of the capital stock of
the Association to be issued and outstanding upon completion of the
Reorganization. The Company will have all of the powers set forth in its Federal
charter and under Federal law. The Company will be subject to the same
restrictions on its permissible business activities under federal law that are
applicable to the Mutual Holding Company.
The Company will retain up to 50% of the net proceeds of the Offering.
Part of the net proceeds will be used to fund a loan to the ESOP, which is
expected to purchase shares of Common Stock up to 8% of the Minority Ownership
Interest. The remainder of the net proceeds will be used for general corporate
purposes. The Company has no specific plans at present regarding
diversification, acquisitions or expansion. The Company initially will not
conduct any active business and does not intend to employ any persons other than
its officers, although it may utilize the Association's support staff from time
to time.
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
The Association was organized as a New York chartered institution in
1891 and became a federally chartered savings association in 1934. The
Association's deposits are insured by the FDIC. The Association currently
conducts its business from its main office in Mamaroneck, and from two
full-service branches located in Harrison and Rye Brook, New York. The
Association is a community-oriented institution engaged primarily in the
business of accepting deposits from customers, most of whom live or work in
Westchester County, and investing these deposits together with funds generated
from operations, in one-to-four family residential mortgage loans and home
equity lines of credit, and, to a much lesser extent, in multi-family and
commercial mortgage, construction and consumer loans. At March 31, 1998, net
loans totalled $128.6 million. The Association also invests in mortgage-backed
and other securities. At March 31, 1998, mortgage-backed securities totalled
$53.4 million and other securities totalled $14.5 million. At March 31, 1998,
the Association had total assets of $254.7 million, total deposits of $219.9
million and total equity of $31.9 million, or 12.5% of total assets.
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE REORGANIZATION
Pursuant to the Plan, the Association will reorganize into a two-tier
mutual holding company structure by forming: (i) the Mutual Holding Company as a
federally-chartered mutual holding company; (ii) the Company as a
federally-chartered stock holding company that will sell 44.12% of its Common
Stock in the Offering, contribute 1.96% of its Common Stock to the Charitable
Foundation, and issue the remaining 53.92% of its Common Stock to the Mutual
Holding Company; and (iii) the Stock Association as a federally-chartered stock
savings association that will be the successor to the Association in its current
mutual form, and that will be wholly-owned by the Company.
[FLOW CHART]
The Reorganization will structure the Association in the stock form of
ownership, which is the corporate form used by commercial banks, most major
businesses and a large number of savings institutions. The primary purpose of
the Reorganization is to raise equity capital and establish a holding company to
enable the Association to compete more effectively in the financial services
marketplace. The use of the mid-tier stock holding company will enable the
Company to repurchase Common Stock without causing adverse tax consequences
resulting from the recapture of all or part of the Association's pre-1988 excess
tax bad debt reserves. See "The Reorganization and Offering--Reasons
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for Reorganization," "Taxation--Federal Taxation" and Note 8 of Notes to
Financial Statements for a discussion of bad-debt recapture.
MARKET AREA
The Association is a community-oriented savings institution that offers
a variety of financial products and services from its main office and two branch
offices. The Association's primary lending area is concentrated in the
neighborhoods surrounding the Association's office locations. Most of the
Association's deposit customers are residents of Westchester County. To a lesser
extent, the Association obtains deposits from, and originates loans to, persons
in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The Association's market area is characterized
by middle income and upper income communities. Significant employers
headquartered in Westchester County include IBM and Texaco, however, the local
economy is not dependent upon any single employer, but is affected by the
general economy of the New York City metropolitan area.
COMPETITION
The Association has significant competition in originating loans from
savings and loan associations, savings banks, mortgage banking companies,
insurance companies and commercial banks, many of which have greater financial
and marketing resources than the Association. The Association also faces
significant competition in attracting deposits from savings and loan
associations, savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions. The Association
faces additional competition for deposits from common stock mutual funds, money
market funds and other corporate and government securities funds, and from other
financial service providers such as brokerage firms and insurance companies.
The Association attracts and retains deposits by offering personalized
service, convenient office locations and competitive interest rates. Loan
originations are obtained primarily through (i) direct contacts by employees
with individuals, businesses and attorneys in the Association's community, (ii)
personalized service that the Association provides borrowers and (iii)
competitive pricing. Competition is affected by, among other things, the general
availability of lendable funds, general and local economic conditions, current
interest rate levels, and other factors that management cannot readily predict.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The Company will retain up to 50% of the net proceeds from the Offering
(or $12.8 million at the midpoint of the Offering Range), and will use the
balance of the net proceeds to purchase all of the Common Stock issued by the
Association. A portion of the net proceeds retained by the Company will be
loaned to the ESOP to fund its purchase of up to 8% of the Minority Ownership
Interest (assuming such amount of shares can be purchased in the Offering, the
ESOP loan would be $2.2 million at the midpoint of the Offering Range). On a
short-term basis, the remaining net proceeds retained by the Company may be
invested in U.S. Government securities and other federal agency securities. On a
longer-term basis, the Company will use the net proceeds for general corporate
purposes. The Company may also use a portion of the net proceeds to fund the
purchase of Common Stock for the Stock Award Plan. The Stock Award Plan may not
be adopted by the Company's Board of Directors earlier than six months following
the completion of the Reorganization, and is subject to the approval of
stockholders.
The Association intends to use a portion of the net proceeds that it
receives from the Company to make one-to-four family, multi-family and
commercial mortgage loans, subject to market conditions. The Association may use
a portion of the net proceeds to expand its branch franchise as opportunities
arise. The Association is currently evaluating a number of branching
opportunities. On an interim basis, a portion of the net proceeds may be
invested in U.S. Government securities and other Federal agency securities. See
"Business of the Association--Investment Activities."
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The following table shows estimated gross and net proceeds based on the
sale of Common Stock at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and 15% above the
maximum, of the Offering Range.
15% ABOVE
MINIMUM, MIDPOINT, MAXIMUM, MAXIMUM,
2,252,925 2,650,500 3,048,075 3,505,286
SHARES SOLD AT SHARES SOLD AT SHARES SOLD AT SHARES SOLD AT
A PRICE OF $10.00 A PRICE OF $10.00 A PRICE OF $10.00 A PRICE OF $10.00(2)
----------------- ----------------- ----------------- --------------------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Gross proceeds.............................. $ 22,529 $ 26,505 $ 30,481 $ 35,053
Less offering expenses (estimated underwriting
commissions and other costs)(1).......... 883 937 992 1,055
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Estimated net proceeds(1)................... $ 21,646 $ 25,568 $ 29,489 $ 33,998
========= ========= ========= =========
- -------------------------
(1) In calculating estimated net proceeds, it has been assumed that no
sales will be made through selected dealers.
(2) As adjusted to give effect to an increase in the number of shares which
could occur due to an increase in the Offering Range of up to 15% to
reflect changes in market or financial conditions following the
commencement of the Subscription Offering and the Community Offering,
if any, as well as to reflect the demand for the Common Stock.
The actual net proceeds may differ from the estimated net proceeds
calculated above for various reasons, including variances in the actual amount
of legal and accounting expenses incurred in connection with the Reorganization
and Offering, commissions paid for sales made through other dealers, and the
actual number of shares of Common Stock sold in the Offering. Any variance in
the actual net proceeds from the estimates provided in the table above is not
expected to be material.
DIVIDENDS
The Company has no present plans to pay a dividend on the Common Stock,
although it may consider the payment of such dividends in the future. Dividends
will be subject to determination and declaration by the Company's Board of
Directors in its discretion, which will take into account the Company's
consolidated financial condition and results of operations, tax considerations,
industry standards, economic conditions, capital levels, regulatory restrictions
on dividend payments by the Association to the Company, general business
practices and other factors. See "Regulation--Savings Association Regulatory
Capital" and "--Dividend Limitations."
The Company will not be subject to OTS regulatory restrictions on the
payment of dividends, although its ability to pay dividends will depend in part
upon the receipt of dividends from the Association. The Association must provide
the OTS with 30 days prior notice of its intention to pay a dividend or other
capital distribution to the Company. Additional limits on the dollar amount of
any capital distribution by the Association to the Company are set forth in OTS
regulations. The Company will not undertake any action within a year from the
completion of the Reorganization towards the furtherance of a tax-free return of
capital. See "Regulation--Dividend Limitations."
If permitted by regulatory authorities, the Mutual Holding Company may
waive the receipt of any cash dividends declared on the Common Stock if the
Mutual Holding Company's Board of Directors determines that such waiver is in
the best interests of the Mutual Holding Company. The Board of Directors may
conclude that such waiver, which permits retention of capital by the Company, is
in the best interests of the Mutual Holding Company because, among other
reasons, (i) the Mutual Holding Company has no need for the dividend considering
its current business operations, and (ii) the cash that would be received could
be invested by the Company at a more favorable rate of return. The Board of
Directors may consider other factors in determining whether such waiver is
consistent with its fiduciary duties to the Mutual Holding Company. A waiver of
dividends by the Mutual Holding Company will result in a greater likelihood that
dividends will be paid to stockholders other than the Mutual Holding Company.
There is no assurance that the Mutual Holding Company will waive the receipt of
dividends.
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30
In addition to the foregoing, the portion of the Association's earnings
which has been appropriated for bad debt reserves and deducted for federal
income tax purposes cannot be used by the Association to pay cash dividends to
the Company without the payment of federal income taxes by the Association at
the then current income tax rate on the amount deemed distributed, which would
include the amount of any federal income taxes attributable to the distribution.
See "Taxation--Federal Taxation" and Note 8 to the Financial Statements. The
Company does not contemplate any distribution by the Association that would
result in a recapture of the Association's bad debt reserve or otherwise create
federal tax liabilities.
MARKET FOR THE COMMON STOCK
The Company has never issued Common Stock to the public. Consequently,
there is no established market for the Common Stock. The Company intends to have
the Common Stock traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "SFFS,"
and has filed an application with the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. requesting to be
listed and quoted thereon. However, there can be no assurance that an active and
liquid trading market will develop or be maintained. The requirements for
listing include a minimum number of publicly traded shares, market makers and
shareholders, and a minimum market capitalization. Sandler O'Neill has advised
the Association that it intends to act as a market maker for the Common Stock,
subject to compliance with applicable provisions of federal and state securities
laws and other regulatory requirements, but it is under no obligation to do so.
The existence of a public trading market will depend upon the presence
in the market of both willing buyers and willing sellers at any given time. The
presence of a sufficient number of buyers and sellers at any given time is a
factor over which neither the Company nor any broker or dealer has control.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table presents the Association's historical
capitalization at March 31, 1998, and the pro forma consolidated capitalization
of the Company as of that date, giving effect to the sale of Common Stock
offered by this Prospectus based on the number of shares indicated in the table,
and subject to the other assumptions set forth below. The pro forma data set
forth below may change significantly at the time the Company completes the
Reorganization and Offering due to, among other factors, a change in the
Independent Valuation or a change in the current estimated expenses of the
Reorganization and Offering. If the Offering Range changes so that between
2,252,925 and 3,505,286 shares are not sold in the Offering, subscriptions will
be returned to subscribers who do not affirmatively elect to continue their
subscriptions at the revised Offering Range.
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31
AT MARCH 31, 1998
PRO FORMA COMPANY CAPITALIZATION BASED ON SALE OF
-----------------------------------------------------------
2,252,925 2,650,500 3,048,075 3,505,286
SHARES AT SHARES AT SHARES AT SHARES AT
PRICE OF PRICE OF PRICE OF PRICE OF
HISTORICAL $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
---------- ------ ------ ------ ------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Deposits(1) ..................................... $ 219,913 $ 219,913 $ 219,913 $ 219,913 $ 219,913
--------- ========= ========= ========= =========
FHLB borrowings ................................. $ 87 $ 87 $ 87 $ 87 $ 87
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
Stockholders' equity (2):
Preferred stock, $0.10 par value per share;
10,000,000 shares authorized; none to be
issued ....................................... $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Common stock, $0.10 par value per share;
20,000,000 shares authorized; shares to be
issued as shown(3)(4) ........................ -- 511 601 691 795
Additional paid-in capital(3) ................... -- 22,125 26,134 30,141 34,749
Net unrealized loss on securities available-
for-sale, net of taxes ....................... (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)
Retained earnings ............................... 31,905 31,905 31,905 31,905 31,905
Less pre-tax expense recognized for shares
contributed to Charitable Foundation ......... -- (1,000) (1,177) (1,353) (1,556)
Plus tax benefit of contribution to Charitable
Foundation ................................... -- 400 471 541 622
Less common stock acquired by ESOP(5) ........... -- (1,882) (2,215) (2,547) (2,929)
Less common stock acquired by Stock Award Plan(6) -- (941) (1,107) (1,273) (1,464)
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total stockholders' equity ...................... $ 31,901 $ 51,114 $ 54,608 $ 58,101 $ 62,118
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
(1) Excludes withdrawals from deposit accounts for the purchase of Common
Stock. Such withdrawals will reduce pro forma deposits by the amount
thereof.
(2) Pro forma stockholders' equity is not intended to represent the fair
market value of the Common Stock, the net fair market value of the
Company's assets and liabilities or the amounts, if any, that would be
available for distribution to stockholders in the event of liquidation.
Such pro forma data may be affected by a change in the number of shares
to be sold in the Offering and by other factors.
(3) Includes all shares to be issued by the Company (i) in the Offering,
(ii) to the Charitable Foundation and (iii) to the Mutual Holding
Company. The number of shares to be issued in the Offering may be
increased or decreased based on market and financial conditions prior
to the completion of the Offering. Assumes estimated offering expenses
of $883,000, $937,000, $992,000 and $1,055,000 at the minimum,
midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the Offering Range,
respectively. See "Use of Proceeds." Additional paid-in capital has
been reduced to reflect the capitalization of the Mutual Holding
Company at $10,000.
(4) Does not reflect additional shares of Common Stock that could be issued
pursuant to the Stock Option Plan, if implemented, under which
directors, executive officers and other employees of the Company would
be granted options to purchase an aggregate amount of Common Stock
equal to 10% of the Minority Ownership Interest. Implementation of the
Stock Option Plan requires shareholder approval, which is expected to
be sought at a meeting of stockholders to be held no earlier than six
months following the Reorganization. See "Executive Compensation and
Related Transactions of the Association--Stock Option Plan."
(5) Assumes purchases by the ESOP of a number of shares equal to 8% of the
Minority Ownership Interest. The funds used to acquire the ESOP shares
will be borrowed from the Company. See "Use of Proceeds." The
Association intends to make contributions to the ESOP sufficient to
service and ultimately retire its debt. The Common Stock acquired by
the ESOP is reflected as a reduction of stockholders' equity. As the
ESOP debt is repaid, shares will be released and allocated to
participants' accounts, and a corresponding reduction in the charge
against stockholders' equity will occur. See "Executive Compensation
and Related Transactions of the Association--Employee Stock Ownership
Plan and Trust."
(6) Assuming the receipt of shareholder approval, the Company intends to
implement the Stock Award Plan. Assuming such implementation, the Stock
Award Plan will purchase an amount of shares equal to 4% of the
Minority Ownership Interest if the Stock Award Plan is implemented
within one year of the completion of the Reorganization or up to 5% of
the Minority Ownership Interest if the Stock Award Plan is implemented
more than one year after the Reorganization. Such shares may be
purchased from authorized but unissued shares or in the open market.
Under the terms of the Stock Award Plan, assuming it is implemented
within one year of the Reorganization, shares awarded to officers and
directors will vest at the rate of 20% per year. The Common Stock to be
purchased by the Stock Award Plan represents unearned compensation and
is, accordingly, reflected as a reduction to pro forma stockholders'
equity. As shares of the Common Stock granted pursuant to the Stock
Award Plan vest, a corresponding reduction in the charge against
stockholders' equity will occur. In the event that authorized but
unissued shares are awarded under the Stock Award Plan, the interests
of existing stockholders will be diluted. Assuming that 6,007,800
shares of Common Stock, the midpoint of the Offering Range, are issued
in the Reorganization, and that all awards under the Stock Award Plan
are from authorized but unissued shares, the Company estimates that the
per share book value for the Common Stock would be diluted by $0.16 per
share, or 1.76% on a pro forma basis at March 31, 1998. The voting
rights of existing stockholders would be diluted by 1.81%. The dilution
would be $0.19 per share (1.90%) and $0.16 per share (1.90%) at the
minimum and maximum levels, respectively, of the Offering Range on a
pro forma basis at March 31, 1998.
29
32
(7) As adjusted to give effect to an increase in the number of shares which
could occur due to an increase in the Independent Valuation and
Offering Range of up to 15% to reflect changes in market or financial
conditions following the commencement of the Subscription Offering and
Community Offering, if any.
PRO FORMA DATA
The following table sets forth the pro forma consolidated net income of
the Company and the Association for the year ended March 31, 1998, as though the
Offering had been consummated at the beginning of the fiscal year and the
investable net proceeds had been invested at 5.41%, which was the one-year
Treasury bill rate at March 31, 1998. The one-year Treasury bill rate was used
to calculate the reinvestment of net proceeds because it more appropriately
reflects a market rate of return, as compared to using the rate equal to the
arithmetic average yield of the Association's interest-earning assets and cost
of deposits. Management believes the difference in income that would be
generated by using the one-year Treasury bill rate as opposed to the arithmetic
average yield of the Association's interest-earning assets and cost of deposits
to be immaterial. The pro forma after-tax return for the Company on a
consolidated basis is assumed to be 3.25% for the year ended March 31, 1998,
after giving effect to (i) the yield on investable net proceeds from the
Offering and (ii) adjusting for taxes using a combined federal and state income
tax rate of 40%. Historical and per share amounts have been calculated by
dividing historical amounts and pro forma amounts by the indicated number of
shares of Common Stock, assuming that such number of shares had been outstanding
during the entire period. The 2,252,925, 2,650,500, 3,048,075 and 3,505,286
shares represent 44.12% of the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum,
respectively, of the Estimated Valuation Range.
The estimated net proceeds from the Offering, based on the assumptions
set forth in the notes to the table, are $21.6 million, $25.6 million, $29.5
million and $34.0 million for the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted
maximum of the Offering Range, respectively. The net proceeds do not include the
value of shares issued to the Charitable Foundation and are net of Offering
expenses. The amount of actual net proceeds cannot be determined until the
Offering is completed and actual offering expenses may vary from the estimates
used in preparing the pro forma data.
Book value represents the difference between the stated amount of
consolidated assets and consolidated liabilities of the Company computed in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Book value does not
necessarily reflect current market value of assets and liabilities, or the
amounts, if any, that would be available for distribution to shareholders in the
event of liquidation. Book value also does not reflect the federal income tax
consequences of the restoration to income of the Association's bad debt reserve
for income tax purposes which would be required in the unlikely event of a
liquidation of the Association, or if a substantial portion of retained earnings
were otherwise used for a purpose other than absorption of bad debt losses. See
"Taxation--Federal Taxation." Pro forma book value only includes net proceeds
from the Offering as though it occurred as of the indicated date and does not
include earnings on the proceeds for the period then ended.
The pro forma net income derived from the assumptions set forth above
should not be considered indicative of the actual consolidated results of
operations of the Company and the Association that would have been attained for
the year ended March 31, 1998 if the Offering had actually been consummated at
the beginning of such year, and the assumptions regarding investment yields
should not be considered indicative of the actual yield expected to be achieved
during any future period. The pro forma book values at the date indicated should
not be considered as reflecting the potential trading value of the Common Stock.
There can be no assurance that an investor will be able to sell the Common Stock
purchased in the Offering at prices within the range of the pro forma book
values of the Common Stock or at or above the Purchase Price. The pro forma data
may not total due to rounding differences.
30
33
At or for the Year Ended March 31, 1998
Based on the Sale of Common Stock for $10.00 Per Share
------------------------------------------------------
2,252,925 2,650,500 3,048,075 3,505,286
Shares Shares Shares Shares
Sold Sold Sold Sold(1)
---- ---- ---- -------
(Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
Gross proceeds................................................ $ 22,529 $ 26,505 $ 30,481 $ 35,053
Plus value of shares issued to the Charitable Foundation(2)... 1,000 1,177 1,353 1,556
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Pro forma market capitalization............................... $ 23,529 $ 27,682 $ 31,834 $ 36,609
========= ========= ========= =========
Gross proceeds................................................ $ 22,529 $ 26,505 $ 30,481 $ 35,053
Less equity retained by the MHC............................... (10) (10) (10) (10)
Less offering expenses........................................ (883) (937) (992) (1,055)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Estimated net proceeds...................................... 21,636 25,558 29,479 33,988
Less common stock acquired by ESOP............................ (1,882) (2,215) (2,547) (2,929)
Less common stock acquired by Stock Award Plan................ (941) (1,107) (1,273) (1,464)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Estimated investable proceeds............................... $ 18,813 $ 22,236 $ 25,659 $ 29,595
========= ========= ========= =========
Net earnings:
Historical.................................................. $ 2,885 $ 2,885 $ 2,885 $ 2,885
Pro forma income on net proceeds(3)......................... 611 722 833 961
Less pro forma ESOP adjustment(4)........................... (113) (133) (153) (176)
Less pro forma Stock Award Plan adjustment(5)............... (113) (133) (153) (176)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Pro forma net earnings.................................... $ 3,270 $ 3,341 $ 3,412 $ 3,494
========= ========= ========= =========
Per share net earnings:(6)
Historical.................................................. $ 0.58 $ 0.50 $ 0.43 $ 0.38
Pro forma income on net proceeds(3)......................... 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.13
Less pro forma ESOP adjustment(4)........................... (0.02) (0.02) (0.02) (0.02)
Less pro forma Stock Award Plan adjustment(5)............... (0.02) (0.02) (0.02) (0.02)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Pro forma net earnings per share(6)(7)(11)................ $ 0.66 $ 0.58 $ 0.51 $ 0.47
========= ========= ========= =========
Stockholders' equity:
Historical(8)............................................... $ 31,901 $ 31,901 $ 31,901 $ 31,901
Estimated adjusted net proceeds(9).......................... 21,636 25,558 29,479 33,988
Plus tax benefit of contribution to Charitable Foundation(2) 400 471 541 622
Less common stock acquired by ESOP(4)....................... (1,882) (2,215) (2,547) (2,929)
Less common stock acquired by Stock Award Plan(5)........... (941) (1,107) (1,273) (1,464)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Pro forma stockholders' equity............................ $ 51,114 $ 54,608 $ 58,101 $ 62,118
========= ========= ========= =========
Stockholders' equity per share:(8)
Historical.................................................. $ 6.25 $ 5.31 $ 4.62 $ 4.02
Estimated adjusted net proceeds(9).......................... 4.24 4.25 4.27 4.28
Plus tax benefit of contribution to Charitable Foundation(2) 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08
Less common stock acquired by ESOP(4)....................... (0.37) (0.37) (0.37) (0.37)
Less common stock acquired by Stock Award Plan(5)........... (0.18) (0.18) (0.18) (0.18)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Pro forma stockholders' equity per share(7)(11)........... $ 10.02 $ 9.09 $ 8.42 $ 7.83
========= ========= ========= =========
Offering price to pro forma stockholders' equity per share.... 99.80% 110.01% 118.76% 127.71%
========= ========= ========= =========
Offering price to pro forma net earnings per share(6)......... 15.15x 17.24x 19.61x 21.28x
========= ========= ========= =========
Minority Ownership Interest(10)............................... 46.08% 46.08% 46.08% 46.08%
========= ========= ========= =========
(footnotes on following page)
31
34
(1) Assumes that at the conclusion of the Offering the Independent
Valuation increases by 15% to $77,895,250 and that the Association
increases the number of shares sold in the Offering to 3,505,286.
(2) Assumes the issuance of shares to the Charitable Foundation equal to
1.96% of the total issued and outstanding shares or 100,030 shares,
117,682 shares, 135,335 shares and 155,635 shares at the minimum,
midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum, respectively. The issuance of
shares to the Charitable Foundation and the contribution to the
Charitable Foundation (excluding the tax benefit of the contribution)
represent offsetting amounts to stockholders' equity. As such, these
offsetting amounts are not shown separately in the table. Stockholders'
equity is increased by the tax benefit arising from the contribution
which amounts to $400,000, $471,000, $541,000 and $622,000 at the
minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the Offering Range,
respectively. Pro forma net income and pro forma income per share do
not give effect to the nonrecurring expense that will be recognized
upon establishment of the Charitable Foundation and the contribution of
shares to it. The after tax expense is expected to be approximately
$706,000 at the midpoint, assuming a marginal tax rate of 40%. Assuming
the contribution was expensed during the year ended March 31, 1998, the
pro forma net earnings per share would be $0.54, $0.45, $0.39 and $0.33
at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and maximum as adjusted,
respectively.
(3) No effect has been given to withdrawals from deposit accounts for the
purpose of purchasing Common Stock. Since funds on deposit at the
Association may be withdrawn to purchase shares of Common Stock (which
will reduce deposits by the amount of such purchases), the net amount
of additional funds available to the Association for investment
following receipt of the net proceeds of the Offering will be reduced
by the amount of such withdrawals.
(4) Assumes that 8% of the shares representing the Minority Ownership
Interest will be purchased by the ESOP. The funds used to acquire such
shares will be borrowed by the ESOP from the Company; accordingly,
interest income earned by the Company on the ESOP loan will offset the
interest paid by the Association and only the principal payments on the
ESOP debt are recorded as an expense (tax-effected) on a consolidated
basis. The amount of ESOP debt is reflected as a reduction to
stockholders' equity. The Association intends to make annual
contributions to the ESOP in an amount at least equal to the principal
and interest requirements of the debt, which is expected to have a
maturity of 10 years. The pro forma net earnings assume that: (i) the
Association's total annual contribution is equivalent to the debt
service requirement for the year ended March 31, 1998, and was made at
the end of the year; and (ii) the marginal tax rate applicable to the
ESOP expense was 40%. For purposes of this table, the purchase price of
$10.00 was utilized to calculate ESOP expense. The Association will
account for the ESOP in accordance with Statement of Position ("SOP")
No. 93-6, "Employers' Accounting for Employee Stock Ownership Plans."
Accordingly, the Association will recognize compensation expense equal
to the fair value of ESOP shares at the time they are committed to be
released to participants. As a result, to the extent the fair value of
the Common Stock appreciates over time, compensation expense related to
the ESOP will increase. SOP No. 93-6 also requires that, for the
earnings per share computations for leveraged ESOPs, outstanding shares
include only such shares as have been committed to be released to
participants. The table above assumes that the number of ESOP shares
are allocated on a straight-line basis over 10 years and that 10% of
the ESOP shares are committed to be released during the first year. For
purposes of pro forma per share calculations, the number of ESOP shares
committed to be released during the first year was assumed to be
18,824, 22,145, 25,467 and 29,287 at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and
maximum as adjusted, respectively.
(5) Subsequent to the completion of the Offering, and subject to the
approval by stockholders other than the Mutual Holding Company at the
first annual meeting of stockholders if established within the first
year following completion of the Reorganization, the Stock Award Plan
intends to purchase an aggregate number of shares of common stock equal
to 4.0% of the Minority Ownership Interest if the Stock Award Plan is
implemented within one year of the completion of the Reorganization. If
the Stock Award Plan is implemented later than one year after the
completion of the Offering, up to 5% of the Minority Ownership Interest
may be granted, subject to stockholder approval. The shares may be
acquired directly from the Company from authorized but unissued shares,
or through open market purchases. The funds to be used by the Stock
Award Plan to purchase the shares will be provided by the Company or
the Association. The table is based on the assumption that the Stock
Award Plan acquires the shares on the open market at the offering price
with funds contributed by the Company, and that 20% of the amount
contributed to the Stock Award Plan is amortized as an expense in the
year ended March 31, 1998.
(6) For purposes of computing net earnings per share, it is assumed that
4,937,217 shares, 5,808,491 shares, 6,679,765 shares, and 7,681,729
shares are outstanding at the minimum, midpoint, maximum, and adjusted
maximum of the Valuation Range, respectively. Such number of shares
includes shares sold in the Offering, shares issued to the Mutual
Holding Company in the Reorganization, and shares issued to the
Charitable Foundation. The number of shares outstanding excludes shares
to be acquired by the ESOP amounting to 188,236, 221,455, 254,673 and
292,874 at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the
Offering Range, respectively. The number of shares outstanding includes
ESOP shares committed to be released of 18,824, 22,145, 25,467 and
29,287 at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum,
respectively. No effect has been given to the issuance of additional
shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company's stock option plans
(which will not be established within the first year after the
conclusion of the Offering unless approved by Minority Stockholders).
Stock Award Plan shares are assumed to be fully vested for purposes of
computing net earnings per share.
(7) If 110,727 shares of authorized but unissued Common Stock are issued
pursuant to grants made under the Stock Award Plan (i.e., shares equal
to 4% of the Minority Ownership Interest at the midpoint of the
Offering Range), the pro forma stockholders' equity and earnings per
share would be $8.93 and $0.56, respectively, at and for the fiscal
year ended March 31, 1998 and the voting rights of existing
stockholders would be diluted 1.81%.
(8) Stockholders' equity represents the excess of the carrying value of the
assets of the Association over its liabilities. The amounts shown do
not reflect the federal income tax consequences of the potential
restoration to income of the bad debt reserves for income tax purposes,
which would be required in the event of liquidation. Retained earnings
will be substantially restricted following the Reorganization. See
"Dividends" and Note 8 of Notes to the Financial Statements. For
purposes of calculating pro forma stockholders' equity per share,
shares outstanding represent total
32
35
shares issued in the Offering of 5,106,630, 6,007,800, 6,908,970 and
7,945,316 at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the
Offering Range, respectively.
(9) Includes assumed proceeds from sale to the Stock Award Plans for $10.00
per share of a number of authorized but unissued shares equal to 4% of
the Minority Ownership Interest. Purchases by the Stock Award Plans
will be made at the fair market value of such shares at the time of
purchase, which may be more or less than $10.00.
(10) "Minority Ownership Interest" represents the aggregate of the number of
shares of common stock sold in the Offering and issued to the
Charitable Foundation as a percentage of 5,106,630 shares, 6,007,800
shares, 6,908,970 shares and 7,945,316 shares at the minimum, midpoint,
maximum and adjusted maximum of the Offering Range, respectively.
(11) Does not reflect additional shares of Common Stock that could be issued
pursuant to the Stock Option Plan, if implemented, under which
directors, executive officers and other employees of the Company would
be granted options to purchase an aggregate amount of Common Stock
equal to 10% of the Minority Ownership Interest or 235,295, 276,818,
318,341 and 366,092 shares at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and
adjusted maximum of the Offering Range, respectively. The issuance of
Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of options would result in
dilution of existing stockholders' interests. Assuming stockholder
approval the Stock Option Plan and the exercise of all options at an
exercise price of $10.00 per share and the resulting issuance of common
shares, the pro forma net earnings per share would be $0.63, $0.55,
$0.49 and $0.43, respectively. Pro forma stockholders' equity would be
$10.01, $9.13, $8.48 and $7.91, respectively.
33
36
COMPARISON OF VALUATION AND PRO FORMA INFORMATION WITHOUT CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
In the event that the Charitable Foundation was not being established
as part of the Reorganization, FinPro has estimated that the pro forma aggregate
market capitalization of the Company (including shares held by the Mutual
Holding Company) would be approximately $61.5 million at the midpoint of the
Valuation Range, which is approximately $1.4 million greater than the pro forma
aggregate market capitalization of the Company (including shares held by the
Mutual Holding Company) if the Charitable Foundation is included. In the event
that the Charitable Foundation was not being established as part of the
Reorganization, FinPro has estimated that the pro forma aggregate market
capitalization of the Company (excluding shares held by the Mutual Holding
Company), assuming 44.12% of the to-be outstanding shares are sold in the
Offering, would be approximately $27.7 million at the midpoint, which is
approximately the same as the pro forma aggregate market capitalization of the
Company (excluding shares held by the Mutual Holding Company), assuming 44.12%
of the to-be outstanding shares are sold in the Offering and 1.96% of the to-be
outstanding shares are issued to the Charitable Foundation, if the Charitable
Foundation is included. The pro forma price to book ratio and pro forma price to
earnings ratio would be different under both the current appraisal and the
estimate of the value of the Company without the Charitable Foundation. Further,
assuming the midpoint of the Estimated Valuation Range, pro forma stockholders'
equity per share and pro forma earnings per share would be $9.09 and $0.58,
respectively, with the Charitable Foundation and $8.99 and $0.57, respectively,
without the Charitable Foundation. The pro forma price to book ratio and the pro
forma price to earnings ratio at the midpoint are 110.01% and 17.24x,
respectively, with the Charitable Foundation and 111.23% and 17.54x,
respectively, without the Charitable Foundation. There is no assurance that in
the event the Charitable Foundation was not formed that the appraisal prepared
at the time would have concluded that the pro forma market value of the Company
would be the same as that estimated herein. Any appraisals prepared at that time
would be based on the facts and circumstances existing at that time, including,
among other things, market and economic conditions. The total value of shares
issued is based on the Offering price of $10.00 per share.
For comparative purposes only, set forth below are certain pricing
ratios and financial data and ratios, at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and
maximum, as adjusted, of the Estimated Valuation Range, assuming the
Reorganization was completed at March 31, 1998.
MINIMUM MIDPOINT
------------------------- --------------------------
WITH WITHOUT WITH WITHOUT
CHARITABLE CHARITABLE CHARITABLE CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
Total shares issued........................................... 5,106,630 5,227,500 6,007,800 6,150,000
Total value of shares issued.................................. $ 51,066 $ 52,275 $ 60,078 $ 61,500
Estimated offering amount..................................... 22,529 23,524 26,505 27,675
Pro forma market capitalization............................... 23,529 23,524 27,682 27,675
Pro forma total assets........................................ 273,962 274,542 277,456 278,138
Total liabilities............................................. 222,848 222,848 222,848 222,848
Pro forma stockholders' equity................................ 51,114 51,694 54,608 55,290
Pro forma net earnings........................................ 3,270 3,301 3,341 3,378
Pro forma stockholders' equity per share...................... 10.02 9.89 9.09 8.99
Pro forma net earnings per share.............................. 0.66 0.66 0.58 0.57
Pro forma pricing ratios:
Offering price as a percentage of pro forma stockholders'
equity per share ............................................ 99.80% 101.11% 110.01% 111.23%
Offering price to pro forma net earnings per share(1) ........ 15.15x 15.15x 17.24x 17.54x
Pro forma market capitalization to total assets............... 18.64% 19.04% 21.65% 22.11%
Pro forma financial ratios:
Return on assets(2)........................................... 1.19% 1.20% 1.20% 1.21%
Return on equity(3)........................................... 6.40 6.39 6.12 6.11
Equity to assets.............................................. 18.66 18.83 19.68 19.88
Minority shares............................................... 2,252,925 2,352,375 2,650,500 2,767,500
Share dilution............................................. 4.23% 99,450 4.23% 117,000
Voting share............................................... 44.12% 45.00% 44.12% 45.00%
Dilution................................................. 0.88% 0.88%
Foundation shares............................................. 100,030 -- 117,682 --
Share dilution............................................. NA NA
Voting share............................................... 1.96% --% 1.96% --%
Dilution................................................. NA NA
Mutual Holding Company shares................................. 2,753,675 2,875,125 3,239,618 3,382,500
Share dilution............................................. 4.22% 4.22%
Voting share............................................... 53.92% 55.00% 53.92% 55.00%
Dilution................................................. 1.08% 1.08%
MAXIMUM,
MAXIMUM AS ADJUSTED
------------------------- --------------------------
WITH WITHOUT WITH WITHOUT
CHARITABLE CHARITABLE CHARITABLE CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
Total shares issued........................................... 6,908,970 7,072,500 7,945,316 8,133,375
Total value of shares issued.................................. $ 69,090 $ 70,725 $ 79,453 $ 81,334
Estimated offering amount..................................... 30,481 31,826 35,053 36,600
Pro forma market capitalization............................... 31,834 31,826 36,609 36,600
Pro forma total assets........................................ 280,949 281,734 284,966 285,869
Total liabilities............................................. 222,848 222,848 222,848 222,848
Pro forma stockholders' equity................................ 58,101 58,886 62,118 63,021
Pro forma net earnings........................................ 3,412 3,455 3,494 3,543
Pro forma stockholders' equity per share...................... 8.42 8.33 7.83 7.75
Pro forma net earnings per share.............................. 0.51 0.51 0.47 0.46
Pro forma pricing ratios:
Offering price as a percentage of pro forma stockholders'
equity per share ............................................ 118.76% 120.05% 127.71% 129.03%
Offering price to pro forma net earnings per share(1) ........ 19.61x 19.61x 21.28x 21.74x
Pro forma market capitalization to total assets............... 24.59% 25.11% 27.88% 28.45%
Pro forma financial ratios:
Return on assets(2)........................................... 1.21% 1.23% 1.23% 1.24%
Return on equity(3)........................................... 5.87 5.87 5.62 5.62
Equity to assets.............................................. 20.68 20.90 21.80 22.05
Minority shares............................................... 3,048,075 3,182,625 3,505,286 3,660,019
Share dilution............................................. 4.23% 134,550 4.23% 154,733
Voting share............................................... 44.12% 45.00% 44.12% 45.00%
Dilution................................................. 0.88% 0.88%
Foundation shares............................................. 135,335 -- 155,635 --
Share dilution............................................. NA NA
Voting share............................................... 1.96% --% 1.96% --%
Dilution................................................. NA NA
Mutual Holding Company shares................................. 3,725,560 3,889,875 4,284,395 4,473,356
Share dilution............................................. 4.22% 4.22%
Voting share............................................... 53.92% 55.00% 53.92% 55.00%
Dilution................................................. 1.08% 1.08%
- -----------------
(1) If the contribution to the Charitable Foundation had been expensed
during the year ended March 31, 1998, the ratio of the offering price
to pro forma net earnings per share would have been 18.52x, 22.22x,
26.32x and 30.30x at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and maximum, as
adjusted, respectively.
(2) If the contribution to the Charitable Foundation had been expensed
during the year ended March 31, 1998, the return on assets would have
been 0.97%, 0.95%, 0.93% and 0.90% at the minimum, midpoint, maximum
and maximum, as adjusted, respectively.
(3) If the contribution to the Charitable Foundation had been expensed
during the year ended March 31, 1998, return on equity would have been
5.22%, 4.83%, 4.47% and 4.12% at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and
maximum, as adjusted, respectively.
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HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA REGULATORY CAPITAL COMPLIANCE
The following table compares the Association's historical and pro forma
regulatory capital levels as of March 31, 1998 to OTS capital requirements after
giving effect to the Offering. The table is based on the assumption that the
Association will receive 50% of the estimated net proceeds from the Offering,
reduced by all shares assumed to be acquired by the ESOP and Stock Award Plan.
PRO FORMA BASED UPON SALE OF
------------------------------------------------
MINIMUM OF MIDPOINT OF
OFFERING OFFERING
RANGE RANGE
HISTORICAL AT (2,252,925 SHARES (2,650,500 SHARES
MARCH 31, 1998 AT $10.00 PER SHARE) AT $10.00 PER SHARE)
------------------ -------------------- --------------------
AMOUNT PERCENT AMOUNT PERCENT AMOUNT PERCENT
------ ------- ------ ------- ------ -------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Equity under generally accepted accounting
principles ...................................... $ 31,901 12.52% $ 39,896 15.18% $ 41,358 15.65%
========= ====== ========= ======= ========= =======
Tangible capital(2)................................ $ 31,901 12.52% 39,896 15.18% 41,358 15.65%
Tangible capital requirement(3).................... 3,821 1.50 3,942 1.50 3,964 1.50
--------- ------ --------- ------- --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 28,080 11.02% $ 35,954 13.68% $ 77,394 14.15%
========= ====== ========= ======= ========= =======
Core capital(2).................................... $ 31,901 12.52% 39,896 15.18% 41,358 15.65%
Core capital requirement(2) (4).................... 7,642 3.00 7,885 3.00 7,929 3.00
--------- ------ --------- ------- --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 24,259 9.52% $ 32,011 12.18% $ 33,433 12.65%
========= ====== ========= ======= ========= =======
Risk-based capital(2)(3)........................... $ 32,885 34.95% 40,880 41.68% 42,342 42.85%
Risk-based capital requirement..................... 7,527 8.00 7,847 8.00 7,905 8.00
--------- ------ --------- ------- --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 25,358 26.95% $ 33,033 33.68% $ 34,437 34.85%
========= ====== ========= ======= ========= =======
PRO FORMA BASED UPON SALE OF
------------------------------------------------
MAXIMUM OF MAXIMUM, AS ADJUSTED,
OFFERING OF OFFERING
RANGE RANGE
(3,048,075 SHARES (3,505,286 SHARES
AT $10.00 PER SHARE) AT $10.00 PER SHARE(1))
-------------------- -----------------------
AMOUNT PERCENT AMOUNT PERCENT
------ ------- ------ -------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Equity under generally accepted accounting
principles ...................................... $ 42,821 16.12% $ 44,502 16.65%
======== ====== ========= =======
Tangible capital(2)................................ 42,821 16.12% 44,502 16.65%
Tangible capital requirement(3).................... 3,986 1.50 4,011 1.50
-------- ------ --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 38,835 14.62% $ 40,491 15.15%
======== ====== ========= =======
Core capital(2).................................... 42,821 16.12% 44,502 16.65%
Core capital requirement(2) (4).................... 7,973 3.00 8,023 3.00
-------- ------ --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 34,848 13.12% $ 36,479 13.65%
======== ====== ========= =======
Risk-based capital(2)(3)........................... 43,805 44.00% 45,486 45.31%
Risk-based capital requirement..................... 7,964 8.00 8,031 8.00
-------- ------ --------- -------
Excess........................................... $ 35,841 36.00% $ 37,455 37.31%
======== ====== ========= =======
- ----------------------
(1) As adjusted to give effect to an increase in the number of shares which
could occur due to an increase in the Offering Range of up to 15% to
reflect changes in market and financial conditions following
commencement of the Subscription Offering and the Community Offering,
if any, as well as to reflect demand for the Common Stock.
(2) Tangible and core capital levels are shown as a percentage of total
assets; risk-based capital levels are shown as a percentage of
risk-weighted assets.
(3) Pro forma risk-based capital amounts and percentages assume net
proceeds have been invested in 50% risk-weighted assets.
(4) The current OTS core capital requirement for savings associations is 3%
of total adjusted assets. The OTS has proposed core capital
requirements which would require a core capital ratio of 3% of total
adjusted assets for thrifts that receive the highest supervisory rating
for safety and soundness and a core capital ratio of 4% to 5% for all
other thrifts.
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THE REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND THE OTS HAVE APPROVED THE
PLAN SUBJECT TO THE PLAN'S APPROVAL BY MEMBERS AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF MEMBERS,
AND SUBJECT TO THE SATISFACTION OF CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY THE OTS
IN ITS APPROVAL. OTS APPROVAL, HOWEVER, DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A RECOMMENDATION OR
ENDORSEMENT OF THE PLAN BY THE OTS.
GENERAL
On May 13, 1998, the Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Plan,
pursuant to which the Association will reorganize from a federally chartered
mutual savings and loan association into a two-tier federal mutual holding
company structure. The Plan has been approved by the OTS subject to, among other
things, approval of the Plan by the Association's members as of the Voting
Record Date. A special meeting of members has been called for this purpose, to
be held on September 28, 1998 (the "Special Meeting"). The Reorganization will
be completed as follows:
(i) the Association will organize an interim stock savings
association as a wholly-owned subsidiary ("Interim One");
(ii) Interim One will organize an interim stock savings association
as a wholly-owned subsidiary ("Interim Two");
(iii) Interim One will organize the Company as a wholly-owned
subsidiary;
(iv) the Association will amend its charter to read in the form of
a federal stock savings association charter at which time the
Association will become the Stock Association, and Interim One
will exchange its charter for a federal mutual holding company
charter to become the Mutual Holding Company;
(v) simultaneously with step (vi), Interim Two will merge with and
into the Stock Association, and the Stock Association will be
the surviving institution;
(vi) all of the stock constructively issued by the Stock
Association will be transferred to the Mutual Holding Company
in exchange for membership interests in the Mutual Holding
Company; and
(vii) the Mutual Holding Company will contribute the Stock
Association's stock to the Company, and the Stock Association
will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
Concurrently with the Reorganization the Company will offer for sale
44.12% of its Common Stock representing 44.12% of the pro forma market value of
the Company and the Association.
The Association has mailed to each person eligible to vote at the
Special Meeting a proxy statement (the "Proxy Statement") containing information
concerning the business purposes of the Reorganization and the effects of the
Plan and the Reorganization on voting rights, liquidation rights, the
continuation of the Association's business and existing savings accounts, FDIC
insurance and loans. The Proxy Statement also describes the manner in which the
Plan may be amended or terminated. Included with the Proxy Statement is a proxy
card which should be used to vote on the Plan.
As part of the Reorganization, the Association intends to establish the
Charitable Foundation to which the Company will contribute shares equal to 1.96%
of the shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding. The Charitable Foundation
is being formed as a means of complementing the Association's existing community
reinvestment activities
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39
and to share the Association's financial success as a locally headquartered,
community-oriented financial services institution. The Charitable Foundation
will be dedicated to the promotion of charitable purposes including community
development, grants or donations to support housing assistance, not-for-profit
community groups and other types of organizations or civic projects. See
"--Establishment of the Charitable Foundation."
The following is a summary of the material aspects of the Plan, the
Subscription Offering, and the Community Offering. The Plan should be consulted
for a more detailed description of its terms.
REASONS FOR REORGANIZATION
The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to establish a holding
company and to convert the Association to the stock form of ownership in order
to compete and expand more effectively in the financial services marketplace.
The stock form of ownership is the corporate form used by commercial banks, most
major businesses and a large number of savings institutions. The Reorganization
also will enable customers, employees, management and directors to have an
equity ownership interest in the Association, which management believes will
enhance the long-term growth and performance of the Association and the Company
by enabling the Association to attract and retain qualified employees who have a
direct interest in the financial success of the Association. The Reorganization
will permit the Company to issue and sell capital stock, which is a source of
capital not available to mutual savings associations. Since the Company will not
be offering all of its Common Stock for sale in the Offering, the Reorganization
will result in less capital raised in comparison to a standard mutual-to-stock
conversion. The Reorganization, however, also will allow the Association to
raise additional capital in the future because a majority of the Company's
Common Stock will be available for sale in the event of a conversion of the
Mutual Holding Company to stock form. The Reorganization also will provide the
Association with greater flexibility to structure and finance the expansion of
its operations, both directly and through the Company, including the potential
acquisition of other financial institutions, and to diversify into other
financial services, to the extent permissible by applicable law and regulation.
Although there are no current arrangements, understandings or agreements
regarding any such opportunities, the Company will be in a position after the
Reorganization, subject to regulatory limitations and the Company's financial
position, to take advantage of any such opportunities that may arise. Lastly,
the Reorganization will enable the Association to better manage its capital by
providing broader investment opportunities through the holding company structure
and by enabling the Company to repurchase its common stock as market conditions
permit. Although the Reorganization and Offering will create a stock savings
association and stock holding company, only a minority of the Common Stock will
be offered for sale in the Offering. As a result, the Association's mutual form
of ownership and its ability to provide community-oriented financial services
will be preserved through the mutual holding company structure.
The Board of Directors believes that these advantages outweigh the
potential disadvantages of the mutual holding company structure to Minority
Stockholders, which may include: (i) the inability of stockholders other than
the Mutual Holding Company to obtain majority ownership of the Company and the
Stock Association, which may result in the perpetuation of the management and
Board of Directors of the Stock Association and the Company; and (ii) that the
mutual holding company structure is a relatively new form of corporate
ownership, and new regulatory policies relating to the mutual interest in the
Mutual Holding Company and the corporate structure of the Company that may be
adopted from time-to-time may have an adverse impact on Minority Stockholders. A
majority of the voting stock of the Company will be owned by the Mutual Holding
Company, which will be controlled by its Board of Directors. While this
structure will permit management to focus on the Company's and the Association's
long-term business strategy for growth and capital redeployment without undue
pressure from stockholders, it will also serve to perpetuate the existing
management and directors of the Association. The Mutual Holding Company will be
able to elect all members of the Board of Directors of the Company, and will be
able to control the outcome of all matters presented to the stockholders of the
Company for resolution by vote except for certain matters, such as the approval
of the Stock Award Plan and the Stock Option Plan, that, if established within
the first year after the conclusion of the Offering, must be approved by a
majority of the votes of the Minority Stockholders of the Company. No assurance
can be given that the Mutual Holding Company will not take action adverse to the
interests of the Minority Stockholders. For example, the Mutual Holding Company
could revise the dividend policy, prevent the sale of control
37
40
of the Company, or defeat a candidate for the Board of Directors of the Company
or other proposals put forth by the Minority Stockholders.
The Reorganization does not preclude the conversion of the Mutual
Holding Company from the mutual to stock form of organization following the
Reorganization. No assurance can be given when, if ever, the Mutual Holding
Company will convert to stock form or what conditions the OTS or other
regulatory agencies may impose on such a transaction. See "Risk Factors,"
"Conversion of Mutual Holding Company to Stock Form--Impact of Waived Dividends
on Minority Stockholders and Limitations on Stockholder Purchases in a
Conversion Transaction."
Following the completion of the Reorganization, all depositors who had
liquidation rights with respect to the Association as of the effective date of
the Reorganization will continue to have such rights solely with respect to the
Mutual Holding Company so long as they continue to hold deposit accounts with
the Association. In addition, all persons who become depositors of the
Association subsequent to the Reorganization will have such liquidation rights
with respect to the Mutual Holding Company.
Under the Plan, each depositor of the Association at the time of the
Reorganization will automatically continue as a depositor after the
Reorganization, and each such deposit account will remain the same with respect
to deposit balance, interest rate and other terms, except to the extent such
deposit is reduced by withdrawals to purchase Common Stock in the Offering. All
insured deposit accounts of the Association will continue to be federally
insured by the FDIC and the SAIF up to the legal maximum limit in the same
manner as deposit accounts existing in the Association immediately prior to the
Reorganization. Furthermore, no loan outstanding will be affected by the
Reorganization, and the amounts, interest rates, maturity and security for each
loan will remain the same as they were prior to the Reorganization. Upon
completion of the Reorganization, the Association may exercise any and all
powers, rights and privileges of, and shall be subject to all limitations
applicable to, capital stock savings associations under Federal law and OTS
regulations. Although the Company will have the power to issue shares of capital
stock to persons other than the Mutual Holding Company, as long as the Mutual
Holding Company is in existence, the Mutual Holding Company will be required to
own a majority of the voting stock of the Company. The Company may issue any
amount of non-voting stock to persons other than the Mutual Holding Company, and
the Company must own 100% of the voting stock of the Association. The
Association and the Company may issue any amount of non-voting stock or debt to
persons other than the Mutual Holding Company.
TAX EFFECTS OF THE REORGANIZATION
The Association intends to proceed with the Reorganization on the basis
of an opinion from its special counsel, Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick,
P.C., Washington, D.C., as to certain tax matters that are material to the
Reorganization. The opinion is based, among other things, on factual
representations made by the Association, including the representation that the
exercise price of the subscription rights to purchase the Common Stock will be
approximately equal to the fair market value of the stock at the time of the
completion of the Reorganization. With respect to the subscription rights, the
Association has received an opinion of FinPro which, based on certain
assumptions, concludes that the subscription rights to be received by Eligible
Account Holders, Supplemental Eligible Account Holders and Other Members do not
have any economic value at the time of distribution or the time the subscription
rights are exercised, whether or not a Community Offering takes place, and Luse
Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.'s opinion is given in reliance thereon.
Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.'s opinion provides in part as
follows:
1. The conversion of the Association's charter from a mutual
savings association charter to a stock savings association
charter will qualify as a reorganization under section
368(a)(1)(F) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the
"Code"), and no gain or loss will be recognized by the
Association in either its mutual form or stock form (as the
"Stock Association") as a result.
38
41
2. The Stock Association's holding period for the assets received
from the Association in the charter conversion will include
the period during which such assets were held by the
Association.
3. The Stock Association's basis in the assets received from the
Association in the charter conversion will be the same as the
Association's basis for such asset immediately prior to the
charter conversion.
4. The Stock Association will succeed to and take into account
the Association's earnings and profits or deficits in earnings
and profits, as of the date of the charter conversion.
5. The Association's depositors will recognize no gain or loss
upon their constructive receipt, in the charter conversion, of
Stock Association stock solely in exchange for their interest
in the Association.
6. The basis in the shares of Stock Association stock
constructively received by each of the Association's
depositors in the charter conversion will be the same as the
basis of such depositor's interest in the Association
constructively surrendered in exchange therefor.
7. The holding period for the shares of Stock Association stock
constructively received by each of the Association's
depositors in the charter conversion will include the holding
period of such depositor's interest in the Association
constructively surrendered in exchange therefor.
8. The transfer by the Association's depositors to the Mutual
Holding Company of the Stock Association stock constructively
received by such depositors in the charter conversion in
exchange for interests in the Mutual Holding Company (the
"Exchange") will qualify as an exchange of property for stock
under Section 351 of the Code, and such depositors will
recognize no gain or loss by reason of the Exchange.
9. The basis of the interest in the Mutual Holding Company
received by each of the Association's depositors in exchange
for such depositor's Stock Association stock pursuant to the
Exchange will be equal to the basis of such Stock Association
stock.
10. The holding period of the interest in the Mutual Holding
Company received by each of the Association's depositors
pursuant to the Exchange will, as of the date of the Exchange,
be the same as the holding period of the Stock Association
stock transferred in exchange therefor, provided such Stock
Association stock was held as a capital asset on the date of
the Exchange.
11. The Mutual Holding Company will recognize no gain or loss upon
its constructive receipt from the Association's depositors of
Stock Association stock in exchange for interests in the
Mutual Holding Company.
12. The Mutual Holding Company's basis for each share of Stock
Association stock constructively received from an Association
depositor in exchange for an interest in the Mutual Holding
Company will be the same as the basis of such share of stock
in the hands of such depositor.
13. The Mutual Holding Company's holding period for each share of
Stock Association stock constructively received from an
Association depositor in exchange for an interest in the
Mutual Holding Company will include the period during which
such share of stock was held by the Association's depositors.
14. The Mutual Holding Company and the Minority Stockholders will
recognize no gain or loss upon their respective transfers of
Stock Association stock and cash to the Company in exchange
for Common Stock of the Company.
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42
15. The Company will recognize no gain or loss upon the receipt of
such property and cash from the Mutual Holding Company and the
Minority Stockholders in exchange for Common Stock of the
Company.
16. The basis of the Company Common Stock in the hands of the
Minority Stockholders will be the purchase price therefor, and
the holding period for Company Common Stock acquired through
the exercise of subscription rights will begin on the date
such rights are exercised.
The opinions of Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C., unlike a
letter ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), are not
binding on the IRS and the conclusions expressed therein may be challenged at a
future date. The IRS has issued favorable rulings for transactions substantially
similar to the proposed Reorganization, but any such ruling may not be cited as
precedent by any taxpayer other than the taxpayer to whom the ruling is
addressed. The Association does not plan to apply for a letter ruling concerning
the transactions described herein.
The Association has also received an opinion from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
that the New York State Franchise Tax on banking corporation and New York State
personal income tax consequences of the proposed transaction are consistent with
the federal income tax consequences.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
GENERAL. In furtherance of the Association's commitment to the
communities that it serves, the Board of Directors has determined to establish
the Charitable Foundation, which will be incorporated under Delaware law as a
non-stock corporation. The Charitable Foundation will be funded with a
contribution of 1.96% of the shares of Common Stock to be issued and outstanding
following the Reorganization (4.4% of the Minority Ownership Interest) or
100,030, 117,682, 135,335 and 155,635 shares of Common Stock at the minimum,
midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the Offering. As a result of the
Association's contribution of those shares to the Charitable Foundation rather
than selling the shares as part of the Offering, the Offering will result in the
sale of 99,450, 117,000, 134,550 and 154,733 fewer shares than would otherwise
be contemplated in the Offering at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and adjusted
maximum of the Offering Range, respectively. This will result in the receipt of
$994,500, $1,170,000, $1,345,500 and $1,547,330 less proceeds at the minimum,
midpoint, maximum and adjusted maximum of the Offering Range. See "Comparison of
Valuation and Pro Forma Information Without Charitable Foundation." By further
enhancing the Association's visibility and reputation in the communities that it
serves, the Board believes that the Charitable Foundation will enhance the
long-term value of the Association's community banking franchise. The Charitable
Foundation will be dedicated exclusively to charitable purposes within the
communities served by the Association, including community development
activities. Neither the Association nor the Company intends to make any further
contributions to the Charitable Foundation within the next five years.
PURPOSE OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. The purpose of the Charitable
Foundation is to provide funding to support charitable and not-for-profit causes
and community development activities. The Charitable Foundation is being formed
as a complement to the Association's existing community activities, not as a
replacement for such services. While the Association intends to continue to
emphasize community lending and community development activities following the
Reorganization, such activities are not the Association's sole corporate
purpose. The Charitable Foundation, conversely, will be completely dedicated to
community activities and the promotion of charitable and not-for-profit causes,
and may be able to support such activities in ways that are not currently
available to the Association. The Charitable Foundation will enhance the
Association's current activities under the Community Reinvestment Act. In this
regard, the Board of Directors of the Association believes the establishment of
the Charitable Foundation is consistent with the Association's commitment to
community service. The Board further believes that the funding of the Charitable
Foundation with Common Stock is a means of enabling the communities served by
the Association to share in the growth and success of the Company long after
completion of the Reorganization. The Charitable Foundation will accomplish that
goal by providing for continued ties between the Charitable Foundation and the
40
43
Association, thereby forming a partnership with the Association's community.
Charitable foundations have been formed by other financial institutions for this
purpose, among others.
STRUCTURE OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. The Charitable Foundation will
be incorporated under Delaware law as a non-stock corporation. Pursuant to the
Charitable Foundation's Bylaws, the Charitable Foundation's initial board of
directors will be comprised of two members of the Company's and the
Association's Board of Directors and one person who is unaffiliated with the
Association. Bruno J. Gioffre, the Association's Chairman of the Board and
Richard P. McStravick, the Association's President and Chief Executive Officer
will serve on the Charitable Foundation's board of directors. Messrs Gioffre and
McStravick intend to purchase 30,000 shares and 25,000 shares, or 1.13% and
0.94%, respectively, of the shares sold at the midpoint of the offering. At the
midpoint of the offering the aggregate number of shares owned by the Charitable
Foundation, and its directors and officers will total 172,682, or 6.5% of the
Minority Ownership Interest. In addition, the Board of Directors is in the
process of selecting a person to serve on the Charitable Foundation's board of
directors who is unaffiliated with the Association but who has business and
community ties within the Association's market area, and who has experience
serving on local charities or other non-profit organizations. Other individuals
may be selected as board members (there is no present intention to expand the
board of directors of the Charitable Foundation). A nominating committee of the
Charitable Foundation's Board will nominate individuals eligible for election to
the Board of Directors. The members of the Charitable Foundation, who are
comprised of its Board members, will elect the directors at the annual meeting
of the Charitable Foundation from those nominated by the nominating committee.
Only persons serving as directors of the Charitable Foundation qualify as
members of the Charitable Foundation, with voting authority. Directors will be
elected annually. The certificate of incorporation of the Charitable Foundation
provides that the corporation is organized exclusively for charitable purposes,
including community development, as set forth in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code.
The Charitable Foundation's certificate of incorporation further provides that
no part of the net earnings of the Charitable Foundation will inure to the
benefit of, or be distributable to its directors, officers or members.
The authority for the affairs of the Charitable Foundation will be
vested in the Board of Directors of the Charitable Foundation. The Directors of
the Charitable Foundation will be responsible for establishing the policies of
the Charitable Foundation with respect to grants or donations by the Charitable
Foundation, consistent with the purposes for which the Charitable Foundation was
established. Although no formal policy governing Charitable Foundation grants
exists at this time, the Charitable Foundation's Board of Directors will adopt
such a policy upon establishment of the Charitable Foundation. As directors of a
nonprofit corporation, directors of the Charitable Foundation will at all times
be bound by their fiduciary duty to advance the Charitable Foundation's
charitable goals, to protect the assets of the Charitable Foundation and to act
in a manner consistent with the charitable purpose for which the Charitable
Foundation is established. The Directors of the Charitable Foundation will also
be responsible for directing the activities of the Charitable Foundation,
including the management of the Common Stock of the Company held by the
Charitable Foundation. However, it is expected that as a condition to receiving
OTS approval of the Reorganization, that the Charitable Foundation will be
required to commit to the OTS that all shares of Common Stock held by the
Charitable Foundation will be voted in the same ratio as all other shares of
Common Stock on all proposals considered by stockholders of the Company;
provided, however, that, consistent with such expected condition, the OTS would
waive this voting restriction under certain circumstances if compliance with the
voting restriction would: (i) cause a violation of the law of the State of
Delaware and the OTS determines that federal law would not preempt the
application of the laws of Delaware to the Charitable Foundation; (ii) cause the
Charitable Foundation to lose its tax-exempt status, or cause the IRS to deny
the Charitable Foundation's request for a determination that it is an exempt
organization or otherwise have a material and adverse tax consequence on the
Charitable Foundation; or (iii) cause the Charitable Foundation to be subject to
an excise tax under Section 4941 of the Code. In order for the OTS to waive such
voting restriction, the Company's or the Charitable Foundation's legal counsel
would be required to render an opinion satisfactory to the OTS that compliance
with the voting requirement would have the effect described in clauses (i), (ii)
or (iii) above. Under those circumstances, the OTS would grant a waiver of the
voting restriction upon submission of such legal opinion(s) by the Company or
the Charitable Foundation that are satisfactory to the OTS. In the event that
the OTS were to waive the voting requirement, the directors would direct the
voting of the Common Stock held by the Charitable Foundation.
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In addition, a person who is a director, officer or employee of the
Association, or who has the power to direct its management or policies, or
otherwise owes a fiduciary duty to the Association, the Company, or the Mutual
Holding Company and who also serves as an officer, director or employee of the
Charitable Foundation will be subject to the OTS' conflicts of interest
regulations.
The Charitable Foundation's place of business will be located at the
Association's main office and initially the Charitable Foundation is expected to
have no employees but will utilize the members of the staff of the Company. The
Board of Directors of the Charitable Foundation will appoint such officers as
may be necessary to manage the operations of the Charitable Foundation. In this
regard, it is expected that the Association will be required to provide the OTS
with a commitment that, to the extent applicable, the Association will comply
with the affiliate restrictions set forth in Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal
Reserve Act with respect to any transactions between the Association and the
Charitable Foundation.
The Company and the Association determined to fund the Charitable
Foundation with Common Stock rather than cash because Common Stock will provide
the Charitable Foundation with a potentially larger endowment if the Common
Stock appreciates in value. The contribution of Common Stock to the Charitable
Foundation may reduce the amount of cash that the Company would have to
contribute to the Charitable Foundation in future years in order to maintain a
level amount of charitable grants and donations.
The Charitable Foundation will receive working capital from any
dividends that may be paid on the Common Stock from loans collateralized by the
Common Stock subject to applicable federal and state laws or from the proceeds
of the sale of any of the Common Stock in the open market from time to time. As
a private Charitable Foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, the
Charitable Foundation will be required to distribute annually in grants or
donations, a minimum of 5% of the average fair market value of its net
investment assets.
DILUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS' INTERESTS. Shares of Common Stock contributed
to the Charitable Foundation are in addition to the shares to be issued to the
Mutual Holding Company and shares sold to depositors, members and the public.
Consequently, the Mutual Holding Company and persons purchasing shares of common
stock in the Offering will have their ownership and voting interests in the
Company diluted by approximately 1.96%. Consequently, the Mutual Holding
Company's ownership and voting interests in the Company will decrease from 55.0%
to 53.92%, and the ownership and voting interests of persons purchasing Common
Stock will decrease from 45.0% to 44.12%. See "Pro Forma Data."
IMPACT ON EARNINGS. The contribution of Common Stock to the Charitable
Foundation will have an adverse impact on the Company's earnings in the year in
which the contribution is made. The Company will recognize expense in the full
amount of the contribution of common stock to the Charitable Foundation in the
quarter in which the contribution occurs, which is expected to be the quarter
ending December 31, 1998. The contribution expense will be partially offset by
related tax benefits. We have been advised that the contribution to the
Charitable Foundation will be tax deductible, subject to an annual limitation
based on 10% of the Company's annual taxable income. The Association estimates
that, at the midpoint of the offering range, the contribution of shares will
result in a reduction in net income of approximately $700,000. If the Charitable
Foundation had been established at March 31, 1998 based on the midpoint of the
Offering Range, the Association would have reported net income of $2.2 million
compared to net income of $2.9 million actually reported for the year then
ended. The Association and the Company do not currently anticipate making
additional contributions to the Charitable Foundation within the first five
years following the initial contribution.
TAX CONSIDERATIONS. The Association has been advised that an
organization created and operated for the above charitable purposes would
general qualify as a Section 501(c)(3) exempt organization under the Code, and
further that such an organization would likely be classified as a private
foundation. This opinion presumes that the Charitable Foundation will submit a
timely request to the IRS to be recognized as an exempt organization. As long as
the Charitable Foundation files its application for recognition of tax-exempt
status within 15 months from the date of its
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organization, and provided the IRS approves the application, the effective date
of the Charitable Foundation's status as a Section 501(c)(3) organization will
be the date of its organization. The Association's tax advisor, however, has not
rendered any advice on the condition to the contribution to be agreed to by the
Charitable Foundation which requires that all shares of Common Stock of the
Company held by the Charitable Foundation must be voted in the same ratio as all
other outstanding shares of Common Stock on all proposals considered by
stockholders of the Company. Consistent with the expected condition, in the
event that the Company or the Charitable Foundation receives an opinion of its
legal counsel that compliance with this voting restriction would have the effect
of causing the Charitable Foundation to lose its tax-exempt status or otherwise
have a material and adverse tax consequence on the Charitable Foundation, or
subject the Charitable Foundation to an excise tax under Section 4941 of the
Code, it is expected that the OTS would waive such voting restriction upon
submission of a legal opinion(s) by the Company or the Charitable Foundation
satisfactory to the OTS. See "--Regulatory Conditions Imposed on the Charitable
Foundation."
Under the Code, the Company is generally allowed a deduction for
charitable contributions made to qualifying donees within the taxable year of up
to 10% of its taxable income (with certain modifications) for such year.
Charitable contributions made by the Company in excess of the annual deductible
amount will be deductible over each of the five succeeding taxable years,
subject to certain limitations. The Board of Directors believes that the
Reorganization presents a unique opportunity to establish and fund a Charitable
Foundation given the substantial amount of additional capital being raised in
the Offering. In making such a determination, the Board of Directors considered
the impact on earnings of the contribution of Common Stock to the Charitable
Foundation. Based on such consideration, the Company and the Association believe
that the contribution to the Charitable Foundation in excess of the 10% annual
deduction limitation is justified given the Association's capital position and
its earnings, the substantial additional capital being raised in the Offering
and the potential benefits of the Charitable Foundation to the communities
served by the Association. In this regard, and assuming the sale of the Common
Stock at the midpoint of the Estimated Valuation Range, the Company would have
pro forma stockholders' equity of $54.6 million or 19.68% of pro forma
consolidated assets and the Association's pro forma tangible, core and total
risk-based capital ratios would be 15.65%, 15.65% and 42.85%, respectively. See
"Pro Forma Data--Historical and Pro Forma Regulatory Capital Compliance," and
"Capitalization." Thus, the amount of the contribution will not adversely impact
the Association's financial condition and management believes that the amount of
the charitable contribution is reasonable given the Association's pro forma
capital positions. As such, management believes that the contribution does not
raise safety and soundness concerns.
The Association has received an opinion of its tax advisors that the
Company's contribution of its own stock to the Charitable Foundation would not
constitute an act of self-dealing, and that the Company will be entitled to a
deduction in the amount of the fair market value of the stock at the time of the
contribution, subject to the annual deduction limitation described above. The
Company, however, would be able to carry forward any unused portion of the
deduction for five years following the contribution, subject to certain
limitations. The Association's tax advisor, however, has not rendered advice as
to fair market value for purposes of determining the amount of the tax
deduction. If the Charitable Foundation had been established in the year ended
December 31, 1997 based on the midpoint of the Offering Range, the Company would
have realized a current federal tax benefit of approximately $150,000 based on
the Association's taxable income reported in its 1997 calendar year tax return
and considering the annual limitation on deductibility of charitable
contributions. The Association is permitted under the Code to carry over the
excess contribution over the five-year period following the contribution to the
Charitable Foundation. The Association estimates that all of the contribution
should be deductible over the six-year period. Neither the Company nor the
Association expect to make any further contributions to the Charitable
Foundation within the first five years following the initial contribution. After
that time, the Association and the Company may consider future contributions to
the Charitable Foundation. Any such decisions would be based on an assessment
of, among other factors, our financial condition, the interests of stockholders
of the Company, and the financial condition and operations of the Charitable
Foundation.
Although the Association has received an opinion that the Company will
be entitled to a deduction for the charitable contribution, there can be no
assurances that the IRS will recognize the Charitable Foundation as a Section
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501(c)(3) exempt organization or that a deduction for the charitable
contribution will be allowed. In such event, the contribution to the Charitable
Foundation would be expensed without partial offset for any tax benefit,
resulting in a reduction in earnings in the year in which the IRS makes such a
determination.
The Charitable Foundation will be required to make an annual filing
with the IRS within four and one-half months after the close of the Charitable
Foundation's fiscal year to maintain its tax-exempt status. The Charitable
Foundation will be required to publish a notice that the annual information
return will be available for public inspection for a period of 180 days after
the date of such public notice. The information return for a private foundation
must include, among other things, an itemized list of all grants made or
approved, showing the amount of each grant, the recipient, any relationship
between a grant recipient and the Charitable Foundation's managers and a concise
statement of the purpose of each grant.
Under current tax laws, the Charitable Foundation cannot own more than
2.0% of the Company's voting common stock without incurring a significant excise
tax on its "excess business holdings." For these purposes, "excess business
holdings" include, among other things, any interest in a corporation which, when
aggregated with the interests of "disqualified persons" exceeds 20% of the
interests in such corporation. A "disqualified person" includes (1) a
substantial contributor (i.e., a contributor of more than 2.0% of the total
contributions to the Charitable Foundation); (2) a foundation manager, or (3) a
person who owns more than 20% of a corporation, partnership, trust or
unincorporated enterprise which is also a substantial contributor. Since the
Mutual Holding Company owns more than 20% of the Company and the Company is a
substantial contributor to the Charitable Foundation, the Company and the Mutual
Holding Company are disqualified persons. As such, the Mutual Holding Company's
interest in the Company will be aggregated with the interests of the Charitable
Foundation to determine if the Charitable Foundation has excess business
holdings. The limitation on excess business holdings, however, is subject to a
de minimus rule that the Charitable Foundation's ownership of 1.96% or less of
the voting stock and 1.96% or less of the value of all outstanding shares in
such corporation will be disregarded and will not subject the Charitable
Foundation to an excise tax. In the event the Company undertakes a stock
repurchase program or engages in any other activity that would reduce the number
of shares outstanding, the Charitable Foundation would have to sell a sufficient
number of shares in order to maintain ownership of 1.96% or less of the
outstanding Common Stock.
COMPARISON OF VALUATION AND OTHER FACTORS ASSUMING THE CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION IS NOT ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE REORGANIZATION. The establishment
of the Charitable Foundation was taken into account by FinPro in determining the
estimated pro forma market value of the Common Stock. The aggregate price of the
shares of Common Stock being offered in the Offering is based upon the
independent appraisal conducted by FinPro of the estimated pro forma market
value of the Common Stock. The pro forma aggregate price of the Common Stock
being offered for sale in the Offering is currently estimated to be between
$22.5 million and $30.5 million, with a midpoint of $26.5 million. The pro forma
price to book ratio and the pro forma price to earnings ratio, at and for the
year ended March 31, 1998, are 110.01% and 17.24x, respectively, at the midpoint
of the Estimated Valuation Range. In the event that the Reorganization did not
include the Charitable Foundation, FinPro has estimated that the estimated pro
forma market value of the Common Stock being offered for sale in the Offering
would be $27.7 million at the midpoint, with a pro forma price to book ratio and
a pro forma price to earnings ratio of 111.23% and 17.54x, respectively. The
amount of Common Stock being offered for sale in the Offering at the midpoint of
the Estimated Valuation Range is approximately $1.2 million less than the
estimated amount of Common Stock that would be sold in the Offering without the
Charitable Foundation based on the estimate provided by FinPro. Accordingly,
persons who subscribe to purchase Common Stock in the Offering would receive
fewer shares depending on the size of a subscriber's stock order and the amount
of his or her qualifying deposits in the Association and the overall level of
subscriptions. See "Comparison of Valuation and Pro Forma Information Without
Charitable Foundation." This estimate by FinPro was prepared solely for purposes
of providing subscribers with information with which to make an informed
decision on the Reorganization and Offering.
The decrease in the amount of Common Stock being offered for sale as a
result of the contribution of Common Stock to the Charitable Foundation will not
have a significant effect on the Company or the Association's
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capital position. The Association's regulatory capital is significantly in
excess of its regulatory capital requirements and will further exceed such
requirements following the Reorganization. The Association's leverage (core) and
risk-based capital ratios at March 31, 1998 were 12.5% and 34.9%, respectively.
Assuming the sale of shares at the midpoint of the Estimated Valuation Range,
the Association's pro forma core and risk-based capital ratios at March 31, 1998
would be 15.65% and 42.85%, respectively. On a consolidated basis, the Company's
pro forma stockholders' equity would be $54.6 million, or approximately 19.68%
of pro forma consolidated assets, assuming the sale of shares at the midpoint of
the Estimated Price Range. Pro forma stockholders' equity per share and pro
forma net income per share would be $9.09 and $0.58, respectively. If the
Charitable Foundation was not being established in the Reorganization, based on
the FinPro estimate, the Company's pro forma stockholders' equity would be
approximately $55.3 million, or approximately 19.88% of pro forma consolidated
assets at the midpoint of the estimated value, and pro forma stockholders'
equity per share and pro forma net income per share would be higher with the
Charitable Foundation than without the establishment of the Charitable
Foundation. See "Comparison of Valuation and Pro Forma Information Without
Charitable Foundation."
REGULATORY CONDITIONS IMPOSED ON THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.
Establishment of the Charitable Foundation is expected to be subject to the
following conditions being agreed to by the Charitable Foundation in writing as
a condition to receiving OTS approval of the Reorganization and Offering: (i)
the Charitable Foundation will be subject to examination by the OTS; (ii) the
Charitable Foundation must comply with supervisory directives imposed by the
OTS; (iii) the Charitable Foundation will operate in accordance with written
policies adopted by its board of directors, including a conflict of interest
policy; (iv) any shares of Common Stock held by the Charitable Foundation must
be voted in the same ratio as all other outstanding shares of Common Stock on
all proposals considered by stockholders of the Company; provided, however,
that, consistent with the condition, the OTS may waive this voting restriction
under certain circumstances if compliance with the voting restriction would: (a)
cause a violation of the law of the State of Delaware and the OTS determines
that federal law would not preempt the application of the laws of Delaware to
the Charitable Foundation; (b) would cause the Charitable Foundation to lose its
tax-exempt status or otherwise have a material and adverse tax consequence on
the Charitable Foundation; or (c) would cause the Charitable Foundation to be
subject to an excise tax under Section 4941 of the Code; (v) any shares of
Common Stock subsequently purchased by the Charitable Foundation will be
aggregated with any shares repurchased by the Company or the Association for
purposes of calculating the number of shares which may be repurchased during the
three-year period subsequent to the Reorganization; and (vi) the Charitable
Foundation must provide to the OTS on an annual basis its annual report filed
with the IRS which includes grants made by the Charitable Foundation during the
previous year. In order for the OTS to waive such voting restriction, the
Company's or the Charitable Foundation's legal counsel would be required to
render an opinion satisfactory to the OTS. While there is no current intention
for the Company or the Charitable Foundation to seek a waiver from the OTS from
such restrictions, there can be no assurances that a legal opinion addressing
these issues could be rendered, or if rendered, that the OTS would grant an
unconditional waiver of the voting restriction. In no event would the voting
restriction survive the sale of shares of the Common Stock held by the
Charitable Foundation. In addition, a proposed operating plan for the Charitable
Foundation acceptable to the OTS Regional Director must be submitted to the OTS
prior to the consummation of the Reorganization.
Various OTS regulations may be deemed to apply to the Charitable
Foundation including regulations regarding (i) transactions with affiliates,
(ii) conflicts of interest, (iii) capital distributions and (iv) repurchases of
capital stock within the three-year period subsequent to a mutual-to-stock
conversion. Because only two of the eight directors of the Company and the
Association are expected to serve as directors of the Charitable Foundation, the
Company and the Association do not believe that the Charitable Foundation should
be deemed an affiliate of the Association. The Company and the Association
anticipate that the Charitable Foundation's affairs will be conducted in a
manner consistent with the OTS' conflict of interest regulations. The
Association has provided information to the OTS demonstrating that the initial
contribution of common stock to the Charitable Foundation would be within the
amount which the Association would be permitted to make as a capital
distribution assuming such contribution is deemed to have been made by the
Association.
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POTENTIAL CHALLENGES. To date, there has been limited precedent with
respect to the establishment and funding of a foundation as part of the
reorganization of a mutual savings institution to stock form. In addition,
establishment and funding of the Charitable Foundation will require the OTS to
grant the Association and the Company waivers from its mutual-to-stock
conversion regulations and mutual holding company regulations. As such, the
Charitable Foundation and the OTS's non-objection to the Reorganization may be
subject to potential challenges with respect to, among other things, the
Company's and the Association's ability to establish the Charitable Foundation,
notwithstanding that the Board of Directors have carefully considered the
various factors involved in the establishment of the Charitable Foundation in
reaching its determination to establish the Charitable Foundation as part of the
Reorganization, and/or with respect to the OTS' authority to grant the waivers
necessary to establish the Charitable Foundation. If challenges were to be
instituted seeking management to terminate the establishment of the Charitable
Foundation no assurances could be made that the resolution of such challenges
would not result in a delay in the consummation of the Reorganization or that
any objecting persons would not be ultimately successful in obtaining such
relief.
APPROVAL OF MEMBERS. Establishment of the Charitable Foundation is
subject to the approval of a majority of the total outstanding votes of the
Association's members eligible to be cast at the Special Meeting. The Charitable
Foundation will be considered as a separate matter from approval of the Plan. If
the members approve the Plan, but not the establishment of the Charitable
Foundation, the Association intends to complete the Reorganization without
establishing of the Charitable Foundation. Failure to approve the Charitable
Foundation may materially increase the pro forma market value of the Common
Stock being offered for sale in the Offering because the Estimated Valuation
Range takes into account the proposed contribution to the Charitable Foundation.
If the pro forma market value of the Company without the Charitable Foundation
is either greater than $69.1 million or less than $51.1 million, or if the OTS
otherwise requires a resolicitation of subscribers, the Association will
establish a new Estimated Valuation Range and resolicit subscribers (i.e.,
subscribers will be permitted to continue their orders, in which case they will
need to affirmatively reconfirm their subscriptions prior to the expiration of
the resolicitation offering or their subscription funds will be promptly
refunded with interest). Any change in the Estimated Valuation Range must be
approved by the OTS. See "--Stock Pricing and Number of Shares to be Issued." In
the event that the Estimated Valuation Range is not greater than $69.1 million
or less than $51.1 million, the Company will offer the same number of shares as
set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Consequently, if members do not
approve the establishment of the Charitable Foundation, the percentage ownership
of the total shares outstanding held by persons purchasing in the Offering will
increase. Further, if the Mutual Holding Company were to undertake a Conversion
Transaction, and in connection with such a transaction additional shares of
stock of the Company or its successor were contributed to the Charitable
Foundation, such contribution of additional shares of Common Stock to the
Charitable Foundation would be voted on as a separate matter and would require
the approval of: (i) a majority of the total outstanding vote of the members of
the Mutual Holding Company eligible to be cast; and (ii) a majority vote of the
total outstanding shares of Common Stock held by stockholders other than the
Mutual Holding Company and the Charitable Foundation.
OFFERING OF COMMON STOCK
Under the Plan, up to 3,048,075 shares of Common Stock are being
offered for sale, initially through the Subscription Offering (subject to a
possible increase to 3,505,286 shares). See "--Subscription Offering." The Plan
requires, with certain exceptions, that at least 2,252,925 shares be sold in
order for the Reorganization to be effective.
The Subscription Offering expires at 3:00 p.m., New York time, on
September 14, 1998. OTS regulations and the Plan require that the sale of Common
Stock be completed within 45 days after the close of the Subscription Offering.
This 45-day period expires on October 29, 1998. In the event the Association is
unable to complete the sale of common stock within this 45-day period, the
Association may request an extension of this time period from the OTS. No single
extension granted by the OTS, however, may exceed 90 days. No assurance can be
given that an extension would be granted if requested. If an extension is
granted, the Association would promptly notify subscribers of the granting of
the extension of time and would promptly return subscriptions unless subscribers
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affirmatively elect to continue their subscriptions during the period of
extension. Such extensions may not be made beyond September 14, 2001.
Shares may also be offered to the public in a Community Offering. In
the event a Community Offering is held, it may begin immediately after the
Subscription Offering, or any time during the Subscription Offering. The
Community Offering may end at the same time as or after the Subscription
Offering, but not later than October 29, 1998, unless further extended with the
approval of the OTS. The actual number of shares to be sold in the Offering will
depend upon market and financial conditions at the time of the Offering,
provided that no fewer than 2,252,925 shares or more than 3,505,286 shares are
sold in the Offering. The per share price to be paid by prospective purchasers
in the Community Offering, if any, for any remaining shares will be $10.00, the
same price paid by subscribers in the Subscription Offering. See "--Stock
Pricing." It is anticipated that all shares not subscribed for in the
Subscription Offering and the Community Offering if held, will be offered for
sale by the Company to the general public in a Syndicated Community Offering.
As permitted by OTS regulations, the Plan provides that if, for any
reason, purchasers cannot be found for an insignificant number of unsubscribed
shares of the common stock, the Board of Directors will seek to make other
arrangements for the sale of the remaining shares. Such other arrangements will
be subject to the approval of the OTS. If such other purchase arrangements
cannot be made, the Plan will terminate. In the event that the Offering is not
completed, the Association will remain a mutual savings association, all
subscription funds will be promptly returned to subscribers with interest earned
thereon at the passbook rate, which is currently 2.50% per annum (except for
payments to have been made through withdrawal authorizations which will have
continued to earn interest at the contractual account rates), and all withdrawal
authorizations will be canceled.
SUBSCRIPTION OFFERING
In accordance with OTS regulations, nontransferable rights to subscribe
for the purchase of the Company's Common Stock have been granted under the Plan
to the following persons in the following order of priority: (1) Eligible
Account Holders; (2) the Association's tax-qualified plans including the ESOP;
(3) Supplemental Eligible Account Holders; (4) depositors and borrowers, other
than Eligible Account Holders and Supplemental Eligible Account Holders, at the
close of business on August 3, 1998, the voting record date for the Special
Meeting ("Other Members"); and (5) employees, officers and directors. All
subscriptions received will be subject to the availability of Common Stock after
satisfaction of all subscriptions of all persons having prior rights in the
Subscription Offering, and to the maximum and minimum purchase limitations set
forth in the Plan (and described below). The March 31, 1997 date for determining
who qualifies as Eligible Account Holders, and the June 30, 1998 date for
determining who qualifies as Supplemental Eligible Account Holders, were
selected in accordance with federal regulations applicable to the
Reorganization.
CATEGORY I: ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT HOLDERS. Each Eligible Account Holder will
receive, without cost to him or her, nontransferable subscription rights to
subscribe for an amount of shares equal to the greater of (i) $150,000 of the
Common Stock sold in the Offering; or (ii) 15 times the product (rounded down to
the whole next number) obtained by multiplying the total number of shares to be
issued by a fraction of which the numerator is the amount of qualifying deposits
of such subscriber and the denominator is the total qualifying deposits of all
account holders in this category on the qualifying date; provided, however, that
no Eligible Account Holder may purchase with his or her Associates (as defined
in this Prospectus) and persons acting in concert, more than $300,000 (30,000
shares) of Common Stock. The Company may, in its sole discretion and without
further notice to, or solicitation of, subscribers or other prospective
purchasers, increase the maximum purchase limitation up to 5% of the maximum
number of shares offered in the Offering.
If sufficient shares are not available in this Category I, the
Association will allocate shares in a manner that will allow each Eligible
Account Holder to purchase the lesser of 100 shares or the amount subscribed
for. Thereafter, unallocated shares will be allocated to subscribing Eligible
Account Holders in the proportion that the amounts of their
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respective qualifying deposits bear to the total amount of qualifying deposits
of all subscribing Eligible Account Holders. To ensure a proper allocation of
Common Stock, each Eligible Account Holder must list on the Stock Order Form all
accounts in which the Eligible Account Holder had an ownership interest as of
March 31, 1997. Failure to list all such qualifying deposit accounts may result
in the inability of the Company or the Association to fill all or part of a
subscription order. Neither the Company, the Association, nor any of their
agents shall be responsible for orders on which all qualifying deposit accounts
have not been fully and accurately disclosed.
The "qualifying deposits" of an Eligible Account Holder are the
aggregate amount of the deposit balances (provided such aggregate balance is not
less than $50) in one or more deposit accounts with the Association, including
money market accounts, as of the close of business on March 31, 1997.
Subscription rights received by directors and officers in this category based
upon their increased deposits in the Association during the year preceding March
31, 1997, are subordinated to the subscription rights of other Eligible Account
Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares of Common Stock with a value in
excess of $150,000, may be sold to the Association's tax-qualified benefit
plans, including the ESOP, before satisfying the subscriptions of Eligible
Account Holders in the event the number of shares sold in the Offering is
increased to more than 3,048,075 shares. For allocation purposes, qualifying
deposits will be divided in the case of multiple orders.
CATEGORY II: TAX-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. The Association's
tax-qualified employee benefit plans, including the ESOP will receive
nontransferable subscription rights to purchase up to 10% of the Minority
Ownership Interest, provided that shares remain available after satisfying the
subscription rights of Eligible Account Holders. The ESOP currently intends to
purchase shares equal to 8% of the Minority Ownership Interest. If the ESOP is
unable to purchase all or part of the shares of Common Stock for which it
subscribes, the ESOP may purchase such shares in the open market or may purchase
authorized but unissued shares of the Company. Any purchase by the ESOP of
authorized but unissued shares would dilute the interests of the Company's
shareholders.
CATEGORY III: SUPPLEMENTAL ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT HOLDERS. Each Supplemental
Eligible Account Holder will receive, without cost to him or her,
nontransferable subscription rights to subscribe for an amount of shares equal
to the greater of (i) $150,000 of the Common Stock sold in the Offering; or (ii)
15 times the product (rounded down to the whole next number) obtained by
multiplying the total number of shares to be issued by a fraction of which the
numerator is the amount of qualifying deposits of such subscriber and the
denominator is the total qualifying deposits of all account holders in this
category on the qualifying date. The subscription rights of each Supplemental
Eligible Account Holder shall be reduced to the extent of such person's
subscription rights as an Eligible Account Holder; provided, however, that no
Supplemental Eligible Account Holder may purchase with his or her Associates and
persons acting in concert, more than $300,000 (30,000 shares) of common stock.
Such subscription rights will be applicable only to shares that remain available
after the subscriptions of Eligible Account Holders and the tax-qualified
benefit plans have been satisfied. The Company may, in its sole discretion, and
without further notice to, or solicitation of, subscribers or other prospective
purchasers, increase the maximum purchase limitation to up to 5% of the maximum
number of shares offered in the Offering.
If sufficient shares are not available in this Category III, the
Association will allocate shares in a manner that will allow each Supplemental
Eligible Account Holder to purchase the lesser of 100 shares or the amount
subscribed for. Thereafter, unallocated shares will be allocated to each
subscribing Supplemental Eligible Account Holder in the proportion that the
amounts of his or her qualifying deposits bears to the total amount of
qualifying deposits of all subscribing Supplemental Eligible Account Holders. To
ensure a proper allocation of Common Stock, each Supplemental Eligible Account
Holder must list on the Stock Order Form all accounts in which he or she has an
ownership interest as of June 30, 1998. Failure to list all such qualifying
deposit accounts may result in the inability of the Company or the Association
to fill all or part of a subscription order. Neither the Company, the
Association nor any of their agents shall be responsible for orders on which all
qualifying deposit accounts have not been fully and accurately disclosed.
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The "qualifying deposits" of a Supplemental Eligible Account Holder are
the aggregate amount of the deposit balances (provided such aggregate balance is
not less than $50.00) in his or her deposit accounts, including money market
accounts, as of the close of business on June 30, 1998.
CATEGORY IV: OTHER MEMBERS. Each Other Member will receive, without
cost to him or her, nontransferable subscription rights to subscribe for up to
$150,000 (15,000 shares) of the Common Stock sold in the Offering; provided,
however, that no Other Member may purchase with his or her Associates and
persons acting in concert, more than $300,000 (30,000 shares) of Common Stock.
Such subscription rights will be applicable only to shares that remain available
after the subscriptions of Eligible Account Holders, the tax-qualified benefit
plans and Supplemental Eligible Account Holders have been satisfied. The Company
may in its sole discretion increase the maximum purchase limitation to up to 5%
of the maximum number of shares offered in the Offering.
If sufficient shares are not available in this Category IV, shares will
be allocated pro rata among subscribing Other Members in the same proportion
that the number of shares subscribed for by each Other Member bears to the total
number of shares subscribed for by all Other Members.
CATEGORY V: EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. Employees, officers and
directors of the Association will receive, without cost to them, nontransferable
subscription rights to subscribe for up to $150,000 (15,000 shares) of the
Common Stock; provided that no employee, officer or director may purchase with
his or her Associates and persons acting in concert more than $300,000 (30,000
shares) of Common Stock. For purposes of the Plan, directors, officers and
employees are not Associates of one another, nor are they acting in concert
solely as a result of their positions as directors, officers or employees of the
Association. Such subscription rights will only be provided after subscriptions
of Eligible Account holders, the tax-qualified benefit plans, Supplemental
Eligible Account Holders and other Members have been satisfied. If sufficient
shares are not available in this Category V, shares will be allocated among
directors, officers and employees on a pro rata basis based on the size of each
person's order.
TIMING OF OFFERING AND METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Association will not
execute orders until all shares of Common Stock have been subscribed for or
otherwise sold. If all shares have not been subscribed for or sold within 45
days after the Expiration Date, unless such period is extended with the consent
of the OTS, all funds delivered to the Association pursuant to the Subscription
Offering will be returned promptly to the subscribers with interest and all
withdrawal authorizations will be canceled. If an extension beyond the 45-day
period following the Expiration Date is granted, the Association will notify
subscribers of the extension of time and of any rights of subscribers to modify
or rescind their subscriptions. The Subscription Offering will expire at 3:00
p.m., New York time, on September 14, 1998 (the "Expiration Date"). The
Expiration Date may be extended by the Association and the Company for
successive 90-day periods, subject to OTS approval, to September 14, 2001. If
the Offering is extended beyond October 29, 1998, subscribers will be given the
right to increase, decrease, confirm or modify their orders.
Before the Expiration Date, or any extension of such date, each
subscriber must return the Order Forms to the Association, properly completed,
together with checks or money orders in an amount equal to the Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of shares for which subscription is made. Payment for
stock purchases can also be accomplished through authorization on the order form
of withdrawals from accounts with the Association (including a certificate of
deposit). The Association has the right to reject any orders transmitted by
facsimile and any payments made by wire transfer.
Until completion or termination of the Reorganization, subscribers who
elect to make payment through authorization of withdrawal from accounts with the
Association will not be permitted to reduce the deposit balance in any such
accounts below the amount required to purchase the shares for which they
subscribed. In such cases interest will continue to be credited on deposits
authorized for withdrawal until the completion of the Reorganization. Interest
at the passbook rate, which is currently 2.50% per annum, will be paid on
amounts submitted by check. Authorized withdrawals from certificate accounts for
the purchase of Common Stock will be permitted without the imposition of early
withdrawal penalties or loss of interest. However, withdrawals from certificate
accounts that
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reduce the balance of such accounts below the required minimum for specific
interest rate qualification will cause the cancellation of the certificate
accounts at the effective date of the Reorganization, and the remaining balance
will earn interest at the passbook savings rate or will be returned to the
depositor. Stock subscriptions received and accepted by the Association are
final. Subscriptions may be withdrawn only in the event that the Reorganization
is not completed by October 29, 1998.
MEMBERS IN NON-QUALIFIED STATES OR FOREIGN COUNTRIES. The Association
will make reasonable efforts to comply with the securities laws of all states in
the United States in which persons entitled to subscribe for stock pursuant to
the Plan reside. However, no person will be offered or sold any stock in the
Subscription Offering if such person resides in a foreign country or resides in
a state in the United States with respect to which all of the following apply:
(i) a small number of persons otherwise eligible to subscribe for shares of
Common Stock reside in such state; (ii) the granting of subscription rights or
the offer or sale of Common Stock to such persons would require the Association
or the Company or its respective officers and directors, under the securities
laws of such state, to register as a broker, dealer, salesman or selling agent,
or to register or otherwise qualify the Common Stock for sale in such state; and
(iii) such registration, qualification or filing in its judgment or in the
judgment of the Company would be impracticable or unduly burdensome for reasons
of cost or otherwise.
To assist in the Offering, the Association has established a Stock
Conversion Center that you may contact at (914) 670-0123. Callers to the Stock
Information Center will be able to request a Prospectus and other information
relating to the Offering.
COMMUNITY OFFERING
To the extent shares remain available for purchase after filling all
orders received in the Subscription Offering, the Company may offer shares of
the common stock in a Community Offering to the general public, with preference
given to residents in Westchester County, the county where the Association
maintains its offices. The Association may terminate the Community Offering as
soon as it has received orders for at least the minimum number of shares
available for purchase in the Offering.
Persons wishing to purchase stock in the Community Offering, if
conducted, should return the Order Form to the Association, properly completed,
together with a check or money order in the amount equal to the Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of shares which that person desires to purchase. Order
Forms will be accepted until the completion of the Community Offering. However,
the Association may terminate the Community Offering as soon as orders are
received for at least the minimum number of shares available for purchase in the
Offering.
The amount of Common Stock which may be purchased in the Community
Offering by any person (including such person's Associates) or persons acting in
concert is $150,000 (15,000 shares) in the aggregate. A member who, together
with his Associates and persons acting in concert, has subscribed for shares in
the Subscription Offering may subscribe for additional shares of Common Stock in
the Community Offering that does not exceed the lesser of (i) $150,000 (15,000
shares) or (ii) a number of shares which, when added to the number of shares
subscribed for by the member (and his Associates and persons acting in concert)
in the Subscription Offering, would not exceed $300,000 (30,000 shares). The
Association reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject any orders
received in the Community Offering in whole or in part.
If all the Common Stock offered in the Subscription Offering is
subscribed for, no Common Stock will be available for purchase in the Community
Offering. In the event of an oversubscription, purchase orders received during
the Community Offering will be filled up to a maximum of 1,000 shares of Common
Stock issued in the Offering, with any remaining unfilled purchase orders to be
allocated on a pro rata basis based on a fair and equitable manner. If the
Community Offering continues for more than 45 days after the expiration of the
Subscription Offering, subscribers will have the right to increase, decrease or
rescind subscriptions for stock previously submitted. All sales
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of Common Stock in the Community Offering will be at the same price per share as
the sales of Common Stock in the Subscription Offering.
Cash and checks received in the Community Offering will be placed in an
interest bearing account with the Association, and will earn interest at the
passbook rate, which is currently 2.50% per annum, from the date of deposit
until completion or termination of the Reorganization. In the event that the
Reorganization is not consummated for any reason, all funds submitted pursuant
to the Community Offering will be promptly refunded with interest as described
above.
SYNDICATED COMMUNITY OFFERING
Any shares of Common Stock not sold in the Subscription Offering or in
the Community Offering, if any, may be offered for sale to the general public by
a selling group of broker-dealers to be managed by Sandler O'Neill in a
Syndicated Community Offering, subject to terms, conditions and procedures as
may be determined by the Association and the Company in a manner that is
intended to achieve the widest distribution of the Common Stock subject to the
rights of the Company to accept or reject in whole or in part all orders in the
Syndicated Community Offering. It is expected that the Syndicated Community
Offering will begin as soon as practicable after termination of the Subscription
Offering and the Community Offering, if any. The Syndicated Community Offering
will be completed within 45 days after the termination of the Subscription
Offering, unless such period is extended as provided herein.
If for any reason a Syndicated Community Offering of unsubscribed
shares of Common Stock cannot be effected and any shares remain unsold after the
Subscription Offering and any Community Offering, the Boards of Directors of the
Company and the Association will seek to make other arrangements to sell the
remaining shares. Such other arrangements will be subject to OTS approval and to
compliance with applicable state and federal securities laws.
PROSPECTUS DELIVERY AND PROCEDURE FOR PURCHASING COMMON STOCK
To ensure that each purchaser receives a Prospectus at least 48 hours
prior to the end of the Offering, in accordance with Rule 15c2-8 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, no Prospectus will be mailed later than five
days or hand delivered any later than two days prior to the end of the Offering.
Execution of the Order Form will confirm receipt or delivery of a Prospectus in
accordance with Rule 15c2-8. Order Forms will be distributed only with a
Prospectus. Neither the Company, the Association, nor Sandler O'Neill is
obligated to deliver a Prospectus and an Order Form by any means other than the
U.S. Postal Service.
To ensure that Eligible Account Holders, Supplemental Eligible Account
Holders, and Other Members are properly identified as to their stock purchase
priorities, such parties must list all deposit accounts, or in the case of Other
Members who are borrowers only, loans held at the Association, on the Order Form
giving all names on each deposit account and/or loan and the account and/or loan
numbers at the applicable eligibility date.
Full payment by check, cash (except by mail), money order, bank draft
or withdrawal authorization (payment by wire transfer will not be accepted) must
accompany an original Order Form. THE COMPANY IS NOT OBLIGATED TO ACCEPT AN
ORDER SUBMITTED ON PHOTOCOPIED OR TELECOPIED ORDER FORMS. ORDERS CANNOT AND WILL
NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT THE EXECUTION OF THE CERTIFICATION APPEARING ON THE
ORDER FORM.
If the ESOP purchases shares of Common Stock, it will not be required
to pay for such shares until consummation of the Offering, provided that there
is in force from the time the order is received a loan commitment to lend to the
ESOP the amount of funds necessary to purchase the number of shares ordered.
DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES
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Certificates representing shares issued in the Subscription Offering
and in the Community Offering, if any, pursuant to Order Forms will be mailed to
the persons entitled to them at such address as may be specified on properly
completed Order Forms as soon as practicable following consummation of the
Reorganization. The Company will not accept orders registered "in care of" or
instructed to be mailed to a third party. Any certificates returned as
undeliverable will be held by the Company until claimed by the person legally
entitled to them or otherwise disposed of in accordance with applicable law.
Purchasers may not be able to sell the shares of Common Stock which they
purchase until certificates for the Common Stock are available and delivered to
them, even though trading of the common stock may have begun. Shares sold prior
to receipt of a stock certificate are the responsibility of the purchaser.
MARKETING AGENT
The Association has engaged Sandler O'Neill as a consultant and
financial advisor in connection with the offering of the Common Stock, and
Sandler O'Neill has agreed to assist the Association in its solicitation of
subscriptions and purchase orders for shares of Common Stock in the Offerings.
Sandler O'Neill will receive a fee equal to 1.5% of the aggregate purchase price
of all shares sold in the Subscription Offering or Community Offering, excluding
in each case shares purchased by directors, officers or employees of the
Association and any immediate family member thereof and the ESOP, for which
Sandler O'Neill will not receive a fee. In the event that a selected dealers
agreement is entered into in connection with a Syndicated Community Offering,
the Association will pay a fee (to be negotiated at such time under such
agreement) to such selected dealers, any sponsoring dealers fees, and a
management fee to Sandler O'Neill of 1.5% for shares sold by a National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") member firm pursuant to a
selected dealers agreement; provided, however, that the aggregate fees payable
to Sandler O'Neill for Common Stock sold by them pursuant to such a selected
dealers agreement shall not exceed 1.5% of the aggregate purchase price, and
provided, further however, that the aggregate fees payable to Sandler O'Neill
and the selected dealers will not exceed 5% of the aggregate purchase price of
the Common Stock sold by selected dealers. Fees to Sandler O'Neill and to any
other broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting fees, and Sandler O'Neill
and such broker-dealers may be deemed to be underwriters. Sandler O'Neill will
also be reimbursed for its reasonable out-of-pocket expense, including legal
fees, in an amount not to exceed $45,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event the Offering is not consummated or Sandler O'Neill ceases, under certain
circumstances after the subscription solicitation activities are commenced, to
provide assistance to the Association, Sandler O'Neill will be reimbursed for
its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as described above. The Association has
agreed to indemnify Sandler O'Neill for reasonable costs and expenses in
connection with certain claims or liabilities, including certain liabilities
under the Securities Act.
Sandler O'Neill will also perform proxy solicitation services,
Reorganization agent services and records management services for the
Association and will receive a fee for these services of $15,000, plus
reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
Directors and executive officers of the Association may participate in
the solicitation of offers to purchase Common Stock. Questions of prospective
purchasers will be directed to executive officers or registered representatives.
Other employees of the Association may participate in the Offering in
ministerial capacities or providing clerical work in effecting a sales
transaction. Such other employees have been instructed not to solicit offers to
purchase Common Stock or provide advice regarding the purchase of Common Stock.
The Association will rely on Rule 3a4-1 under the Exchange Act, and sales of
Common Stock will be conducted within the requirements of Rule 3a4-1, so as to
permit executive officers, directors and employees to participate in the sale of
Common Stock. No executive officer, director or employee of the Association will
be compensated in connection with his or her participation by the payment of
commission or other remuneration based either directly or indirectly on the
transactions in the Common Stock.
Sandler O'Neill has not prepared any report or opinion constituting
recommendations or advice to the Association. In addition, Sandler O'Neill has
expressed no opinion as to the prices at which the Common Stock to
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be issued in the Offering may trade. Furthermore, Sandler O'Neill has not
verified the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in the
Prospectus.
LIMITATIONS ON COMMON STOCK PURCHASES
The Plan includes a number of limitations on the number of shares of
Common Stock which may be purchased in the Offering. These are summarized below:
1. The aggregate amount of outstanding Common Stock owned or
controlled by persons other than the Mutual Holding Company at
the close of the Offering shall be less than 50% of the total
outstanding Common Stock.
2. No person, Associate thereof, or group of persons acting in
concert, may purchase more than the greater of $300,000 or
1.0% of Common Stock offered in the Offering except that: (i)
the Company may, in its sole discretion and without further
notice to or solicitation of subscribers or other prospective
purchasers, increase the maximum purchase limitation to up to
5% of the number of shares offered in the Offering; (ii)
Tax-Qualified Employee Benefit Plans may purchase up to 10%of
the shares offered in the Offering; and (iii) shares held by
any Tax-Qualified Employee Plan and attributable to a person
will not be aggregated with other shares purchased directly by
or otherwise attributable to such person.
3. The aggregate amount of Common Stock acquired in the Offering
by all officers and directors of the Association or any
affiliate of the Association, and any person acting in concert
with such officer or director and their Associates, exclusive
of any stock acquired by such persons in the secondary market,
may not exceed 30% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
held by persons other than the Mutual Holding Company at the
close of the Offering. In calculating the number of shares
held by officers or directors of the Association or any
Affiliate of the Association and any person acting in concert
with any such officer or director and their Associates under
this paragraph or under the provisions of Section 4 of this
section, shares held by any Tax-Qualified Employee Benefit
Plans of the Association that are attributable to such persons
shall not be counted.
4. The aggregate amount of Common Stock acquired in the Offering
by all officers and directors of the Association or any
affiliate of the Association and any person acting in concert
with any such officer or director and their Associates,
exclusive of any Common Stock acquired by such plans or
persons in the secondary market, may not exceed 30% of the
stockholders' equity of the Company owed by persons other than
the Mutual Holding Company at the close of the Offering.
5. The Boards of Directors of the Association and the Company
may, in their sole discretion, increase the maximum purchase
limitation set forth in paragraph 2 above to up to 9.9%,
provided that the percentage amount by which orders for Common
Stock in excess of 5% of the total number of shares of Common
Stock offered in the Offering shall not, in the aggregate
exceed 10% of the total shares of Common Stock offered in the
Offering (except that this limitation shall not apply to
purchases by Tax-Qualified Employee Benefit Plans). If such 5%
limitation is increased, subscribers for the maximum amount
will be, and certain other large subscribers in the sole
discretion of the Company and the Association may be, given
the opportunity to increase their subscriptions up to the then
applicable limit. Requests to purchase additional shares of
Common Stock under this provision will be determined by the
Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion.
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, no person
shall be entitled to purchase any Common Stock to the extent
such purchase would be illegal under any federal law or state
law or
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regulation or would violate regulations or policies of the
NASD, particularly those regarding free riding and
withholding. The Company and/or its agents may ask for an
acceptable legal opinion from any purchaser as to the legality
of such purchase and may refuse to honor any purchase order if
such opinion is not timely furnished.
7. The Board of Directors of the Company has the right in its
sole discretion to reject any order submitted by a person
whose representations the Board of Directors believes to be
false or who it otherwise believes, either alone or acting in
concert with others, is violating, circumventing, or intends
to violate, evade or circumvent the terms and conditions of
this Plan.
OTS regulations define "acting in concert" as (i) knowing participation
in a joint activity or interdependent conscious parallel action towards a common
goal whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, or (ii) a combination or
pooling of voting or other interests in the securities of an issuer for a common
purpose pursuant to any contract, understanding, relationship, agreement or
other arrangement, whether written or otherwise. THE ASSOCIATION WILL PRESUME
THAT CERTAIN PERSONS ARE ACTING IN CONCERT BASED UPON VARIOUS FACTS, INCLUDING
THE FACT THAT PERSONS HAVE JOINT ACCOUNT RELATIONSHIPS OR THE FACT THAT SUCH
PERSONS HAVE FILED JOINT SCHEDULES 13D WITH THE SEC WITH RESPECT TO OTHER
COMPANIES.
Directors are not treated as Associates of one another solely because
of their board membership. Compliance with the foregoing limitations does not
necessarily constitute compliance with other regulatory restrictions on
acquisitions of the Common Stock. For a further discussion of limitations on
purchases of the Common Stock during and subsequent to Reorganization, see
"--Restrictions on Sale of Stock by Directors and Officers," "--Restrictions on
Purchase of Stock by Directors and Officers Following Reorganization and
Offering," and "Restrictions on the Acquisition of the Company."
RESTRICTIONS ON REPURCHASE OF COMMON STOCK BY THE COMPANY
Repurchases of its shares by the Company will be restricted for a
period of three years from the date of the completion of Reorganization. OTS
regulations currently prohibit the Company from repurchasing any of its shares
within three years following the Reorganization except under exceptional
circumstances. The Company may not, for a period of three years from the date of
the Reorganization, repurchase any of its capital stock from any person, except
in the event of an offer to purchase by the Company on a pro rata basis from all
of its shareholders (excluding the Mutual Holding Company) which is approved in
advance by the OTS, the repurchasing of qualifying shares of a director or
purchases of shares required to fund a tax qualified or non-tax qualified plan.
OTS regulations permit limited repurchases of Common Stock during the second and
third year following the Reorganization.
RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF STOCK BY DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Any shares of the Common Stock purchased in the Offering by directors
and officers of the Association or the Company may not be sold or otherwise
disposed of for value for a period of one year following the date of purchase,
except for any disposition of such shares (i) following the death of the
original purchaser or (ii) by reason of an exchange of securities in connection
with a merger or acquisition approved by the applicable regulatory authorities.
Sales of shares of the Common Stock by the Company's directors and officers will
also be subject to certain insider trading and other transfer restrictions under
the federal securities laws. See "Regulation--Federal Securities Laws" and
"Description of Capital Stock."
Each certificate for such restricted shares will bear a legend
prominently stamped on its face giving notice of the restrictions on transfer,
and instructions will be issued to the Company's transfer agent to the effect
that any transfer within such time period of any certificate or record ownership
of such shares other than as provided above is a violation of the restriction.
Any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a stock dividend, stock split or
otherwise with respect to restricted shares will be subject to the same
restrictions on sale.
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RESTRICTIONS ON PURCHASE OF STOCK BY DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THE
REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING
OTS regulations provide that for a period of three years following the
Reorganization, without prior written approval of the OTS, neither directors or
officers of the Association or the Company, nor their Associates, may
purchase the Common Stock of the Company except from a dealer registered with
the SEC. This restriction, however, does not apply to negotiated transactions
involving more than 1% of the Company's outstanding Common Stock, to shares
purchased pursuant to stock option or other incentive stock plans approved by
the Company's shareholders, or to shares purchased by employee benefit plans
maintained by the Company which may be attributable to individual officers or
directors.
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AND COMMON STOCK
Prior to the completion of the Reorganization, OTS regulations and the
Plan prohibit any person with subscription rights under the Plan from
transferring or entering into any agreement or understanding to transfer the
legal or beneficial ownership of the subscription rights issued under the Plan
or the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon their exercise. Such rights may
be exercised only by the person to whom they are granted and only for his or her
account. Each person exercising such subscription rights will be required to
certify that he or she is purchasing shares solely for his or her own account
and that there is no agreement or understanding regarding the sale or transfer
of such shares. The regulations also prohibit any person from offering or making
an announcement of an offer or intent to make an offer to purchase such
subscription rights or shares of Common Stock prior to the completion of the
Reorganization and Offering. Certificates representing shares of Common Stock
purchased in the Subscription Offering must be registered in the name of the
Eligible Account Holder or Supplemental Eligible Account Holder, as the case may
be. Joint registrations will be allowed only if the qualifying account is so
registered. THE ASSOCIATION INTENDS TO PURSUE ANY AND ALL LEGAL AND EQUITABLE
REMEDIES IN THE EVENT IT BECOMES AWARE OF THE TRANSFER OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
AND WILL NOT HONOR ORDERS KNOWN TO INVOLVE THE TRANSFER OF SUCH RIGHTS. IN
ADDITION, PERSONS WHO VIOLATE THE PURCHASE LIMITATIONS MAY BE SUBJECT TO
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE OTS.
STOCK PRICING
The aggregate purchase price of the Company Common Stock being sold in
the Reorganization will be based on the appraised aggregate pro forma market
value of the Common Stock, as determined by the Independent Valuation. FinPro,
which is experienced in the valuation and appraisal of financial institutions,
including savings associations forming mutual holding companies, has been
retained to prepare the Independent Valuation. FinPro will receive a fee of
$25,000 for its appraisal and business plan services, not including
out-of-pocket expenses. The Association has agreed to indemnify FinPro, under
certain circumstances, against liabilities and expenses (including legal fees)
arising out of FinPro's engagement.
The Independent Valuation states that the pro forma market value of the
Common Stock was $60.1 million as of June 12, 1998. A copy of the appraisal is
on file and available for inspection at the offices of the OTS, 1700 G Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20552 and the Northeast Regional Office of the OTS, 10
Exchange Place, Jersey City, New Jersey. The Independent Valuation has also been
filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement with the SEC, and
may be reviewed at the SEC's public reference facilities. See "Additional
Information." The Independent Valuation involved a comparative valuation of the
Association's operating and financial statistics with those of other financial
institutions. The Independent Valuation also took into account such other
factors as the market for savings associations generally, prevailing economic
conditions, both nationally and in New York, which affect the operations of
savings associations, the competitive environment within which the Association
operates, and the effect of the Association becoming a subsidiary of the
Company. No detailed individual analysis of the separate components of the
Association's and the Company's assets and liabilities was performed in
connection with the valuation. The Board of Directors reviewed with management
FinPro's methods and assumptions, and accepted FinPro's appraisal as reasonable
and adequate. The Association has determined to establish an Offering Range of
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2,252,925 shares to 3,048,075 shares at the minimum and maximum of the Estimated
Valuation Range. Notwithstanding any change in the number of shares sold in the
Offering due to a change to the Independent Valuation, the Minority Ownership
Interest sold in the Offering will remain 44.12%. The Association, in
consultation with Sandler O'Neill, has determined to offer the Common Stock in
the Offering at a price of $10.00 per share. The Association's decision
regarding the Purchase Price was based solely on its determination that $10.00
per share is a customary purchase price in initial public offerings for mutual
savings associations converting to stock form. The Offering Range may be
increased or decreased to reflect market and financial conditions prior to the
completion of the Offering.
Promptly after the completion of the Subscription Offering and the
Community Offering, if any, FinPro will confirm to the Association that, to the
best of its knowledge and judgment, nothing of a material nature has occurred
which would cause it to conclude that the amount of the aggregate proceeds
received from the sale of the Common Stock in the Offering was incompatible with
FinPro's estimate of the Company's total pro forma market value at the time of
the sale. If, however, the facts do not justify such a statement, a new Offering
Range and price per share may be set. Under such circumstances, the Company will
be required to resolicit subscriptions. In that event, subscribers would have
the right to modify or rescind their subscriptions and to have their
subscription funds returned promptly with interest and holds on funds authorized
for withdrawal from deposit accounts would be released or reduced; provided that
if the Association's pro forma market value upon reorganization has increased to
an amount which does not exceed $77,895,250 (15% above the maximum of the
Independent Valuation), the Company and the Association do not intend to
resolicit subscriptions unless it is determined after consultation with the OTS
that a resolicitation is required.
Depending upon market and financial conditions, the number of shares
issued may be more or less than the range in number of shares shown above. In
the event of an increase in the adjusted maximum number of shares being offered,
persons who exercise their maximum subscription rights will be notified of such
increase and of their right to purchase additional shares. Conversely, in the
event of a decrease in the maximum number of shares being offered, persons who
exercise their maximum subscription rights will be notified of such decrease and
of the reduction in the number of shares for which subscriptions may be made. In
the event of a resolicitation, subscribers will be afforded the opportunity to
increase, decrease or maintain their previously submitted order. The Company
will be required to resolicit if the price per share is changed such that the
total aggregate purchase price is not within the minimum and 15% above the
maximum of the Offering Range.
THE INDEPENDENT VALUATION IS NOT INTENDED AND MUST NOT BE CONSTRUED AS
A RECOMMENDATION OF ANY KIND AS TO THE ADVISABILITY OF VOTING TO APPROVE THE
REORGANIZATION OR OF PURCHASING THE SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK. MOREOVER,
BECAUSE SUCH VALUATION IS NECESSARILY BASED UPON ESTIMATES AND PROJECTIONS OF A
NUMBER OF MATTERS (INCLUDING CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS AS TO THE AMOUNT OF NET
PROCEEDS AND THE EARNINGS THEREON), ALL OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE FROM TIME
TO TIME, NO ASSURANCE CAN BE GIVEN THAT PERSONS PURCHASING SHARES IN THE
OFFERING WILL THEREAFTER BE ABLE TO SELL THE SHARES AT PRICES THAT EXCEED THE
PURCHASE PRICE IN THE OFFERING.
NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE ISSUED
It is anticipated that the total offering of Common Stock (the number
of shares of Common Stock issued in the Offering multiplied by the Purchase
Price of $10.00 per share) will be within the current minimum and 15% above the
maximum of the Offering Range. Unless otherwise required by the OTS, no
resolicitation of subscribers will be made and subscribers will not be permitted
to modify or cancel their subscriptions so long as the change in the number of
shares to be issued in the Offering, in combination with the Purchase Price,
results in an offering of at least the minimum and no more than 15% above the
maximum of the Offering Range.
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Any increase in the total number of shares of Common Stock to be issued
in the Offering would decrease both an individual subscriber's ownership
interest and the Company's pro forma stockholders' equity and net income on a
per share basis while increasing (assuming no change in the per share price) pro
forma stockholders' equity and net income on an aggregate basis. A decrease in
the number of shares to be issued in the Offering would increase both an
individual subscriber's ownership interest and the Company's pro forma
stockholders' equity and net income on a per share basis while decreasing
(assuming no change in the per share price) pro forma stockholders' equity and
net income on an aggregate basis. For a presentation of the effects of such
changes, see "Pro Forma Data."
INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN
To the extent permitted by law, all interpretations of the Plan by the
Association and the Company will be final. The Plan provides that, if deemed
necessary or desirable by the Boards of Directors of the Company and the
Association, the Plan may be substantively amended by the Boards of Directors,
as a result of comments from regulatory authorities or otherwise, with the
concurrence of the OTS. Moreover, if the Plan is so amended, subscriptions which
have been received prior to such amendment will not be refunded unless otherwise
required by the OTS.
CONDITIONS AND TERMINATION
Completion of the Reorganization requires the approval of the Plan by
the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total number of votes of
members eligible to be cast at the Special Meeting and the sale of all shares of
the Common Stock within 24 months following approval of the Plan by the members.
If these conditions are not satisfied, the Plan will be terminated and the
Association will continue business in the mutual form of organization. The Plan
may be terminated by the Board of Directors of the Association at any time prior
to the Special Meeting and, with the approval of the OTS, by such Board of
Directors at any time thereafter. Furthermore, OTS regulations and the Plan
require that the Company complete the sale of Common Stock within 45 days after
the close of the Subscription Offering. The OTS may grant an extension of this
time period if necessary, but no assurance can be given that an extension would
be granted. See "--Offering of Common Stock."
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
STATEMENTS OF INCOME
The following Statements of Income of the Association for the fiscal
years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996 have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent certified public accountants, whose report on the financial
statements appears elsewhere in this Prospectus. These Statements of Income
should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements of the Association
and the Notes thereto included elsewhere in the Prospectus.
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
1998 1997 1996
------- ------- -------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Interest and dividend income:
Loans ............................................................ $10,456 $ 9,987 $ 9,468
Securities ....................................................... 4,341 4,012 3,536
Federal funds sold and certificates of deposit ................... 2,667 2,493 2,569
Other earning assets ............................................. 154 145 159
------- ------- -------
Total interest and dividend income ............................. 17,618 16,637 15,732
------- ------- -------
Interest expense:
Deposits (Note 6) ................................................ 8,700 7,876 7,809
Borrowings and mortgage escrow ................................... 43 41 39
------- ------- -------
Total interest expense ......................................... 8,743 7,917 7,848
------- ------- -------
Net interest income ............................................ 8,875 8,720 7,884
Provision for loan losses (Note 3) .................................. 155 146 98
------- ------- -------
Net interest income after provision for loan losses ............ 8,720 8,574 7,786
------- ------- -------
Noninterest income:
Banking service charges and fees ................................. 186 167 193
Gain on sales of real estate owned ............................... -- 134 15
------- ------- -------
Total noninterest income ....................................... 186 301 208
------- ------- -------
Noninterest expense:
Compensation and benefits (Note 9) ............................... 2,147 1,999 1,920
Federal deposit insurance costs, including a special assessment of
$1,232,000 in 1997 (Note 6) .................................... 139 1,584 430
Occupancy and equipment .......................................... 390 376 383
Data processing service fees ..................................... 231 212 208
Advertising and promotion ........................................ 170 137 108
Other ............................................................ 879 952 816
------- ------- -------
Total noninterest expense ...................................... 3,956 5,260 3,865
------- ------- -------
Income before income tax expense ............................... 4,950 3,615 4,129
Income tax expense (Note 8) ......................................... 2,065 1,325 1,732
------- ------- -------
Net income ..................................................... $ 2,885 $ 2,290 $ 2,397
======= ======= =======
- ---------------------
Note references are to the Notes to Financial Statements beginning on page F-6.
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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
GENERAL
Sound Federal Bancorp will be formed as a federal corporation for the
purpose of issuing the Common Stock and owning all of the capital stock of the
Association issued in the Reorganization. Consequently, the Company has no
operating history. All information in this section should be read in conjunction
with the financial statements and notes thereto included in this Prospectus.
The Association's principal business has historically consisted of
offering savings and other deposits to the general public and using the funds
from such deposits to make loans secured by residential real estate. The
Association's results of operations depend primarily upon its net interest
income, which is the difference between income earned on interest-earning
assets, such as loans and investments, and the interest expense paid on
deposits. The Association's operations are affected to a much lesser degree by
noninterest income, such as banking service charges and fees. The Association's
net income is also affected by, among other things, provisions for loan losses
and noninterest expenses. The Association's principal operating expenses, aside
from interest expense, consist of compensation and benefits, occupancy and
equipment, deposit insurance costs and other expenses such as ATM expenses,
professional fees and insurance premiums. The Association's results of
operations also are affected significantly by general economic and competitive
conditions, particularly changes in market interest rates, government
legislation and policies affecting fiscal affairs, housing and financial
institutions, monetary policies of the Federal Reserve System, and the actions
of bank regulatory authorities. Management intends to initially invest the net
proceeds from the Offering in interest-earning assets and believes that the
Company and the Association will derive additional interest income from such
sources.
CAPABILITY OF THE ASSOCIATION'S DATA PROCESSING TO ACCOMMODATE THE YEAR 2000
Like many financial institutions, the Association relies upon computers
for the daily conduct of its business and for data processing generally. There
is concern that on January 1, 2000 computers will be unable to "read" the new
year and as a consequence, there may be widespread computer malfunctions.
Management has reviewed this issue and has been advised by the Association's
data processing service center that they are addressing this issue and that it
should not affect the Association's external data processing. Management has
developed a formal plan to resolve the year 2000 issue. The Association is in
the process of testing its computer applications and hardware to ensure that
they will be able to read the year 2000. Based on the current timetable, testing
is expected to be completed by December 1998. Given the near-term timing of the
test plan, the Association has not developed a contingency plan, but will do so
if testing results are not satisfactory. The Association has contacted each of
its vendors to ensure that they will be able to provide service in light of the
year 2000 issue. Most vendors have represented to management that they are
addressing the year 2000 issue and they expect to be able to provide the
services for which the Association has contracted. Management will continue to
monitor this issue and report to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis
until full compliance is obtained from all vendors. Costs related to the year
2000 issue will be expensed as they are incurred, except for the costs, if any,
for new hardware and software that is purchased, which will be capitalized. At
March 31, 1998, the costs incurred to address the year 2000 issue have not been
significant. Management does not expect that the additional costs to be incurred
in connection with the year 2000 issue will have a material impact on the
Association's financial condition or results of operations. Since over 98% of
the Association's loans are secured by real property and the remaining portion
of the loan portfolio is composed of consumer loans and personal loans, the
ability of the Association's borrowers to be year 2000 compliant is not material
to the Association's lending.
The costs of the project are based on management's best estimates,
which were derived utilizing numerous assumptions of future events including the
continued availability of certain resources, third party modification plans and
other factors. However, there can be no guarantee that these estimates will be
achieved, and actual results could
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differ materially from those plans. Specific factors that might cause such
material differences include, but are not limited to, the availability and cost
of personnel trained in this area, the ability to locate and correct all
relevant computer codes and similar uncertainties. In addition, there can be no
guarantee that the systems of other companies on which the Association's systems
rely will be timely converted, or that a failure to convert by another company,
or a conversion that is incompatible with the Association's systems, would not
have a material adverse effect on the Association.
OPERATING STRATEGY
In guiding the Association's operations, management has implemented
various strategies designed to continue the institution's profitability
consistent with safety and soundness. These strategies include: (i) operating a
community- oriented financial institution that provides quality service by
monitoring the needs of its customers and offering customers personalized
service; (ii) emphasizing one-to-four family residential real estate lending;
(iii) maintaining high levels of liquidity; and (iv) conservative underwriting
standards to reduce nonperforming loans. It is anticipated, subject to market
conditions, that the strategies presently in place will be continued following
completion of the Reorganization.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED INSTITUTION. The Association was established in
Mamaroneck, New York in 1891 and has been operating continuously since that
time. Throughout its history, the Association has been committed to meeting the
financial needs of the communities in which it operates and is dedicated to
providing quality service to its customers. Management believes that the
Association can be more effective than many of its competitors in serving its
customers because of its ability to promptly and effectively provide senior
management responses to customer needs and inquiries. The Association's ability
to provide these services is enhanced by the stability of senior management
which has an average tenure with the Association of over 20 years. In addition,
the Association intends to use the mutual holding company structure to maintain
the Association as a community-oriented, independent savings institution, and to
establish the Charitable Foundation as a means of furthering the Association's
commitment to the communities in which it conducts business.
EMPHASIS ON RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE LENDING. Historically, the
Association has emphasized the origination of one-to-four family residential
loans within Westchester County. As of March 31, 1998, approximately 83.8% of
the loan portfolio consisted of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans
and 98.5% of the loan portfolio consisted of loans secured by real estate.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, the Association originated $14.8
million of one-to-four family mortgage loans. The Association has emphasized
traditionally the origination of fixed rate residential mortgage loans. Of the
$28.9 million of total loans originated in fiscal year 1998, $28.6 million had
fixed rates of interest.
MAINTAINING HIGH LEVELS OF LIQUID INVESTMENTS. The Association
primarily originates fixed rate mortgage loans with terms up to 30 years. At
March 31, 1998, $124.0 million, or 95.1% of the Association's loan portfolio
consisted of fixed rate loans. In the current low interest rate environment,
management believes that the origination of fixed rate loans provides the
Association with greater income than would be available if the Association chose
to emphasize adjustable rate loans which frequently have to be offered with
initial below market interest rates. In addition, the Association's customers
have shown a preference for fixed rate loans in the current low interest rate
environment. However, in order to position the Association to be able to
redeploy assets profitability in a rising interest rate environment, management
has determined to invest a significant portion of its assets in short term
liquid investments. The Association maintains a significant portion of its
assets in short term U.S. Government and agency securities and other interest
earning assets (which consist of federal funds sold and certificates of deposit
at other financial institutions). At March 31, 1998, U.S. Government or agency
securities due in five years or less totalled $8.0 million, and federal funds
sold and certificates of deposit totalled $47.9 million, or 18.8% of the
Association's assets. In addition, at March 31, 1998, $52.2 million, or 20.5% of
the Association's assets were invested in adjustable rate mortgage-backed
securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and the Government National Mortgage
Association ("GNMA"). See "Risk Factors--Potential Impact of Changes in Interest
Rates and the Current Interest
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Rate Environment," "--Management of Market Risk--Interest Rate Risk" and
"Business of the Association--Investment Activities."
MAINTAINING ASSET QUALITY. The Association's high asset quality is a
result of its conservative underwriting standards, the diligence of its loan
collection personnel and the stability of the local economy. In addition, the
Association also invests in mortgage-backed securities issued by GNMA, Freddie
Mac and Fannie Mae and other investment securities, primarily U.S. Government
securities and federal agency obligations. At March 31, 1998, the Association's
ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.82% compared to 0.98% and
1.37% at March 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. At March 31, 1998, the ratio of
nonperforming assets to total assets for the group of financial institutions
utilized in determining the Independent Appraisal (the "Comparable Group") was
0.47%. At March 31, 1998, the Association's ratio of nonperforming loans to
total loans was 1.50% compared to 1.83% and 2.65% at March 31, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. At March 31, 1998, the ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans
for the Comparable Group was 0.83%. Because 98.5% of the Association's loan
portfolio consisted of loans secured by real estate, the Association believes
that its allowance for loan losses is adequate to absorb probable losses
inherent in the loan portfolio. At March 31, 1998, the Association's ratio of
allowance of loan losses to total loans was 0.75% compared to 1.11% for the
Comparable Group.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the year ended March 31, 1998, the
Association's growth in assets, loans and deposits was 4.84%, 5.71% and 4.11%,
respectively, as compared with 15.29%, 6.99% and 6.32%, respectively for the
Comparable Group. The Association intends to pursue a conservative growth
strategy while emphasizing strategies designed to continue the institution's
profitability consistent with safety and soundness.
MANAGEMENT OF MARKET RISK - INTEREST RATE RISK
The Association's most significant form of market risk is interest rate
risk, as the majority of the Association's assets and liabilities are sensitive
to changes in interest rates. The Association's mortgage loan portfolio,
consisting primarily of loans secured by residential real property located in
Westchester County, is subject to risks associated with the local economy. The
Association does not own any trading assets. At March 31, 1998, the Association
did not have any hedging transactions in place, such as interest rate swaps and
caps. The Association's interest rate risk management program focuses primarily
on evaluating and managing the composition of the Association's assets and
liabilities in the context of various interest rate scenarios. Factors beyond
management's control, such as market interest rates and competition, also have
an impact on interest income and interest expense. The Association's assets
consist primarily of fixed rate mortgage loans which have longer maturities than
the Association's liabilities which consist primarily of deposits.
A principal part of the Association's business strategy is to manage
interest rate risk and to minimize the Association's exposure to changes in
market interest rates. In recent years, the Association has followed the
following strategies to manage interest rate risk: (i) purchasing adjustable
rate mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae or GNMA; (ii) investing
in short-term U.S. Government securities and federal agency obligations; and
(iii) maintaining a high level of liquid interest earning assets such as
short-term federal funds sold and certificates of deposit. By investing in
short-term, liquid securities, the Association believes it is better positioned
to react to increases in market interest rates. However, investments in shorter
term securities generally bear lower yields than longer term investments. Thus,
these strategies may result in lower levels of interest income than would be
obtained by investing in longer term fixed rate loans. Management believes that
maintaining a significant portion of its assets in short-term investments
reduces the Association's exposure to interest rate fluctuations and enhances
long-term profitability. See "Business of the Association--Investment
Activities."
NET PORTFOLIO VALUE. Management monitors the Association's interest
rate sensitivity through the use of a model which estimates the change in net
portfolio value ("NPV") in response to a range of assumed changes in market
interest rates. NPV is the present value of expected cash flows from assets,
liabilities, and off-balance sheet items. Management is not aware of any known
trends that would significantly affect the timing or amount of the expected
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64
cash flows utilized in the NPV model. The model estimates the effect on the
Association's NPV of instantaneous and permanent 100 to 400 basis point
increases and decreases in market interest rates with no effect given to any
steps that management might take to counter the effect of interest rate
movements.
The table below sets forth, as of March 31, 1998, the estimated changes
in the Association's NPV which would result from the designated instantaneous
changes in interest rates.
Changes in Estimated Increase
Interest Rates Estimated (Decrease) in NPV(1)
(basis points) NPV Amount Percent
-------------- --- ------ -------
(Dollars in Thousands)
+400 $ 28,163 $ (12,120) (30)%
+300 31,757 (8,526) (21)
+200 35,127 (5,156) (13)
+100 38,133 (2,150) (5)
0 40,283 -- --
-100 41,765 1,482 4
-200 42,620 2,337 6
-300 43,949 3,666 9
-400 46,301 6,018 15
- --------------------
(1) Represents the increase (decrease) in the estimated NPV at the
indicated change in interest rates compared to the NPV assuming no
change in interest rates.
Computations of prospective effects of hypothetical interest rate
changes are based on numerous assumptions including relative levels of market
interest rates, loan prepayments and deposit decay, and should not be relied
upon as indicative of actual results. Further, the computations do not reflect
any actions management may undertake in response to changes in interest rates.
The table set forth above indicates that at March 31, 1998, in the
event of a 200 basis point decrease in interest rates, the Association would be
expected to experience a 6% increase in NPV. In the event of a 200 basis point
increase in interest rates, the Association would be expected to experience a
13% decrease in NPV. Since March 31, 1998, there have been no changes in the
Association's interest rate risk exposures or how those exposures would be
managed.
Certain shortcomings are inherent in the methodology used in the above
interest rate risk measurement. Modeling changes in NPV require making certain
assumptions which may or may not reflect the manner in which actual yields and
costs respond to changes in market interest rates. In this regard, the NPV table
presented assumes that the composition of the Association's interest sensitive
assets and liabilities existing at the beginning of a period remain constant
over the period being measured and assumes that a particular change in interest
rates is reflected uniformly across the yield curve regardless of the duration
or repricing of specific assets and liabilities. Accordingly, although the NPV
table provides an indication of the Association's interest rate risk exposure at
a particular point in time, such measurements are not intended to and do not
provide a precise forecast of the effect of changes in market interest rates on
the Association's net interest income, and will differ from actual results.
Additionally, the guidelines established by the Board of Directors are not
strict limitations. While a goal of the Asset/Liability Management Committee and
the Board of Directors is to limit projected NPV changes within the Board's
guidelines, the Association will not necessarily limit projected changes in NPV
if the required action would present disproportionate risk to the Association's
continued profitability.
COMPARISON OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT MARCH 31, 1998 AND 1997
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ASSETS. Total assets increased $11.7 million, or 4.8%, to $254.7
million at March 31, 1998 from $243.0 million at March 31, 1997. The increase in
total assets resulted primarily from: a $7.0 million, or 5.7%, increase in net
loans to $128.6 million from $121.6 million; a $1.5 million, or 2.4%, increase
in held-to-maturity securities to $64.9 million from $63.4 million; and a $2.6
million, or 6.5%, increase in cash and cash equivalents to $42.1 million from
$39.5 million. Asset growth was funded through deposit inflows and cash provided
by the Association's operations. Overall asset growth reflects the Association's
strategy of investing in fixed rate residential loans, short-term liquid
investments and adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities. The increase in net
loans primarily reflects an increase of $5.6 million, or 5.4%, in one-to-four
family mortgage loans and a $3.6 million, or 38.5%, increase in advances on home
equity lines of credit, partially offset by a decrease of $3.3 million in
outstanding construction loans. The increase in loans is primarily a result of
the increased demand for fixed rate mortgage loans, given the low interest rate
environment. The Association is primarily a fixed rate lender. One-to-four
family mortgage loans totalled $109.2 million, or 83.8% of total loans at March
31, 1998, compared to $103.6 million or 83.6% at March 31, 1997. The increase in
held-to-maturity securities is a result of the investment of funds provided by
deposit inflows in excess of loan demand.
LIABILITIES. Total liabilities increased $8.8 million, or 4.1%, to
$222.8 million at March 31, 1998 from $214.0 million at March 31, 1997. The
increase in total liabilities is primarily attributable to an $8.7 million, or
4.1%, increase in deposits to $219.9 million from $211.2 million. The deposit
growth reflects an increase of $9.4 million, or 8.5%, in certificate accounts
partially offset by a $677,000, or 0.7%, decrease in passbook and other
accounts. The increase in certificate accounts is due primarily to the
Association's marketing efforts.
EQUITY. Retained earnings increased by $2.9 million, or 10.0%, to $31.9
million at March 31, 1998 from $29.0 million at March 31, 1997, reflecting net
income of $2.9 million for the fiscal year.
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AVERAGE BALANCE SHEETS
The following table sets forth actual and average balance sheets,
average yields and costs, and certain other information at March 31, 1998 and
for the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996. The table reflects the
average yield on interest-earning assets and the average cost of
interest-bearing liabilities (derived by dividing interest income or expense by
the monthly average balance of interest-earning assets or interest-bearing
liabilities, respectively), as well as the net yield on interest-earning assets.
Management believes that the use of monthly average balances rather than daily
average balances did not have a material effect on the data presented. No
tax-equivalent adjustments were made, as the effect thereof was not material.
Nonaccrual loans were included in the computation of average balances, but have
been included in the table as loans having a zero yield. The yields set forth
below include the effect of deferred fees, discounts and premiums which are
included in interest income.
FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------------------------------
AT MARCH 31, 1998 1998 1997
----------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------
AVERAGE AVERAGE
ACTUAL AVERAGE OUTSTANDING AVERAGE OUTSTANDING AVERAGE
BALANCE YIELD/RATE BALANCE INTEREST YIELD/RATE BALANCE INTEREST YIELD/RATE
------- ---------- ----------- -------- ---------- ----------- -------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Interest-earning assets:
Loans(1).......................... $ 128,558 8.20% $ 124,646 $10,456 8.39% $118,986 $ 9,987 8.39%
Mortgage-backed securities(2) 53,421 6.91 53,475 3,515 6.57 50,930 3,244 6.37
Other securities(2)............... 14,471 6.21 13,789 826 5.99 12,956 768 5.93
Federal funds sold................ 36,400 5.45 34,292 1,929 5.63 33,523 1,793 5.35
Certificates of deposit........... 11,483 6.16 12,002 738 6.15 11,765 700 5.95
Other interest-earning assets..... 3,515 6.04 2,512 154 6.13 2,360 145 6.14
-------- ------- ------ ------- ------
Total interest-earning assets... 247,848 7.28 240,716 17,618 7.32 230,520 $16,637 7.22
====== =======
Noninterest earning assets.......... 6,901 7,100 6,606
--------- --------- --------
Total assets.................... $ 254,749 $ 247,816 $237,126
========= ========= ========
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Passbook and club accounts........ $ 61,347 2.54% $ 62,197 $ 1,573 2.53% $ 64,537 $1,640 2.54%
Money market accounts............. 17,676 3.05 18,556 550 2.96 17,845 525 2.94
NOW and Super NOW accounts........ 21,261 2.04 20,269 412 2.03 19,454 393 2.02
Certificates of deposit .......... 119,629 5.60 114,015 6,165 5.41 104,991 5,318 5.07
Other interest-bearing
liabilities...................... 2,451 2.22 1,870 43 2.30 1,771 41 2.32
----- ------- ------ -------- ------
Total interest-bearing
liabilities................... 222,364 4.18 216,907 $8,743 4.03 208,598 $7,917 3.80
====== ======
Noninterest bearing liabilities..... 484 448 508
--------- ------- --------
Total liabilities............... 222,848 217,355 209,106
Equity.............................. 31,901 30,461 28,020
--------- --------- --------
Total liabilities and equity.... $ 254,749 $ 247,816 $237,126
========= ========= ========
Net interest income................. $ 8,875 $8,720
======= ======
Net interest rate spread(3)......... 3.10% 3.29% 3.42%
Net earning assets(4)............... $ 25,484 $ 23,809 $ 21,922
========= ========= ========
Net interest margin(5).............. 3.69% 3.78%
Average interest-earning assets to average
interest-bearing liabilities...... 111.46% 110.98% 110.51%
FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
----------------------------------------------
1996
----------------------------------------------
AVERAGE
OUTSTANDING AVERAGE
BALANCE INTEREST YIELD/RATE
-------- ------- --------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Interest-earning assets:
Loans(1).......................... $111,022 $ 9,468 8.53%
Mortgage-backed securities(2) 43,440 2,819 6.49
Other securities(2)............... 14,280 717 5.02
Federal funds sold................ 31,685 1,870 5.90
Certificates of deposit........... 11,317 699 6.18
Other interest-earning assets..... 2,623 159 6.06
------- -------
Total interest-earning assets... 214,367 $15,732 7.34
=======
Noninterest earning assets.......... 6,459
--------
Total assets.................... $220,826
========
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Passbook and club accounts........ $ 67,537 $ 1,903 2.82%
Money market accounts............. 16,446 516 3.14
NOW and Super NOW accounts........ 17,615 358 2.03
Certificates of deposit .......... 91,557 5,032 5.50
Other interest-bearing
liabilities...................... 1,651 39 2.36
------- -------
Total interest-bearing
liabilities.................... 194,806 $7,848 4.03
======
Noninterest bearing liabilities..... 395
--------
Total liabilities............... 195,201
Equity.............................. 25,625
--------
Total liabilities and equity.... $220,826
========
Net interest income................. $ 7,884
=======
Net interest rate spread(3)......... 3.31%
Net earning assets(4)............... $ 19,561
========
Net interest margin(5).............. 3.68%
Average interest-earning assets to average
interest-bearing liabilities...... 110.04%
- ----------------------
(1) Balances are net of deferred loan fees, construction loans in process and
the allowance for loan losses.
(2) Average outstanding balances are based on amortized cost.
(3) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the yield on
average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing
liabilities.
(4) Net earning assets represent total interest-earning assets less total
interest-bearing liabilities.
(5) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total
interest-earning assets.
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RATE/VOLUME ANALYSIS
The following table presents the dollar amount of changes in interest
income and interest expense for the major categories of the Association's
interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Information is
provided for each category of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing
liabilities, with respect to (i) changes attributable to changes in volume
(i.e., changes in balances multiplied by the prior-period rate) and (ii) changes
attributable to rate (i.e., changes in rate multiplied by prior-period
balances). For purposes of this table, changes attributable to both rate and
volume, which cannot be segregated, have been allocated proportionately to the
change due to volume and the change due to rate.
YEAR ENDED MARCH 31,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 VS. 1997 1997 VS. 1996
------------------------------------ --------------------------------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) INCREASE (DECREASE)
DUE TO TOTAL DUE TO TOTAL
--------------------- INCREASE ---------------------- INCREASE
VOLUME RATE (DECREASE) VOLUME RATE (DECREASE)
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Interest-earning assets:
Loans ............................... $ 475 $ (6) $ 469 $ 672 $ (153) $ 519
Mortgage-backed securities .......... 163 108 271 483 (58) 425
Other securities .................... 50 8 58 (66) 117 51
Federal funds sold .................. 41 95 136 112 (189) (77)
Certificates of deposit ............. 14 24 38 27 (26) 1
Other ............................... 9 -- 9 (14) -- (14)
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total interest-earning assets .... $ 752 $ 229 $ 981 $ 1,214 $ (309) $ 905
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Passbook and club accounts .......... $ (59) $ (8) $ (67) $ (82) $ (181) $ (263)
Money market accounts ............... 21 (36) (15) 41 (32) 9
NOW and Super NOW accounts .......... 16 43 59 37 (2) 35
Certificates of deposit ............. 464 383 847 718 (432) 286
Other ............................... 2 -- 2 3 (1) 2
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total interest-bearing liabilities $ 444 $ 382 $ 826 $ 717 $ (648) $ 69
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Net interest income ..................... $ 308 $ (153) $ 155 $ 497 $ 339 $ 836
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
COMPARISON OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31, 1998 AND 1997
NET INCOME. Net income increased by $595,000, or 26.0%, to $2.9 million
for the year ended March 31, 1998 from $2.3 million for the prior year. The
increase was primarily attributable to a $1.3 million decrease in noninterest
expense (primarily due to the absence in fiscal 1998 of a $1.2 million special
assessment incurred in fiscal 1997 to recapitalize the SAIF) and a $155,000
increase in net interest income. Partially offsetting these items was a $740,000
increase in income tax expense and a $115,000 decrease in noninterest income.
Tax expense for fiscal 1997 was reduced by a tax benefit of $250,000 due to a
change in New York State tax law. Excluding the after-tax effect of the special
assessment and the State tax benefit, net income for the year ended March 31,
1997 would have been approximately $2.8 million.
INTEREST INCOME. Interest income increased by $981,000, or 5.9%, to
$17.6 million for the year ended March 31, 1998 from $16.6 million for the year
ended March 31, 1997. The increase in interest income was primarily attributable
to a $10.2 million increase in the average balance of interest earning assets to
$240.7 million for the year ended March 31, 1998 from $230.5 million for the
prior year, and an increase in the average yield on interest earning assets to
7.32% from 7.22%. The increase in the average yield was primarily attributable
to increases in the average yield on mortgage-backed securities, federal funds
and certificates of deposit. Interest income on loans increased by $469,000, or
4.7%, for the year ended March 31, 1998 compared to the prior year, primarily
reflecting a $5.6 million increase in average loan balances to $124.6 million
from $119.0 million. The Association originated
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new loans of $28.9 million (including one-to-four family fixed rate mortgage
loans and home equity lines of credit which totalled $21.7 million) and
collected principal repayments of $22.4 million during fiscal 1998. The growth
in the loan portfolio was due to the low interest rate environment which has
created strong demand for fixed rate loans (the Association's primary mortgage
product). The low interest rate environment has also created a strong market for
home purchases and the refinancing of existing mortgage loans. Interest income
on mortgage-backed securities increased $271,000, or 8.4%, for the year ended
March 31, 1998 compared to the prior year, reflecting an increase in the average
balance of mortgage-backed securities to $53.5 million from $50.9 million and an
increase in the average yield to 6.57% from 6.37%. Interest income on other
securities increased $58,000, or 7.6%, for the year ended March 31, 1998
compared to the prior year, primarily due to an increase in the average yield to
5.99% from 5.93%. Interest income on federal funds sold increased by $136,000,
or 7.6%, for the year ended March 31, 1998 compared to the prior year,
reflecting an increase in the average balance of federal funds sold to $34.3
million from $33.5 million and an increase in the average yield to 5.63% from
5.35%. Interest income on certificates of deposit increased $38,000, or 5.4%,
for the year ended March 31, 1998 compared to the prior year, due to an increase
in the average balance of certificates of deposit to $12.0 million from $11.8
million and an increase in the average yield to 6.15% from 5.95%.
INTEREST EXPENSE. Interest expense increased $826,000, or 10.4%, to
$8.7 million for the year ended March 31, 1998 from $7.9 million for the prior
year. The increase in interest expense was attributable to an increase in the
average balance of interest-bearing liabilities (consisting primarily of
deposits) to $216.9 million from $208.6 million and an increase in the average
cost of interest-bearing liabilities to 4.03% from 3.80%. The increase in the
cost of interest-bearing liabilities reflected the continued change in the mix
of deposit accounts from lower-cost passbook and club accounts to higher-cost
certificate accounts. Certificates of deposit comprised 52.6% of total average
interest-bearing liabilities in fiscal 1998 compared to 50.3% in the prior year,
reflecting growth in certificate accounts attributable to the Association's
marketing efforts. Interest expense on certificate accounts increased $847,000,
or 15.9%, for the year ended March 31, 1998 compared to the prior year, as the
average balance of certificate accounts increased to $114.0 million from $105.0
million and the average rate increased to 5.41% from 5.07%. Total interest
expense on other deposit accounts (passbook, club accounts, money market and NOW
accounts) was relatively unchanged at approximately $2.5 million in both fiscal
1998 and 1997. The average balances of these accounts totalled $101.0 million in
fiscal 1998 compared to $101.8 million in fiscal 1997, and the overall average
rate was 2.51% in both years.
NET INTEREST INCOME. For the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997, net
interest income was $8.9 million and $8.7 million, respectively. The $155,000
increase in net interest income in fiscal 1998 was primarily attributable to the
positive effect of a $1.9 million increase in net earning assets
(interest-earning assets less interest-bearing liabilities), partially offset by
a 13 basis point decrease in the interest rate spread to 3.29% from 3.42%. The
ratio of interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities remained stable
at 110.98% and 110.51% for the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997,
respectively. The Association's net interest margin decreased to 3.69% in fiscal
1998 from 3.78% in the prior year.
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES. Provisions for loan losses represent charges
to income in order to maintain the allowance for loan losses at a level which is
adequate to cover probable losses inherent in the existing loan portfolio.
Management regularly reviews the Association's loan portfolio and makes
provisions for loan losses in order to maintain the adequacy of the allowance
for loan losses. The allowance for loan losses consists of amounts specifically
allocated to nonperforming loans and potential problem loans (if any) as well as
allowances determined for each major loan category. Loan categories, such as
single-family residential mortgages and consumer loans (which represent 93.9%
and 1.5%, respectively, of the Association's total loans at March 31, 1998) are
generally evaluated on an aggregate or "pool" basis. In recent years, the
Association's allowance for loan losses was predominately determined on a pool
basis by applying loss factors to the current balances of the various loan
categories. The loss factors are determined by management based on an evaluation
of historical loss experience, delinquency trends, volume and type of lending
conducted, and the impact of current economic conditions in the Association's
market area. The provision for loan losses was $155,000 and $146,000 for the
years ended March 31,1998 and 1997, respectively. At March
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31, 1998 and 1997, nonperforming loans totaled $2.0 million and $2.3 million,
respectively, and the allowance for loan losses was $984,000 and $845,000,
respectively. The provision and allowance for loan losses were increased in
fiscal 1998 and 1997 in light of changes in the levels of inherent losses due to
changes in the size of the loan portfolio. The loan portfolio increased to
$128.6 million at March 31, 1998 from $121.6 million at March 31, 1997 and
$113.5 million at March 31, 1996. At March 31, 1998 and 1997, the allowance for
loan losses as a percentage of total loans was 0.75% and 0.68%, respectively.
The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total nonperforming loans was
50.26% and 37.32%, respectively, at March 31, 1998 and 1997.
NONINTEREST INCOME. Noninterest income totaled $186,000 and $301,000
for the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively. The $115,000 decrease
in noninterest income was attributable to the absence in fiscal 1998 of gains on
sale of real estate owned which amounted to $134,000 in fiscal 1997, partially
offset by a $19,000 increase in banking service charges and fees.
NONINTEREST EXPENSE. Noninterest expense decreased by $1.3 million, or
24.5%, to $4.0 million for the year ended March 31, 1998 from $5.3 million for
the year ended March 31, 1997. The decrease in noninterest expense is primarily
attributable to the absence in fiscal 1998 of a special one-time assessment of
$1.2 million incurred in fiscal 1997 to recapitalize the Savings Association
Insurance Fund (the "SAIF"). In addition, other deposit insurance costs
decreased by $213,000 in fiscal 1998 compared to the prior year (reflecting
lower costs subsequent to the SAIF recapitalization) and other noninterest
expenses decreased by $73,000 (primarily reflecting lower net costs of real
estate owned). Partially offsetting these decreases was a $148,000 increase in
compensation and benefits to $2.1 million from $2.0 million reflecting normal
salary increases and an increase in directors' fees.
INCOME TAXES. Income tax expense was $2.1 million for the year ended
March 31, 1998, compared to $1.3 million for the year ended March 31, 1997 and
the effective tax rates were 41.7% and 36.7%, respectively. The change in income
tax expense in fiscal 1998 resulted from higher pre-tax income, as well as a tax
benefit of $250,000 in fiscal 1997 due to a decrease in deferred tax liabilities
caused by an amendment to the New York State tax law enacted in July 1996. The
amendment changed the base-year for tax bad debt reserves and eliminated the
need for a deferred tax liability previously recognized for reserves in excess
of the base-year amount. See Note 8 of the Notes to Financial Statements.
COMPARISON OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31, 1997 AND 1996
NET INCOME. Net income decreased $107,000, or 4.5%, to $2.3 million for
the year ended March 31, 1997 from $2.4 million for the prior year. The decrease
was primarily attributable to a $1.4 million increase in noninterest expense
(primarily due to a $1.2 million special assessment in fiscal 1997 to
recapitalize the SAIF), substantially offset by an $836,000 increase in net
interest income and a $407,000 decrease in income tax expense. Income tax
expense for fiscal 1997 was reduced by a tax benefit of $250,000 due to a change
in New York State tax law. Excluding the after-tax effect of the special
assessment and the state tax benefit, net income for the year ended March 31,
1997 would have been approximately $2.8 million.
INTEREST INCOME. Interest income increased $905,000, or 5.8%, to $16.6
million for the year ended March 31, 1997 from $15.7 million for the year ended
March 31, 1996. The increase in interest income was primarily attributable to a
$16.1 million increase in the average balance of interest earning assets to
$230.5 million for the year ended March 31, 1997 from $214.4 million for the
prior year, partially offset by a decrease in the average yield on interest
earning assets to 7.22% from 7.34% reflecting the general decline in market
interest rates. Interest income on loans increased $519,000, or 5.5%, for the
year ended March 31, 1997 compared to the prior year, primarily reflecting an
$8.0 million increase in average loan balances to $119.0 million from $111.0
million. The Association originated new loans of $24.1 million (including fixed
rate one-to-four family mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit which
totalled $19.7 million) and collected principal repayments of $16.6 million
during fiscal 1997. Interest income on mortgage-backed securities increased
$425,000, or 15.1%, for the year ended March 31, 1997 compared to the prior
year, reflecting an increase in the average balance of mortgage-backed
securities to $50.9 million from
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$43.4 million partially offset by a decrease in the average yield to 6.37% from
6.49%. Interest income on other securities increased $51,000, or 7.1%, for the
year ended March 31, 1997 compared to the prior year, primarily due to an
increase in the average yield to 5.93% from 5.02%. Interest income on federal
funds sold decreased $77,000, or 4.1%, for the year ended March 31, 1997
compared to the prior year, reflecting a decrease in the average yield on
federal funds sold to 5.35% from 5.90%, partially offset by an increase in the
average balance to $33.5 million from $31.7 million. Interest income on
certificates of deposit was substantially unchanged at $700,000 for the year
ended March 31, 1997. Interest and dividend income on other interest earning
assets decreased $14,000, or 8.8%, for the year ended March 31, 1997 compared to
the prior fiscal year.
INTEREST EXPENSE. Interest expense increased $69,000, or 0.9%, to $7.9
million for the year ended March 31, 1997 from $7.8 million for the prior year.
The increase in interest expense was attributable to an increase in the average
balance of interest-bearing liabilities (consisting primarily of deposits) to
$208.6 million from $194.8 million and a decrease in the average cost of
interest-bearing liabilities to 3.80% from 4.03%. The decrease in the cost of
interest-bearing liabilities reflected the general decrease in market interest
rates. Certificate accounts comprised 50.3% of total average interest-bearing
liabilities in fiscal 1997 compared to 46.08% in the prior year, reflecting
growth in certificate accounts attributable to the Association's marketing
efforts. Interest expense on certificate accounts increased $286,000, or 5.7%,
for the year ended March 31, 1997 compared to the prior year, as the average
balance of certificate accounts increased to $105.0 million from $91.6 million.
The effect of the higher average balance was partially offset by a decrease in
the average rate to 5.07% from 5.50%. Total interest expense on other deposit
accounts (passbook, club, money market and NOW) decreased $219,000 or 7.9%, for
the year ended March 31, 1997 compared to prior year, as the average rate on
these accounts decreased to 2.51% from 2.73%.
NET INTEREST INCOME. For the years ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, net
interest income was $8.7 million and $7.9 million, respectively. The $836,000
increase in net interest income was primarily attributable to the positive
effect of a $2.4 million increase in net earning assets (interest-earning assets
less interest-bearing liabilities) and an 11 basis point increase in the
interest rate spread to 3.42% from 3.31%. The ratio of interest-earning assets
to interest-bearing liabilities remained stable at 110.51% and 110.04% for the
years ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. The Association's net
interest margin increased to 3.78% in fiscal 1997 from 3.68% in the prior year.
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES. The provision for loan losses was $146,000
and $98,000 for the years ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. At March
31, 1997 and 1996, nonperforming loans totaled $2.3 million and $3.1 million,
respectively, and the allowance for loan losses was $845,000 and $725,000,
respectively. The provision and allowance for loan losses were increased in
fiscal 1997 in light of changes in the levels of inherent probable losses due to
changes in the size of the loan portfolio. The allowance for loan losses
consists of amounts specifically allocated to nonperforming loans potential
problem loans (if any) as well as allowances determined for each major loan
category. Loan categories, such as single-family residential mortgages and
consumer loans (which represent 91.3% and 1.1%, respectively, of the
Association's total loans at March 31, 1997) are generally evaluated on an
aggregate or "pool" basis. In recent years, the Association's allowance for loan
losses was predominately determined on a pool basis by applying loss factors to
the current balances of the various loan categories. The loss factors are
determined by management based on an evaluation of historical loss experience,
delinquency trends, volume and type of lending conducted, and the impact of
current economic conditions in the Association's market area. The loan portfolio
increased to $121.6 million at March 31, 1997 from $113.5 million at March 31,
1996. At March 31, 1997 and 1996, the allowance for loan losses as a percentage
of total loans was 0.68% and 0.62%, respectively. The Association's allowance
for loan losses as a percentage of total nonperforming loans was 37.32% and
23.48%, respectively, at March 31, 1997 and 1996.
NONINTEREST INCOME. Noninterest income totaled $301,000 and $208,000
for the years ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. The $93,000 increase
in noninterest income was attributable to a $119,000 increase in gains on sales
of real estate owned, partially offset by a $26,000 decrease in banking service
charges and fees.
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NONINTEREST EXPENSE. Noninterest expense increased by $1.4 million, or
36.1%, to $5.3 million for the year ended March 31, 1997 from $3.9 million for
the year ended March 31, 1996. The increase in noninterest expense was primarily
attributable to the payment in fiscal 1997 of a special one-time assessment of
$1.2 million to recapitalize the SAIF. Other changes in noninterest expense in
fiscal 1997 compared to the prior year included increases of $79,000 in
compensation and benefits and $136,000 in other noninterest expenses (including
increases in real estate owned expense), and a decrease of $78,000 in other
deposit insurance costs subsequent to the SAIF recapitalization.
INCOME TAXES. Income tax expense was $1.3 million for the year ended
March 31, 1997, compared to $1.7 million for the year ended March 31, 1996. The
effective tax rate decreased to 36.7% from 41.9% primarily as a result of a tax
benefit of $250,000 in fiscal 1997 due to a decrease in deferred tax liabilities
caused by an amendment to the New York State tax law enacted in July 1996.
CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY
The objective of the Association's liquidity management is to ensure
the availability of sufficient cash flows to meet all financial commitments and
to capitalize on opportunities for expansion. Liquidity management addresses the
Association's ability to meet deposit withdrawals on demand or at contractual
maturity, to repay borrowings as they mature, and to fund new loans and
investments as opportunities arise.
The Association's primary investing activities are the origination of
mortgage loans, and the purchase of short-term investments and adjustable rate
mortgage-backed securities. These activities are funded by deposit growth and
principal repayments on loans, mortgage-backed securities and other investment
securities. During fiscal 1998, the Association originated $28.9 million in
loans and purchased approximately $22.4 million of securities. These
disbursements were funded by $19.8 million in principal payments, maturities and
calls of securities, $22.4 million in loan principal repayments and an $8.7
million increase in deposits.
At March 31, 1998, the Association had outstanding $6.4 million in
commitments to originate loans. If the Association requires funds beyond its
internal funding capabilities, advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (the
"FHLB") of New York are available. At March 31, 1998, approximately $108.9
million in certificates of deposit were scheduled to mature within a year. The
Association's experience has been that a substantial portion of its maturing
certificate of deposit accounts are renewed.
The Association is required under applicable federal regulations to
maintain specified levels of "liquid" investments in qualifying types of U.S.
Government, federal agency and other investments having maturities of five years
or less. Current OTS regulations require that a savings association maintain
liquid assets of not less than 5% of its average daily balance of net
withdrawable deposit accounts and borrowings payable in one year or less.
Monetary penalties may be imposed for failure to meet applicable liquidity
requirements. At March 31, 1998, the Association's liquidity, as measured for
regulatory purposes, was 31.5%, or $56.5 million in excess of the minimum OTS
requirement.
Following the Reorganization, the Company will initially conduct no
business other than holding the capital stock of the Association and the loan it
will make to the ESOP. The Company expects to retain up to 50% of the net
proceeds of the Offering. See "Use of Proceeds." In the future, the Company's
primary source of funds, other than income from its investments and principal
and interest payments received on the ESOP loan, is expected to be capital
distributions from the Stock Association. As a stock savings association, the
Stock Association may not declare or pay a cash dividend on or repurchase any of
its capital stock if the effect of such transaction would be to reduce its
equity to an amount which is less than the minimum amount required by applicable
regulatory federal regulations. At March 31, 1998, the Association was in
compliance with all applicable regulatory capital requirements. See "Historical
and Pro Forma Regulatory Capital Compliance."
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IMPACT OF INFLATION AND CHANGING PRICES
The Financial Statements and related Notes have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, which generally
require the measurement of financial position and operating results in terms of
historical dollars without considering the change in the relative purchasing
power of money over time due to inflation. The impact of inflation is reflected
in the increased cost of the Association's operations. Unlike most industrial
companies, nearly all the assets and liabilities of the Association are
financial. As a result, the Association's net income is directly impacted by
changes in interest rates, which are indirectly influenced by inflationary
expectations. The Association's ability to match the interest sensitivity of its
financial assets to the interest sensitivity of its financial liabilities as
part of its interest rate risk management program may reduce the effect of
changes in interest rates on the Association's net income. Changes in interest
rates do not necessarily move to the same extent as changes in the price of
goods and services. In the current interest rate environment, liquidity and the
maturity structure of the Association's assets and liabilities are critical to
the maintenance of acceptable levels of net income. Management has concluded
that by maintaining a significant portion of the Association's assets in
short-term investments and adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities, the
Association will be able to redeploy its assets in a rising interest rate
environment.
IMPACT OF NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
FASB STATEMENT ON EARNINGS PER SHARE. In February 1997, the Financial
Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards ("SFAS") No. 128. The SFAS establishes standards for computing and
presenting earnings per share and applies to entities with publicly held common
stock or potential common stock. This SFAS simplifies the prior accounting
standards for computing earnings per share, as set forth in Accounting
Principles Board ("APB") Opinion No. 15. SFAS No. 128 replaces the presentation
of primary earnings per share ("EPS") with basic EPS and requires dual
presentation of basic and diluted EPS on the face of the income statement for
all entities with complex capital structures. Basic EPS excludes dilution and is
computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the
weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS
reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other
contracts to issue common stock (such as stock options) were exercised or
converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that
then shared in the earnings of the entity. This SFAS will apply to the
Association's earnings per share disclosures which will be made from the date of
completion of the Reorganization and Offering.
FASB STATEMENT ON ACCOUNTING FOR STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION. In October
1995, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123 which addresses accounting for stock-based
compensation arrangements such as the Stock Option Plan and Stock Award Plan
which are expected to be implemented subsequent to the Reorganization. SFAS No.
123 defines a "fair-value-based method" of accounting whereby compensation cost
is measured at the grant date of a stock-based compensation award based on the
fair value of the award; such compensation cost is recognized as expense over
the service (vesting) period. The FASB has encouraged all entities to adopt the
fair-value-based method; however, SFAS No. 123 allows entities to continue the
use of the "intrinsic-value-based method" prescribed by APB Opinion No. 25.
Under the intrinsic-value-based method, compensation cost is measured based on
the award's intrinsic value, or the excess (if any) of the market price of the
stock at the grant date over the exercise price, i.e., the amount (if any) that
the employee must pay to acquire the stock. However, most stock option grants
have no intrinsic value at the grant date and, as such, no compensation cost is
recognized under APB Opinion No. 25. Entities electing to continue to apply APB
Opinion No. 25 must make certain pro forma disclosures of net income and
earnings per share, as if the fair-value-based method had been applied to awards
granted in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1994. The Association
expects to adopt the "intrinsic-value-based method" as prescribed by APB Opinion
No. 25. Accordingly, no compensation expense will be recognized for the Stock
Option Plan since the exercise price of the options will equal the market price
of the underlying stock at the grant date. The grant date fair value of shares
awarded under the Stock Award Plan will be recognized as expense on a
straight-line basis over the five-year vesting period. See "Pro Forma Data."
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FASB STATEMENT ON TRANSFERS AND SERVICING OF FINANCIAL ASSETS AND
EXTINGUISHMENTS OF LIABILITIES. In June 1996, the FASB issued SFAS No. 125 which
provides accounting and reporting standards for transfers and servicing of
financial assets and extinguishments of liabilities based on consistent
application of a financial-components approach that focuses on control. SFAS No.
125 applies to transactions such as loan securitizations, sales of partial
interests in financial assets, repurchase agreements, securities lending,
pledges of collateral, loan syndications and participations, sales of
receivables with recourse, servicing of mortgage and other loans, and
in-substance defeasances of debt. SFAS No. 125 distinguishes transfers of
financial assets that are sales from transfers that are secured borrowings.
Under the financial-components approach, after a transfer of financial assets,
an entity recognizes all financial and servicing assets it controls and
liabilities it has incurred and derecognizes financial assets it no longer
controls and liabilities that have been extinguished. If a transfer does not
meet the criteria for a sale, the transaction is accounted for as a secured
borrowing with a pledge of collateral. SFAS No. 125 applies prospectively to
transactions occurring after January 1, 1997, although the effective date of
certain provisions was January 1, 1998. SFAS No. 125 has not had, and is not
expected to have, a material impact on the Association's financial statements.
FASB STATEMENT ON REPORTING COMPREHENSIVE INCOME. In June 1997, the
FASB issued SFAS No. 130 which establishes standards for the reporting and
display of comprehensive income (and its components) in financial statements.
The standard does not, however, specify when to recognize or how to measure
items that make up comprehensive income. Comprehensive income represents net
income and certain amounts reported directly in equity, such as the net
unrealized gain or loss on available-for-sale securities. While SFAS No. 130
does not require a specific reporting format, it does require that an enterprise
display in the financial statements an amount representing total comprehensive
income for the period. This SFAS No. 130 will be effective for the Association's
fiscal year ending March 31, 1999. Had SFAS No. 130 applied to the Association
in fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996, the Association would have reported comprehensive
income substantially equal to its reported net income for each of those years.
FASB STATEMENT ON SEGMENT DISCLOSURES AND RELATED INFORMATION. In June
1997, the FASB issued SFAS No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise
and Related Information," which changes the way public companies report
information about segments of their business and requires them to report
selected segment information in their quarterly reports issued to shareholders.
Among other things, SFAS No. 131 requires public companies to report (i) certain
financial and descriptive information about its reportable operating segments
(as defined), and (ii) certain enterprise-wide financial information about
products and services, geographic areas and major customers. The required
segment financial disclosures include a measure of profit or loss, certain
specific revenue and expense items, and total assets. SFAS No. 131 is effective
for reporting by public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15,
1997 and, accordingly, would be adopted by the Association upon completion of
the Reorganization and Offering. SFAS No. 131 is not expected to have a
significant impact on the Association's financial reporting.
FASB STATEMENT ON EMPLOYER DISCLOSURES ABOUT PENSIONS AND OTHER
POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS. In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132 which
standardizes the disclosure requirements for pensions and other postretirement
benefits; requires additional information on changes in the benefit obligations
and fair values of plan assets; and eliminates certain present disclosure
requirements. SFAS No. 132 does not change the measurement or recognition
requirements for postretirement benefits. SFAS No. 132 is effective for fiscal
years beginning after December 15, 1997 and, accordingly, will be adopted by the
Association in the year ending March 31, 1999. Management does not expect that
this standard will significantly affect the Association's financial reporting.
FASB STATEMENT ON DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES. In June 1998, the
FASB issued SFAS No. 133 which establishes accounting and reporting standards
for derivative instruments and for hedging activities. SFAS No. 133 requires
that an entity recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities in the
balance sheet at fair value. If certain conditions are met, a derivative may be
specifically designated as a fair value hedge, a cash flow hedge, or a foreign
currency hedge. A specific accounting treatment applies to each type of hedge.
Entities may reclassify securities from the held-to-maturity category to the
available-for-sale category at the time of adopting SFAS No. 133.
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SFAS No. 133 is effective for all fiscal quarters of fiscal years beginning
after June 15, 1999 and, accordingly, would apply to the Association beginning
on April 1, 2000. The Association plans to adopt the standard at that time and
does not presently intend to reclassify securities between categories. The
Association has not engaged in derivatives and hedging activities covered by the
new standard, and does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future.
Accordingly, SFAS No. 133 is not expected to have a material impact on the
Association's financial statements.
BUSINESS OF THE ASSOCIATION
GENERAL
The Association was organized in 1891 as a New York chartered savings
association and obtained its federal charter in 1934. The Association has
operated continuously in Westchester County since its inception. The Association
conducts its business from its main office in Mamaroneck and two branch offices
located in Harrison and Rye Brook, New York. The Association is primarily
engaged in the business of offering savings and other deposits to the general
public, and using the funds from such deposits to make one-to-four family
mortgage loans secured primarily by properties in Westchester County, New York.
The Association's deposit accounts are insured up to applicable limits by the
FDIC.
LENDING ACTIVITIES
Historically, the Association's principal lending activity has been the
origination of fixed rate first mortgage loans for the purchase or refinancing
of one-to-four family residential real property. The Association retains all
loans that it originates. One-to-four family residential mortgage loans
represented $109.2 million, or 83.8%, of the Association's loan portfolio at
March 31, 1998. Home equity lines of credit represented $13.1 million, or 10.1%
of the Association's loan portfolio at March 31, 1998. The Association also
offers multi-family mortgage loans, commercial mortgage loans and construction
loans. Multi-family mortgage loans totaled $412,000, or 0.3% of the loan
portfolio at March 31, 1998. Commercial mortgage loans totaled approximately
$3.8 million, or 2.9% of the loan portfolio at March 31, 1998. Construction
loans totaled $1.8 million, or 1.4% of the loan portfolio at March 31, 1998. The
Association also makes consumer loans, which primarily consist of automobile,
passbook, home improvement and secured personal loans. Consumer loans totaled
$2.0 million, or 1.5% of the loan portfolio, at March 31, 1998.
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LOAN PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION. The following table sets forth the
composition of the Association's loan portfolio by type of loan at the dates
indicated.
March 31,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
-------------------- ------------------- -------------------
Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
(Dollars in Thousands)
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family................. $109,207 83.8% $103,595 83.6% $98,865 84.7%
Home equity lines of credit........ 13,138 10.1 9,487 7.7 7,131 6.1
Multi-family....................... 412 0.3 348 0.3 373 0.3
Commercial......................... 3,811 2.9 3,416 2.8 3,469 3.0
Construction....................... 1,800 1.4 5,539 4.5 5,193 4.5
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total mortgage loans............. 128,368 98.5 122,385 98.9 115,031 98.6
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Consumer loans:
Automobile loans................... 1,011 0.8 1,028 0.8 968 0.8
Other(1)........................... 1,016 0.7 426 0.3 665 0.6
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total consumer loans............. 2,027 1.5 1,454 1.1 1,633 1.4
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total loans........................... 130,395 100.0% 123,839 100.0% 116,664 100.0%
====== ====== ======
Construction loans in process......... (573) (1,049) (2,023)
Allowance for loan losses............. (984) (845) (725)
Deferred loan origination fees, net... (280) (328) (384)
-------- -------- --------
Total loans, net...................... $128,558 $121,617 $113,532
======== ======== ========
March 31,
---------------------------------------------
1995 1994
------------------- -------------------
Amount Percent Amount Percent
------- ------ ------- ------
(Dollars in Thousands)
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family................. $98,675 89.5% $94,089 89.3%
Home equity lines of credit........ 5,146 4.6 5,304 5.0
Multi-family....................... 395 0.4 680 0.7
Commercial......................... 3,188 2.9 3,088 2.9
Construction....................... 1,451 1.3 365 0.4
------- ------ ------- ------
Total mortgage loans............. 108,855 98.7 103,526 98.3
------- ------ ------- ------
Consumer loans:
Automobile loans................... 647 0.6 185 0.2
Other(1)........................... 737 0.7 1,625 1.5
------- ------ ------- ------
Total consumer loans............. 1,384 1.3 1,810 1.7
------- ------ ------- ------
Total loans........................... 110,239 100.0% 105,336 100.0%
====== ======
Construction loans in process......... (500) (112)
Allowance for loan losses............. (652) (568)
Deferred loan origination fees, net... (503) (529)
------ ------
Total loans, net...................... $108,584 $104,127
======== ========
- -------------------------
(1) Primarily secured personal loans, loans secured by deposit accounts and home
improvement loans.
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The following table sets forth the composition of the Association's
loan portfolio by fixed and adjustable rates at the dates indicated.
March 31,
-------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
----------------- ----------------- -----------------
Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
(Dollars in Thousands)
Fixed Rate Loans
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family............... $103,887 79.7% $96,801 78.2% $90,881 77.9%
Home equity lines of credit...... 12,094 9.3 8,145 6.6 5,528 4.7
Multi-family..................... 412 0.3 348 0.3 373 0.3
Commercial....................... 3,811 2.9 3,380 2.7 3,403 2.9
Construction..................... 1,800 1.4 5,539 4.5 5,193 4.5
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total mortgage loans........... 122,004 93.6 114,213 92.3 105,378 90.3
Consumer loans(1).................. 2,027 1.5 1,454 1.1 1,633 1.4
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total fixed rate loans......... 124,031 95.1 115,667 93.4 107,011 91.7
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Adjustable Rate Loans
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family............... 5,320 4.1 6,794 5.5 7,984 6.8
Home equity lines of credit...... 1,044 0.8 1,342 1.1 1,603 1.4
Commercial....................... -- -- 36 -- 66 0.1
------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total adjustable-rate loans.... 6,364 4.9 8,172 6.6 9,653 8.3
------ ------ ------- ------ ------- ------
Total loans........................... 130,395 100.0% 123,839 100.0% 116,664 100.0%
====== ====== ======
Construction loans in process......... (573) (1,049) (2,023)
Allowance for loan losses............. (984) (845) (725)
Deferred loan origination fees, net... (280) (328) (384)
-------- -------- --------
Total loans, net...................... $128,558 $121,617 $113,532
======== ======== ========
March 31,
---------------------------------------
1995 1994
----------------- -----------------
Amount Percent Amount Percent
------- ------ ------- ------
(Dollars in Thousands)
Fixed Rate Loans
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family............... $90,132 81.8% $85,930 81.6%
Home equity lines of credit..... 2,826 2.5 2,227 2.1
Multi-family..................... 395 0.4 680 0.7
Commercial....................... 3,087 2.8 2,959 2.8
Construction..................... 1,451 1.3 365 0.3
------- ------ ------- ------
Total mortgage loans........... 97,891 88.8 92,161 87.5
Consumer loans(1).................. 1,384 1.3 1,810 1.7
------- ------ ------- ------
Total fixed rate loans......... 99,275 90.1 93,971 89.2
------- ------ ------- ------
Adjustable Rate Loans
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family............... 8,543 7.8 8,159 7.8
Home equity lines of credit...... 2,320 2.1 3,077 2.9
Commercial....................... 101 -- 129 0.1
------- ------ ------- ------
Total adjustable-rate loans.... 10,964 9.9 11,365 10.8
------ ------ ------- ------
Total loans........................... 110,239 100.0% 105,336 100.0%
====== ======
Construction loans in process......... (500) (112)
Allowance for loan losses............. (652) (568)
Deferred loan origination fees, net... (503) (529)
-------- --------
Total loans, net...................... $108,584 $104,127
======== ========
- --------------------
(1) Primarily automobile loans, secured personal loans, loans secured by deposit
accounts and home improvement loans.
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LOAN MATURITY SCHEDULE. The following table summarizes the contractual
maturities of the Association's loan portfolio at March 31, 1998. Loans with
adjustable or renegotiable interest rates are shown as maturing in the period
during which the contract is due. The table reflects the entire unpaid principal
balance of a loan in the maturity period that includes the final payment date,
and accordingly, does not reflect the effects of scheduled payments, possible
prepayments or enforcement of due-on-sale clauses.
MULTI-FAMILY, COMMERCIAL,
ONE-TO-FOUR FAMILY(1) CONSTRUCTION AND CONSUMER TOTAL
---------------------- ------------------------ ----------------------
WEIGHTED WEIGHTED WEIGHTED
AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE
AMOUNT RATE AMOUNT RATE AMOUNT RATE
------- ------ ------- ------- -------- -------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Due During the Years Ending March 31,
1999(2)............................ $ 471 8.13% $ 2,737 8.95% $ 3,208 8.83%
2000............................... 465 8.94 179 7.41 644 8.51
2001............................... 621 9.46 399 8.92 1,020 9.25
2002 and 2003...................... 2,519 8.68 1,131 7.98 3,650 8.46
2004 to 2008....................... 13,653 8.28 1,585 9.67 15,238 8.42
2009 to 2013....................... 28,408 7.92 1,316 10.00 29,724 8.01
2014 and following................. 76,208 8.17 703 8.77 76,911 8.18
------- ------- --------
Total........................... $122,345 8.14 $ 8,050 9.08 $130,395 8.20
======== ======= ========
- --------------------------
(1) Includes home equity lines of credit.
(2) Includes demand loans having no stated maturity.
The following table sets forth the dollar amounts of fixed and
adjustable rate loans at March 31, 1998 that are contractually due after March
31, 1999.
DUE AFTER MARCH 31, 1999
------------------------------------
FIXED ADJUSTABLE TOTAL
-------- -------- --------
(IN THOUSANDS)
One-to-four family...................................................... $115,510 $ 6,364 $121,874
Multi-family, commercial, construction and consumer..................... 5,313 -- 5,313
-------- -------- --------
Total loans.......................................................... $120,823 $ 6,364 $127,187
======== ======== ========
ONE-TO-FOUR FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOANS. The Association's primary lending
activity is the origination of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans
secured by property located in the Association's primary lending area.
Generally, one-to-four family residential mortgage loans are made in amounts up
to 80% of the lesser of the appraised value or purchase price of the property.
Since March 31, 1998, the Association has offered one-to-four family loans with
loan-to-value ratios of up to 90%, with private mortgage insurance required.
Generally, fixed rate loans are originated for terms of up to 30 years.
One-to-four family loans are offered with a monthly or bi-weekly payment
feature. The Association does not sell the loans that it originates.
The Association originates fixed rate loans; however, the Association
also offers adjustable rate mortgage ("ARM") loans with one year adjustment
periods. The interest rate on ARM loans is indexed to the prime interest rate as
published in The Wall Street Journal. The Association's ARM loans currently
provide for maximum rate adjustments of 1.75% per year and 6% over the term of
the loan. The Association does not offer ARM loans with initial interest rates
that are below market, referred to as "teaser rates." Residential ARM loans
amortize over terms of up to 30 years. In the current low interest rate
environment, borrowers have shown a preference for fixed rate loans.
ARM loans decrease the risk associated with changes in market interest
rates by periodically repricing, but involve other risks because as interest
rates increase, the underlying payments by the borrower increase, thus
increasing the potential for default by the borrower. At the same time, the
marketability of the underlying collateral may be adversely affected by higher
interest rates. Upward adjustment of the contractual interest rate is also
limited
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by the maximum periodic and lifetime interest rate adjustment permitted by the
terms of the ARM loans, and, therefore, is potentially limited in effectiveness
during periods of rapidly rising interest rates. At March 31, 1998, 4.9% of the
Association's one-to-four family residential loans had adjustable interest
rates.
All one-to-four family residential mortgage loans originated by the
Association include "due-on-sale" clauses, which give the Association the right
to declare a loan immediately due and payable in the event that, among other
things, the borrower sells or otherwise disposes of the real property subject to
the mortgage and the loan is not repaid.
At March 31, 1998, approximately $109.2 million, or 83.8% of the
Association's loan portfolio, consisted of one-to-four family residential loans.
Approximately $1.7 million of such loans (representing 13 loans) were included
in nonperforming loans as of that date. See "--Nonperforming and Problem
Assets."
HOME EQUITY LINES OF CREDIT. The Association offers home equity lines
of credit that are secured by the borrower's primary residence. The borrower is
permitted to draw on the home equity line of credit during the first five years
after it is originated and may repay the outstanding balance over a term not to
exceed 20 years from the date the line of credit is originated. Home equity
lines of credit are generally underwritten under the same criteria that the
Association uses to underwrite one-to-four family fixed rate loans. Home equity
lines of credit may be underwritten with a loan to value ratio of 75% when
combined with the principal balance of the existing mortgage loan, if the
Association has the first mortgage on the property securing the loan, and up to
a 65% loan to value ratio when combined with the principal balance of the
existing mortgage loan if the first mortgage is held by another financial
institution; however, the maximum principal amount of a home equity line of
credit may not exceed $200,000 unless approved by the Board of Directors. The
Association appraises the property securing the loan at the time of the loan
application (but not thereafter) in order to determine the value of the property
securing the home equity lines of credit. At March 31, 1998, the outstanding
balances of home equity line of credit totalled $13.1 million, or 10.1% of the
Association's loan portfolio.
COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE LOANS. At March 31, 1998, $3.8 million, or 2.9%, of
the total loan portfolio consisted of commercial mortgage loans. Commercial
mortgage loans are secured by office buildings, private schools, religious
facilities and other commercial properties. The Association generally originates
fixed rate and adjustable rate commercial mortgage loans with maximum terms of
up to 10 years. The maximum loan-to-value ratio of commercial mortgage loans is
75%. At March 31, 1998, the largest commercial mortgage loan had a principal
balance of $721,000 and was secured by a commercial complex which includes
retail stores, a warehouse and residential apartment. As of March 31, 1998,
nonperforming loans included one commercial mortgage loan with a balance of
$236,000. The Association has begun foreclosure proceedings and does not
anticipate incurring any significant loss from the disposition of the property
securing the loan.
In underwriting commercial mortgage loans, the Association reviews the
expected net operating income generated by the real estate to ensure that it is
at least 125% of the amount of the monthly debt service; the age and condition
of the collateral; the financial resources and income level of the borrower; and
the borrower's business experience. Personal guarantees have always been
obtained from all commercial mortgage borrowers.
Loans secured by commercial real estate generally are larger than
one-to-four family residential loans and involve a greater degree of risk.
Commercial mortgage loans often involve large loan balances to single borrowers
or groups of related borrowers. Payments on these loans depend to a large degree
on the results of operations and management of the properties or underlying
businesses, and may be affected to a greater extent by adverse conditions in the
real estate market or the economy in general. Accordingly, the nature of
commercial real estate loans makes them more difficult for Association
management to monitor and evaluate.
MULTI-FAMILY MORTGAGE LOANS. Loans secured by multi-family real estate
totaled approximately $412,000, or 0.3% of the total loan portfolio at March 31,
1998. Multi-family mortgage loans generally are secured by multi-
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family rental properties (including mixed-use buildings and walk-up apartments).
Substantially all multi-family mortgage loans were secured by properties located
within the Association's primary lending area. At March 31, 1998, the
Association had four multi-family mortgage loans with an average principal
balance of approximately $103,000. The largest multi-family mortgage loan had a
principal balance of $257,000. Multi-family mortgage loans generally are offered
with both fixed and adjustable interest rates, although in the current interest
rate environment the Association has not recently originated adjustable rate
multi-family loans. Multi-family loans are originated for terms of up to 30
years.
In underwriting multi-family mortgage loans, the Association reviews
the expected net operating income generated by the real estate to ensure that it
is at least 125% of the amount of the monthly debt service; the age and
condition of the collateral; the financial resources and income level of the
borrower; and the borrower's experience in owning or managing similar
properties. Multi-family mortgage loans are originated in amounts up to 75% of
the appraised value of the property securing the loan. Personal guarantees are
always obtained from multi-family mortgage borrowers.
Loans secured by multi-family real estate generally involve a greater
degree of credit risk than one-to-four family residential mortgage loans and
carry larger loan balances. This increased credit risk is a result of several
factors, including the concentration of principal in a limited number of loans
and borrowers, the effects of general economic conditions on income producing
properties, and the increased difficulty of evaluating and monitoring these
types of loans. Furthermore, the repayment of loans secured by multi-family real
estate typically depends upon the successful operation of the related real
estate property. If the cash flow from the project is reduced, the borrower's
ability to repay the loan may be impaired.
CONSTRUCTION LENDING. To a limited extent, the Association originates
residential construction loans to local home builders, generally with whom it
has an established relationship, and to individuals who have a contract with a
builder for the construction of their residence. Construction loans are
disbursed as certain portions of the project are completed. The Association's
construction loans are secured by property located in the Association's market
area. At March 31, 1998, the Association had construction loans totaling $1.8
million, or 1.4% of total loans.
The Association's construction loans to home builders generally have
fixed interest rates, are for a term of 12 months and have a maximum loan to
value ratio of 80%. Loans to builders are made on either a pre-sold or
speculative (unsold) basis. Construction loans to individuals are generally
originated pursuant to the same policy guidelines regarding loan to value ratios
and interest rates that are used in connection with loans secured by one-to-four
family residential real estate. Construction loans to individuals who intend to
occupy the completed dwelling may be converted to permanent financing after the
construction phase is completed.
The Association generally limits the number of outstanding loans on
unsold homes under construction to individual builders, with the amount
dependent on the financial strength, including existing borrowings, of the
builder and prior sales of homes in the development. Prior to making a
commitment to fund a construction loan, the Association requires an appraisal of
the property, and all appraisals are reviewed by management. Loan proceeds are
disbursed after an inspection of the property based on a percentage of
completion. Monthly payment of accrued interest is required.
Construction loans are generally considered to involve a higher degree
of risk than single-family permanent mortgage loans because of the inherent
difficulty in estimating both a property's value at completion of the project
and the estimated cost of the project. If the estimate of construction costs is
inaccurate, the Association may be required to advance funds beyond the amount
originally committed to permit completion of the project. If the estimate of
value upon completion is inaccurate, the value of the property may be
insufficient to assure full repayment. Projects may also be jeopardized by
disagreements between borrowers and builders and by the failure of builders to
pay subcontractors. Loans to builders to construct homes for which no purchaser
has been identified carry more risk because the repayment of the loan depends on
the builder's ability to sell the property prior to the time that the
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construction loan is due. The Association has attempted to minimize the
foregoing risks by, among other things, limiting its construction lending
primarily to residential properties and generally requiring personal guarantees
from the principals of its corporate borrowers.
CONSUMER LENDING. The Association's consumer loans consist of
automobile loans, passbook loans, home improvement loans and secured personal
loans. At March 31, 1998, consumer loans totaled $2.0 million, or 1.5% of the
total loan portfolio.
Consumer loans generally have shorter terms and higher interest rates
than one-to-four family mortgage loans. In addition, consumer loans expand the
products and services offered by the Association to better meet the financial
services needs of its customers. Consumer loans generally involve greater credit
risk than residential mortgage loans because of the difference in the underlying
collateral. Repossessed collateral for a defaulted consumer loan may not provide
an adequate source of repayment of the outstanding loan balance because of the
greater likelihood of damage to loss of or depreciation in the underlying
collateral. The remaining deficiency often does not warrant further substantial
collection efforts against the borrower beyond obtaining a deficiency judgment.
In addition, consumer loan collections depend on the borrower's personal
financial stability. Furthermore, the application of various federal and state
laws, including federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, may limit the
amount that can be recovered on such loans.
The Association's underwriting procedures for consumer loans include an
assessment of the applicant's credit history and the ability to meet existing
and proposed debt obligations. Although the applicant's creditworthiness is the
primary consideration, the underwriting process also includes a comparison of
the value of the security, to the proposed loan amount. The Association
underwrites and originates its consumer loans internally, which the Association
believes limits its exposure to credit risks associated with loans underwritten
or purchased from brokers and other external sources.
ORIGINATION OF LOANS. Generally, the Association originates mortgage
loans pursuant to underwriting standards that generally conform with the Fannie
Mae guidelines. The Association will originate nonconforming loans with respect
to loan principal amount only. Loan origination activities are primarily
concentrated in Westchester, New York. New loans are generated primarily from
customer referrals, local real estate agents, local attorneys and other parties
with whom the Association does business, and from the efforts of employees and
advertising. Historically, the Association has not used mortgage brokers to
obtain loans. Loan applications are underwritten and processed at the
Association's main office.
The loan approval process is intended to assess the borrower's ability
to repay the loan, the viability of the loan, and the adequacy of the value of
the property that will secure the loan. To assess the borrower's ability to
repay, the Association reviews the employment and credit history and information
on the historical and projected income and expenses of borrowers. Loans of up to
$750,000 with loan to value ratios of 70% or less may be approved by the
Association's President and Senior Lending Officer acting together. Loans up to
$500,000 with a loan-to-value ratio between 70% and 80% (or up to 90% with
private mortgage insurance) may be approved by the President and Senior Lending
Officer acting together. All loans in excess of $750,000 must be approved by the
Board of Directors. In addition, the Board of Directors ratifies all loan
commitments. Under current policy, the Association will not originate a loan
with a principal balance in excess of $1.0 million.
The Association requires appraisals of all real property securing
loans. Appraisals are performed by independent appraisers who are licensed by
the state, and who are approved by the Board of Directors annually. The
Association requires fire and extended coverage insurance in amounts at least
equal to the principal amount of the loan. Where appropriate, flood insurance is
also required. Subsequent to March 31, 1998, the Association began offering
one-to-four family loans with loan to value ratios up to 90%. Private mortgage
insurance is required for all residential mortgage loans with loan to value
ratios of greater than 80%.
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The following table sets forth the Association's loan originations,
principal repayments and other portfolio activity for the periods indicated. The
Association did not purchase or sell any loans during the periods indicated.
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
-------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
--------- --------- ---------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Unpaid principal balances at beginning of year .. $ 123,839 $ 116,664 $ 110,239
--------- --------- ---------
LOANS ORIGINATED BY TYPE:
Fixed rate:
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ....................... 14,794 15,191 9,609
Advances under home equity lines of credit 6,925 4,525 4,041
Multi-family ............................. 257 -- --
Commercial ............................... 660 -- --
Construction ............................. 4,159 3,431 5,006
Consumer loans ............................. 1,843 942 645
--------- --------- ---------
Total fixed rate ......................... 28,638 24,089 19,301
Adjustable rate mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ......................... 225 46 386
Advances under home equity lines of credit . 72 -- 247
--------- --------- ---------
Total loans originated ................... 28,935 24,135 19,934
--------- --------- ---------
PRINCIPAL REPAYMENTS:
Mortgage loans ............................... (21,093) (15,445) (12,917)
Consumer loans ............................... (1,270) (1,124) (397)
--------- --------- ---------
Total principal repayments ................. (22,363) (16,569) (13,314)
--------- --------- ---------
Net charge-offs ................................. (16) (26) (25)
Transfers to real estate owned .................. -- (365) (170)
--------- --------- ---------
Unpaid principal balances at end of year ........ 130,395 123,839 116,664
Construction loans in process ................... (573) (1,049) (2,023)
Allowance for loan losses ....................... (984) (845) (725)
Deferred loan origination fees, net ............. (280) (328) (384)
--------- --------- ---------
Net loans at end of year ........................ $ 128,558 $ 121,617 $ 113,532
========= ========= =========
FEES. The Association realizes income from late charges and origination
fees. Late charges are generally assessed if payment is not received within 15
days after it is due. The Association also charges loan origination fees.
NONPERFORMING AND PROBLEM ASSETS
After a mortgage loan becomes ten days past due, the Association
delivers a computer generated delinquency notice to the borrower. A second
delinquency notice is sent once the loan becomes 15 days past due. When loans
become 30 days past due, the Association sends additional delinquency notices
and attempts to make personal contact by letter or telephone with the borrower
to establish acceptable repayment schedules. The Board of Directors is advised
of all loans delinquent 60 days or more. The Board will consider the borrower's
willingness to comply with the loan terms, the Association's actions to date,
and the value of the loan collateral in determining what actions, if any, are to
be taken. Generally, when a mortgage loan is 90 days delinquent and no
acceptable resolution has been reached, the Association will send the borrower a
demand letter. If the delinquency is not cured within 120 days, the Association
will generally refer the matter to its attorney. Generally, management will
begin foreclosure proceedings on any loan after it is delinquent over 120 days
unless management is engaged in active discussions with the borrower.
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Mortgage loans are reviewed on a regular basis and such loans are
placed on nonaccrual status when they become 90 days delinquent. When loans are
placed on nonaccrual status, unpaid accrued interest is fully reserved, and
further income is recognized only to the extent of interest payments received.
NONPERFORMING ASSETS. The table below sets forth the amounts and
categories of the Association's nonperforming assets at the dates indicated. At
each date presented, the Association had no troubled debt restructurings (which
involve forgiving a portion of interest or principal or making loans at rates
materially less than current market rates).
MARCH 31,
--------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Nonaccrual loans:
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family(1) ............ $1,721 $1,832 $2,831 $2,246 $1,717
Commercial ....................... 236 432 236 -- --
Consumer loans ..................... 1 -- 21 -- --
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total ............................ 1,958 2,264 3,088 2,246 1,717
Real estate owned:
One-to-four family properties ...... 129 129 55 261 55
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total nonperforming assets ....... $2,087 $2,393 $3,143 $2,507 $1,772
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
Ratios:
Nonperforming loans to total loans . 1.50% 1.83% 2.65% 2.04% 1.63%
Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.82 0.98 1.37 1.17 0.87
- ----------
(1) Includes home equity lines of credit.
For the year ended March 31, 1998, gross interest income which would
have been recorded had the non-accrual loans been current in accordance with
their original terms amounted to $205,000. Interest amounts on such loans that
were included in interest income totaled $55,000 for the year ended March 31,
1998.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the
Association's loan portfolio delinquencies at the dates indicated.
LOANS DELINQUENT FOR:
------------------------------------
60-89 DAYS 90 DAYS AND OVER TOTAL
---------------- ---------------- ----------------
NUMBER AMOUNT NUMBER AMOUNT NUMBER AMOUNT
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
At March 31, 1998 Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ......... 8 $ 526 13 $1,721 21 $2,247
Commercial ................. -- -- 1 236 1 236
Consumer loans ............... 1 4 1 1 2 5
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total .................... 9 $ 530 15 $1,958 24 $2,488
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
At March 31, 1997 Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ......... 5 $ 469 11 $1,832 16 $2,301
Commercial ................. -- -- 3 432 3 432
Consumer loans ............... 1 2 -- -- 1 2
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total .................... 6 $ 471 14 $2,264 20 $2,735
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
At March 31, 1996 Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ......... 5 $ 526 22 $2,831 27 $3,357
Commercial ................. 2 203 1 236 3 439
Consumer loans ............... 1 4 1 21 2 25
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total .................... 8 $ 733 24 $3,088 32 $3,821
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
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CLASSIFIED ASSETS. Federal regulations and the Association's Asset
Classification Policy provide for the classification of loans and other assets,
such as debt and equity securities, considered by the OTS to be of lesser
quality as "substandard," "doubtful" or "loss" assets. An asset is considered
"substandard" if it is inadequately protected by the current net worth and
paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any.
"Substandard" assets include those characterized by the "distinct possibility"
that the institution will sustain "some loss" if the deficiencies are not
corrected. Assets classified as "doubtful" have all of the weaknesses inherent
in those classified "substandard," with the added characteristic that the
weaknesses present make "collection or liquidation in full," on the basis of
currently existing facts, conditions, and values, "highly questionable and
improbable." Assets classified as "loss" are those considered "uncollectible"
and of such little value that their continuance as assets without the
establishment of a specific loss reserve is not warranted.
An insured institution is required to establish general allowances for
loan losses in an amount deemed prudent by management for loans classified
substandard or doubtful, as well as for other problem loans. General allowances
represent loss allowances which have been established to recognize the inherent
risk associated with lending activities, but which, unlike specific allowances,
have not been allocated to particular problem assets. When an insured
institution classifies problem assets as "loss," it is required either to
establish a specific allowance for losses equal to 100% of the amount of the
asset so classified or to charge off such amount. An institution's determination
as to the classification of its assets and the amount of its valuation
allowances is subject to review by the OTS which can order the establishment of
additional general or specific loss allowances.
At March 31, 1998, the Association's assets classified as substandard
or doubtful totalled $1.2 million and $810,000, respectively. At March 31, 1998
the Association had no assets classified as loss. The loan portfolio is reviewed
on a regular basis to determine whether any loans require classification in
accordance with applicable regulations.
ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES
The Association provides for loan losses on the allowance method.
Accordingly, all loan losses are charged to the related allowance and all
recoveries are credited to it. Additions to the allowance for loan losses are
provided by charges to income based on various factors which, in management's
judgment, deserve current recognition in estimating probable losses. Management
regularly reviews the Association's loan portfolio and makes provisions for loan
losses in order to maintain the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. The
allowance for loan losses consists of amounts specifically allocated to
nonperforming loans and potential problem loans (if any) as well as allowances
determined for each major loan category. Loan categories, such as single-family
residential mortgages and consumer loans (which represent 93.9% and 1.5%,
respectively, of the Association's total loans at March 31, 1998) are generally
evaluated on an aggregate or "pool" basis. In recent years, the Association's
allowance for loan losses was predominately determined on a pool basis by
applying loss factors to the current balances of the various loan categories.
The loss factors are determined by management based on an evaluation of
historical loss experience, delinquency trends, volume and type of lending
conducted, and the impact of current economic conditions in the Association's
market area. The carrying values of loans are periodically evaluated and the
allowance is adjusted accordingly. While management uses the best information
available to make evaluations, future adjustments to the allowance may be
necessary if conditions differ substantially from the assumptions used in making
the evaluations.
In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their
examination process, periodically review the Association's allowance for loan
losses. Such agencies may require the Association to recognize additions to the
allowance based on their judgments of information available to them at the time
of their examination.
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The following table sets forth activity in the Association's allowance
for loan losses for the periods indicated.
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
-----------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Balance at beginning of year ...................... $ 845 $ 725 $ 652 $ 568 $ 480
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Charge-offs:
One-to-four family mortgage loans .............. (16) (30) (26) -- --
Consumer loans ................................. -- (15) -- -- --
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Total charge-offs ............................ (16) (45) (26) -- --
Recoveries:
One-to-four family mortgage loans .............. -- -- 1 -- --
Consumer loans ................................. -- 19 -- 2 6
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Net (charge-offs) recoveries ...................... (16) (26) (25) 2 6
Provision for loan losses ......................... 155 146 98 82 82
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Balance at end of year ............................ $ 984 $ 845 $ 725 $ 652 $ 568
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
Ratios:
Net charge-offs to average loans outstanding ... 0.01% 0.02% 0.02% --% --%
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans 50.26 37.32 23.48 29.03 33.08
Allowance for loan losses to total loans ....... 0.75 0.68 0.62 0.59 0.54
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ALLOCATION OF ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES. The following table presents
an analysis of the allocation of the allowance for loan losses at the dates
indicated. The allocation of the allowance to each category is not necessarily
indicative of future loss in any particular category and does not restrict the
use of the allowance to absorb losses in other categories.
MARCH 31,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
------------------------------- ------------------------------- -------------------------------
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF PERCENT OF
LOANS IN LOANS IN LOANS IN
LOAN EACH LOAN EACH LOAN EACH
BALANCES CATEGORY BALANCES CATEGORY BALANCES CATEGORY
LOAN LOSS BY TO TOTAL LOAN LOSS BY TO TOTAL LOAN LOSS BY TO TOTAL
ALLOWANCE CATEGORY LOANS ALLOWANCE CATEGORY LOANS ALLOWANCE CATEGORY LOANS
-------- -------- ----- -------- -------- ----- -------- -------- -----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family(1) $ 668 $122,345 93.9% $ 514 $113,082 91.3% $ 390 $105,996 90.8%
Multi-family ........ 27 412 0.3 10 348 0.3 11 373 0.3
Commercial .......... 152 3,811 2.9 137 3,416 2.8 139 3,469 3.0
Construction ........ 36 1,800 1.4 111 5,539 4.5 103 5,193 4.5
Consumer ............. 101 2,027 1.5 73 1,454 1.1 82 1,633 1.4
-------- -------- ----- -------- -------- ----- -------- -------- -----
Total ........... $ 984 $130,395 100.0% $ 845 $123,839 100.0% $ 725 $116,664 100.0%
======== ======== ===== ======== ======== ===== ======== ======== =====
MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995 1994
------------------------------- -------------------------------
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF
LOANS IN LOANS IN
LOAN EACH LOAN EACH
BALANCES CATEGORY BALANCES CATEGORY
LOAN LOSS BY TO TOTAL LOAN LOSS BY TO TOTAL
ALLOWANCE CATEGORY LOANS ALLOWANCE CATEGORY LOANS
-------- -------- ----- -------- -------- -----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family(1) $ 414 $103,821 94.1% $ 326 $ 99,393 94.3%
Multi-family ........ 12 395 0.4 20 680 0.7
Commercial .......... 128 3,188 2.9 124 3,088 2.9
Construction ........ 29 1,451 1.3 7 365 0.4
Consumer ............. 69 1,384 1.3 91 1,810 1.7
-------- -------- ----- -------- -------- -----
Total ........... $ 652 $110,239 100.0% $ 568 $105,336 100.0%
======== ======== ===== ======== ======== =====
- ----------
(1) Includes home equity lines of credit.
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INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
The Association's investments include mortgage-backed securities, U.S.
Government and agency securities, federal funds sold, certificates of deposit at
other financial institutions, mutual funds and FHLB stock. Management has
determined to invest a significant portion of the Association's assets in
short-term investments and adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities in order
to increase the Association's ability to deploy assets should market interest
rates begin to rise. See "Risk Factors--Potential Impact of Changes in Interest
Rates and the Current Interest Rate Environment."
The Association's mortgage-backed securities portfolio totalled $53.4
million, or 21.0% of total assets at March 31, 1998. Of this amount, $52.2
million of mortgage-backed securities had adjustable rates of interest and $1.2
million had fixed rates of interest. Mortgage-backed securities are created by
the pooling of mortgages and the issuance of a security with an interest rate
that is less than the interest rate on the underlying the mortgages. The
Association's mortgage-backed securities are insured or guaranteed by Fannie
Mae, GNMA or Freddie Mac. Mortgage-backed securities increase the liquidity and
the quality of the Association's assets by virtue of their greater liquidity
compared to individual mortgage loans and the guarantees that back the
securities themselves. The Association has not invested in collateralized
mortgage obligations or privately issued mortgage-backed securities.
A significant portion of the Association's assets are invested in
federal funds sold and certificates of deposit at other financial institutions.
At March 31, 1998, $47.9 million, or 18.8% of total assets, were invested in
federal funds sold and certificates of deposit at other financial institutions.
See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations--Management of Market Risk--Interest Rate Risk."
At March 31, 1998, the Association's other investment securities
included $11.5 million in U.S. Government and agency securities which consisted
of fixed rate Fannie Mae and FHLB issues generally with maturities of three
years or less, as well as adjustable rate Small Business Administration
participation certificates that are guaranteed by the U.S. Government with
contractual terms of up to 30 years. At March 31, 1998, the Association had
invested $3.0 million in two mutual funds that provide a rate of return that
adjusts daily. The first mutual fund, in which the Association had a $1.0
million investment, invests primarily in repurchase agreements secured by U.S.
Government and Agency securities and federal funds. The average maturities of
the underlying securities can be from one to seven days, but primarily are
overnight. The second mutual fund, in which the Association had a $2.0 million
investment, is an adjustable rate mortgage fund that invests primarily in
securities backed by or representing an interest in mortgages on residential
properties meeting the definition of such assets for purposes of the qualified
thrift lender test under OTS regulations. These mutual fund investments are
permissible investments as set forth in the Association's investment policy. The
securities were purchased, as part of the Association's ongoing interest rate
risk management process, to provide interest earning liquid funds and an
adjustable interest rate.
The following table sets forth the composition of the Association's
mortgage-backed securities (all of which were classified as held to maturity) at
the dates indicated.
AT MARCH 31,
--------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
------------------ ------------------ ------------------
AMORTIZED FAIR AMORTIZED FAIR AMORTIZED FAIR
COST VALUE COST VALUE COST VALUE
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Adjustable rate:
GNMA ........................ $45,260 $45,411 $44,811 $44,741 $39,725 $39,239
Fannie Mae .................. 6,935 6,940 6,438 6,424 6,534 6,552
Fixed rate:
GNMA ........................ 1,129 1,211 1,518 1,593 1,873 1,978
Freddie Mac ................. 97 99 134 134 175 177
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total mortgage-backed securities $53,421 $53,661 $52,901 $52,892 $48,307 $47,946
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
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The following table sets forth the composition of the Association's
other securities portfolio, and certain other categories of earning assets, at
the dates indicated.
AT MARCH 31,
--------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
------------------ ------------------ ------------------
AMORTIZED FAIR AMORTIZED FAIR AMORTIZED FAIR
COST VALUE COST VALUE COST VALUE
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Securities held to maturity:
U.S. Government securities ....... $ 4,012 $ 4,030 $ 6,004 $ 5,993 $ 6,003 $ 6,005
Federal agency obligations ....... 7,465 7,400 4,448 4,407 5,181 5,170
Securities available for sale:
Mutual fund investments .......... 3,000 2,994 2,000 1,995 2,000 1,994
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total other securities ......... $14,477 $14,424 $12,452 $12,395 $13,184 $13,169
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Average remaining contractual term of
other securities ................. 7.2 years 2.8 years 3.8 years
Other earning assets:
Federal funds sold ............... $36,400 $35,200 $34,800
Certificates of deposit .......... 11,483 11,986 11,594
FHLB stock ....................... 1,745 1,607 1,513
------- ------- -------
Total .......................... $49,628 $48,793 $47,907
======= ======= =======
The following table sets forth the activity in the mortgage-backed
securities portfolio for the periods indicated.
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
----------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
-------- -------- --------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Amortized cost at beginning of year ................ $ 52,901 $ 48,307 $ 40,046
Purchases of adjustable rate pass-through securities 12,237 13,276 15,311
Principal repayments ............................... (11,591) (8,493) (7,028)
Premium amortization and discount accretion, net ... (126) (189) (22)
-------- -------- --------
Amortized cost at end of year ...................... $ 53,421 $ 52,901 $ 48,307
======== ======== ========
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The composition and contractual maturities of mortgage-backed
securities and other debt securities at March 31, 1998 are indicated in the
following table. The table does not reflect the impact of prepayments or
redemptions which may occur.
MORE THAN ONE YEAR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS
ONE YEAR OR LESS THROUGH FIVE YEARS THROUGH TEN YEARS MORE THAN TEN YEARS
--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
WEIGHTED WEIGHTED WEIGHTED WEIGHTED
AMORTIZED AVERAGE AMORTIZED AVERAGE AMORTIZED AVERAGE AMORTIZED AVERAGE
COST YIELD COST YIELD COST YIELD COST YIELD
----- ---- ------- ---- ------- ---- ------- ----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage-backed securities:
GNMA ..................... $ -- --% $ 123 6.85% $ 432 8.25% $45,834 6.88%
Fannie Mae ............... -- -- -- -- -- -- 6,935 6.99
Freddie Mac .............. -- -- 69 7.22 28 8.00 -- --
------- ------- ------- -------
Total .................. $ -- -- $ 192 6.98 $ 460 8.23 $52,769 6.89
======= ======= ======= =======
Other debt securities:
U.S. Government securities $ 4,012 6.15% $ -- --% $ -- --% $ -- --%
Federal agency obligations -- -- 3,998 5.91 -- -- 3,467 6.62
------- ------- ------- -------
Total .................. $ 4,012 6.15% $ 3,998 5.91% $ -- --% $ 3,467 6.62%
======= ======= ======= =======
TOTAL SECURITIES
--------------------------
WEIGHTED
AMORTIZED FAIR AVERAGE
COST VALUE YIELD
------- ------- ----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage-backed securities:
GNMA ..................... $46,389 $46,622 6.89%
Fannie Mae ............... 6,935 6,940 6.99
Freddie Mac .............. 97 99 7.45
------- -------
Total .................. $53,421 $53,661 6.91
======= =======
Other debt securities:
U.S. Government securities $ 4,012 $ 4,030 6.15%
Federal agency obligations 7,465 7,400 6.24
------- -------
Total .................. $11,477 $11,430 6.21%
======= =======
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SOURCES OF FUNDS
GENERAL. Deposits have traditionally been the primary source of funds
for use in lending and investment activities. In addition to deposits, funds are
derived from scheduled loan payments, investment maturities, loan prepayments,
retained earnings, income on earning assets and borrowings. While scheduled loan
payments and income on earning assets are relatively stable sources of funds,
deposit inflows and outflows can vary widely and are influenced by prevailing
interest rates, market conditions and levels of competition. Borrowings from the
FHLB of New York may be used in the short-term to compensate for reductions in
deposits and to fund growth, although the Association has not had to borrow
funds in recent periods.
DEPOSITS. Deposits are obtained primarily from customers who live or
work in Westchester County. The Association offers a selection of deposit
instruments, including passbook and club accounts, money market accounts, NOW
accounts and fixed-term certificate of deposit accounts. Deposits are not
actively solicited outside of the Association's market area. Deposit account
terms vary, with the principal differences being the minimum balance required,
the amount of time the funds must remain on deposit and the interest rate. The
Association does not pay broker fees for any deposits.
Interest rates paid, maturity terms, service fees and withdrawal
penalties are established on a periodic basis. Deposit rates and terms are based
primarily on current operating strategies and market rates, liquidity
requirements, rates paid by competitors and growth goals. Personalized customer
service and long-standing relationships with customers are relied upon to
attract and retain deposits.
The flow of deposits is influenced significantly by general economic
conditions, changes in money markets and other prevailing interest rates and
competition. The variety of deposit accounts offered allows the Association to
be competitive in obtaining funds and responding to changes in consumer demand.
In recent years, the Association has become more susceptible to short-term
fluctuations in deposit flows as customers have become more interest rate
conscious. Deposits are priced to reflect the Association's interest rate risk
management and profitability objectives. Based on experience, management
believes that passbook accounts and money market accounts are relatively stable
sources of deposits. However, the ability to attract and maintain certificates
of deposit, and the rates paid on these deposits, have been and will continue to
be significantly affected by market conditions. At March 31, 1998, $119.6
million, or 54.4% of the Association's deposit accounts were certificates of
deposit, of which $108.9 million have maturities of one year or less.
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The following table sets forth the distribution of the Association's
deposit accounts by account type at the dates indicated.
MARCH 31,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
-------------------------- -------------------------- --------------------------
WEIGHTED WEIGHTED WEIGHTED
AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE
AMOUNT PERCENT RATE AMOUNT PERCENT RATE AMOUNT PERCENT RATE
-------- ----- ----- -------- ----- ----- -------- ----- -----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Transaction accounts and savings deposits:
Passbook and club accounts ............ $ 61,347 27.9% 2.54% $ 63,579 30.1% 2.54% $ 67,637 33.7% 2.54%
Money market accounts ................. 17,676 8.0 3.05 17,497 8.3 3.10 16,561 8.3 3.10
NOW and Super NOW accounts ............ 21,261 9.7 2.04 19,885 9.4 2.04 19,320 9.6 2.04
-------- ----- -------- ----- -------- -----
Total ............................... 100,284 45.6 2.52 100,961 47.8 2.54 103,518 51.6 2.54
-------- ----- -------- ----- -------- -----
Certificates of deposit maturing:
Within one year ....................... 108,902 49.5 5.60 101,169 47.9 5.39 82,431 41.1 5.44
After one but within three years ...... 9,613 4.4 5.72 7,597 3.6 5.72 12,160 6.1 5.44
After three years ..................... 1,114 0.5 4.49 1,496 0.7 4.53 2,502 1.2 5.05
-------- ----- -------- ----- -------- -----
Total ............................... 119,629 54.4 5.60 110,262 52.2 5.40 97,093 48.4 5.43
-------- ----- -------- ----- -------- -----
Total deposits ........................... $219,913 100.0% 4.20% $211,223 100.0% 4.03% $200,611 100.0% 3.94%
======== ===== ======== ===== ======== =====
The following table sets forth the deposit activity of the Association
for the periods indicated.
YEAR ENDED MARCH 31,
---------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
--------- --------- ---------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Balance at beginning of year ...... $ 211,223 $ 200,611 $ 186,951
Deposits .......................... 279,709 278,371 241,365
Withdrawals ....................... (279,719) (275,635) (235,514)
Interest credited ................. 8,700 7,876 7,809
--------- --------- ---------
Balance at end of year ............ $ 219,913 $ 211,223 $ 200,611
========= ========= =========
Net increase during the year:
Amount ......................... $ 8,690 $ 10,612 $ 13,660
Percent ........................ 4.1% 5.3% 7.3%
========= ========= =========
The following table indicates the amount of the Association's
certificates of deposits by time remaining until maturity as of March 31, 1998.
MATURITY
---------------------------------------------
3 MONTHS OVER 3 TO 6 OVER 6 TO 12 OVER 12
OR LESS MONTHS MONTHS MONTHS TOTAL
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
(IN THOUSANDS)
Certificates of deposit less than $100,000 ... $ 26,673 $ 38,485 $ 30,508 $ 9,855 $105,521
Certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more(1) 4,136 4,855 4,245 872 14,108
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Total of certificates of deposit ............. $ 30,809 $ 43,340 $ 34,753 $ 10,727 $119,629
======== ======== ======== ======== ========
- ----------
(1) The weighted average interest rates for these accounts, by maturity period,
are 5.25% for 3 months or less; 5.51% for 3 to 6 months; 5.58% for 6 to 12
months; and 5.57% for over 12 months. The overall weighted average rate for
accounts of $100,000 or more was 5.46%.
BORROWINGS. The Association's other available sources of funds include
advances from the FHLB of New York. As a member of the FHLB of New York, the
Association is required to own capital stock in the FHLB of New York and is
authorized to apply for advances from the FHLB of New York. Each FHLB credit
program has its own
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91
interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, and range of maturities. The FHLB
of New York may prescribe the acceptable uses for these advances, as well as
limitations on the size of the advances and repayment provisions. At March 31,
1998, the Association had an outstanding FHLB advance of $87,000 which it
obtained during fiscal 1996. This advance bears interest at a fixed rate of
8.29% and matures in 2002. At March 31, 1998, the Association had a collateral
pledge arrangement with FHLB of New York pursuant to which the Association may
borrow up to $63.7 million. The Association had no borrowings other than the
foregoing FHLB advance during the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996.
PROPERTIES
The following table provides certain information with respect to the
Association's offices as of March 31, 1998:
NET BOOK VALUE OF REAL
LOCATION LEASED OR OWNED YEAR ACQUIRED PROPERTY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Main Office Owned 1954 $569,000
300 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
Branch Office Owned 1961 203000
189 Halstead Avenue
Harrison, NY 10528
Branch Office Owned 1972 487000
115 South Ridge Street
Rye Brook, NY 10573
The total net book value of the Association's premises, land and
equipment was approximately $1.6 million at March 31, 1998.
SERVICE CORPORATION SUBSIDIARY
The Association does not have any subsidiary corporations. However, OTS
regulations permit federal savings associations to invest in the capital stock,
obligations or other specified types of securities of subsidiaries (referred to
as "service corporations") and to make loans to such subsidiaries and joint
ventures in which such subsidiaries are participants in an aggregate amount not
exceeding 2.0% of an association's assets, plus an additional 1% of assets if
the amount over 2.0% is used for specified community or inner-city development
purposes. In addition, federal regulations permit associations to make specified
types of loans to such subsidiaries (other than special purpose finance
subsidiaries) in which the association owns more than 10% of the stock, in an
aggregate amount not exceeding 50% of the association's regulatory capital if
the association's regulatory capital is in compliance with applicable
regulations.
EMPLOYEES
As of March 31, 1998, the Association employed 37 persons on a
full-time basis and 11 persons on a part-time basis. None of the Association's
employees is represented by a collective bargaining group and management
considers employee relations to be good.
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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Although the Association is involved, from time to time, in various
legal proceedings in the normal course of business, there are no material legal
proceedings to which the Association presently is a party or to which any of its
property is subject.
MANAGEMENT OF SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY
The Board of Directors of the Company consists of the same individuals
who serve as directors of the Association. The Company's Federal charter and
bylaws require that directors be divided into three classes with each class of
directors to serve for a three-year period. Approximately one-third of the
directors will be elected each year. The Company's officers will be elected
annually by its Board of Directors and will serve at the Board's discretion. The
Company's President and Chief Executive Officer will be Richard P. McStravick
and the Chairman of the Board will be Bruno J. Gioffre. For information
regarding the directors and officers, see "Management of the Association."
MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
The Board of Directors currently consists of eight persons. Each
director holds office for a term of three years, and one-third of the Board is
elected at each annual meeting of members. During the year ended March 31, 1998,
Paul F. Starck retired as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association.
The directors of the Association will continue to serve as directors of the
Association after the Reorganization. It is anticipated that all officers of the
Association serving immediately before the Reorganization will retain their
position after the Reorganization.
The Board of Directors met 15 times during the fiscal year ended March
31, 1998. No director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate number of
meetings of the Board of Directors and the Board's committees in the past 12
months.
Listed below are the current directors and officers of the Association:
AGE AT
NAME MARCH 31, 1998 POSITION DIRECTOR SINCE CURRENT TERM EXPIRES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruno J. Gioffre 63 Chairman of the Board 1975 1999
Richard P. McStravick 49 President, Chief 1996 1999
Executive Officer and
Director
Joseph Dinolfo 64 Director 1985 2001
Donald H. Heithaus 63 Director 1978 2000
Robert P. Joyce 69 Director 1980 2001
Joseph A. Lanza 51 Director 1998 2000
Arthur C. Phillips, Jr. 74 Director 1976 2001
James Staudt 45 Director 1987 1999
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AGE AT
NAME MARCH 31, 1998 POSITION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen P. Milliot 50 Treasurer
William H. Morel 65 Senior Vice President and
Secretary
The business experience for the past five years for each of the
Association's directors and officers is as follows:
BRUNO J. GIOFFRE is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and has been
so since December 1997. Mr. Gioffre is also general counsel to the Association.
Mr. Gioffre is counsel to the law firm Gioffre & Gioffre, Professional
Corporation and the Senior Justice for the Town of Rye, New York.
RICHARD P. MCSTRAVICK is President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Association. Mr. McStravick has been employed by the Association in various
capacities since 1977. Mr. McStravick was appointed to the Board of Directors in
1996.
JOSEPH DINOLFO is the President of the Dinolfo Wilson Agency, Inc. an
insurance agency located in Mamaroneck, New York.
DONALD H. HEITHAUS is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Happiness Laundry Service, Inc. in Mamaroneck, New York.
ROBERT P. JOYCE is retired. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Joyce was the
President of Joyce Marketing Corporation.
JOSEPH A. LANZA is the Mayor of the Village of Mamaroneck. Mr. Lanza is
the President of Lanza Electric, a private electrical contractor.
JAMES STAUDT is an attorney practicing with the firm of McCullough,
Goldberger & Staudt.
ARTHUR C. PHILLIPS, JR. is the Pension and Welfare Funds Manager for
the Industry and Local 338 Pension and Welfare Fund.
STEPHEN P. MILLIOT has been the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
since 1996. Prior to that time, Mr. Milliot was the Association's internal
auditor.
WILLIAM H. MOREL is the Association's Senior Vice President, Chief
Lending Officer and Corporate Secretary. He has been employed by the Association
in various capacities since 1969.
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COMMITTEES OF THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND THE COMPANY
The Board of Directors of the Association has the following committees:
The Audit Committee meets quarterly to review audit reports. It also recommends
to the Board of Directors the appointment of the independent auditors for the
upcoming fiscal year. The Audit Committee is composed of Directors Phillips,
Joyce and Staudt.
The Executive Committee acts as the Association's Compensation
Committee. No employee director is a member of the Executive Committee. The
Executive Committee is composed of Directors Gioffre, Phillips, Heithaus and
Joyce. The Executive Committee met three times in fiscal 1998.
The Association has no nominating committee.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION
REMUNERATION OF NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER
The following table sets forth information as to annual and other
compensation for services in all capacities for the President and Chief
Executive Officer during the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998. No other
executive officer earned more than $100,000 in salary and bonuses during fiscal
year 1998.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LONG-TERM
COMPENSATION
ANNUAL COMPENSATION(1) AWARDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER RESTRICTED OPTIONS/
NAME AND PRINCIPAL FISCAL ANNUAL STOCK SARs ALL OTHER
POSITION YEAR(1) SALARY BONUS COMPENSATION(2) AWARDS (#) COMPENSATION
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richard P. McStravick,
President and Chief
Executive Officer 1998 $124,375 $7,491 $14,175 -- -- $3,807(3)
==========================================================================================================
(1) In accordance with the rules on executive officer and director compensation
disclosure adopted by the SEC, Summary Compensation information is excluded
for the fiscal years ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, as the Association was
not a public company during such periods.
(2) Represents director's fees for service on the Association's Board.
(3) Consists of the use of the Association's automobile.
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
Directors of the Association receive $1,250 for each regular meeting of
the Board of Directors, except for the Chairman of the Board who receives $2,500
for each regular meeting of the Board of Directors and $175 for each committee
meeting of the Board of Directors. Each committee chairman receives $250 for
each committee meeting. The Chairman of the Executive Committee receives $2,500
for each committee meeting attended and the other members of the Executive
Committee receive $1,250.
Directors of the Company are not currently paid directors' fees. The
Company may adopt a policy of paying directors' fees if it believes it is
necessary to attract qualified directors or is otherwise beneficial or
appropriate.
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BENEFITS
DIRECTORS DEFERRED FEE PLAN. The Directors Deferred Fee Plan
("Directors Plan") is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan into which a
director can defer up to 100% of his or her board fees earned during the
calendar year. All amounts deferred by a director are fully vested at all times.
Amounts credited to a deferred fee account are assumed to be invested, without
charge, at a 6% interest rate. Upon cessation of a director's service with the
Association, the Association will pay the director the amounts credited to the
director's deferred fee account. The amounts will be paid in substantially equal
annual installments, as selected by the director. The date of the first
installment payment also will be selected by the director. In connection with
the Reorganization and the Offering, the Directors Plan has been amended to
permit each director to determine whether to invest all or a portion of his
account in Common Stock. If a director elects to invest all or a portion of his
account in Common Stock, the amount so invested will be credited with earnings
and appreciation (or depreciation) equivalent to that which would be earned on
such investment and the amount not invested in Common Stock will continue to
earn interest at a 6% interest rate.
If the director dies before all payments have been made, the remaining
payments will be made to the beneficiary designated by the director in the same
form that payments were made to the director. If a director dies before
receiving any payments, the Association shall pay the directors account to the
directors beneficiary, commencing within 30 days of the director's death over
the period initially elected by the director. At the request of the beneficiary,
and with the approval of the Committee, the director's benefits may be paid to
the beneficiary in a lump sum. The director may request a hardship distribution
of all or part of his or her benefits if the director suffers an unforeseeable
emergency, defined as a severe financial hardship to the director resulting from
a sudden and unexpected illness or accident of the director or his dependent,
loss of the director's property due to casualty, or other similar extraordinary
and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the
director's control.
DIRECTOR EMERITUS PLAN. The Director Emeritus Plan is a non-qualified
retirement plan. Under the Director Emeritus Plan, any director that attains the
age of 70 years after the completion of 15 years of service as a director
qualifies for director emeritus status. A director that has completed five years
of service as a director qualifies for director emeritus if termination of
service is due to the merger, consolidation, takeover or dissolution of the
Association. Under the Director Emeritus Plan, a director emeritus is entitled
to the same compensation that he received when he retired as a director, without
the obligation of attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors. Compensation
is paid to the director emeritus from the date of attainment of such status
until his death.
EXECUTIVE AGREEMENTS. The Association has employment agreements with
Messrs. McStravick and Morel. Each of these agreements has a term of three years
and may be extended for an additional 12 months on each anniversary date so that
the remaining term shall be 36 months. If the agreement is not renewed, the
agreement will expire 36 months following the anniversary date. Under the
agreements, the base salaries for Messrs. McStravick and Morel are $130,000 and
$95,000, respectively. In addition to the base salary, each agreement provides
for, among other things, participation in retirement plans, stock option plans
and other employee and fringe benefits applicable to other employees. The
agreements provide for termination by the Association for cause at any time, in
which event, the executive would have no right to receive compensation or other
benefits for any period after termination. In the event the Bank terminates the
executive's employment for reasons other than disability or for cause, or in the
event of the executive's termination of employment upon (i) failure by the
Association to comply with any material provision of the agreement, (ii)
following a change in control of the Association where there is a material
change in the executive's positions, duties or responsibilities, or a removal of
the executive from, or any failure to reelect the executive to any of these
positions, a reduction in salary or failure of the Association to continue in
effect, or reduction in benefits under, any bonus, benefit or compensation plan
or fringe benefit plan, or (iii) any purported termination of the executive's
employment which is not pursuant to a valid notice of termination, the executive
would be entitled to severance pay in an amount equal to three times the average
annual compensation (computed on the basis of the most recent five (5) taxable
years) includable in gross income for federal income tax purposes. Messrs.
McStravick and Morel would receive an aggregate of $337,773 and $233,926,
respectively, pursuant to their employment agreements upon a change in control
of the Association, based upon current levels of compensation. The
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Association would also continue, at the Association's expense, the executive's
life, health, dental and other applicable benefit plan coverage until the
executive attains the age of 70 years, provided, however, that the Association's
obligation terminates if the executive receives equivalent medical or dental
coverage from a new employer. The executive is entitled to participate in the
Association's medical, dental and life insurance coverage and reimbursement
plans to the extent that such plans exist, until the executive's death.
Under the agreement, if the executive becomes disabled or incapacitated
to the extent that the executive is unable to perform his duties, he will be
entitled to 100% of his compensation for the first six months, and 60%
thereafter of the remaining term of the agreement. Any disability payment is
reduced to the extent benefits are received under disability insurance, workers'
compensation or other similar program.
DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLAN. The Association maintains the Sound
Federal Savings and Loan Association Retirement Income Plan ("Retirement Plan")
which is a qualified, tax-exempt defined benefit plan. Employees age 21 or older
who have worked at the Association for a period of one year and have been
credited with 1,000 or more hours of service with the Association during the
year are eligible to accrue benefits under the Retirement Plan. The Association
contributes each year, if necessary, an amount to the Retirement Plan to satisfy
the actuarially determined minimum funding requirements in accordance with the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"). For the
plan year ended December 31, 1997, no contribution was required to be made to
the Retirement Plan, however, the Association elected to make a contribution of
approximately $62,000. At December 31, 1997, the total market value of the
assets in the Retirement Plan trust fund was approximately $3.8 million.
In the event of retirement on or after the normal retirement date
(i.e., the first day of the calendar month coincident with or next following the
later of age 65 or the 5th anniversary of participation in the Retirement Plan,
or, for a participant prior to January 1, 1992, age 65), the plan is designed to
provide a single life annuity. For a married participant, the normal form of
benefit is an actuarially reduced joint and survivor annuity where, upon the
participant's death, the participant's spouse is entitled to receive a benefit
equal to 50% of that paid during the participant's lifetime. Alternatively, a
participant may elect (with proper spousal consent, if necessary) from various
other options, including a joint and 100% survivor annuity, joint and 66-2/3%
survivor annuity, joint and 50% survivor annuity, years certain option and
social security option. The normal retirement benefit provided is an amount
equal to the difference between 4% of final earnings (as defined in the plan)
and 0.65% of the final average compensation (average earnings during the last
three (3) calendar years of service) up to the Social Security taxable wage
base, multiplied by the participant's years of credited service (up to a maximum
of 15 years). Retirement benefits are also payable upon retirement due to early
and late retirement or death. A reduced benefit is payable upon early retirement
at age 55 and the completion of 5 years of vested service with the Association.
Fifty percent of the normal retirement benefit will be paid to a surviving
spouse if the participant dies while in active service and has attained age 50
and 10 years of vested service. The preretirement death benefit is reduced by
1.96% for each year the spouse is more than 10 years younger than the
participant. If the participant has not attained age 50 with 10 years of
service, but has completed 5 years of service, the spouse will be eligible for a
reduced benefit payable as a joint and 50% annuity. Upon termination of
employment other than as specified above, a participant who has five years of
vested service is eligible to receive his or her accrued benefit commencing,
generally, on his normal retirement date, or, if elected, on or after reaching
age 55.
The following table indicates the annual retirement benefit that would
be payable under the Retirement Plan upon retirement at age 65 in calendar year
1998, expressed in the form of a single life annuity for the final average
salary and benefit service classifications specified below.
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Final Average Years of Service and Benefit Payable at Retirement
Compensation 15 20 25 30
- ------------------ ------- ------- ------- -------
$ 50,000 $26,965 $26,965 $26,965 $26,965
$ 75,000 $41,965 $41,965 $41,965 $41,965
$100,000 $56,965 $56,965 $56,965 $56,965
$125,000 $71,965 $71,965 $71,965 $71,965
$160,000 and above $92,965 $92,965 $92,965 $92,965
As of December 31, 1997, Mr. McStravick had 20 years of credited
service (i.e., benefit service) under the Retirement Plan.
401(k) PLAN. The Association maintains the Sound Federal Savings and
Loan Association 401(k) Savings Plan in RSI Retirement Trust (the "401(k) Plan")
which is a qualified, tax-exempt profit sharing plan with a salary deferral
feature under Section 401(k) of the Code. Employees who have attained age 21 and
have completed one year of employment are eligible to participate, provided,
however, that leased employees, employees paid on an hourly or contract basis,
employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement and owner employees (as
defined in the plan) are not eligible to participate. Eligible employees are
entitled to enter the 401(k) Plan on a monthly basis.
Under the 401(k) Plan, participants are permitted to make salary
reduction contributions (in whole percentages) equal to the lesser of (i) from
1% to 10% of compensation or (ii) $10,000 (as indexed annually). For these
purposes, "compensation" includes wages, salary, fees and other amounts received
for personal services prior to reduction for the participant contribution to the
401(k) plan, commissions, compensation based on profits, overtime, bonuses, wage
continuation payments due to illness or disability of a short-term nature,
amounts paid or reimbursed for moving expenses, and the value of any
nonqualified stock option granted to the extent includable in gross income for
the year granted. Compensation does not include contributions made by the
Association to any other pension, deferred compensation, welfare or other
employee benefit plan, amounts realized from the exercise of a nonqualified
stock option or the sale of a qualified stock option, and other amounts which
received special tax benefits. Compensation does not include compensation in
excess of the Code Section 401(a)(17) limits (i.e., $160,000 in 1997). The
Association will match 50% of the first 10% of salary that a participant
contributes to the 401(k) Plan. All contributions and earnings are fully and
immediately vested. A participant may withdraw salary reduction contributions,
rollover contributions and matching contributions in the event the participant
suffers a financial hardship. A participant may make a withdrawal from his
accounts for any reason after age 59 1/2.
The 401(k) Plan permits employees to direct the investment of his or
her own accounts into various investment options. In connection with the
Offering, the 401(k) Plan intends to offer participants the opportunity to
invest in an "Employer Stock Fund" which intends to purchase Common Stock in the
Offering. Each participant who directs the trustee to invest all or part of his
or her account in the Employer Stock Fund will have assets in his or her account
applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock. Participants will be entitled
to direct the trustee as to how to vote his or her allocable shares of Common
Stock.
Plan benefits will be paid to each participant in the form of a single
cash payment at normal retirement age unless earlier payment is selected. If a
participant dies prior to receipt of the entire value of his or her 401(k) Plan
accounts, payment will generally be made to the beneficiary in a single cash
payment as soon as possible following the participant's death. Payment will be
deferred if the participant had previously elected a later payment date. If the
beneficiary is not the participant's spouse, payment will be made within one
year of the date of death. If the spouse is the designated beneficiary, payment
will be made no later than the date the participant would have attained age 70
1/2. Normal retirement age under the 401(k) Plan is age 65. Early retirement age
is age 55.
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At December 31, 1997, the total market value of the assets in the
401(k) Plan was approximately $760,000. The Association's matching contributions
to the 401(k) Plan for the Plan year ended December 31, 1997 totalled
approximately $30,000.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST
The Association has established an ESOP for eligible employees
effective in January 1998, subject to the completion of the Offering. Employees
age 21 or older who have worked at the Association for a period of one year and
have been credited with 1,000 or more hours of service during the year are
eligible to participate. As part of the Offering, the ESOP intends to borrow
funds from the Company and use those funds to purchase a number of shares equal
to up to 8.0% of the Minority Ownership Interest. Collateral for the loan will
be the Common Stock purchased by the ESOP. The loan will be repaid principally
from the Association's discretionary contributions to the ESOP and dividends on
unallocated shares over a period expected to be no more than 10 years. It is
anticipated that the interest rate for the loan will be a floating rate equal to
the prime interest rate published in The Wall Street Journal from time to time.
Shares purchased by the ESOP will be held in a suspense account for allocation
among participants as the loan is repaid.
Contributions to the ESOP and shares released from the suspense
accounts in an amount proportional to the repayment of the ESOP loan will be
allocated among ESOP participants on the basis of compensation in the year of
allocation. Participants in the ESOP will receive credit for service prior to
the effective date of the ESOP. A participant will vest in 100% of his or her
account balance after 5 years of credited service. A participant who terminates
employment for reasons other than death, retirement, disability or following a
change in control prior to five years of credited service will forfeit the
nonvested portion of his or her benefits under the ESOP. Benefits will be
payable in the form of Common Stock and cash upon death, retirement, disability
or separation from service. Alternatively, a participant may request that the
benefits be paid entirely in the form of Common Stock. Contributions by the
Association to the ESOP are discretionary, subject to the loan terms and tax law
limits, and, therefore, benefits payable under the ESOP cannot be estimated. In
November 1993, the Accounting Standards Executive Committee of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants issued Statement of Position ("SOP")
No. 93-6, which requires the Association to record compensation expense in an
amount equal to the fair market value of the shares committed to be released
from the suspense account to participant accounts.
In connection with the establishment of the ESOP, the Association will
establish a committee of non-employee directors to administer the ESOP. The
Association will either appoint its non-employee directors or an independent
financial institution to serve as trustee of the ESOP. The ESOP committee may
instruct the trustee regarding investment of funds contributed to the ESOP. The
ESOP trustee, subject to its fiduciary duty, must vote all allocated shares held
in the ESOP in accordance with the instructions of participating employees.
Under the ESOP, nondirected shares, and shares held in the suspense account,
will be voted in a manner calculated to most accurately reflect the instructions
it has received from participants regarding the allocated stock so long as such
vote is in accordance with the provisions of ERISA.
STOCK OPTION PLAN
At a meeting of the Company's shareholders to be held no earlier than
six months after the completion of the Reorganization, the Board of Directors
intends to submit for shareholder approval the Stock Option Plan for directors
and officers of the Association and of the Company. If approved by the
shareholders, Common Stock in an aggregate amount equal to 10% of the Minority
Ownership Interest would be reserved for issuance by the Company upon the
exercise of the stock options granted under the Stock Option Plan. No options
would be granted under the Stock Option Plan until the date on which shareholder
approval is received. The Stock Option Plan may not be adopted by stockholders
until at least six months after the completion of the Reorganization.
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It is anticipated that options would be granted for terms of 10 years
(in the case of incentive options) or 10 years and one day (in the case of
non-qualified options), and at an option price per share equal to the fair
market value of the shares on the date of grant of the stock options. If the
Stock Option Plan is implemented within one year following the Reorganization,
options will become exercisable at a rate of 20% at the end of each 12 months of
service with the Association after the date of grant, subject to early vesting
in the event of death or disability. Options granted under the Stock Option Plan
would be adjusted for capital changes such as stock splits and stock dividends.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, awards will be 100% vested upon termination of
employment due to death or disability, and if the Stock Option Plan is adopted
more than 12 months after the Reorganization, awards would be 100% vested upon
normal retirement or a change in control of the Association or the Company.
Unless the Company decides to call an earlier special meeting of shareholders,
the date of grant of these options is expected to be the date of the Company's
annual meeting of shareholders to be held at least six months after the
Reorganization. Under OTS rules, if the Stock Option Plan is adopted within the
first 12 months after the Reorganization, no individual officer can receive more
than 25% of the awards under the plan, no outside director can receive more than
5% of the awards under the plan, and all outside directors as a group can
receive no more than 30% of the awards under the plan in the aggregate. These
restrictions would not be applicable if the Stock Option Plan is adopted more
than one year after the completion of the Reorganization.
The Stock Option Plan would be administered by a committee of
non-employee members of the Company's Board of Directors. Options granted under
the Stock Option Plan to employees may be treated as "incentive" stock options
which offer beneficial tax treatment to the employee but no tax deduction to the
Company. Non-qualified stock options may also be granted under the Stock Option
Plan, and will be granted to the non-employee directors who receive grants of
stock options. In the event an option recipient terminates his or her employment
or service as an employee or director, the options would terminate during
certain specified periods.
STOCK AWARD PLAN
At a meeting of the Company's shareholders to be held no earlier than
six months after the completion of the Reorganization, the Board of Directors
also intends to submit a Stock Award Plan for shareholder approval. The Stock
Award Plan will grant directors and officers an ownership interest in the
Company in a manner designed to encourage their continued service with the
Association. The Association will contribute funds to the Stock Award Plan from
time to time to enable it to acquire an aggregate amount of Common Stock equal
to up to 4% of the Minority Ownership Interest, or a larger percentage of the
Common Stock issued in the Offering if the Stock Award Plan is adopted more than
a year after the completion of the Offering, either directly from the Company or
in open market purchases. In the event that additional authorized but unissued
shares would be acquired by the Stock Award Plan after the Reorganization, the
interests of existing shareholders would be diluted. Executive officers and
directors will be awarded Common Stock under the Stock Award Plan without having
to pay cash for the shares. No awards under the Stock Award Plan would be made
until the date the Stock Award Plan is approved by the Company's shareholders.
The Stock Award Plan may not be adopted by stockholders until at least six
months after the completion of the Reorganization.
Awards would be nontransferable and nonassignable, and during the
lifetime of the recipient could only be earned by him or her. If the Stock Award
Plan is implemented within one year following the Reorganization, the shares
which are subject to an award would vest and be earned by the recipient at a
rate of 20% of the shares awarded at the end of each full 12 months of service
with the Association after the date of grant of the award. Any Common Stock
purchased by the Stock Award Plan will represent unearned compensation and,
accordingly, will be reflected on the Company's financial statement as a
reduction to stockholders' equity. As shares of the Common Stock awarded under
the Stock Award Plan vest, the Association will recognize a proportionate amount
of compensation expense with a corresponding reduction in the charge to
stockholders' equity. Awards would be adjusted for capital changes such as stock
dividends and stock splits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, awards would be 100%
vested upon termination of employment or service due to death or disability, and
if the Stock Award Plan is adopted more than 12 months after the Reorganization,
awards would be 100% vested upon normal retirement or a change in control
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of the Association or the Company. If employment or service were to terminate
for other reasons, the award recipient would forfeit any nonvested award. If
employment or service is terminated for cause (as would be defined in the Stock
Award Plan), shares not already delivered under the Stock Award Plan would be
forfeited. Under OTS rules, if the Stock Award Plan is adopted within the first
12 months after the Reorganization, shares of Common Stock granted under the
Stock Award Plan may not exceed 4% of the Minority Ownership Interest, no
individual officer may receive more than 25% of the awards under the plan, no
outside director may receive more than 5% of the awards under the plan, and all
outside directors as a group may receive no more than 30% of the awards under
the plan in the aggregate. These restrictions would not be applicable if the
Stock Award Plan is adopted more than one year after the completion of the
Reorganization.
When shares become vested under the Stock Award Plan, the participant
will recognize income equal to the fair market value of the common stock earned,
determined as of the date of vesting, unless the recipient makes an election
under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed earlier. The amount of income
recognized by the participant would be a deductible expense for tax purposes for
the Company. If the Stock Award Plan is adopted within one year following the
Reorganization, dividends and other earnings will accrue and be payable to the
award recipient when the shares vest. Shares not yet vested under the Stock
Award Plan will be voted by the Trustee of the Stock Award Plan, taking into
account the best interests of the recipients of the awards under the plan.
TRANSACTIONS WITH CERTAIN RELATED PERSONS
The Association offers to directors, officers, and employees mortgage
loans secured by their principal residence. All loans to the Association's
directors, officers and employees are made on substantially the same terms,
including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for
comparable transactions, and do not involve more than minimal risk of
collectibility.
Bruno J. Gioffre, in addition to his duties as Chairman of the Board of
the Association, is counsel to the law firm of Gioffre & Gioffre, Professional
Corporation which represents the Association in mortgage loan transactions. Mr.
Gioffre also acts as general counsel to the Association. For the year ended
March 31, 1998, the Association paid Gioffre & Gioffre, Professional Corporation
fees of $23,100 and Mr. Gioffre legal fees of $15,300 for his services as
general counsel. The terms and conditions of these fees and services are
substantially the same as those for similar transactions with other parties.
REGULATION
GENERAL
As a federally chartered, SAIF-insured savings association, the
Association is subject to extensive regulation by the OTS and the FDIC. For
example, the Association must obtain OTS approval before it may engage in
certain activities and must file reports with the OTS regarding its activities
and financial condition. The OTS periodically examines the Association's books
and records and, in conjunction with the FDIC in certain situations, has
examination and enforcement powers. This supervision and regulation are intended
primarily for the protection of depositors and the FDIC insurance funds. The
Association's present semi-annual assessment owed to the OTS, which is based
upon a specified percentage of assets, is approximately $34,000.
The Association is also subject to federal regulation as to such
matters as loans to officers, directors, or principal shareholders, required
reserves, limitations as to the nature and amount of its loans and investments,
regulatory approval of any merger or consolidation, and the issuance or
retirements of its securities. In addition, the Association's activities and
operations are subject to a number of additional detailed, complex and sometimes
overlapping federal and state laws and regulations. These include state usury
and consumer credit laws, state laws relating to fiduciaries, the Federal
Truth-In-Lending Act and Regulation Z, the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act
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and Regulation B, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Community Reinvestment Act,
the Fair Lending Act and antitrust laws.
The United States Congress is considering legislation that would
require all federal savings associations, such as the Association, to either
convert to a national bank or a state-chartered bank by a specified date to be
determined. In addition, under the legislation, the Mutual Holding Company and
the Company likely would not be regulated as savings and loan holding companies
but rather as bank holding companies. This proposed legislation would abolish
the OTS and transfer its functions to other federal banking regulators. No
assurance can be given as to whether or in what form the legislation will be
enacted or its effect on the Company and the Association.
SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING COMPANY REGULATION
Upon completion of the Reorganization, the Mutual Holding Company and
the Company will be regulated as savings and loan holding companies under the
Home Owners' Loan Act (the "HOLA"). As such, the Mutual Holding Company and the
Company will register with and will be subject to OTS regulation and examination
and supervision as well as certain reporting requirements. The OTS has indicated
that the Company will be regulated in the same manner as a mutual holding
company pursuant to Section 10(o) of the HOLA. As a federally-insured savings
and loan association, the Association will be subject to certain restrictions in
dealing with the Mutual Holding Company and with other persons affiliated with
the Mutual Holding Company and the Company, and will continue to be subject to
examination and supervision by the OTS.
Pursuant to Section 10(o) of the HOLA, and OTS regulations and policy,
a mutual holding company and a federally chartered mid-tier holding company may
engage in the following activities: (i) investing in the stock of a savings
association; (ii) 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; (iii) merging
with or acquiring another holding company, one of whose subsidiaries is a
savings association; (iv) 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
share their home offices; (v) furnishing or performing management services for a
savings association subsidiary of such company; (vi) holding, managing or
liquidating assets owned or acquired from a savings subsidiary of such company;
(vii) holding or managing properties used or occupied by a savings association
subsidiary of such company properties used or occupied by a savings association
subsidiary of such company; (viii) acting as trustee under deeds of trust; (ix)
any other activity (A) that the Federal Reserve Board, by regulation, has
determined to be permissible for bank holding companies under Section 4(c) of
the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, unless the Director, by regulation,
prohibits or limits any such activity for savings and loan holding companies; or
(B) in which multiple savings and loan holding companies were authorized (by
regulation) to directly engage on March 5, 1987; and (x) purchasing, holding, or
disposing of stock acquired in connection with a qualified stock issuance if the
purchase of such stock by such savings and loan holding company is approved by
the Director. If a mutual holding company acquires or merges with another
holding company, the holding company acquired or the holding company resulting
from such merger or acquisition may only invest in assets and engage in
activities listed in (i) through (x) above, and has a period of two years to
cease any non-conforming activities and divest of any non-conforming
investments.
HOLA prohibits a savings and loan holding company, including the
Company and the Mutual Holding Company, directly or indirectly, or through one
or more subsidiaries, from acquiring another savings institution or holding
company thereof, without prior written approval of the OTS. It also prohibits
the acquisition or retention of, with certain exceptions, more than 5% of a
non-subsidiary savings institution, a non-subsidiary holding company, or a
non-subsidiary company engaged in activities other than those permitted by the
HOLA; or acquiring or retaining control of an institution that is not federally
insured. In evaluating applications by holding companies to acquire savings
institutions, the OTS must consider the financial and managerial resources,
future prospects of the company and institution involved, the effect of the
acquisition on the risk to the insurance fund, the convenience and needs of the
community and competitive factors.
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OTS is prohibited from approving any acquisition that would result in a
multiple savings and loan holding company controlling savings institutions in
more than one state, subject to two exceptions: (i) the approval of interstate
supervisory acquisitions by savings and loan holding companies; and (ii) the
acquisition of a savings institution in another state if the laws of the state
of the target savings institution specifically permit such acquisitions. The
states vary in the extent to which they permit interstate savings and loan
holding company acquisitions.
In addition, OTS regulations require the Mutual Holding Company to
notify the OTS of any proposed waiver of its right to receive dividends. The OTS
reviews dividend waiver notices on a case-by-case basis, and, in general, does
not object to a waiver if: (i) the mutual holding company's board of directors
determines that waiver is consistent with its fiduciary duties to the mutual
holding company's members; (ii) for as long as the savings association
subsidiary is controlled by the mutual holding company, the dollar amount of
dividends waived by the mutual holding company is considered as a restriction in
the retained earnings of the savings association, which restriction, if
material, is disclosed in the public financial statements of the savings
association as a note to the financial statements; (iii) the amount of any
dividend waived by the mutual holding company is available for declaration as a
dividend solely to the mutual holding company, and, in accordance with SFAS No.
5, where the savings association determines that the payment of such dividend to
the mutual holding company is probable, an appropriate dollar amount is recorded
as a liability; (iv) the amount of any waived dividend is considered as having
been paid by the savings association in evaluating any proposed dividend under
OTS capital distribution regulations; and (v) in the event the mutual holding
company converts to stock form, the appraisal submitted to the OTS in connection
with the conversion application takes into account the aggregate amount of the
dividends waived by the mutual holding company.
FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK SYSTEM
The Association is a member of the FHLB of New York, which is one of
twelve regional FHLBs. Each FHLB serves as a reserve or central bank for its
members within its assigned region. It is funded primarily from funds deposited
by savings associations and proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated
obligations of the FHLB system. It makes loans to members ("FHLB advances") in
accordance with policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors of
the FHLB. All FHLB advances must be fully secured by sufficient collateral as
determined by the FHLB. The Federal Housing Finance Board ("FHFB"), an
independent agency, controls the FHLB System, including the FHLB of New York.
As a member, the Association is required to purchase and maintain stock
in the FHLB of New York in an amount equal to at least 1% of its aggregate
unpaid residential mortgage loans, home purchase contracts, or similar
obligations at the beginning of each year. At March 31, 1998, the Association's
investment in stock of the FHLB of New York was $1.7 million. The FHLB imposes
various limitations on advances such as limiting the amount of certain types of
real estate-related collateral to 30% of a member's capital and limiting total
advances to a member. Interest rates charged for advances vary depending upon
maturity, the cost of funds to the FHLB of New York and the purpose of the
borrowing.
The FHLBs are required to provide funds for the resolution of troubled
savings associations and to contribute to affordable housing programs through
direct loans or interest subsidies on advances targeted for community investment
and low- and moderate-income housing projects. These contributions have
adversely affected the level of FHLB dividends paid and could continue to do so
in the future. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, dividends paid by the
FHLB of New York to the Association were approximately $111,000 for an annual
rate of 6.86%.
INSURANCE OF DEPOSITS
DEPOSIT INSURANCE. The FDIC is an independent federal agency that
insures deposits of banks and thrift institutions up to certain specified limits
and regulates such institutions for safety and soundness. The FDIC administers
two separate insurance funds, the Bank Insurance Fund ("BIF") for commercial
banks and state savings
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banks, and the SAIF for savings associations such as the Association and banks
that have acquired deposits from savings associations. The FDIC is required to
maintain designated levels of reserves in each fund.
ASSESSMENTS. The FDIC is authorized to establish separate annual
assessment rates for deposit insurance for members of the BIF and members of the
SAIF. The FDIC may increase assessment rates for either fund if necessary to
restore the fund's ratio of reserves to insured deposits to the target level
within a reasonable time, and may decrease these rates if the target level has
been met. The FDIC has established a risk-based assessment system for both SAIF
and BIF members. Under this system, assessments vary depending on the risk the
institution poses to its deposit insurance fund. An institution's risk level is
determined based on its capital levels, and the FDIC's level of supervisory
concern about the institution.
In 1996, federal legislation was enacted to recapitalize the SAIF and
eliminate the significant premium disparity between the BIF and the SAIF. Under
that law, the Association and other institutions with SAIF-insured deposits were
charged a one-time special assessment equal to $0.657 per $100 of assessable
deposits at March 31,1995. The Association recognized this special assessment as
a charge to noninterest expense of $1.2 million during the three-month period
ended September 30, 1996. The assessment was fully deductible for both federal
and state income tax purposes. Assessment rates for regular ongoing, deposit
insurance premiums currently range from 0.0% of deposits for an institution in
the highest category (i.e., well-capitalized and financially sound, with no more
than a few minor weaknesses) to 0.27% of deposits for an institution in the
lowest category (i.e., undercapitalized and substantial supervisory consent).
The Association's assessment rate for deposit insurance was 0.23% of deposits
for 1996, and it was reduced to 0.0% of deposits beginning on January 1, 1997.
The FDIC is authorized to raise the assessment rates as necessary to maintain
the required reserve ratio of 1.25%, and both the BIF and the SAIF currently
satisfy the reserve ratio requirement. The annual rate of assessments on
SAIF-assessable deposits for the payments on the FICO bonds was 0.0648% for the
semi-annual period beginning on January 1, 1997; 0.0630% for the semi-annual
period beginning on July 1, 1997; and 0.0622% currently. The 1996 law also
provides for the merger of the SAIF and the BIF by 1999, but not until such time
as bank and thrift charters are combined. Until the charters are combined,
savings associations with SAIF deposits may not transfer deposits to the BIF
without paying various exit and entrance fees, and SAIF institutions will
continue to pay higher FICO assessments. Such exit and entrance fees need not be
paid if a SAIF institution converts to a bank charter or merges with a bank, as
long as the resulting bank continues to pay applicable insurance assessments to
the SAIF, and as long as certain other conditions are met.
SAVINGS ASSOCIATION REGULATORY CAPITAL
Currently, savings associations are subject to three separate minimum
capital-to-assets requirements: (i) a leverage ratio requirement, (ii) a
tangible capital requirement, and (iii) a risk-based capital requirement. The
leverage limit requires that savings associations maintain "core capital" of at
least 3% of total assets. Core capital is generally defined as common
shareholders' equity (including retained earnings), noncumulative perpetual
preferred stock and related surplus, certain minority equity interests in
subsidiaries, qualifying supervisory goodwill, purchased mortgage servicing
rights and purchased credit card relationships (subject to certain limits) less
nonqualifying intangibles. The OTS and the federal banking regulators have
proposed amendments to their minimum capital regulations to provide that the
minimum leverage capital ratio for a depository institution that has been
assigned the highest composite rating of 1 under the Uniform Financial
Institutions Rating System will be 3% and that the minimum leverage capital
ratio for any other depository institution will be 4%, unless a higher leverage
capital ratio is warranted by the particular circumstances or risk profile of
the depository institution. Under the tangible capital requirement, a savings
association must maintain tangible capital (core capital less all intangible
assets except a limited amount of purchased mortgage servicing rights and credit
card relationships) of at least 1.5% of total assets. Under the risk-based
capital requirements, a minimum amount of capital must be maintained by a
savings association to account for the relative risks inherent in the type and
amount of assets held by the savings association. The risk-based capital
requirement requires a savings association to maintain capital (defined
generally for these purposes as core capital plus general valuation allowances
and permanent or maturing capital instruments such as preferred stock and
subordinated debt,
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less assets required to be deducted) equal to 8.0% of risk-weighted assets.
Assets are ranked as to risk in one of four risk-weight categories (0%, 20%, 50%
or 100%). A credit risk-free asset, such as cash, requires no risk-based
capital, while an asset with a potentially greater credit risk, such as a
commercial loan, requires a risk weight of 100%. Moreover, a savings association
must deduct from capital, for purposes of meeting the core capital, tangible
capital and risk-based capital ratio requirements, its entire equity and debt
investment in and loans to a subsidiary engaged in activities not permissible
for a national bank (other than exclusively agency activities for its customers
or mortgage banking subsidiaries). At March 31, 1998, the Association was in
compliance with all capital requirements imposed by law. See "Historical and Pro
Form Regulatory Capital Compliance" and Note 11 of the Notes to Financial
Statements.
The OTS has promulgated a rule which sets forth the methodology for
calculating an interest rate risk component to be used by savings associations
in calculating regulatory risk-based capital. The OTS has delayed the
implementation of this rule, however. The rule requires savings associations
with "above normal" interest rate risk (institutions whose portfolio equity
would decline in value by more than 1.96% of assets in the event of a
hypothetical 200-basis-point move in interest rates) to maintain additional
capital for interest rate risk under the risk-based capital framework. If the
OTS were to implement this regulation, the Association would be exempt from its
provisions because it has less than $300 million in assets and a risk-based
capital ratio in excess of 12%. The Association nevertheless measures its
interest rate risk in conformity with the OTS regulation. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
If an association is not in compliance with the capital requirements,
the OTS is required to prohibit asset growth and to impose a capital directive
that may restrict, among other things, the payment of dividends and officers
compensation. In addition, the OTS and the FDIC generally are authorized to take
enforcement actions against a savings association that fails to meet its capital
requirements. These actions may include restricting the operations and
activities of the association, imposing a capital directive, cease and desist
order, or civil money penalties, or imposing harsher measures such as appointing
a receiver or conservator or forcing the association to merge into another
institution.
PROMPT CORRECTIVE REGULATORY ACTION
Federal law requires, among other things, that federal bank regulatory
authorities take "prompt corrective action" with respect to institutions that do
not meet minimum capital requirements. For these purposes, federal law
establishes five capital tiers: well capitalized, adequately capitalized,
undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically
undercapitalized. At March 31, 1998, the Association was categorized as "well
capitalized," meaning that the Association's total risk-based capital ratio
exceeded 10%, Tier I risk-based capital ratio exceeded 6%, leverage capital
ratio exceeded 5%, and the Association was not subject to a regulatory order,
agreement or directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any
capital measure.
The FDIC may order savings associations which have insufficient capital
to take corrective actions. For example, a savings association which is
categorized as "undercapitalized" would be subject to growth limitations and
would be required to submit a capital restoration plan, and a holding company
that controls such a savings association would be required to guarantee that the
savings association complies with the restoration plan. "Significantly
undercapitalized" savings associations would be subject to additional
restrictions. Savings associations deemed by the FDIC to be "critically
undercapitalized" would be subject to the appointment of a receiver or
conservator.
DIVIDEND LIMITATIONS
An OTS regulation imposes limitations upon all "capital distributions"
by savings associations, including cash dividends, payments by an association to
repurchase or otherwise acquire its shares, payments to shareholders of another
institution in a cash-out merger and other distributions charged against
capital. The regulation establishes a three-tiered system of regulation, with
the greatest flexibility given to well-capitalized associations. A savings
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association which has total capital (immediately prior to and after giving
effect to the capital distribution) that is at least equal to its fully
phased-in capital requirements would be a Tier 1 institution ("Tier 1
Institution"). An association that has total capital at least equal to its
minimum capital requirements, but less than its capital requirements, would be a
Tier 2 institution ("Tier 2 Institution"). An institution having total capital
that is less than its minimum capital requirements would be a Tier 3 institution
("Tier 3 Institution"). However, an institution which otherwise qualifies as a
Tier 1 Institution may be designated by the OTS as a Tier 2 or Tier 3
Institution if the OTS determines that the institution is "in need of more than
normal supervision." The Association is currently a Tier 1 Institution.
A Tier 1 Institution may, after prior notice but without the approval
of the OTS, make capital distributions during a calendar year up to the greater
of (a) 100% of its net income to date during the calendar year plus the amount
that would reduce by one-half its "surplus capital ratio" at the beginning of
the calendar year (the smallest excess over its capital requirements), or (b)
75% of its net income over the most recent four-quarter period. Any additional
amount of capital distributions would require prior regulatory approval.
Accordingly, at March 31, 1998, the Association had available approximately
$12.0 million available for distribution, without consideration of any capital
infusion from the Reorganization.
The OTS has proposed revisions to these regulations which would permit
savings associations to declare dividends in amounts which would assure that
they remain adequately capitalized following the dividend declaration. Savings
associations in a holding company system which are rated Camel 1 or 2 and which
are not in troubled condition would need to file a prior notice with the OTS
concerning such dividend declaration.
LIMITATIONS ON RATES PAID FOR DEPOSITS
FDIC regulations place limitations on the ability of insured depository
institutions to accept, renew or roll over deposits by offering rates of
interest which are significantly higher than the prevailing rates of interest on
deposits offered by other insured depository institutions having the same type
of charter in the institution's normal market area. Under these regulations,
"well-capitalized" depository institutions may accept, renew or roll such
deposits over without restriction, "adequately capitalized" depository
institutions may accept, renew or roll such deposits over with a waiver from the
FDIC (subject to the above restrictions on payments of rates), and
"undercapitalized" depository institutions may not accept, renew or roll over
such deposits. The regulations provide that the definitions of "well
capitalized," "adequately capitalized" and "undercapitalized" will be the same
as the definitions adopted by the agencies to implement the prompt corrective
action provisions of federal law. Management does do not believe that these
regulations will have a materially adverse effect on the Association's current
operations.
SAFETY AND SOUNDNESS STANDARDS
The federal banking agencies have also adopted safety and soundness
standards for all insured depository institutions. The standards, which were
issued in the form of guidelines rather than regulations, relate to internal
controls, information systems, internal audit systems, loan underwriting and
documentation, asset growth, compensation and interest rate exposure. In
general, the standards are designed to assist the federal banking agencies in
identifying and addressing problems at insured depository institutions before
capital becomes impaired. If an institution fails to meet these standards, the
appropriate federal banking agency may require the institution to submit a
compliance plan. Failure to submit a compliance plan may result in enforcement
proceedings. On August 27, 1996, the federal banking agencies added asset
quality and earnings standards to the safety and soundness guidelines.
LOANS TO ONE BORROWER
Under OTS regulations, a savings association may not make a loan or
extend credit to a single or related group of borrowers in excess of 15% of
unimpaired capital and surplus. Additional amounts may be lent, not in excess of
10% of unimpaired capital and surplus, if such loans or extensions of credit are
fully secured by readily
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marketable collateral, including certain debt and equity securities, but not
including real estate. In some cases, a savings association may lend up to 30%
of unimpaired capital and surplus to one borrower for purposes of developing
domestic residential housing, provided that the association meets its regulatory
capital requirements and the OTS authorizes the association to use this expanded
lending authority. At March 31, 1998, the Association had no loans to a single
or related group of borrowers in excess of its lending limits. Management does
not believe that the loans-to-one-borrower limits will have a significant impact
on the Association's business operations or earnings following the
Reorganization.
QUALIFIED THRIFT LENDER
Savings associations must meet a QTL test. If the Association maintains
an appropriate level of qualified thrift investments ("QTIs") (primarily
residential mortgages and related investments, including certain
mortgage-related securities) and otherwise qualifies as a QTL, it may exercise
full borrowing privileges from the FHLB of New York. The required percentage of
QTIs is 65% of portfolio assets (defined as all assets minus intangible assets,
property used by the association in conducting its business and liquid assets
equal to 10% of total assets). Certain assets are subject to a percentage
limitation of 20% of portfolio assets. In addition, savings associations may
include shares of stock of the FHLBs, FNMA, and FHLMC as QTIs. Compliance with
the QTL test is determined on a monthly basis and requires compliance in nine
out of every twelve months.
Recent legislation also expands the QTL test to provide savings
associations with greater authority to lend and diversify their portfolios. In
particular, credit card and education loans may now be made by savings
associations without regard to any percentage-of-assets limit, and commercial
loans may be made in an amount up to 10% of total assets, plus an additional 10%
for small business loans. Loans for personal, family and household purposes
(other than credit card, small business and educational loans) are now included
without limit with other assets that, in the aggregate, may account for up to
20% of total assets. At March 31, 1998, under the expanded QTL test,
approximately 87.0% of the Association's portfolio assets were qualified thrift
investments.
A savings association that fails to meet the QTL test must either
convert to a bank (but its deposit insurance assessments and payments will be
those of and paid to the SAIF) or be subject to the following penalties: (i) it
may not enter into any new activity except for those permissible for a national
bank and for a savings association; (ii) its branching activities will be
limited to those of a national bank; (iii) it will not be eligible for any new
FHLB advances; and (iv) it will be bound by regulations applicable to national
banks regarding the payment of dividends. Three years after failing the QTL
test, the association must (i) dispose of any investment or activity not
permissible for a national bank and a savings association, and (ii) repay all
outstanding FHLB advances. If such a savings association is controlled by a
savings and loan holding company, then such holding company must, within a
prescribed time period, become registered as a bank holding company and become
subject to all rules and regulations applicable to bank holding companies
(including restrictions as to the scope of permissible business activities).
ACQUISITIONS AND BRANCHING
The Bank Holding Company Act specifically authorizes a bank holding
company, upon receipt of appropriate regulatory approvals, to acquire control of
any savings association or holding company thereof wherever located. Similarly,
a non-diversified savings and loan holding company may acquire control of a
bank. Moreover, federal savings associations may acquire or be acquired by any
insured depository institution. Savings associations acquired by bank holding
companies may be converted to banks if they continue to pay SAIF premiums, but
as such they become subject to branching and activity restrictions applicable to
banks.
Subject to certain exceptions, commonly-controlled banks and savings
associations must reimburse the FDIC for any losses suffered by the FDIC in
connection with a failed bank or savings association affiliate. Institutions are
commonly controlled if one is owned by another or if both are owned by the same
holding company. Such claims by
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the FDIC under this provision are subordinate to claims of depositors, secured
creditors, and holders of subordinated debt, other than affiliates.
The OTS has adopted regulations which permit nationwide branching to
the extent permitted by federal statute. Federal statutes permit federal savings
associations to branch outside of their home state if the association meets the
domestic building and loan test in Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code or the asset
composition test of Section 7701(c) of the Code. Branching that would result in
the formation of a multiple savings and loan holding company controlling savings
associations in more than one state is permitted if the law of the state in
which the savings association to be acquired is located specifically authorizes
acquisitions of its state-chartered associations by state-chartered associations
or their holding companies in the state where the acquiring association or
holding company is located.
Finally, The Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency
Act of 1994 (the "Riegle-Neal Act") permits bank holding companies to acquire
banks in other states and, with state consent and subject to certain
limitations, allows banks to acquire out-of-state branches either through merger
or de novo expansion.
TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
The Association is subject to Sections 22(h), 23A and 23B of the
Federal Reserve Act, which restrict financial transactions between banks and
affiliated companies. The statutes limit the amount of credit and other
transactions between a bank or savings association and its executive officers
and its affiliates, prescribes terms and conditions for bank affiliate
transactions deemed to be consistent with safe and sound banking practices, and
restricts the types of collateral security permitted in connection with a bank's
extension of credit to an affiliate.
FEDERAL SECURITIES LAW
The shares of Common Stock of the Company will be registered with the
SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"). The Company will
be subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions
and other requirements the 1934 Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder. After
three years following the reorganization to stock form, if the Company has fewer
than 300 shareholders, it may deregister its shares under the 1934 Act and cease
to be subject to the foregoing requirements.
Shares of Common Stock held by persons who are affiliates of the
Company may not be resold without registration unless sold in accordance with
the resale restrictions of Rule 144 under the 1933 Act. If the Company meets the
current public information requirements under Rule 144, each affiliate of the
Company that complies with the other conditions of Rule 144 (including those
that require the affiliate's sale to be aggregated with those of certain other
persons) would be able to sell in the public market, without registration, a
number of shares not to exceed, in any three-month period, the greater of (i) 1%
of the outstanding shares of the Company or (ii) the average weekly volume of
trading in such shares during the preceding four calendar weeks.
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT MATTERS
Federal law requires that ratings of depository institutions under the
Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 ("CRA") be disclosed. The disclosure includes
both a four-unit descriptive rating--outstanding, satisfactory, needs to
improve, and substantial noncompliance--and a written evaluation of an
institution's performance. Each FHLB is required to establish standards of
community investment or service that its members must maintain for continued
access to long-term advances from the FHLBs. The standards take into account a
member's performance under the CRA and its record of lending to first time home
buyers. The OTS has designated the Association's record of meeting community
credit needs as "satisfactory."
TAXATION
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FEDERAL TAXATION
GENERAL. The following is a discussion of material federal income tax
matters and does not purport to be a comprehensive description of the federal
income tax rules applicable to the Association or the Company. For federal
income tax purposes, after the Reorganization, the Company and the Association
will file consolidated income tax returns and report their income on a calendar
year basis using the accrual method of accounting and will be subject to federal
income taxation in the same manner as other corporations with some exceptions,
including particularly the Association's tax reserve for bad debts, discussed
below.
Historically, savings associations, such as the Association, were
permitted to compute bad debt deductions using either the experience method or
the percentage of taxable income method. However, for years beginning after
December 31, 1995, no savings association may use the percentage of taxable
income method of computing its allowable bad debt deduction for tax purposes.
Instead, all savings associations are required to compute their allowable
deduction using either the experience method or the specific charge-off method.
As a result of the repeal of the percentage of taxable income method, reserve
additions (tax bad debt deductions) made after 1987 using the percentage of
taxable income method generally must be included in future taxable income (or
"recaptured") over a six-year period, although a two-year delay may be permitted
for associations meeting a residential mortgage loan origination test. The
Association has established a deferred tax liability for the amount of taxes to
be paid under this recapture rule. In addition, the pre-1988 reserve, for which
a deferred tax liability has not been recorded, need not be recaptured into
income unless: (i) the Association's retained earnings represented by the
pre-1988 reserve are used for purposes other than to absorb losses from bad
debts, including excess dividend distributions or distributions in liquidation;
(ii) the Association redeems its stock; (iii) the Association fails to meet the
definition provided by the Code for a bank; or (iv) there is a change in the
federal tax law. See Note 8 of the Notes to Financial Statements for a
discussion of the Association's tax bad debt reserves.
DISTRIBUTIONS. If the Association makes "non-dividend distributions" to
the Company, such distribution will be considered to have been made from the
Association's unrecaptured tax bad debt reserves (including the balance of its
reserves as of December 31, 1987) and then from the Association's supplemental
reserve for losses on loans, to the extent thereof, and an amount based on the
amount distributed (but not in excess of the amount of such reserves) will be
included in the Association's income. Non-dividend distributions include
distributions in excess of the Association's current and accumulated earnings
and profits, as calculated for federal income tax purposes, distributions in
redemption of stock, and distribution in partial or complete liquidation.
Dividends paid out of the Association's current or accumulated earnings and
profits will not be so included in the Association's income.
The amount of additional taxable income created from a non-dividend
distribution is an amount that, when reduced by the tax attributable to the
income, is equal to the amount of the distribution. Thus, if, after the
Reorganization, the Association makes a non-dividend distribution to the
Company, approximately one and one-half times the amount of such distribution
(but not in excess of the amount of such reserves) would be includable in income
for federal income tax purposes, assuming a 34% federal corporate income tax
rate. See "Regulation" and "Dividend Limitations" for limits on the payment of
dividends by the Association. The Association does not intend to pay dividends
that would result in a recapture of any portion of its tax bad debt reserves.
Depending on the composition of its items of income and expense, a
savings association may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. A savings
association must pay an alternative minimum tax on the amount (if any) by which
20% of alternative minimum taxable income ("AMTI"), as reduced by an exemption
varying with AMTI, exceeds the regular tax due. AMTI equals regular taxable
income increased or decreased by certain tax preferences and adjustments,
including depreciation deductions in excess of that allowable for alternative
minimum tax purposes, tax-exempt interest on most private activity bonds issued
after August 7, 1986 (reduced by any related interest expense disallowed for
regular tax purposes), and 75% of the excess of adjusted current earnings over
AMTI (before this adjustment and before any alternative tax net operating loss).
AMTI may be reduced only up to 90% by net operating loss carryovers, but
alternative minimum tax paid can be credited against regular tax due in later
years. Under
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pending legislative proposals, for taxable years beginning after December 31,
1997 and before January 1, 2009, an environmental tax of 0.12% of the excess of
AMTI (with certain modification) over $2 million would be imposed on
corporations, including the Association, whether or not an AMTI is paid.
For federal income tax purposes, the Association files a calendar year
tax return and reports its income and expenses on the accrual method of
accounting. The Association's federal income tax returns have been audited for
tax years through 1994, and all tax deficiencies have been satisfied.
NEW YORK STATE TAXATION
The Company and the Association will report income on a combined
calendar year basis to New York State. The New York State Franchise Tax on
corporations is imposed in an amount equal to the greater of (a) 9% of "entire
net income" allocable to New York State, (b) 3% of "alternative entire net
income" allocable to New York State, (c) 0.01% of the average value of assets
allocable to New York State or (d) a nominal minimum tax. Entire net income is
based on federal taxable income, subject to certain modifications. Alternative
entire net income is equal to entire net income without certain modifications.
A temporary Metropolitan Transportation Business Tax Surcharge on
banking corporations doing business in the Metropolitan District has been
applied since 1982. The Association transacts a significant portion of its
business within this District and is subject to this surcharge. The current
surcharge rate is 17% of the State franchise tax liability.
In July 1996, New York State enacted legislation to preserve the use of
the percentage of taxable income bad debt deduction for state tax purposes. In
general, the legislation provides for a deduction equal to 32% of the
Association's New York State taxable income, which is comparable to the
deductions permitted under the prior tax law. The legislation also provides for
a floating base year, which will allow the Association to change from the
percentage of taxable income method to the experience method without recapture
of any reserve. Previously, the Association had established a deferred New York
State tax liability for the excess of its New York State tax bad debt reserves
over the amount of its base-year New York State reserves. Since the new
legislation effectively eliminated the reserves in excess of the base-year
balances, the Association reduced its deferred tax liability by $250,000 (with a
corresponding reduction in income tax expense) during the year ended March 31,
1997.
Generally, New York State tax law has requirements similar to federal
requirements regarding the recapture of base-year tax bad debt reserves. One
notable exception is that, after the 1996 legislation, New York continues to
require that at least 60% of the Association's assets consist of specified
assets (generally, loans secured by residential real estate or deposits,
educational loans, cash and certain government obligations). The Association
expects to continue to meet the 60% requirement and does not anticipate engaging
in any of the transactions which would require recapture of its base-year
reserves (such as changing to a commercial bank charter). Accordingly, under
SFAS No. 109, it has not provided any deferred tax liability on such reserves.
See also Note 8 of the Notes to Financial Statements.
RESTRICTIONS ON THE ACQUISITION OF THE COMPANY
GENERAL
The following discussion is a general summary of regulatory and other
restrictions on the acquisition of the Common Stock. In addition, the following
discussion generally summarizes certain provisions of the Company's Federal
Charter ("Charter") and Bylaws and certain regulatory provisions that may be
deemed to have an "anti-takeover" effect.
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MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY STRUCTURE
The mutual holding company structure restricts the ability of
stockholders of the Company to effect a change of control of management because
the Mutual Holding Company, as long as it remains in existence, will control a
majority of the voting stock of the Company. In addition, the Mutual Holding
Company will be owned by members of the Association (i.e., depositors) and such
members have granted proxies to the Board of Directors of the Association. In
the future, proxies will be granted to the Mutual Holding Company. As such, the
Board of Directors of the Mutual Holding Company will be able to exert voting
control over the Company.
CHANGE IN BANK CONTROL ACT AND SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING COMPANY PROVISIONS OF
THE HOLA
The Change in Bank Control Act provides that no person, acting directly
or indirectly or through or in concert with one or more other persons, may
acquire control of a savings association unless the OTS has been given 60 days'
prior written notice. The Home Owners' Loan Act provides that no company may
acquire "control" of a savings association without the prior approval of the
OTS. Any company that acquires such control becomes a "savings and loan holding
company" subject to registration, examination, and regulation by the OTS.
Pursuant to federal regulations, control of a savings association is
conclusively deemed to have been acquired by, among other things, the
acquisition of more than 25% of any class of voting stock of an association or
the ability to control the election of a majority of the directors of an
association. Moreover, control is presumed to have been acquired, subject to
rebuttal, upon the acquisition of more than 10% of any class of voting stock, or
of more than 25% of any class of stock, of a savings association, where certain
enumerated "control factors" are also present in the acquisition. The OTS may
prohibit an acquisition of control if (i) it would result in a monopoly or
substantially lessen competition, (ii) the financial condition of the acquiring
person might jeopardize the financial stability of the institution, or (iii) the
competence, experience, or integrity of the acquiring person indicates that it
would not be in the interest of the depositors or of the public to permit the
acquisition of control by such person. The foregoing restrictions do not apply
to the acquisition of the Company's capital stock by one or more tax-qualified
employee stock benefit plans, provided that the plan or plans do not have
beneficial ownership in the aggregate of more than 25% of any class of equity
security of the Company.
THE COMPANY'S CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The Company's Charter and Bylaws contain provisions that affect
corporate governance as well as the voting and ownership rights of stockholders.
The following discussion is a general summary of certain provisions of the
Company's Charter and Bylaws relating to provisions which may be deemed to have
an "anti-takeover" effect. The description of these provisions is necessarily
general, and reference should be made in each case to the Charter and Bylaws of
the Company.
CLASSIFIED BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND RELATED PROVISIONS
The Company's Charter provides that the Board of Directors is to be
divided into three classes which shall be as nearly equal in number as possible.
The initial directors in each class will hold office for terms of either one
year, two years or three years, and, upon reelection, will serve for terms of
three years and until their successors are elected and qualified. Each director
serves until his successor is elected and qualified. The Bylaws provide that a
director may be removed for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of
directors.
A classified board of directors may make it more difficult for
stockholders, including those holding a majority of the outstanding shares, to
force an immediate change in the composition of a majority of the Board of
Directors. Because the terms of only one-third of the incumbent directors expire
each year, it requires at least two annual elections for the stockholders to
change a majority, whereas a majority of a non-classified board may be changed
in
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one year. In the absence of provisions in the Company's Charter or Bylaws that
classify the Board of Directors, all of the directors would be elected each
year.
Management of the Company believes that the staggered election of
directors tends to promote continuity of management, although continuity of
management has not been a problem in the past, because only one-third of the
Board of Directors is subject to election each year. Staggered terms guarantee
that in the ordinary course approximately two-thirds of the directors at any one
time have had at least one year's experience as directors of the Company, and
moderate the pace of changes in the Board of Directors by extending the minimum
time required to elect a majority of directors from one to two years.
ABSENCE OF CUMULATIVE VOTING
The Company's Charter and Bylaws provide that there shall be no
cumulative voting for the election of directors.
AUTHORIZATION OF PREFERRED STOCK
The Federal Charter authorizes 10,000,000 shares of serial preferred
stock, par value $0.10. The Company is authorized to issue preferred stock from
time to time in one or more series subject to applicable provisions of law, and
the Board of Directors is authorized to fix the designations, and relative
preferences, limitations, voting rights, if any, including without limitation,
conversion rights of such shares (which could be multiple or as a separate
class). In the event of a proposed merger, tender offer or other attempt to gain
control of the Company that the Board of Directors does not approve, it might be
possible for the Board of Directors to authorize the issuance of a series of
preferred stock with rights and preferences that would impede the completion of
such a transaction. An effect of the possible issuance of preferred stock,
therefore, may be to deter a future takeover attempt. The Board of Directors has
no present plans or understandings for the issuance of any preferred stock but
it may issue any preferred stock on terms which the Board deems to be in the
best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
INSIDER VOTING CONTROL
Directors and executive officers are expected to purchase up to 152,700
shares of Common Stock in the Offering and are expected to control the voting of
5.76% of the shares of Common Stock sold in the Offering (approximately 2.6% of
all shares outstanding), assuming the sale of 2,650,500 shares, and may control
the voting of an additional 8% of the Minority Ownership Interest through the
ESOP. In addition, current officers and directors of the Association will be
officers and directors of the Mutual Holding Company which, after the
Reorganization and Stock Offering, will own 53.92% of the total shares
outstanding. The Company intends to adopt (i) a Stock Option Plan which may
award options to purchase shares of Common Stock in an amount equal to up to 10%
of the Minority Ownership Interest, and (ii) a Stock Award Plan which may award
shares of Common Stock in an amount equal to at least 4% of the Minority
Ownership Interest.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
COMPANY CAPITAL STOCK
The 30,000,000 shares of capital stock authorized by the Company's
Federal Charter are divided into two classes, consisting of 20,000,000 shares of
common stock ($0.10 par value) and 10,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock.
The Company currently expects to issue between 2,252,925 and 3,048,075 shares of
Common Stock in the Offering, with an adjusted maximum of 3,505,286 shares. The
aggregate stated value of the issued shares will constitute the capital account
of the Company on a consolidated basis. The balance of the Purchase Price of
Common Stock, less expenses of the Reorganization and Offering, will be
reflected as paid-in capital on a consolidated basis.
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See "Capitalization." Upon payment of the Purchase Price for the Common Stock,
all such stock will be duly authorized, fully paid, validly issued and
nonassessable.
COMMON STOCK. Each share of the Common Stock will have the same
relative rights and will be identical in all respects with each other share of
the Common Stock. THE COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY WILL REPRESENT
NON-WITHDRAWABLE CAPITAL, WILL NOT BE OF AN INSURABLE TYPE AND WILL NOT BE
INSURED BY THE FDIC.
The holders of the Common Stock will possess exclusive voting power in
the Company. Each stockholder will be entitled to one vote for each share held
on all matters voted upon by stockholders. If the Company issues preferred stock
subsequent to the Reorganization, holders of the preferred stock may also
possess voting powers.
LIQUIDATION OR DISSOLUTION. In the unlikely event of the complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Association, the holders of the Common Stock
will be entitled to receive all the assets of the Association available for
distribution in or in kind, after payment, provision for payment or settlement
of (i) all debts and liabilities of the Association, (ii) the Association's
liquidation account, and (iii) the liquidation preference of any class or series
of stock that may be issued in the future having preference over the Common
Stock in the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Association.
NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS. Holders of the Common Stock or other capital
stock of the Company issued in the future will not be entitled to preemptive
rights with respect to any shares which may be issued. The Common Stock may not
be redeemed at the option of the stockholders and, upon receipt by the Company
of the full purchase price for the stock, each share of the Common Stock will be
fully paid and nonassessable.
PREFERRED STOCK. After the Reorganization, the Board of Directors of
the Company will be authorized to issue preferred stock in series and to fix and
state the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights of the shares of each such series and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof. Preferred stock may rank
prior to the Common Stock as to dividend rights, liquidation preferences, or
both, and may have full or limited voting rights. The holders of preferred stock
will be entitled to vote as a separate class or series under certain
circumstances, regardless of any other voting rights which such holders may
have.
Except as discussed in this Prospectus, the Company has no present
plans for the issuance of the additional authorized shares of Common Stock or
for the issuance of any shares of preferred stock. In the future, the authorized
but unissued and unreserved shares of Common Stock will be available for general
corporate purposes including but not limited to possible issuance as stock
dividends or stock splits, in future mergers or acquisitions, under a cash
dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan, in a future underwritten or other
public offering or under an employee stock ownership plan, stock option or
restricted stock plan. The authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock
will similarly be available for issuance in future mergers or acquisitions, in a
future underwritten public offering or private placement or for other general
corporate purposes. Except as described above or as otherwise required to
approve the transaction in which the additional authorized shares of Common
Stock or authorized shares of preferred stock would be issued, no stockholder
approval will be required for the issuance of these shares. Accordingly, the
Board of Directors of the Company, without stockholder approval, can issue
preferred stock with voting and conversion rights which could adversely affect
the voting power of the holders of Common Stock.
DIVIDENDS. When the Reorganization is completed, the Company's only
asset will be the common stock of the Association and up to 50% of the net
proceeds of the Offering. As a result, dividends from the Association will be an
important source of future income for the Company. Should the Association elect
to retain its income, the ability of the Company to pay dividends to its own
shareholders may be adversely affected. Furthermore, if at any time in the
future the Company owns less than 100% of the outstanding stock of the
Association, certain tax benefits under the Code as to inter-company
distributions would not be fully available to the Company and it would be
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required to pay federal income tax on a portion of the dividends received from
the Association, thereby reducing the amount of income available for
distribution to the shareholders of the Company.
SPECIAL MEETINGS
The Company's Bylaws provide that a special meeting of the shareholders
may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the President, or a
majority of the Board of Directors, and shall be called by the Chairman of the
Board, the President, or the Secretary upon the written request of the holders
of at least one-tenth of all of the outstanding capital stock of the Company
entitled to vote at the meeting.
TRANSFER AGENT
Registrar and Transfer Company will act as transfer agent and registrar
for the Common Stock. Registrar and Transfer Company's phone number is (908)
497-2300 or (800) 866-1340.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
The Company's Common Stock will be registered pursuant to Section 12(g)
of the 1934 Act and may not be deregistered for a period of at least three years
following the Reorganization. As a result of the registration under the 1934
Act, certain holders of Common Stock will be subject to certain reporting and
other requirements imposed by the 1934 Act. For example, beneficial owners of
more than 5% of the outstanding Common Stock will be required to file reports
pursuant to Section 13(d) or Section 13(g) of the 1934 Act, and officers,
directors and 10% shareholders of the Company will generally be subject to
reporting requirements of Section 16(a) and to the liability provisions for
profits derived from purchases and sales of Company Common Stock occurring
within a six-month period pursuant to Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act. In
addition, certain transactions in Common Stock, such as proxy solicitations and
tender offers, will be subject to the disclosure and filing requirements imposed
by Section 14 of the 1934 Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
LEGAL AND TAX MATTERS
Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C., Washington, D.C. 20015,
special counsel to the Association, will pass upon the legality and validity of
the shares of Common Stock being issued in the Offering. Luse Lehman Gorman
Pomerenk & Schick, P.C. has issued an opinion concerning certain federal income
tax aspects of the Reorganization and that the Reorganization, as proposed,
constitutes a tax-free reorganization under federal law. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
has issued an opinion concerning certain state income tax aspects of the
Reorganization. Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C. and KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP have consented to the references herein to their opinions. Certain legal
matters related to the Offering will be passed upon for Sandler O'Neill by
Thacher Proffitt & Wood, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
The Association's financial statements as of March 31,1998 and 1997 and
for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 1998, included in
this Prospectus and Registration Statement, have been audited by KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, independent certified public accountants, as indicated in their
report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included herein in reliance
upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
FinPro has consented to the publication of the summary herein of its
appraisal report as to the estimated pro forma market value of the Common Stock
of the Company to be issued in the Offering, to the reference to its opinion
relating to the value of the subscription rights, and to the filing of the
Independent Valuation as an exhibit to the registration statement filed by the
Company under the 1933 Act.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Company has filed with the SEC a registration statement under the
1933 Act with respect to the Common Stock offered hereby.
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As permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC, this Prospectus does not
contain all the information set forth in the registration statement. Such
information can be inspected and copied at the SEC's public reference
facilities located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the
SEC's Regional Office in New York (Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New
York, New York 10048) and Chicago (Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street,
Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511) and copies of such material can be
obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 at prescribed rates. This information can
also be found on the SEC's website, located at http:www.sec.gov.
In connection with the Reorganization, the Association filed with the
OTS a notice of its intent to reorganize into a mutual holding company and to
conduct a minority stock issuance, and the Company filed with the OTS an
application to become a savings and loan holding company. This Prospectus omits
certain information contained in such applications. The applications may be
inspected at the offices of the OTS, 1700 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20552
and at the Northeast Regional Office of the OTS, 10 Exchange Place, Jersey City,
New Jersey 07302.
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page
----
Independent Auditors' Report..................................................................... F-2
Balance Sheets at March 31, 1998 and 1997........................................................ F-3
Statements of Income for the Years Ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996........................... 58
Statements of Changes in Equity for the Years Ended March 31, 1998,
1997 and 1996................................................................................ F-4
Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996....................... F-5
Notes to Financial Statements.................................................................... F-6
The Financial Statements of the Company are omitted because the Company has not
yet issued any stock, has no assets or liabilities, and has not conducted any
business other than that of an organizational nature.
All schedules are omitted because the required information is not applicable or
is included in the Financial Statements and related Notes.
F-1
116
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
The Board of Directors
Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association:
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Sound Federal Savings and
Loan Association as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, and the related statements of
income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the
three-year period ended March 31, 1998. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Association's management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of Sound Federal Savings and Loan
Association as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31,
1998 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
[KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP]
/s/ KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
Stamford, Connecticut
June 5, 1998
F-2
117
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
BALANCE SHEETS
(In Thousands)
AT MARCH 31,
1998 1997
---- ----
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks .............................. $ 5,711 $ 4,352
Federal funds sold ................................... 36,400 35,200
Certificates of deposit .............................. 11,483 11,986
Securities (Note 2):
Held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (fair value of
$65,091 in 1998 and $63,292 in 1997) .......... 64,898 63,353
Available-for-sale, at fair value ................ 2,994 1,995
--------- ---------
Total securities .............................. 67,892 65,348
--------- ---------
Loans, net (Note 3):
Mortgage loans ................................... 127,515 121,008
Consumer loans ................................... 2,027 1,454
Allowance for loan losses ........................ (984) (845)
--------- ---------
Total loans, net .............................. 128,558 121,617
--------- ---------
Accrued interest receivable (Note 4) ................. 888 877
Federal Home Loan Bank stock ......................... 1,745 1,607
Office properties and equipment, net (Note 5) ........ 1,552 1,452
Other assets ......................................... 520 544
--------- ---------
Total assets .................................. $ 254,749 $ 242,983
========= =========
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Liabilities:
Deposits (Note 6) ................................ $ 219,913 $ 211,223
Mortgage escrow funds ............................ 2,364 2,348
Other liabilities ................................ 571 395
--------- ---------
Total liabilities ............................. 222,848 213,966
--------- ---------
Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)
Equity (Note 11):
Retained earnings ................................ 31,905 29,020
Net unrealized loss on securities
available-for-sale, net of taxes .............. (4) (3)
--------- ---------
Total equity .................................. 31,901 29,017
--------- ---------
Total liabilities and equity .................. $ 254,749 $ 242,983
========= =========
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F-3
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(In Thousands)
NET
UNREALIZED
RETAINED LOSS ON TOTAL
EARNINGS SECURITIES EQUITY
-------- ---------- ------
Balances at March 31, 1995 .................... $ 24,333 $ (8) $ 24,325
Net income .................................... 2,397 -- 2,397
Net decrease in net unrealized loss on
available-for-sale securities, net of taxes -- 4 4
-------- -------- --------
Balances at March 31, 1996 .................... 26,730 (4) 26,726
Net income .................................... 2,290 -- 2,290
Net decrease in net unrealized loss on
available-for-sale securities, net of taxes -- 1 1
-------- -------- --------
Balances at March 31, 1997 .................... 29,020 (3) 29,017
Net income .................................... 2,885 -- 2,885
Net increase in net unrealized loss on
available-for-sale securities, net of taxes -- (1) (1)
-------- -------- --------
Balances at March 31, 1998 .................... $ 31,905 $ (4) $ 31,901
======== ======== ========
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F-4
119
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In Thousands)
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income .................................................. $ 2,885 $ 2,290 $ 2,397
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash provided by operating activities:
Provision for loan losses ................................ 155 146 98
Depreciation expense ..................................... 115 106 94
Amortization of deferred fees, discounts and premiums, net 54 110 (58)
Deferred income tax benefit .............................. (170) (337) (32)
Other adjustments, net ................................... 440 (22) 248
-------- -------- --------
Net cash provided by operating activities ............. 3,479 2,293 2,747
-------- -------- --------
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of securities:
Held-to-maturity ......................................... (21,445) (22,772) (22,039)
Available-for-sale ....................................... (1,000) -- --
Proceeds from principal payments, maturities and
calls of securities held-to-maturity ..................... 19,778 18,723 15,587
Disbursements for loan originations ......................... (29,391) (25,088) (18,460)
Principal collections on loans .............................. 22,363 16,569 13,314
Net decrease (increase) in certificates of deposit .......... 503 (392) (1,605)
Purchases of Federal Home Loan Bank stock ................... (138) (94) (85)
Purchases of office properties and equipment ................ (296) (140) (142)
Proceeds from sales of real estate owned .................... -- 400 --
-------- -------- --------
Net cash used in investing activities ................. (9,626) (12,794) (13,430)
-------- -------- --------
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net increase in deposits .................................... 8,690 10,612 13,660
Net increase (decrease) in mortgage escrow funds ............ 16 237 (186)
-------- -------- --------
Net cash provided by financing activities ............. 8,706 10,849 13,474
-------- -------- --------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents ....................... 2,559 348 2,791
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year .................. 39,552 39,204 36,413
-------- -------- --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year ........................ $ 42,111 $ 39,552 $ 39,204
======== ======== ========
Supplemental information:
Interest paid ............................................... $ 8,736 $ 7,910 $ 7,841
Income taxes paid ........................................... 1,876 1,650 1,772
Loans transferred to real estate owned ...................... -- 365 170
======== ======== ========
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F-5
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
(1) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association (the "Association") is a
community-oriented savings institution whose business primarily consists
of accepting deposits from customers within its market area (Westchester
County, New York) and investing those funds in mortgage loans secured by
one-to-four family residences and in mortgage-backed and other
securities. To a significantly lesser extent, funds are invested in
commercial mortgage, construction and consumer loans.
Deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the Savings Association
Insurance Fund ("SAIF") of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The
Association is a federally-chartered mutual savings association, and its
primary regulator is the Office of Thrift Supervision ("OTS"). As
discussed in Note 14, the Association's Board of Directors has adopted a
Plan of Reorganization pursuant to which the Association will convert to
a stock savings and loan association under a mutual holding company
structure.
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles. In preparing the financial statements,
management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expense. A material
estimate that is particularly susceptible to near-term change is the
allowance for loan losses, which is discussed below.
For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash equivalents represent Federal
funds sold for one-day periods.
SECURITIES
The Association classifies and accounts for its securities in accordance
with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 115,
"Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities."
Securities classified as held-to-maturity under SFAS No. 115 are limited
to debt securities for which the entity has the positive intent and
ability to hold to maturity. Trading securities are debt and equity
securities that are bought principally for the purpose of selling them in
the near term. All other debt and equity securities are classified as
available-for-sale.
Held-to-maturity securities are carried at amortized cost.
Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with unrealized
gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported on a net-of-tax
basis as a separate component of equity. The Association has no trading
securities. Federal Home Loan Bank stock is a non-marketable security
held in accordance with certain regulatory requirements and, accordingly,
is carried at cost.
F-6
121
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
Premiums and discounts on debt securities are amortized to interest
income on a level-yield basis over the terms of the securities. Realized
gains and losses on sales of securities are determined based on the
amortized cost of the specific securities sold. Unrealized losses on
securities are charged to earnings when the decline in fair value of a
security is judged to be other than temporary.
ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES
The allowance for loan losses is increased by provisions for losses
charged to income. Losses are charged to the allowance when all or a
portion of a loan is deemed to be uncollectible. Recoveries of loans
previously charged-off are credited to the allowance for loan losses when
realized. Management's periodic evaluation of the adequacy of the
allowance for loan losses is based on the Association's past loan loss
experience, known and inherent risks in the portfolio, adverse situations
that may affect a borrower's ability to repay, estimated value of
underlying collateral, and current economic conditions. In management's
judgment, the allowance for loan losses is adequate to absorb probable
losses in the existing loan portfolio.
Establishing the allowance for loan losses involves significant
management judgments utilizing the best information available at the time
of review. Those judgments are subject to further review by various
sources, including the Association's regulators. Adjustments to the
allowance may be necessary in the future based on changes in economic and
real estate market conditions, further information obtained regarding
known problem loans, the identification of additional problem loans, and
other factors.
In accordance with SFAS No. 114, "Accounting by Creditors for Impairment
of a Loan," as amended by SFAS No. 118, a loan is considered to be
impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable
that the Association will be unable to collect all principal and interest
contractually due. Under SFAS No. 114, creditors are permitted to measure
impaired loans based on (i) the present value of expected future cash
flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, (ii) the loan's
observable market price or (iii) the fair value of the collateral if the
loan is collateral dependent. If the measure of an impaired loan is less
than its recorded investment, an impairment loss is recognized as part of
the allowance for loan losses. SFAS No. 118 allows creditors to continue
to use existing methods for recognizing interest income on impaired
loans.
F-7
122
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
INTEREST AND FEES ON LOANS
Interest is accrued monthly based on outstanding principal balances
unless management considers the collection of interest to be doubtful
(generally, when loans are contractually past due ninety days or more).
When loans are placed on nonaccrual status, unpaid interest is reversed
by charging interest income and crediting an allowance for uncollected
interest. Interest payments received on nonaccrual loans (including
impaired loans) are recognized as income unless future collections are
doubtful. Loans are returned to accrual status when collectibility is no
longer considered doubtful (generally, when all payments have been
brought current).
Loan origination fees and certain direct loan origination costs are
deferred and the net fee or cost is amortized to interest income, using
the level-yield method, over the contractual term of the related loan.
Unamortized fees and costs applicable to prepaid loans are recognized in
interest income at the time of prepayment.
REAL ESTATE OWNED
Real estate properties acquired through foreclosure are recorded
initially at fair value less estimated sales costs, with the resulting
writedown charged to the allowance for loan losses. Thereafter, an
allowance for losses on real estate owned is established by a charge to
expense to reflect any subsequent declines in fair value. Fair value
estimates are based on recent appraisals and other available information.
Costs incurred to develop or improve properties are capitalized, while
holding costs are charged to expense.
OFFICE PROPERTIES AND EQUIPMENT
Office properties and equipment are comprised of land (carried at cost)
and buildings, improvements, furniture, fixtures and equipment (carried
at cost less accumulated depreciation). Depreciation expense is
recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of
the related assets which range from 5 to 50 years. Costs incurred to
improve or extend the life of existing assets are capitalized. Repairs
and maintenance, as well as renewals and replacements of a routine
nature, are charged to expense.
INCOME TAXES
In accordance with the asset and liability method required by SFAS No.
109, "Accounting for Income Taxes," deferred taxes are recognized for the
estimated future tax effects attributable to "temporary differences"
between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and
liabilities and their respective tax bases. A deferred tax liability is
recognized for all temporary differences that will result in future
taxable income. A deferred tax asset is recognized for all temporary
differences that will result in future tax deductions, subject to
reduction of the asset by a valuation allowance in certain circumstances.
This
F-8
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
valuation allowance is recognized if, based on an analysis of available
evidence, management determines that it is more likely than not that a
portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The
valuation allowance is subject to ongoing adjustment based on changes in
circumstances that affect management's judgment about the realizability
of the deferred tax asset. Adjustments to increase or decrease the
valuation allowance are charged or credited, respectively, to income tax
expense.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates
expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which temporary
differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on
deferred tax assets and liabilities of an enacted change in tax laws or
rates is recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the
enactment date of the change.
(2) SECURITIES
The following is a summary of securities at March 31, 1998 and 1997:
GROSS UNREALIZED
AMORTIZED ---------------------- FAIR
COST GAINS LOSSES VALUE
---- ----- ------ -----
(IN THOUSANDS)
March 31, 1998 Securities held-to-maturity:
Mortgage-backed securities ............ $ 53,421 $ 445 $ (205) $ 53,661
U.S. Government and agency
securities ........................ 11,477 21 (68) 11,430
-------- -------- -------- --------
$ 64,898 $ 466 $ (273) $ 65,091
======== ======== ======== ========
Securities available-for-sale:
Mutual fund investments ............... $ 3,000 $ -- $ (6) $ 2,994
======== ======== ======== ========
MARCH 31, 1997 Securities held-to-maturity:
Mortgage-backed securities ............ $ 52,901 $ 326 $ (335) $ 52,892
U.S. Government and agency
securities ........................ 10,452 3 (55) 10,400
-------- -------- -------- --------
$ 63,353 $ 329 $ (390) $ 63,292
======== ======== ======== ========
Securities available-for-sale:
Mutual fund investments ............... $ 2,000 $ -- $ (5) $ 1,995
======== ======== ======== ========
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
Debt securities at March 31, 1998 consisted of adjustable rate securities
and fixed rate securities with amortized costs of $55.7 million and $9.2
million, respectively, and weighted average yields of 6.85% and 6.37%,
respectively. Adjustable rate and fixed rate debt securities at March 31,
1997 totaled $52.2 million and $11.2 million, respectively, with weighted
average yields of 6.79% and 6.54%, respectively.
Mortgage-backed securities consist of pass-through securities guaranteed
by the Government National Mortgage Association, Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac with amortized costs of $46.4 million, $6.9 million and $0.1 million,
respectively, at March 31, 1998 ($46.4 million, $6.4 million and $0.1
million, respectively, at March 31, 1997).
There were no sales of securities or transfers between classifications
during the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996.
The following is a summary of the amortized cost and fair value of debt
securities held-to-maturity at March 31, 1998, by remaining term to
contractual maturity. Actual maturities may differ from these amounts
because certain issuers have the right to call or redeem their
obligations prior to contractual maturity.
AMORTIZED FAIR
COST VALUE
---- -----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage-backed securities ........... $53,421 $53,661
U.S. Government and agency securities:
One year or less ................. 4,012 4,030
Over one to five years ........... 3,998 3,982
Over ten years ................... 3,467 3,418
------- -------
Total ................. $64,898 $65,091
======= =======
F-10
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
(3) LOANS
A summary of loans at March 31 follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage loans:
Residential properties:
One-to-four family ....................................... $ 109,207 $ 103,595
Home equity lines of credit .............................. 13,138 9,487
Multi-family ............................................. 412 348
Commercial properties ....................................... 3,811 3,416
Construction loans .......................................... 1,800 5,539
Construction loans in process ............................... (573) (1,049)
Deferred loan origination fees, net ......................... (280) (328)
--------- ---------
127,515 121,008
--------- ---------
Consumer loans:
Automobile loans ............................................ 1,011 1,028
Secured personal loans ...................................... 707 132
Other ....................................................... 309 294
--------- ---------
2,027 1,454
--------- ---------
Total loans .............................................. 129,542 122,462
Allowance for loan losses ...................................... (984) (845)
--------- ---------
Total loans, net ......................................... $ 128,558 $ 121,617
========= =========
Gross loans at March 31, 1998 consisted of fixed rate loans of $124.0
million and adjustable rate loans of $6.4 million with weighted average
yields of 8.18% and 8.64%, respectively. Fixed rate and adjustable rate
loans at March 31, 1997 totaled $115.6 million and $8.2 million,
respectively, with weighted average yields of 8.33% and 8.59%,
respectively.
F-11
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The Association primarily originates mortgage loans secured by existing
single-family residential properties. The Association also originates
multi-family and commercial mortgage loans, construction loans and
consumer loans. Substantially all of the mortgage loan portfolio is
secured by real estate properties located in Westchester County, New
York. The ability of the Association's borrowers to make principal and
interest payments is dependent upon, among other things, the level of
overall economic activity and the real estate market conditions
prevailing within the Association's concentrated lending area.
Activity in the allowance for loan losses is summarized as follows for
the years ended March 31:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Balance at beginning of year $ 845 $ 725 $ 652
Provision for losses ....... 155 146 98
Charge-offs ................ (16) (45) (26)
Recoveries ................. -- 19 1
----- ----- -----
Balance at end of year ..... $ 984 $ 845 $ 725
===== ===== =====
The principal balances of nonaccrual loans past due ninety days or more
at March 31 are as follows:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Mortgage loans:
One-to-four family ........ $1,721 $1,832 $2,671
Home equity lines of credit -- -- 160
Commercial ................ 236 432 236
Consumer loans ................ 1 -- 21
------ ------ ------
Total nonaccrual loans .... $1,958 $2,264 $3,088
====== ====== ======
Gross interest income that would have been recorded if the foregoing
nonaccrual loans had remained current in accordance with their
contractual terms totaled $205,000, $231,000 and $288,000 for the years
ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively, compared to interest
income actually recognized of $55,000, $52,000 and $77,000, respectively.
SFAS No. 114 applies to loans that are individually evaluated for
collectibility in accordance with the Association's normal loan review
procedures (principally loans in the multi-family, commercial mortgage
and construction loan portfolios). The standard does not generally apply
to smaller-balance homogeneous loans that are collectively evaluated for
impairment, such as residential mortgage and consumer loans. The
Association's impaired loans consisted of nonaccrual commercial mortgage
loans with a recorded investment totaling $236,000 and $432,000 at March
31, 1998 and 1997, respectively. All of these loans were
F-12
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
collateral-dependent loans measured based on the fair value of the
collateral in accordance with SFAS No. 114. The Association determines
the need for an allowance for loan impairment under SFAS No. 114 on a
loan-by-loan basis. At March 31, 1998 and 1997, such an allowance was
not required with respect to the Association's impaired loans due to the
sufficiency of the related collateral values. The Association's average
recorded investment in impaired loans was approximately $330,000,
$299,000 and $142,000 for the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. Interest collections and income recognized on impaired
loans (while such loans were considered impaired) were insignificant
during each of these years.
Other assets at both March 31, 1998 and 1997 include single-family real
estate owned properties with net carrying values of $129,000. Provisions
for losses and other activity in the allowance for losses on real estate
owned were insignificant during the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and
1996.
(4) ACCRUED INTEREST RECEIVABLE
A summary of accrued interest receivable at March 31 follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Loans ................. $780 $749
Securities ............ 91 105
Certificates of deposit 17 23
---- ----
Total ............. $888 $877
==== ====
(5) OFFICE PROPERTIES AND EQUIPMENT
A summary of office properties and equipment at March 31 follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Land .................................. $ 537 $ 537
Buildings and improvements ............ 1,501 1,482
Furniture, fixtures and equipment ..... 1,325 1,129
------- -------
3,363 3,148
Less accumulated depreciation ......... $(1,811) $(1,696)
------- -------
Office properties and equipment, net $ 1,552 $ 1,452
======= =======
F-13
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
(6) DEPOSITS
The following is a summary of deposit balances and weighted average
stated interest rates at March 31:
1998 1997
---------------------- ----------------------
RATE AMOUNT RATE AMOUNT
---- ------ ---- ------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Passbook and club accounts .............. 2.54% $ 61,347 2.54% $ 63,579
Money market accounts ................... 3.05 17,676 3.10 17,497
NOW and Super NOW accounts .............. 2.04 21,261 2.04 19,885
-------- --------
Total ................................ 2.52 100,284 2.54 100,961
-------- --------
Certificates of deposit by remaining
term to contractual maturity:
Within one year ...................... 5.60 108,902 5.39 101,169
After one but within three years ..... 5.72 9,613 5.72 7,597
After three years .................... 4.49 1,114 4.53 1,496
-------- --------
Total ................................ 5.60 119,629 5.40 110,262
-------- --------
Total deposits ....................... 4.20% $219,913 4.03% $211,223
======== ========
Certificates of deposit in denominations of $100,000 or more totaled
$14.1 million and $12.3 million at March 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation generally insures deposit
accounts up to $100,000, as defined in the applicable regulations.
The following is a summary of interest expense on deposits for the years
ended March 31:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Passbook and club accounts....................................... $ 1,573 $ 1,640 $ 1,903
Money market, NOW and Super NOW accounts ........................ 962 918 874
Certificates of deposit ......................................... 6,165 5,318 5,032
-------- -------- --------
Total........................................................ $ 8,700 $ 7,876 $ 7,809
======== ======== ========
F-14
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The Deposit Insurance Funds Act of 1996 (the "Funds Act") was enacted
into law on September 30, 1996. Among other things, the Funds Act
required depository institutions to pay a one-time special assessment of
65.7 basis points on their SAIF-assessable deposits held on March 31,
1995, in order to recapitalize the SAIF to the level required by law. The
Association's special assessment of $1.2 million was paid in November
1996 and is reflected in non-interest expense for the year ended March
31, 1997.
(7) FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK BORROWINGS
As a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") of New York, the
Association may have outstanding FHLB borrowings of up to 25% of its
total assets, or approximately $63.7 million at March 31, 1998, in a
combination of term advances and overnight funds. Borrowings are secured
by the Association's investment in FHLB stock and by a blanket security
agreement. This agreement requires the Association to maintain as
collateral certain qualifying assets (such as securities and
single-family residential mortgage loans) with a fair value, as defined,
at least equal to 115% of any outstanding advances.
At March 31, 1998 and 1997, an outstanding FHLB advance of $87,000 is
included in other liabilities in the balance sheets. This advance bears
interest at a fixed rate of 8.29% and matures in 2002.
(8) INCOME TAXES
Income tax expense consists of the following components for the years
ended March 31:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Federal:
Current ........................................................... $ 1,679 $ 1,173 $ 1,321
Deferred .......................................................... (135) 121 (37)
------- ------- -------
1,544 1,294 1,284
------- ------- -------
New York State:
Current ........................................................... 556 489 443
Deferred .......................................................... (35) (458) 5
------- ------- -------
521 31 448
------- ------- -------
Total:
Current ........................................................... 2,235 1,662 1,764
Deferred .......................................................... (170) (337) (32)
------- ------- -------
$ 2,065 $ 1,325 $ 1,732
======= ======= =======
F-15
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The following is a reconciliation of expected income taxes (computed at
the applicable Federal statutory tax rate of 34%) to the Association's
actual income tax expense for the years ended March 31:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
Taxes at Federal statutory rate ................ $1,683 $1,229 $1,404
State tax expense, net of Federal tax benefit .. 344 20 296
Other reconciling items, net ................... 38 76 32
------ ------ ------
Actual income tax expense ...................... $2,065 $1,325 $1,732
====== ====== ======
Effective income tax rate ...................... 41.7% 36.7% 41.9%
====== ====== ======
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to the
Association's deferred tax assets and liabilities at March 31 are as
follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Deferred tax assets:
Allowance for loan losses ............................. $ 403 $ 347
Loan origination fees ................................. 114 135
Deferred compensation ................................. 191 173
Other deductible temporary differences ................ 81 2
----- -----
Total deferred tax assets ......................... 789 657
----- -----
Deferred tax liabilities:
Tax bad debt reserves in excess of base-year reserves .. 522 545
Other taxable temporary differences .................... - 15
----- -----
Total deferred tax liabilities .................... 522 560
----- -----
Net deferred tax asset ..................................... $ 267 $ 97
===== =====
Based on the Association's historical and anticipated future pre-tax
earnings, management believes that it is more likely than not that the
deferred tax assets will be realized.
As a thrift institution, the Association is subject to special provisions
in the Federal and New York State tax laws regarding its allowable tax
bad debt deductions and related tax bad debt reserves. These deductions
historically were determined using methods based on loss experience or a
percentage of taxable income. Tax bad debt reserves represent the excess
of
F-16
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
allowable deductions over actual bad debt losses and other reserve
reductions. These reserves consist of a defined base-year amount, plus
additional amounts ("excess reserves") accumulated after the base year.
SFAS No. 109 requires recognition of deferred tax liabilities with
respect to such excess reserves, as well as any portion of the base-year
amount which is expected to become taxable (or "recaptured") in the
foreseeable future.
Certain amendments to the Federal and New York State tax laws regarding
bad debt deductions were enacted in 1996. The Federal amendments include
elimination of the percentage-of-taxable-income method for tax years
beginning after December 31, 1995 and imposition of a requirement to
recapture into taxable income (over a six-year period) the reserves in
excess of the base-year amounts. The Association previously established,
and continues to maintain, a deferred tax liability with respect to such
excess Federal reserves. The New York State amendments redesignate the
Association's State bad debt reserves as the base-year amount and provide
for future additions to the base-year reserve using the
percentage-of-taxable-income method. These changes effectively eliminated
the excess New York State reserves for which a deferred tax liability had
been recognized and, accordingly, the Association reduced its deferred
tax liability by $250,000 (with a corresponding reduction in income tax
expense) during the year ended March 31, 1997.
At March 31, 1998, the Association's base-year tax bad debt reserves
totaled $5.2 million for Federal tax purposes and $8.7 million for State
tax purposes. In accordance with SFAS No. 109, deferred tax liabilities
have not been recognized with respect to these reserves, since the
Association does not expect that these amounts will become taxable in the
foreseeable future. Under the tax laws as amended, events that would
result in taxation of these reserves include failure of the Association
to maintain a specified qualifying assets ratio or meet other thrift
definition tests for New York State tax purposes. At March 31, 1998, the
Association's unrecognized deferred tax liabilities with respect to the
Federal and State tax bad debt reserves were approximately $1.8 million
and $0.6 million, respectively.
(9) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
PENSION PLAN
The Association maintains a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan
which covers substantially all full-time employees who meet certain age
and length of service requirements. Benefits are based on the employee's
years of accredited service and average compensation for the three
consecutive years that produce the highest average. The Association's
funding policy is to contribute the amounts required by applicable
regulations, although additional amounts may be contributed from time to
time.
F-17
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The following is a reconciliation of the funded status of the pension
plan and the accrued cost recognized in the balance sheets at March 31:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
Accumulated benefit obligation, including vested benefits
of $4,019 in 1998 and $3,443 in 1997 ................. $(4,042) $(3,454)
Effect of projected future compensation levels .......... (773) (808)
------- -------
Projected benefit obligation ............................ (4,815) (4,262)
Plan assets (primarily insurance contract, at contract value) 4,108 3,602
------- -------
Excess of projected benefit obligation over plan assets ..... (707) (660)
Unrecognized net loss ....................................... 526 335
Unrecognized prior service cost ............................. 100 146
Unrecognized net transition obligation ...................... 54 40
------- -------
Accrued pension cost .................................... $ (27) $ (139)
======= =======
A discount rate of 6.75% and a rate of increase in future compensation
levels of 4.50% were used in determining the actuarial present value of
the projected benefit obligation at March 31, 1998 (7.50% and 5.50%,
respectively, at March 31, 1997). The expected long-term rate of return
on plan assets was 9.00% for 1998, 1997 and 1996.
The net periodic pension cost consisted of the following for the years
ended March 31:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
Service cost (benefits earned during the year) ... $ 64 $ 74 $ 63
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation .... 318 283 273
Actual return on plan assets ..................... (343) (295) (295)
Net amortization and deferral .................... 53 58 52
----- ----- -----
Net periodic pension cost .................... $ 92 $ 120 $ 93
===== ===== =====
SAVINGS PLAN
The Association also maintains an employee savings plan under Section
401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Eligible employees may make
contributions to the plan of up to 10% of their compensation. The
Association makes matching contributions of 50% of the participant's
contributions to the plan. Participants vest immediately in both their
own contributions and Association contributions. Savings plan expense was
$41,000, $21,000 and $21,000 for the years ended March 31, 1998, 1997 and
1996, respectively.
F-18
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SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
(10) COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
OFF-BALANCE SHEET FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Association's off-balance sheet financial instruments at March 31,
1998 and 1997 were limited to loan origination commitments of $6.4
million and $2.7 million, respectively, and unused lines of credit
(principally home equity lines) extended to customers of $7.0 million and
$5.4 million, respectively. Substantially all of these commitments and
lines of credit carry fixed interest rates and have been provided to
customers within the Association's primary lending area described in Note
3. The Association's fixed rate loan origination commitments at March 31,
1998 provide for interest rates ranging from 6.50% to 9.50%.
These instruments involve elements of credit risk and interest rate risk
in addition to the amounts recognized in the balance sheets. The
contractual amounts represent the Association's maximum potential
exposure to credit loss, but do not necessarily represent future cash
requirements since certain commitments and lines of credit may expire
without being fully funded. Loan commitments generally have fixed
expiration dates (ranging up to 3 months) or other termination clauses
and may require the payment of a fee by the customer. Commitments and
lines of credit are subject to the same credit approval process applied
in the Association's general lending activities, including a case-by-case
evaluation of the customer's creditworthiness and related collateral
requirements.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
In the normal course of business, the Association is involved in various
outstanding legal proceedings. In the opinion of management, after
consultation with legal counsel, the outcome of such legal proceedings
should not have a material effect on the Association's financial
condition, results of operations or liquidity.
(11) REGULATORY CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
OTS regulations require savings institutions to maintain a minimum ratio
of tangible capital to total adjusted assets of 1.5%; a minimum ratio of
Tier I (core) capital to total adjusted assets of 3.0%; and a minimum
ratio of Tier I (core and supplementary) capital to risk-weighted assets
of 8.0%.
Under its prompt corrective action regulations, the OTS is required to
take certain supervisory actions with respect to an undercapitalized
institution. Such actions could have a direct material effect on the
institution's financial statements. The regulations establish a framework
for the classification of depository institutions into five categories:
well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly
undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. Generally, an
institution is considered well capitalized if it has a Tier I (core)
capital ratio of at least 5.0%; a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of at
least 6.0%; and a total risk-based capital ratio of at least 10.0%.
F-19
134
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The foregoing capital ratios are based in part on specific quantitative
measures of assets, liabilities and certain off-balance sheet items as
calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and
classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by the OTS
about capital components, risk weightings and other factors.
Management believes that, as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, the Association
met all capital adequacy requirements to which it was subject. Further,
the most recent OTS notification categorized the Association as a
well-capitalized institution under the prompt corrective action
regulations. There have been no conditions or events since that
notification that management believes have changed the Association's
capital classification.
The following is a summary of the Association's actual capital amounts
and ratios as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, compared to the OTS
requirements for minimum capital adequacy and for classification as a
well-capitalized institution:
OTS REQUIREMENTS
--------------------------------------------
MINIMUM CAPITAL CLASSIFICATION AS
ASSOCIATION ACTUAL ADEQUACY WELL CAPITALIZED
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
AMOUNT RATIO AMOUNT RATIO AMOUNT RATIO
------ ----- ------ ----- ------ -----
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
March 31, 1998
Tangible capital ..... $31,901 12.5% $ 3,821 1.5%
Tier I (core) capital 31,901 12.5 7,642 3.0 $12,737 5.0%
Risk-based capital:
Tier I ........... 31,901 33.9 5,645 6.0
Total ............ 32,885 34.9 7,527 8.0 9,409 10.0
March 31, 1997
Tangible capital ..... $29,017 11.9% $ 3,650 1.5%
Tier I (core) capital 29,017 11.9 7,301 3.0 $12,168 5.0%
Risk-based capital:
Tier I ........... 29,017 34.4 5,068 6.0
Total ............ 29,862 35.4 6,757 8.0 8,446 10.0
The following is a reconciliation of the Association's equity under
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and its regulatory
capital at March 31:
1998 1997
---- ----
(IN THOUSANDS)
GAAP equity (equals tangible, tier I core and
tier I risk-based capital) ................. $31,901 $29,017
General allowance for loan losses ............ 984 845
------- -------
Total risk-based capital ................. $32,885 $29,862
======= =======
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135
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
(12) FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
SFAS No. 107 requires disclosures about the fair values of financial
instruments for which it is practicable to estimate fair value. The
definition of a financial instrument includes many of the assets and
liabilities recognized in the Association's balance sheets, as well as
certain off-balance sheet items. Fair value is defined in SFAS No. 107 as
the amount at which a financial instrument could be exchanged in a
current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced or
liquidation sale.
Quoted market prices are used to estimate fair values when those prices
are available. However, active markets do not exist for many types of
financial instruments. Consequently, fair values for these instruments
must be estimated by management using techniques such as discounted cash
flow analysis and comparison to similar instruments. Estimates developed
using these methods are highly subjective and require judgments regarding
significant matters such as the amount and timing of future cash flows
and the selection of discount rates that appropriately reflect market and
credit risks. Changes in these judgments often have a material effect on
the fair value estimates. Since these estimates are made as of a specific
point in time, they are susceptible to material near-term changes. Fair
values disclosed in accordance with SFAS No. 107 do not reflect any
premium or discount that could result from the sale of a large volume of
a particular financial instrument, nor do they reflect possible tax
ramifications or estimated transaction costs.
The following is a summary of the carrying amounts and estimated fair
values of the Association's financial assets and liabilities at March 31:
1998 1997
--------------------- ---------------------
CARRYING FAIR CARRYING FAIR
AMOUNT VALUE AMOUNT VALUE
-------- -------- -------- --------
(IN MILLIONS)
Financial assets:
Cash and due from banks .... $ 5.7 $ 5.7 $ 4.4 $ 4.4
Federal funds sold ......... 36.4 36.4 35.2 35.2
Certificates of deposit .... 11.5 11.5 12.0 12.0
Securities ................. 67.9 68.1 65.3 65.3
Loans ...................... 128.6 130.3 121.6 120.7
Accrued interest receivable 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9
Federal Home Loan Bank stock 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6
Financial liabilities:
Savings certificate accounts 119.6 119.6 110.3 109.8
Other deposit accounts ..... 100.3 100.3 101.0 101.0
Mortgage escrow funds ...... 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3
FHLB advance ............... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
======== ======== ======== ========
F-21
136
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
The following is a description of the principal valuation methods used by
the Association to estimate the fair values of its financial instruments:
SECURITIES
The fair values of securities were based on market prices or dealer
quotes.
LOANS
For valuation purposes, the loan portfolio was segregated into its
significant categories, such as residential mortgage loans and consumer
loans. These categories were further analyzed, where appropriate, into
components based on significant financial characteristics such as type of
interest rate (fixed or adjustable). Generally, management estimated fair
values by discounting the anticipated cash flows at current market rates
for loans with similar terms to borrowers of similar credit quality.
DEPOSIT LIABILITIES
The fair values of savings certificate accounts represent contractual
cash flows discounted using interest rates currently offered on
certificates with similar characteristics and remaining maturities. In
accordance with SFAS No. 107, the fair values of other deposit accounts
(those with no stated maturity such as passbook and money market
accounts) are equal to the carrying amounts payable on demand.
These fair values do not include the value of core deposit relationships
which comprise a significant portion of the Association's deposit base.
Management believes that the Association's core deposit relationships
provide a relatively stable, low-cost funding source which has a
substantial unrecognized value separate from the deposit balances.
OTHER FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The other financial assets and liabilities listed in the preceding table
have fair values which approximate the respective carrying amounts in the
balance sheets because the instruments are payable on demand or have
short-term maturities and present relatively low credit risk and interest
rate risk. Fair values of the loan origination commitments and unused
lines of credit described in Note 10 were estimated based on an analysis
of the interest rates and fees currently charged to enter into similar
transactions, considering the remaining terms of the instruments and the
creditworthiness of the potential borrowers. At March 31, 1998 and 1997,
the fair values of these instruments approximated the related carrying
amounts which were not significant.
F-22
137
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
(13) RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
SFAS No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income," which establishes
standards for the reporting and display of comprehensive income (and its
components) in financial statements. The standard does not, however,
specify when to recognize or how to measure items that make up
comprehensive income. Comprehensive income represents net income and
certain amounts reported directly in equity, such as the net unrealized
gain or loss on available-for-sale securities. While SFAS No. 130 does
not require a specific reporting format, it does require that an
enterprise display in the financial statements an amount representing
total comprehensive income for the period.
In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures
about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits," to revise present
disclosure requirements applicable to those benefits. Although the
standard does not change the measurement or recognition requirements for
postretirement benefit plans, it standardizes the disclosure
requirements; requires additional information on changes in benefit
obligations and fair values of plan assets; and eliminates certain
present disclosure requirements.
SFAS Nos. 130 and 132 are effective for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 1997 and, accordingly, will be adopted by the Association in
the year ending March 31, 1999. Management does not expect that these
standards will significantly affect the Association's financial
reporting.
(14) MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING
On May 13, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Association adopted a Plan
of Reorganization ("the Plan") pursuant to which the Association will
convert to a stock savings and loan association under a two-tier mutual
holding company structure. As part of the Plan, the Association will
establish a federally-chartered mutual holding company known as Sound
Federal, MHC (the "Mutual Holding Company") and a capital stock holding
company known as Sound Federal Bancorp ("the Company"). The Association
will become a federally-chartered capital stock savings and loan
association, wholly owned by the Company.
The Company plans to offer for sale 45% of its common shares in a
subscription offering ("the Offering") initially to eligible Association
depositors; tax-qualified employee benefit plans of the Association;
certain other Association depositors and borrowers; and employees,
officers and directors of the Association. Any shares of common stock not
sold in the Offering will be offered to certain members of the general
public in a community offering, with a preference for natural persons
residing in Westchester County. The Company also plans to contribute 2%
of its common shares to a charitable foundation to be established
pursuant to the Plan. Such contribution will result in the Company `s
recognition of expense, equal to the fair value of the shares
contributed, in the period in which the contribution occurs.
F-23
138
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONTINUED
After completion of these transactions, the Mutual Holding Company will
own the remaining 53% of the Company's issued common shares.
Following the completion of the reorganization, all depositors who had
liquidation rights with respect to the Association as of the effective
date of the reorganization will continue to have such rights solely with
respect to the Mutual Holding Company so long as they continue to hold
deposit accounts with the Association. In addition, all persons who
become depositors of the Association subsequent to the reorganization
will have such liquidation rights with respect to the Mutual Holding
Company.
Offering costs will be deferred and reduce the proceeds from the shares
sold in the Offering. If the Offering is not completed, all costs will be
charged to expense. The Association had incurred no offering costs as of
March 31, 1998.
F-24
139
GLOSSARY
1933 Act Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
1934 Act Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Associate The term "Associate" of a person means:
(i) any corporation or organization (other
than the Association or its subsidiaries or
the Company) of which such person is a
director, officer, partner or 10%
shareholder;
(ii) any trust or other estate in which such
person has a substantial beneficial interest
or serves as trustee or in a similar
fiduciary capacity; provided, however that
such term shall not include any employee
stock benefit plan of the Company or the
Association in which such a person has a
substantial beneficial interest or serves as
a trustee or in a similar fiduciary
capacity; and
(iii) any relative or spouse of such person,
or relative of such spouse, who either has
the same home as such person or who is a
director or officer of the Association or
its subsidiaries or the Company.
Association Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association
in its pre-Reorganization mutual form
BIF Bank Insurance Fund of the FDIC
Charitable Foundation Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association
Charitable Foundation
Code The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended
Common Stock The shares of Common Stock, par value of
$0.10 per share, issued by Sound Federal
Bancorp in connection with the
Reorganization and Offering
Community Offering The offering for sale to members of the
general public of any shares of Common Stock
not subscribed for in the Subscription
Offering with a preference given to natural
persons who are residents of Westchester
County, New York.
Company Sound Federal Bancorp, a to be formed
federal corporation
Eligible Account Holders Deposit account holders of the Association
with aggregate account balances of at least
$50 as of the close of business on March 31,
1997
ERISA Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended
ESOP The Sound Federal Savings and Loan
Association Employee Stock Ownership Plan
and Trust
Estimated Valuation Range The range of the estimated pro forma market
value of the total number of shares of
Common Stock to be issued by the Company to
the Mutual Holding Company and to Minority
Stockholders, as determined by FinPro.
Expiration Date 3:00 p.m., New York Time, on September 14,
1998
G-1
140
FASB Financial Accounting Standards Board
FDIC Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
FHLB Federal Home Loan Bank
FinPro FinPro, Inc.
Independent Valuation The estimated pro forma market value of the
Company and the Association prepared by
FinPro
IRA Individual retirement account or arrangement
IRS Internal Revenue Service
Minority Ownership Interest The shares of Common
Stock of the Company owned by persons other
than the Mutual Holding Company
Mutual Holding Company Sound Federal, MHC, a to be formed federal
mutual holding company and the majority
stockholder of the Company
NASD National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
NPV Net portfolio value
Offering The Subscription Offering and to the extent
shares remain available for subscription,
the Community Offering and Syndicated
Community Offering of Common Stock of the
Company
Offering Range The offering of the Common Stock in the
Offering at an aggregate Purchase Price
ranging from $22.5 million to $30.5 million,
subject to adjustment up to $35.1 million
Order Form The form for ordering stock accompanied by a
certification concerning certain matters
Other Members Persons holding a deposit account at the
Association (other than Eligible Account
Holders and Supplemental Eligible Account
Holders) on the Voting Record Date or who
have borrowings outstanding from the
Association on the Voting Record Date, and
who are entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting
OTS Office of Thrift Supervision
Plan or Plan of Reorganization The Sound Federal Savings and Loan
Association Plan of Reorganization from a
Mutual Savings Association to a Mutual
Holding Company and Stock Issuance Plan,
which will (i) establish the Stock
Association as a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Company; (ii) establish the Company as a
mid-tier stock holding company which will
own all of the outstanding capital stock of
the Stock Association; and (iii) establish
the Mutual Holding Company as the majority
stockholder of the Company
Purchase Price $10.00 per share price of the Common Stock
QTI Qualified thrift investment
G-2
141
QTL Qualified thrift lender
REO Real estate owned
Reorganization The simultaneous (i) reorganization of the
Association into the mutual holding company
form of ownership, (ii) sale of up to 44.12%
of the Common Stock of the Company in the
Offering, (iii) contribution of 1.96% of the
Common Stock to the Charitable Foundation,
and (iv) issuance of the remaining 53.92% of
the Common Stock of the Company to the
Mutual Holding Company. The Reorganization
will create (i) the Mutual Holding Company
as a federal mutual holding company, (ii)
the Company as a federal stock holding
company that is majority-owned by the Mutual
Holding Company and (iii) the Stock
Association, as a federal stock savings
association wholly-owned by the Company.
SAIF Savings Association Insurance Fund of the
FDIC
SEC Securities and Exchange Commission
Special Meeting Special Meeting of members of the
Association called for the purpose of
approving the Plan
Stock Association Sound Federal Savings and Loan Association,
in its post-Reorganization stock form.
Stock Award Plan The stock award plan that will grant Common
Stock to certain officers and directors of
the Association, and that will be
established and submitted for approval of
the Company's stockholders no earlier than
six months after the completion of the
Reorganization
Stock Option Plan The stock option plan that will authorize
the granting to certain officers and
directors options to purchase up to 10% of
the Minority Ownership Interest, and that
will be established and submitted for
approval at a meeting of the Company's
stockholders no earlier than six months
after the completion of the Reorganization
Subscription Offering The offering of non-transferable rights to
subscribe for the Common Stock, in order of
priority, to Eligible Account Holders, the
ESOP, Supplemental Eligible Account Holders,
Other Members and employees, officers and
directors of the Association
Supplemental Depositor account holders of the Association
Eligible Account Holders with aggregate account balances of at least
$50 as of the close of business on June 30,
1998, who are not Eligible Account Holders
or Supplemental Eligible Account Holders
Voting Record Date The close of business on August 3, 1998, the
date for determining members entitled to
vote at the Special Meeting
G-3
142
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN AS CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE,
SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION. THIS
PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER
TO BUY ANY SECURITY OTHER THAN THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY TO ANY
PERSON IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS NOT
AUTHORIZED, OR IN WHICH THE PERSON MAKING SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS NOT
QUALIFIED TO DO SO, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER
OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE HEREUNDER
SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT INFORMATION HEREIN
IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF.
--------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE
STOCK OFFERING............................................................1
SUMMARY........................................................................4
SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION.........................................................11
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS...........................................................13
RISK FACTORS..................................................................17
PROPOSED PURCHASES BY DIRECTORS
AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS...................................................23
SOUND FEDERAL, MHC............................................................23
SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP.........................................................24
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION.........................................................25
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE REORGANIZATION.....................................25
MARKET AREA...................................................................26
COMPETITION...................................................................26
USE OF PROCEEDS...............................................................26
DIVIDENDS.....................................................................27
MARKET FOR THE COMMON STOCK...................................................28
CAPITALIZATION................................................................28
PRO FORMA DATA................................................................30
HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA REGULATORY
CAPITAL COMPLIANCE.......................................................35
THE REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING...............................................36
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
STATEMENTS OF INCOME.....................................................58
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS....................................................59
BUSINESS OF THE ASSOCIATION...................................................72
MANAGEMENT OF SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP...........................................90
MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.................................................90
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION..........................................92
REGULATION....................................................................98
TAXATION.....................................................................105
RESTRICTIONS ON THE ACQUISITION OF
THE COMPANY.............................................................107
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK.................................................109
TRANSFER AGENT...............................................................111
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS....................................................111
LEGAL AND TAX MATTERS........................................................111
EXPERTS......................................................................111
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.......................................................111
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS................................................F-1
GLOSSARY.....................................................................G-1
--------------------
Until September 17, 1998, or 25 days after the commencement of the offering of
Common Stock, all dealers effecting transactions in the registered securities,
whether or not participating in this distribution, may be required to deliver a
prospectus. This is in addition to the obligation of dealers to deliver a
prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold
allotments or subscriptions.
UP TO 3,505,286 SHARES
SOUND FEDERAL BANCORP
(PROPOSED HOLDING COMPANY FOR
SOUND FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION)
Common Stock
($0.10 par value per share)
PROSPECTUS
SANDLER O'NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.
August 13, 1998
THESE SECURITIES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR
ACCOUNTS AND ARE NOT FEDERALLY
INSURED OR GUARANTEED