Sec. 225.2 Definitions.

Except as modified in this regulation or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used in this regulation have the same meaning as set forth in the relevant statutes.

(a) Affiliate means any company that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, another company.

(b)(1) Bank means:

(i) An insured bank as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h)); or

(ii) An institution organized under the laws of the United States which both:

(A) Accepts demand deposits or deposits that the depositor may withdraw by check or similar means for payment to third parties or others; and

(B) Is engaged in the business of making commercial loans.

(2) Bank does not include those institutions qualifying under the exceptions listed in section 2(c)(2) of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(c)(2)).

(c)(1) Bank holding company means any company (including a bank) that has direct or indirect control of a bank, other than control that results from the ownership or control of:

(i) Voting securities held in good faith in a fiduciary capacity (other than as provided in paragraphs (e)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section) without sole discretionary voting authority, or as otherwise exempted under section 2(a)(5)(A) of the BHC Act;

(ii) Voting securities acquired and held only for a reasonable period of time in connection with the underwriting of securities, as provided in section 2(a)(5)(B) of the BHC Act;

(iii) Voting rights to voting securities acquired for the sole purpose and in the course of participating in a proxy solicitation, as provided in section 2(a)(5)(C) of the BHC Act;

(iv) Voting securities acquired in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in good faith, as provided in section 2(a)(5)(D) of the BHC Act, if the securities are divested within two years of acquisition (or such later period as the Board may permit by order); or

(v) Voting securities of certain institutions owned by a thrift institution or a trust company, as provided in sections 2(a)(5)(E) and (F) of the BHC Act.

(2) Except for the purposes of § 225.4(b) of this subpart and subpart E of this part, or as otherwise provided in this regulation, bank holding company includes a foreign banking organization. For the purposes of subpart B of this part, bank holding company includes a foreign banking organization only if it owns or controls a bank in the United States.

(d)(1) Company includes any bank, corporation, general or limited partnership, association or similar organization, business trust, or any other trust unless by its terms it must terminate either within 25 years, or within 21 years and 10 months after the death of individuals living on the effective date of the trust.

(2) Company does not include any organization, the majority of the voting securities of which are owned by the United States or any state.

(3) Testamentary trusts exempt. Unless the Board finds that the trust is being operated as a business trust or company, a trust is presumed not to be a company if the trust:

(i) Terminates within 21 years and 10 months after the death of grantors or beneficiaries of the trust living on the effective date of the trust or within 25 years;

(ii) Is a testamentary or inter vivos trust established by an individual or individuals for the benefit of natural persons (or trusts for the benefit of natural persons) who are related by blood, marriage or adoption;

(iii) Contains only assets previously owned by the individual or individuals who established the trust;

(iv) Is not a Massachusetts business trust; and

(v) Does not issue shares, certificates, or any other evidence of ownership.

(4) Qualified limited partnerships exempt. Company does not include a qualified limited partnership, as defined in section 2(o)(10) of the BHC Act.

(e)(1) Control of a bank or other company means (except for the purposes of subpart E of this part):

(i) Ownership, control, or power to vote 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of the bank or other company, directly or indirectly or acting through one or more other persons;

(ii) Control in any manner over the election of a majority of the directors, trustees, or general partners (or individuals exercising similar functions) of the bank or other company;

(iii) The power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the bank or other company, as determined by the Board after notice and opportunity for hearing in accordance with § 225.31 of subpart D of this part; or

(iv) Conditioning in any manner the transfer of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of a bank or other company upon the transfer of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of another bank or other company.

Editor's Note: Effective September 30, 2020, paragraph (e) introductory text and paragraph (e)(1) are revised to read:

(iv) Conditioning in any manner the transfer of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of a company upon the transfer of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of another company.

(2) A bank or other company is deemed to control voting securities or assets owned, controlled, or held, directly or indirectly:

(i) By any subsidiary of the bank or other company;

(ii) In a fiduciary capacity (including by pension and profit-sharing trusts) for the benefit of the shareholders, members, or employees (or individuals serving in similar capacities) of the bank or other company or any of its subsidiaries; or

(iii) In a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the bank or other company or any of its subsidiaries.

Editor's Note: Effective September 30, 2020, paragraph (e)(2) is revised to read:

(v) According to the standards under § 225.9 of this part.

(f) Foreign banking organization and qualifying foreign banking organization have the same meanings as provided in §§ 211.21(n) and 211.23 of the Board's Regulation K (12 CFR 211.21(n) and 211.23).

(g) Insured depository institution includes an insured bank as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h)) and a savings association.

(h) Lead insured depository institution means the largest insured depository institution controlled by the bank holding company as of the quarter ending immediately prior to the proposed filing, based on a comparison of the average total risk-weighted assets controlled during the previous 12-month period be each insured depository institution subsidiary of the holding company. For purposes of this paragraph (h), for a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), average total risk-weighted assets equal the qualifying community banking organization's average total consolidated assets (as used in § 217.12 of this chapter).

(i) Management official means any officer, director (including honorary or advisory directors), partner, or trustee of a bank or other company, or any employee of the bank or other company with policy-making functions.

(j) Nonbank bank means any institution that:

(1) Became a bank as a result of enactment of the Competitive Equality Amendments of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-86), on the date of enactment (August 10, 1987); and

(2) Was not controlled by a bank holding company on the day before the enactment of the Competitive Equality Amendments of 1987 (August 9, 1987).

(k) Outstanding shares means any voting securities, but does not include securities owned by the United States or by a company wholly owned by the United States.

(l) Person includes an individual, bank, corporation, partnership, trust, association, joint venture, pool, syndicate, sole proprietorship, unincorporated organization, or any other form of entity.

(m) Savings association means:

(1) Any federal savings association or federal savings bank;

(2) Any building and loan association, savings and loan association, homestead association, or cooperative bank if such association or cooperative bank is a member of the Savings Association Insurance Fund; and

(3) Any savings bank or cooperative that is deemed by the director of the Office of Thrift Supervision to be a savings association under section 10(l) of the Home Owners Loan Act.

(n) Shareholder—(1) Controlling shareholder means a person that owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 25 percent or more of any class of voting securities of a bank or other company.

(2) Principal shareholder means a person that owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 10 percent or more of any class of voting securities of a bank or other company, or any person that the Board determines has the power, directly or indirectly, to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or other company.

(o) Subsidiary means a bank or other company that is controlled by another company, and refers to a direct or indirect subsidiary of a bank holding company. An indirect subsidiary is a bank or other company that is controlled by a subsidiary of the bank holding company.

(p) United States means the United States and includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, any territory of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.

(q)(1) Voting securities means shares of common or preferred stock, general or limited partnership shares or interests, or similar interests if the shares or interest, by statute, charter, or in any manner, entitle the holder:

(i) To vote for or to select directors, trustees, or partners (or persons exercising similar functions of the issuing company); or

(ii) To vote on or to direct the conduct of the operations or other significant policies of the issuing company.

(2) Nonvoting shares. Preferred shares, limited partnership shares or interests, or similar interests are not voting securities if:

(i) Any voting rights associated with the shares or interest are limited solely to the type customarily provided by statute with regard to matters that would significantly and adversely affect the rights or preference of the security or other interest, such as the issuance of additional amounts or classes of senior securities, the modification of the terms of the security or interest, the dissolution of the issuing company, or the payment of dividends by the issuing company when preferred dividends are in arrears;

(ii) The shares or interest represent an essentially passive investment or financing device and do not otherwise provide the holder with control over the issuing company; and

(iii) The shares or interest do not entitle the holder, by statute, charter, or in any manner, to select or to vote for the selection of directors, trustees, or partners (or persons exercising similar functions) of the issuing company.

Editor's Note: Effective September 30, 2020, paragraph (q)(2) is revised to read:

(iii) The securities do not entitle the holder, by statute, charter, or in any manner, to select or to vote for the selection of directors, trustees, or partners (or persons exercising similar functions) of the issuing company; except that limited partnership interests or membership interests in limited liability companies are not voting securities due to voting rights that are limited solely to voting for the removal of a general partner or managing member (or persons exercising similar functions at the company) for cause, to replace a general partner or managing member (or persons exercising similar functions at the company) due to incapacitation or following the removal of such person, or to continue or dissolve the company after removal of the general partner or managing member (or persons exercising similar functions at the company).

(3) Class of voting shares. Shares of stock issued by a single issuer are deemed to be the same class of voting shares, regardless of differences in dividend rights or liquidation preference, if the shares are voted together as a single class on all matters for which the shares have voting rights other than matters described in paragraph (o)(2)(i) of this section that affect solely the rights or preferences of the shares.

(r) Well-capitalized—(1) Bank holding company. In the case of a bank holding company,1 well-capitalized means that:

1For purposes of this subpart and subparts B and C of this part, a bank holding company that is subject to the Small Bank Holding Company and Savings and Loan Holding Company Policy Statement in appendix C of this part will be deemed to be “well-capitalized” if the bank holding company meets the requirements for expedited/waived processing in appendix C.

(i) On a consolidated basis, the bank holding company maintains a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0 percent or greater, as defined in 12 CFR 217.10;

(ii) On a consolidated basis, the bank holding company maintains a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0 percent or greater, as defined in 12 CFR 217.10; and

(iii) The bank holding company is not subject to any written agreement, order, capital directive, or prompt corrective action directive issued by the Board to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure.

(2) Insured and uninsured depository institution—(i) Insured depository institution. In the case of an insured depository institution, “well capitalized” means that the institution has and maintains at least the capital levels required to be well capitalized under the capital adequacy regulations or guidelines applicable to the institution that have been adopted by the appropriate Federal banking agency for the institution under section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1831o).

(ii) Uninsured depository institution. In the case of a depository institution the deposits of which are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, “well capitalized” means that the institution has and maintains at least the capital levels required for an insured depository institution to be well capitalized.

(3) Foreign banks—(i) Standards applied. For purposes of determining whether a foreign banking organization qualifies under paragraph (r)(1) of this section:

(A) A foreign banking organization whose home country supervisor, as defined in § 211.21 of the Board's Regulation K (12 CFR 211.21), has adopted capital standards consistent in all respects with the Capital Accord of the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision (Basle Accord) may calculate its capital ratios under the home country standard; and

(B) A foreign banking organization whose home country supervisor has not adopted capital standards consistent in all respects with the Basle Accord shall obtain a determination from the Board that its capital is equivalent to the capital that would be required of a U.S. banking organization under paragraph (r)(1) of this section.

(ii) Branches and agencies. For purposes of determining, under paragraph (r)(1) of this section, whether a branch or agency of a foreign banking organization is well-capitalized, the branch or agency shall be deemed to have the same capital ratios as the foreign banking organization.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraphs (r)(1) through (3) of this section:

(i) A bank holding company that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) is well capitalized if it satisfies the requirements of paragraph (r)(1)(iii) of this section.

(ii) A depository institution that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) is well capitalized.

(s) Well managed—(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this part, a company or depository institution is well managed if:

(i) At its most recent inspection or examination or subsequent review by the appropriate Federal banking agency for the company or institution (or the appropriate state banking agency in an examination described in section 10(d) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(d)), the company or institution received:

(A) At least a satisfactory composite rating; and

(B) At least a satisfactory rating for management, if such rating is given.

(ii) In the case of a company or depository institution that has not received an inspection or examination rating, the Board has determined, after a review of the managerial and other resources of the company or depository institution and after consulting with the appropriate Federal and state banking agencies, as applicable, for the company or institution, that the company or institution is well managed.

(2) Merged depository institutions—(i) Merger involving well managed institutions. A depository institution that results from the merger of two or more depository institutions that are well managed shall be considered to be well managed unless the Board determines otherwise after consulting with the appropriate Federal and state banking agencies, as applicable, for each depository institution involved in the merger.

(ii) Merger involving a poorly rated institution. A depository institution that results from the merger of a depository institution that is well managed with one or more depository institutions that are not well managed or have not been examined shall be considered to be well managed if the Board determines, after a review of the managerial and other resources of the resulting depository institution and after consulting with the appropriate Federal and state banking agencies for the institutions involved in the merger, as applicable, that the resulting institution is well managed.

(3) Foreign banking organizations. Except as otherwise provided in this part, a foreign banking organization is considered well managed if the combined operations of the foreign banking organization in the United States have received at least a satisfactory composite rating at the most recent annual assessment.

(t) Depository institution. For purposes of this part, the term “depository institution” has the same meaning as in section 3(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)).

Editor's Note: Effective September 30, 2020, new paragraph (u) is added to read:

(2) The quotient, expressed as a percentage, of the number of votes that may be cast by the person on the voting securities controlled by the person, divided by the total votes that are legally entitled to be cast by the issued and outstanding shares of the class of voting securities, both as adjusted by § 225.9 of this part.