PROVIDENT FINANCIAL HOLDINGS INC

The following is a brief description of certain laws and regulations which are applicable to the Corporation and the Bank. The description of these laws and regulations, as well as descriptions of laws and regulations contained elsewhere herein, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable laws and regulations. Legislation is introduced from time to time in the United States Congress (“Congress”) that may affect the Corporation’s and the Bank’s operations. In addition, the regulations governing the Corporation and the Bank may be amended from time to time by the OCC, FDIC, FRB and SEC, as appropriate. Any such legislation or regulatory changes in the future could adversely affect the operations and financial condition of the Corporation and the Bank. The Bank cannot predict whether any such changes may occur.

General

The Bank, as a federally chartered savings institution, is subject to extensive regulation, examination and supervision by the OCC, as its primary federal regulator, and the FDIC, as its insurer of deposits. The Bank's relationship with its depositors and borrowers is regulated by federal consumer protection laws, which must be complied with by the Bank. The Bank is a member of the FHLB System and its deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the FDIC. The Bank must file reports with the OCC concerning its activities and financial condition in addition to obtaining regulatory approvals prior to entering into certain transactions such as mergers with, or acquisitions of, other financial institutions. There are periodic examinations by the OCC to evaluate the Bank’s safety and soundness and compliance with various regulatory requirements. This regulatory structure establishes a comprehensive framework of activities in which the Bank may engage and is intended primarily for the protection of the insurance fund and depositors. The regulatory structure also gives the regulatory authorities extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of adequate allowance for credit loss for regulatory purposes. Any change in such policies, whether by the OCC, the FRB, the FDIC or Congress, could have a material adverse impact on the Corporation and the Bank and their operations. The Corporation, as a savings and loan holding company, is required to file certain reports with, is subject to examination by, and otherwise must comply with the rules and regulations of the FRB, its primary regulator. The Corporation is also subject to the rules and regulations of the SEC under the federal securities laws. For additional information, see “Savings and Loan Holding Company Regulations” below in this Form 10-K.

Set forth below is a brief description of material regulatory requirements that are applicable to the Bank and the Corporation. The description is limited to certain material aspects of the statutes and regulations addressed, and is not intended to be a complete description of such statutes and regulations and their effects on the Bank and the Corporation.

Federal Regulation of Savings Institutions

**Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.**The OCC has extensive authority over the operations of federal savings institutions. As part of this authority, the Bank is required to file periodic reports with the OCC and is subject to periodic examinations by the OCC. The OCC also has extensive enforcement authority over all federal savings institutions, including the Bank. This enforcement authority includes, among other things, the ability to assess civil money penalties, issue cease-and-desist or removal orders and initiate prompt corrective action orders. In general, these enforcement actions may be initiated for violations of laws and regulations and unsafe or unsound practices. Other actions or inactions may provide the basis for enforcement action, including misleading or untimely reports filed with the OCC. Except under certain circumstances, public disclosure of final enforcement actions by the OCC is required by law.

All federal savings institutions must pay assessments to the OCC, to fund the agency’s operations. The general assessments, paid on a semi-annual basis, are determined based on the savings institution’s total assets, including

consolidated subsidiaries. The Bank’s OCC annual assessments for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 were $179,000 and $198,000, respectively.

The Bank's general permissible lending limit for loans to one borrower is equal to the greater of $500,000 or 15% of unimpaired capital and surplus (except for loans fully secured by certain readily marketable collateral, in which case this limit is increased to 25% of unimpaired capital and surplus). The Bank’s limits on loans to one borrower or group of related borrowers at June 30, 2024 and 2023 were $20.1 million and $19.8 million, respectively. At June 30, 2024, the Bank’s largest lending relationship to a single borrower or group of borrowers consisted of four multi-family loans totaling $5.0 million, which were performing according to their original payment terms.

Effective July 1, 2019, the OCC issued a final rule implementing a section of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) which permits an eligible federal savings bank with assets of $20.0 billion or less as of December 31, 2017 to elect to operate with the business powers of a national bank, generally subject to the same limitations and restrictions, without converting to a national bank charter. A federal savings bank that makes the so-called “covered savings association” election must divest any activities or investments that are not permitted for a national bank. The Bank had not made such an election as of June 30, 2024.

**Federal Home Loan Bank System.**The Bank is a member of the FHLB – San Francisco, which is one of 11 regional FHLBs, each of which serves as a reserve or central bank for its members within its assigned region. The FHLB - San Francisco is funded primarily from proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the FHLB System. It makes loans or advances to members in accordance with policies and procedures, established by the Board of Directors of the FHLB, which are subject to the oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. All advances from the FHLB are required to be fully secured by sufficient collateral as determined by the FHLB - San Francisco. At June 30, 2024 and 2023, the Bank had $238.5 million and $235.0 million of outstanding advances, respectively, from the FHLB – San Francisco with a remaining available credit facility of $261.3 million and $287.9 million, respectively, based on 40% of total assets for both dates, which is limited to available collateral. For additional information, see “Business – Deposit Activities and Other Sources of Funds – Borrowings” above in this Form 10-K.

As a member of the FHLB - San Francisco, the Bank is required to purchase and maintain stock in the FHLB – San Francisco. At June 30, 2024 and 2023, the Bank held $9.6 million and $9.5 million of FHLB - San Francisco stock, respectively, which were in compliance with this membership requirement. During fiscal 2024 and 2023, the Bank was required to purchase $63,000 and $1.3 million of FHLB – San Francisco capital stock, respectively, and the Bank did not redeem any capital stock during both periods. In fiscal 2024 and 2023, the FHLB – San Francisco distributed cash dividends to the Bank totaling $793,000 and $556,000, respectively. There is no guarantee in the future that the FHLB – San Francisco will pay cash dividends or redeem excess capital stock held by its members.

Under federal law, the FHLB - San Francisco is required to contribute to low and moderately priced housing programs through direct loans or interest subsidies on advances targeted for community investment and low and moderate income housing projects. These contributions have in the past adversely affected the level of dividends paid by the FHLB - San Francisco and could continue to do so in the future. These contributions also could have an adverse effect on the value of FHLB - San Francisco stock in the future. A reduction in value of the Bank’s FHLB - San Francisco stock may result in a corresponding reduction in the Bank’s capital.

**Insurance of Accounts and Regulation by the FDIC.**The Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) of the FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per account owner as defined by the FDIC, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. As an insurer, the FDIC imposes deposit insurance premiums in the form of assessments to maintain the DIF and is authorized to conduct examinations of and to require reporting by FDIC insured institutions. On October 18, 2022, the FDIC adopted a final rule to increase its initial base insurance assessment rate schedules by two basis points to improve the likelihood that the reserve ratio of the DIF would be restored to at least 1.35% by September 30, 2028. The revised assessment rate schedules became effective January 1, 2023, with the first invoice payment date of June 30, 2023 for the assessment period of January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023. The Bank’s FDIC annual assessments for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 were $601,000 and $459,000, respectively.

Under the FDIC’s risk-based assessment system, institutions deemed less likely to fail pay lower assessments. Assessments for institutions of less than $10 billion in assets are based on financial measures and supervisory ratings derived from statistical modeling estimating the probability of an institution’s failure within three years.

The FDIC has authority to increase insurance assessments. Any significant increases would have an adverse effect on the operating expenses and results of operations of the Bank. We cannot predict what assessment rates will be in the future.

Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC. We do not know of any practice, condition or violation that may lead to termination of the Bank’s deposit insurance.

**Qualified Thrift Lender Test.**Like all savings institutions (subject to a narrow exception not applicable to the Bank), the Bank is required to meet a qualified thrift lender (“QTL”) test to avoid certain restrictions on its operations. This test requires a savings institution to have at least 65% of its total assets as defined by regulation, in qualified thrift investments on a monthly average for nine out of every 12 months on a rolling basis. As an alternative, a savings institution may maintain 60% of its assets in those assets specified in Section 7701(a)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (“Code”), as amended. Under either test, such assets primarily consist of residential housing related loans and investments.

Any savings institution that fails to meet the QTL test is subject to certain operating restrictions and may be required to convert to a national bank charter, and a savings and loan holding company of such an institution may become regulated as a bank holding company. As of June 30, 2024 and 2023, the Bank maintained 92.3% and 92.1% of its portfolio assets in qualified thrift investments, respectively, and therefore, met the qualified thrift lender test at both dates. During fiscal 2024 and 2023, the Bank was in compliance with the QTL test as of each month end.

Capital Requirements. Federally insured savings institutions, such as the Bank, are required by the OCC to maintain minimum levels of regulatory capital, including a Tier 1 capital to adjusted average assets leverage ratio, a common equity Tier 1 (“CET1”) to risk-based assets ratio, a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio and a total capital to risk-based assets ratio. The capital standards require the maintenance of the following minimum capital ratios: (i) a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 4%, (ii) a CET1 capital ratio of 4.5%; (iii) a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6%; and (iv) a total capital ratio of 8%.

Mortgage servicing assets and deferred tax assets over designated percentages of CET1 are also deducted from capital. In addition, Tier 1 capital includes accumulated other comprehensive income, which includes all unrealized gains and losses on available for sale debt securities and interest-only strips. Because of the Bank’s asset size, the Bank was given a one-time option to permanently opt-out of the inclusion of unrealized gains and losses on available for sale debt securities and interest-only strips in its capital calculations. The Bank elected to exercise this option to opt-out in order to reduce the impact of market volatility on its regulatory capital levels.

The Bank also must maintain a capital conservation buffer consisting of additional CET1 capital greater than 2.5% of risk-weighted assets above the required minimum risk-based capital levels in order to avoid limitations on paying dividends, engaging in share repurchases, and paying discretionary bonuses. If the Bank does not have the ability to pay dividends to the Corporation, the Corporation may be limited in its ability to pay dividends to its stockholders.

In order to be considered well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action regulations, the Bank must maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage capital ratio of 5%, a CET1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.5%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% and the Bank must not be subject to certain mandates by the OCC requiring it as an individual institution to meet any specified capital level.

EGRRCPA required the federal banking agencies, including the OCC, to establish a “community bank leverage ratio” of between 8% and 10% for institutions with assets of less than $10.0 billion. Institutions with a capital level at or exceeding the ratio and otherwise meeting the specified requirements, and electing the alternative framework, are considered to comply with the applicable regulatory capital requirements, including the risk-based requirements. Final rules issued by the agencies established the community bank leverage ratio at 9% of Tier 1 capital to adjusted average assets, effective January 1, 2020. A qualifying institution may opt in or out of the community bank leverage ratio framework on its quarterly Call Report. An institution that temporarily ceases to meet any qualifying criteria is provided with a two quarter grace

period to regain compliance. Failure to meet the qualifying criteria within the grace period or maintain a leverage ratio of 8% or greater requires the institution to comply with the generally applicable regulatory capital requirements. The Corporation did not opt in to the community bank leverage ratio framework for the year ended June 30, 2024.

The FASB has issued a new accounting standard, ASC 326, for U.S. GAAP that was adopted by the Corporation on July 1, 2023. This standard, referred to as Current Expected Credit Loss or CECL requires all entities holding leases that are not accounted for at fair value to recognize credit losses expected over the life of certain financial assets. CECL covers a broader range of assets than the previous method of recognizing credit losses and generally results in earlier recognition of credit losses. Upon adoption of CECL, a banking organization must record a one-time adjustment to its credit loss allowances as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of credit loss allowances under the current methodology and the amount required under CECL. For a banking organization, implementation of CECL is generally likely to reduce retained earnings, and to affect other items, in a manner that reduces its regulatory capital. The federal banking regulators (the FRB, the OCC and the FDIC) have adopted a rule that gives a banking organization the option to phase in over a three-year period the day-one adverse effects of CECL on its regulatory capital. The Bank elected to recognize the full $824,000 adjustment to retained earnings resulting from the adoption of CECL on July 1, 2023, instead of over the permitted three-year phase-in option.

**Prompt Corrective Action.**An institution is considered adequately capitalized if it meets the minimum capital ratios described above. The OCC is required to take certain supervisory actions against undercapitalized savings institutions, the severity of which depends upon the institution's degree of undercapitalization. Subject to a narrow exception, the OCC is required to appoint a receiver or conservator for a savings institution that is "critically undercapitalized." OCC regulations also require that a capital restoration plan be filed with the OCC within 45 days of the date a savings institution receives notice that it is "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized" or "critically undercapitalized." Numerous mandatory supervisory actions become immediately applicable to an undercapitalized institution, including, but not limited to, increased monitoring by regulators and restrictions on growth, capital distributions and expansion. In addition, “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized” institutions are subject to even more extensive mandatory regulatory actions. The OCC also may take any one of a number of discretionary supervisory actions, including the issuance of a capital directive and the replacement of senior executive officers and directors.

As of June 30, 2024, the most recent notification from the OCC categorized the Bank as “well capitalized” under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. See Note 9 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

**Limitations on Capital Distributions.**OCC regulations impose various restrictions on savings institutions and on their ability to make distributions of capital, which include dividends, stock redemptions or repurchases, cash-out mergers and other transactions charged to the capital account. Generally, savings institutions, such as the Bank, that before and after the proposed distribution are well-capitalized, may make capital distributions during any calendar year up to 100% of net income for the year-to-date plus retained net income for the two preceding years, without regulatory approval. However, an institution deemed to be in need of more than normal supervision or in troubled condition by the OCC may have its dividend authority restricted by the OCC. If the Bank, however, proposes to make a capital distribution when it does not meet its capital requirements (or will not following the proposed capital distribution) or that will exceed these net income-based limitations, it must obtain the OCC's approval prior to making such distribution. In addition, the Bank must file a prior written notice of a dividend with the FRB. The FRB or the OCC may object to a capital distribution based on safety and soundness concerns. Further restrictions on Bank’s dividends may apply if the Bank fails the QTL test. In addition, as noted above, if the Bank does not have the required capital conservation buffer, its ability to pay dividends to the Corporation will be limited, which may limit the ability of the Corporation to pay dividends to its stockholders.

**Activities of Savings Associations and Their Subsidiaries.**When a savings institution establishes or acquires a subsidiary or elects to conduct any new activity through a subsidiary that the savings institution controls, the savings institution must file a notice or application with the OCC and in certain circumstances with the FDIC and receive regulatory approval or non-objection. Savings institutions also must conduct the activities of subsidiaries in accordance with existing regulations and orders. With respect to subsidiaries generally, the OCC may determine that investment by a savings institution in, or the activities of, a subsidiary must be restricted or eliminated based on safety and soundness or legal reasons.

Transactions with Affiliates. The Bank’s authority to engage in transactions with “affiliates” is limited by Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act as implemented by the FRB’s Regulation W. The term “affiliates” for these purposes generally mean any company that controls or is under common control with an institution except subsidiaries of the institution. The Corporation and its non-savings institution subsidiaries are affiliates of the Bank. In general, transactions with affiliates must be on terms that are as favorable to the institution as comparable transactions with non-affiliates. In addition, certain types of transactions are restricted to an aggregate percentage of the institution’s capital. Institutions are prohibited from lending to any affiliate that is engaged in activities that are not permissible for bank holding companies and no savings institution may purchase the securities of any affiliate other than a subsidiary. FDIC-insured institutions are subject, with certain exceptions, to certain restrictions on extensions of credit to their parent holding companies or other affiliates, on investments in the stock or other securities of affiliates and on the taking of such stock or securities as collateral from any borrower. Collateral in specified amounts must be provided by affiliates in order to receive loans from an institution. In addition, these institutions are prohibited from engaging in certain tying arrangements in connection with any extension of credit or the providing of any property or service.

**Community Reinvestment Act.**Under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (“CRA”), every FDIC-insured institution has a continuing and affirmative obligation consistent with safe and sound banking practices to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. The CRA requires that the OCC assess the Bank's record in meeting the credit needs of the communities it serves, especially low and moderate income neighborhoods. While CRA modernization is underway and scheduled for implementation by 2026, the current evaluation system focuses on three tests: (1) a lending test, to evaluate the institution's record of making loans in its assessment areas; (2) an investment test, to evaluate the institution's record of investing in community development projects, affordable housing and programs benefiting low or moderate income individuals and businesses; and (3) a service test, to evaluate the institution's delivery of banking services through its branches, ATM centers and other offices. Institutions are assigned a rating of "outstanding," "satisfactory," "needs to improve," or "substantial non-compliance." The Bank received a rating of satisfactory when it was last examined for CRA compliance.

On October 24, 2023, the federal banking agencies, including the OCC, issued a final rule designed to strengthen and modernize regulations implementing the CRA. The changes are designed to encourage banks to expand access to credit, investment and banking services in low- and moderate-income communities, adapt to changes in the banking industry including mobile and internet banking, provide greater clarity and consistency in the application of the CRA regulations and tailor CRA evaluations and data collection to bank size and type. The applicability date for the majority of the provisions in the CRA regulations is January 1, 2026, and additional requirements will be applicable on January 1, 2027. The Bank cannot predict the impact the changes to the CRA will have on its operations at this time.

**Anti-Money Laundering and Customer Identification.**The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA Patriot Act) was signed into law on October 26, 2001. The USA Patriot Act and the Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions to develop programs to prevent financial institutions from being used for money laundering and terrorist activities. If such activities are detected, financial institutions are obligated to file suspicious activity reports with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. These rules require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of customers seeking to open new financial accounts, and, effective in 2018, the beneficial owners of accounts. Bank regulators are directed to consider a holding company’s effectiveness in combating money laundering when reviewing mergers and acquisitions.

**Regulatory and Criminal Enforcement Provisions.**The OCC has primary enforcement responsibility over federally chartered savings institutions and has the authority to bring action against all “institution-affiliated parties,” including stockholders, attorneys, appraisers and accountants who knowingly or recklessly participate in wrongful action likely to have an adverse effect on an insured institution. Formal enforcement action may range from the issuance of a capital directive or cease-and-desist order to removal of officers or directors, receivership, conservatorship or termination of deposit insurance. Civil penalties cover a wide range of violations and can be nearly $2.0 million per day per violation in especially egregious cases. The FDIC has the authority to recommend to the OCC that enforcement action be taken with respect to a particular savings institution. If the OCC does not take action, the FDIC has authority to take such action under certain circumstances. Federal law also establishes criminal penalties for certain violations.

Standards for Safety and Soundness. As required by statute, the federal banking agencies have adopted interagency guidelines prescribing standards for safety and soundness. The guidelines set forth the safety and soundness standards that the federal banking agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions before capital becomes impaired. If the OCC determines that a savings institution fails to meet any standard prescribed by the guidelines, the OCC may require the institution to submit an acceptable plan to achieve compliance with the standard.

Federal Reserve System. The FRB requires that all depository institutions maintain reserves on transaction accounts or non-personal time deposits. These reserves may be in the form of cash or noninterest-bearing deposits with the regional FRB. Interest-bearing checking accounts and other types of accounts that permit payments or transfers to third parties fall within the definition of transaction accounts and are subject to Regulation D reserve requirements, as are any non-personal time deposits at a bank. Effective March 26, 2020, the FRB reduced reserve requirement ratios to 0%, which eliminated reserve requirements for all depository institutions.

**Environmental Issues Associated with Real Estate Lending.**The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), is a federal statute, that generally imposes strict liability on all prior and present "owners and operators" of sites containing hazardous waste. However, Congress acted to protect secured creditors by providing that the term "owner and operator" excludes a person whose ownership is limited to protecting its security interest in the site. Since the enactment of the CERCLA, this “secured creditor exemption” has been the subject of judicial interpretations which have left open the possibility that lenders could be liable for cleanup costs on contaminated property that they hold as collateral for a loan.

To the extent that legal uncertainty exists in this area, all creditors, including the Bank, that have made loans secured by properties with potentially hazardous waste contamination (such as petroleum contamination) could be subject to liability for cleanup costs, which often substantially exceed the value of the collateral property.

Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulations. Federal regulations generally require that the Bank disclose its privacy policy, including identifying with whom it shares a customer’s “non-public personal information,” to customers at the time of establishing the customer relationship and annually thereafter. In addition, the Bank is required to provide its customers with the ability to “opt-out” of having their personal information shared with unaffiliated third parties and not to disclose account numbers or access codes to non-affiliated third parties for marketing purposes. In addition, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the "CCPA"), which became effective on January 1, 2020, gives California residents the right to request disclosure of information collected about them, and whether that information has been sold or shared with others, the right to request deletion of personal information (subject to certain exceptions), the right to opt out of the sale of personal information, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights. The CCPA also created a private right of action with statutory damages for data security breaches, thereby increasing potential liability associated with a data breach, which has triggered a number of class actions against other companies since January 1, 2020. Although the Bank may enjoy several fairly broad exemptions from the CCPA's privacy requirements, those exemptions do not extend to the private right of action for a data security breach. The CCPA, including any amendments thereto or final regulations implemented thereunder, as well as other similar state data privacy laws and regulations, may require the establishment by the Bank of certain regulatory compliance and risk management controls. In addition, on November 18, 2021, the federal banking agencies announced the adoption of a final rule providing for new notification requirements for banking organizations and their service providers for significant cybersecurity incidents. Specifically, the new rule requires a banking organization to notify its primary federal regulator as soon as possible, and no later than 36 hours after, the banking organization determines that a “computer-security incident” rising to the level of a “notification incident” has occurred. Notification is required for incidents that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the viability of a banking organization’s operations, its ability to deliver banking products and services, or the stability of the financial sector. Service providers are required under the rule to notify affected banking organization customers as soon as possible when the provider determines that it has experienced a computer-security incident that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect the banking organization’s customers for four or more hours. Compliance with the new rule was required by May 1, 2022.

In July 2023, the SEC adopted rules requiring registrants to disclose material cybersecurity incidents they experience and to disclose on an annual basis material information regarding their cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance. The new rules require registrants to disclose on Form 8-K any cybersecurity incident they determine to be material and to describe the material aspects of the incident's nature, scope, and timing, as well as its material impact or

reasonably likely material impact on the registrant. The Corporation provided disclosures on its cybersecurity risk management and governance on this Form 10-K for fiscal years ended June 20, 2024 (See Part I, Item 1C - Cybersecurity).

Non-compliance with federal or similar state privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations could lead to substantial regulatory imposed fines and penalties, damages from private causes of action and/or reputational harm. The Bank currently has a privacy protection policy in place and believes that such policy is in compliance with the regulations.

**Other Consumer Protection Laws and Regulations.**The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) exercises broad regulatory, supervisory and enforcement authority with respect to both new and existing consumer financial protection laws. The Bank is subject to consumer protection regulations issued by the CFPB, but as a financial institution with assets of less than $10.0 billion in assets, the Bank is generally subject to supervision and enforcement by the OCC with respect to compliance with consumer financial protection laws and CFPB regulations.

The Bank is subject to a broad array of federal and state consumer protection laws and regulations that govern almost every aspect of its business relationships with consumers. While not exhaustive, these laws and regulations include the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, the Consumer Leasing Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, the Homeowners Protection Act, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, laws governing flood insurance, laws governing consumer protections in connection with the sale of insurance, federal and state laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive business practices and various regulations that implement some or all of the foregoing. These laws and regulations mandate certain disclosure requirements and regulate the manner in which financial institutions must deal with customers when taking deposits, making loans, collecting loans and providing other services. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can subject the Bank to various penalties, including but not limited to, enforcement actions, injunctions, fines, civil liability, criminal penalties, punitive damages and the loss of certain contractual rights.

Savings and Loan Holding Company Regulation

**General.**The Corporation is a unitary savings and loan holding company, subject to the regulatory oversight of the FRB. Accordingly, the Corporation is required to register and file reports with the FRB and is subject to regulation and examination by the FRB. In addition, the FRB has enforcement authority over the Corporation and its non-savings institution subsidiaries, which also permits the FRB to restrict or prohibit activities that are determined to present a serious risk to the Bank. The FRB has promulgated regulations implementing the “source of strength” doctrine that require holding companies, including savings and loan holding companies, to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to their subsidiary depository institutions by providing capital, liquidity and other support in times of financial stress. These and other FRB policies, as well as the capital conservation buffer may restrict the Corporation’s ability to pay dividends.

**Capital Requirements.**For a savings and loan holding company with less than $3.0 billion in consolidated assets that qualifies as a small bank holding company under the FRB’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, such as the Corporation, the capital regulations apply to its savings institution subsidiaries, but not the Corporation, unless the FRB determines otherwise in particular cases. For a description of the capital regulations, see “Federal Regulation of Savings Institutions - Capital Requirements” above.

**Activities Restrictions.**The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (“GLBA”) provides that no company may acquire control of a savings association after May 4, 1999 unless it engages only in the financial activities permitted for financial holding companies under the law or for multiple savings and loan holding companies. The GLBA also specifies, subject to a grandfather provision, that existing savings and loan holding companies may only engage in such activities. The Corporation qualifies for the grandfathering and is therefore not restricted in terms of its activities. Upon any non-supervisory acquisition by the Corporation of another savings association as a separate subsidiary, the Corporation would become a multiple savings and loan holding company and would be limited to those activities permitted by FRB regulation. Multiple savings and loan holding companies may engage in activities permitted for financial holding companies, and certain other activities including acting as a trustee under a deed of trust and real estate investments.

If the Bank were to fail the QTL test, the Corporation must, within one year of that failure, register as, and become subject to the restrictions applicable to bank holding companies. For additional information, see “Federal Regulation of Savings Institutions – Qualified Thrift Lender Test” in this Form 10-K.

**Mergers and Acquisitions.**The Corporation must obtain approval from the FRB before acquiring more than 5% of the voting stock of another savings institution or savings and loan holding company or acquiring such an institution or holding company by merger, consolidation or purchase of its assets. In evaluating an application for the Corporation to acquire control of a savings institution, the FRB would consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the Corporation and the target institution, the effect of the acquisition on the risk to the DIF, the convenience and the needs of the community, including performance under the CRA and competitive factors.

The FRB may not approve 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) supervisory acquisitions 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.

**Acquisition of the Corporation.**Any company, except a bank holding company, that acquires control of a savings association or savings and loan holding company becomes a “savings and loan holding company” subject to registration, examination and regulation by the FRB and must obtain the prior approval of the FRB under the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act before obtaining control of a savings association or savings and loan holding company. A bank holding company must obtain the prior approval of the FRB under the Bank Holding Company Act before obtaining control or more than 5% of a class of voting stock of a savings association or savings and loan holding company and remains subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act. The term “company” includes corporations, partnerships, associations, and certain trusts and other entities. “Control” of a savings association or savings and loan holding company is deemed to exist if a company has voting control, directly or indirectly of more than 25% of any class of the savings association’s voting stock or controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the savings association or savings and loan holding company, and may be presumed under other circumstances, including, but not limited to, holding in certain cases 10% or more of a class of voting securities. Control may be direct or indirect and may occur through acting in concert with one or more other persons. In addition, a savings and loan holding company must obtain FRB approval prior to acquiring voting control of more than 5% of any class of voting stock of another savings association or another savings association holding company. A similar provision limiting the acquisition by a bank holding company of 5% or more of a class of voting stock of any company is included in the Bank Holding Company Act.

Accordingly, the prior approval of the FRB would be required:

In addition, persons that are not companies are subject to the same or similar definitions of control with respect to savings and loan holding companies and savings associations and requirements for prior regulatory approval by the FRB in the case of control of a savings and loan holding company or by the OCC in the case of control of a savings association not obtained through control of a holding company of such savings association.

**Federal Securities Laws.**Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.’s common stock is registered with the SEC under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”). The Corporation is subject to information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements under the Exchange Act.

**Dividends and Stock Repurchases.**The FRB’s policy statement on the payment of cash dividends applicable to savings and loan holding companies expresses its view that a savings and loan holding company must maintain an adequate capital position and generally should not pay cash dividends unless the company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to fully fund the cash dividends and that the prospective rate of earnings appears consistent with the company’s capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition. The FRB policy statement also indicates that it would be inappropriate for a company experiencing serious financial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends.

In addition, a savings and loan holding company is required to give the FRB prior written notice of any purchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for the purchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such purchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, is equal to 10% or more of its consolidated net worth. The FRB may disapprove such a purchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, FRB order or any condition imposed by, or written agreement with, the FRB. As discussed above, the capital conservation buffer requirements may also limit or preclude dividends payable by the Corporation.