OCC Amends Rules Governing Annual Stress Testing Under Dodd-Frank

On February 23, 2018, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC“) announced a final rule that revised the OCC’s annual stress test regulation.  Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act“), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Board“) is required to conduct annual stress tests of holding companies with $50 billion or more in assets.  The OCC’s final rule (i) extends the range of possible “as-of” dates used in the global market shock component of the annual stress test to conform to changes made by the Board and (ii) provides additional time for bank holding companies that cross the $50-billion-in-assets threshold in the fourth quarter of a calendar year to prepare for the stress testing requirements.  Under the final rule, a bank holding company that crosses the $50 billion threshold in the fourth quarter of a calendar year will not be subject to the stress testing requirements until the third year after it crosses such threshold. Release.