GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES INC
S-1, 1997-09-23
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   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 1997
                          Registration No. 333-
                                               --------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-1
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            ------------------------

                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                        ---------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

  Delaware                            6035                     Applied For
- ----------------------------    -----------------           ------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Primary SIC No.)            (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or                                         Identification No.)
organization)

                1341 W. Battlefield, Springfield, Missouri 65807
                                 (417) 889-2494
                            ------------------------
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
              including area code, of principal executive offices)

                             Mr. James E. Haseltine
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                        Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
                1341 W. Battlefield, Springfield, Missouri 65807
                                 (417) 889-2494
                            ------------------------
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                  Please send copies of all communications to:
                             Charles E. Sloane, Esq.
                             Gregory J. Rubis, Esq.
                              Jean A. Milner, Esq.
                      MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.
           1301 K Street, N.W., Suite 700 East, Washington, D.C. 20005

                  APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED
                SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as practicable after
                 this registration statement becomes effective.

         If any of the  securities  being  registered  on  this  Form  are to be
offered  on a  delayed  or  continuous  basis  pursuant  to Rule 415  under  the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"),  check the following
box [X]

         If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

         If this  Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed  pursuant  to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities
Act  registration   statement  number  of  the  earlier  effective  registration
statement for the same offering. [ ]

         If this  Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed  pursuant  to Rule
462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration number of the earlier effective  registration statement for the
same offering. [ ]

         If the delivery of the  prospectus  is expected to be made  pursuant to
Rule 434, please check the following box.[ ]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Title of Each                          Amount           Proposed Maximum          Proposed Maximum             Amount of
       Class of Securities                       to be             Offering Price          Aggregate Offering       Registration Fee
       To Be Registered                       Registered             Per Share                   Price
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                            <C>                     <C>                       <C>                    <C>       
Common Stock, $0.10 par value per share        6,221,522               $10.00                    $62,215,220            $18,853.10
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         The registrant hereby amends this  registration  statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its  effective  date until the  registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically  states that this registration
statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the Securities Act or until the registration statement shall become effective on
such  date  as the  Commission,  acting  pursuant  to  said  Section  8(a),  may
determine.

<PAGE>

                        Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
          (Proposed Holding Company for Guaranty Federal Savings Bank)
[LOGO]    Up to 5,410,019 Shares of Common Stock (Anticipated Maximum)


         Guaranty  Federal   Bancshares,   Inc.  (the  "Company"),   a  Delaware
corporation,  is offering up to 5,410,019  shares  (which may be increased up to
6,221,522  shares under  certain  circumstances  described  below) of its common
stock,  par value $0.10 per share (the "Common  Stock"),  in connection with (i)
the  Offerings  and (ii) the  Exchange  to be effected  in  connection  with the
reorganization  of Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank  ("Guaranty  Federal" or the
"Bank") as a  subsidiary  of the Company as  described  herein.  All  references
herein to price or number of shares of the  common  stock of the Bank are stated
giving retroactive effect to the exercise of stock options. References herein to
the Bank or Guaranty Federal refer to Guaranty Federal Savings Bank either prior
to  the   Conversion  and   Reorganization   or  following  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  as the context may indicate.  See "Glossary" for an explanation
of certain capitalized terms.

         FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO SUBSCRIBE FOR COMMON STOCK, PLEASE
CALL THE STOCK CENTER AT (417) ____________.

      For a discussion of certain factors that should be considered by each
         prospective investor, see "Risk Factors" beginning on page __.

                       ----------------------------------

  THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
   EXCHANGE COMMISSION, THE OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL
    AGENCY OR STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, NOR HAS SUCH COMMISSION, OFFICE OR
      OTHER AGENCY PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
            ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

      THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY ARE NOT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS OR
          DEPOSITS AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
                   CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===================================================================================================================================
                                          Minimum                 Midpoint                 Maximum               Adjusted
                                                                                                                 Maximum(4)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>                     <C>                      <C>                   <C>   
Price Per Share .......................   $10.00                  $10.00                   $10.00                $10.00
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Shares (1)...................   2,805,000               3,300,000                3,795,000             4,364,250
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Underwriting Fees, Commissions            $915,000                $915,000                 $915,000              $915,000
  and Expenses (2).....................   ($0.33 per share)       ($0.28 per share)        ($0.24 per share)     ($0.21 per share)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          $27,135,000             $32,085,000              $37,035,000           $42,727,500
Net proceeds to Company (3)............   ($9.67 per share)       ($9.72 per share)        ($9.76 per share)     ($9.79 per share)
===================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      Based upon the minimum,  midpoint, maximum and 15% above the maximum of
         the Offering  Range,  respectively.  Does not include  shares of Common
         Stock issued to Public Stockholders in the Exchange.
(2)      Consists of the estimated  costs to the Primary  Parties to be incurred
         in  connection  with the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  of $915,000,
         including  marketing  fees  and  expenses  of  $200,000  to be  paid to
         Friedman,  Billings,  Ramsey & Co., Inc. ("FBR") in connection with the
         Offerings.   See  "The   Conversion   and   Reorganization   -Marketing
         Arrangements." The actual fees and expenses may vary substantially from
         the estimates. See "Pro Forma Data." The fees paid to FBR may be deemed
         to be underwriting fees.
(3)      Actual net  proceeds  may vary  substantially  from  estimated  amounts
         depending  on the  number of  shares  sold in the  Offerings  and other
         factors.  Does not give  effect to  purchases  of shares of  Conversion
         Stock by the ESOP,  which initially will be deducted from the Company's
         stockholders'   equity.   For  the  effects  of  such  purchases,   see
         "Capitalization" and "Pro Forma Data."
(4)      Gives  effect to an increase in the number of shares  which could occur
         without a  resolicitation  of subscribers or any right of  cancellation
         due to an increase in the Offering Range of up to 15% above the maximum
         of the  Offering  Range to  reflect  changes  in market  and  financial
         conditions  following  commencement of the Offerings or to fill in part
         or in whole  the  stock  order of the  ESOP.  See "The  Conversion  and
         Reorganization - Stock Pricing and Number of Shares To Be Issued."

                     FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.
               The date of this Prospectus is _________ ___, 1997
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     SUMMARY

         This summary highlights  selected  information from this Prospectus and
may not contain all the information  that is important to you. To understand the
stock  offering  fully,  you  should  read  carefully  this  entire  Prospectus,
including  the   consolidated   financial   statements  and  the  notes  to  the
consolidated financial statements of Guaranty Federal Savings Bank.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                             <C>
Common Stock to be Outstanding After the
Offerings and Exchange.......................................   3,998,709 to 5,410,019 shares (1)

Common Stock Offered in the Offerings
("Conversion Stock").........................................   2,805,000 to 3,795,000 shares (2)

Common Stock to be Received in Exchange......................   1,193,709 to 1,615,019 shares (3)

Number of Shares of Bank to be Exchanged.....................   972,365 shares

Shares of Bank to be Canceled................................   2,152,635 shares

Exchange Ratio...............................................   From 1.2276 to 1.6609 for each Public Bank
                                                                Share (4)

Use of Proceeds..............................................   Purchase of all of the capital stock of the
                                                                Bank, and for general corporate purposes.

Dividends....................................................   Expected annual rate of $0.30 per share to
                                                                be paid semi-annually.

Nasdaq National Market Symbol................................   GFED

Issuer.......................................................   Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

Selling Agent................................................   Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.

Issue Price..................................................   $10.00

Offering Period..............................................   The subscription offering will terminate at
                                                                __________ on December  _____, 1997 and
                                                                the public stockholders' offering and
                                                                community offering will terminate no later
                                                                than January _____ 1998.

Purchase and Ownership Limitations...........................   $250,000 of Common Stock (including
                                                                Exchange Shares) except for the ESOP.
</TABLE>
- --------------------
(1)      Represents the minimum and maximum of the Total Valuation Range. At the
         maximum,  as adjusted,  of the Total Valuation Range,  6,221,522 shares
         would be outstanding.
(2)      Represents  the  minimum  and  maximum of the  Offering  Range.  At the
         maximum, as adjusted, of the Offering Range,  4,364,250 shares would be
         offered.  Excludes  shares of Common Stock to be issued in exchange for
         Public Bank Shares.
(3)      Represents the minimum and maximum of the Total Valuation Range. At the
         maximum,  as adjusted,  of the total Valuation Range,  1,857,272 shares
         could be received in exchange of existing Bank Common Stock.
(4)      Represents the minimum and maximum of the Total Valuation Range. At the
         maximum, as adjusted, of the Total Valuation Range, 1.9101 shares would
         be exchanged.

                                        1

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Companies

                        Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
                               1341 W. Battlefield
                           Springfield, Missouri 65807
                                 (417) 889-2494

         Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  Inc. is not an operating company and has
not engaged in any significant business to date. It was formed in September 1997
as a  Delaware-chartered  corporation  to be the holding  company  for  Guaranty
Federal  Savings  Bank.  The holding  company  structure  will  provide  greater
flexibility  in terms of  operations,  expansion and  diversification.  See page
_____.

                          Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
                               1341 W. Battlefield
                           Springfield, Missouri 65807
                                 (417) 889-2494

         Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank is a community  and  customer  oriented
federal  savings bank.  The Bank  provides  financial  services to  individuals,
families and small businesses. Historically, the Bank has emphasized residential
mortgage lending,  primarily originating one- to four-family mortgage loans. See
pages _____ to _____.

                       Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
                               1341 W. Battlefield
                           Springfield, Missouri 65807
                                 (417) 889-2494

         Guaranty Federal Bancshares,  M.H.C. (the "Mutual Holding Company") was
formed  in April  1995 as part of the  Bank's  reorganization  into  the  mutual
holding company  structure.  The Mutual Holding Company owns 68.9% of the Bank's
issued and outstanding shares. See page _____.

Stock Purchases

         The  shares  of  Conversion  Stock  will be  offered  on the  basis  of
priorities.  The shares  will be offered  first in a  Subscription  Offering  to
depositor and borrower  members.  Any remaining  shares will be offered first to
public stockholders of the Bank in a Public  Stockholders'  Offering and then to
certain members of the general public in a Community Offering.  See pages ______
to _____.

Subscription Rights

         Subscription  rights may neither be sold nor assigned.  Any transfer of
subscription rights is prohibited by law.

The Exchange

         The  following  table sets  forth,  based upon the  minimum,  midpoint,
maximum and 15% above the maximum of the Offering Range, the following:  (i) the
total number of shares of Common  Stock and Exchange  Shares to be issued in the
Conversion and Reorganization, (ii) the percentage of the total

                                        2

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock represented by the Common Stock and the Exchange Shares,  and (iii)
the  Exchange  Ratio.  The table  assumes  that there is no cash paid in lieu of
issuing fractional Exchange Shares.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               Conversion Stock to            Exchange Shares to        
                                   be Issued(1)                  be Issued(1)              Total Shares of      
                             ----------------------        ---------------------            Common Stock         Exchange
                              Amount        Percent         Amount       Percent       to be Outstanding(1)      Ratio(1)
                              ------        -------         ------       -------       --------------------      --------

<S>                          <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>                 <C>                   <C>   
Minimum.................     2,805,000      70.15%         1,193,709     29.85%              3,998,709             1.2276

Midpoint................     3,300,000      70.15          1,404,364     29.85               4,704,364             1.4443

Maximum.................     3,795,000      70.15          1,615,019     29.85               5,410,019             1.6609

15% above maximum.......     4,364,250      70.15          1,857,272     29.85               6,221,522             1.9101

</TABLE>

- -----------------
(1)      Assumes  that  exercisable  options to purchase  14,383  shares of Bank
         Common Stock at June 30, 1997 are not exercised  prior to  consummation
         of the Conversion and Reorganization. Assuming that all of such options
         are exercised prior to such consummation,  the percentages  represented
         by the Conversion  Stock and the Exchange Shares would amount to 69.84%
         and  30.16%,  respectively,  and the  Exchange  Ratio  would  amount to
         1.2222, 1.4379, 1.6536, and 1.9016, at the minimum,  midpoint,  maximum
         and 15% above the maximum of the Offering Range, respectively.


Procedure for Purchasing Shares in the Offerings.

         To help ensure that each  purchaser  receives a Prospectus  at least 48
hours before the Expiration  Date in accordance with Rule 15c2-8 of the Exchange
Act, no Prospectus will be mailed any later than five days prior to such date or
hand  delivered  any later than two days prior to such  date.  Execution  of the
order form will confirm receipt or delivery of the Prospectus in accordance with
Rule 15c2-8. Order forms will only be distributed with a Prospectus.

         To purchase  Conversion Stock in the Offerings,  an executed order form
with the required  payment for each share  subscribed  for, or with  appropriate
authorization  for withdrawal  from a deposit  account at the Bank (which may be
given by completing the appropriate  blanks on the order form), must be received
by the  Bank  at any of  its  offices  by  12:00  p.m.,  Missouri  Time,  on the
Expiration Date. Order forms which are not received by such time or are executed
defectively  or are received  without full  payment (or  appropriate  withdrawal
instructions)  are not  required to be accepted.  In addition,  the Bank may not
accept orders  submitted or photocopied or telecopied  order forms.  The Primary
Parties  have the right to waive or  permit  the  correction  of  incomplete  or
improperly executed forms, but do not represent that they will do so. The waiver
of an  irregularity  on an order form, the allowance by the Primary Parties of a
correction of an incomplete or improperly executed order form, or the acceptance
of an order after  12:00 p.m. on the  Expiration  Date in no way  obligates  the
Primary Parties to waive an irregularity, allow a correction, or accept an order
with respect to any other order form. The  interpretation by the Primary Parties
of the acceptability of an order form will be final. Once received,  an executed
order form may not be modified,  amended or rescinded without the consent of the
Primary  Parties,  unless the Offerings have not been  completed  within 45 days
after the end of the Subscription, Public Stockholders, and Community Offerings,
unless such period has been extended.

         In order to ensure that Eligible Account Holders, Supplemental Eligible
Account  Holders and Other  Members are  properly  identified  as to their stock
purchase  priority,  depositors  as of the close of business on the  Eligibility
Record Date  (December  31, 1995) or the  Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date
(September 30, 1997) or the voting record date (___________,  1997) must list on
the order form all

                                        3

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

accounts in which they have an ownership interest at the applicable  eligibility
date, giving all names in each account and the account numbers.

         Payment  for  subscriptions  and  orders  may be  made  (i) in  cash if
delivered  in person at any office of the Bank,  (ii) by check or money order or
(iii) by authorization  of withdrawal from deposit accounts  maintained with the
Bank.  The  Primary  Parties  also may elect to  receive  payment  for shares of
Conversion  Stock by wired  funds,  but are not required to do so. Funds will be
deposited in a segregated account at the Bank and interest will be paid on funds
made by cash,  check or money order at the Bank's passbook rate of interest from
the date payment is received  until  completion or termination of the Conversion
and  Reorganization.  If payment is made by  authorization  of  withdrawal  from
certificate  accounts,  the funds authorized to be withdrawn from a Bank deposit
account  will  continue  to  accrue  interest  at the  contractual  rates  until
completion or termination of the Conversion and Reorganization,  but a hold will
be placed on such funds,  thereby making them unavailable to the depositor until
completion or termination of the Conversion and Reorganization.

         If a subscriber authorizes the Bank to withdraw the aggregate amount of
the  purchase  price  from a  deposit  account,  the  Bank  will do so as of the
effective  date of the Conversion  and  Reorganization.  The Bank will waive any
applicable  penalties for early  withdrawal from  certificate  accounts.  If the
remaining  balance in a  certificate  account is  reduced  below the  applicable
minimum balance  requirement at the time that the funds actually are transferred
under the  authorization,  the  certificate  will be canceled at the time of the
withdrawal,  without penalty,  and the remaining balance will be returned to the
subscriber.

         The ESOP will not be required to pay for the shares  subscribed  for at
the time it subscribes,  but rather may pay for such shares of Conversion  Stock
subscribed for upon  consummation  of the  Offerings,  provided that there is in
force from the time of its subscription  until such time, a loan commitment from
an unrelated  financial  institution or the Company to lend to the ESOP, at such
time, the aggregate purchase price of the shares for which it has subscribed.

         A  depositor  interested  in using  his or her IRA  funds  to  purchase
Conversion Stock must do so through a self-directed IRA. Since the Bank does not
offer such  accounts,  it will allow a  depositor  to make a  trustee-to-trustee
transfer of the IRA funds to a trustee offering a self-directed IRA program with
the agreement that such funds will be used to purchase the  Conversion  Stock in
the Offerings.  There will be no early withdrawal or IRS interest  penalties for
such  transfers.   The  new  trustee  would  hold  the  Conversion  Stock  in  a
self-directed  account in the same manner as the Bank now holds the  depositor's
IRA funds.  An annual  administrative  fee may be  payable  to the new  trustee.
Depositors  interested in using funds in a Bank IRA to purchase Conversion Stock
should contact the Stock Center as soon as possible so that the necessary  forms
may be forwarded for execution and returned prior to the Expiration Date.

                                        4

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Structure of the Conversion and  Reorganization.  The following diagram
outlines  the  organizational  structure  of the  Primary  Parties  prior to the
adoption of the Plan and their ownership interests:


- -----------------------------------------  -------------------------------------
|                                       |  |                                   |
|   Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. |  |  Holders of Public Bank Stock     |
|                                       |  |                                   |
- -----------------------------------------  -------------------------------------
                      |                                          |
                      |  68.88%                          31.12%  |
                      |                                          |
                      --------------------------------------------
                      |                                          |
                      |       Guaranty Federal Savings Bank      |
                      |                                          |
                      --------------------------------------------





         In order to complete  the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  (i) Mutual
Holding  Company  (following its conversion to an interim  federal stock savings
bank ("Interim  A")) will merge with and into the Bank,  with the Bank surviving
the merger (ii) the Company will form a subsidiary interim federal stock savings
bank  ("Interim  B") and  Interim  B will  merge  with the  Bank,  with the Bank
surviving  the merger,  resulting  in the Bank as a  subsidiary  of the Company,
pursuant to which the Public Bank Shares will be converted into Exchange Shares,
and (iii) the Company will offer Common Stock.

         The  following  diagram  reflects  the  organizational   structure  and
ownership  interests  (after  adjustment  to give effect to the market  value of
assets  held  by  the  Mutual   Holding   Company)   after  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization and assumes that there are no fractional shares and does not give
effect to purchases of Common  Stock by Public  Stockholders  or the exercise of
outstanding stock options.

- -------------------------------------  -----------------------------------------
|                                   |  |                                       |
|  Purchasers of Conversion Stock   |  |  Former Holders of Public Bank Stock  |
|                                   |  |                                       |
- -------------------------------------  -----------------------------------------
                 |                                        |
                 |  70.15%                        29.85%  |
                 |                                        |
                 ------------------------------------------
                 |                                        |
                 |    Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.   |
                 |                                        |
                 ------------------------------------------
                                      |
                                      |  100%
                                      |
                 -------------------------------------------
                 |                                         |
                 |      Guaranty Federal Savings Bank      |
                 |                                         |
                 -------------------------------------------

         For further information see "The Conversion and Reorganization."

                                        5

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Benefits to Management from the Conversion and Reorganization

         Employees  of  the  Bank  will   participate   in  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  through  individual  stock  purchases and stock purchases by the
employee stock ownership plan,  which is a form of retirement  plan. The Company
intends to implement a restricted  stock plan and a stock option plan  following
completion of the conversion, which may benefit the President and other officers
and directors.  However, the restricted stock plan and stock option plan may not
be adopted until after the conversion  and are subject to  stockholder  approval
and  compliance  with OTS  regulations.  Officers and  directors  may be granted
common stock under a restricted stock plan without payment of cash.

Risks in Owning Common Stock

         Before you decide to purchase  stock in the  offering,  you should read
the Risk Factors section on pages _____ - _____ of this Prospectus.

                                        6

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

         The  following  tables  include  certain  information   concerning  the
financial  position of the Bank (including  consolidated data from operations of
subsidiaries) as of the dates indicated.  Certain amounts have been reclassified
to  conform  to the  current  presentation.  Dollar  amounts  are  expressed  in
thousands  except per share data. This  information is derived in part from, and
should be read in conjunction  with, the Consolidated  Financial  Statements and
Notes thereto of the Bank presented elsewhere in this Prospectus.

Selected Consolidated Financial Condition Data

         The  following  table sets forth  certain  information  concerning  the
financial position of the Bank at the dates indicated:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                      As of June 30,
                                                             -------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    1997       1996        1995      1994        1993
                                                             ---------------------------------------------- --------------
<S>                                                              <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>          <C>     
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents....................................    $  3,817   $  2,675    $  4,350   $  3,569     $ 11,012
Investment securities........................................      11,946     17,708      24,118     28,899       22,753
Mortgage-backed securities...................................      15,814     20,067      13,855     14,138       24,101
Loans receivable, net........................................     158,135    135,029     119,842    105,265       96,142
Accrued interest receivable..................................       1,312      1,381       1,274      1,124        1,066
Prepaid and other assets.....................................       1,964      1,913       1,802      2,675           60
Foreclosed assets............................................         210          2         656        805          936
Premises and equipment.......................................       6,267      6,392       4,987      2,375        2,241
                                                                  -------    -------     -------    -------      -------
         Total assets........................................    $199,465   $185,167    $170,884   $158,850     $158,311
                                                                  =======    =======     =======    =======      =======

LIABILITIES
Deposits.....................................................    $151,246   $157,008    $139,595  $ 141,017     $142,529
Federal Home Loan Bank advances..............................      18,151         --       4,000         --           --
Other liabilities............................................       2,578      1,573       1,245      1,271        1,265
                                                                  -------    -------     -------    -------      -------
         Total liabilities...................................     171,975    158,581     144,840    142,288      143,794
                                                                  -------    -------     -------    -------      -------
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock.................................................       3,125      3,125       3,125         --(1)       --(1)
Additional paid-in capital...................................       3,687      3,556       3,900         --(1)       --(1)
Retained earnings............................................      18,620     18,646      17,892     16,562       14,517
                                                                  -------    -------     -------    -------      -------
                                                                   25,432     25,327      24,917     16,562       14,517
Unrealized appreciation on available-for-sale securities, net       2,058      1,259       1,127         --           --
                                                                  -------    -------     -------  ---------      -------
         Total stockholders' equity..........................      27,490     26,586      26,044     16,562       14,517
                                                                  -------    -------     -------    -------      -------
         Total liabilities and stockholders' equity..........    $199,465   $185,167    $170,884   $158,850     $158,311
                                                                  =======    =======     =======    =======      =======

</TABLE>

- ---------------
(1)  The Bank had no common stock or capital  prior to its  conversion  from the
     mutual to stock form in April 1995.

                                        7

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Selected Operating Data

         The following  table  summarizes  the Bank's  results of operations for
each of the periods indicated:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Years Ended June 30,
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         1997        1996        1995         1994          1993
                                                 ---------------   --------    --------     --------      --------

<S>                                                  <C>          <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>    
Interest income..................................      $14,711      $13,702     $11,637      $10,858      $11,480
Interest expense.................................        8,310        8,239       6,595        5,924        6,657
                                                        ------       ------      ------       ------       ------
Net interest income..............................        6,401        5,463       5,042        4,934        4,823
Provision (credit) for loan losses...............           --       (1,212)         16           14          (98)
                                                      --------       ------      ------       ------      -------
Net interest income after provision
  (credit) for loan losses.......................        6,401        6,675       5,026        4,920        4,921
Noninterest income (loss)........................          530          221          71         (50)          269
Noninterest expense (1)..........................        5,105        4,117       3,077        2,815        2,514
                                                        ------       ------      ------       ------       ------
Income before income taxes.......................        1,826        2,779       2,020        2,055        2,676
Provision for income taxes.......................          664        1,026         690          637          815
                                                       -------       ------    --------       ------          ---
Income before change in accounting principle.....        1,162        1,753       1,330        1,418        1,861
Change in accounting principle...................           --           --          --          628           --
                                                      --------     --------   ---------       ------     --------
Net income.......................................      $ 1,162      $ 1,753     $ 1,330      $ 2,046      $ 1,861
                                                        ======       ======      ======       ======       ======
Earnings per common share .......................     $   0.37     $   0.56     $  0.10(2)       -- (3)       -- (3)
                                                       =======      =======      ======      =======      =======
Shares used to calculate earnings per share......    3,149,062    3,125,933   3,125,000          -- (3)       -- (3)

</TABLE>


- -------------------------
(1)  For 1997,  includes a $932,000 special assessment for the  recapitalization
     of the SAIF.
(2)  Consists of earnings  following  the  conversion of the Bank from mutual to
     stock form on April 7, 1995 through June 30, 1995.
(3)  The Bank had no common  shares prior to its  conversion  from the mutual to
     stock form in April 1995. 

                                        8

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Key Operating Ratios and Other Data

     The table below sets forth certain performance ratios and other data of the
Bank for the periods indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           At or For the Year Ended June 30,
                                                                                ----------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 1997       1996        1995       1994       1993
                                                                                 ----       ----        ----       ----       ----
<S>                                                                           <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>         <C>  
Performance Ratios:
Return on average assets (net earnings divided by average total assets) (1)..    0.61%      0.96%       0.81%      0.89%      1.19%
Return on average equity (net earnings divided by average equity) (1)........    4.34       6.61        6.67       9.12      13.70
Net interest rate spread.....................................................    2.87       2.48        2.71       2.86       2.96
Net interest margin (net interest income as a percentage 
  of average interest-earning assets)........................................    3.53       3.13        3.19       3.18       3.24
Net interest income to average assets........................................    3.37       2.99        3.08       3.07       3.09
Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities......  114.16     113.80      111.57     108.53     106.78
Noninterest expense/average assets...........................................    2.69       2.25        1.88       1.75       1.61
Efficiency ratio(2)..........................................................   73.65      72.43       60.18      57.64      49.37
Quality Ratios:
Non-performing loans to total loans (3)......................................    0.74       0.27        1.47       1.92       2.25
Non-performing assets to total assets........................................    0.74       0.21        1.51       2.02       2.09
Allowance for loan losses to total loans (3).................................    1.27       1.45        1.34       1.48       1.64
Capital Ratios:
Average equity to average assets ratio (average equity divided by average 
  total assets)..............................................................   14.10      14.49       12.16       9.96       8.75
Equity to assets at period end...............................................   13.78      14.36       15.24      10.43       9.17
Number of:
Mortgage loans serviced......................................................   2,476      2,280       2,211      2,120      1,988
Non-mortgage loans serviced..................................................     566        315         127        106        112
Deposit accounts.............................................................  17,223     15,039      13,477     13,284     13,349
Offices (all full service)...................................................       4          4           3          3          3
Per Share Data(4)(5):
Book value per share.........................................................  $ 8.80     $ 8.51    $   8.33        N/A        N/A
Earnings per share...........................................................    0.37       0.56        0.10        N/A        N/A
Dividends declared per share.................................................    0.38       0.32         N/A        N/A        N/A
Dividend  payout ratio  (dividends  declared per share
  divided by net income per share)(6)........................................  102.70      57.14         N/A        N/A        N/A

</TABLE>
- -----------------
(1)  For 1997, had the $932,000 special assessment for the  recapitalization  of
     the SAIF not been  incurred,  the return on average  assets would have been
     0.92% and the return on average equity would have been 6.42%.
(2)  Noninterest expense to sum of net interest income and noninterest income.
(3)  Total loans exclude mortgage/asset-backed securities.
(4)  Based on outstanding shares at period end.
(5)  The Bank had no common stock or capital  prior to its  conversion  from the
     mutual to stock form in April 1995.
(6)  Includes  dividends  received  by the Mutual  Holding  Company.  Represents
     dividends declared divided by net income.

                                        9

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS

         Before  investing  in  shares  of  the  Common  Stock  offered  hereby,
prospective  investors should carefully  consider the matters presented below in
addition to those discussed elsewhere in this Prospectus.

Intent to Remain Independent; Unsuitability as Short-Term Investment

         The  directors  and  executive  officers  of the  Company  and the Bank
believe  that it is in the best  interests  of the  Bank,  the  Company  and the
Company's shareholders for the Company and the Bank to remain independent,  with
the objective of long-term  enhancement of shareholder  value.  Accordingly,  an
investment  in the Common Stock of the Company may not be suitable for investors
who are seeking short-term returns through a sale of the Company.

Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions

         Certain  provisions of the Company's  certificate of incorporation  and
bylaws,  as  well  as  certain  federal  regulations,   assist  the  Company  in
maintaining its status as an independent publicly owned corporation and serve to
render a hostile takeover more difficult.  These  provisions  provide for, among
other things,  limits on voting  rights,  supermajority  voting,  authorized but
unissued  shares of common and preferred  stock,  staggered terms for members of
the  board of  directors,  noncumulative  voting  for  directors,  limits on the
calling of special meetings,  and restrictions on certain business combinations.
In  particular,   the  Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  provides  that
beneficial owners of more than 10% of the Company's outstanding common stock may
not vote the shares  owned in excess of the 10% limit,  and for a period of five
years from the completion of the Conversion  and  Reorganization,  no person may
directly or indirectly  offer to acquire or acquire the beneficial  ownership of
more than 10% of any class of an equity  security of the Company.  The impact of
these  provisions on the submission of a proxy on behalf of a beneficial  holder
of more than 10% of the Common  Stock is to  disregard  for voting  purposes and
require divestiture of the amount of stock held in excess of 10% (if within five
years of the Conversion and Reorganization  more than 10% of the Common Stock is
beneficially  owned by a person).  Unless the grantor of a revocable proxy is an
affiliate or an associate of a 10% holder or there is an arrangement, agreement,
or understanding  with such 10% holder,  these provisions would not restrict (1)
the ability of a 10% holder of revocable  proxies to exercise  revocable proxies
for which the 10% holder is  neither a  beneficial  nor record  owner or (2) the
ability of a  beneficial  owner of less than 10% of the Common  Stock to solicit
revocable proxies during a public proxy solicitation for a particular meeting of
stockholders  and vote such proxies.  However,  these  provisions may discourage
potential proxy contests.  Additional restrictions apply after the completion of
the Conversion and Reorganization.

         Furthermore,  the Bank intends to enter into employment agreements with
nine  members  of  management  of the Bank  whereby  such  individuals  would be
entitled to lump sum  compensation  in the event of  termination  of  employment
following a change-in-control  of the Bank or the Company.  Assuming there was a
change-in-control on June 30, 1997, and the agreements were triggered, the eight
individuals  would be entitled to aggregate  compensation of approximately  $1.2
million.  See  "Management  of the Bank - Executive  Compensation  -  Employment
Agreements."

         Despite the belief of the Bank and the Company that such  anti-takeover
provisions  benefit  stockholders  of the Company,  such provisions may have the
effect of discouraging a future  takeover  attempt not approved by the Company's
Board of Directors,  pursuant to which  stockholders might receive a substantial
premium  for  their  shares  over  then-current  market  prices.  As  a  result,
stockholders who

                                       10

<PAGE>



might desire to participate in such a transaction might not have any opportunity
to do so. Such provisions will also render the removal of the Company's Board of
Directors and management more difficult and, therefore,  may serve to perpetuate
current  management.  The  Boards  of  Directors  of the Bank  and the  Company,
however,  have  concluded  that the  potential  benefits  outweigh  the possible
disadvantages,  because they believe that such  provisions  encourage  potential
acquirors  to negotiate  directly  with the Boards of  Directors.  The Boards of
Directors  believe  that they are in the best  position  to act on behalf of all
stockholders.  Further, the Board of Directors of the Company has the ability to
waive  certain   restrictions  on   acquisition,   provided  that  the  proposed
acquisition is approved by a majority of the disinterested  members of the Board
of Directors. See "Certain Restrictions on Acquisition of the Company."

Construction Lending Risks

         Prompted  by demand  for new  residential  housing  units in its market
area, the Bank has been an active originator of residential  construction loans,
predominantly  speculative loans to approximately 48 local residential builders.
Residential  construction  loans  constituted  $25,149,000 or 14.71% of the loan
portfolio at June 30, 1997.  Subject to market  conditions,  the Bank intends to
continue originating residential construction loans.

         Construction lending generally involves greater credit risk than one-to
four-family  mortgage  lending.  Construction  loans  generally have higher loan
balances than one-to four-family mortgage loans. In addition,  the potential for
cost overruns  because of the inherent  difficulties in estimating  construction
costs  and,  therefore,   collateral  values  and  the  difficulties  and  costs
associated with monitoring construction progress,  among other things, are major
contributing factors to this greater credit risk. Speculative construction loans
have the added risk that there is not an identified buyer for the completed home
when the loan is originated, with the risk that the builder will have to service
the construction loan debt and finance the other carrying costs of the completed
home for an extended time period until a buyer is identified.  Furthermore,  the
demand for construction  loans and the ability of construction loan borrowers to
service  their  debt  depends  on the state of the  local  economy,  and  market
interest  rate  levels.  A material  downturn  in economic  conditions  would be
expected  to  have a  material  adverse  effect  on the  credit  quality  of the
construction loan portfolio,  and may require management to establish additional
provisions  for loan losses,  which would have a material  adverse effect on net
income. See "Business of the Bank - Lending Activities - Construction Loans."

Potential Impact of Changes in Interest Rates

         The Bank's  profitability  is  dependent to a large extent upon its net
interest  income,  which  is the  difference  between  its  interest  income  on
interest-earning  assets,  primarily  loans  and  securities,  and its  interest
expense on interest-bearing liabilities, primarily deposits and other borrowings
(the interest  rate spread).  The Bank's loans and  investments  generally  have
longer  effective  maturities  than its  deposits.  As a  result,  the  yield on
interest-earning  assets will  adjust to changes in  interest  rates at a slower
rate than the cost of the Bank's interest-bearing liabilities. During periods of
increasing  interest  rates,  net  interest  income is  likely to be  negatively
affected  because  the  Bank's  interest  rate  sensitive  liabilities  would be
expected to reprice  faster than its interest rate sensitive  assets,  causing a
decline in the Bank's interest rate spread and margin. This would result from an
increase in the Bank's cost of funds that would not be immediately  offset by an
increase in its yield on loans and investments. An increase in the cost of funds
without an  equivalent  increase  in the yield on funds would tend to reduce net
interest  income.  In times of falling  interest rates,  the lag in repricing of
interest rate sensitive assets could be expected to

                                       11

<PAGE>



have the opposite effect on the Bank. However, falling interest rates may result
in the  refinancing  by  customers  of  loans  at  lower  interest  rates or the
investment of funds by the Bank at lower interest  rates,  either of which would
reduce the interest  rate spread and margin of the Bank and,  therefore,  reduce
net interest  income.  For  additional  discussion of interest rate risk and the
Bank's  management  of its  interest-bearing  liabilities  and  interest-earning
assets,  see  "Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition and
Results of Operations - Management Strategy" and "- Asset/Liability Management."
As discussed  under  "Business of the Bank," more than 87% of the mortgage  loan
portfolio  consists of  adjustable  rate loans due more than one year after June
30, 1997,  and more than 53% of the  mortgage-backed  securities  portfolio  are
secured by adjustable rate loans.

Decreased  Return on Average  Equity and Increased  Expenses  Immediately  After
Conversion and Reorganization

         Return on average  equity (net income  divided by average  equity) is a
ratio used by many investors to compare the performance of a savings institution
to its peers.  As a result of the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Company's
equity will increase  substantially.  The Company's  expenses also will increase
because  of the  costs  associated  with  the  employee  stock  ownership  plan,
restricted  stock  ownership  plan,  and the  costs of  being a public  company.
Because of the increases in equity and  expenses,  return on equity may decrease
as compared to performance  in previous  years.  Initially,  the Company and the
Bank intend to invest the net proceeds in short term investments which generally
have lower yields than residential  mortgage loans. For the years ended June 30,
1997 and  1996,  return  on  average  equity  was 4.3%  (6.4%  without  the SAIF
assessment)  and 6.6%,  respectively.  A lower return on equity could reduce the
trading price the Company's shares. See "Use of Proceeds."

Possible Dilutive Effect of Issuance of Additional Shares

         Various possible and planned issuances of common stock could dilute the
interests of prospective stockholders of the Company or existing stockholders of
the Bank who will become  stockholders of the Company following  consummation of
the Conversion and Reorganization, as noted below.

         The number of shares to be sold in the  Conversion  and  Reorganization
may be  increased  to up to  4,364,250  shares as a result of an increase in the
Offering  Range  of up to  15%  to  reflect  changes  in  market  and  financial
conditions  following the commencement of the Offerings,  or to fill in whole or
in part the stock  order of the ESOP.  An  increase in the number of shares will
decrease  net  income  per  share  and  stockholders'   equity  per  share.  See
"Capitalization" and "Pro Forma Data."

         The ESOP intends to purchase 8% of the Conversion Stock to be issued in
the  Offerings  (excluding  exchanged  shares).  In the  event  that  there  are
insufficient   shares   available   to  fill  the   ESOP's   order   due  to  an
oversubscription by Eligible Account Holders,  and the ESOP is unable to fulfill
its  subscription  through the use of its first  priority with respect to Common
Stock sold above the  maximum  of the  Offering  Range,  the  Company  may issue
authorized but unissued  shares of common stock to the ESOP after the conclusion
of the  Offerings in an amount  sufficient  to fill the ESOP's order or the ESOP
may purchase shares in the open market.  In the event that additional  shares of
Common  Stock  are  issued  to the ESOP to fill its  order,  stockholders  would
experience  dilution of their  ownership  interests  by 5.3%,  assuming the ESOP
purchased no shares in the Offerings) and per share stockholders' equity and per
share net income  would  decrease  as a result of an  increase  in the number of
outstanding  shares  of  Common  Stock.  See  "Management  of the Bank - Certain
Benefits - Employee Stock Ownership Plan"

                                       12

<PAGE>



and "The Conversion and Reorganization - The Offerings - Subscription Offering -
ESOP (Second Priority)."

         The 1998 RSP intends to acquire an amount of common stock equal to 4.0%
of the shares of Conversion Stock issued in the Offerings. Such shares of common
stock may be acquired in the open market with funds provided by the Company,  if
permissible,  or from  authorized  but unissued  shares of Common Stock.  In the
event  that  additional  shares  of  common  stock  are  issued to the 1998 RSP,
resulting  in a 2.8% overall  increase in  outstanding  shares of common  stock,
stockholders would experience  dilution of their ownership interests by 2.7% and
per share stockholders' equity and per share net income would decrease. See "Pro
Forma Data" and "Management of the Company - Proposed Future Stock Benefit Plans
- - 1998 Management Recognition Plan."

         The Company intends to reserve for future issuance pursuant to the 1998
Option Plan a number of authorized  shares of common stock equal to an aggregate
of 10% of the Conversion Stock issued in the Offerings (330,000 shares, based on
the midpoint of the Offering  Range).  In the event that such shares are issued,
resulting  in a 7.0% overall  increase in  outstanding  shares of common  stock,
stockholders would experience  dilution of their ownership interests by 6.6% and
per share stockholders' equity and per share net income would decrease. See "Pro
Forma Data" and "Management of the Company - Proposed Future Stock Benefit Plans
- - 1998 Stock Option Plan."

         The Bank  previously  adopted and  maintains the 1994 Stock Option Plan
("1994 Option Plan"),  which reserved for issuance  97,237 shares of Bank Common
Stock.  As of June 30,  1997,  no  shares  had been  issued  as a result  of the
exercise of options granted under the 1994 Option Plan. Upon consummation of the
Conversion and  Reorganization,  this plan will become a plan of the Company and
common stock of the Company will be issued in lieu of Bank Common Stock pursuant
to the terms of such plans.  Assuming an  exchange  ratio of 1.4443,  the 97,237
unexercised  options  under  the  1994  Option  Plan at June 30,  1997  would be
converted  into  options  to  purchase  140,439  shares  of  common  stock.  See
"Management of the Bank - Certain Benefits -1994 Stock Option Plan."

Voting Power of Directors and Executive Officers

         Directors and  executive  officers of the Company,  who currently  hold
135,205 shares (including  unexercised stock options) or 4.3% of the outstanding
Bank Common Stock,  expect to hold  approximately  5.5% to 5.1% of the shares of
common stock outstanding upon consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization
(based upon the  exchange  of Bank Common  Stock and  anticipated  purchases  of
Conversion  Stock  at  the  minimum  and  the  maximum  of the  Offering  Range,
respectively).  See "Beneficial  Ownership of Capital Stock." Executive officers
of the Company,  as well as other eligible  employees of the Company,  also will
hold shares of common stock which are allocated to the accounts  established for
them  pursuant to the ESOP.  The ESOP  intends to purchase 8% of the  Conversion
Stock to be issued in the Offerings (264,000 shares based on the midpoint of the
Offering Range).  Under the terms of the ESOP,  shares of common stock that have
not yet been allocated to the accounts of employee  participants in the ESOP, or
for  which no  voting  instructions  have  been  received,  will be voted by the
trustees of the ESOP,  who are directors of the Company in  accordance  with the
direction of the ESOP Committee.

         The Bank's 1994  Recognition  and Retention Plan and Trust ("1994 RRP")
purchased  38,895  shares  of Bank  Common  Stock  in  connection  with  the MHC
Reorganization.  In addition,  subject to  stockholder  approval  following  the
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, the Company

                                       13

<PAGE>



expects to acquire  common stock on behalf of the 1998 RSP, a non-tax  qualified
restricted stock plan, in an amount equal to 4.0% of the Conversion Stock issued
in the Offerings  (132,000 shares based on the midpoint of the Offering  Range).
Under the terms of the 1994 RRP and 1998 RSP,  directors and executive  officers
are  allocated  shares of common stock over which they have voting power and the
trustees  of such  plan,  who also  are  directors  of the  Company,  will  have
authority  to vote all  shares  held by such plan that have not been  earned and
distributed,  as directed by the  trustees of the plan.  Subject to  stockholder
approval,  the Company also intends to reserve for future  issuance  pursuant to
the 1998 Option Plan a number of  authorized  shares of common stock equal to an
aggregate  of 10% of the  Conversion  Stock  issued  in the  Offerings  (330,000
shares,  based on the  midpoint of the  Offering  Range).  These  options are in
addition  to the  unexercised  options for 97,237  shares of Bank  Common  Stock
previously  granted  under the 1994  Option  Plan at June 30,  1997  adopted  in
connection  with  the MHC  Reorganization.  See  "Management  of the  Company  -
Proposed  Future  Stock  Benefit  Plans" and  "Management  of the Bank - Certain
Benefits."

         Management's  potential  voting power could,  together with  additional
stockholder support,  preclude or make more difficult takeover attempts which do
not  have the  support  of the  Company's  Board  of  Directors  and may tend to
perpetuate existing  management.  Moreover,  such voting control will enable the
Company's  Board of Directors and management to block  approval of  transactions
requiring  the  approval  of  80%  of  the  stockholders.   See  "Comparison  of
Stockholders'  Rights  -  Amendment  of  Governing   Instruments"  and  "Certain
Restrictions on Acquisition of the Company.

Competition

         The Bank  faces  significant  competition  both in making  loans and in
attracting  deposits.  The State of  Missouri  has a high  density of  financial
institutions, several of which are branches of significantly larger institutions
that have greater financial  resources than the Bank. All of these  institutions
are competitors of the Bank to varying degrees  including large commercial banks
and thrift  institutions with headquarters  outside of Missouri that have branch
offices in the market area. The Bank's  competition for loans comes  principally
from other savings institutions, credit unions, regional bank and thrift holding
companies and commercial  banks located in its primary market area.  Significant
competition for the Bank's other deposit  products and services comes from money
market mutual funds,  brokerage  firms,  and  insurance  companies.  The primary
factors in competing for loans are interest rates and loan  origination fees and
the range of services offered by various financial institutions. Competition for
origination of real estate loans normally comes from other savings institutions,
commercial banks, mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers and insurance companies.

         The Bank's primary competition consists of financial  institutions with
offices  located  near the  Bank's  branch  offices  and  includes  five  thrift
institutions and 17 commercial banks and 12 credit unions.
See "Business of the Bank - Competition."

Geographic Concentration

         The primary  market area of the Bank is Greene County,  Missouri.  As a
result,  economic  conditions  in this one county can  significantly  impact the
deposit and loan  activities  of the Bank.  Although  this area is  economically
diversified,  an  economic  downturn  in this area could  negatively  impact the
operations of the Bank. See "Business of the Bank - Market Area."


                                       14

<PAGE>



Expected Increase in the Provision for Loan Losses

         The Bank recorded no provisions  for loan losses during the 1997 fiscal
year and recorded a $1,211,502  credit to the provision for the 1996 fiscal year
due to net recoveries of amounts  previously charged to income. As a result, net
income reported  during recent years by the Bank has been favorably  impacted by
the nonrecurring  credit and the lack of provisions.  Provisions for loan losses
reduce net income and credits increase net income.

         It is expected that provisions for loan losses will be taken within the
next year if the past growth in the loan  portfolio  continues or if  conditions
otherwise  necessitate  additional  provisions.  These expected  provisions will
negatively  impact net income.  See  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis of
Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operations  -  Results  of  Operation  -
Comparison of Years Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996 - Provision for Loan Losses."

Possible Delay in Completing the Offerings

         The Bank intends to end the Offerings on _________________ and complete
the Conversion and Reorganization before _____________.  However, certain events
are beyond the control of the Primary  Parties,  including,  among other things,
market conditions, subscriber interest, an update of the appraisal after the end
of the  Offerings,  the results of meetings of  stockholders  and members of the
Bank and Mutual  Holding  Company,  and regulatory  review and approval.  If the
Offerings are extended  beyond  _____________,  completion of the Conversion and
Reorganization will be delayed.  See "The Conversion - Required  Approvals." The
Offerings may not extend beyond ___________  without the approval of the OTS and
the OTS may  require a  resolicitation  of  subscribers  if the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  cannot be  completed  before  __________________.  Solely in the
event of a resolicitation, subscribers will have the right to confirm, increase,
decrease,  or rescind  their  subscription  and the failure of a  subscriber  to
provide  an   affirmative   response  will  result  in  the  rescission  of  the
subscription  and the prompt return of funds,  including  interest at the Bank's
passbook rate, following the end of the resolicitation period.

         Subscribers  should be aware that  payment for shares,  whether made by
check, money order, or authorization for withdrawal from accounts  maintained at
the  Bank,  will be  unavailable  to the  subscriber  until  the  Offerings  are
completed or terminated.

Regulatory Oversight and Proposed Legislation

         The  Bank  is  subject  to  extensive  regulation,   supervision,   and
examination  by  the  OTS  as  its  chartering  authority  and  primary  federal
regulator,  and by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC"), which
insures  its  deposits  up to  applicable  limits.  The Bank is a member  of the
Federal Home Loan Bank  ("FHLB") of Des Moines.  As the savings and loan holding
company of the Bank,  the Company is also subject to regulation and oversight by
the OTS. Such  regulation  and  supervision  governs the  activities in which an
institution can engage and is intended  primarily for the protection of the FDIC
insurance  fund  and  depositors.   Regulatory  authorities  have  been  granted
extensive  discretion  in  connection  with their  supervisory  and  enforcement
activities. See "Regulation."

         A bill has been  passed  by the  House  Banking  Committee  that  would
consolidate the OTS with the Office of the  Comptroller of the Currency  ("OCC")
and eliminate the federal thrift charter. All federal thrifts, such as the Bank,
would be forced to convert to  national  banks,  state  banks or state  thrifts.
Under current law and  regulations,  a unitary savings and loan holding company,
such as the Company,

                                       15

<PAGE>



which has only one thrift  subsidiary  that meets the  qualified  thrift  lender
("QTL") test, such as the Bank, has essentially  unlimited investment authority.
See "Regulation - Company Regulation." Legislation has also been proposed which,
if enacted,  would limit the non-banking  related  activities of the savings and
loan holding company to those activities permitted for bank holding companies.

Lack of IRS Private Letter Ruling

         The IRS has  placed  transactions  which  involve  certain  "downstream
mergers"  (such  as  the  merger  of  the  Mutual  Holding  Company,  after  the
Conversion, into the Bank) into a "no rule" area. However, the Bank has obtained
a  tax  opinion  from  counsel,  which  supports  the  tax-free  nature  of  the
transaction,  but is not binding upon the IRS.  Management  does not believe the
fact that the IRS has placed this  transaction into a "no rule" area will result
in  the  IRS  treating  the  Conversion  and  the   Reorganization   as  taxable
transactions.  If the IRS determines that the tax effects of the transaction are
to be treated  differently  from that  presented in the tax opinion,  the Mutual
Holding   Company,   Bank  and  stockholders  may  be  subject  to  adverse  tax
consequences as a result of the Conversion and Reorganization.

Possible  Adverse Income Tax  Consequences  of the  Distribution of Subscription
Rights

         The  Primary  Parties  have  received an opinion of RP  Financial  that
subscription rights granted to Eligible Account Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible
Account Holders, and Other Members have no value.  However,  this opinion is not
binding on the IRS.  If the  subscription  rights  granted are deemed to have an
ascertainable value, receipt of such rights likely would be taxable in an amount
equal to such value (as capital gain or ordinary  income) only to those Eligible
Account  Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders or Other Members who
exercise the subscription rights.  Whether subscription rights are considered to
have  ascertainable  value  is an  inherently  factual  determination.  See "The
Conversion and  Reorganization  - Effects of the Conversion and  Reorganization"
and "- Tax Aspects."

Possible Year 2000 Computer Program Problems

         A great  deal of  information  has been  disseminated  about the global
computer crash that may occur in the year 2000. Many computer  programs that can
only distinguish the final two digits of the year entered (a common  programming
practice in earlier years) are expected to read entries for the year 2000 as the
year 1900 and compute payment,  interest or delinquency  based on the wrong date
or are expected to be unable to compute payment, interest or delinquency.  Rapid
and accurate data  processing  is essential to the  operation of the Bank.  Data
processing is also essential to most other financial institutions and many other
companies.

         All of the material data  processing of the Bank that could be affected
by this problem is provided by a third party service bureau.  The service bureau
of the Bank has  advised  the Bank that it  expects to  resolve  this  potential
problem  before  the year  2000.  However,  if the  service  bureau is unable to
resolve  this  potential  problem  in time,  the Bank  would  likely  experience
significant data processing delays, mistakes or failures. These delays, mistakes
or failures could have a significant  adverse impact on the financial  condition
and results of operation of the Bank.



                                       16

<PAGE>



                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.

         The Company was  organized  in September  1997 at the  direction of the
Board of  Directors  of the Bank for the  purpose of holding  all of the capital
stock of the Bank and in order to facilitate the Conversion and  Reorganization.
The Company has applied for the approval of the OTS to become a savings and loan
holding  company  and as such will be subject to  regulation  by the OTS.  After
completion  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the Company  will  conduct
business  initially  as  a  unitary  savings  and  loan  holding  company.   See
"Regulation - Company  Regulation."  Upon  consummation  of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  the Company will have no significant  assets other than (i) all
of the  outstanding  shares  of stock of the Bank,  (ii)  notes  evidencing  the
Company's loans to the ESOP and to the Bank,  (iii) real estate (with a carrying
value of $1.2 million at June 30, 1997)  purchased by the Mutual Holding Company
and  partially  funded  with a loan from the Bank (the  Mutual  Holding  Company
expects  to repay  this  loan  prior to the  completion  of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization),  and (iv) the portion of the net  proceeds  from the  Offerings
retained by the Company,  and the Company will have no significant  liabilities.
See "Use of  Proceeds."  Initially,  the  management of the Company and the Bank
will be substantially similar, and the Company will use the premises,  equipment
and furniture of the Bank.  At the present time,  the Company does not intend to
employ any persons other than executive officers who are also executive officers
of the Bank,  and the Company  will  utilize the support  staff of the Bank from
time to time.  Additional  employees  will be hired as appropriate to the extent
the Company expands or changes its business in the future.

         Management believes that the holding company structure will provide the
Company with additional flexibility to diversify, should it decide to do so, its
business  activities through existing or newly formed  subsidiaries,  or through
acquisitions  of or mergers  with other  financial  institutions  and  financial
services  related  companies.   Although  there  are  no  current  arrangements,
understandings or agreements  regarding any such  opportunities or transactions,
the  Company  will be in a position  after the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,
subject to regulatory  limitations and the Company's financial position, to take
advantage of any such  acquisition and expansion  opportunities  that may arise.
The  initial  activities  of the  Company  are  anticipated  to be funded by the
proceeds  to be  retained  by the  Company  and  earnings  thereon,  as  well as
dividends from the Bank. See "Dividend Policy."

         The Company's  principal executive office is located at the home office
of the  Bank  at 1341  W.  Battlefield,  Springfield,  Missouri  65807,  and its
telephone number is (417) 889-2494.

                                    THE BANK

         Guaranty  Federal is a federally  chartered stock savings bank that was
formed as a result of the  reorganization  of Guaranty  Federal Savings and Loan
Association  of  Springfield  (the "Mutual  Association")  from a federal mutual
savings  association  into a federal mutual holding  company  structure in April
1995 (the "MHC  Reorganization").  The current name was obtained  during the MHC
Reorganization.  The  Bank  was  originally  chartered  in 1913 by the  State of
Missouri as Guaranty Savings and Loan Association. A federal charter was granted
to the  Mutual  Association  in 1935,  the same year that its  deposit  accounts
became federally insured and the Mutual  Association became a member of the FHLB
System.  The Bank's  deposits  are now  insured  by the FDIC  under the  Savings
Association Insurance Fund (the "SAIF"), and the Bank is regulated by the OTS.

         The principal business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from
the general  public and using such deposits to originate  mortgage loans secured
by one- to four-family residences and, to a lesser

                                       17

<PAGE>



extent, multi-family, construction and commercial real estate loans and consumer
and business loans.  The Bank also uses these funds to purchase loans secured by
one- to four-family residences,  mortgage-backed  securities,  US government and
agency obligations and other permissible  securities.  When cash outflows exceed
inflows,  the Bank uses borrowings as an additional  financing source.  Guaranty
Federal's  income is derived  largely from interest on  interest-earning  assets
such  as  loans,  mortgage-backed  securities  and  investments.  Its  principal
expenses are interest paid on deposits and  borrowings,  operating  expenses and
provisions for loan losses.

                       GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, M.H.C.

         The Mutual  Holding  Company is a federally  chartered  mutual  holding
company  that  was  chartered  in  April  1995,  in  connection   with  the  MHC
Reorganization. Pursuant to the MHC Reorganization, (i) the Bank was formed as a
new federal stock savings bank  subsidiary of the Mutual  Association,  (ii) the
Mutual  Association  transferred  substantially all of its assets and all of its
liabilities  to the Bank,  and (iii) the Mutual  Association  amended its mutual
savings  bank  charter  into a mutual  holding  company  charter and was renamed
Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.  Concurrently with the MHC Reorganization,
972,365  shares of the Bank Common Stock  representing  31.1% of the then issued
and  outstanding  shares of the Bank Common Stock were issued in a  subscription
and community  offering to certain  depositor  and borrower  members of Guaranty
Federal and certain  other  persons.  Each share of Bank Common Stock was issued
and sold at a price of $8.00 per share.  As of June 30, 1997, the Mutual Holding
Company owned 68.9%  (2,152,635  shares) of the  outstanding  Bank Common Stock,
which is the Mutual  Holding  Company's  primary  asset.  At June 30, 1997,  the
Mutual  Holding  Company's  other assets  included real property with a carrying
value of $1.2 million for which a $600,000  loan balance  existed with the Bank,
cash and cash  equivalents of $691,000,  and equity  securities in the amount of
$116,000.

         Pursuant  to  applicable  regulations,  the Mutual  Holding  Company is
required  to own at least a majority  of the Common  Stock,  and  therefore  the
Mutual  Holding  Company is able to elect the Board of Directors  and  otherwise
direct the  affairs of the Bank.  Voting  and  liquidation  rights in the Mutual
Holding  Company are held by the depositors  and certain  borrowers of the Bank.
Accordingly, the depositors and certain borrowers indirectly control the affairs
of the Bank as a result of their  authority to direct the Board of Directors and
otherwise  control the  affairs of the Mutual  Holding  Company.  As part of the
Reorganization,  the Mutual  Holding  Company  will convert from mutual to stock
form and  simultaneously  merge into the Bank, with the Bank being the surviving
entity.

                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

         Net proceeds from the sale of the Conversion  Stock are estimated to be
between  $27,135,000  and $37,035,000  ($42,727,500  assuming an increase in the
Offering  Range by 15%).  See "Pro  Forma  Data" as to the  assumptions  used to
arrive at such amounts.

         The Company  will use at least 50% of the net  proceeds to purchase all
of the capital  stock of the Bank and will use the balance of the net  proceeds,
less  the  amount  of the  loan  by the  Company  to the  ESOP,  as its  initial
capitalization. The net proceeds contributed to the Bank will become part of the
Bank's  general funds for use in its business,  through its current  activities,
subject to applicable regulatory  restrictions.  The portion of the net proceeds
retained  by the  Company  initially  may  be  used  to,  among  other  possible
investments,  invest in U.S. Government and federal agency securities of various
maturities,   high-grade  short-term  and  medium-term   marketable  securities,
adjustable  and  fixed  rate  mortgage-backed  securities,   equity  securities,
deposits of or loans to the Bank, a combination thereof or to repay existing

                                       18

<PAGE>



borrowings.  The Bank may  likewise use the proceeds it receives to, among other
things,  repay a portion of its borrowings  from the FHLB,  invest in high grade
securities  of  various  maturities,  including  federal  government  and agency
securities,  and  mortgage-backed  securities  or it may use the  proceeds  in a
combination  thereof.  Ultimately,  the portion of net proceeds  retained by the
Company may be used: (i) to fund the 1998 RSP ($1,122,000  and $1,518,000  based
on the sale of 2,805,000 and 3,795,000  shares of Conversion Stock at $10.00 per
share at the minimum and maximum of the Offering Range,  respectively),  (ii) to
support the Bank's  lending  activities,  (iii) to support  future  expansion of
operations through  establishment of additional branch offices or other customer
facilities,   (iv)  to  support   acquisitions   of  other   financial   service
organizations, such as other mutual or stock savings institutions and commercial
banks,  (v) to support  future  expansion  into other lending  markets,  (vi) to
support future  diversification  into other banking related businesses (although
no such transactions are specifically  being considered at this time), and (vii)
for other business and investment  purposes,  including the possible  payment of
dividends,  and  repurchases  of the Common Stock.  The Company  intends to lend
funds to the ESOP  sufficient  to enable  the ESOP to  purchase  up to 8% of the
Conversion  Stock.  Based  upon the sale of  2,805,000  or  3,795,000  shares of
Conversion Stock at the minimum and maximum of the Offering Range, respectively,
the  loan  to  the  ESOP  to  purchase  8% of  the  Conversion  Stock  would  be
approximately $2,244,000 or $3,036,000, respectively. The ESOP loan is currently
expected to be for 10 years at an adjustable  interest rate approximately  equal
to the prime rate published in The Wall Street Journal.

         Upon  completion of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the Board of
Directors will have the authority to adopt stock  repurchase  plans,  subject to
any  applicable  statutory  and  regulatory  requirements.  Based upon facts and
circumstances which may arise following Conversion and Reorganization, the Board
of Directors  may determine to  repurchase  stock in the future.  Such facts and
circumstances  may  include,  but are not  limited  to, (i) market and  economic
factors  such as the price at which  the stock is  trading  in the  market,  the
volume of trading, the attractiveness of other investment  alternatives in terms
of the rate of return  and risk  involved  in the  investment,  the  ability  to
increase the book value and/or  earnings per share of the remaining  outstanding
shares, and an improvement in the Company's return on equity; (ii) the avoidance
of dilution to  stockholders by not having to issue  additional  shares to cover
the exercise of stock options or to fund employee stock benefit plans;  or (iii)
any other  circumstances in which  repurchases would be in the best interests of
the Company and its  shareholders.  Any stock repurchases will be subject to the
determination  of the Board of Directors that both the Company and the Bank will
be  capitalized in excess of all applicable  regulatory  requirements  after any
such  repurchases and that capital will be adequate  taking into account,  among
other things,  the level of non-performing  and other risk assets, the Company's
and the Bank's current and projected  results of operations and  asset/liability
structure,  the economic environment,  and tax and other  considerations.  For a
discussion  of  regulatory  restrictions  on the  repurchase of stock during the
first three years after the Conversion and  Reorganization,  see "The Conversion
and  Reorganization  - Certain  Restrictions  on  Purchase or Transfer of Shares
After the Conversion and Reorganization."


                                       19

<PAGE>



                                 DIVIDEND POLICY

         Upon  completion of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the Board of
Directors  of the Company will have the  authority  to declare  dividends on the
Common  Stock,  subject to  statutory  and  regulatory  requirements.  Following
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, the Board of Directors of the
Company intends to pay semi-annual cash dividends on the Common Stock commencing
with  the  second  quarter  of  the  calendar  year,  in  an  annual  amount  of
approximately  $0.30  per  share.  Declarations  of  dividends  by the  Board of
Directors will depend upon a number of factors,  including,  but not limited to:
(i) the amount of net proceeds from the Offerings retained by the Company,  (ii)
investment  opportunities  available to the Company or the Bank,  (iii)  capital
requirements,  (iv)  regulatory  limitations,  (v) the  Company's and the Bank's
financial  condition and results of  operations,  (vi) tax  considerations,  and
(vii) general economic conditions.  Consequently, there can be no assurance that
dividends  will in fact be paid on the  Common  Stock  or that,  if  paid,  such
dividends will not be reduced or eliminated in future periods.

         Dividends  from the  Company  will  depend,  in part,  upon  receipt of
dividends  from the Bank,  because the Company  initially will have no source of
income other than  dividends  from the Bank,  earnings  from the  investment  of
proceeds  from the sale of Common Stock  retained by the Company,  and principal
and  interest  payments  with  respect  to the  Company's  loan to the  ESOP.  A
regulation of the OTS imposes limitations on "capital  distributions" by savings
institutions,  including  cash  dividends,  payments by savings  institution  to
repurchase or otherwise  acquire its stock,  payments to stockholders of another
savings institution in a cash-out merger and other distributions charged against
capital.  The regulation  establishes a three-tiered  system,  with the greatest
flexibility being afforded to  well-capitalized  or Tier 1 savings  institutions
and the least flexibility being afforded to  under-capitalized or Tier 3 savings
institution.  As of June 30, 1997, the Bank was a Tier 1 savings institution and
is expected to continue to so qualify immediately  following the consummation of
the Conversion and Reorganization.

         Any  payment of  dividends  by the Bank to the  Company  which would be
deemed to be a distribution from the Bank's bad debt reserves for federal income
tax purposes  would require a payment of taxes at the  then-current  tax rate by
the Bank on the amount of earnings  deemed to be removed  from the  reserves for
such  distribution.  At June 30, 1997, the Bank's bad debt reserves for which no
federal deferred tax liabilities are recorded amounted to $5.1 million, and as a
result for tax purposes  (but not  regulatory  purposes)  the Bank could declare
approximately $22.4 million of dividends without having to recognize  additional
Federal  income tax  expense on its bad debt  reserves  for  federal  income tax
purposes.  The Bank has no current  intention  of making any  distribution  that
would create such a federal tax liability  either before or after the Conversion
and  Reorganization.  See  "Federal  and State  Taxation"  and  "Risk  Factors -
Regulatory Oversight and Possible Recapture of Bad Debt Reserve."

         Unlike  the Bank,  the  Company is not  subject  to the  aforementioned
regulatory  restrictions  on the  payment  of  dividends  to  its  stockholders,
although the source of such dividends will be, in part, dependent upon dividends
from the Bank in  addition  to the net  proceeds  retained  by the  Company  and
earnings  thereon.  The  Company is subject,  however,  to the  requirements  of
Missouri law. See "Comparison of Stockholders' Rights - Payments of Dividends."


                                       20

<PAGE>



                             MARKET FOR COMMON STOCK

         There is an established,  but relatively illiquid,  market for the Bank
Common  Stock,  which is currently  listed on the National  Market of The Nasdaq
Stock Market under the symbol  "GFED." At June 30,  1997,  there were  3,125,000
shares of Bank Common Stock  outstanding  including  972,365 Public Bank Shares,
which  were held of record by 637  stockholders.  The Bank  Common  Stock had 12
market makers as of June 30, 1997. The Company, however, is newly formed and has
never issued capital stock.  Consequently,  there is no market for the Company's
Common Stock. It is expected that the Company's Common Stock will be more liquid
than the Bank Common Stock because there will be significantly  more outstanding
shares owned by the public.  However,  there can be no assurance  that an active
and liquid  trading  market for the Common Stock will develop or, if  developed,
will be maintained.

         The Company  expects to have the Common  Stock  succeed the Bank Common
Stock in being  quoted on the  National  Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market under
the Bank's current symbol,  "GFED." The Company expects to obtain several market
makers in the Common Stock.  FBR has advised the Company that upon completion of
the  conversion  it intends to  continue as a market  maker in the Common  Stock
depending upon the volume of trading and subject to compliance  with  applicable
laws and  regulatory  requirements.  FBR will  assist the  Company in  obtaining
additional  market makers,  but there can be no assurance that additional market
makers will be  identified.  Making a market  involves  maintaining  bid and ask
quotations and being able, as principal,  to effect  transactions  in reasonable
quantities at those quoted prices,  subject to various securities laws and other
regulatory requirements.

         The  following  table shows the high and low per share sales  prices of
the Bank Common Stock as reported by The Nasdaq  Stock Market and the  dividends
declared per share during the periods indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    High                    Low                   Dividends(1)
                                                                    ----                    ---                   ------------
<S>                                                                 <C>                     <C>                       <C>  
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1997
Quarter Ended June 30, 1997                                         $21.50                  $12.38                    $0.20
Quarter Ended March 31, 1997                                         13.00                   11.50                       --
Quarter Ended December 31, 1996                                      12.25                   10.25                     0.18
Quarter Ended September 30, 1996                                     11.75                    9.75                       --

Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1996
Quarter Ended June 30, 1996                                         $12.25                  $11.25                    $0.16
Quarter Ended March 31, 1996                                         12.50                   11.50                       --
Quarter Ended December 31, 1995                                      12.25                    9.25                     0.16
Quarter Ended September 30, 1995                                      9.75                    8.00                       --

</TABLE>

- ------------------
(1)  The aggregate  dividends paid were  $1,000,000 for the 1996 fiscal year and
     $1,187,500 for the 1997 fiscal year.

         The  closing  price of a share of Public  Bank Shares was $15.62 on May
20, 1997, the most recent day on which trading of the Bank Common Stock occurred
preceding the Bank's  announcement  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  and
______  on  ___________,  1997,  the date of this  Prospectus.  There  can be no
assurances  as to future  prices of the Bank Common Stock prior to completion of
the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  or the Common  Stock of the  Company  upon
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization.


                                       21

<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION

         The  following  table  presents,  as of June 30,  1997,  the  unaudited
historical   capitalization   of  the  Bank  and  the  pro  forma   consolidated
capitalization  of  the  Company  after  giving  effect  to the  Conversion  and
Reorganization, and other assumptions set forth below and under "Pro Forma Data"
based upon the sale of shares at the minimum,  midpoint,  maximum, and 15% above
the maximum of the Offering Range:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                Minimum            Midpoint             Maximum        Maximum,
                                                               2,805,000           3,300,000            3,795,000     as adjusted
                                                              Shares at a         Shares at a          Shares at a     4,364,250
                                              Guaranty          Price of           Price of             Price of      Shares at a
                                               Federal           $10.00             $10.00               $10.00     Price of $10.00
                                              Historical        Per Share          Per Share            Per Share     Per Share(1)
                                              ----------        ---------          ---------            ---------     ------------
                                                                            (Dollars in Thousands)

<S>                                             <C>              <C>                 <C>                  <C>            <C>     
Deposits(2)..................................   $151,246         $151,246            $151,246             $151,246       $151,246
Borrowings...................................     18,151           18,151              18,151               18,151         18,151
Other liabilities............................      2,578            2,578               2,578                2,578          2,578
                                                --------         --------            --------             --------       --------
Total liabilities............................   $171,975         $171,975            $171,975             $171,975       $171,975
                                                 =======          =======             =======              =======        =======

Stockholders' equity:(3)
  Common stock(4)............................      3,125              400                 470                  541            622
  Preferred stock(5).........................         --               --                  --                   --             --
  Additional paid-in capital (6).............      3,687           33,547              38,427               43,306         48,918
  Retained earnings (6)......................     18,620           20,055              20,055               20,055         20,055
  Unrealized gain on securities
  available-for-sale.........................      2,058            2,058               2,058                2,058          2,058
  Less:  Proposed Plans
    Common Stock acquired by ESOP(7).........         --           (2,244)             (2,640)              (3,036)        (3,491)
    Common Stock acquired by RSP(7)..........         --           (1,122)             (1,320)              (1,518)        (1,746)
                                               ---------           ------              ------               ------         ------

Total stockholders' equity (6)...............   $ 27,490         $ 52,694            $ 57,050             $ 61,406       $ 66,416
                                                 =======          =======             =======              =======        =======
</TABLE>
- ---------------------
(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  the
     commencement of the Offerings.
(2)  Does not reflect  withdrawals  from  deposit  accounts  for the purchase of
     Conversion Stock in the Offerings.  Such withdrawals would reduce pro forma
     deposits by the amount of such withdrawals.
(3)  Assumes (i) that the 972,365  Public  Bank Shares  outstanding  at June 30,
     1997 are  converted  into  1,193,709,  1,404,364,  1,615,019  and 1,857,272
     Exchange Shares at the minimum, midpoint, maximum and 15% above the maximum
     of the Offering Range, respectively,  and (ii) that no fractional shares of
     Exchange Shares will be issued by the Company.
(4)  Par value of historical  Bank Common Stock is $1.00 per share and par value
     of pro forma Common Stock is $0.10 per share.
(5)  The Bank has  2,000,000  shares of Preferred  Stock  authorized  with a par
     value of $1.00 per share and none  outstanding.  The Company has  2,000,000
     shares of Preferred  Stock  authorized,  $.10 par value per share,  none of
     which are currently outstanding or will be outstanding after the completion
     of the Conversion and Reorganization.

                                       22

<PAGE>
(6)  The pro forma retained earnings include  $1,435,000 of assets of the Mutual
     Holding  Company.  The pro forma  additional  paid in capital and  retained
     earnings  reflect a restriction  of the original  retained  earnings of the
     Bank prior to the conversion  into the mutual holding company form in April
     1995.
(7)  Assumes  that  8% and 4% of the  shares  sold  in  the  Offerings  will  be
     purchased by the ESOP and 1998 RSP,  respectively,  although no shares will
     be purchased by the RSP in the  Offerings.  Such  purchases by the 1998 RSP
     would occur upon receipt of stockholder approval no earlier than six months
     after  completion of the Conversion and  Reorganization.  A purchase by the
     RSP in the  Offerings  has been  included  on a pro forma  basis to give an
     indication of its effect on capitalization. The pro forma presentation does
     not show the impact of (a) results of operations  after the  Conversion and
     Reorganization,  (b) changing market prices of shares of Common Stock after
     the  Conversion and  Reorganization,  (c) a smaller than 4% purchase by the
     1998 RSP, or (d) the purchase by the RSP of Common Stock out of  authorized
     but unissued shares. Assumes that the funds used to acquire the ESOP shares
     will be  borrowed  from the  Company for a ten year term at the prime rate.
     For an  estimate  of the  impact of the loan on  earnings,  see "Pro  Forma
     Data." If the ESOP  obtained a loan from a third  party,  other  borrowings
     would increase by the amount of Common Stock acquired by the ESOP. The Bank
     intends to make  contributions to the ESOP sufficient to service and retire
     its debt.  The amount to be acquired by the ESOP and 1998 RSP is  reflected
     as a reduction of  stockholders'  equity.  The issuance of  authorized  but
     unissued  shares  for  the  1998  RSP  in an  amount  equal  to  4% of  the
     outstanding  shares of Conversion  Stock issued in the Offerings could have
     the effect of diluting existing  shareholders by approximately  2.7%. There
     can be no  assurance  that  stockholder  approval  of the  1998 RSP will be
     obtained.  See "Management of the Bank - Certain  Benefits - Employee Stock
     Ownership  Plan" and  "Management  of the Company - Proposed  Future  Stock
     Benefit Plans - 1998 Management Recognition Plan."

                                       23

<PAGE>
                   HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA CAPITAL COMPLIANCE

         The following table presents the historical  regulatory  capital of the
Bank at June 30, 1997,  and the pro forma  regulatory  capital of the Bank as of
that date, after giving effect to the Conversion and the  Reorganization,  based
upon the  minimum,  midpoint,  maximum and 15% above the maximum of the Offering
Range,  respectively.  For a discussion of the  assumptions  underlying  the pro
forma   capital   calculations   presented   below,   see  "Use  of   Proceeds,"
"Capitalization"  and "Pro Forma Data." The definitions of the terms used in the
table are those  provided in the capital  regulations  issued by the OTS.  For a
discussion of the capital  standards  applicable to the Bank, see  "Regulation -
Regulation of the Bank - Regulatory Capital Requirements."
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            Pro Forma as of June 30, 1997
                                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Historical, as of     $28,050,000           $33,000,000            $37,950,000               $43,642,500
                             June 30, 1997          Minimum               Midpoint               Maximum        Maximum, as adjusted
                           ------------------- -------------------  ----------------------  ------------------- --------------------
                                    Percent              Percent                 Percent              Percent             Percent
                            Amount  of Assets    Amount  of Assets     Amount    of Assets    Amount  of Assets   Amount  of Assets
                            ------  ---------    ------  ---------     ------    ---------    ------  ---------   ------  ---------
                                                                     (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                        <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>   
GAAP Capital...............$27,490    13.78%    $39,126   18.34%       $41,007    19.02%     $42,888   19.68%    $45,052    20.43%
                            ======    =====      ======   =====         ======    =====       ======   =====      ======    =====

Tangible Capital(1)(2).....$25,432    12.96%    $37,068   17.64%       $38,949    18.34%     $40,830   19.02%    $42,994    19.79%
Tangible Capital 
  Requirement..............  2,943     1.50       3,151    1.50          3,185     1.50        3,220    1.50       3,259     1.50
                            ------    -----      ------   -----         ------    -----       ------   -----      ------    -----
Excess.....................$22,489    11.46%    $33,917   16.14%       $35,764    16.84%     $37,610   17.52%    $39,735    18.29%
                            ======    =====      ======   =====         ======    =====       ======   =====      ======    =====

Core Capital(1)(2)(3)......$25,432    12.96%    $37,068   17.64%       $38,949    18.34%     $40,830   19.02%    $42,994    19.79%
Core Capital Requirement...  5,886     3.00       6,302    3.00          6,371     3.00        6,439    3.00       6,518     3.00
                            ------    -----      ------   -----         ------    -----       ------   -----      ------    -----
Excess.....................$19,546     9.96%    $30,766   14.64%       $32,578    15.34%     $34,391   16.02%    $36,476    16.79%
                            ======    =====      ======   =====         ======    =====       ======   =====      ======    =====

Total Risk-Based 
  Capital(1)(2)(4)(5)......$26,872    23.32%    $38,508   32.63%       $40,389    34.09%     $42,270   35.55%    $44,434    37.20%
Risk-Based Capital 
  Requirement..............  9,218     8.00       9,441    8.00          9,477     8.00        9,513    8.00       9,555     8.00
                            ------    -----      ------   -----         ------    -----       ------   -----      ------    -----
Excess.....................$17,654    15.32%    $29,067   24.63%       $30,912    26.09%     $32,757   27.55%    $34,879    29.20%
                            ======    =====      ======   =====         ======    =====       ======   =====      ======    =====
</TABLE>
- -----------------
(1)  Net  unrealized  gains or losses on securities  classified as available for
     sale  are  excluded  from  regulatory   capital  when  computing  core  and
     risk-based  capital.  The net unrealized  gain on securities  classified as
     available for sale amounted to $2,058,000 as of June 30, 1997.
(2)  Tangible  capital is computed as a percentage  of adjusted  total assets of
     $196.2  million  prior to the  consummation  of the  Offerings  and  $210.1
     million,  $212.4 million,  $214.6 million and $217.3 million  following the
     issuance of 3,998,709,  4,704,364, 5,410,019 and 6,221,522 shares of Common
     Stock in the Conversion and Reorganization,  respectively.  Core capital is
     computed as a percentage of adjusted  total assets of $196.2  million prior
     to the  consummation of the Offerings and $210.1  million,  $212.4 million,
     $214.6  million and $217.3  million  following  the issuance of  3,998,709,
     4,704,364, 5,410,019 and 6,221,522 shares of Common Stock in the Conversion
     and  Reorganization,  respectively.  Risk-based  capital is  computed  as a
     percentage of adjusted  risk-weighted assets of $115.2 million prior to the
     consummation  of the Offerings and $118.0 million,  $118.5 million,  $118.9
     million and $119.4 million following the issuance of 3,998,709,  4,704,364,
     5,410,019  and  6,221,522  shares of  Common  Stock in the  Conversion  and
     Reorganization, respectively.
(3)  Does not reflect proposed amendments to regulatory capital requirements or,
     in the case of the core capital requirement, the 4.0% requirement to be met
     in order for an institution to be "adequately capitalized" under applicable
     laws and regulations. See "Regulation - Regulation of the Bank - Regulatory
     Capital Requirements."
(4)  The pro forma  risked-based  capital  ratios (i) reflect the receipt by the
     Bank of the assets  held by the Mutual  Holding  Company  and of 50% of the
     estimated net proceeds from the Offerings,  and a reduction due to the 1998
     RSP  purchase  and the ESOP  purchase,  (ii)  assume no  repayment  of FHLB
     advances,  and (iii) assume the  investment of the net  remaining  proceeds
     received by the Bank in assets that have a 20%  risk-weighting,  as if such
     net proceeds had been received and so applied at June 30, 1997.
(5)  Risk-weighted  assets on a pro  forma  basis  are  calculated  based on the
     percentage of  risk-weighted  assets to leveraged  assets at June 30, 1997.
     Includes the $1.44  million of general  allowance  for loan losses that was
     included in risk-based capital as of June 30, 1997.

                                       24
<PAGE>



                                 PRO FORMA DATA

         The actual net proceeds from the sale of the Conversion Stock cannot be
determined until the Conversion and  Reorganization is completed.  However,  net
proceeds  are  currently  estimated  to be  between  $27.14  million  and $37.04
million.  Actual  Conversion  and  Reorganization  expenses  may vary from those
estimated.  Under the Plan of Conversion,  the Conversion  Stock must be sold in
the Offerings at an aggregate  subscription price not less than nor greater than
the Offering  Range,  which is subject to  adjustment.  The Offering  Range,  as
established by the Board of Directors is between a minimum of $28.05 million and
a maximum of $37.95 million,  with a midpoint of $33.00 million. This represents
a range between a minimum of 2,805,000 shares and a maximum of 3,795,000 shares,
based upon the  Purchase  Price of $10.00 per share.  If the  Offering  Range is
increased  by up to  15% to  reflect  market  or  general  financial  conditions
following the  commencement  of the  Offerings,  the adjusted  maximum number of
shares of  Conversion  Stock to be sold would be  4,364,250,  for  estimated net
proceeds of $42.73 million.

         Pro forma  consolidated  net income of the  Company for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1997 has been  calculated as if the Company had been in existence
and  estimated  net  proceeds  received  by the  Company  and the  Bank had been
invested at an assumed interest rate of 6.62% for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1997. The assumed  interest rates for the Bank were calculated as the arithmetic
average of the weighted average yield earned by the Bank on its interest-earning
assets and weighted average rate paid on its  interest-bearing  deposits,  as is
required by OTS regulations. The effect of withdrawals from deposit accounts for
the purchase of Common Stock has not been  reflected.  The earning  assets to be
consolidated  from the Mutual Holding Company have not been  reflected.  The pro
forma  blended  after-tax  yield on the  estimated net proceeds is assumed to be
4.17% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997, based on an effective tax rate of
37.0%.  Historical  and pro forma  per share  amounts  have been  calculated  by
dividing  historical and pro forma amounts by the indicated  number of shares of
Common  Stock.  No effect has been given in the pro forma  stockholders'  equity
calculations  for the assumed  earnings on the net proceeds.  It is assumed that
the Company will retain 50% of the  estimated  adjusted net  proceeds,  less the
amount of the ESOP loan.

         The following pro forma  information may not be  representative  of the
financial  effects  of the  foregoing  transactions  at the dates on which  such
transactions  actually  occur and  should not be taken as  indicative  of future
results of operations.  Pro forma consolidated  stockholders'  equity represents
the  difference  between  the  stated  amount of assets and  liabilities  of the
Company  computed in accordance with generally  accepted  accounting  principles
("GAAP").  The pro forma  stockholders'  equity is not intended to represent the
fair market value of the Common Stock and may be greater than amounts that would
be available for  distribution to stockholders in the event of liquidation.  The
following  table includes  assets held by the Mutual  Holding  Company that have
been consolidated into the financial condition of the Bank.

         The  following  tables  summarize  historical  data of the Bank and pro
forma  data of the  Company at or for the year  ended  June 30,  1997,  based on
assumptions  set forth  above and in the table and should not be used as a basis
for projections of market value of the Common Stock following the Conversion and
Reorganization.  No effect has been given in the tables to the possible issuance
of  additional  shares  reserved  for  future  issuance  pursuant  to  currently
outstanding  stock options or the 1998 Option Plan, nor does book value give any
effect to the liquidation  account to be established for the benefit of Eligible
Account  Holders  and  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders  or the bad debt
reserve in  liquidation.  See "The Conversion and  Reorganization  - Liquidation
Rights," and  "Management of the Bank - Directors'  Compensation,"  "- Executive
Compensation," and "- Certain Benefits."


                                       25

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   At or For the Year Ended June 30, 1997
                                                    --------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Maximum, 
                                                        Minimum       Midpoint        Maximum       as adjusted
                                                       2,805,000      3,300,000      3,795,000       4,364,250
                                                       Shares at      Shares at       Shares at      Shares at
                                                         $10.00         $10.00          $10.00         $10.00
                                                       Per Share      Per Share       Per Share      Per Share(1)
                                                       ---------      ---------       ---------      ------------
                                                                            (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                                  <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>        
Gross proceeds ...................................   $    28,050     $    33,000     $    37,950     $    43,642
Less expenses ....................................           915             915             915             915
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
  Estimated net proceeds .........................        27,135          32,085          37,035          42,727
  Less:  Common Stock purchased by ESOP(2) .......        (2,244)         (2,640)         (3,036)         (3,491)
  Less:  Common Stock purchased by RSP(3) ........        (1,122)         (1,320)         (1,518)         (1,746)
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
    Estimated net proceeds, as adjusted ..........   $    23,769     $    28,125     $    32,481     $    37,490
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========

Consolidated net income
  Historical .....................................   $     1,162     $     1,162     $     1,162     $     1,162
  Pro forma income on net proceeds ...............           991           1,173           1,355           1,564
  Pro forma ESOP adjustment(2) ...................          (141)           (166)           (191)           (220)
  Pro forma RSP adjustment(3) ....................          (141)           (166)           (191)           (220)
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
    Pro forma net income .........................   $     1,871     $     2,003     $     2,135     $     2,286
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========
Per share net income (reflects SOP 93-6)(4)(5)(6):
  Historical .....................................   $      0.31     $      0.26     $      0.23     $      0.20
  Pro forma income on net proceeds ...............          0.26            0.27            0.27            0.27
  Pro forma ESOP adjustment(2) ...................         (0.04)          (0.04)          (0.04)          (0.04)
  Pro forma RSP adjustment(3) ....................         (0.04)          (0.04)          (0.04)          (0.04)
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
    Pro forma net income per share(4) ............   $      0.49     $      0.45     $      0.42     $      0.39
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========
Purchase Price as a multiple of pro forma earnings        20.41x          22.22x          23.81x          25.64x
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========
Number of shares used in earnings per share
  calculations ...................................     3,796,749       4,466,764       5,136,779       5,907,296
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========

Stockholders' equity(7):
  Historical .....................................   $    27,490     $    27,490     $    27,490     $    27,490
  Estimated net proceeds .........................        27,135          32,085          37,035          42,727
  Add:  Assets consolidated from MHC .............         1,435           1,435           1,435           1,435
  Less:  Common Stock acquired by ESOP(2) ........        (2,244)         (2,640)         (3,036)         (3,491)
  Less:  Common Stock acquired by RSP(3) .........        (1,122)         (1,320)         (1,518)         (1,746)
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
    Pro forma stockholders' equity ...............   $    52,694     $    57,050     $    61,406     $    66,415
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========
Stockholders' equity per share(4)(5)(6):
  Historical combined ............................   $      6.87     $      5.84     $      5.08     $      4.42
  Estimated net proceeds .........................          6.79            6.82            6.84            6.87
  Add:  Assets consolidated from MHC .............          0.36            0.31            0.27            0.23
  Less:  Common Stock acquired by ESOP(2) ........         (0.56)          (0.56)          (0.56)          (0.56)
  Less:  Common Stock acquired by RSP(3) .........         (0.28)          (0.28)          (0.28)          (0.28)
                                                     -----------     -----------     -----------     -----------
    Pro forma stockholders' equity per share(4) ..   $     13.18     $     12.13     $     11.35     $     10.68
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========

Purchase Price as a percent of pro forma equity ..         75.87%          82.44%          88.11%          93.63%
                                                     ===========     ===========     ===========     ===========
Number of shares used in book value per share
  calculations ...................................     3,998,709       4,704,364       5,410,019       6,221,522
Pro forma equity as a percent of pro forma assets          23.45%          24.91%          26.31%          27.86%

</TABLE>

                                                   (footnotes on following page)

                                       26

<PAGE>
- --------------------
(1)  As adjusted  to give  effect to an  increase in the number of shares  which
     could occur due to a 15% increase in the Offering Range to reflect  changes
     in market  and  financial  conditions  following  the  commencement  of the
     Offerings.
(2)  Assumes that 8% of shares of Conversion Stock offered in the Offerings will
     be  purchased by the ESOP.  For  purposes of this table,  the funds used to
     acquire such shares are assumed to have been  borrowed by the ESOP from the
     net proceeds of the Offerings retained by the Company.  The Bank intends to
     make  annual  contributions  to the ESOP in an amount at least equal to the
     principal  of the debt and  interest  due. The ESOP debt is payable over 10
     years.  Statement of Position ("SOP") 93-6 requires that an employer record
     compensation  expense  in an amount  equal to the fair  value of the shares
     committed to be released to  employees.  The pro forma  adjustments  assume
     that the ESOP shares are allocated in ten equal annual installments and the
     fair value of the  Company's  stock  remains at the Purchase  Price and the
     effective tax rates are assumed to be 37.0%.  The  unallocated  ESOP shares
     are reflected as a reduction of  stockholders'  equity.  No reinvestment is
     assumed on proceeds  contributed to fund the ESOP. The pro forma net income
     further  assumes (i) that  22,440,  26,400,  30,360 and 34,914  shares were
     committed  to be released  during the fiscal year ended June 30,  1997,  in
     each  case  at the  minimum,  midpoint,  maximum,  and 15%  above  maximum,
     respectively,  and (ii) in accordance  with SOP 93-6,  only the ESOP shares
     committed to be released  during the  respective  periods  were  considered
     outstanding  for  purposes  of  net  income  per  share  calculations.  See
     "Management  of the Bank - Certain  Benefits  -  Employee  Stock  Ownership
     Plan."
(3)  Subject to the approval of the Company's stockholders, the 1998 RSP intends
     to purchase an  aggregate  number of shares of Common  Stock equal to 4% of
     the shares of Conversion Stock to be sold in the Offerings.  The shares may
     be acquired  directly from the Company,  or through open market  purchases.
     The funds to be used by the RSP to purchase  the shares will be provided by
     the Bank or the Company.  See  "Management of the Company - Proposed Future
     Stock Benefit Plans - 1998 Management  Recognition  Plan." Assumes that the
     1998 RSP acquires the shares through open market  purchases at the Purchase
     Price  with  funds  contributed  by the  Bank,  and that 20% of the  amount
     contributed  to the 1998 RSP is amortized  as an expense  during the fiscal
     year ended June 30, 1997. If the 1998 RSP purchases authorized but unissued
     shares instead of making open market purchases, (i) the voting interests of
     then existing stockholders would be diluted by approximately 2.7%, (ii) the
     pro forma net  income per share for the  fiscal  year  ended June 30,  1997
     would be $0.47, $0.43, $0.40 and $0.37 and pro forma  stockholders'  equity
     at June 30, 1997 would be $13.09, $12.07, $11.31 and $10.66 in each case at
     the  minimum,  midpoint,  maximum,  and 15% above  maximum of the  Offering
     Range, respectively.
(4)  Per share figures  include  shares of Exchange Stock that will be exchanged
     for Public Bank Shares in the Exchange.  Net income per share  computations
     are determined by taking the number of shares of Common Stock assumed to be
     issued in the Conversion  and  Reorganization  and, in accordance  with SOP
     93-6,  subtracting the ESOP shares that have not been committed for release
     during the  respective  period.  See Note 2 above.  The number of  Exchange
     Shares to be issued were then added to such  amounts.  The number of shares
     of Conversion Stock actually sold and the corresponding  number of Exchange
     Shares may be more or less than the assumed amounts.
(5)  No effect has been given to the  issuance  of  additional  shares of Common
     Stock pursuant to the 1998 Option Plan,  which is expected to be adopted by
     the Company  following  the Offerings  and  presented to  stockholders  for
     approval at the Company's  1998 Annual  Meeting.  An amount equal to 10% of
     the  Conversion  Stock sold in the  Offerings  will be reserved  for future
     issuance  upon the exercise of options to be granted  under the 1998 Option
     Plan,  if  approved  by  stockholders.   The  issuance  of  authorized  but
     previously  unissued  shares of Common  Stock  pursuant to the  exercise of
     options  under such plan would  dilute  existing  stockholders'  interests.
     Assuming stockholder approval of the 1998 Option Plan, that all the options
     were  exercised at the end of the period at an exercise  price equal to the
     Purchase  Price per  share  shown  for each  column,  and that the 1998 RSP
     purchases  shares in the open market at such purchase price per share,  (i)
     pro forma net income  per share for the year  ended June 30,  1997 would be
     $0.46, $0.43, $0.40 and $0.37, and pro forma stockholders' equity per share
     at June 30, 1997 would be $12.97,  $11.99,  $11.26 and $10.63, in each case
     at the  minimum,  midpoint,  maximum and 15% above  maximum of the Offering
     Range, respectively.
(6)  Per share figures include shares of Common Stock that will be exchanged for
     Public  Bank  Shares  in  the  Exchange.  Stockholders'  equity  per  share
     calculations  are  based  upon  the  sum of (i) the  number  of  shares  of
     Conversion  Stock  assumed to be sold in the  Offering,  and (ii)  Exchange
     Shares equal to the minimum, midpoint, maximum and 15% above maximum of the
     Offering Range, respectively. The Exchange Shares reflect an Exchange Ratio
     of 1.2276,  1.4443,  1.6609,  and  1.9101,  respectively,  at the  minimum,
     midpoint,   maximum,   and  15%  above  maximum  of  the  Offering   Range,
     respectively.  The  number  of  Conversion  Stock  actually  sold  and  the
     corresponding  number  of  Exchange  Shares  may be more or less  than  the
     assumed amounts.
(7)  The retained  earnings of the Bank will be  substantially  restricted after
     the Conversion and  Reorganization.  See "Dividend Policy," "The Conversion
     and  Reorganization - Effects of the Conversion and Reorganization - Effect
     on Liquidation  Rights" and "Regulation - Regulation of the Bank - Dividend
     and Other Capital Distribution Limitations."
                                       27
<PAGE>
                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                              STATEMENTS OF INCOME

                    Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995

         The  following  Consolidated  Statements  of Income of the Bank for the
years  ended June 30,  1997,  1996 and 1995 have been  audited by Baird  Kurtz &
Dobson, independent accountants,  whose report thereon appears elsewhere in this
Prospectus. These statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated
Financial Statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       1997                  1996                  1995
                                                                  ------------          ------------          ------------
<S>                                                              <C>                     <C>                   <C>        
INTEREST INCOME
   Loans                                                         $   12,346,820          $10,534,323           $ 8,638,585
   Investment securities                                                551,741            1,317,152             1,529,819
   Mortgage-backed securities                                         1,412,302            1,370,770             1,175,826
   Other                                                                400,422              479,911               293,320
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
                                                                     14,711,285           13,702,156            11,637,550
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------

INTEREST EXPENSE
   Deposits                                                           7,471,093            8,200,026             6,443,596
   Federal Home Loan Bank advances                                      839,082               39,077               151,752
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
                                                                      8,310,175            8,239,103             6,595,348
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
NET INTEREST INCOME                                                   6,401,110            5,463,053             5,042,202

PROVISION (CREDIT) FOR LOAN LOSSES                                            --          (1,211,502)               16,350
                                                                  --------------        -------------         ------------

NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER
   PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES                                          6,401,110            6,674,555             5,025,852
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------

NONINTEREST INCOME (LOSS)
   Service charges                                                      264,649               97,092                65,869
   Late charges and other fees                                           85,673               69,754                49,444
   Gain (loss) on loans, investment
     securities and mortgage-backed securities                           61,468               43,065              (103,473)
   Income on foreclosed assets                                           17,896                   --                16,843
   Other income                                                         100,115               11,492                42,478
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
                                                                        529,801              221,403                71,161
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
NONINTEREST EXPENSE
   Salaries and employee benefits                                     2,030,213            1,992,534             1,660,790
   Occupancy                                                            653,851              655,783               275,349
   SAIF deposit insurance premiums                                    1,141,148              338,697               324,037
   Data processing                                                      359,403              222,097               175,823
   Advertising                                                          319,162              316,556               244,877
   Other expense                                                        600,854              590,879               396,152
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------
                                                                      5,104,631            4,116,546             3,077,028
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES                                            1,826,280            2,779,412             2,019,985

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES                                              664,500            1,026,000               690,000
                                                                  -------------         ------------          ------------

NET INCOME                                                       $    1,161,780        $   1,753,412         $   1,329,985
                                                                  =============         ============          ============

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Since conversion                                              $         0.37        $        0.56         $        0.10
                                                                  =============         ============          ============
</TABLE>

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

                                       28

<PAGE>
                      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
                OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

General

         Guaranty Federal's results of operations are primarily dependent on its
net interest income,  which is the difference  between interest income earned on
its loan,  mortgage-backed  and other  asset-backed  securities  and  investment
portfolios,  and its cost of funds,  consisting of interest paid on deposits and
borrowings.  Net  interest  income  is  affected  by  the  relative  amounts  of
interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities as well as the relative
yields and costs of those assets and liabilities.  The Bank's net income also is
affected by its provision for loan losses,  as well as the amount of noninterest
income,  including  service  charges  and late fees,  and  noninterest  expense.
Operating  results are also  affected to a lesser extent by the type of lending,
fixed rate versus adjustable or long-term versus short-term, each of which has a
different  rate and fee structure.  The Bank's  operating  expenses  principally
consist of employee compensation, occupancy expenses, federal insurance premiums
and other  general and  administrative  expenses.  Earnings of the Bank are also
affected   significantly  by  general   economic  and  competitive   conditions,
particularly  changes in market interest rates,  government policies and actions
of regulatory authorities.

         The principal business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from
the general  public and using such deposits to originate  mortgage loans secured
by  one-to  four-family  residences  and,  to  a  lesser  extent,  multi-family,
construction  and commercial  real estate loans and consumer and business loans.
The Bank also uses these funds to purchase  loans secured by one- to four-family
residences, mortgage-backed securities, US government and agency obligations and
other permissible  securities.  When cash outflows exceed inflows, the Bank uses
borrowings as an additional financing source.

         The Bank derives revenues principally from interest earned on loans and
investments  and, to a lesser  extent,  from fees charged for services.  General
economic  conditions  and  policies  of  the  financial  institution  regulatory
agencies,  including  the OTS and the FDIC  significantly  influence  the Bank's
operations.  Interest rates on competing investments and general market interest
rates influence the Bank's cost of funds. Lending activities are affected by the
interest  rates at which such  financing  may be  offered.  The Bank  intends to
continue to focus on its lending  programs for both one- to four-family  lending
and consumer lending throughout southwestern Missouri.

Financial Condition

         The Bank's total assets increased  $14,297,932  (8%), from $185,167,107
as of June 30, 1996, to $199,465,039 as of June 30, 1997.

         Net loans receivable  increased by $20,619,460 (16%), from $131,612,835
as of June 30, 1996, to  $152,232,295  as of June 30, 1997.  During this period,
permanent loans secured by both owner and non-owner  occupied one- to four- unit
residential  real estate increased by $15,036,217  (16%) and construction  loans
increased by $3,419,080 (16%).  Loans past maturity and past due 90 days or more
decreased  $949,000 from $1,777,000  (1.4% of net loans) as of June 30, 1996, to
$828,000  (0.5% of net  loans) as of June  30,1997.  Of these  loans,  a loan of
$113,200 is past maturity and still on accrual status as management believes the
loan is well secured and expects full  collection of principal and interest.  As
of June 30, 1997,  management  considers  $1,257,352  as impaired with a related
allowance for loan losses of $206,897. Growth in loans receivable is anticipated
to continue and represents a major part of the Bank's planned asset growth.

         Securities   available-for-sale   decreased   $4,482,380   (57%)   from
$7,842,380 as of June 30 1996, to $3,360,000 as of June 30, 1997, and securities
held-to-maturity  decreased  $1,279,966  (13%),  from  $9,865,719 as of June 30,
1996,  to  $8,585,753 as of June 30, 1997.  The Bank  redeployed  these funds to
higher yielding loans.  The Bank continues to hold 96,000 shares of Federal Home
Loan Mortgage  Corporation  ("FHLMC") stock with an amortized cost of $94,000 in
the  securities  available-for-sale  category.  As of June 30,  1997,  the gross
unrealized gain on the stock was  $3,266,000,  an increase from $1,958,000 as of
June 30, 1996.

                                       29

<PAGE>



         Mortgage-backed  securities,  held-to-maturity,   decreased  $4,253,359
(21%), from $20,067,249 as of June 30, 1996, to $15,813,890 as of June 30, 1997.
This decrease is attributable to repayments received during the year. There were
no purchases of mortgage-backed  securities during the year ended June 30, 1997.
As of June 30, 1997, and June 30, 1996, there were no mortgage-backed securities
classified as available-for-sale.

         The Bank  increased  the allowance  for loan losses  $389,743  (23%) in
fiscal year 1996, and $68,950 (3%) in fiscal year 1997. During fiscal year 1996,
the Bank recovered  $1,406,860  primarily on a large  commercial  loan and after
evaluating  the adequacy of the  allowance,  the Bank  reduced the  allowance by
crediting income  $1,211,502.  During fiscal year 1997, the allowance  increased
due to recoveries net of  charge-offs of $68,950.  The allowance for loan losses
as of June 30, 1997, was 1.49% of average net loans outstanding  versus 1.66% as
of June 30, 1996. As of June 30, 1997, the allowance for loan losses was 173% of
impaired loans versus 536% as of June 30, 1996.

         Foreclosed  assets held for sale as of June 30, 1997,  include a duplex
acquired in July 1996, and a single family residence  acquired in June 1997. The
Bank  carries  these  properties  at their fair value of $210,155 as of June 30,
1997.

         Premises and equipment  decreased  $124,586 (2%), from $6,391,743 as of
June 30, 1996, to $6,267,157  as of June 30, 1997. In September  1995,  the Bank
completed  construction of a new main office facility.  The facility is expected
to assist  with  planned  growth  by  attracting  new  customers  and  providing
additional  work space for employees.  The Bank does not currently  require full
use of the new facility and it leases the excess space. As of June 30, 1997, the
Bank had signed  leases for all 8,938 square feet of excess space  available for
lease in the building.

         Deposits  decreased  $5,761,408 (4%), from  $157,007,890 as of June 30,
1996,  to  $151,246,482  as of June 30, 1997.  During this period,  core deposit
accounts  increased by $4,944,356 (21%), while certificates of deposit decreased
by  $10,705,764  (8%).  The  majority of this  increase in checking and passbook
accounts can be  attributed  to an aggressive  marketing  campaign  initiated in
early 1997  designed to attract  checking  deposit  customers.  The  decrease in
certificate  deposits can be attributed to  management's  decision to allow high
cost  accounts to run off and replace  these funds with FHLB advances at a lower
marginal cost.

         As a result of the  overall  decrease  in  deposits  and the  continued
increase  in loan  demand,  the  Bank  increased  borrowings  from  the  FHLB to
$18,150,844 as of June 30, 1997.  There were no outstanding  FHLB advances as of
June 30, 1996. The Bank has the ability to borrow additional funds from the FHLB
should the need arise.

         Stockholders' equity (including  unrealized  appreciation on securities
available-for-sale,  net of tax) increased $903,991 (3%), from $26,586,164 as of
June 30, 1996, to $27,490,155 as of June 30, 1997.  Unrealized  appreciation  on
securities  available-for-sale,  net of tax,  contributed  $798,169  ($0.26  per
share)  to  the  increase  in  stockholders'  equity.  On  a  per  share  basis,
stockholders'  equity  increased  from $8.51 per share as of June 30,  1996,  to
$8.80  per  share  as  of  June  30,  1997.  Stockholders'  equity  includes  no
contributed  capital from the  issuance of  2,152,635  shares of common stock to
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.

                                       30

<PAGE>
Average Balances, Interest and Average Yields

         The following  tables show (1) the average monthly  balances of various
categories of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing  liabilities, (2) the
total interest earned or paid thereon,  and (3) the resulting  weighted  average
yields and costs.  In addition,  the table shows the Bank's rate spreads and net
yields.  Average  balances are based on daily  balances.  Tax-free income is not
material; accordingly,  interest income and related average yields have not been
calculated on a tax equivalent basis.  Average loan balances include non-accrual
loans.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                       As of June 30, 1997   Year Ended June 30, 1997      Year Ended June 30, 1996      Year Ended June 30, 1995
                      --------------------- ---------------------------   ---------------------------   ----------------------------
                                     Yield    Average             Yield      Average            Yield      Average            Yield
                        Balance      /Cost    Balance Interest    /Cost      Balance  Interest  /Cost      Balance  Interest  /Cost
                        -------      -----    ------- --------    -----      -------  --------  -----      -------  --------  -----
                                                                (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                      <C>         <C>     <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>      <C>  
Interest-
  earning assets:
Loans.................   $158,135      8.43% $146,468  $12,347     8.43%    $127,485 $10,534     8.26%    $113,134  $8,638     7.64%
Investment 
  securities..........      8,586      6.13     8,879      552     6.22       19,271   1,317     6.83       24,715   1,530     6.19
Mortgage-backed 
  securities..........     15,814      7.70    18,032    1,412     7.83       18,522   1,371     7.40       13,964   1,176     8.42
Other assets..........      8,494      4.51     8,160      400     4.90        9,494     480     5.06        6,126     293     4.78
                          -------             -------   ------               -------  ------               -------  ------
Total interest-
  earning assets......    191,029      8.09   181,539   14,711     8.10      174,772  13,702     7.84      157,939  11,637     7.37
                                                        ------                        ------                        ------
Non-interest-
  earning assets......      8,436               8,387                          8,137                         6,009
                          -------             -------                        -------                       -------
                         $199,465            $189,926                       $182,909                      $163,948
                          =======             =======                        =======                       =======
Interest-bearing 
  liabilities:
Savings accounts......   $  8,621      2.76  $  9,191      258     2.81      $10,272     315     3.07      $12,976     462     3.56
Transaction accounts..     17,674      2.94    13,846      406     2.93       10,355     276     2.67        9,524     245     2.57
Certificates of 
  Deposit.............    122,617      5.58   122,219    6,807     5.57      132,265   7,609     5.75      116,477   5,736     4.92
FHLB advances.........     18,151      6.12    13,767      839     6.09          690      39     5.65        2,583     152     5.88
                          -------             -------    -----                ------   -----              --------  ------
Total interest-
  bearing 
  liabilities.........    167,063      5.21   159,023    8,310     5.23      153,582   8,239     5.36      141,560   6,595     4.66
                                                         -----                        ------                        ------
Non-interest-
  bearing 
  liabilities.........      4,912               4,122                          2,821                         2,460 
                          -------             -------                        -------                       -------
Total liabilities.....    171,975             163,145                        156,403                       144,020
Stockholders' equity..     27,490              26,781                         26,506                        19,928
                          -------              ------                         ------                        ------
                         $199,465            $189,926                       $182,909                      $163,948
                          =======             =======                        =======                       =======
Net earning balance...   $ 23,966            $ 22,516                        $21,190                      $ 16,379
                          =======             =======                         ======                       =======
Earning yield less 
  costing rate........                 2.88%                       2.87%                         2.48%                         2.71%
                                       ====                        ====                          ====                          ====
Net interest income,
  and net yield 
  spread on
  interest-
  earning assets......                 3.52%            $6,401     3.53%              $5,463     3.13%              $5,042     3.19%
                                       ====              =====     ====                =====     ====                =====     ====
Ratio of interest- 
  earning assets
  to interest-
  bearing liabilities.       114%                114%                           114%                          112%
                             ===                 ===                            ===                           ===
</TABLE>

                                       31

<PAGE>

         The  following  table  sets  forth  information  regarding  changes  in
interest income and interest  expense for the periods  indicated  resulting from
changes in average  balances and average rates shown above. For each category of
interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities information is provided
with  respect to changes  attributable  to:  (i)  changes in balance  (change in
balance  multiplied by the old rate),  (ii) changes in interest rates (change in
rate multiplied by the old balance); and (iii) the combined effect of changes in
balance and interest rates (change in balance multiplied by change in rate).
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                   Year Ended June 30, 1997 versus 1996             Year Ended June 30, 1996 versus 1995
                                   -----------------------------------------       ----------------------------------------------
                                                         Rate &                                             Rate &
                                  Balance     Rate       Balance       Total       Balance       Rate       Balance       Total
                                  -------     ----       -------       -----       -------       ----       -------       -----
<S>                              <C>        <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>   
Interest income:
  Loans.......................... $1,568    $   213     $     31       $1,813       $1,096        $ 710        $ 90       $1,896
  Investment securities..........   (710)      (119)          64         (765)        (337)         159         (35)        (213)
  Mortgage-backed securities.....    (36)        79           (2)          41          384         (142)        (47)         195
  Other assets...................    (67)       (15)           2          (80)         161           17           9          187
                                  ------     ------      -------        -----        -----         ----         ---        -----
Net change in interest income....    755        158           96        1,009        1,304          744          17        2,065
                                  ------     ------      -------        -----        -----         ----         ---        -----

Interest expense:
  Savings accounts...............    (33)       (27)           3          (57)         (96)         (64)         13         (147)
  Transaction accounts...........     93         29            8          130           21            9           1           31
  Certificates of deposit........   (578)      (245)          21         (802)         777          965         131        1,873
  Advances.......................    739          3           58          800         (111)          (6)          4         (113)
                                  ------     ------       ------        -----       ------       ------        -----       -----
Net change in interest expense...    221       (240)          90           71          591          904         149        1,644
                                 -------     ------       ------        -----       ------       ------        -----       -----
Change in net interest income....$   534    $   398      $     6      $   938      $   713      $  (160)     $ (132)      $  421
                                  ======     ======       ======       ======       ======       ======       =====        =====
</TABLE>


Results of Operations - Comparison of Years Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996

         Interest  Income - The weekly average yield for US Treasury  securities
adjusted to a constant maturity of one year increased 21 basis points from 5.48%
for the year ended June 30,  1996,  to 5.69% for the year ended June 30, 1997. A
basis point is 0.01%.  Total interest  income  increased  $1,009,129 (7%) as the
average balance of interest-earning  assets increased  $6,767,000 (4%) while the
average yield on those  interest-earning  assets  increased 26 basis points from
7.84% to 8.10%.  This increase was due primarily to an increase in loan interest
of  $1,812,497  (17%).  During the year,  the average  loan  receivable  balance
increased  $18,983,000  (15%)  at the  same  time  the  average  yield  on loans
increased 17 basis points from 8.26% to 8.43%.  Average  balances of  investment
securities  declined  $10,392,000  (54%)  during  the year as the Bank  replaced
securities with higher yielding loans. To the extent possible, subject to market
conditions and  competition,  the Bank intends to emphasize loan  production and
will purchase  investment  securities  and  mortgage-backed  securities  only if
spreads  between the asset yield and the liability cost net an arbitrage  profit
over a range of potential interest rate scenarios.

         Interest Expense.  Total interest expense increased $71,072 (1%) as the
average balance of interest-bearing  liabilities increased $5,441,000 (3%) while
the average cost of those interest-bearing liabilities decreased 13 basis points
from 5.36% to 5.23%. The average  balances of certificates of deposit  decreased
$10,046,000 (8%) and the average cost of those  certificates  decreased 18 basis
points from 5.75% to 5.57%. The decrease in the average balances of certificates
of deposit  was  partially  offset by an  increase  in the  average  balances of
checking  accounts  of  $3,491,000  (34%).  The average  cost of these  checking
accounts  increased  26 basis  points from 2.67% to 2.93%.  In order to fund the
increase in assets and decrease in deposits,  the Bank borrowed additional funds
from the FHLB. The average

                                       32

<PAGE>



balance of FHLB advances  increased by $13,077,000 from $690,000 to $13,767,000.
Management  attempts to price  certificates of deposit so that the marginal cost
of  attracting  deposits  is equal to the  marginal  cost of FHLB  advances on a
duration adjusted basis.

         Net Interest Income.  The Bank's net interest income increased $938,057
(17%) from  $5,463,053 to  $6,401,110.  During the year ended June 30, 1997, the
average  balance of  interest-earning  assets  exceeded  the average  balance of
interest-bearing  liabilities  by  $22,516,000,  an  increase in the average net
earning  balance of  $1,326,000  (6%).  At the same time the spread  between the
average   yield   on   interest-earning   assets   and  the   average   cost  of
interest-bearing liabilities increased by 39 basis points from 2.48% to 2.87%.

         Provision  for Loan Losses.  Provisions  for loan losses are charged or
credited to earnings to bring the total allowance to a level considered adequate
by the Bank to provide for potential loan losses in the existing portfolio. When
making the assessment, the Bank considers prior loss experience, volume and type
of lending,  industry  standards and past due loans in the Bank's portfolio.  In
addition,  the Bank  considers  general  economic  conditions  and other factors
related to collectibility of the Bank's portfolio.

         During fiscal year 1996 the Bank  recovered  $1,211,502 on a commercial
loan which was previously  partially  charged off. The loan recovery  represents
amounts  recovered in excess of the carrying balance of the loan as reflected by
the  original  terms of the loan,  including  accrued  interest  and  previously
charged-off principal.  Consequently, the Bank determined that the allowance for
loan losses was sufficient prior to the recovery, and credited the provision for
loan  losses.  During the fiscal  year 1997,  the bank again  experienced  a net
recovery  and based on a review as discussed  above,  elected to make no further
addition to the allowance.  Management  anticipates  the need to begin adding to
loss reserves  through  charges to the provision for loan losses within the next
year if the growth in the loan portfolio continues as anticipated.

         Non-Interest  Income.  Non-interest  income,  which consists of service
charges and other fees,  income  from  foreclosed  assets and gains or losses on
sale of assets,  increased  $308,393  (139%)  from  $221,403 to  $529,801.  This
increase  is  primarily  due to the  increase  in service  charges  on  checking
accounts which  increased  $167,557  (172%) due to the success of the Bank's new
checking account promotion in generating new checking accounts.

         Non-Interest  Expense.  Non-interest  expense increased $988,085 (24%),
from  $4,116,546  to  $5,104,631.  This  increase was primarily due to a special
one-time assessment by the FDIC on all assessable deposits as of March 31, 1995.
This assessment  resulted in a $802,451 (237%) increase in SAIF premiums.  While
this special  assessment had a negative impact on earnings for fiscal year 1997,
deposit  premiums in the future are expected to be materially  lower.  Beginning
January 1, 1997,  deposit premiums declined from an average of 23.4 basis points
to an average of 6.4 basis points.  Data processing  expense increased  $137,306
(62%)  due to the  increased  volume  of  transactions  handled.  Excluding  the
increase in SAIF premiums, non-interest expense increased by $185,634 (5%).

         Income Taxes. The change in income tax is a direct result of changes in
the Bank's taxable income and allowable bad debt deduction.

         Cash Dividends  Paid.  The Bank paid cash dividends of $562,500  ($0.18
per share) on December 2, 1996, to the  stockholders of record as of November 1,
1996, and of $625,000 ($0.20 per share) on May 30, 1997, to the  stockholders of
record as of May 2, 1997.

                                       33
<PAGE>

Results of Operations - Comparison of Years Ended June 30, 1996 and 1995

         Interest  Income.  The weekly average yield for US Treasury  securities
adjusted to a constant maturity of one year decreased 71 basis points from 6.19%
for the twelve  months ended June 30, 1995, to 5.48% for the twelve months ended
June 30, 1996. Total interest income  increased  $2,064,606 (18%) as the average
balance of interest-earning assets increased $16,833,000 (11%) while the average
yield on those  interest-earning  assets increased 47 basis points from 7.37% to
7.84%.  This  increase  was due  primarily  to an increase  in loan  interest of
$1,895,738 (22%). During the year, the average loan receivable balance increased
$14,351,000  (13%) and the average yield on loans increased 62 basis points from
7.64% to 8.26%.  Average balances of investment  securities  declined $5,444,000
(22%) during the year as the Bank replaced securities with higher yielding loans
and  mortgage-backed  securities,  which  mortgage-backed  securities  increased
$4,558,000 (33%).

         Interest Expense.  Total interest expense increased $1,643,755 (25%) as
the average balance of interest-bearing  liabilities  increased $12,022,000 (8%)
while the average cost of those interest-bearing  liabilities increased 70 basis
points from 4.66% to 5.36%.  The increase in interest  expense was primarily due
to the increase in average  balances of  certificates  of deposit of $15,788,000
(14%)  combined  with the increase in average cost of those  certificates  of 83
basis points from 4.92% to 5.75%.

         Net Interest Income.  The Bank's net interest income increased $420,851
(8%) from  $5,042,202 to  $5,463,053.  During the year ended June 30, 1996,  the
average  balance of  interest-earning  assets  exceeded  the average  balance of
interest-bearing  liabilities  by  $21,190,000,  an  increase in the average net
earning balance of $4,811,000 (29%). This increase more than off-set the decline
in the spread  between  the  average  yield on  interest-earning  assets and the
average cost of  interest-bearing  liabilities  of 23 basis points from 2.71% to
2.48%.

         Provision for Loan Losses.  Refer to the prior discussion of the fiscal
year 1996 loan loss recovery.  In fiscal year 1995, the provision was $16,350.

         Non-Interest  Income.  Non-interest  income,  which consists of service
charges and other fees, income from foreclosed assets, gain or losses on sale of
assets and loan recoveries,  increased $150,242 (211%) from $71,161 to $221,403.
This increase was due primarily to the gain on asset sales in 1996 versus a loss
in 1995.

         Non-Interest Expense.  Non-interest expense increased $1,039,518 (34%),
from $3,077,028 to $4,116,546.  The increases in salaries and employee  benefits
of $331,744  (20%),  occupancy of $380,434  (138%),  and  advertising of $71,679
(29%) were primarily the result of increased staffing and other costs related to
opening a new facility in September 1995.

         Income Taxes.  The change in income tax is a direct result  of  changes
in the Bank's taxable income and allowable bad debt deduction.

         Cash Dividends Paid. On December 6, 1995, the Bank paid a cash dividend
of $500,000  ($0.16 per share) to the  stockholders of record as of November 17,
1995,  and again on May 31,  1996,  the Bank paid a cash  dividend  of  $500,000
($0.16 per share) to the stockholders of record as of May 3, 1996.

Asset/Liability Management

         The goal of the  Bank's  asset/liability  policy is to manage  interest
rate risk so as to maximize net interest  income over time in changing  interest
rate environments. Management monitors the Bank's net

                                       34

<PAGE>



interest  spreads (the difference  between yields received on assets and paid on
liabilities)  and,   although   constrained  by  market   conditions,   economic
conditions, and prudent underwriting standards, it offers deposit rates and loan
rates in an attempt to maximize net interest income. Management also attempts to
fund the Bank's assets with liabilities of a comparable duration to minimize the
impact of changing  interest rates on the Bank's net interest income.  Since the
relative spread between financial assets and liabilities is constantly changing,
the Bank's  current net interest  income may not be an  indication of future net
interest income.

         The  Bank's  initial  efforts  to manage  interest  rate risk  included
implementing an adjustable  rate mortgage loan ("ARM") program  beginning in the
early 1980s. The ARMS have met with excellent  customer  acceptance.  As of June
30, 1997, ARMs constituted 75% of the Bank's mortgage loan portfolio.

         The Bank is also  managing  interest  rate risk by the  origination  of
construction  loans.  As of June 30, 1997,  such loans made up 15% of the Bank's
loan portfolio.  In general,  these loans have higher yields, shorter maturities
and greater interest rate sensitivity than other real estate loans.

         The Bank  constantly  monitors  its  deposits  in an effort to decrease
their interest rate sensitivity.  Rates of interest paid on deposits at the Bank
are priced competitively in order to meet the Bank's asset/liability  management
objectives  and spread  requirements.  As of June 30, 1997,  the Bank's  savings
accounts,   checking   accounts  and  money  market  deposit   accounts  totaled
$28,629,148 or 19% of its total deposits. The Bank believes, based on historical
experience,  that a substantial portion of such accounts represent  non-interest
rate sensitive core deposits.

Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis

         The value of the Bank's loan  portfolio  will change as interest  rates
change.  Rising  interest  rates will decrease the Bank's net  portfolio  value,
while falling interest rates increase the value of that portfolio.

         The  following  table sets forth as of June 30, 1997,  (the most recent
available) OTS estimate of the projected  changes in net portfolio value ("NPV")
in the event of 100,  200, 300, and 400 basis points  ("bp")  instantaneous  and
permanent  increases and decreases in market interest rates.  Dollar amounts are
expressed in thousands.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                            Estimated Net Portfolio Value                             NPV as % of PV of Assets
      BP Change               --------------------------------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
       in Rates               $ Amount              $ Change              % Change             NPV Ratio             BP Change
       --------               --------              --------              --------             ---------             ---------

<S>    <C>                   <C>                   <C>                       <C>                <C>                   <C>   
         +400 bp              $24,395               $-9,913                   -29%                12.82%               -393 bp
         +300                  27,754                -6,554                   -19                 14.26                -250
         +200                  30,698                -3,610                   -11                 15.45                -130
         +100                  32,933                -1,375                    -4                 16.30                 -46
          NC                   34,308                                                             16.75
         -100                  34,817                   510                    +1                 16.84                  +9
         -200                  34,904                   597                    +2                 16.75                   0
         -300                  35,180                   872                    +3                 16.74                  -2
         -400                  35,898                 1,590                    +5                 16.89                 +14

</TABLE>

                                       35

<PAGE>



         Computations  of  prospective  effects of  hypothetical  interest  rate
changes are  calculated  by the OTS from data provided by the Bank and are based
on numerous  assumptions,  including  relative  levels of market interest rates,
loan repayments and deposit runoffs, and should not be relied upon as indicative
of actual results.  Further, the computations do not contemplate any actions the
Bank may undertake in response to changes in interest rates.

         Management  cannot predict future interest rates or their effect on the
Bank's NPV in the future.  Certain  shortcomings  are  inherent in the method of
analysis  presented in the  computation  of NPV. For example,  although  certain
assets and liabilities may have similar maturities or periods to repricing, they
may  react  in  differing   degrees  to  changes  in  market   interest   rates.
Additionally, certain assets, such as adjustable rate loans, which represent the
bank's primary loan product,  have features  which restrict  changes in interest
rates  during the  initial  term and over the  remaining  life of the asset.  In
addition,  the proportion of adjustable rate loans in the Bank's portfolio could
decrease in future periods due to refinancing  activity if market interest rates
remain or decrease in future periods due to refinancing  activity.  Further,  in
the event of a change in interest rates,  prepayment and early withdrawal levels
could  deviate  significantly  from those  assumed in the  table.  Finally,  the
ability of many borrowers to service their  adjustable-rate debt may decrease in
the event of an interest rate increase.

         The Bank's Board of Directors is  responsible  for  reviewing the asset
and liability  policies.  The Board meets quarterly to review interest rate risk
and trends, as well as liquidity and capital ratios and requirements. The Bank's
management is responsible for administering  the policies and  determinations of
the Board of Directors with respect to the Bank's asset and liability  goals and
strategies.  Management expects that the Bank's asset and liability policies and
strategies  will  continue  as  described  above  so  long  as  competitive  and
regulatory  conditions in the financial institution industry and market interest
rates continue as they have in recent years.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

         The Bank is required by OTS  regulations to maintain  minimum levels of
specified  liquid assets.  Currently,  specified  liquid assets must be at least
equal to 5% of deposits and short-term borrowings. The Bank's liquidity ratio as
of June 30, 1997, was 8.2%.

         The Bank's  principal  sources of funds for  investments and operations
are net income,  deposits from its primary  market area,  principal and interest
payments on loans and  mortgage-backed  securities,  and proceeds  from maturing
investment  securities.  The Bank  considers  deposits as the primary,  and FHLB
advances as the secondary, source of funds.

         The Bank's most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents,  which are
cash on hand,  amounts due from  financial  institutions,  and  certificates  of
deposit  with other  financial  institutions  that have an original  maturity of
three  months or less.  The levels of such  assets are  dependent  on the Bank's
operating,  financing and investment  activities at any given time.  Then Bank's
cash and cash equivalents totaled $3,817,351 as of June 30, 1997. The variations
in levels of cash and cash  equivalents  are  influenced  by  deposit  flows and
anticipated future deposit flows.

         As of June 30, 1997,  the Bank had no  conditional  commitments  in the
form of letters of credit.  Outstanding loan commitments were $2,084,000.  As of
June 30,  1997,  the Bank had  granted  unused  lines  of  credit  to  borrowers
aggregating  approximately  $266,000 and  $2,275,000  for  commercial  lines and
open-end  consumer  lines,  respectively.  As of June  30,  1997,  the  Bank had
$81,479,645  in  certificates  of deposit which were  scheduled to mature in one
year or less. It is anticipated that the majority of these  certificates will be
renewed in the normal course of operations.

                                       36

<PAGE>




         The Bank's  capital  position of  $27,490,155 is 14% of total assets on
June  30,  1997.  The  Bank  has  an  excess  of  $22,489,000,  $19,546,000  and
$17,654,000  of required  regulatory  levels of  tangible,  core and  risk-based
capital,  respectively.   Under  current  regulatory  guidelines,  the  Bank  is
classified as well-capitalized.

         Other than the stock offering,  which will significantly  increase both
the  liquidity and capital  resources of the Bank,  the Bank is not aware of any
trends or  uncertainties  that will have or are likely to have a material effect
on the Bank's liquidity or capital resources.

Impact of Inflation and Changing Prices

         The Bank prepared the  consolidated  financial  statements  and related
data  presented  herein  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted   accounting
principles  which require the  measurement  of financial  position and operating
results  in terms of  historical  dollars,  without  considering  changes in the
relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation.

         Unlike  most  companies,  the assets  and  liabilities  of a  financial
institution are primarily monetary in nature. As a result, interest rates have a
more  significant  impact  on a  financial  institution's  performance  than the
effects of general levels of inflation.  Interest rates do not necessarily  move
in the  same  direction  or in the same  magnitude  as the  price  of goods  and
services,  since such prices are affected by inflation.  In the current interest
rate environment,  liquidity and the maturity structure of the Bank's assets and
liabilities are critical to the maintenance of acceptable performance levels.

Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements

         During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997,  the Bank  implemented  the
Financial  Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 122, "Accounting for Mortgage Servicing Rights" ("SFAS 122"). SFAS
122 requires that mortgage  banking  enterprises  recognize as separate  assets,
rights to service  mortgage  loans for others.  The balance sheet as of June 30,
1997,  includes an asset  representing  such  mortgage  servicing  rights in the
amount of $39,006.

         During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997,  the Bank  implemented  the
FASB SFAS No. 125,  "Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial  Assets
and Extinguishment of Liabilities." This accounting  statement extends the rules
in SFAS 122 to all loan servicing.  The  implementation  of SFAS No,. 125 had no
impact on the financial statements of the Bank.

         The  FASB  has  issued  SFAS  No.  123,   "Accounting  for  Stock-based
Compensation." This statement  establishes a fair value method of accounting for
stock-based  compensation  plans. It encourages entities to adopt that method in
place  of the  provisions  of  Accounting  Principles  Board  Opinion  No,.  25,
"Accounting  for Stock Issued to Employees,"  for all  arrangements  under which
employees receive shares of stock or other equity instruments of the employer or
the employer  incurs  liabilities  to employees in amounts based on the price of
its stock.  Management  has elected to  continue to account for its  stock-based
compensation  plans in accordance with the provision of APB No. 25 and therefore
SFAS 123 had no  impact  on the  Bank's  consolidated  financial  statements.  A
footnote to the consolidated financial statements discloses the pro forma impact
of SFAS 123, if the Bank would have elected to adopt SFAS 123.

         The  FASB  recently  adopted  SFAS  128,  "Earnings  Per  Share."  This
statement  replaces  the  presentation  of  primary  earnings  per share  with a
presentation  of basic  earnings per share.  The  statement  also  requires dual
presentation  of basic and diluted  earnings per share by entities  with complex
capital

                                       37

<PAGE>



structures and requires a  reconciliation  of the  numerators  and  denominators
between the two  calculations.  SFAS 128 is effective for  financial  statements
issued for periods ending after December 15, 1997,  including  interim  periods.
Management has not  determined  the impact,  if any, of adopting SFAS 128 on the
Bank's financial statements.

                              BUSINESS OF THE BANK

         In April 1995, Guaranty Federal Savings & Loan Association  reorganized
from a mutual  savings  and loan  association  into a  mutual  holding  company,
Guaranty Federal Bancshares,  M.H.C. (the "Mutual Holding Company").  Concurrent
with the  reorganization,  Guaranty  Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank"),  a stock
savings bank was chartered.  The Bank issued 3,125,000 shares of common stock in
connection  with the  reorganization,  the  majority  of which  are owned by the
Mutual Holding Company (68.88% of the outstanding shares).

         The principal business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from
the general  public and using such deposits to originate  mortgage loans secured
by one-  to  four-family  residences  and,  to a  lesser  extent,  multi-family,
construction  and commercial  real estate loans and consumer and business loans.
The Bank also uses these funds to purchase  loans secured by one- to four-family
residences, mortgage-backed securities, US government and agency obligations and
other permissible  securities.  The Bank's revenues are derived principally from
interest on its investments and fees charged for services  provided.  The Bank's
primary sources of funds are: deposits; borrowings; amortization and prepayments
of  loan   principal;   and   amortizations,   prepayments   and   maturing   of
mortgage-backed securities.

         In May 1997, the Boards of Directors of the Bank and the Mutual Holding
Company  announced  a plan  whereby  the Bank  would be wholly  owned by a newly
formed stock holding company. Each share of Bank Common Stock currently owned by
Public  Stockholders will be automatically  converted into shares of the holding
company  Common  Stock  based upon an  Exchange  Ratio.  Subscription  rights to
purchase  the  remainder  of the  conversion  stock  will be  granted to certain
eligible  depositors and other members of the Bank and Mutual  Holding  Company.
Any  shares  not sold in the  subscription  offering  will be offered to certain
persons in a community  offering.  The Conversion and Reorganization are subject
to several  contingencies,  including  the receipt of regulatory  approval,  the
approval of the depositors of the Bank and the approval of the  stockholders  of
the Bank.

Market Area

         The  Bank's  primary  market  area is  Greene  County,  which is in the
southwestern corner of Missouri. While the population of Greene County increased
12.4%  between 1980 and 1990 and its per capita  income grew  approximately  32%
between  1985 and 1990,  the average  per capita  income in 1990 still was lower
than  the  average  per  capita  income  for  Missouri  and the  United  States.
Springfield  has a Metropolitan  Statistical  Area  population of  approximately
250,000.  The local  economy is well  diversified  with the  majority of jobs in
light  manufacturing  and service  industries.  There is a large regional health
care presence with two large  regional  hospitals  employing over 8,000 persons.
There also are four  accredited  colleges  and one major  university  with total
enrollment  approaching 25,000. Part of Greene County's growth can be attributed
to its  proximity to Branson,  Missouri,  which has  developed a strong  tourism
industry related to country music and entertainment. Branson is located 30 miles
south of Springfield, and has between five and six million tourist visitors each
year, many of which pass through Springfield.


                                       38

<PAGE>

Lending Activities

         Set forth below is selected  data  relating to the  composition  of the
Bank's loan portfolio at the dates indicated:

Composition of Loan Portfolio
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                At June 30,
                                                         1997                      1996                      1995
                                               ---------------------        -------------------------   -----------------
                                                       $         %             $         %                $         %
                                                      ---       ---            ---       ---              ---       --
                                                                          (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                                 <C>       <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>       <C>   
Type of Loans:
Mortgage loans (includes loans held-for-sale):
  One- to four-family.......................        $116,441   68.11%       $ 98,918       68.26%       $92,104    71.84%
  Multi-family..............................          15,457    9.04          13,701        9.45         12,169     9.49
  Construction..............................          25,149   14.71          21,729       14.99         17,887    13.95
  Commercial real estate....................           8,323    4.87           8,739        6.03          5,162     4.03
                                                     -------    ----         -------        ----      ---------   ------
     Total mortgage loans...................         165,370   96.73         143,087       98.73        127,322    99.30
                                                     -------   -----         -------       -----      ---------   ------
Commercial business loans...................             383    0.22             255        0.18            219     0.17
Share loans.................................             720    0.42             530        0.37            522     0.41
Automobile loans............................           1,765    1.03           1,005        0.69            106     0.08
Other.......................................           2,727    1.60              48        0.03             45     0.04
                                                     -------    ----         -------        ----      ---------   ------
     Total consumer and other loans.........           5,595    3.27           1,838        1.27            892     0.70
                                                     -------  ------         -------      ------      ---------   ------
       Total loans..........................         170,965  100.00%        144,925      100.00%       128,214   100.00%
                                                              ======                      ======                  ======
Less:
  Loans in process..........................          10,476                   7,572                      6,537
  Deferred loan costs, net..................             (39)                    (22)                      (116)
  Unearned discounts........................             216                     238                        233
  Allowance for loan losses.................           2,177                   2,108                      1,718
                                                     -------                 -------                     ------
Total loans, net............................        $158,135                $135,029                   $119,842
                                                     =======                 =======                    =======

</TABLE>


         The following table sets forth the dollar amount, before deductions for
unearned  discounts,  deferred loan costs and allowance for loan losses, at June
30,  1997 of all  loans due  after  June 30,  1998,  which  have  pre-determined
interest rates and which have adjustable interest rates.

Fixed and Adjustable Rate Loans by Type
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                Fixed           Adjustable
                                                Rates             Rates                 Total
                                                -----             -----                 -----
                                                            (In Thousands)
<S>                                             <C>               <C>                 <C>     
One- to four-family..................           $13,728           $ 98,344            $112,072
Multi-family.........................             1,187             13,709              14,896
Construction.........................               308              2,632               2,940
Commercial real estate...............               790              4,741               5,531
Consumer and Other...................             1,601              2,303               3,904
                                              ---------          ---------          ----------
  Total (1)..........................           $17,614           $121,729            $139,343
                                                 ======            =======             =======
</TABLE>
- --------------
(1)  Before  deductions  for unearned  discounts,  deferred loan costs,  net and
     allowances for loan losses.

                                       39

<PAGE>



         The following  table sets forth the Bank's loan  originations  and loan
purchases, sales and principal repayments.

Origination, Purchase and Sale of Loans
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        Year Ended June 30,
                                                                      ------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           1997                1996                1995
                                                                          ------              ------              -----
                                                                                          (In Thousands)
<S>                                                                      <C>                  <C>                 <C>     
Total gross loans receivable at
   beginning of period.........................................          $144,925             $127,981            $115,380
                                                                          -------              -------             -------

Loans originated:
  One- to four-family..........................................            47,942               32,448              26,078
  Multi-family.................................................             2,259                2,903                  --
  Construction ................................................            28,863               26,680              22,824
  Commercial real estate.......................................             3,398                7,053                 241
  Consumer and other...........................................             4,499                3,521               1,636
                                                                          -------             --------            --------
Total loans originated.........................................            86,961               72,605              50,779

Loans purchased:
Total loans purchased..........................................                --                   --                  --

Loans sold:
  Whole loans..................................................            (4,134)              (5,319)                 --
Loan principal repayments......................................           (45,923)             (41,867)            (28,864)
Other (net)(1).................................................           (10,864)              (8,475)             (9,314)
                                                                          -------             --------             -------
Net loan activity..............................................            26,040               16,944              12,601
                                                                          -------             --------             -------
Total gross loans receivable at
    end of period..............................................          $170,965             $144,925            $127,981
                                                                          =======              =======             =======
</TABLE>


- --------------------
(1) Includes non-cash portion of loan originations.

                                       40

<PAGE>



         The  following  table  sets  forth  the  maturity  of the  Bank's  loan
portfolio at June 30, 1997. The table shows loans that have  adjustable-rates as
due in the period  during which they  contractually  mature.  The table does not
include  prepayments  or  scheduled  principal  amortization.   Prepayments  and
scheduled principal  repayments on loans totaled $45.9 million and $41.8 million
for the years ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively.

Loan Maturities
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                            1-4 Family
                            Residential        Multi-family                           Commercial
                                Real           Residential                               Real           Consumer
                                Estate         Real Estate        Construction          Estate          and Other            Total
                                ------         -----------        ------------          ------          ---------            -----
                                                                           (In Thousands)
<S>                           <C>                 <C>                <C>                 <C>              <C>              <C>     
Amounts Due:
1 Year or less.............   $  4,355            $   561            $12,307             $2,232           $1,691           $ 21,146
                                 -----             ------             ------              -----            -----             ------

After 1 year:
  1 to 5 years.............     12,106              2,425                935              1,796            3,895             21,157
  Over 5 years.............     99,966             12,471              2,005              3,735                9            118,186
                               -------             ------             ------              -----           ------            -------

Total due after one year...    112,072             14,896              2,940              5,531            3,904            139,343
                              --------             ------             ------              -----            -----            -------
Total amount due...........   $116,427            $15,457            $15,247             $7,763           $5,595            160,489
                               =======             ======             ======              =====            =====

Less:
Allowance for loan losses..                                                                                                   2,177
Unearned discounts.........                                                                                                     216
Deferred loan costs, net...                                                                                                     (39)
                                                                                                                          ---------
  Loans receivable, net....                                                                                                $158,135
                                                                                                                            =======
</TABLE>

         One-  to  Four-Family  Mortgage  Loans.  The  Bank  offers  fixed-  and
adjustable-rate  first mortgage loans secured by one- to four-family  residences
in the Bank's primary lending area. Typically, such residences are single family
homes that serve as the primary  residence  of the owner.  However,  there are a
significant  number  of  loans  originated  by the Bank  which  are  secured  by
non-owner  occupied  properties  due to the large  student  population  and high
number of service sector jobs.  Loan  originations  are generally  obtained from
existing  or past  customers,  members of the local  community,  referrals  from
attorneys,  established  builders,  and realtors  within the Bank's market area.
Originated  mortgage loans in the Bank's portfolio include  due-on-sale  clauses
which provide the Bank with the contractual  right to deem the loan  immediately
due and  payable  in the event  that the  borrower  transfers  ownership  of the
property without the Bank's consent.

         As of June 30, 1997,  68.1% of mortgage loans  receivable  consisted of
one- to four-family  residential  loans, of which 86.3% were ARM loans. The Bank
offers ARM loans that have fixed  interest  rates for either one,  three or five
years and,  following that initial fixed period,  adjust annually.  The Bank has
also offered ARM loans for which  interest rates adjust every one, three or five
years.  Generally,  ARM loans  provide for limits on the maximum  interest  rate
adjustment  ("caps") that can be made at the end of each  applicable  period and
throughout  the duration of the loan.  ARM loans are originated for a term of up
to 30  years  on  owner-occupied  properties  and  generally  up to 25  years on
non-owner  occupied  properties.   Typically,   interest  rate  adjustments  are
calculated based on U.S. treasury  securities adjusted to a constant maturity of
one year (CMT), plus a 2.75% margin. Interest rates charged on fixed-rate

                                       41

<PAGE>



loans are competitively priced based on market conditions and the cost of funds.
The Bank's  fixed-rate  mortgage loans currently are made for terms of 15 and 30
years.

         Generally,  ARM  loans  pose  credit  risks  different  from the  risks
inherent in  fixed-rate  loans,  primarily  because as  interest  rates rise the
underlying  payments of the borrower rise,  thereby increasing the potential for
default.  At the same time, the marketability of the underlying  property may be
adversely  affected by higher  interest  rates.  The Bank does not originate ARM
loans which provide for negative amortization.

         The Bank generally originates one- to four-family  residential mortgage
loans in amounts up to 80% of the  appraised  value or the selling  price of the
mortgaged  property,  whichever is lower.  The Bank typically  requires  private
mortgage  insurance for the excess  percentage  over 80% of mortgage  loans with
loan to value  percentages over 80%. The Bank originates  mortgage loans secured
by non-owner occupied,  one- to four-family  residential properties at typically
up to 75% of the appraised value or the selling price of the mortgaged property,
whichever is lower. The Bank, however,  may on occasion make such investor loans
with higher  loan-to-value  ratios. The Bank has two separate investors who have
accumulated, primarily, single family rental properties with mortgages totalling
$7.7 million as of June 30, 1997. Both borrowers are current as of June 30, 1997
and are in good standing with the Bank.  Such loans represent a risk to the Bank
in  that  the  borrowers'  ability  to make  monthly  payments  is to an  extent
dependent on the rental  market for one- to  four-family  homes in  Springfield,
Missouri.

         Multi-Family Mortgage Loans. The Bank originates  multi-family mortgage
loans in its primary lending area. As of June 30, 1997, $15.5 million or 9.0% of
the Bank's total loan portfolio  consisted of  multi-family  residential  loans.
With regard to multi-family mortgage loans, the Bank generally requires personal
guarantees  of the  principals  as well as  security  interest  in real  estate.
Multi-family  mortgage loans are generally originated in amounts of up to 75% of
the appraised value of the property. The loan-to-one-borrower  limitation,  $4.1
million as of June 30, 1997, is the maximum the Bank will lend on a multi-family
real estate loan. This limit will increase as a result of the proceeds  received
by the Bank from the Offerings.

         Loans secured by multi-family residential 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  residential real estate is typically dependent 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  Loans.  As of June 30, 1997,  construction  loans totaled
$25.1 million or 14.7% of the Bank's total loans outstanding. Construction loans
are made to certain builders for construction of single family homes for resale,
as well as to individuals in connection  with  long-term,  permanent loans to be
made upon completion of the construction.  This portfolio predominantly consists
of speculative  loans i.e. loans to builders who are speculating  that they will
be able to locate a purchaser for the  underlying  property  prior to or shortly
after the time construction has been completed.

         The Bank principally  finances the construction of single-family homes.
Construction  loans  are  made to  contractors  who  have  sufficient  financial
strength and a proven track record,  for the purpose of resale,  as well as on a
"pre-sold"  basis.  Construction  loans made for the purpose of resale generally
provide for interest  only  payments at fixed rates and have terms of six months
to one year. Construction

                                       42

<PAGE>



loans on "pre-sold"  homes may convert into a permanent ARM loan upon completion
of construction.  Construction loans to a borrower who will occupy a home, or to
a builder who has pre-sold the home, will be considered for loan to value ratios
of  up  to  85%.  Construction  loans  for  speculative  purposes,  models,  and
commercial  properties  may be considered for loan to value ratios of up to 80%.
Loan  proceeds are disbursed in increments  as  construction  progresses  and as
inspections  warrant.  The Bank  employs  inspectors  rather than  paying  title
companies for construction disbursement purposes.

         Construction lending by its nature entails significant additional risks
as compared with one-to four-family mortgage lending,  attributable primarily to
the fact  that  funds  are  advanced  upon the  security  of the  project  under
construction prior to its completion.  As a result,  construction  lending often
involves the disbursement of substantial  funds with repayment  dependent on the
success of the ultimate  project and the ability of the borrower or guarantor to
repay the loan.  Because  of these  factors,  the  analysis  of the  prospective
construction loan projects require an expertise that is different in significant
respects from that which is required for residential  mortgage lending. The Bank
has attempted to address these risks through its underwriting procedures.

         Commercial  Real Estate.  As of June 30, 1997,  the Bank had commercial
real  estate  loans  totaling  $8.3  million  or 4.9% of the  Bank's  total loan
portfolio.  Commercial real estate loans are generally  originated in amounts up
to 75% of the appraised value of the mortgaged  property.  The Bank's commercial
real estate loans are  generally  permanent,  adjustable  rate loans  secured by
improved  property  such as office  buildings,  retail  stores,  small  shopping
centers,  medical offices,  churches and other  non-residential  buildings.  All
originated commercial real estate loans are within the Bank's market area.

         To originate  commercial real estate loans, the Bank generally requires
a security interest in the real estate, personal guarantees of the principals, a
security interest in personal  property,  and a standby  assignment of rents and
leases. The Bank has established its loan-to-one borrower limitation,  which was
$4.1 million as of June 30,  1997,  as its maximum  commercial  real estate loan
amount.  This limit will  increase as a result of the  proceeds  received by the
Bank from the Offerings.  Commercial loans above 75% loan to value ratio require
Board of Director approval on a case-by-case basis.  Because of the small number
of commercial  real estate loans made, and the  relationship of each borrower to
the Bank,  each such loan has differing  terms and conditions  applicable to the
particular borrower.

         Loans  secured  by  commercial  real  estate are  generally  larger and
involve  a  greater  degree of risk than  residential  mortgage  loans.  Because
payments  on loans  secured by  commercial  real estate are often  dependent  on
successful  operation or management of the  properties,  repayment of such loans
may be subject,  to a greater extent,  to adverse  conditions in the real estate
market or the  economy.  The Bank seeks to minimize  these risks by limiting the
number of such  loans,  lending  only to  established  customers  and  borrowers
otherwise known to the Bank, and generally restricting such loans to its primary
market area.

         At June 30, 1997, the Bank also included  approximately $3.4 million in
loans to develop land into  residential  lots and loans on completed lots in the
commercial  real estate loan  portfolio.  The Bank utilizes its knowledge of the
local market  conditions  and appraisals to evaluate the  development  cost, and
estimate   projected  lot  prices  and  absorption  rates  to  assess  loans  on
residential  subdivisions.  The Bank typically  loans up to 70% of the appraised
value over terms up to two years.  Development loans generally involve a greater
degree  of risk  than  residential  mortgage  loans  because  (1) the  funds are
advanced upon the security of the land which has a materially  lower value prior
to completion of the infrastructure required of a subdivision, (2) the cash flow
available for debt repayment is a function of the sale of the  individual  lots,
and (3) the  interest  required  to service  the debt is a function  of the time
required to complete the development and sell the lots.

                                       43

<PAGE>



         Consumer and Other Lending. The Bank also offers other loans, primarily
loans secured by share accounts, commercial business assets, consumer loans, and
automobile  loans. As of June 30, 1997, $5.6 million or 3.3%, of the Bank's loan
portfolio consisted of such loans. The Bank will continue to expand its consumer
lending as opportunities present themselves.

         Loan  Approval  Authority and  Underwriting.  All loans secured by real
estate  must  have the  approval  of the  members  of the loan  committee  which
consists of six senior officers. The loan committee meets periodically to review
and approve loans made within the scope of its  authority.  Real estate loans in
excess of $500,000 require prior approval by the Board of Directors.

         For all loans  originated by the Bank, upon receipt of a completed loan
application from a prospective  borrower, a credit report is requested,  income,
assets, and certain other information are verified and, if necessary, additional
financial information is requested.  An appraisal of the real estate intended to
secure the proposed loan is generally required,  which currently is performed by
certified  appraisers  designated and approved by the Board of Directors.  It is
the Bank's policy to obtain appropriate  insurance protection on all real estate
first mortgage  loans.  Borrowers  generally  must also obtain hazard  insurance
prior to closing.  Borrowers generally are required to advance funds for certain
items such as real estate taxes, flood insurance and private mortgage insurance,
when applicable.

Delinquencies and Problem Assets.

         Delinquent  Loans.  As of June 30,  1997,  the Bank had 9 loans  with a
total principal balance of $828,000,  90 days or more past due and 16 loans with
total  principal  balances of $1.2 million  between 30 and 89 days past due. The
Bank  generally  does not  accrue  interest  on loans past due more than 90 days
unless they are well  secured  and the Bank  expects  that the  account  will be
collected within 30 days.



                                       44

<PAGE>



         The  following  table sets  forth the Bank's  loans that are 90 days or
more delinquent.

Delinquency Summary
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         At June 30,
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    1997           1996           1995           1994          1993
                                                    ----           ----           ----           ----          ----
                                                                    (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                                 <C>        <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>   
Loans accounted for on a non-accrual basis:
Mortgage loans:
  One- to four-family............................   $279       $     --       $     --       $     --      $     --
  Multi-family...................................    286             --             --             --            --
  Construction...................................    150            273             --             --            --
  Commercial real estate.........................     --             --          1,882          2,013         2,313
                                                     ---            ---          -----          -----         -----
Total mortgage loans.............................    715            273          1,882          2,013         2,313
                                                     ---            ---          -----          -----         -----
Non-mortgage loans
  Commercial.....................................     --            120             --             --            --
  Consumer and other.............................     --             --             --              6            11
                                                     ---        -------         ------        -------        ------
Total non-mortgage loans.........................     --            120             --              6            11
                                                     ---         ------         ------        -------        ------
Total non-accrual loans..........................    715            393          1,882          2,019         2,324
                                                     ---         ------         ------          -----         -----

Accruing  loans which are past  maturity and 
contractually  past due 90 days or more:
Mortgage loans:
  One- to four-family............................     --            246             --             --            --
  Multi-family...................................     --             --             --             --            --
  Construction...................................    113          1,047             --             --            --
  Commercial real estate.........................     --             91             --             --            --
                                                     ---          -----          -----          -----         -----
Total mortgage loans.............................    113          1,381             --             --            --
                                                     ---          -----          -----          -----         -----
Non-mortgage loans:
  Commercial.....................................     --             --             --             --            --
  Consumer and other.............................     --             --             --             --            --
                                                    ----        -------        -------        -------       -------
Total non-mortgage loans.........................     --             --             --             --            --
                                                    ----        -------        -------        -------       -------
Total accruing loans.............................    113          1,384             --             --            --
                                                     ---          -----        -------        -------       -------
Total non-accrual and accrual loans..............   $828         $1,777         $1,882         $2,019        $2,324
                                                     ===          =====          =====          =====         =====
Total non-accrual and accrual loans 
  as a percentage of net loans...................    .52%          1.32%          1.57%          1.92%         2.42%
                                                     ===           ====           ====           ====          ====
Total non-accrual and accrual loans 
  as a percentage of total assets................    .42%           .96%          1.10%          1.27%         1.46%
                                                     ===            ===           ====           ====          ====
</TABLE>

                                       45

<PAGE>



         Non-Performing  Assets.  Loans are reviewed on a regular  basis and are
placed on non-accrual status when, in the opinion of management,  the collection
of additional  interest is doubtful.  Mortgage  loans are placed on  non-accrual
status  generally  when either  principal  or interest is more than 90 days past
due.  Interest  accrued  and  unpaid at the time a loan is placed on  nonaccrual
status is charged against interest income.

         Real estate  acquired by the Bank as a result of foreclosure or by deed
in lieu of  foreclosure  is deemed a  foreclosed  asset held for sale until such
time as it is sold.  When a  foreclosed  asset held for sale is  acquired  it is
recorded  at  its  estimated  fair  value,   less  estimated  selling  expenses.
Valuations are periodically performed by management,  and any subsequent decline
in fair value is charged to operations.

         As of July  1,  1995,  the  Bank  implemented  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting  Standards No. 114 (SFAS 114). While  implementation  had no material
effect on net income, in accordance with the new  pronouncement,  loans totaling
$851,818,  net of the valuation allowance,  which were previously  classified as
in-substance   foreclosures,   and  reported  as  part  of   foreclosed   assets
held-for-sale  have been  reclassified  to loans along with  $199,033 of related
allowances for collectibility.

         Prior to the implementation of SFAS 114, the Bank considered collateral
for a loan to be  in-substance  foreclosed if: (1) the borrower had little or no
equity in the  collateral;  (ii)  proceeds  for  repayment  of the loan could be
expected to come only from the  operation or sale of the  collateral;  and (iii)
the  borrower  had  either  formally  or  effectively  abandoned  control of the
collateral to the Bank, or retained  control of the  collateral but was unlikely
to be able to rebuild  equity in the  collateral or otherwise  repay the loan in
the foreseeable future. Cash flow attributable to in-substance  foreclosures was
used to reduce the carrying value of the collateral.



                                       46

<PAGE>



         The following table shows the principal amount of non-performing assets
and the resulting impact on interest income for the periods then ended.

Non-Performing Assets
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           As of June 30,
                                           -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   1997             1996             1995             1994            1993
                                           --------------   -----------------   ---------------   -------------   --------------
                                                                        (Dollars in Thousands)

<S>                                                <C>              <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>     
Mortgage Loans:
  One- to four-family......................        $  279           $   --          $     --        $     --       $     --
  Multi-family.............................           286               --                --              --             --
  Construction.............................           190              273                --              --             --
  Commercial real estate...................           502               --             1,882           2,013          2,313
                                                    -----              ---             -----           -----          -----
Total mortgage loans.......................         1,257              273             1,882           2,013          2,313
                                                    -----              ---             -----           -----          -----
Non-mortgage loans:
  Commercial...............................            --              120                --              --             --
  Consumer and other.......................            --               --                --               6             11
                                                    -----              ---             -----          ------         ------
Total non-mortgage loans...................            --              120                 -               6             11
                                                    -----              ---             -----          ------         ------
Total non-performing loans.................         1,257              393             1,882           2,019          2,324
Foreclosed assets held for sale............           210                2                 4               6              7
Non-performing loans classified as
  in-substance foreclosures................            --               --               698             846            974
                                                    -----              ---            ------           -----         ------
Total non-performing assets ...............        $1,467             $395            $2,584          $2,871         $3,305
                                                    =====              ===             =====           =====          =====
Total non-performing loans as a percentage
  of net loans.............................          .79%             .29%             1.57%           1.92%          2.55%
Total non-performing assets as a percentage
  of total assets..........................          .74%             .21%             1.51%           2.02%          2.09%
Impact on interest income for the period:
Interest income that would have been
  recorded on non-accruing loans...........        $   31            $  15          $     --        $     --        $     1

</TABLE>

                                       47

<PAGE>



                  Problem  Assets.  Federal  regulations  require  that the Bank
review and classify its assets on a regular  basis.  In addition,  in connection
with  examinations  of insured  institutions,  OTS examiners  have  authority to
identify  problem  assets and, if  appropriate,  require them to be  classified.
There are three  classifications for problem assets:  substandard,  doubtful and
loss.  "Substandard  assets"  must have one or more defined  weaknesses  and are
characterized  by the distinct  possibility  that the insured  institution  will
sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.  "Doubtful assets" have
the weaknesses of substandard assets with the additional characteristic that the
weaknesses  make  collection  or  liquidation  in full on the basis of currently
existing  facts,  conditions  and  values,  questionable,  and  there  is a high
possibility of loss. An asset classified "loss" is considered  uncollectible and
of such little  value that  continuance  as an asset of the  institution  is not
warranted.  The  regulations  have  also  created a  special  mention  category,
described as assets which do not currently  expose an insured  institution  to a
sufficient  degree  of risk to  warrant  classification  but do  possess  credit
deficiencies or potential  weaknesses  deserving  management's  close attention.
Assets  classified  as  substandard  or  doubtful  require  the  institution  to
establish  general  allowance for loan losses. If an asset or portion thereof is
classified  loss,  the  insured   institution  must  either  establish  specific
allowances  for loan  losses in the  amount of 100% of the  portion of the asset
classified loss or charge off such amount.  A portion of general loss allowances
established to cover possible losses related to assets classified substandard or
doubtful may be included in determining  an  institution's  regulatory  capital,
while specific valuation  allowances for loan losses generally do not qualify as
regulatory capital.

         As of June 30,  1997,  the Bank had  total  classified  assets  of $2.2
million of which $2.2 million were considered substandard and $0 were classified
as loss. Special mention assets totaled $930,000 as of June 30, 1997.

         One  borrower  had  three  non-accrual  loans  with the Bank  that were
classified  as  substandard  or special  mention at June 30, 1997.  These loans,
aggregating  approximately  $373,000,  are cross  collateralized  by a partially
completed  single  family  residence and three  duplexes.  The Bank has provided
reserves against the estimated potential loss for these loans.

         One bankrupt  borrower had three  non-accrual  loans with the Bank that
were  classified  as  substandard  at June 30, 1997.  These  loans,  aggregating
approximately  $306,000,  are secured by first deeds on multi-family  properties
and a second  deed on a single  family  residence.  The Bank  believes  that the
borrower may abandon these  properties  and that the Bank will  ultimately  take
possession of these properties.  The Bank has established a reserve equal to 20%
of the outstanding balance.

         Nine  non-accrual  loans  originated  by the  Bank  to a  builder  were
classified  as  substandard  at June  30,  1997.  Of  these  loans,  aggregating
approximately  $580,000,  three are secured by first deeds on nonowner  occupied
residences, four are secured by first deeds on partially completed single family
residences,  one is a commercial  loan and one is a consumer  loan. The Bank has
established a reserve equal to 20% of the outstanding balance.

         One  borrower  had 16  loans  past  due  less  than 30 days  that  were
classified  as  special  mention  at June 30,  1997.  These  loans,  aggregating
approximately  $534,000,  were  secured by first  deeds on three  single  family
residences and 13 duplex units.  This borrower also holds loans from the Bank on
nine condominium  units secured by first and second deeds of trust,  aggregating
approximately  $314,000  at June 30,  1997 and  current at that date.  This same
borrower also owes the Bank  approximately  $503,000 to the Bank through a first
deed of trust on a multi-family dwelling. This loan was also current at June 30,
1997. The Bank has provided  reserves  against all of the loans by this borrower
due to past payment performance.


                                       48

<PAGE>
Classification of Assets

         The  following  table  shows  the  aggregate   amounts  of  the  Bank's
classified assets as of June 30, 1997.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             As of June 30, 1997
                                              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Substandard            Doubtful            Loss           Special Mention
                                              ------------------    -----------------   ---------------   -----------------
                                               Number    Balance    Number    Balance   Number  Balance   Number    Balance
                                               ------    -------    ------    -------   ------  -------   ------    -------
                                                                              (In Thousands)
<S>                                              <C>     <C>         <C>        <C>      <C>    <C>         <C>     <C> 
Loans:
  1-4 family............................         10      $  384         --      $ --      --    $ --        15      $747
  Multi-family..........................          4       1,077         --        --      --      --         1       183
  Commercial real estate................          1          19         --        --      --      --        --        --
  Construction and land.................          7         473         --        --      --      --        --        --
  Other loans...........................          1           8         --        --      --      --        --        --
                                                 --                                                        ---      ----
     Total loans........................         23      $1,961         --      $ --      --    $ --        16      $930
                                                 ==       =====        ===       ===     ===     ===        ==       ===

Foreclosed assets held-for-sale:
  1-4 family............................          2      $  210         --      $ --      --    $ --        --      $ --
  Commercial real estate................         --          --         --        --      --      --        --        --
  Land and other loans..................         --          --         --        --      --      --        --        --
                                                 --       -----        ---       ---     ---     ---        --       ---
     Total foreclosed assets............          2         210         --        --      --      --        --        --
                                                 --                                                         --      ----
     Total..............................         25      $2,171         --      $ --      --    $ --        16      $930
                                                 ==       =====        ===       ===     ===     ===        ==       ===
</TABLE>

                                       49
<PAGE>



Allowance for Loan Losses

         The  allowance for loan losses is  established  through a provision for
loan losses based on  management's  evaluation  of the risk inherent in its loan
portfolio and the general economy.  Such evaluation,  which includes a review of
all loans on which full collectibility may not be reasonably assured,  considers
among other  matters,  the estimated  fair value of the  underlying  collateral,
economic  conditions,  historical loan loss  experience,  and other factors that
warrant  recognition  in  providing  for an  adequate  loan loss  allowance.  In
addition,  various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination
process,  periodically review the Bank's allowance for loan losses and valuation
of  foreclosed  assets  held for sale.  Such  agencies  may  require the Bank to
recognize  additions to the allowance based on their judgments about information
available to them at the time of their examination.

         As of June 30,  1997,  the Bank's total  allowance  for loan losses was
$2.2 million which amounted to 1.3% of total loans. This allowance  reflects not
only  management's  determination  to  maintain  an  allowance  for loan  losses
consistent with regulatory  expectations  for  non-performing  assets,  but also
reflects  the  Bank's  policy  of  evaluating  the  risks  inherent  in its loan
portfolio, and the regional economy.

         In  March  1996  the  Bank  had  $1.2  million  of loan  recovery  on a
commercial  loan which was previously  partially  charged off. The loan recovery
represents  amounts  recovered in excess of the carrying  balance of the loan as
reflected  by the original  terms of the loan,  including  accrued  interest and
previously  charged-off  principal.  Consequently,  the Bank determined that the
allowance for loan losses was sufficient prior to the recovery, and credited the
provision for loan losses. During fiscal year 1997, the Bank again experienced a
net recovery and based on a review discussed  above,  elected to make no further
addition to the allowance.  Management  anticipates  the need to begin adding to
loss reserves  through charges to provision for loan losses within the next year
if growth in the loan portfolio continues as anticipated.



                                       50

<PAGE>



                  The following tables set forth certain information  concerning
the Bank's allowance for possible loan losses at the dates indicated.

         Allowance for Loan Losses
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 Year Ended June 30,
                                                              -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 1997        1996        1995          1994       1993
                                                                 ----        ----        ----          ----       ----
                                                                                 (Dollars in Thousands)

<S>                                                             <C>         <C>         <C>            <C>       <C>   
Allowance for loan losses:
Beginning balance...........................................    $2,108      $1,718      $1,703         $1,687    $1,792
                                                                 -----       -----       -----          -----     -----
Gross loan charge offs (non-residential, commercial
  and residential 1-4 family)...............................       (63)         (4)         (5)            (2)      (13)
Recoveries (residential 1-4 family and non-residential)...         132       1,407           4              4         6
                                                                  ----       -----       -----          -----     -----
Net loan recoveries (charge-offs)...........................        69       1,403         (1)              2       (7)
Provision (credit) for loan losses (charged to expense).....        --     (1,212)          16             14      (98)
Allowances reclassified to loans which were previously
  classified as in-substance foreclosures...................        --         199          --             --        --
                                                                ------      ------     -------         ------    ------
Ending balance..............................................    $2,177      $2,108      $1,718         $1,703    $1,687
                                                                 =====       =====       =====          =====     =====

Net recoveries (charge-offs) as a percentage of
  average loans, net........................................      0.05%       1.10%         --%            --%     0.01%
Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of
  average loans, net........................................      1.49        1.66        1.52           1.62      1.82
Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total
  non-performing loans......................................    173.19      536.39       91.29          84.35     72.59
</TABLE>



                                                        51

<PAGE>

Allocation of Allowance for Loan Losses
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        June 30,
                            ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          1997                             1996                             1995
                            --------------------------------   -----------------------------   ---------------------------------
                                                Percent of                      Percent of                        Percent of
                                                 Loans in                        Loans in                          Loans in
                                                   Each                            Each                              Each
                                                  Category                        Category                          Category
                                                  to Total                        to Total                          to Total
                                  Amount            Loans           Amount          Loans            Amount            Loans
                                  ------            -----           ------          -----            ------            -----
                                                                  (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                <C>             <C>            <C>             <C>               <C>              <C>   
Mortgage loans(1)...........       $2,099           96.73%         $2,071          98.73%            $1,700           99.30%
Consumer and other loans....           78            3.27              37           1.27                 18            0.70
                                    -----           ------           -----        ------             ------          ------
     Total..................       $2,177          100.00%         $2,108         100.00%           $ 1,718          100.00%
                                    =====          ======           =====         ======             ======          ======
</TABLE>

- ----------------
(1)  Includes an allowance  for loan losses for  construction  loans of $450,000
     and $195,000 at June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

         The Bank has significant investments in mortgage-backed  securities and
has at times  utilized  such  investments  to  complement  its mortgage  lending
activities.  As of June 30,  1997,  the  Bank  held  mortgage-backed  securities
totaling  $15.8 million or 7.9%, of total  assets.  The estimated  fair value of
such  securities  totaled $16.1  million as of June 30, 1997.  All of the Bank's
mortgage-backed  securities  are insured and are  guaranteed by the Federal Home
Loan Mortgage  Corporation  ("FHLMC"),  the  Government  National  Mortgage Bank
("GNMA"), or the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA").

         The following table sets forth the Bank's mortgage-backed  portfolio by
the  amount  of  such  securities  backed  by  fixed-rate  and   adjustable-rate
mortgages.

Composition of Mortgage-Backed Securities by Fixed and Adjustable Rates
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     At June 30, 1997
                                   -------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Adjustable
                                    Fixed Rates            Rates                Total
                                    -----------            -----                -----
                                               (Dollars in Thousands)
Held-to-maturity:
<S>                                   <C>                <C>                  <C>      
GNMA......................            $  3,748           $   2,194            $   5,942
FNMA......................                 609               1,074                1,683
FHLMC.....................               3,014               5,175                8,189
                                         -----               -----                -----
Total.....................            $  7,371           $   8,443            $  15,814
                                         =====               =====               ======
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                      At June 30, 1996
                                   ------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Adjustable
                                     Fixed Rates            Rates                Total
                                     -----------            -----                -----
                                                   (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                   <C>                <C>                 <C>   
Held-to-maturity:
GNMA......................            $  7,317           $      --           $    7,317
FNMA......................                 925               1,606                2,531
FHLMC.....................               3,585               6,634               10,219
                                         -----               -----               ------
Total.....................            $ 11,827           $   8,240           $   20,067
                                        ======               =====               ======
</TABLE>

                                       52

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   As of June 30, 1995
                                  -----------------------------------------------------
                                                        Adjustable
                                    Fixed Rates            Rates               Total
                                    -----------            -----               -----
                                               (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                   <C>               <C>                   <C>      
Held to maturity:
GNMA......................            $  5,830          $       --            $   5,830
FNMA......................                 939                 403                1,342
FHLMC.....................               2,635               4,048                6,683
                                         -----               -----                -----
Total.....................            $  9,404            $  4,451            $  13,855
                                         =====               =====               ======
</TABLE>


         As of June 30, 1997, all mortgage-backed  securities were classified as
held-to-maturity  by the Bank. The following table sets forth the composition of
the Bank's mortgage-backed securities portfolio,  indicating the amortized cost,
percent of portfolio and estimated fair value.

Composition of Mortgage-Backed Securities by Cost and Fair Value
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                              At June 30, 1997
                                  --------------------------------------------------
                                                     Percent             Estimated
                                   Amortized            of                  Fair
                                      Cost           Portfolio              Value
                                      ----           ---------              -----
                                               (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                                 <C>            <C>                   <C>      
Held to maturity:
GNMA....................            $ 5,942         37.58%               $   6,312
FNMA....................              1,683         10.64                    1,719
FHLMC...................              8,189         51.78                    8,060
                                      -----         -----                    -----
Total...................            $15,814        100.00%                $ 16,091
                                     ======        ======                  =======
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                              At June 30, 1996
                                  --------------------------------------------------
                                                  Percent                Estimated
                                   Amortized         of                     Fair
                                      Cost       Portfolio                  Value
                                      ----       ---------                  -----
                                               (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                               <C>             <C>                   <C>      
Held-to-maturity:
GNMA....................          $   7,317         36.47%               $   7,672
FNMA....................              2,531         12.61                    2,480
FHLMC...................             10,219         50.92                   10,189
                                     ------         -----                   ------
Total...................          $  20,067         100.00%              $  20,341
                                   ========         ======                ========
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                              At June 30, 1995
                                  --------------------------------------------------
                                                  Percent                Estimated
                                   Amortized         of                     Fair
                                      Cost        Portfolio                 Value
                                      ----        ---------                 -----
                                               (Dollars in Thousands)
<S>                               <C>            <C>                    <C>      
Held-to-maturity:
GNMA....................          $   5,830        42.08%               $    6,235
FNMA....................              1,342         9.69                     1,343
FHLMC...................              6,683        48.23                     6,698
                                      -----        -----                     -----
Total...................          $  13,855       100.00%               $   14,276
                                     ======       ======                    ======
</TABLE>

                                       53

<PAGE>



         The   following   table  sets  forth  the   maturities  of  the  Bank's
mortgage-backed  securities and the weighted yields of those  securities at June
30, 1997.


Maturities and Weighted Average Yields of Mortgage-Backed Securities
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        Contractual Maturities Due at Year Ended June 30, 1997
                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              One          After One Year     After Five Years        After                        
                          Year or Less     to Five Years        to Ten Years       Ten Years       Total Amount
                      ------------------- ---------------      --------------- ---------------  ----------------
                         Amount    Yield   Amount   Yield      Amount   Yield   Amount  Yield    Amount   Yield
                      ----------  ------- --------- -----      ------  ------  ------- -------  ------- --------
                                                          (Dollars in Thousands)                              
<S>                       <C>      <C>    <C>      <C>         <C>    <C>     <C>        <C>    <C>        <C>  
Held-to-maturity:                                             
                                                              
     GNMA..........       $ --      --%     $ --      --%      $ --       --%   $ 5,942   8.70%  $ 5,942    8.70%
                                                              
     FNMA..........         --      --        --      --         --       --      1,683   6.50     1,683    6.50
                                                              
     FHLMC.........         --      --     1,900    6.00          6     8.10      6,283   7.60     8,189    7.23
                           ---     ---     -----    ----        ---     ----      -----   ----     -----    ----
                                                              
          Total           $ --      --%   $1,900    6.00%       $ 6     8.10%   $13,908   7.94%  $15,814    7.70%
                           ===     ===     =====    ====         ==     ====     ======   ====    ======    ====
                                                          
</TABLE>

                                                        54

<PAGE>



                  The  following  table sets  forth the  Bank's  mortgage-backed
securities purchases, sales and principal repayments.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Activity
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      Year Ended June 30,
                                                                ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        1997                  1996                   1995
                                                                ----------------      ----------------       ------------------
                                                                                   (In Thousands)

<S>                                                                    <C>                    <C>                   <C>    
Beginning balance.....................................                 $20,067                $13,855               $14,138

Purchases.............................................                      --                 10,834                 2,174

Sales.................................................                      --                     --                    --

Principal payments....................................                  (4,300)                (4,628)               (2,485)

Amortization and accretion, net.......................                      47                      6                    28
                                                                       -------                -------               -------

  Ending balance......................................                 $15,814                $20,067               $13,855
                                                                        ======                 ======                ======
</TABLE>


Investment Activities

         The investment policy of the Bank, which is established by the Board of
Directors and reviewed by the  Investment  Committee,  is designed  primarily to
provide and maintain  liquidity,  to generate a favorable  return on investments
without  incurring  undue  interest rate and credit risk,  and to complement the
Bank's lending  activities.  The policy currently provides for  held-to-maturity
and  available-for-sale  portfolios.  The Bank has adopted an investment  policy
which strictly prohibits speculation in investment securities. The Bank does not
currently engage in trading investment  securities and does not anticipate doing
so in the future.  As of June 30, 1997, the Bank had investment  securities with
an estimated  fair value of $11.7 million and a carrying value of $11.9 million.
Of those securities $3.4 million, or 28.1%, of the Bank's investment  securities
portfolio were available-for-sale.

         The Bank has the authority to invest in various types of liquid assets,
including  United States  Treasury  obligations,  securities of various  federal
agencies,   certain  certificates  of  deposit  of  insured  banks  and  savings
institutions, certain bankers' acceptances,  repurchase agreements, and loans on
federal funds.

         The following table sets forth the composition of the Bank's investment
securities portfolio.

Composition of Investment Securities
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         At June 30,
                                                                      --------------------------------------------------
                                                                         1997               1996                1995
                                                                         ------             ------              -----
                                                                                       (In Thousands)
<S>                                                                     <C>               <C>                  <C>    
Investment Securities:
 U.S. Treasury and government agency securities..............           $ 8,586            $15,656              $20,343
 Obligations of state and political subdivisions.............                --                 --                1,625
 Corporate notes and bonds...................................                --                 --                  500
 Other securities(1).........................................             3,360              2,052                1,650
                                                                         ------             ------               ------
   Total investment securities...............................            11,946             17,708               24,118
Interest-bearing deposits....................................             3,400              2,373                4,186
FHLB stock...................................................             1,734              1,734                1,700
                                                                         ------             ------               ------
   Total investments.........................................           $17,080            $21,815              $30,004
                                                                         ======             ======               ======
</TABLE>
- ------------------
(1)  Consists of FHLMC stock.

                                       55

<PAGE>



         The  following  table  sets forth  certain  information  regarding  the
carrying values, weighted average yields and maturities of the Bank's investment
securities portfolio at June 30, 1997.

Investment Portfolio Maturities and Average Weighted Yields
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                As of June 30, 1997
                      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              After One to        After Five to          
                       One Year or Less        Five Years            Ten Years       After Ten Years    Total Investment Securities
                      -------------------- -------------------  -----------------   -----------------   ---------------------------
                      Carrying    Average  Carrying    Average  Carrying Average     Carrying Average   Carrying Average   Fair
                        Value      Yield    Value       Yield    Value    Yield       Value    Yield     Value    Yield   Value
                       -------    -------  -------     -------  -------  -------     -------  -------   -------  ------- ----------
                                            (Dollars in Thousands)                                     
<S>                    <C>        <C>       <C>         <C>      <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>      <C>    <C>   
U.S. Treasury and                                                                                      
government agencies... $    --        --%    $7,003      6.02%    $   --      --%      $1,583   6.58%     $8,586   6.13% $8,373
                         -----     -----      -----      ----      -----    ----        -----   ----       -----   ----   -----
                                                                                                       
  Total..............  $    --        --%    $7,003      6.02%    $   --      --%      $1,583   6.58%     $8,586   6.13% $8,373
                        ======     =====      =====      ====      =====    ====        =====   ====       =====   ====   =====
</TABLE>                                                             
                                                                    
                                       56

<PAGE>



Sources of Funds

         General. The Bank's primary sources of funds are deposits,  borrowings,
amortization and prepayments on loans and mortgage-backed securities.

         Deposits.  The Bank offers a variety of deposit accounts having a range
of  interest  rates and  terms.  The  Bank's  deposits  principally  consist  of
fixed-term certificates,  passbook savings, money market,  individual retirement
accounts  ("IRAs")  and  NOW  (checking)  accounts.  The  flow  of  deposits  is
influenced  significantly by general economic  conditions,  the restructuring of
the thrift industry,  changes in money market and prevailing  interest rates and
competition.  The Bank's deposits are typically obtained from the areas in which
its  offices are  located.  The Bank relies  primarily  on customer  service and
long-standing relationships with customers to attract and retain these deposits.

         The Bank  seeks to  maintain a high level of stable  core  deposits  by
providing convenient and high quality service through its offices.

         The following  table sets forth the  distribution of the Bank's deposit
accounts as of June 30, 1997.

Deposit Account Types
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                  Minimum       Balance as of         Percentage of
Category                               Term                 Interest Rate(1)  Balance Amount    June 30, 1997        Total Deposits
- --------                               ----                 ----------------  --------------    -------------        --------------
                                                                                                 (In thousands)
<S>                                    <C>                       <C>             <C>            <C>                   <C>  
NOW accounts........................   None                       2.05%            $100            $9,386                6.21%
Savings accounts....................   None                       2.80               25             8,621                5.70
Money market accounts...............   None                       2.98            1,000             8,288                5.47
Non interest-bearing
  demand accounts...................   None                                         100             2,334                1.54
                                                                                                   ------              ------
     Total..........................                                                               28,629               18.92
                                                                                                   ------              ------

Certificates of Deposit:
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                  1-11 Months               4.96              500            16,846               11.14
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 12-23 Months               5.29              500            47,682               31.53
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 24-35 Months               5.63              500            28,485               18.83
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 36-47 Months               5.77              500            12,013                7.94
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 48-59 Months               5.87              500             1,718                1.14
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 60-71 Months               5.92              500            10,615                7.02
Fixed Term, Fixed Rate                 72-95 Months               5.92              500             5,258                3.48
                                                                                                  -------              ------
     Total..........................                                                              122,617               81.08
                                                                                                  -------              ------

Total deposits......................                                                             $151,246               100.0%
                                                                                                  =======               =====
</TABLE>

- ---------------
(1) Current interest rate offerings as of June 30, 1997.

                                       57

<PAGE>



         The following table presents the deposit activity of the Bank.

Deposit Activity
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                      Year Ended June 30,
                                                         ----------------------------------------------
                                                          1997             1996              1995
                                                          ----             ----              ----
                                                                       (In Thousands)
<S>                                                        <C>              <C>                <C>     
Beginning balance.................................         $157,008         $139,595           $141,017
                                                            -------          -------            -------
Deposits..........................................          126,919          118,097             83,991
Withdrawals.......................................         (137,273)        (105,689)           (89,184)
                                                           --------         --------            -------
Net deposits (withdrawals)........................          (10,354)          12,408             (5,193)
Interest credited.................................            4,592            5,005              3,771
                                                            -------          -------            -------
Net increase (decrease) in deposits...............           (5,762)          17,413             (1,422)
                                                            -------          -------            -------
Ending balance....................................         $151,246         $157,008           $139,595
                                                            =======          =======            =======

</TABLE>



         The following table sets forth the time deposits in the Bank classified
by interest rate as of the dates indicated.

Certificates of Deposit Accounts by Rate
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                              As of June 30,
                                                            -----------------------------------------------
                                                                1997              1996              1995
                                                                ----              ----              ----
                                                                   (In Thousands)
<S>    <C>                                                   <C>                 <C>               <C>    
0.00 - 3.99%.........................................        $        6          $     50          $  1,043
4.00 - 5.99%.........................................           108,383           106,243            68,576
6.00 - 7.99%.........................................            14,228            27,030            49,583
8.00 - 9.99%.........................................                --                --                22
                                                               --------           -------           -------
     Total...........................................         $ 122,617          $133,323          $119,224
                                                               ========           =======           =======
</TABLE>



         The  following  table  sets forth the  amount  and  maturities  of time
deposits at June 30, 1997.

Certificate of Deposit Maturity Schedule
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Balance Due in
                            ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Less than              One to                Two to              Three Years
Interest Rate                 One Year              Two Years            Three Years             or More                Total
- -------------               -----------           -----------            ----------           -----------            -----------
                                                                  (In Thousands)
<S>                             <C>                   <C>                    <C>                   <C>                 <C>       
0.00 - 3.99%.........           $     6               $    --                $   --              $     --              $      6
4.00 - 5.99%.........            76,118                25,948                 3,742                 2,575               108,383
6.00 - 7.99%.........             5,356                 1,177                 2,601                 5,094                14,228
                                 ------                ------                 -----                 -----                ------
     Total...........           $81,480               $27,125                $6,343                $7,669              $122,617
                                 ======                ======                 =====                 =====               =======
</TABLE>

                                       58

<PAGE>



         The  following  table  indicates the  approximate  amount of the Bank's
certificate  accounts of $100,000 or more by time remaining until maturity as of
June 30, 1997.

Maturities of Certificates of Deposit of $100,000 or More

                                              Certificates
                                               of Deposits
                                             (In thousands)
Maturity Period
Three months or less.....................         $2,592
Three through six months.................          1,101
Six through twelve months................          2,197
Over twelve months.......................          2,106
                                                   -----
     Total...............................         $7,996
                                                   =====


                                       59

<PAGE>




         The  following  table  presents the change in dollar  amount of deposit
accounts by savings type for the years ended June 30, 1997, 1996, and 1995.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                   At June 30, 1997                             At June 30, 1996          
                                        -------------------------------------      -------------------------------------- 
                            Minimum     Balance in  Percentage   Increase or       Balance in Percentage  Increase or 
                              Term      Thousands   of Deposits   Decrease         Thousands  of Deposits   Decrease  
                             ------     ----------  -----------   ---------        ---------- -----------   --------- 
<S>                      <C>            <C>           <C>         <C>              <C>           <C>         <C>      
Savings and 
transaction accounts:
NOW accounts............      None      $  9,386        6.21%       $2,761           $6,625        4.22%      $1,091  
Savings accounts........      None         8,621        5.70        (1,641)          10,262        6.54         (501) 
Money market accounts...      None         8,288        5.47         3,024            5,264        3.35        1,956  
Non-interest-bearing
  demand accounts.......      None         2,334        1.54           800            1,534        0.98          768  
                                          ------       -----        ------           ------       -----      -------  
         Total..........                  28,629       18.93         4,944           23,685       15.09        3,314  
                                          ------       -----         -----           ------       -----      -------  
Certificate of Deposit 
accounts:
Fixed-rate, fixed term..   1-11 months    16,846       11.14       (16,454)          33,300       21.21       11,970  
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  12-23 months    47,682       31.53         2,983           44,699       28.47        1,363  
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  24-35 months    28,485       18.83         3,801           24,684       15.72        1,269  
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  36-47 months    12,013        7.94          (461)          12,474        7.94       (1,053) 
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  48-59 months     1,718        1.14          (100)           1,818        1.16         (613) 
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  60-71 months    10,615        7.02          (590)          11,205        7.14          499  
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  72-95 months     5,258        3.48           115            5,143        3.27          664  
Fixed-rate, fixed term..   96+ months         --          --            --               --          --           --  
                                        --------     -------      ---------         -------   ---------     --------  

         Total..........                 122,617       81.07       (10,706)         133,323       84.91       14,099  
                                         -------    --------       -------          -------    --------       ------  
         Total deposits.                $151,246      100.00%     $ (5,762)        $157,008      100.00%     $17,413  
                                         =======     =======       =======          =======     =======       ======  
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     At June 30, 1995
                                          -----------------------------------
                            Minimum       Balance in   Percentage Increase or
                              Term        Thousands   of Deposits  Decrease
                             ------       ----------  -----------  --------
<S>                      <C>              <C>           <C>       <C>     
Savings and 
transaction accounts:
NOW accounts............      None         $ 5,534         3.96%    $(687)
Savings accounts........      None          10,763         7.71    (4,468)
Money market accounts...      None           3,308         2.37    (1,026)
Non-interest-bearing
  demand accounts.......      None             766         0.55       500
                                            ------        -----   -------
         Total..........                    20,371        14.59    (5,681)
                                            ------        -----   -------
Certificate of Deposit 
accounts:
Fixed-rate, fixed term..   1-11 months      21,330        15.28    (2,764)
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  12-23 months      43,336        31.05     7,345
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  24-35 months      23,415        16.77    (1,208)
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  36-47 months      13,527         9.69    (3,040)
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  48-59 months       2,431         1.74      (244)
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  60-71 months      10,706         7.67     1,969
Fixed-rate, fixed term..  72-95 months       4,479         3.21     2,224
Fixed-rate, fixed term..   96+ months           --           --       (23)
                                          --------      -------  --------

         Total..........                   119,224        85.41     4,259
                                           -------       ------    ------
         Total deposits.                  $139,595       100.00%  $(1,422)
                                           =======       ======   =======
</TABLE>


                                    60

<PAGE>



Borrowings

         Deposits  are the  primary  source  of  funds  for the  Bank's  lending
activities and other general  business  purposes.  However,  during periods when
supply of lendable funds cannot meet the demand for such loans,  the FHLB System
makes available,  subject to compliance  eligibility standards, a portion of the
funds necessary through loans (advances) to its members.

         As of  June  30,  1997  and  1996,  there  were  $18.2  million  and $0
outstanding advances from the FHLB, respectively.  The weighted average interest
rate on such  advances  at June 30,  1997 was  6.12%.  The  average  balance  of
outstanding  advances  during 1997 and 1996,  was $13.8  million  and  $690,000,
respectively,  and the  approximate  average  interest rate was 6.09% and 5.65%,
respectively.  During 1997 and 1996 the maximum outstanding at any month end was
$21.2 million and $3.0 million, respectively.

Subsidiary Activity

         The Bank has one service  corporation,  Guaranty  Financial Services of
Springfield,  Inc.  The  Bank  had an  investment  of  $643,000  in its  service
corporation  as of June 30, 1997.  The service  corporation  sells mutual funds,
fixed and variable  annuities,  unit investment  trusts,  individual  stocks and
bonds and life  insurance.  Such sales are completed  through an agreement  with
"INVEST" for providing brokerage services. In addition,  the service corporation
acts as a real estate broker for properties owned by the Bank.

Employees

         As of June 30, 1997,  the Bank had 56 full-time  employees  and 11 part
time  employees.  None of the Bank's  employees are  represented by a collective
bargaining  group. The Bank believes that its relationship with its employees is
good.

Legal Proceedings

         The Bank,  from time to time, is a party to routine  litigation,  which
arises in the  normal  course of  business,  such as  claims to  enforce  liens,
condemnation  proceedings  on  properties  in  which  the  Bank  holds  security
interests, claims involving the making and servicing of real property loans, and
other  issues  incident  to the  business  of the Bank.  There were no  lawsuits
pending or known to be contemplated against the Bank, the Mutual Holding Company
or the  Company at June 30,  1997 that  would have had a material  effect on the
operations or income of the Bank or the Company.

Competition

         The Bank  experiences  substantial  competition  both in attracting and
retaining deposit accounts and in the making of mortgage and other loans.

         Direct  competition  for  savings  accounts  comes from  other  savings
institutions,  credit  unions,  regional bank and thrift  holding  companies and
commercial banks located in its primary market area. Significant competition for
the Bank's other  deposit  products and services  comes from money market mutual
funds, brokerage firms and insurance companies. The primary factors in competing
for loans are interest rates and loan origination fees and the range of services
offered by various financial institutions.

                                       61

<PAGE>



Competition  for  origination  of real estate  loans  normally  comes from other
savings institutions,  commercial banks, mortgage bankers,  mortgage brokers and
insurance companies.

         The Bank's  primary  competition  comprises the financial  institutions
near each of the Bank's branch offices.  In  Springfield,  where the Bank's main
office and three branch  offices are located,  primary  competition  consists of
five thrift institutions and 17 commercial banks and 12 credit unions.

         The Bank  believes  it is able to compete  effectively  in its  primary
market area by offering  competitive interest rates and loan fees, and a variety
of deposit products, and by emphasizing personal customer service.

                                   REGULATION

         Set forth below is a brief  description of certain laws which relate to
the Company and the Bank.  The  description  is not complete and is qualified in
its entirety by references to applicable laws and regulation.

Holding Company Regulation

         General. The Company will be required to register and file reports with
the OTS and will be  subject  to  regulation  and  examination  by the  OTS.  In
addition,  the OTS will have  enforcement  authority  over the  Company  and any
non-savings  institution  subsidiaries.  This will permit the OTS to restrict or
prohibit  activities  that it determines to be a serious risk to the Bank.  This
regulation is intended primarily for the protection of the Bank's depositors and
not for the benefit of stockholders of the Company.

         QTL Test. Since the Company will own only one savings  institution,  it
will be able to diversify its operations into activities not related to banking,
but only so long as the Bank  satisfies the qualified  thrift lender (the "QTL")
test. If the Company controls more than one savings  institution,  it would lose
the ability to diversify its operations  into  non-banking  related  activities,
unless  such  other  savings  institutions  each also  qualify  as a QTL or were
acquired in a supervisory acquisition. See "- Qualified Thrift Lender Test."

         Restrictions on Acquisitions. The Company must obtain approval from the
OTS before acquiring control of any other SAIF-insured savings  institution.  No
person may acquire control of a federally  insured savings  institution  without
providing  at least 60 days  written  notice  to the OTS and  giving  the OTS an
opportunity to disapprove the proposed acquisition.

Savings Institution Regulation

         General. As a federally  chartered,  SAIF-insured  savings institution,
the Bank is subject to  extensive  regulation  by the OTS and the FDIC.  Lending
activities  and other  investments  must comply with  various  federal and state
statutory  and  regulatory  requirements.  The Bank is also  subject  to certain
reserve  requirements  promulgated  by the  Board of  Governors  of the  Federal
Reserve System ("Federal Reserve System").

         The OTS, in conjunction with the FDIC,  regularly examines the Bank and
prepares  reports for the  consideration of the Bank's board of directors on any
deficiencies  that  the  OTS  finds  in  the  Bank's   operations.   The  Bank's
relationship  with its  depositors  and  borrowers is also  regulated to a great
extent

                                       62

<PAGE>



by federal and state law, especially in such matters as the ownership of savings
accounts and the form and content of its mortgage documents.

         The Bank must file  reports  with the OTS and the FDIC  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.  This regulation and supervision
establishes a comprehensive  framework of activities in which an institution can
engage and is intended  primarily for the protection of the SAIF 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  loan loss  reserves  for  regulatory
purposes.  Any change in regulations,  whether by the OTS, the FDIC or any other
government  agency,   could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  the  Bank's
operations.

         Insurance  of Deposit  Accounts.  The deposit  accounts of the Bank are
insured by the SAIF to a maximum of $100,000 for each insured member (as defined
by law and regulation). Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon
a finding that the 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 or the
institution's  primary  regulator.   The  FDIC  may  also  prohibit  an  insured
depository institution from engaging in any activity the FDIC determines poses a
serious threat to the SAIF.

         The FDIC  charges an annual  assessment  for the  insurance of deposits
based on the risk a particular  institution poses to its deposit insurance fund,
depending upon the institution's risk  classification.  This risk classification
is based on an institution's  capital group and supervisory subgroup assignment.
In addition,  the FDIC is authorized to increase  deposit  insurance  rates on a
semi-annual  basis if it  determines  that such action is necessary to cause the
balance  in the  SAIF  to  reach  the  designated  reserve  ratio  of  1.25%  of
SAIF-insured  deposits  within a reasonable  period of time. The FDIC may impose
special  assessments  on SAIF members to repay  amounts  borrowed  from the U.S.
Treasury  or for any  other  reason  deemed  necessary  by the  FDIC.  Prior  to
September 30, 1996, savings  associations paid within a range of .23% to .31% of
domestic  deposits and the SAIF was  substantially  underfunded.  By comparison,
prior to  September  30,  1996,  members  of the Bank  Insurance  Fund  ("BIF"),
predominantly  commercial banks,  were required to pay  substantially  lower, or
virtually no, federal deposit insurance premiums.

         Effective  September  30,  1996,  federal  law was revised to mandate a
one-time  special  assessment on SAIF members such as the Bank of  approximately
 .657% of deposits held on March 31, 1995.  The Bank recorded a $932,000  pre-tax
expense for this  assessment at September 30, 1996.  Beginning  January 1, 1997,
deposit  insurance  assessments  for SAIF members were reduced to  approximately
 .064% of deposits on an annual basis;  this rate may continue through the end of
1999. During this same period,  BIF members are expected to be annually assessed
approximately  .013%  of  deposits.  Thereafter,  assessments  for BIF and  SAIF
members  should be the same and the SAIF and BIF may be merged.  It is  expected
that these continuing  assessments for both SAIF and BIF members will be used to
repay outstanding Financing  Corporation bond obligations.  As a result of these
changes,  beginning January 1, 1997, the rate of deposit insurance  assessed the
Bank substantially declined.


                                       63

<PAGE>



         Under  separate  proposed  legislation,  Congress  is  considering  the
elimination of the federal thrift charter and the separate federal regulation of
thrifts.  As a result,  the Bank might have to convert to a different  financial
institution  charter and be  regulated  under  federal law as a bank,  including
being subject to the more restrictive  activity  limitations imposed on national
banks.  The Bank cannot  predict the impact of its  conversion to, or regulation
as, a bank until the legislation requiring such change is enacted.

         Regulatory  Capital  Requirements.   OTS  capital  regulations  require
savings institutions to meet three capital standards: (1) tangible capital equal
to 1.5% of total adjusted assets, (2) core capital equal to at least 3% of total
adjusted assets, and (3) risk-based  capital equal to 8% of total  risk-weighted
assets.  The Bank's capital ratios are set forth under "Historical and Pro Forma
Capital Compliance."

         Tangible capital is defined as core capital less all intangible  assets
(including  supervisory  goodwill),  less certain mortgage  servicing rights and
less certain investments. Core capital is defined as common stockholders' equity
(including  retained  earnings),  noncumulative  perpetual  preferred  stock and
minority interests in the equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries,  certain
nonwithdrawable accounts and pledged deposits of mutual savings associations and
qualifying supervisory goodwill,  less nonqualifying  intangible assets, certain
mortgage servicing rights and certain investments.

         The risk-based capital standard for savings  institutions  requires the
maintenance of total  risk-based  capital (which is defined as core capital plus
supplementary  capital)  of  8%  of  risk-weighted  assets.  The  components  of
supplementary capital include, among other items, cumulative perpetual preferred
stock,  perpetual  subordinated debt, mandatory  convertible  subordinated debt,
intermediate-term  preferred  stock,  and the portion of the  allowance for loan
losses not designated for specific loan losses. The portion of the allowance for
loan and lease  losses  includable  in  supplementary  capital  is  limited to a
maximum of 1.25% of  risk-weighted  assets.  Overall,  supplementary  capital is
limited  to 100% of core  capital.  A savings  association  must  calculate  its
risk-weighted  assets by multiplying  each asset and  off-balance  sheet item by
various risk factors as determined  by the OTS,  which range from 0% for cash to
100% for delinquent  loans,  property acquired through  foreclosure,  commercial
loans, and other assets.

         The risk-based  capital  standards of the OTS generally require savings
institutions  with more than a "normal"  level of interest rate risk to maintain
additional total capital.  An institution's  interest rate risk will be measured
in terms of the sensitivity of its "net portfolio  value" to changes in interest
rates.  Net  portfolio  value is defined,  generally,  as the  present  value of
expected cash inflows from existing assets and off-balance  sheet contracts less
the present value of expected cash outflows from existing liabilities. A savings
institution  will be considered  to have a "normal"  level of interest rate risk
exposure if the decline in its net portfolio  value after an immediate 200 basis
point increase or decrease in market  interest rates  (whichever  results in the
greater  decline)  is less than two percent of the  current  estimated  economic
value of its assets.  An  institution  with a greater than normal  interest rate
risk will be required to deduct from total capital,  for purposes of calculating
its  risk-based  capital  requirement,   an  amount  (the  "interest  rate  risk
component") equal to one-half the difference between the institution's  measured
interest rate risk and the normal level of interest rate risk, multiplied by the
economic value of its total assets.

         The OTS calculates the  sensitivity of an  institution's  net portfolio
value based on data submitted by the  institution in a schedule to its quarterly
Thrift  Financial  Report and using the  interest  rate risk  measurement  model
adopted by the OTS. The amount of the interest rate risk  component,  if any, to
be  deducted  from  an  institution's   total  capital  will  be  based  on  the
institution's  Thrift  Financial  Report  filed two  quarters  earlier.  Savings
institutions  with less than $300  million  in assets and a  risk-based  capital
ratio above 12% are generally exempt from filing the interest rate risk schedule
with their Thrift Financial

                                       64

<PAGE>



Reports.  However, the OTS may require any exempt institution that it determines
may have a high level of interest  rate risk exposure to file such schedule on a
quarterly basis and may be subject to an additional  capital  requirement  based
upon its level of interest rate risk as compared to its peers.

         Dividend and Other Capital  Distribution  Limitations.  OTS regulations
require  the  Bank  to  give  the OTS 30 days  advance  notice  of any  proposed
declaration of dividends to the Company, and the OTS has the authority under its
supervisory  powers to  prohibit  the  payment of  dividends  by the Bank to the
Company.  In  addition,  the Bank may not declare or pay a cash  dividend on its
capital stock if the effect would be to reduce its regulatory  capital below the
amount required for the liquidation account to be established at the time of the
Conversion.  See "The  Conversion  --  Effects  of  Conversion  to Stock Form on
Depositors and Borrowers -- Liquidation Account."

         OTS regulations  impose  limitations upon all capital  distributions by
savings  institutions,  such  as  cash  dividends,  payments  to  repurchase  or
otherwise acquire its shares, payments to stockholders of another institution in
a cash-out merger,  and other  distributions  charged against capital.  The rule
establishes  three tiers of  institutions  based  primarily on an  institution's
capital  level.  An  institution  that  exceeds  all  fully  phased-in   capital
requirements  before  and  after  a  proposed  capital   distribution  ("Tier  1
institution")  and has not  been  advised  by the OTS that it is in need of more
than the normal  supervision can, after prior notice but without the approval of
the OTS, make capital  distributions during a calendar year equal to the greater
of (i) 100% of its net income to date during the  calendar  year plus the amount
that would reduce by one-half its "surplus  capital  ratio" (the excess  capital
over its fully phased-in capital  requirements) at the beginning of the calendar
year,  or (ii) 75% of its net income over the most recent four  quarter  period.
Any additional capital distributions require prior regulatory notice. As of June
30, 1997, the Bank qualified as a Tier 1 institution.

         In the event  the  Bank's  capital  falls  below  its  fully  phased-in
requirement  or the OTS notifies the Bank that it is in need of more than normal
supervision,  the  Bank  would  become a Tier 2 or Tier 3  institution  and as a
result,  the Bank's ability to make capital  distributions  could be restricted.
Tier 2 institutions,  which are institutions  that before and after the proposed
distribution  meet their current  minimum  capital  requirements,  may only make
capital  distributions  of up to 75% of net  income  over the most  recent  four
quarter period.  Tier 3 institutions,  which are  institutions  that do not meet
current   minimum  capital   requirements   and  propose  to  make  any  capital
distribution,   and  Tier  2  institutions   that  propose  to  make  a  capital
distribution in excess of the noted safe harbor level,  must obtain OTS approval
prior to  making  such  distribution.  In  addition,  the OTS could  prohibit  a
proposed  capital  distribution  by any  institution,  which would  otherwise be
permitted by the regulation,  if the OTS determines that such distribution would
constitute an unsafe or unsound  practice.  The OTS has proposed  rules relaxing
certain approval and notice requirements for well-capitalized institutions.

         A savings institution is prohibited from making a capital  distribution
if,  after  making  the   distribution,   the  savings   institution   would  be
undercapitalized  (i.e.,  not meet  any one of its  minimum  regulatory  capital
requirements).  Further,  a savings  institution  cannot  distribute  regulatory
capital that is needed for its  liquidation  account.  See "The  Conversion  and
Reorganization - Liquidation Rights."

         Qualified  Thrift  Lender  Test.  Savings   institutions  must  meet  a
qualified thrift lender ("QTL") test. If the Bank maintains an appropriate level
of qualified thrift investments  ("QTIs") (primarily  residential  mortgages and
related  investments,   including  certain   mortgage-related   securities)  and
otherwise  qualified  as a QTL, the Bank will  continue to enjoy full  borrowing
privileges from the FHLB of Des Moines.  The required  percentage of QTIs is 65%
of portfolio assets (defined as all assets minus

                                       65

<PAGE>



intangible  assets,  property used by the institution in conducting its business
and liquid assets equal to 20% of total assets). Certain assets are subject to a
percentage  limitation  of  20%  of  portfolio  assets.  In  addition,   savings
institutions may include shares of stock of the FHLBs,  FNMA, and FHLMC as QTIs.
Compliance  with the QTL test is  determined  on a monthly  basis in nine out of
every 12 months.  As of June 30, 1997,  the Bank was in compliance  with its QTL
requirement with approximately 99.9% of its assets invested in QTIs.

         Transactions With Affiliates.  Generally,  restrictions on transactions
with affiliates require that transactions  between a savings  institution or its
subsidiaries  and  its  affiliates  be on  terms  as  favorable  to the  savings
institution as comparable transactions with non-affiliates. In addition, certain
of these  transactions are restricted to an aggregate  percentage of the savings
institution's capital.  Collateral in specified amounts must usually be provided
by affiliates in order to receive loans from the savings institution. The Bank's
affiliates  include  the Company  and any  company  which would be under  common
control with the Bank. In addition,  a savings institution may not extend credit
to any  affiliate  engaged in  activities  not  permissible  for a bank  holding
company or acquire the securities of any affiliate that is not a subsidiary. The
OTS  has the  discretion  to  treat  subsidiaries  of  savings  institutions  as
affiliates on a case-by-case basis.

         Liquidity  Requirements.  All  savings  institutions  are  required  to
maintain an average daily balance of liquid assets equal to a certain percentage
of the sum of its average daily balance of net withdrawable deposit accounts and
borrowings payable in one year or less. The liquidity  requirement may vary from
time to time (between 4% and 10%) depending upon economic conditions and savings
flows of all savings institutions.  At June 30, 1997, the Bank's required liquid
asset ratio was 5.0% and the actual ratio was 8.2%.  Monetary  penalties  may be
imposed upon associations for violations of liquidity requirements.

         Federal Home Loan Bank System.  The Bank is a member of the FHLB of Des
Moines,  which is one of 12  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  institutions and proceeds derived from the sale
of consolidated obligations of the FHLB System. It makes loans to members (i.e.,
advances) in accordance with policies and procedures established by the board of
directors of the FHLB.

         As a member, the Bank is required to purchase and maintain stock in the
FHLB of Des  Moines 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 June 30, 1997,  the Bank had  $1,733,700 in FHLB
stock, at cost, which was in compliance with this requirement.  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.

         The FHLBs are required to provide funds for the  resolution of troubled
savings  institutions  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 June 30, 1997,  dividends  paid by the
FHLB of Des Moines to the Bank totaled $122,281.

         Federal  Reserve  System.  The  Federal  Reserve  System  requires  all
depository  institutions to maintain  non-interest bearing reserves at specified
levels against their transaction accounts (primarily

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<PAGE>



checking,  NOW and Super NOW checking  accounts) and non-personal time deposits.
The balances maintained to meet the reserve  requirements imposed by the Federal
Reserve  System  may be used to  satisfy  the  liquidity  requirements  that are
imposed by the OTS. At June 30, 1997,  the Bank's  reserve met the minimum level
required by the Federal Reserve System.

         Savings  institutions have authority to borrow from the Federal Reserve
System "discount  window," but Federal Reserve System policy generally  requires
savings  institutions  to exhaust all other sources  before  borrowing  from the
Federal  Reserve  System.  The Bank had no borrowings  from the Federal  Reserve
System at June 30, 1997.

                           FEDERAL AND STATE TAXATION

         The Company and the Bank will report their income on a June 30th fiscal
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 Bank's reserve for bad debts discussed below. After
the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  it is  expected  that the Company and its
subsidiaries,  including the Bank,  will file a consolidated  federal income tax
return.  Consolidated  returns  have  the  effect  of  eliminating  intercompany
distributions, including dividends, from the computation of consolidated taxable
income for the taxable  year in which such  distributions  occur.  However,  the
Company may elect not to file consolidated returns.

         Savings  associations  are subject to the  provisions  of the  Internal
Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended (the  "Code"),  in the same general  manner as
other corporations.  However, prior to August 1996, savings associations such as
the Bank, which met certain  definitional tests and other conditions  prescribed
by the Code could  benefit from certain  favorable  provisions  regarding  their
deductions  from taxable income for annual  additions to their bad debt reserve.
For  purposes  of the bad debt  reserve  deduction,  loans were  separated  into
"qualifying real property loans," which generally are loans secured by interests
in certain real property,  and nonqualifying  loans,  which are all other loans.
The bad debt reserve deduction with respect to nonqualifying loans must be based
on actual loss experience. The amount of bad debt reserve deduction with respect
to  qualifying  real property  loans could be based upon actual loss  experience
("experience  method") or a  percentage  of taxable  income  determined  without
regard to such deduction ("percentage of taxable income method").

         The Bank has generally  elected to use the method which has resulted in
the greatest  deductions for federal  income tax purposes.  Under the experience
method,  the bad debt  deduction  for an addition to the reserve for  qualifying
real  estate  property  loans is an  amount  determined  under a  formula  based
generally on the bad debts actually  sustained by a savings  association  over a
period of years.  Under the percentage of taxable  income  method,  the bad debt
reserve   deduction  for  qualifying  real  property  loans  is  computed  as  a
percentage,  which Congress has reduced from as much as 60% in prior years to 8%
of taxable  income,  with  certain  adjustments,  effective  for  taxable  years
beginning after calendar year 1986. The allowable deduction under the percentage
of taxable income method  ("percentage  bad debt  deduction")  for taxable years
beginning  before  calendar year 1987 was scaled downward in the event that less
than 82% of the total dollar amount of the assets of an institution  were within
certain designated categories. When the percentage method bad debt deduction was
lowered to 8%, the 82% qualifying assets requirement was lowered to 60%. For all
taxable  years,  there is no  deduction  in the event  that less than 60% of the
total  dollar  amount  of  the  assets  of  an  institution  falls  within  such
categories.  Moreover,  in such case,  the Bank could be required to  recapture,
generally over a period of up to four years, its

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<PAGE>



existing bad debt reserve. As of June 30, 1996, more than the required amount of
the Bank's total assets fell within such category.

         The bad debt  deduction  under the  percentage of taxable income method
was subject to certain  limitations.  First, the amount added to the reserve for
losses on qualifying  real property loans could not exceed the amount  necessary
to increase  the balance of such  reserve at the close of the taxable year to 6%
of such loans outstanding at the end of the taxable year. Further,  the addition
to the reserve for losses on qualifying real property loans could not exceed the
amount  which,  when added to that year's  addition to the bad debt  reserve for
losses on nonqualifying  loans, equals the amount by which 12% of total deposits
or withdrawable  accounts of depositors at year-end  exceeds the sum of surplus,
undivided  profits  and  reserves at the  beginning  of the year.  Finally,  the
percentage bad debt deduction  under the percentage of taxable income method was
reduced by the deduction for losses on nonqualifying loans.

         To the  extent  (i) a  savings  association's  reserve  for  losses  on
qualifying  real property loans under the  percentage of income method  exceeded
the amount that would have been allowed under the experience  method, and (ii) a
savings association makes distributions to stockholders (including distributions
in  redemption,  dissolution  or  liquidation)  that are considered to result in
withdrawals  from the  excess  bad debt  reserve,  then the  amounts  considered
withdrawn would be included in the savings  association's  taxable  income.  The
amount that would be deemed withdrawn from such reserves upon such  distribution
and which would be subject to taxation at the savings association's level at the
normal  corporate tax rate would have been an amount that, when reduced by taxes
on such amount, would equal the amount actually distributed.  Dividends paid out
of a savings  association's  current  or  accumulated  earnings  and  profits as
calculated for federal income tax purposes,  however, would not be considered to
result in withdrawals  from its bad debt reserves to the extent of such earnings
and  profits.  Dividends  in  excess  of a  savings  association's  current  and
accumulated  earnings and profits,  distributions  in redemption  of stock,  and
distributions in partial or complete  liquidation of a savings association would
be considered to come from its loss reserve. Earnings appropriated to the Bank's
bad debt  reserve  and  claimed as a tax  deduction  are not  available  for the
payment  of  cash  dividends  or for  distribution  to  stockholders  (including
distributions made on dissolution or liquidation),  unless the Bank includes the
amount in taxable  income,  along with the amount  deemed  necessary  to pay the
resulting federal income tax.

         The Bank's bad debt  deduction  for the years  ended June 30,  1996 and
1995 was based on the percentage of taxable income method. Prior to fiscal 1988,
the Bank had used a percentage of taxable income method in  determining  its bad
debt  deduction for tax purposes.  As a result of deductions  under this method,
net equity as of June 30, 1997  includes  accumulated  earnings of $5,075,000 on
which federal income taxes have not been provided. If in the future this portion
of net equity is used for any purposes other than to absorb losses, income taxes
may be provided at the applicable tax rate.

         In August  1996,  the Code was  revised to  equalize  the  taxation  of
thrifts and banks.  Thrifts,  such as the Bank, no longer have a choice  between
the percentage of taxable income method and the experience method in determining
additions to bad debt reserves.  Thrifts with $500 million of assets or less may
still use the  experience  method,  which is generally  available to small banks
currently.  Larger thrifts must use the specific charge off method regarding bad
debts. Any reserve amounts  accumulated after 1987, which are presently included
as a component of the net deferred tax liability,  will be taxed over a six year
period beginning in 1996; however,  bad debt reserves set aside through 1987 are
generally  not taxed.  An  institution  may delay  recapturing  into  income its
post-1987  bad  debt  reserves  for  an  additional  two  years  if it  meets  a
residential-lending test. The amount of bad debt reserves and

                                       68

<PAGE>



related deferred tax liability that must be recaptured was $913,500 and $338,000
as of June 30, 1997,  respectively.  This law is not expected to have a material
impact on the Bank.

         In addition to their regular federal income tax liability, corporations
are also  subject to an  alternative  minimum  tax.  The  corporate  alternative
minimum  tax rate is 20%.  The tax is applied on  "alternative  minimum  taxable
income"  ("AMTI")  which  includes:   (1)  100%  of  the  excess  of  a  savings
association's  bad debt deduction over the amount allowable under the experience
method;  (2) 75% of the excess of the  "adjusted  current  earnings" of the Bank
over the AMTI; and (3) interest on certain tax-exempt bonds.

         The Revenue  Reconciliation  Act of 1993 added a new Section 475 to the
Code.  Section 475 is a new  mark-to-market  tax law, that is different from the
accounting  mark-to-market  SFAS  No.  115.  The term  "securities"  in the Code
includes not just traditional debt and equity securities, but mortgages as well.
For tax  purposes,  institutions  were  required  to identify  which  securities
qualified  for an  exemption by October 31,  1993.  A financial  institution  is
subject  to a  mark-to-market  rule  if  its  activities  bring  it  within  the
definition of a dealer in securities under Section 475(c)(1) of the Code.

         The Bank's  federal income tax returns have not been audited during the
last five years.

         Thrift institutions located in Missouri,  such as the Bank, are subject
to a special  financial  institutions tax, based on net income without regard to
net operating loss  carryforwards,  at the rate of 7% of net income. This tax is
in lieu of certain other state taxes on thrift institutions,  on their property,
capital or income,  except taxes on tangible personal property owned by the Bank
and held for lease or rental to others and on real  estate,  contributions  paid
pursuant to the  Unemployment  Compensation  Law of  Missouri,  social  security
taxes,  sales taxes and use taxes.  In addition,  the Bank is entitled to credit
against  this tax all  taxes  paid to the  State of  Missouri  or any  political
subdivision,  except taxes on tangible  personal  property owned by the Bank and
held for  lease or  rental  to others  and on real  estate,  contributions  paid
pursuant to the  Unemployment  Compensation  Law of  Missouri,  social  security
taxes,  sales  and  use  taxes  and  taxes  imposed  by the  Missouri  Financial
Institutions  Tax  Law.  Thrift  institutions  are not  subject  to the  regular
corporate income tax.

                            MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

Directors and Executive Officers

         The Board of  Directors  of the Company  consists of those  persons who
currently serve as Directors of the Bank. The Board of Directors is divided into
three classes, each of which contains approximately  one-third of the Board. The
directors  shall be elected by the  stockholders  of the Company  for  staggered
three-year terms, or until their successors are elected and qualified. One class
of directors,  consisting of Messrs.  Barham and Haseltine  have terms of office
expiring  at  the  first   annual   meeting   following   the   Conversion   and
Reorganization.  A second class,  consisting  of Messrs.  Barnes and Rogers have
terms of office expiring at the annual meeting to be held one year thereafter. A
third  class,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Hall and  Lipscomb  have terms of office
expiring at the annual  meeting to be held two years  thereafter.  Following the
Conversion and  Reorganization,  it is anticipated that the size of the Board of
Directors will be increased by the addition of up to two new members.


                                       69

<PAGE>



         The following individuals hold the executive offices in the Company set
forth below opposite their names.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Name                     Age (1)        Positions Held With the Company
- ----                     -------        -------------------------------
<S>                        <C>          <C>
James E. Haseltine         50           President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
William B. Williams        50           Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Bruce Winston              49           Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
</TABLE>

- -------------------
(1)      At June 30, 1997.

         The  executive  officers of the Company are elected  annually  and hold
office until their  respective  successors  have been  elected and  qualified or
until  death,  resignation  or  removal  by the Board of  Directors.  Additional
information concerning the business experience and compensation of the directors
and  executive  officers of the Company is set forth  under  "Management  of the
Bank".

Proposed Future Stock Benefit Plans

          1998 Stock Option Plan. The Board of Directors of the Company  intends
to adopt the 1998 Stock Option Plan (the "1998 Option  Plan") within one year of
the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  subject  to  approval  by  the  Company's
stockholders  at a  stockholders  meeting  to be held no sooner  than six months
after the  Conversion  and  Reorganization.  The 1998  Option  Plan  would be in
compliance with the OTS regulations  currently in effect. See "- Restrictions on
Benefit Plans." In accordance with OTS regulations,  a number of shares equal to
10% of the  aggregate  shares of  Conversion  Stock to be sold in the  Offerings
(i.e., 330,000 shares based upon the sale of 3,300,000 shares at the midpoint of
the Offering  Range) would be reserved for issuance by the Company upon exercise
of stock  options to be granted to  officers,  directors  and  employees  of the
Company and the Bank from time to time under the 1998 Option  Plan.  The purpose
of the 1998 Option Plan would be to provide additional performance and retention
incentives to certain  officers,  directors and employees by facilitating  their
purchase of a stock interest in the Company.  The 1998 Option Plan,  which would
become  effective upon  stockholder  approval of such plan,  would provide for a
term of 10 years, after which no awards could be made, unless earlier terminated
by the Board of Directors of the Company  pursuant to the 1998 Option Plan.  The
options would vest over a five year period (i.e.,  20% per year),  beginning one
year after the date of grant of the option.  Options would be granted based upon
several  factors,  including  seniority,  job duties and  responsibilities,  job
performance,  the Bank's  performance  and a comparison of awards given by other
institutions converting from mutual to stock form.

         It is anticipated  that the 1998 Option Plan would provide that, in the
event of a change in control of the Company or the Bank, if accelerated  vesting
is not  inconsistent  with applicable OTS regulations at the time of such change
in control,  options  not  immediately  exercisable  on such date of a change in
control would become  immediately  exercisable,  and the optionee  would, at the
discretion  of the option  committee,  be entitled to receive  cash in an amount
equal to the excess of the fair market value of the stock  subject to the option
over the option  price in exchange for the  surrender of the option.  Applicable
OTS  regulations  prohibit  accelerated  vesting except in the event of death or
disability,  but if OTS  regulations  are  subsequently  revised to provide  for
accelerated vesting upon a change in control,  the 1998 Option Plan will provide
for accelerated vesting upon a change in control.  "Control" generally refers to
the  acquisition  by any person or group of the  ownership or power to vote more
than 25% of the

                                       70

<PAGE>



Company's  stock,  the control of the election of a majority of directors or the
exercise  of a  controlling  influence  over the  management  or policies of the
Company.

         The Company would receive no monetary consideration for the granting of
stock options under the 1998 Option Plan,  however,  it would receive the option
price for each share issued to optionees upon the exercise of such options.  The
exercise of options and payment for the shares received would  contribute to the
equity of the Company.

         If the 1998  Option  Plan is  implemented  more than one year after the
Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the 1998 Option Plan will comply with such OTS
regulations and policies that are applicable at such time.

         1998 Restricted  Stock Plan. The Board of Directors of the Bank intends
to adopt the 1998 RSP within one year of the Conversion and Reorganization,  the
objective of which is to enable the Bank to retain  personnel  and  directors of
experience and ability in key positions of  responsibility.  The Company expects
to hold a  stockholders'  meeting no sooner than six months after the Conversion
and  Reorganization  in order for  stockholders to vote to approve the 1998 RSP.
The 1998 RSP will be implemented in accordance  with  applicable OTS regulations
currently in effect.  See "-  Restrictions  on Benefit  Plans."  Awards would be
granted  based upon a number of  factors,  including  seniority,  job duties and
responsibilities,  job performance,  the Bank's  performance and a comparison of
awards given by other  institutions  converting  from mutual to stock form.  The
1998 RSP would be managed by a committee  of  non-employee  directors  (the "RSP
Trustees").  The 1998 RSP Trustees would have the  responsibility  to invest all
funds  contributed  by the Bank to the trust  created for the 1998 RSP (the "RSP
Trust").

         The Bank will contribute  sufficient  funds to the 1998 RSP so that the
1998 RSP Trust can purchase, in the aggregate, a number of shares equal to up to
4% of the amount of Conversion  Stock that is sold in the Offerings.  The shares
purchased by the 1998 RSP would be  authorized  but unissued  shares or would be
purchased in the open market.  In the event the market price of the Common Stock
is  greater  than  $10.00 per share,  the Bank's  contribution  of funds will be
increased.  Likewise,  in the event the market  price is lower  than  $10.00 per
share, the Bank's contribution will be decreased.  In recognition of their prior
and  expected  services  to the Bank and the  Company,  as the case may be,  the
officers,  other employees and directors  responsible for  implementation of the
policies  adopted by the Board of Directors and the profitable  operation of the
Bank will, without cost to them, be awarded stock under the 1998 RSP. Based upon
the  sale of  3,300,000  shares  of  Conversion  Stock in the  Offerings  at the
midpoint of the Offering Range, the 1998 RSP Trust is expected to purchase up to
132,000 shares of Conversion Stock.

         In accordance with applicable OTS regulations, the shares granted under
the 1998 RSP will be in the form of  restricted  stock  payable over a five year
vesting period (i.e.,  20% per year)  beginning one year after the date of grant
of the award. Compensation expense in the amount of the fair market value of the
Common  Stock at that time granted  will be  recognized  pro rata over the years
during which the shares are payable.  It is anticipated  that the 1998 RSP would
provide that, in the event of a change in control of the Company or the Bank, if
accelerated  vesting is not inconsistent  with applicable OTS regulations at the
time of such  change in  control,  restricted  stock not vested on the date of a
change in control would become  immediately  vested.  Applicable OTS regulations
currently  prohibit  accelerated  vesting in the event of a change in control or
imminent change in control,  but if OTS regulations are subsequently  revised to
provide for  accelerated  vesting  upon a change in  control,  the 1998 RSP will
provide  for  such  accelerated  vesting.  "Control"  generally  refers  to  the
acquisition by any person or group

                                       71

<PAGE>



of the  ownership  or power to vote more than 25% of the  Company's  stock,  the
control  of the  election  of a  majority  of  directors  or the  exercise  of a
controlling influence over the management or policies of the Company.

         If the 1998 RSP is implemented  more than one year after the Conversion
and  Reorganization,  the 1998 RSP will  comply  with such OTS  regulations  and
policies that are applicable at such time.

         Restrictions on Stock Benefit Plans.  OTS  regulations  provide that in
the event  the Bank  implements  or adopts  stock  option or  management  and/or
employee  stock benefit  plans within one year from the date of  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  such plans must comply with the following restrictions: (1) the
plans must be fully disclosed in the Prospectus, (2) for stock option plans, the
total  number of shares for which  options  may be granted may not exceed 10% of
the shares sold in the Offerings, (3) for restricted stock plans, the shares may
not exceed 3% of the shares sold in the Offerings (4% for institutions  with 10%
or greater tangible capital), (4) the aggregate amount of stock purchased by the
ESOP in the Offerings may not exceed 10% (8% for  well-capitalized  institutions
utilizing a 4% restricted  stock plan),  (5) no individual  employee may receive
more than 25% of the available  awards under any plan, (6) directors who are not
employees may not receive more than 5%  individually  or 30% in the aggregate of
the awards  under any plan,  (7) all plans must be approved by a majority of the
total  votes  eligible to be cast at any duly  called  meeting of the  Company's
stockholders  held no  earlier  than six months  following  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  (8) for stock option plans, the exercise price must be at least
equal to the market price of the stock at the time of grant,  (9) for restricted
stock plans,  no stock issued in a conversion may be used to fund the plan, (10)
neither  stock option awards nor  restricted  stock awards may vest earlier than
20% as of one year  after  the  date of  stockholder  approval  and 20% per year
thereafter,  and vesting may be  accelerated  only in the case of  disability or
death (or with OTS approval in the event of a change in control), (11) the proxy
material  must clearly  state that the OTS in no way endorses or approves of the
plans,  and (12) prior to implementing the plans, all plans must be submitted to
the  Regional  Director of the OTS within five days after  stockholder  approval
with a certification  that the plans approved by the  stockholders  are the same
plans that were filed with and disclosed in the proxy materials  relating to the
meeting  at  which  stockholder   approval  was  received.   Plans  adopted  and
implemented more than one year after the Conversion and Reorganization would not
necessarily be subject to these limitations.

                             MANAGEMENT OF THE BANK

Directors and Executive Officers

         The Board of  Directors  of the Bank is composed of six members each of
whom  serves for a term of three  years.  The Bank's  stock  charter  and bylaws
require that directors be divided into three classes,  as nearly equal in number
as possible,  each class to serve for a three-year  period,  with  approximately
one-third of the  directors  elected each year.  Executive  officers are elected
annually  by the  Board  of  Directors  and  serve  at the  Board's  discretion.
Following the Conversion and Reorganization,  it is anticipated that the size of
the  Board of  Directors  will be  increased  by the  addition  of up to two new
members.

                                       72

<PAGE>



         The  following  table  sets  forth  information  with  respect  to  the
directors and executive officers of the Bank, all of whom will continue to serve
in the same capacities after the Conversion and Reorganization.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                Position with                     Director              Current
Name                                Age(1)           Bank                           Since            Term Expires
- ----                                ------           ----                           -----            ------------
<S>                                   <C>      <C>                                   <C>                  <C>
Jack L. Barham                        64       Chairman                              1983                 1998
James E. Haseltine                    50       President, CEO, Director              1990                 1998
Wayne V. Barnes                       65       Director                              1976                 1999
George L. Hall                        89       Director                              1987                 2000
Ivy L. Rogers                         78       Director                              1990                 1999
Gary Lipscomb                         67       Director                              1991                 2000

Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors

William B. Williams                   50       Executive Vice President, COO
Bruce Winston                         49       Vice President, CFO
Carla Green                           37       Vice President
Jerry Graham                          60       Vice President
Larry Cruzan                          64       Vice President
Kevin M. Bell                         46       Vice President
Dana A. Elwell                        44       Vice President
E. Lorene Thomas                      63       Secretary

</TABLE>

- --------------------
(1)   As of June 30, 1997.

Biographical Information

         The principal  occupation  during the past five years of each executive
officer and director of Guaranty  Federal is set forth  below.  All such persons
have held their present positions for five years unless otherwise stated.

         Jack L. Barham  worked at the Bank for 24 years and retired in 1995. He
served in various positions of  responsibility  and was a realtor and appraiser.
In 1983 he was elected to the Board of  Directors  and in 1990 was elected  Vice
President  and Chairman of the Board.  He served in the US Navy,  is a deacon at
Ridgecrest Baptist Church and has been a member of various civic organizations.

         James E. Haseltine joined the Bank in 1983, and has served as Director,
President and Chief Executive Officer since 1990. After graduating Drury College
in 1968, he entered military service with the US Army and served in the Republic
of Vietnam.  He has served as a founding  member and Chairman of the  Affordable
Housing  Action  Board of  Springfield,  Inc.,  an  organization  serving low to
moderate income families. He is a licensed real estate broker.


                                       73

<PAGE>



         He is a past  president  of the Rotary Club of  Springfield,  serves as
director  of the  Springfield  Business  and  Development  Corporation  and  the
Springfield  Finance  and  Development  Corporation  (not for  profit  community
organizations), and is a member of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church.

         Wayne V. Barnes is  President of  Sunnyland  Stages Inc. and  Sunnyland
Tours,  Inc.,  Springfield,  Missouri.  Mr.  Barnes  attended the  University of
Missouri  and Drury  College,  and  served in the US Navy.  He is active in many
civic organizations.

         George L. Hall is a retired  owner and  manager of the Ed. V.  Williams
Clothing  Company  in  Springfield.  He is  active in many  civic and  religious
organizations.

         Ivy L.  Rogers  retired  from the US  Department  of Justice  Bureau of
Prisons.  He held position as chief Construction  Representative  working out of
Washington, DC and other parts of the country. Now self-employed as a consultant
for construction  projects he recently  completed a contract with Greene County,
Missouri to supervise construction of a new judicial building. Mr. Rogers served
in the US Navy Construction Battalion during World War II.

         Gary Lipscomb, CPA, practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for over
25 years in Springfield,  Missouri retiring from his firm, Lipscomb, Kirkpatrick
and  Company,  CPA's in August of 1988 to devote full time to the  operation  of
Lipscomb Ford-Chrysler, Inc. in Branson, Missouri. He sold his Branson operation
in  December of 1993 and since that time has owned and  operated,  with his wife
Betty, Lipscomb Mitsubishi in Springfield,  Missouri.  Mr. Lipscomb has been and
is active in many social, fraternal, and religious activities. Mr. Lipscomb owns
various  real  estate  investments  in  Springfield  and  Branson,  including  a
partnership interest in the Galleria in Springfield, Missouri.

         William B. Williams joined the Bank in 1995 as Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Williams worked as a
consultant  to Midland Loan  Services,  L.P., a  commercial  mortgage  banker in
Kansas City, Missouri. From 1987 to 1994, Mr. Williams worked for North American
Savings Bank in Grandview,  Missouri,  most recently as Executive Vice President
and Chief  Financial  Officer.  Mr.  Williams  received a BSBA  degree  from the
University  of Arkansas in 1969 and after  serving as an officer in the US Navy,
he received a MBA degree from Tulane University in 1974. He is a CPA.

         E. Lorene  Thomas joined the Bank in 1983.  She is presently  Corporate
Secretary.  Mrs.  Thomas was employed by Public Finance in Joplin,  Missouri for
six years,  prior to being  employed by Joplin Federal  Savings & Loan,  Joplin,
Missouri.  She also  worked for  American  Savings and Loan,  and First  Federal
Savings  and  Loan in  Springfield,  Illinois.  She has  worked  28 years in the
savings and loan business,  having experience in every  department.  Mrs. Thomas
has taken accounting courses and many Institute of Financial  Education courses.
She has been an active member in the United Methodist Church.

         Bruce  Winston is Vice  President  and Chief  Financial  Officer of the
Bank.  He joined  the Bank in 1992.  Prior to  joining  the  Bank,  he served in
various other capacities with two other financial  institutions over a period of
20 years.  He is a graduate of Southwest  Missouri  State  University,  and is a
member  of First  Presbyterian  Church,  where  he has  served  as an Elder  and
Treasurer.

         Carla J.  Green  has been  with the Bank  since  1983.  She is the Vice
President in charge of branch  operations.  Mrs.  Green has attended  both Drury
College and  Southwest  Missouri  State  University.  Mrs.  Green is a member of
Harmony  Baptist  Church  and  various  business  and  civic  clubs,   including
Springfield  Southeast  Rotary.  Mrs.  Green came to the Bank with an  extensive
background in financial institutions.

                                       74

<PAGE>




         Jerry F.  Graham  joined  the Bank in  1978.  He is the Vice  President
responsible for construction lending.  Prior to joining the Bank, he served as a
branch manager at another financial  institution for a 14 year period. He served
eight years in the Navy Reserve. Mr. Graham attended Drury College.

         Mr. Graham is a director of the Springfield Area Credit Association and
is a classroom instructor for the Institute of Financial Education. He is active
in various  civic and  religious  organizations  and is a past  chairman  of the
Finance  Committee  and  Past  President  of the  Springfield  Area  Council  of
Churches.  He has been a member of St. John's United Church of Christ of or over
50 years,  serving as Sunday  School  Teacher,  choir  member,  Secretary,  Vice
President and President of the Church Council.

         Larry  Cruzan  joined  the Bank in 1989 and  currently  serves  as Vice
President  and Loan  Officer.  He has been  active in Real Estate  lending  with
banks,  savings associations and mortgage banks for over 39 years, with the past
34 years in Springfield. Mr. Cruzan holds a BS Degree in Business Administration
from  Pittsburgh  State  University,  served as an officer in the US Army,  is a
licensed Real Estate Broker and Insurance Agent, a past president of Springfield
Host Lions club, and Springfield Chapter of Pittsburgh State Alumni Association,
and as an Elder at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church. He currently serves as
Vice President of the Board of Directors of The Springfield  Association for the
Blind.

         Kevin  Bell  joined  the  Bank  in  1996.  He  is  the  Vice  President
responsible  for consumer  lending.  Mr. Bell spent five years  previously  with
Union Planters Bank in  Springfield,  and five years with United Savings & Loan.
He began his  banking  career  with Union  National  Bank in 1972.  He  attended
Hanover College and Drury College, and attends St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic
Church.  He has  been  active  in  various  civic  organizations  including  the
Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club.

         Dana  Elwell  joined  the Bank in July 1996.  He is the Vice  President
responsible for permanent mortgage lending. Previously, he was in charge of real
estate  lending at First City National Bank for one year.  Previous to that, Mr.
Elwell worked in the real estate department at Boatmen's  National Bank for over
10 years. He is a graduate of Central Missouri State University with a BS degree
in finance. He is a founding member and past president of the Affordable Housing
Action Board of  Springfield,  Inc.  ("AHAB"),  an  organization  serving low to
moderate income  families.  He is currently on the Executive  Committee of AHAB.
Dana is also chairman of the Housing  Committee of Vision 20/20, an organization
developed  by  the  city  of  Springfield  and  Greene  County  to  work  on the
city/county  comprehensive  plan.  He also serves as Vice  President of the Nixa
Community  Foundation,  which grants money to  not-for-profit  organizations for
worthy projects in the Nixa area.

Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors

         The business of the Bank is  conducted at regular and special  meetings
of the  full  Board of  Directors  and its  standing  committees.  The  standing
committees consist of the Executive, Audit, Investment,  Nominating,  Option and
RRP Committees.

         During  fiscal 1997 the Board of Directors  met at 12 regular  meetings
called in  accordance  with the  bylaws.  No special  meetings  were held during
fiscal 1997. No Director  attended less than 75% of the regular meetings and the
meetings  held by those  committees  of the Board of  Directors  on which he/she
served.

         The audit committee consists of Messrs. Lipscomb, Barnes, Hall, Rogers,
and Barham.  This standing  committee  regularly meets on a quarterly basis with
the  internal  auditor to review  audit  programs  and the  results of audits of
specific areas, as well as other regulatory compliance issues. In addition, the

                                       75

<PAGE>



audit  committee  meets with the  independent  certified  public  accountants to
review the  results of the annual  audit and other  related  matters.  The audit
committee met three times during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997.

         The nominating committee, a non-standing  committee,  meets once a year
and is composed of those Directors whose terms are not expiring that year.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

         For the fiscal year ended June 30,  1997,  the  compensation  committee
consisted of the board of directors of the Bank. This standing committee reviews
performance,  industry  salary  surveys and the  recommendations  of  management
concerning  compensation.  Mr.  James E.  Haseltine is the  President  and Chief
Executive  Officer of the Bank, the Mutual Holding Company and the Company.  Mr.
Haseltine does not participate in compensation  committee  matters involving his
compensation.  The Bank holds a loan originated in March 1987 that is secured by
a mortgage  on the  residence  of Mr.  Haseltine.  Mr.  Haseltine  paid  reduced
origination and application fees for the loan, a Bank policy  applicable at that
time to all employees and  directors.  During the 1997 fiscal year,  the largest
balance on this loan was $67,041  and the  interest  rate was 8.0%.  Mr. Jack L.
Barham is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank, the Mutual Holding
Company  and the Company and had been,  for many years until his  retirement  in
1995 an officer of the Bank.

Directors' Compensation

         The  members of the Board of  Directors  each  received a yearly fee of
$9,000,  payable  monthly.  Directors  do not  receive  fees for  attendance  at
committee  meetings.  During  the year ended June 30,  1996,  Directors  Barham,
Barnes,  Hall,  Rogers and Lipscomb each  received  1,945 stock awards under the
RRP. Mr. Haseltine's compensation is reported in the following section.

Executive Compensation

         Summary Compensation Table. The following table sets forth the cash and
non-cash compensation awarded to or earned by the Chief Executive Officer of the
Bank. No other  executive  officers of the Bank had salaries and bonuses  earned
during  the year ended June 30,  1997,  which  exceeded  $100,000  for  services
rendered in all capacities to the Bank.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  Annual Compensation                   Long Term Compensation
                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               Awards                   Payouts
                                                                                     -----------------------------------------------
                            Fiscal
                            Year                                                      Restricted      Securities
Name and                    Ended                                 Other Annual             Stock      Underlying        All Other
Principal Position          June 30,      Salary        Bonus      Compensation(1)     Award(s)(2)      Options(3)   Compensation(4)
- --------------------------  --------      ------        -----      ---------------     -----------      ----------   ---------------

<S>                         <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>               <C>                <C>            <C>    
James E. Haseltine          1997          $96,250       $6,510       $11,329                 0                 0          $11,380
President & CEO             1996           87,228        7,681        11,159           $34,859             9,561           12,963
                            1995           73,300        7,205        12,074                 0                 0           10,817

</TABLE>


- -------------------------
(1)      Includes  Directors'  fees of $9,000 for the year ended June 30,  1997,
         and $8,000 for the year  ended June 30,  1996,  and $7,000 for the year
         ended June 30, 1995, in addition to an automobile allowance.

                                       76

<PAGE>



(2)      Pursuant to the RRP, the Bank granted Mr.  Haseltine  3,169  restricted
         shares of Common Stock. As of the date awarded,  the shares were valued
         at $11.00.  Such  shares  vest at a rate of 20% per year with the first
         installment  vested  on  October  18,  1996.   Dividends  are  paid  on
         restricted  stock after  awards  vest.  Based on the  closing  price of
         $16.75  on June 30,  1997,  the  2,535  restricted  shares  held by Mr.
         Haseltine had a value of $42,461.
(3)      Pursuant to the Stock  Option  Plan,  the Bank  granted  Mr.  Haseltine
         options to purchase shares of Common Stock. Such options vest at a rate
         of 20% per year with the first  installment  having  vested on December
         15, 1996.
(4)      Represents the Bank's accruals pursuant to the pension plan.


         Recognition  and  Retention   Plan.  The  Bank   established  the  1994
Recognition  and Retention Plan (the "RRP") as a method of providing  directors,
officers and other employees of the Bank with a proprietary interest in the Bank
in a manner designed to encourage such persons to remain with the Bank. The Bank
contributed  funds to the RRP Trust,  and the Trust  purchased  38,895 shares of
Bank Common Stock.

         A  committee  of all the  directors  administers  the RRP and may  make
awards to officers and employees, however, awards to outside directors are fixed
under the RRP.  Under the RRP,  awards are granted to directors  and officers in
the form of  shares  of Bank  Common  Stock to be held in trust  under  the RRP.
Awards  are  nontransferable  and  nonassignable.  Awards  vest  on a  five-year
schedule at a rate of 20% per year  beginning one year after the effective  date
of the award.  Awards will be 100% vested upon  termination of employment due to
death or disability.  In the event that an employee  terminates  employment or a
director  ceases  to serve  with the Bank for any  reason  other  than  death or
disability,  the  employee's or director's  nonvested  awards will be forfeited.
When shares  become  vested in accordance  with the RRP, the  participants  will
recognize  income  equal to the fair  market  value of the Common  Stock at that
time. The amount of income  recognized by the participants  will be a deductible
expense for the tax purposes of the Bank. Prior to vesting, recipients of awards
may direct the voting of the shares allocated to them.  Unallocated  shares will
be voted by the RRP  trustees.  Earned shares are  distributed  to recipients as
soon as practicable following the day on which they are earned.

         Pension Plan. The Bank participates in a multiemployer  defined benefit
plan  ("Pension  Plan").  Employees  who have one year of  service  and who have
reached age 21 are eligible to  participate  in the Pension Plan.  They are 100%
vested  after  five  years  of  service.  Employees  are  entitled  to a  normal
retirement  benefit at age 65 equal to 2% times years of benefit  service  times
the average annual salary (as defined) for the five consecutive years of highest
salary  during  benefit  service,  with annual 1%  adjustments  for retirees who
attain age 66 and older.  The Pension Plan also  provides  for early  retirement
benefits  (commencing as early as age 45),  disability  retirement  benefits and
death benefits.  Contributions  are actuarially  determined.  The Bank makes all
contributions  to the Pension Plan.  Benefits  received  pursuant to the Pension
Plan are not  subject to any  deduction  for  social  security  or other  offset
amounts.

         Due to changes  enacted  under the Tax  Reform  Act of 1986,  qualified
pension plans require benefit  accruals for any active  employee  working beyond
age 65 with  respect to  service  completed  on or after July 1, 1988.  Internal
Revenue  Service  interpretations  require  retroactive  credit  for the  period
between age 65 and July 1, 1988.  As a result,  the Bank has accrued an unfunded
liability of $87,005,  $139,843 and $192,681 as of June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995,
respectively,  to provide for prior  service  credit to its eligible  employees.
Pension expense was $128,785,  $156,013,  and $173,889, for the years ended June
30, 1997,  1996 and 1995,  respectively.  The Bank expects that the pension plan
will be terminated as of December 31, 1997.

         The following table illustrates annual pension benefits at age 65 under
the  Pension  Plan at  various  levels of  compensation  and  years of  service,
assuming 100% vesting of benefits.  All retirement  benefits  illustrated in the
table  below are  without  regard to any  Social  Security  benefits  to which a
participant  might be entitled.  Mr. Haseltine has 13 years of service under the
plan.

                                       77

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               Year of Service
                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5 Year
    Average
    Salary                5              10             15             20             25             30             35
- ---------------     -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   -----------

<S>    <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>            <C>             <C>    
        $20,000          $2,000         $4,000         $6,000         $8,000        $10,000        $12,000         $14,000

         40,000           4,000          8,000         12,000         16,000         20,000         24,000          28,000

         60,000           6,000         12,000         18,000         24,000         30,000         36,000          42,000

         80,000           8,000         16,000         24,000         32,000         40,000         48,000          56,000

        100,000          10,000         20,000         30,000         40,000         50,000         60,000          70,000

        125,000          12,500         25,000         37,500         50,000         62,500         75,000          87,500

</TABLE>


         Stock Option Plan. The Bank's Board of Directors adopted the 1994 stock
option plan ("1994 Option  Plan").  Pursuant to the Option Plan,  97,237 shares,
10% of the Bank Common Stock issued to the public in the formation of the Mutual
Holding  Company,  are reserved for future issuance by the Bank upon exercise of
stock  options to be granted to directors and employees of the Bank from time to
time under the 1994  Option  Plan.  The  purpose of the 1994  Option  Plan is to
provide  additional  incentive to certain  directors,  officers and employees by
facilitating  their purchase of a stock interest in the Bank.  Options have been
granted at the Bank Common  Stock's  fair market price on the date of the grant.
All options are  exercisable  in five equal annual  installments  commencing one
year after the  effective  date of the Option  Grant,  provided that all options
will be  100%  exercisable  in the  event  the  optionee  terminates  his or her
employment  due to death or  disability.  The Option Plan provides for a term of
ten years,  after which no awards may be made, unless earlier  terminated by the
Board of Directors  pursuant to the Option Plan. The Option Plan is administered
by a committee of at least three  non-employee  directors  of the Bank,  who are
appointed by the Bank's Board of Directors (the "Option Committee").

         An optionee  will not be deemed to have  received  taxable  income upon
grant or exercise of any incentive  stock option,  provided that such shares are
not disposed of by the optionee for at least one year after the date of exercise
and two years after the date of grant. No compensation deduction may be taken by
the Bank as a result of the grant or exercise of incentive stock options.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   OPTION/SAR EXERCISES AND YEAR END VALUE TABLE

                               Aggregated Option/SAR Exercises in Last Fiscal Year, and FY-End Option/SAR Values
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Number of
                                                                               Securities Underlying          Value of Unexercised
                                                                                 Unexercised Options          In-The-Money Options
                                                                                   at FY-End (#)                at FY-End ($)(1)
                         Shares Acquired
Name                     on Exercise (#)          Value Realized($)(1)       Exercisable/Unexercisable     Exercisable/Unexercisable
- ----                     ---------------          --------------------       -------------------------     -------------------------
<S>                           <C>                         <C>                      <C>                             <C>     
James E. Haseltine              --                         --                       1,912 / 7,649                     9,809 / 39,239

</TABLE>

- ------------------
(1)  Market  value of the  underlying  securities  based  upon a June  30,  1997
     closing  stock  price of  $16.75,  minus the  exercise  price of $11.62 per
     share.

                                       78

<PAGE>



Employment Agreements

         The Bank  intends to enter  into  employment  agreements  with James E.
Haseltine, President and Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers of
the Bank. Mr. Haseltine's salary under the employment agreement will be based on
his then current salary. Mr. Haseltine's employment agreement will be for a term
of three years.  The agreements  will be terminable by the Bank for "just cause"
as defined in the agreements.  If the Bank terminates the employee  without just
cause, the employee will be entitled to a continuation of the employee's  salary
from the date of termination  through the remaining  term of the agreement.  Mr.
Haseltine's  employment  agreement will contain a provision  stating that in the
event of the  termination of employment in connection  with any future change in
control of the Bank, as defined in the agreement,  Mr. Haseltine will be paid in
a lump sum an amount  equal to 2.99  times  Mr.  Haseltine's  five year  average
annual  taxable  compensation.  In  addition,  the Bank  intends  to enter  into
employment agreements with eight other officers,  which will provide a severance
payment upon termination without just cause in the event of a change in control,
as defined in the  agreements.  The  agreements  may be renewed  annually by the
Board of Directors upon a determination of satisfactory  performance  within the
Board's sole discretion.

         Employee Stock  Ownership  Plan.  The Bank has  established an employee
stock ownership plan (the "ESOP") for the exclusive benefit of its participating
employees,   to  be  implemented   upon  the   completion  of  the   conversion.
Participating  employees are  employees  who have  completed one year of service
with the Bank or its  subsidiary and have attained the age of 21. An application
for a letter of determination as to the tax-qualified status of the ESOP will be
submitted to the IRS.  Although no assurances can be given,  it is expected that
the ESOP will receive a favorable letter of determination from the IRS.

         The ESOP is to be funded by  contributions  made by the Bank in cash or
common  stock.  Benefits  may be paid either in shares of the common stock or in
cash.  In  accordance  with the Plan,  the ESOP may  borrow  funds with which to
acquire  up to  8% of  the  Conversion  Stock  to be  issued  in  the  Offerings
(excluding exchanged shares). The ESOP intends to borrow funds from the Company.
The loan is  expected to be for a term of ten years at an annual  interest  rate
equal to the prime rate as published in The Wall Street Journal. Presently it is
anticipated  that the ESOP will purchase up to 8% of the Conversion  Stock to be
issued in the Offerings (i.e., $2,640,000, based on the midpoint of the Offering
Range).  The loan will be secured by the shares  purchased  and earnings of ESOP
assets.  Shares  purchased  with such loan  proceeds  will be held in a suspense
account for allocation  among  participants  as the loan is repaid.  The Company
anticipates contributing  approximately $264,000 annually (based on a $2,640,000
purchase)  to the ESOP to meet  principal  obligations  under the ESOP loan,  as
proposed.  It is anticipated that all such contributions will be tax-deductible.
This loan is expected to be fully repaid in approximately 10 years.

         Shares sold above the maximum of the Offering  Range  (i.e.,  more than
3,795,000 shares) may be sold to the ESOP before satisfying  remaining  unfilled
orders of Eligible Account Holders to fill the ESOP's subscription, the ESOP may
purchase  some  or all of the  shares  covered  by its  subscription  after  the
conversion  in the market or may be issued  previously  authorized  but unissued
shares.

         Contributions to the ESOP and shares released from the suspense account
will be allocated  among  participants on the basis of total  compensation.  All
participants  must be  employed  at least  1,000  hours in a plan year,  or have
terminated  employment  following death,  disability or retirement,  in order to
receive  an  allocation.   Participant  benefits  become  100%  vested  in  plan
allocations  after completion of five years of service.  Employment prior to the
adoption of the ESOP shall be credited for the purposes of vesting. Vesting will
be accelerated upon retirement, death, disability, change in control of the

                                       79

<PAGE>



Company,  or  termination  of the  ESOP.  Forfeitures  will  be  reallocated  to
participants on the same basis as other contributions in the plan year. Benefits
may be payable in the form of a lump sum upon retirement,  death,  disability or
separation from service. Contributions by the Bank to the ESOP are discretionary
and may cause a reduction in other forms of  compensation.  Therefore,  benefits
payable under the ESOP cannot be estimated.

         The board of directors has appointed non-employee directors to the ESOP
Committee to administer the ESOP and to serve as the initial ESOP Trustees.  The
board of  directors  or the  ESOP  Committee  may  instruct  the  ESOP  Trustees
regarding  investments of funds  contributed to the ESOP. The ESOP Trustees must
vote all allocated  shares held in the ESOP in accordance with the  instructions
of the  participating  employees.  Unallocated  shares and allocated  shares for
which no timely  direction  is  received  will be voted by the ESOP  Trustees as
directed  by the  board of  directors  or the  ESOP  Committee,  subject  to the
Trustees' fiduciary duties.

Transactions with Certain Related Persons

         Loans made to a director or executive  officer in excess of the greater
of $25,000 or 5% of the Bank's capital and surplus (up to a maximum of $500,000)
must be approved in advance by a majority  of the  disinterested  members of the
Board of Directors.  The Bank provides  loans to its  officers,  directors,  and
employees  to purchase or  refinance  personal  residences,  as well as consumer
loans. Loans made to officers,  directors and executive officers are made in the
ordinary course of business on the same terms and conditions as would be made to
any other customer in the ordinary course of business. Prior to August 1989, all
employees,  officers  and  directors  were  eligible  for  accommodations  as to
origination  and  application  fees. This practice was eliminated in 1989, as to
directors and executive officers.

         Set forth below is certain information as of June 30, 1997, as to loans
in excess of $60,000  made by the Bank to each of its  directors  and  executive
officers and affiliates of directors and executive officers.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         Original                               Largest
    Name of Officer        Date            Loan          Balance at          Balance Since       Interest          Loan
      or Director       Originated        Amount        June 30, 1997        July 1, 1996          Rate            Type
- -------------------- ---------------- ------------- --------------------  ------------------   ------------   --------------

<S>                   <C>                 <C>              <C>                 <C>               <C>            <C>          
James E. Haseltine      March, 1987        $90,000          $64,935             $67,041           8.000%        Real Estate
                                                                                                
Jerry F. Graham          May, 1993          71,600           66,450              67,487           7.500         Real Estate
                                                                                                
Kevin M. Bell          August, 1992         84,000           78,974              79,945           8.375         Real Estate
                                                                                           
</TABLE>

         The  Bank  intends  that  all  transactions  between  the  Bank and its
executive officers, directors, holders of 10% or more of the shares of any class
of its Common Stock and affiliates thereof, will contain terms no less favorable
to the Bank than could have been  obtained  by it in  arm's-length  negotiations
with  unaffiliated  persons and will be  approved  by a majority of  independent
outside directors of the Bank not having any interest in the transaction.


                                       80

<PAGE>



Beneficial Ownership of Bank Common Stock

         The following table includes,  as of June 30, 1997, certain information
as to Bank Common Stock  beneficially owned by (i) the only persons or entities,
including  any "group" as that term is used in Section  13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act, who or which was known to the Bank to be the beneficial  owner of more than
5% of the issued and  outstanding  Bank Common Stock,  (ii) the directors of the
Bank and (iii) all directors and executive  officers of the Bank as a group. For
the  anticipated  ownership  of the  Common  Stock by  directors  and  executive
officers of the Company and the Bank upon  consummation  of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  see  "-  Proposed  Subscriptions  by  Directors  and  Executive
Officers."
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       Amount and Nature of          Percent of
              Name of Beneficial Owner or           Beneficial Ownership as of       Bank Common
               Number of Persons in Group              June 30, 1997 (1)(2)             Stock
               --------------------------              --------------------             -----

<S>                                                       <C>                          <C>  
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.                       2,152,635 (3)                   68.9%
Jack L. Barham                                                6,935 (5)                   0.2
James E. Haseltine                                           22,843 (4)(5)                0.7
Wayne V. Barnes                                              21,945 (5)                   0.7
George L. Hall                                                3,445 (5)                   0.1
Ivy L. Rogers                                                 3,945 (5)                   0.1
Gary Lipscomb                                                14,445 (5)                   0.5
All directors and executive officers as a group
(14 persons)                                                 97,306 (6)                   3.1%

</TABLE>


                                       81

<PAGE>


- ---------------
(1)  For  purposes  of this  table,  pursuant  to rules  promulgated  under  the
     Exchange Act, an individual  is  considered to  beneficially  own shares of
     Bank Common  Stock if he or she  directly or  indirectly  has or shares (1)
     voting power,  which  includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of
     the shares; or (2) investment power, which includes the power to dispose or
     direct  the  disposition  of the  shares.  Unless  otherwise  indicated,  a
     director  has sole voting power and sole  investment  power with respect to
     the indicated  shares.  Shares which are subject to stock options which are
     exercisable  within 60 days of June 30, 1997,  are deemed to be outstanding
     for the purpose of computing the  percentages of common stock  beneficially
     owned by the respective individuals and group.
(2)  Includes  shares  of Bank  Common  Stock  which  have been  awarded  to the
     individual under the 1994 RRP which are subject to forfeiture.
(3)  Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.  is the  mutual  holding  company of
     Guaranty Federal. The shares of Bank Common Stock held by the MHC are to be
     canceled in connection with the Conversion and Reorganization.
(4)  Includes 1,912 shares that Mr. Haseltine has the right to acquire within 60
     days through the exercise of options.
(5)  Includes all shares granted to the  individual  under the RRP regardless of
     whether such shares have vested for that individual as a grant recipient is
     entitled  to vote  shares  granted to that  recipient.  Excludes  shares of
     Common Stock held by the RRP that have not been  granted to the  individual
     who serves as a trustee of the RRP. Such  individual  disclaims  beneficial
     ownership  with  respect to such shares held in a fiduciary  capacity.  The
     trustees  vote all shares  granted but not voted in the same  proportion as
     unvested shares that have been awarded and voted by grant recipients.
(6)  Includes in the case of all directors  and  executive  officers of Guaranty
     Federal as a group,  options to purchase 8,814 shares that are  exercisable
     within 60 days.  Also includes,  in the case of all directors and executive
     officers of Guaranty Federal as a group,  shares held in the 1994 RRP which
     may be  voted by the  officer  or  director  pending  distribution  to that
     officer or director.

Proposed Subscriptions by Directors and Executive Officers

         The following  table sets forth,  for each of the Bank's  directors and
executive  officers and for all of the  directors  and  executive  officers as a
group,  (1) the number of Exchange  Shares to be held upon  consummation  of the
Conversion and  Reorganization,  based upon their  beneficial  ownership of Bank
Common Stock as of June 30, 1997;  (assuming an Exchange  Ratio of 1.4443);  (2)
the proposed  purchases of Conversion  Stock; and (3) the total amount of Common
Stock to be held upon consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, in each
case assuming that 3,300,000  shares of Conversion  Stock are sold, which is the
midpoint of the Offering Range.


                                       82

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     Proposed Purchases of                      Total Common
                                                                        Conversion Stock                       Stock to be Held
                                                                  ---------------------------       --------------------------------

                                               Number of
                                               Exchange
                                             Shares to be                           Number of           Number of         Percentage
                 Name                          Held (1)             Amount            Shares            Shares(2)          of Total
- --------------------------------------       ------------           ------            ------        ----------------     -----------

<S>                                             <C>             <C>                  <C>                <C>                <C> 
Jack L. Barham........................             7,769           $150,000             15,000             22,769          0.5%

James E. Haseltine (2)................            26,569             50,000              5,000             31,569          0.7

Wayne V. Barnes.......................            29,447             10,000              1,000             30,447          0.6

George L. Hall........................             2,728             10,000              1,000              3,728           --   (3)

Ivy L. Rogers.........................             3,450             30,000              3,000              6,450          0.1

Gary Lipscomb.........................            18,615             75,000              7,500             26,115          0.6

William B. Williams...................               315            100,000             10,000             10,315          0.2

Bruce Winston.........................             7,734            130,000             13,000             20,734          0.4

Carla J. Green........................             1,516                 --                 --              1,516           --   (3)

Jerry F. Graham.......................             1,296              5,000                500              1,796           --   (3)

Larry Cruzan..........................             1,181              5,000                500              1,681           --   (3)

Kevin M. Bell.........................                --             10,000              1,000              1,000           --   (3)

Dana A. Elwell........................                --             20,000              2,000              2,000           --   (3)

E. Lorene Thomas......................               841              5,000                500              1,341           --   (3)
                                               ---------           --------            -------           --------         ----

All Directors and Executive
Officers as a Group (14
Persons)                                         101,461           $600,000             60,000            161,461          3.4%
                                                 =======            =======             ======            =======         ====
</TABLE>

- ----------------------
(1)      Assumes that no outstanding  options have been  exercised  prior to the
         Exchange. The Company is not aware of any director or executive officer
         who intends to exercise outstanding options prior to the Exchange.  For
         purposes of the  calculation,  the Exchange Ratio used does not reflect
         the exercise of any options.  If options were to be exercised  prior to
         the Exchange, the actual exchange ratio would be slightly lower and the
         number of exchange shares would be slightly higher.
(2)      Depending on the actual Exchange Ratio, an individual will be unable to
         purchase any shares in the Offerings if those purchases would result in
         ownership that exceeds the purchase  limitations.  See "The  Conversion
         and   Reorganization  -  Limitations  on  Common  Stock  Purchases  and
         Ownership."  Individuals unable to purchase shares in the Offerings may
         purchase shares in the
         open market upon completion of the Conversion and Reorganization.
(3)      Less than 0.1%.

                                       83

<PAGE>

                        THE CONVERSION AND REORGANIZATION

         The Boards of Directors of the Mutual Holding Company, the Bank and the
Company  have  approved  the  Plan of  Conversion,  as has the OTS,  subject  to
approval by the members of the Mutual Holding  Company and the  stockholders  of
the Bank  entitled to vote on the matter and the  satisfaction  of certain other
conditions.  Such OTS approval, however, does not constitute a recommendation or
endorsement of the Plan by such agency.

General

         The Boards of  Directors  of the Mutual  Holding  Company  and the Bank
adopted  the Plan as of May 20,  1997.  The Plan has been  approved  by the OTS,
subject  to,  among  other  things,  approval  of the Plan by the Members of the
Mutual  Holding  Company and the Public  Stockholders  of the Bank. The Members'
Meeting  and the  Stockholders'  Meeting  have been  called for this  purpose on
__________ ___, 1997.

         The following is a brief  summary of pertinent  aspects of the Plan and
the Conversion and  Reorganization.  The summary is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the  provisions of the Plan,  which is available for  inspection at
each branch office of the Bank and at certain  offices of the OTS. The Plan also
is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is
a  part,  copies  of  which  may be  obtained  from  the  SEC.  See  "Additional
Information."

Purposes of the Conversion and Reorganization

         The Mutual Holding  Company,  as a federally  chartered  mutual holding
company, does not have stockholders and has no authority to issue capital stock.
As a result of the Conversion and Reorganization, the Company will be structured
in the form  used by  holding  companies  of  commercial  banks,  many  business
entities and a growing number of savings institutions.  An important distinction
between the mutual  holding  company form of  organization  and the fully public
form is that, by regulation,  a mutual holding  company must always own over 50%
of the common stock of its savings  institution  subsidiary.  Only a minority of
the subsidiary's outstanding stock can be sold to investors. If Guaranty Federal
had  undertaken a full  conversion  to public  ownership in 1995, a much greater
amount of Bank Common  Stock would have been  offered,  resulting  in more stock
offering proceeds than management believes could have been effectively  deployed
at the time.

         Through the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the Company and the Bank
will complete the transition to full public ownership. The stock holding company
form of organization  will provide the Company with the ability to diversify the
Company's and the Bank's business  activities through  acquisition of or mergers
with both stock savings  institutions  and  commercial  banks,  as well as other
companies.  Although  there  are  no  current  arrangements,   understanding  or
agreements  regarding any such opportunities,  the Company will be in a position
after the Conversion and Reorganization,  subject to regulatory  limitations and
the Company's  financial  position,  to take advantage of any such opportunities
that may arise.

         The  Conversion  and  Reorganization  will be  important  to the future
growth and performance of the organization by providing a larger capital base to
support the operations of the Bank and the Company and by enhancing their future
access to capital  markets,  ability to diversify into other financial  services
related  activities,  and  ability  to  provide  services  to  the  public.  The
Conversion and Reorganization will result in increased funds being available for
lending  purposes,  greater  resources  for  expansion of  services,  and better
opportunities  for attracting and retaining  qualified  personnel.  Although the
Bank currently has

                                       84

<PAGE>



the ability to raise additional capital through the sale of additional shares of
Bank  Common  Stock,  that  ability is limited  by the  mutual  holding  company
structure  which,  among other things,  requires that the Mutual Holding Company
hold a majority of the outstanding shares of Bank Common Stock.

         The  Conversion and  Reorganization  also will result in an increase in
the number of  outstanding  shares of Common Stock  following the Conversion and
Reorganization,  as compared to the number of outstanding  shares of Public Bank
Shares  prior to the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  which will  increase the
likelihood of the  development  of an active and liquid  trading  market for the
Common Stock. See "Market for Common Stock."

         An additional benefit of the Conversion and  Reorganization  will be an
increase in the accumulated  earnings and profits of the Bank for federal income
tax purposes. When the Bank in its mutual form transferred  substantially all of
its  assets  and   liabilities   to  the  Bank  in   connection   with  the  MHC
Reorganization,  its accumulated earnings and profits tax attribute was not able
to be transferred to the Bank.  Accordingly,  this tax attribute was retained by
the Bank in its mutual  form when it  converted  its charter to that of a mutual
holding company,  even though the underlying  retained earnings were transferred
to the Bank. The Conversion and  Reorganization  has been structured to re-unite
the  accumulated  earnings  and  profits  tax  attribute  retained by the Mutual
Holding Company in the MHC Reorganization with the retained earnings of the Bank
by  merging  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  with and into the Bank in a tax-free
reorganization.  This  transaction  will  increase  the  Bank's  ability  to pay
dividends to the Company in the future. At the same time, the issues regarding a
mutual holding company's ability to waive dividends and the effect of any waiver
that may occur  will be  removed  as a result of the  elimination  of the mutual
holding company structure. See "Dividend Policy."

         In light of the foregoing,  the Boards of Directors of the Bank and the
Mutual Holding Company believe that the Conversion and  Reorganization is in the
best interests of such companies and their respective stockholders and members.

Description of the Conversion and Reorganization

         On May 20,  1997,  the Boards of  Directors  of the Bank and the Mutual
Holding Company adopted the Plan and in September 1997 the Bank incorporated the
Company under Delaware law as a first-tier  wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank.
Pursuant to the Plan, (i) the Mutual Holding  Company will convert to an interim
Federal stock savings bank and simultaneously will merge with and into the Bank,
pursuant to which the Mutual Holding  Company will cease to exist and the shares
of Bank Common Stock held by the Mutual  Holding  Company will be canceled,  and
(ii) a second  interim  savings  institution  ("Interim")  formed by the Company
solely for such purpose  will then merge with and into the Bank.  As a result of
the  merger of  Interim  with and into the Bank,  the Bank will  become a wholly
owned  subsidiary  of the Company  and the Public Bank Shares will be  converted
into the Exchange Shares  pursuant to the Exchange  Ratio,  which will result in
the  holders  of such  shares  owning in the  aggregate  approximately  the same
percentage  of the Common Stock to be  outstanding  upon the  completion  of the
Conversion and  Reorganization  (i.e., the Common Stock and the Exchange Shares)
as the  percentage  of  Bank  Common  Stock  owned  by  them  in  the  aggregate
immediately prior to consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, adjusted
downward  pursuant to OTS policy  requiring  the  Exchange  Ratio to reflect the
market value of assets held by the Mutual  Holding  Company,  but before  giving
effect to (a) the payment of cash in lieu of issuing fractional  Exchange Shares
and (b) any shares of Common Stock  purchased by the Bank's Public  Stockholders
in the Offerings or the ESOP thereafter.

         Pursuant  to  OTS  regulations,  consummation  of  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  (including the offering of Conversion Stock in the Offerings, as
described below) is conditioned upon the approval of

                                       85

<PAGE>



the Plan by (1) the OTS,  (2) at least a majority  of the total  number of votes
eligible  to be cast by Members of the Mutual  Holding  Company at the  Members'
Meeting, and (3) holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the outstanding
Bank Common Stock at the Stockholders' Meeting. In addition, the Primary Parties
have  conditioned the consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization  on the
approval of the Plan by at least a majority  of the votes cast,  in person or by
proxy, by the Public Stockholders at the Stockholders' Meeting.

Effects of the Conversion and Reorganization

         General. Prior to the Conversion and Reorganization,  each depositor in
the Bank has both a deposit  account in the institution and a pro rata ownership
interest in the net worth of the Mutual  Holding  Company based upon the balance
in  his  account,  which  interest  may  only  be  realized  in the  event  of a
liquidation of the Mutual Holding Company.  However,  this ownership interest is
tied to the  depositor's  account and has no tangible market value separate from
such deposit  account.  A depositor who reduces or closes his account receives a
portion or all of the  balance in the  account  but  nothing  for his  ownership
interest in the net worth of the Mutual  Holding  Company,  which is lost to the
extent that the balance in the account is reduced.

         Consequently,  the  depositors  of the  Bank  normally  have  no way to
realize the value of their  ownership  interest in the Mutual  Holding  Company,
which has  realizable  value only in the unlikely  event that the Mutual Holding
Company is liquidated.  In such event, the depositors of record at that time, as
owners,  would share pro rata in any residual surplus and reserves of the Mutual
Holding Company after other claims are paid.

         Upon  consummation  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  permanent
nonwithdrawable  capital stock will be created to represent the ownership of the
net worth of the Company.  The Common Stock of the Company is separate and apart
from deposit  accounts and cannot be and is not insured by the FDIC or any other
governmental  agency.  Certificates  are  issued to  evidence  ownership  of the
permanent stock. The stock  certificates are  transferable,  and therefore,  the
stock may be sold or traded if a purchaser  is  available  with no effect on any
account the seller may hold in the Bank.

         Continuity.   While  the   Conversion  and   Reorganization   is  being
accomplished,  the normal business of the Bank of accepting  deposits and making
loans will continue without  interruption.  The Bank will continue to be subject
to regulation by the OTS and the FDIC. After the Conversion and  Reorganization,
the Bank will continue to provide  services for depositors  and borrowers  under
current policies by its present management and staff.

         The  directors  and officers of the Bank at the time of the  Conversion
and Reorganization  will continue to serve as directors and officers of the Bank
after the Conversion and Reorganization. The directors and executive officers of
the Company consist of individuals  currently serving as directors and executive
officers of the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank,  and they  generally will
retain their positions in the Company after the Conversion and Reorganization.

         Effect on Public Bank Shares.  Upon  consummation of the Conversion and
Reorganization,  the Public Bank Shares  shall be  converted  into Common  Stock
based upon the  Exchange  Ratio  without any  further  action on the part of the
holder thereof.  Upon surrender of the Public Bank Shares,  Common Stock will be
issued  in  exchange  for  such   shares.   See  "-  Delivery  and  Exchange  of
Certificates."

         Upon  consummation  of the  Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Public
Stockholders  of the Bank,  a  federally  chartered  savings  bank,  will become
stockholders of the Company, a Delaware-chartered

                                       86

<PAGE>



corporation.  For a description of certain changes in the rights of stockholders
as  a  result  of  the  Conversion  and   Reorganization,   see  "Comparison  of
Stockholders' Rights."

         Effect on Deposit Accounts.  Under the Plan, each depositor in the Bank
at the time of the Conversion and Reorganization will automatically  continue as
a depositor  after the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  and each such  deposit
account will remain the same with respect to deposit balance,  interest rate and
other  terms,  except to the extent that funds in the account are  withdrawn  to
purchase Conversion Stock to be issued in the Offerings.  Each such account will
continue to be insured by the FDIC to the same  extent as before the  Conversion
and   Reorganization.   Depositors   will   continue  to  hold  their   existing
certificates, passbooks and other evidences of their accounts.

         Effects on Loans. No loan outstanding from the Bank will be affected by
the Conversion and Reorganization,  and the amount,  interest rate, maturity and
security for each loan will remain as they were contractually fixed prior to the
Conversion and Reorganization.

         Effect on Voting  Rights of Members.  At present,  all  depositors  and
certain  borrowers  of the Bank are members  of, and have voting  rights in, the
Mutual  Holding  Company as to all matters  requiring  membership  action.  Upon
completion of the Conversion and  Reorganization,  depositors and borrowers will
cease to be members  and will no longer be  entitled  to vote at meetings of the
Mutual Holding  Company.  Upon completion of the Conversion and  Reorganization,
all  voting  rights  in the  Bank  will be  vested  in the  Company  as the sole
stockholder  of the Bank.  Exclusive  voting  rights with respect to the Company
will be vested in the holders of Common Stock.  Depositors of and borrowers from
the Bank will not have voting  rights in the Company  after the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  except to the  extent  that  they  become  stockholders  of the
Company.

         Tax Effects.  Consummation  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  is
conditioned on prior receipt by the Primary  Parties of rulings or opinions with
regard to federal and Missouri  income taxation which indicate that the adoption
and  implementation  of the Plan of  Conversion  set  forth  herein  will not be
taxable for federal or Missouri  income tax  purposes to the Primary  Parties or
the Bank's Eligible  Account Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders or
Other Members,  except as discussed  below.  See "- Tax Aspects" below and "Risk
Factors."

         Effect on Liquidation  Rights.  If the Mutual  Holding  Company were to
liquidate,  all claims of the Mutual Holding  Company's  creditors would be paid
first.  Thereafter,  if there were any assets  remaining,  members of the Mutual
Holding Company would receive such remaining  assets,  pro rata,  based upon the
deposit  balances in their  deposit  accounts at the Bank  immediately  prior to
liquidation.  In the unlikely  event that the Bank were to  liquidate  after the
Conversion  and  Reorganization,  all claims of  creditors  (including  those of
depositors,  to the extent of the  deposit  balances)  also would be paid first,
followed by distribution of the "liquidation account" to certain depositors (see
"- Liquidation Rights" below), with any assets remaining thereafter  distributed
to the Company as the holder of the Bank's capital stock.  Pursuant to the rules
and  regulations  of the OTS, a merger,  consolidation,  sale of bulk  assets or
similar  combination or transaction  with another  insured  savings  institution
would  not  be  considered  a  liquidation  for  this  purpose  and,  in  such a
transaction,  the  liquidation  account  would be  required to be assumed by the
surviving institution.

         Effect on Existing  Compensation Plans. Under the Plan, the 1994 Option
Plan and the 1994 RRP will  become  benefit  plans of the  Company and shares of
Common Stock will be issued (or reserved for issuance)  pursuant to such benefit
plans instead of shares of Bank Common Stock. As of June 30, 1997,  80.8% of the
options  available  for grant under the 1994  Option  Plan had been  granted but
options for 78,556 shares had not yet been exercised. As of June 30, 1997, 88.6%
of the shares of Bank Common

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Stock purchased by the 1994 RRP had been allocated.  See "Management of the Bank
- -  Certain  Benefits  - 1994  Stock  Option  Plan" and "- 1994  Recognition  and
Retention Plan."

The Offerings

         Subscription  Offering.  In  accordance  with the  Plan of  Conversion,
rights to subscribe for the purchase of Conversion Stock have been granted under
the Plan of  Conversion  to the  following  persons  in the  following  order of
descending   priority:   (1)  Eligible  Account  Holders;   (2)  the  ESOP;  (3)
Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders; and (4) Other Members. All subscriptions
received  will  be  subject  to  the  availability  of  Conversion  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 of Conversion  and as described  below under "- Limitations on
Common Stock Purchases and Ownership."

         Eligible Account Holders (First Priority). Each Eligible Account Holder
will  receive,  without  payment  therefor,   first  priority,   nontransferable
subscription  rights to  subscribe  for in the  Subscription  Offering up to the
greater of (i) the maximum  purchase  limitation  established  for the Community
Offering and/or Syndicated Community Offering, (ii) one-tenth of 1% of the total
offering of shares of Conversion Stock in the Subscription Offering, or (iii) 15
times  the  product  (rounded  down  to  the  next  whole  number)  obtained  by
multiplying  the  total  number of shares of  Conversion  Stock  offered  in the
Subscription Offering by a fraction, of which the numerator is the amount of the
Qualifying  Deposits of the Eligible  Account Holder and the  denominator is the
total amount of all Qualifying Deposits of all Eligible Account Holders, subject
to the overall purchase limitations and the overall ownership limitation. See "-
Limitations on Common Stock Purchases and Ownership."

         If  there  are  not   sufficient   shares   available  to  satisfy  all
subscriptions,  shares first will be allocated so as to permit each  subscribing
Eligible  Account Holder to purchase a number of shares  sufficient to make such
person's total allocation equal to the lesser of the number of shares subscribed
for  or  100  shares.  Thereafter,  unallocated  shares  will  be  allocated  to
subscribing  Eligible Account Holders whose subscriptions remain unfilled in the
proportion that the amounts of their  respective  eligible  deposits bear to the
total amount of eligible  deposits of all subscribing  Eligible  Account Holders
whose subscriptions remain unfilled, provided that no fractional shares shall be
issued.  The  subscription  rights  of  Eligible  Account  Holders  who are also
directors  or  officers  of the  Mutual  Holding  Company  or the Bank and their
associates  will be subordinated  to the  subscription  rights of other Eligible
Account  Holders to the extent  attributable  to increased  deposits in the year
preceding December 31, 1995.

         ESOP  (Second  Priority).   The  ESOP  will  receive,  without  payment
therefore, second priority,  nontransferable subscription rights to purchase, in
the  aggregate,  up to 8% of the  Conversion  Stock within the  Offering  Range,
including  any  increase in the number of shares of  Conversion  Stock after the
date  hereof  as a result  of an  increase  of up to 15% in the  maximum  of the
Offering  Range.  The ESOP  currently  intends to  purchase  8% of the shares of
Conversion Stock, or 264,000 shares based on the midpoint of the Offering Range.
Subscriptions by the ESOP will not be aggregated with shares of Conversion Stock
purchased  directly  by  or  which  are  otherwise  attributable  to  any  other
participants  in the  Offerings,  including  subscriptions  of any of the Bank's
directors,  officers,  employees or associates  thereof.  See "Management of the
Bank - Certain Benefits - Employee Stock Ownership Plan."

         The right of the ESOP to subscribe for Conversion  Stock is subordinate
to the rights of  Eligible  Account  Holders.  However,  solely in the event the
Offerings  result in the sale of Conversion  Stock in an amount greater than the
maximum of the Offering Range (up to 15% greater), the ESOP has a

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priority,  higher  than  that  of  Eligible  Account  Holders,  to  satisfy  its
subscription from the amount of Conversion Stock issued that exceeds the maximum
of the Offering Range.

         In the  event  that  there  are  insufficient  shares  for the  ESOP to
purchase 8% of the Conversion  Stock within the Offering Range,  the Company may
issue additional shares of Conversion Stock directly to the ESOP at the Purchase
Price to satisfy the ESOP's order to purchase such amount of Conversion Stock in
the Offerings  and/or the ESOP may purchase  shares of  Conversion  Stock in the
open  market.  Purchases of  additional  shares of Common Stock from the Company
would  dilute  the  interests  of  other  stockholders.  See "-  Limitations  on
Conversion  Stock Purchases and Ownership" and "Risk Factors  Possible  Dilutive
Effect of Issuance of Additional Shares."

         Supplemental   Eligible   Account   Holders  (Third   Priority).   Each
Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holder will receive,  without payment  therefor,
third  priority,  nontransferable  subscription  rights to subscribe  for in the
Subscription  Offering up to the greater of (i) the maximum purchase  limitation
established for the Community  Offering and/or  Syndicated  Community  Offering,
(ii) one-tenth of 1% of the total offering of shares of Conversion  Stock in the
Subscription  Offering,  or (iii) 15 times the product (rounded down to the next
whole number)  obtained by multiplying  the total number of shares of Conversion
Stock offered in the Subscription Offering by a fraction, of which the numerator
is the amount of the Qualifying  Deposits of the  Supplemental  Eligible Account
Holder and the denominator is the total amount of all Qualifying Deposits of all
Supplemental   Eligible  Account  Holders,   subject  to  the  overall  purchase
limitation, the overall ownership limitations, and the availability of shares of
Conversion Stock for purchase after taking into account the shares of Conversion
Stock purchased by Eligible  Account Holders and the ESOP. See "- Limitations on
Conversion Stock Purchases and Ownership."

         If  there  are  not   sufficient   shares   available  to  satisfy  all
subscriptions,  shares first will be allocated so as to permit each  subscribing
Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder to purchase a number of shares  sufficient
to make his  total  allocation  equal to the  lesser  of the  number  of  shares
subscribed for or 100 shares. Thereafter, unallocated shares may be allocated to
subscribing preferred  Supplemental Eligible Account Holders whose subscriptions
remain unfilled in the proportion that the amounts of their respective  eligible
deposits bear to the total amount of eligible  deposits of all such  subscribing
Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders whose  subscriptions  remain  unfilled,
provided that no fractional shares shall be issued.

         Other  Members  (Fourth  Priority).   To  the  extent  that  there  are
sufficient  shares  remaining after  satisfaction of  subscriptions  by Eligible
Account Holders, the ESOP and Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders, each Other
Member will receive, without payment therefor, fourth priority,  nontransferable
subscription  rights  to  subscribe  for  Conversion  Stock in the  Subscription
Offering up to the greater of (i) the maximum  purchase  limitation  established
for  the  Community  Offering  and/or  Syndicated  Community  Offering)  or (ii)
one-tenth  of 1% of the total  offering  of shares  of  Conversion  Stock in the
Subscription  Offering, in each case subject to the overall purchase limitation,
the overall ownership  limitation,  and the availability of shares of Conversion
Stock for  purchase  after taking into  account the shares of  Conversion  Stock
purchased by Eligible  Account  Holders,  the ESOP,  and  Supplemental  Eligible
Account Holders. See "- Limitations on Common Stock Purchases and Ownership."

         In the event the Other Members  subscribe for a number of shares which,
when added to the shares  subscribed for by Eligible Account  Holders,  the ESOP
and Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders,  is in excess of the total number of
shares of Conversion  Stock offered in the Subscription  Offering,  shares first
may be  allocated  so as to permit each  subscribing  Other Member to purchase a
number of shares  sufficient to make his total equal to the lesser of the number
of shares subscribed for or 100 shares.  Thereafter, any remaining shares may be
allocated among subscribing Other Members

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<PAGE>



on a pro rata basis in the proportion that each such Other Member's subscription
bears to the total subscriptions of all subscribing Other Members, provided that
no fractional shares shall be issued.

         Expiration  Date  for  the  Subscription   Offering.  The  Subscription
Offering will expire at 12:00 p.m..,  Missouri  Time, on  ______________  _____,
1997,  unless  extended  for up to 45  days or such  additional  periods  by the
Primary  Parties  with the  approval  of the  OTS.  Such  extensions  may not be
extended by _____________  _____, 199_.  Subscription  rights that have not been
exercised prior to the Expiration Date will become void.

         The Primary  Parties will not execute orders until at least the minimum
number of shares of Common Stock (3,998,709  shares) 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  Bank  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 Primary Parties will notify
subscribers  of the extension of time and of any rights of subscribers to modify
or rescind their subscriptions.

         Public Stockholders  Offering.  To the extent that there are sufficient
shares  remaining  after  satisfaction  of  subscriptions  by  Eligible  Account
Holders, the ESOP, Supplemental Eligible Account Holders and Other Members, each
Public  Stockholder as of the  Stockholder  Voting Record Date,  __________ ___,
199_____,  may submit  orders for  Conversion  Stock in the  Offerings up to the
maximum  purchase  limitation  established  for the  Community  Offering  and/or
Syndicated  Community  Offering,  subject to the overall  purchase and ownership
limitations  and the  availability  of shares of  Conversion  Stock for purchase
after taking into account the shares of Conversion  Stock  purchased by Eligible
Account  Holders,  the ESOP and Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holders.  See "-
Limitations on Conversion Stock Purchases and Ownership."

         In the event  the  Public  Stockholders  as of the  Stockholder  Voting
Record Date submit orders for a number of shares which, when added to the shares
subscribed for by Eligible  Account  Holders,  the ESOP,  Supplemental  Eligible
Account  Holders,  Other  Members and  directors,  officers and employees of the
Mutual Holding  Company and the Bank, is in excess of the total number of shares
of Conversion Stock offered in the Offerings, available shares will be allocated
among Public  Stockholders as of the Stockholder Voting Record Date whose orders
are  accepted  on a pro  rata  basis  in the  same  proportion  as  each  Public
Stockholder's  order  bears to the  total  orders  of all  Public  Stockholders,
provided that no fractional shares shall be issued.

         The opportunity to submit orders for shares of Conversion  Stock in the
Public  Stockholders  Offering  category  is subject to the right of the Primary
Parties, in their sole discretion,  to accept or reject any such orders in whole
or in part for any  reason  either at the time of receipt of an order or as soon
as practicable following the completion of the Public Stockholders  Offering. It
should be noted that Public  Stockholders do not have  subscription  rights with
respect to the Conversion and Reorganization.

         Community  Offering.  To the extent that shares  remain  available  for
purchase after satisfaction of all subscriptions  Eligible Account Holders,  the
ESOP,  Supplemental  Eligible Account  Holders,  and Other Members and orders of
Public  Stockholders,  the  Primary  Parties  have  determined  to offer  shares
pursuant to the Plan to certain members of the general  public,  with preference
given to the natural  persons  residing  in the Local  Community  (such  natural
persons referred to as "Preferred Subscribers"). Such persons, together with any
associate or group of persons acting in concert, may purchase $250,000

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<PAGE>



of Common Stock, subject to the overall purchase and ownership limitations.  See
"-  Limitations  on Common Stock  Purchases and  Ownership."  This amount may be
increased at the sole  discretion of the Primary  Parties.  The  opportunity  to
submit orders for shares of Conversion Stock in the Community  Offering category
is subject to the right of the Primary  Parties,  in their sole  discretion,  to
accept or reject any such  orders in whole or in part for any  reason  either at
the  time  of  receipt  of an  order  or as soon as  practicable  following  the
completion of the Community Offering.

         If there are not  sufficient  shares  available  to fill the  orders of
Preferred Subscribers, available shares of stock will be allocated first to each
Preferred  Subscriber  whose order is accepted  by the  Primary  Parties,  in an
amount equal to the lesser of 100 shares or the number of shares ordered by each
such Preferred Subscriber, if possible.  Thereafter,  unallocated shares will be
allocated among the Preferred Subscribers whose orders remain unsatisfied in the
same  proportion  that the  unfilled  order of each bears to the total  unfilled
orders of all  Preferred  Subscribers  whose order remains  unsatisfied.  If the
orders of  Preferred  Subscribers  are filled,  and there are shares  remaining,
shares  will be  allocated  to other  members of the  general  public who submit
orders in the Community  Offering  applying the same allocation  described above
for Preferred Subscribers.

         Syndicated Community Offering. The Plan provides that, if feasible, all
shares  of  Conversion   Stock  not  purchased  in  the   Subscription,   Public
Stockholders  and  Community  Offerings  may be offered  for sale to the general
public in a Syndicated  Community  Offering  through a syndicate  of  registered
broker-dealers  to be formed or  through an  underwritten  public  offering.  No
person will be permitted to subscribe in the Syndicated  Community  Offering for
more  than  $250,000  of Common  Stock,  subject  to the  overall  purchase  and
ownership  limitations discussed below in "Limitations on Common Stock Purchases
and  Ownership." The Primary Parties have the right to reject orders in whole or
part in their sole discretion in the Syndicated Community Offering.  Neither the
Selling Agent nor any registered broker-dealer shall have any obligation to take
or purchase any shares of Common Stock in the Syndicated Offering;  however, the
Selling  Agent has  agreed to use its best  efforts in the sale of shares in the
Syndicated  Community Offering.  In the event a Syndicated Community Offering is
utilized,  broker-dealers  will enter into selected dealers' agreements with the
Selling Agent and will be entitled to commissions that will have previously been
negotiated in an amount of up to  approximately  4.5% of the aggregate  Purchase
Price of the Common Stock.

         In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  if  a  syndicate  of  broker-dealers
("selected  dealers") is formed to assist in the Syndicated  Community Offering,
the selected dealers' agreement provides that a purchaser may pay for his shares
with  funds  held by or  deposit  with a  selected  dealer.  If an order form is
executed  and  forwarded to the  selected  dealer or if the  selected  dealer is
authorized  to execute  the order form on behalf of a  purchaser,  the  selected
dealer is  required to forward the order form and funds on behalf of a purchaser
to the Bank for deposit in a segregate account on or before noon of the business
day  following  receipt of the order form or  execution of the order form by the
selected  dealer.  Alternatively,  selected  dealers may solicit  indications of
interest from their customers to place orders for shares.  Such selected dealers
shall  subsequently  contact their  customers who indicated an interest and seek
their  confirmation  as to their  intent to purchase.  The selected  dealer will
acknowledge  receipt of the order to its  customer  in writing on the  following
business day and will debit such  customer's  account on the third  business day
after the customer has  confirmed  his intent to purchase (the "debit date") and
on or before noon of the next  business day  following  the debit date will send
funds  to the Bank for  deposit  in a  segregate  account.  If such  alternative
procedure  is  employed,  purchasers'  funds  are not  required  to be in  their
accounts with selected dealers until the debit date.

         The Syndicated  Community  Offering will terminate no more that 45 days
following the Expiration  Date,  unless extended by the Primary Parties with the
approval of the OTS. See "- Stock Pricing and

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Number of Shares to be Issued" below for a discussion of rights of  subscribers,
if any, in the event an extension is granted.

Limitations on Common Stock Purchases and Ownership

         The Plan includes the following  limitations on the number of shares of
Common Stock that may be purchased:

                  (1)  No  less  than  25  shares  of  Conversion  Stock  may be
         purchased, to the extent such shares are available;

                  (2) The  number  of shares of  Conversion  Stock  which may be
         purchased  by any person (or persons  through a single  account) in the
         Subscription  Offering  shall  not  exceed  such  number  of  shares of
         Conversion  Stock that shall equal $250,000 divided by the $10 purchase
         price in the Subscription  Offering,  except for the ESOP, which in the
         aggregate may subscribe for up to 8% of the Conversion Stock.

                  (3) The  number  of shares of  Conversion  Stock  which may be
         purchased  by any  person,  together  with  any  associate  or group of
         persons acting in concert, in the Public Stockholders, the Community or
         Syndicated Community Offerings combined shall not exceed such number of
         shares of Conversion Stock that shall equal $250,000 divided by the $10
         purchase price in the Offerings.

                  (4) Except for Tax-Qualified Employee Stock Benefit Plans, the
         maximum  amount  of  Conversion  Stock  that  may be  purchased  in all
         categories  in the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  by any  person (or
         persons through a single account)  together with any associate or group
         of persons  acting in concert  shall not exceed  such  number of shares
         that when combined with Exchange Shares shall equal $250,000 divided by
         the $10 purchase price in the Offerings.

                  (5) No more than 31.7% of the total  number of shares  sold in
         the  Offerings may be purchased by directors and officers of the Mutual
         Holding  Company and the Bank and their  associates  in the  aggregate,
         excluding purchases by the ESOP.

         Subject to any required  regulatory  approval and the  requirements  of
applicable laws and regulations,  but without further approval of the Members of
the Mutual Holding  Company or the  Stockholders of the Bank, the limitations in
(2) and (3) above may be  decreased,  or  increased up to a maximum of 5% of the
total  shares of  Conversion  Stock to be issued  in the  Offerings  at the sole
discretion of the Primary  Parties.  If such amounts are increased,  subscribers
for the maximum amount will be, and certain other large  subscribers in the sole
discretion  of the Primary  Parties may be,  given the  opportunity  to increase
their subscriptions up to the then applicable limit.

         In the event of an increase in the total number of shares of Conversion
Stock offered in the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  due to an increase in the
maximum of the Offering  Range of up to 15% (the  "Adjusted  Maximum"),  the new
total number of shares will be allocated in the  following  order of priority in
accordance with the Plan: (i) to fill the ESOP's order of up to a total of 8% of
the  Adjusted  Maximum  number of  shares;  (ii) in the event  that  there is an
oversubscription   by  Eligible  Account  Holders,  to  fill  their  unfulfilled
subscriptions;  (iii)  in  the  event  that  there  is  an  oversubscription  by
Supplemental Eligible Account holders, to fill their unfulfilled  subscriptions;
(iv) in the event that there is an  oversubscription  by Other Members,  to fill
unfulfilled subscriptions; (v) in the event that there is an oversubscription by
Public Stockholders, to fill their unfulfilled subscriptions;  (vi) in the event
of

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oversubscription  by Preferred  Subscribers in the Community  Offering,  to fill
their unfulfilled subscriptions;  and (vii) to fill unfulfilled subscriptions in
the Community Offering other than Preferred Subscribers.

         The term  "associate",  when used to indicate a  relationship  with any
person,  is defined to mean (i) a corporation  or  organization  (other than the
Mutual Holding Company, the Bank, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Bank or the
Company) of which such person is a director,  officer or partner or is, directly
or  indirectly,  the  beneficial  owner of 10% or more of any  class  of  equity
securities,  (ii)  any  trust  or  other  estate  in  which  such  person  has a
substantial  beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or
in a similar fiduciary  capacity,  provided,  however,  that such term shall not
include any tax-qualified employee stock benefit plan of the Company or the Bank
in which  such  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 any  relative  of such  spouse,  who has the same home as such
person or who is a director  or officer of the Company or the Bank or any of the
subsidiaries of the foregoing.

         The term  "resident"  as used herein  means any person who, on the date
designated  for that category of subscriber in the Plan,  maintained a bona fide
residence  within the Local  Community  and has  manifested  an intent to remain
within  the Local  Community  for a period  of time.  The  designated  dates for
Eligible  Account  Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders  and Other
Members are December 31, 1995,  September  30, 1997 and  __________  ___,  1997,
respectively.  To the  extent  the  person is a  corporation  or other  business
entity,  the  principal  place of business or  headquarters  shall be within the
Local  Community.  To the  extent the person is a  personal  benefit  plan,  the
circumstances of the beneficiary shall apply with respect to this definition. In
the case of all other benefit plans,  the  circumstances of the trustee shall be
examined for purposes of this  definition.  The Bank may utilize deposit or loan
records or such other  evidence  provided  to it to make a  determination  as to
whether a person is a bona fide resident of the Local Community.  Subscribers in
the  Community  Offering  who are  natural  persons  also will  have a  purchase
preference if they are residents of the Local Community.  In all cases, however,
such  determination  shall be in the sole  discretion  of the Bank and  shall be
determined on a case-by-case basis without regard to prior determinations.

Stock Pricing and Number of Shares to be Issued

         The Plan of Conversion  requires that the aggregate  purchase  price of
the Common  Stock must be based on the  appraised  pro forma market value of the
Mutual Holding  Company and the Bank on a consolidated  basis,  as determined on
the basis of an  independent  valuation.  The Primary  Parties have  retained RP
Financial to make such a valuation. For its services in making such an appraisal
and any expenses  incurred in connection  therewith,  RP Financial  will receive
$27,500  plus out of pocket  expenses of up to $7,500.  RP  Financial  will also
receive a fee of $7,500 for its  assistance in the  preparation  of the business
plan.  The  Primary  Parties  have  agreed to  indemnify  RP  Financial  and its
employees  and  affiliates  against  certain  losses  (including  any  losses in
connection  with claims under the federal  securities  laws)  arising out of its
services as  appraiser,  except  where RP Financial  liability  results from its
negligence or bad faith.

         The Independent Valuation has been prepared by RP Financial in reliance
upon the  information  contained in this  Prospectus,  including  the  financial
statements.  RP Financial also considered the following  factors,  among others:
the present and  projected  operating  results and  financial  condition  of the
Primary  Parties  and the  economic  and  demographic  conditions  in the Bank's
existing  market  area:  certain  historical,  financial  and other  information
relating to the Bank; a  comparative  evaluation  of the operating and financial
statistics of the Bank with those of other  similarly  situated  publicly traded
companies  located in  Missouri  and other  regions of the  United  States;  the
aggregate size of the offering

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<PAGE>



of the Common Stock;  the impact of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  on the
Bank's net worth and earnings  potential;  the proposed  dividend  policy of the
Company  and the Bank;  and the  trading  market for the Bank  Common  Stock and
securities of comparable companies and general conditions in the market for such
securities.

         On the basis of the  foregoing,  RP  Financial  has advised the Primary
Parties in its opinion the  estimated pro forma market value of the Bank and the
Mutual Holding  Company on a combined  basis was  $47,043,645 as of September 5,
1997.  In  accordance  with OTS  regulations,  the  minimum  and  maximum of the
valuation were set at 15% below and above the valuation, respectively, resulting
in a range of $39,987,098 to $54,100,192 (the "Total Valuation Range").  Because
the holders of the Public Bank Shares are to hold the same aggregate  percentage
ownership  interest  in the  Company  as they  held in the  Bank  just  prior to
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, adjusted downward pursuant to
OTS policy  requiring  the Exchange  Ratio to reflect the market value of assets
held by the Mutual Holding  Company (before giving effect to the payment of cash
in lieu of issuing fractional Exchange Shares and any shares of Conversion Stock
purchased  the  Bank's  stockholders  in the  Offerings  or  issued  to the ESOP
thereafter), the Appraisal was multiplied by 70.15%, which is the Mutual Holding
Company's  percentage  interest in the Bank, as adjusted  upward pursuant to OTS
policy  requiring the Exchange  Ratio to reflect the market value of assets held
by the  Mutual  Holding  Company.  The  resulting  amount  ($33,000,000)  is the
midpoint  of the  dollar  amount of the  Conversion  Stock to be  offered in the
Offerings.  In accordance with OTS  regulations,  the minimum and maximum of the
offering were set at 15% below and above the midpoint,  respectively,  resulting
in a range of $28,050,000 to $37,950,000  (the "Offering  Range).  The Boards of
Directors of the Primary Parties  determined that the Conversion  Stock would be
sold at $10.00 per share,  resulting in a range of 2,805,000 to 3,795,000 shares
of Conversion  Stock being  offered.  Upon  consummation  of the  Conversion and
Reorganization,  the  Conversion  Stock and the Exchange  Shares will  represent
approximately  70.15%  and  29.85%  ,  respectively,   of  the  Company's  total
outstanding  shares of Common Stock.  Based upon the above  factors,  the Public
Stockholders will experience a dilution of approximately 4.1% in their ownership
interest in the Company as compared to their current  ownership  interest in the
Bank. There can be no assurances as to the impact such dilution will have on the
trading  price  of  the  Bank  Conversion  Stock  prior  to the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  or the Common Stock  following  completion of the Conversion and
Reorganization.

         The Boards of Directors of the Primary Parties  reviewed RP Financial's
appraisal  report,  including the  methodology  and the  assumptions  used by RP
Financial and  determined  that the Offering  Range was reasonable and adequate.
However,  the Boards of  Directors  of the Primary  Parties are relying upon the
expertise,  experience and independence of RP Financial and are not qualified to
determine the appropriateness of the assumptions or the methodology.

         The MHC Regulations  provide that in a conversion of the Mutual Holding
Company to stock  form,  the Public  Stockholders  will be  entitled to exchange
their Public Bank Shares for Exchange  Shares,  provided the Bank and the Mutual
Holding  Company  demonstrate to the  satisfaction of the OTS that the basis for
the exchange is fair and reasonable. The Boards of Directors of the Bank and the
Company have  determined  that each Public Bank Share will on the Effective Date
be  converted  into and become the right to receive a number of Exchange  Shares
determined pursuant to the Exchange Ratio that ensures that after the Conversion
and Reorganization,  Public Stockholders will own the same aggregate  percentage
of Common Stock as they  currently own of the Bank Common  Stock,  subject to an
adjustment  to reflect  the market  value of assets  held by the Mutual  Holding
Company  (before  giving  effect  to the  payment  of cash  in  lieu of  issuing
fractional  Exchange  Shares and any shares of Common Stock purchased the Bank's
stockholders in the Offerings or issued to the ESOP thereafter). Based upon such
formula and the  Offering  Range,  the  Exchange  Ratio ranged from a minimum of
1.2276 to a maximum of 1.6609 Exchange Shares for each Public Bank Share, with a
midpoint of 1.4443. Based upon these Exchange

                                       94

<PAGE>



Ratios,  the Company expects to issue between  1,193,709 and 1,615,019  Exchange
Shares to Public Stockholders.  The Offering Range and the Exchange Ratio may be
amended  with the  approval  of the OTS,  if  required,  or if  necessitated  by
subsequent developments in the financial condition of any of the Primary Parties
or market conditions  generally.  In the event the Appraisal is updated to below
$39,987,098 (the minimum of the Total Valuation Range) or above $62,215,221 (the
maximum,  as adjusted,  of the Total  Valuation  Range),  such Appraisal will be
filed with the SEC by post-effective amendment.

         Based upon current market and financial conditions and recent practices
and  policies of the OTS, in the event the  Company  receives  orders for Common
Stock in excess of  $37,950,000  (the maximum of the  Offering  Range) and up to
$43,642,500 (the maximum of the Offering Range, as adjusted by 15%), the Company
may be required by the OTS to accept all such orders. No assurance, however, can
be made that the Company will  receive  orders for Common Stock in excess of the
maximum of the Offering  Range or that,  if such orders are  received,  that all
such orders will be accepted because the Company's final valuation and number of
shares to be issued are subject to the receipt of an updated  Appraisal  from RP
Financial  which  reflects such an increase in the valuation and the approval of
such increase by the OTS. There is no obligation or understanding on the part of
management  to take  and/or  pay for any  shares  of  Common  Stock  in order to
complete the Offerings.

         RP Financial's valuation is not intended, and must not be construed, as
a  recommendation  of any kind as to the advisability of purchasing such shares.
RP Financial did not  independently  verify the financial  statements  and other
information  provided  by the Bank and the Mutual  Holding  Company,  nor did RP
Financial  value  independently  the  assets or  liabilities  of the  Bank.  The
valuation  considers the Bank and the Mutual  Holding  Company as going concerns
and should not be considered as indication of the liquidation  value of the Bank
and the Mutual Holding Company.  Moreover, because such valuation is necessarily
based upon the estimates and  projections  of a number of matters,  all of which
are subject to change from time to time,  no assurance can be given that persons
purchasing  Conversion Stock or receiving  Exchange Shares in the Conversion and
Reorganization will thereafter be able to sell such shares at prices at or above
the purchase price per share in the Offerings.

         No sale of shares of  Conversion  Stock or issuance of Exchange  Shares
may be consummated  unless,  prior to such  consummation,  RP Financial confirms
that nothing of a material  nature has occurred  which,  taking into account all
relevant factors,  would cause it to conclude that the aggregate  Purchase Price
is materially  incompatible  with the estimate of the pro forma market value the
Mutual Holding  Company and the Bank on combined basis. If such is not the case,
a new Offering  Range may be set, a new Exchange  Ratio may be determined  based
upon the new Offering Range, a new Subscription, Public Stockholders,  Community
and/or  Syndicated  Community  Offering  may be held or such other action may be
taken as the Primary Parties shall determine and the OTS may permit or require.

         Depending   upon  market  or   financial   conditions   following   the
commencement of the Subscription  Offering, the total number of shares of Common
Stock to be sold in the  Offerings  may be  increased  or  decreased  without  a
resolicitation of subscribers,  provided that the product of the total number of
shares times the $10.00 purchase price is not below the minimum or more than 15%
above the maximum of the Offering  Range  (exclusive of a number of shares equal
to up to an additional 8% of the Conversion Stock that may be issued to the ESOP
out of authorized  but unissued  shares of  Conversion  Stock to the extent such
shares are not purchased in the Offerings  due to an  oversubscription).  In the
event  market  or  financial  conditions  change  so as to cause  the  aggregate
purchase  price of the shares to be below the minimum of the  Offering  Range or
more than 15% above the maximum of such range  (exclusive of  additional  shares
that may be issued to the ESOP), purchasers will be resolicited (i.e., permitted
to

                                       95

<PAGE>



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 at the Bank's
passbook  rate  of  interest,  or  be  permitted  to  modify  or  rescind  their
subscriptions).

         An increase in the number of shares of Common Stock, either as a result
of an increase  in the Total  Valuation  Range or  Offering  Range or due to the
purchase by the ESOP of  authorized  but unissued  shares (see "The  Offerings -
Subscription Offering - ESOP (Second Priority)"),  would decrease a subscriber's
ownership  interest  and the  Company's  pro forma net income and  stockholders'
equity  on a  per  share  basis  while  increasing  pro  forma  net  income  and
stockholders'  equity on an aggregate  basis. A decrease in the number of shares
of Common Stock would  increase both a subscriber's  ownership  interest and the
Company's  pro forma net income and  stockholders'  equity on a per share  basis
while decreasing pro forma net income and  stockholders'  equity on an aggregate
basis.  See "Risk  Factors  Possible  Dilutive  Effect of Issuance of Additional
Shares" and "Pro Forma Data."

         The  Appraisal  has  been  filed  as an  exhibit  to this  Registration
Statement and  Application for Conversion of which this Prospectus is a part and
is  available  for  inspection  in  the  manner  set  forth  under   "Additional
Information."

The Exchange

         The Boards of  Directors  of the Bank and the Company  have  determined
that each  Public Bank Share  will,  upon  consummation  of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  be automatically converted into and become the right to receive
a number of shares of Common Stock  determined  pursuant to a the Exchange Ratio
that ensures that after the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  and before  giving
effect to Public Stockholders' purchases in the Offerings and receipt of cash in
lieu of fractional shares or issuances to the ESOP, Public Stockholders will own
an  aggregate  percentage  of  the  Company's  Common  Stock  that  reflects  an
adjustment  to the Public  Stockholders'  current  ownership  of the Bank Common
Stock.  The  adjustment  reflects  the market value of assets held by the Mutual
Holding Company.

         The adjustment in the Exchange Ratio described above would decrease the
Public  Stockholder's  ownership  interest to 29.85%  from  31.12%  based on the
following calculation:

         (Pro Forma Market Value of Bank) - (Market Value of MHC Assets)
         ---------------------------------------------------------------
                         Pro Forma Market Value of Bank

         To determine  the Exchange  Ratio,  the adjusted  Public  Stockholder's
ownership  interest was  multiplied  by the number of shares to be issued in the
Conversion  and  Reorganization,  and the  result  was  divided by the number of
Public  Bank  Shares  outstanding  (972,365  shares,  as adjusted as of June 30,
1997).  Immediately prior to consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization,
the Bank will recalculate the dilution to be experienced by Public  Stockholders
pursuant  to  the  above  formula,  which  will  take  into  effect  changes  in
stockholders' equity and percentage ownership through such date.

         The  following  table sets  forth,  based upon the  minimum,  midpoint,
maximum and 15% above the maximum of the Offering Range, the following:  (i) the
total number of shares of Common  Stock and Exchange  Shares to be issued in the
Conversion  and  Reorganization,  (ii) the  percentage of the total Common Stock
represented by the Common Stock and the Exchange Shares,  and (iii) the Exchange
Ratio.  The  table  assumes  that  there  is no cash  paid  in  lieu of  issuing
fractional Exchange Shares.

                                       96

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               Conversion Stock to            Exchange Shares to     
                                   be Issued(1)                  be Issued(1)           Total Shares of
                                   ------------                  ------------           Common Stock              Exchange
                              Amount       Percent          Amount     Percent       to be Outstanding(1)         Ratio(1)
                              ------       -------          ------     -------       --------------------      -----------

<S>                          <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>                 <C>                   <C>   
Minimum.................     2,805,000      70.15%         1,193,709     29.85%              3,998,709             1.2276

Midpoint................     3,300,000      70.15          1,404,364     29.85               4,704,364             1.4443

Maximum.................     3,795,000      70.15          1,615,019     29.85               5,410,019             1.6609

15% above maximum.......     4,364,250      70.15          1,857,272     29.85               6,221,522             1.9101

</TABLE>

- --------------------
(1)  Assumes that  exercisable  options to purchase 14,383 shares of Bank Common
     Stock  at June 30,  1997 are not  exercised  prior to  consummation  of the
     Conversion  and  Reorganization.  Assuming  that  all of such  options  are
     exercised prior to such  consummation,  the percentages  represented by the
     Conversion Stock and the Exchange Shares would amount to 69.84% and 30.16%,
     respectively,  and the  Exchange  Ratio  would  amount to  1.2222,  1.4379,
     1.6536,  and 1.9016,  at the minimum,  midpoint,  maximum and 15% above the
     maximum of the Offering Range, respectively.

         The final  Exchange  Ratio will be determined  based upon the number of
shares  issued in the  Offerings  and the number of shares of Bank Common  Stock
held by Public  Stockholders  just prior to  consummation  of the Conversion and
Reorganization  (adjusted  downward  to take into  account  the market  value of
assets  held by the Mutual  Holding  Company)  and it will not be based upon the
market value of the Public Bank Shares. At the minimum,  midpoint and maximum of
the Offering Range,  one Public Bank Share will be exchanged for 1.2276,  1.4443
and  1.6609  shares of  Common  Stock,  respectively  (which  have a  calculated
equivalent  estimated  value of $12.28,  $14.44 and $16.61 based on the Purchase
Price of  Conversion  Stock in the  Offerings  and the  aforementioned  Exchange
Ratios).  However,  there can be no assurance as to the actual market value of a
share of Common  Stock  after the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  or that such
shares can be sold at or above the $10.00 per share Purchase Price. Any increase
or  decrease  in  the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  will  result  in a
corresponding change in the number of Exchange Shares, so that upon consummation
of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  the  Conversion  Stock and the Exchange
Shares will  represent  approximately  70.15% and 29.85%,  respectively,  of the
Company's total outstanding shares of Common Stock.

Persons in Nonqualified States or Foreign Countries

         The Primary  Parties  will make  reasonable  efforts to comply with the
securities laws of all states in the United States in which persons  entitled to
subscribe for the  Conversion  Stock  pursuant to the Plan reside.  However,  no
person will be offered or allowed to  purchase  any  Conversion  Stock under the
Plan if such  person  resides  in a foreign  country or in a state of the United
States with respect to which any of the following  apply:  (i) a small number of
persons otherwise eligible to subscribe for shares under the Plan reside in such
state or foreign country; and either (ii) the granting of subscription rights or
offering or selling shares of Conversion Stock to such persons would require the
Bank,  the Company or its employees to register,  under the  securities  laws of
such state or foreign country, as a broker or dealer or to register or otherwise
qualify its securities for sale in such state or foreign country;  or (iii) such
registration  or  qualification  would be  impracticable  for reasons of cost or
otherwise.  No payments  will be made in lieu of the  granting  of  subscription
rights to any such person.


                                       97

<PAGE>



Marketing Arrangements

         The  Primary  Parties  have  engaged  FBR as a  financial  advisor  and
marketing agent in connection with the Offerings,  and FBR has agreed to use its
best  efforts  to  solicit  subscriptions  and  purchase  orders  for  shares of
Conversion  Stock in the Offerings.  FBR is a member of National  Association of
Securities  Dealers,  Inc. (the "NASD") and a broker-dealer  which is registered
with the SEC. FBR will provide various services  including,  but not limited to,
(1) training and educating the Bank's  employees who will be performing  certain
ministerial  functions in the Offerings  regarding the mechanics and  regulatory
requirements of the stock sales process;  (2)  coordinating  the Company's sales
efforts,  (3) soliciting  orders for  Conversion  Stock and (4) assisting in the
solicitation  of proxies of Members  and  Stockholders  for use at the  Members'
Meeting and the  Stockholders'  Meeting,  respectively.  Based upon negotiations
between the Primary  Parties and FBR, FBR will  receive a fee of  $150,000.  FBR
also will be reimbursed for its  reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses  (including
legal fees and  expenses)  up to  $50,000.  The Primary  Parties  have agreed to
indemnify FBR for reasonable costs and expenses  (including legal fees) incurred
in connection  with certain  claims or  litigation  arising out of or based upon
untrue  statements  or  omissions  contained  in the  offering  material for the
Conversion Stock, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

         Directors and executive officers of the Primary Parties may participate
in the solicitation of offers to purchase  Conversion Stock.  Other employees of
the Bank may participate in the Offerings in ministerial capacities or providing
clerical work in effecting a sales  transaction.  Such other employees have been
instructed not to solicit offers to purchase  Conversion Stock or provide advice
regarding the purchase of Conversion Stock.  Questions of prospective purchasers
will be  directed  to  executive  officers or  registered  representatives.  The
Company will rely on Rule 3a4-1 under the Exchange  Act, and sales of Conversion
Stock will be conducted  within the  requirements of Rule 3a4-1, so as to permit
officers,  directors  and  employees to  participate  in the sale of  Conversion
Stock.  No  officer,  director  or  employee  of the  Primary  Parties  will  be
compensated   in   connection   with  such  person's   solicitations   or  other
participation  in the Offerings or the Exchange by the payment of commissions or
other  remuneration  based either  directly or indirectly on transactions in the
Conversion Stock and Exchange Shares, respectively.

Restrictions on Transfer of Subscription Rights and Shares

         Pursuant  to the  rules and  regulations  of the OTS,  no  person  with
subscription rights may transfer or enter into any agreement or understanding to
transfer the legal or  beneficial  ownership of the  subscription  rights issued
under  the Plan or the  shares  of  Conversion  Stock to be  issued  upon  their
exercise.  Such  rights  may be  exercised  only by the  person to whom they are
granted  and  only  for such  person's  account.  Each  person  exercising  such
subscription  rights will be required to certify that such person is  purchasing
shares  solely  for such  person's  own  account  and that  such  person  has no
agreement  or  understanding  regarding  the sale or  transfer  of such  shares.
Federal  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 Conversion Stock prior to the completion of the
Conversion.

         The  Primary  Parties  will  pursue  any and all  legal  and  equitable
remedies in the event they become aware of the transfer of  subscription  rights
and will not honor orders known by them to involve the transfer of such rights.


                                       98

<PAGE>



Liquidation Rights

         In the unlikely  event of a complete  liquidation of the Mutual Holding
Company in its present mutual form, each depositor of the Bank would receive his
pro rata share of any  assets of the  Mutual  Holding  Company  remaining  after
payment  of claims of all  creditors.  Each  depositor's  pro rata share of such
remaining  assets  would be in the same  proportion  as the value of his deposit
account was to the total  value of all deposit  accounts in the Bank at the time
of liquidation. After the Conversion and Reorganization,  each depositor, in the
event of a complete liquidation of the Bank, would have a claim as a creditor of
the same general  priority as the claims of all other  general  creditors of the
Bank.  However,  except as  described  below,  this claim would be solely in the
amount of the balance in the deposit account plus accrued interest.  A depositor
would not have an  interest  in the  value or assets of the Bank or the  Company
above that amount.

         The Plan  provides for the  establishment,  upon the  completion of the
Conversion  and  Reorganization,  of a  special  "liquidation  account"  for the
benefit of Eligible Account Holders and Supplemental Eligible Account Holders in
an amount  equal to the amount of any  dividends  waived by the  Mutual  Holding
Company  (of which  there were none) plus the  greater of (1) 100% of the Bank's
retained earnings of $17.85 million at December 31, 1994, the date of the latest
balance sheet  contained in the final offering  circular  utilized in the Bank's
initial public offering in the MHC  Reorganization,  or (2) 70.15% of the Bank's
total stockholders' equity as reflected in its latest balance sheet contained in
the  final  Prospectus  utilized  in the  Offerings.  As of  the  date  of  this
Prospectus,  the  initial  balance of the  liquidation  account  would be $_____
million.  Each Eligible Account Holder and Supplemental Eligible Account Holder,
if such person were to continue to maintain such person's deposit account at the
Bank,  would be  entitled,  upon a  complete  liquidation  of the Bank after the
Conversion and  Reorganization,  to an interest in the liquidation account prior
to any payment to the Company as the sole stockholder of the Bank. Each Eligible
Account Holder and  Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holder would have an initial
interest  in such  liquidation  account  for  each  deposit  account,  including
passbook accounts,  transaction accounts such as checking accounts, money market
deposit accounts and  certificates of deposit,  held in the Bank at the close of
business on December  31, 1995 or September  30, 1997,  as the case may be. Each
Eligible Account Holder and Supplemental Eligible Account Holder will have a pro
rata interest in the total liquidation account for each of such person's deposit
accounts based on the proportion  that the balance of each such deposit  account
on the  December 31, 1995  eligibility  record date (or the  September  30, 1997
supplemental eligibility record date, as the case may be) bore to the balance of
all deposit accounts in the Bank on such date.

         If, however, on any June 30 annual closing date of the Bank, commencing
June 30, 1996 for Eligible  Account  Holders and June 30, 1998 for  Supplemental
Eligible  Account  Holders,  the amount in any deposit  account is less than the
amount in such deposit  account on December 31, 1995 or September  30, 1997,  as
the case may be, or any other  annual  closing  date,  then the  interest in the
liquidation  account  relating to such deposit  account  would be reduced by the
proportion of any such reduction,  and such interest will cease to exist if such
deposit account is closed. In addition,  no interest in the liquidation  account
would ever be increased  despite any subsequent  increase in the related deposit
account.  Any assets  remaining after the above  liquidation  rights of Eligible
Account Holders and Supplemental Eligible Account Holders are satisfied would be
distributed to the Company as the sole stockholder of the Bank.

Tax Aspects

         Consummation  of  the  Conversion  and   Reorganization   is  expressly
conditioned  upon prior receipt of either a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of
counsel  with  respect to federal tax effects of the  transaction,  and either a
ruling or an opinion with respect to Missouri tax laws, to the effect that

                                       99

<PAGE>



consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  will not  result  in a
taxable reorganization under the provisions of the applicable codes or otherwise
result in any material  adverse tax  consequences to the Mutual Holding Company,
the Bank,  the  Company or to account  holders  receiving  subscription  rights,
except to the extent, if any, that  subscription  rights are deemed to have fair
market  value on the date such  rights are  issued.  This  condition  may not be
waived by the Primary Parties.

         Malizia,  Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C., Washington,  D.C., has issued an
opinion to the Company  and the Bank to the effect  that for federal  income tax
purposes:  (1) the conversion of the Mutual Holding Company from mutual to stock
form and the simultaneous merger of the Mutual Holding Company with and into the
Bank,  with  the  Bank  being  the  surviving  institution,  will  qualify  as a
reorganization  within the meaning of Section  368(a)(1)(A)  of the Code, (2) no
gain or loss will be recognized by the Mutual Holding  Company upon the transfer
of assets to the Bank,  pursuant to the  Conversion and  Reorganization,  (3) no
gain or loss will be  recognized  by the Bank upon the  receipt of the assets of
the converted  Mutual Holding Company in such merger,  (4) the merger of Interim
with and into the Bank,  with the Bank  being the  surviving  institution,  will
qualify as a  reorganization  within the meaning of Section  368(a)(1)(A) of the
Code, (5) no gain or loss will be recognized by Interim upon the transfer of its
assets to the Bank  pursuant  to its merger  with the Bank,  (6) no gain or loss
will be recognized by the Bank upon the receipt of the assets of Interim in such
merger,  (7) no gain or loss will be  recognized by the Company upon the receipt
of Bank Common Stock solely in exchange  for Common  Stock,  (8) no gain or loss
will be recognized by the Public  Stockholders  upon the receipt of Common Stock
solely in exchange  for their  Public Bank  Shares,  (9) the basis of the Common
Stock to be received by the Public Stockholders will be the same as the basis of
the Public Bank Shares surrendered in exchange therefor, before giving effect to
any payment of cash in lieu of fractional shares, (10) the holding period of the
Common Stock to be received by the Public  Stockholders will include the holding
period of the Public Bank Shares, provided that the Public Bank Shares were held
as a capital  asset on the date of the exchange,  and (11) the Eligible  Account
Holders,  Supplemental Eligible Account Holders and Other Members will recognize
gain  upon  the  issuance  to them of  nontransferable  subscription  rights  to
purchase  Common  Stock,  but only to the  extent of the value,  if any,  of the
subscription rights.

         Furthermore,  Carnahan,  Evans,  Cantwell & Brown,  P.C.  has issued an
opinion  to the  Company  and  the  Bank  to the  effect  that  the  income  tax
consequences of the Conversion and  Reorganization  are  substantially  the same
under Missouri law as they are under the Code.

         In the  opinion of RP  Financial,  which  opinion is not binding on the
IRS, the subscription  rights do not have any value, based on the fact that such
rights are acquired by the recipients without cost, are  nontransferable  and of
short duration,  and afford the recipients the right only to purchase the Common
Stock at a price equal to its  estimated  fair market  value,  which will be the
same price as the Purchase Price for the unsubscribed shares of Common Stock. If
the  subscription  rights granted to eligible  subscribers are deemed to have an
ascertainable  value,  receipt of such rights  likely  would be taxable  only to
those eligible  subscribers  who exercise the  subscription  rights (either as a
capital  gain or  ordinary  income) in an amount  equal to such  value,  and the
Primary Parties could recognize gain on such distribution.  Eligible subscribers
are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisor as to the tax  consequences
in the event that such  subscription  rights are deemed to have an ascertainable
value.

         Unlike  private  rulings,  an opinion is not binding on the IRS and the
IRS could disagree with the conclusions  reached  therein.  In the event of such
disagreement,  there can be no  assurance  that the IRS would not  prevail  in a
judicial  or  administrative  proceeding.  If the IRS  determines  that  the tax
effects of the transaction are to be treated  differently from that presented in
the tax  opinion,  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  and the Bank may be subject to
adverse tax consequences as a result of the Conversion and Reorganization.

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Delivery and Exchange of Certificates

         Common  Stock.   Certificates   representing  Common  Stock  issued  in
connection with the Offerings will be mailed by the Company's transfer agent for
the  Common  Stock to the  persons  entitled  thereto at the  addresses  of such
persons  appearing  on the  stock  order  form  for  Common  Stock  as  soon  as
practicable  following  consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization.  Any
certificates returned as undeliverable will be held by the Company until claimed
by persons legally entitled thereto or otherwise  disposed of in accordance with
applicable law. Until  certificates for Common Stock are available and delivered
to subscribers, subscribers may not be able to sell such shares.

         Exchange   Shares.   After   consummation   of   the   Conversion   and
Reorganization,  each  holder  of  a  certificate  or  certificates  theretofore
evidencing  issued and  outstanding  shares of Bank Common Stock (other than the
Mutual Holding Company),  upon surrender of the same to an agent, duly appointed
by the Company,  which is  anticipated  to be the transfer  agent for the Common
Stock (the "Exchange Agent"), shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefore
a certificate or certificates  representing  the number of full shares of Common
Stock for which the shares of Bank Common Stock  theretofore  represented by the
certificate or  certificates  so surrendered  shall have been converted based on
the Exchange  Ratio.  The Exchange Agent shall promptly mail to each such holder
of  record  of  an  outstanding  certificate  which  immediately  prior  to  the
consummation  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  evidenced  shares of Bank
Common  Stock,  and  which is to be  exchanged  for  Common  Stock  based on the
Exchange Ratio as provided in the Plan, a form of letter of  transmittal  (which
shall  specify that  delivery  shall be effected,  and risk of loss and title to
such  certificate  shall pass,  only upon  delivery of such  certificate  to the
Exchange  Agent)  advising such holder of the terms of the exchange  effected by
the Conversion and  Reorganization  and of the procedure for surrendering to the
Exchange Agent such  certificate  in exchange for a certificate or  certificates
evidencing Common Stock. The Bank's  stockholders should not forward Bank Common
Stock  certificates  to the Bank or the Exchange  Agent until they have received
the transmittal letter.

         No  holder of a  certificate  theretofore  representing  shares of Bank
Common Stock shall be entitled to receive any dividends in respect of the Common
Stock  into  which  such  shares  shall  have  been  converted  by virtue of the
Conversion and Reorganization until the certificate  representing such shares of
Bank Common  Stock is  surrendered  in exchange  for  certificates  representing
shares of Common Stock. In the event that dividends are declared and paid by the
Company in respect of Common Stock after the  consummation of the Conversion and
Reorganization  but prior to surrender of  certificates  representing  shares of
Bank Common  Stock,  dividends  payable in respect of shares of Common Stock not
then issued shall accrue  (without  interest).  Any such dividends shall be paid
(without  interest) upon surrender of the certificates  representing such shares
of Bank Common Stock.  The Company shall be entitled,  after the consummation of
the Conversion and Reorganization,  to treat certificates representing shares of
Bank Common Stock as evidencing ownership of the number of full shares of Common
Stock  into  which  the  shares  of  Bank  Common  Stock   represented  by  such
certificates shall have been converted,  notwithstanding the failure on the part
of the holder thereof to surrender such certificates.

         The  Company  shall  not be  obligated  to  deliver  a  certificate  or
certificates  representing  shares  of  Common  Stock to which a holder  of Bank
Common  Stock would  otherwise  be entitled  as a result of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  until  such  holder  surrenders  the  certificate  or  certifies
representing the shares of Bank Common Stock for exchange as provided above, or,
in default  thereof,  an appropriate  affidavit of loss and indemnity  agreement
and/or a bond as may be required in each case by the Company. If any certificate
evidencing  shares of Common  Stock is to be issued in a name other than that in
which the  certificate  evidencing  Bank Common  Stock  surrendered  in exchange
therefore is  registered,  it shall be a condition of the issuance  thereof that
the certificate so surrendered shall be

                                       101

<PAGE>



properly  endorsed and otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the person
requesting  such  exchange pay to the  Exchange  Agent any transfer or other tax
required by reason of the issuance of a  certificate  for shares of Common Stock
in any  name  other  than  that  of the  registered  holder  of the  certificate
surrendered  or otherwise  establish to the  satisfaction  of the Exchange Agent
that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

Required Approvals

         Various  approvals of the OTS are required in order to  consummate  the
Conversion  and  Reorganization.  The OTS has approved  the Plan of  Conversion,
subject to  approval  by the Mutual  Holding  Company's  Members  and the Bank's
Stockholders. In addition,  consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization is
subject to OTS  approval  of the  Company's  application  to acquire  all of the
to-be-outstanding  Bank Common  Stock and the  applications  with respect to the
merger of the Mutual  Holding  Company  (following  its conversion to an interim
Federal  stock  savings  bank) into the Bank and the merger of Interim  into the
Bank, with the Bank being the surviving entity in both mergers. Applications for
these  approvals  have been  filed and are  currently  pending.  There can be no
assurances that the requisite OTS approvals will be received in a timely manner,
in which event the  consummation  of the  Conversion and  Reorganization  may be
delayed beyond the expiration of the Offerings.

         Pursuant  to OTS  regulations,  the  Plan of  Conversion  also  must be
approved by (1) at least a majority of the total number of votes  eligible to be
cast by Members of the Mutual Holding Company at the Members'  Meeting,  and (2)
holders of at least  two-thirds  of the  outstanding  Bank  Common  Stock at the
Stockholders'  Meeting.  In addition,  the Primary Parties have  conditioned the
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization on the approval of the Plan by
at least a  majority  of the votes  cast,  in person or by proxy,  by the Public
Stockholders at the Stockholders' Meeting.

Interpretation and Amendment of the Plan

         To the extent permitted by law, all  interpretations of the Plan by the
Primary  Parties  will be final;  however,  such  interpretations  shall have no
binding  effect on the OTS.  The Plan  provides  that,  if deemed  necessary  or
desirable by the Board of Directors,  the Plan may be  substantively  amended by
the Board of Directors as a result of comments from the OTS or otherwise,  prior
to the  solicitation  of proxies from the members of the Mutual Holding  Company
and at any time  thereafter  with the concurrence of the OTS, except that in the
event that the  regulations  under which the Plan was  adopted  are  liberalized
subsequent  to the approval of the Plan by the OTS and the members of the Mutual
Holding  Company at the special  meeting of members,  the Board of Directors may
amend the Plan to conform to the regulations without further approval of the OTS
or the  members,  to the extent  permitted by law. An amendment to the Plan that
would result in a material  adverse  change in the terms of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization would require a resolicitation. In the event of a resolicitation,
subscriptions for which a confirmation or modification was not received would be
rescinded.  Any  amendment  to the  Plan  regarding  preferences  to  the  Local
Community will not be deemed to be a material change.

Certain  Restrictions on Purchase or Transfer of Shares After the Conversion and
Reorganization

         All  shares  of  Conversion  Stock  purchased  in  connection  with the
Conversion  and  Reorganization  by a director  or an  executive  officer of the
Primary Parties will be subject to a restriction that the shares may not be sold
for a period of one year following the Conversion and Reorganization,  except in
the event of the death of such  director or  executive  officer or pursuant to a
merger  or  similar  transaction  approved  by the  OTS.  Each  certificate  for
restricted  shares  will  bear a legend  giving  notice of this  restriction  on
transfer,  and  appropriate  stop-transfer  instructions  will be  issued to the
Company's transfer

                                       102

<PAGE>



agent.  Any shares of Common Stock issued within this one-year period as a stock
dividend, stock split or otherwise with respect to such restricted stock will be
subject to the same  restrictions.  The directors and executive  officers of the
Company will also be subject to the insider trading rules  promulgated  pursuant
to the Exchange Act.

         Purchases  of  Common  Stock of the  Company  by  directors,  executive
officers and their associates during the three-year period following  completion
of the Conversion and Reorganization may be made only through a broker or dealer
registered with the SEC, except with the prior written approval of the OTS. This
restriction does not apply, however, to negotiated  transactions  involving more
than 1% of the Company's  outstanding  Common Stock or to the purchase of Common
Stock pursuant to any  tax-qualified  employee  stock benefit plan,  such as the
ESOP, or by any non-tax-qualified employee stock benefit plan.

         Pursuant to OTS  regulations,  the Company will generally be prohibited
from  repurchasing  any  shares  of  Common  Stock  within  one  year  following
consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization.  During the second and third
years following  consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization,  the Company
may not  repurchase any shares of its Common Stock other than pursuant to (i) an
offer to all  stockholders on a pro rata basis that is approved by the OTS; (ii)
the repurchase of qualifying  shares of a director,  if any; (iii)  purchases in
the open market by a tax-qualified or  non-tax-qualified  employee stock benefit
plan in an amount reasonable and appropriate to fund the plan; or (iv) purchases
that  are part of an  open-market  program  not  involving  more  than 5% of its
outstanding  capital stock during a 12- month period,  if the repurchases do not
cause the Bank to become  undercapitalized and the Bank provides to the Regional
Director  of the OTS no  later  than  10 days  prior  to the  commencement  of a
repurchase  program written notice  containing a full description of the program
to be undertaken and such program is not  disapproved by the Regional  Director.
However,  the Regional Director has authority to permit  repurchases  during the
first year following  consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization  and to
permit  repurchases  in excess of 5% during the second and third  years upon the
establishment  of  exceptional  circumstances,  as  determined  by the  Regional
Director.


                       COMPARISON OF STOCKHOLDERS' RIGHTS

         General. As a result of the Conversion and  Reorganization,  holders of
the Bank Common Stock will become,  subject to the Exchange Ratio,  stockholders
of the  Company,  a  Delaware  corporation.  There are  certain  differences  in
stockholder rights arising from distinctions  between the Bank's current federal
stock charter  ("Charter")  and bylaws ("Bank  Bylaws") and the  Certificate  of
Incorporation  ("Certificate")  and bylaws of the Company ("Company Bylaws") and
from  distinctions  between  laws with respect to  federally  chartered  savings
associations and Delaware law.

         The discussion herein is not intended to be a complete statement of the
differences affecting the rights of stockholders, but rather summarizes the more
significant  differences  and certain  important  similarities.  The  discussion
herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Charter and Bank Bylaws,
the  Certificate and Company Bylaws,  the Code of Federal  Regulations,  and the
Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL").

         Authorized  Capital  Stock.  The  Company's  authorized  capital  stock
consists of 10,000,000  shares of common stock,  $0.10 par value per share,  and
2,000,000  shares of  preferred  stock,  $0.01  par value per share  ("Preferred
Stock"),  whereas the Bank's  authorized  capital  stock  consists of  3,000,000
shares of common stock and 2,000,000  shares of preferred  stock.  The shares of
Common Stock and Preferred  Stock were authorized in an amount greater than that
to be issued in the Conversion and Reorganization

                                       103

<PAGE>



to provide the Company's Board of Directors with as much flexibility as possible
to effect, among other transactions,  financings, acquisitions, stock dividends,
stock splits and employee stock options.  However,  these additional  authorized
shares may also be used by the Board of Directors  consistent with its fiduciary
duty to deter  future  attempts  to gain  control of the  Company.  The Board of
Directors  also has sole  authority  to  determine  the terms of any one or more
series of Preferred  Stock,  including  voting  rights,  conversion  rates,  and
liquidation  preferences.  As a result of the ability to fix voting rights for a
series of Preferred  Stock,  the Board has the power,  to the extent  consistent
with its  fiduciary  duty,  to  issue a series  of  Preferred  Stock to  persons
friendly to management  in order to attempt to block a post-tender  offer merger
or other  transaction by which a third party seeks  control,  and thereby assist
management to retain its position. The Company's Board currently has no plan for
the issuance of additional shares,  other than the issuance of additional shares
pursuant  to stock  benefit  plans.  See  "Management  of the Company - Proposed
Future Stock Benefit Plans" and "Management of the Bank - Certain Benefits."

         Restrictions  on Capital Stock  Ownership.  Pursuant to applicable laws
and  regulations,  the Mutual Holding Company is required to own not less than a
majority of the outstanding Bank Common Stock. There will be no such restriction
applicable  to  the  Company  following   consummation  of  the  Conversion  and
Reorganization.

         Voting  Rights.  Stockholders  of the Bank  currently  may not cumulate
votes in elections of  directors.  The  Certificate  also  prohibits  cumulative
voting rights.  Elimination of cumulative  voting helps to ensure the continuity
and stability of both the Company's and the Bank's Boards of Directors,  and the
policies adopted by each, by possibly delaying,  deterring or discouraging proxy
contests.

         The Charter does not contain any  specification of or limitation on the
circumstances  under which  separate  class  voting  rights may be provided to a
particular class or series of Bank Preferred Stock.

         The  Certificate  provides  that  there  will be,  in  addition  to the
affirmative vote required for certain business combinations, a class vote of the
holders  of any class or  series  of stock as  otherwise  required  by law,  the
Certificate,  a resolution of the board of directors  providing for the issuance
of a class or  series of stock,  or any  agreement  between  the  Company  and a
national securities exchange or national securities  quotation system.  Further,
the DGCL requires a class vote in addition to the vote of all  shareholders  for
an amendment to the  Certificate if the amendment would increase or decrease the
aggregate number of authorized shares,  effect an exchange,  reclassification or
cancellation  of all or part of the  shares  of a class,  create a new  class of
shares or influence  distributions  to  shareholders  by increasing  the rights,
preferences or number of shares of an existing class. Delaware law also requires
separate  voting  by  voting  groups  for  plans  involving  mergers  and  share
exchanges,  if such plans contain a provision that, if contained in an amendment
to the  Certificate,  would  require the action of one or more voting  groups as
described above.

         For  additional   information   relating  to  voting  rights,   see  "-
Limitations on Acquisitions of Voting Stock and Voting Rights" below.

         Payments of Dividends.  The ability of the Bank to pay dividends on its
capital stock is restricted by OTS regulations and by tax considerations related
to savings and loan  associations such as the Bank. See "Regulation - Regulation
of the Bank - Dividend and Other Capital Distribution  Limitations" and "Federal
and State Taxation."  Although the Company is not subject to these  restrictions
as a Delaware corporation,  such restrictions will indirectly affect the Company
because dividends from the Bank will be a primary source of funds of the Company
for the payment of dividends to stockholders of the Company.


                                       104

<PAGE>



         The DGCL generally  provides that,  subject to any  restrictions in the
certificate  of  incorporation,  a  corporation  may make  distributions  to its
stockholders,  provided  that no  distribution  may be made if,  after giving it
effect, the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in
the ordinary course of business.

         Board of Directors.  The Bank Bylaws  require the Board of Directors of
the Bank to be divided into three  classes as nearly equal in number as possible
and that the  members of each class  shall be elected  for a term of three years
and until  their  successors  are elected  and  qualified,  with one class being
elected  annually.  The Certificate also requires that the Board of Directors of
the Company be divided  into three  classes.  The members of each class shall be
elected  for a term of three years and until  their  successors  are elected and
qualified.

         Under the Bank Bylaws,  any  vacancies in the Board of Directors of the
Bank may be  filled  by the  affirmative  vote of a  majority  of the  remaining
directors  even if less  than a quorum of the Board of  Directors  remains.  The
Certificate requires that any vacancies on the Board of Directors of the Company
be filled by a vote of two-thirds of the  directors  then in office,  whether or
not a quorum. Persons elected by the directors of the Bank to fill vacancies may
only serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders whereas persons elected
to vacancies  on the  Company's  Board of  Directors  may serve until the annual
meeting  of  stockholders  at which the term of the  class,  to which the absent
director had been elected, expires.

         Under the Bank  Bylaws,  any  director  may be removed for cause by the
holders of a majority of the  outstanding  voting shares,  provided that if less
than the entire Board is to be removed,  none of the directors may be removed if
the votes cast against the removal  would be  sufficient  to elect a director if
then  cumulatively  voted at an election of the class of directors of which such
director is a member. The Certificate  provides that any director of the Company
may be removed  only for cause at a duly  constituted  meeting  of  stockholders
called  expressly  for that purpose upon the vote of the holders of at least 80%
of the total votes eligible to be cast by stockholders.

         Limitations on Liability.  The  Certificate  provides that directors of
the  Company  shall have no  liability  to the Company or its  stockholders  for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director,  provided that this
provision  will not eliminate  liability of a director (i) for any breach of the
director's duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders,  (ii) for acts or
omissions  not made in good faith or which involve  intentional  misconduct or a
knowing  violation  of law,  (iii)  acts  specified  in the DGCL  pertaining  to
unlawful  distributions,  or (iv)  for any  transaction  from  which a  director
derived an improper personal benefit.

         The  provision   limiting  the  personal  liability  of  the  Company's
directors for monetary  damages for breach of fiduciary  duty does not eliminate
or  alter  the  duty of the  Company's  directors;  it  merely  limits  personal
liability for monetary damages to the extent permitted by the DGCL. Moreover, it
applies only to claims against a director  arising out of the director's role as
a director,  it currently  does not apply to claims  arising out of a director's
role as an officer  (if such  director is also an officer) or arising out of any
other  capacity in which a director  serves  because the DGCL does not authorize
such a limitation of liability.

         The SEC  takes  the  position  that  similar  provisions  limiting  the
liability of directors  under state laws would not protect  those  corporations'
directors from liability for violations of the federal  securities laws. Federal
banking regulators also may take the same position with respect to violations of
federal banking laws and regulations.


                                       105

<PAGE>



         Currently,  federal  law does not permit  federally  chartered  savings
banks such as Guaranty  Federal to limit the personal  liability of directors in
the manner provided by the DGCL and the laws of many other states.

         Indemnification  of  Directors,  Officer,  Employees,  Fiduciaries  and
Agents.  The Charter and Bank  Bylaws do not contain any  provision  relating to
indemnification  of  directors  and  officers  of the Bank.  Under  present  OTS
regulations,  however,  the Bank must  indemnify  its  directors,  officers  and
employees for any costs incurred in connection with any litigation involving any
such  person's  activities  as a  director,  officer or  employee if such person
obtains a final  judgement  on the  merits  in his or her  favor.  In  addition,
indemnification  is permitted  in the case of a  settlement,  a final  judgement
against such person or final judgement  other than on the merits,  if a majority
of the  disinterested  directors  determine  that such person was acting in good
faith within the scope of his or her  employment  as he or she could  reasonably
have  perceived  it under the  circumstances  and for a purpose  he or she could
reasonably have believed under the circumstances was in the best interest of the
Bank or its  stockholders.  The Bank also is permitted  to pay ongoing  expenses
incurred by a director,  officer or employee if a majority of the  disinterested
directors   concludes   that  such   person  may   ultimately   be  entitled  to
indemnification. Before making any indemnification payment, the Bank is required
to notify the OTS of its  intention  and such payment  cannot be made if the OTS
objects thereto.

         The  Certificate  provides that the Company must  indemnify any Company
director,  officer,  or  employee  and any  person  who  serves or served at the
Company's  request at another  corporation  or other  enterprise who was or is a
party  or is  threatened  to be  made a party  to any  threatened,  pending,  or
completed  suit,  including  actions by or in the right of the Company,  whether
civil, criminal,  administrative, or investigative, if that person is successful
on the  merits  or  otherwise;  or that the  person  acted in good  faith in the
transaction  which is the  subject  of the suit or  action,  and in a manner the
person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the
Company.  Indemnification  results  in the  payment  to the  person of  expenses
(including  attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably  incurred by that person in
connection  with the  defense  or  settlement  of the  action or suit.  If these
provisions were to be declared invalid, the Company would seek to indemnify each
director,  officer, employee, and agent of the Company as to costs, charges, and
expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines, and amounts paid in
settlement  with respect to any action,  suit,  or  proceeding,  whether  civil,
criminal,  administrative,  or  investigative,  including an action by or in the
right of the Company to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

         If Delaware  law is amended to permit  further  indemnification  of the
directors,  officers, employees and agents of the Corporation,  then the Company
will indemnify such persons to the fullest extent  permitted by Delaware law, as
so amended.

         Special  Meeting of  Stockholders.  The Charter  provides  that special
meetings of the  stockholders  of the Bank may be called only upon the direction
of the Board of  Directors.  The  Certificate  contains a provision  pursuant to
which special  meetings of stockholders of the Company may be called only by the
board  of the  directors  of the  Company,  or by a  committee  of the  Board of
Directors whose powers include the power and authority to call special meetings.
Shareholders  are prohibited from calling special meetings except as required by
Delaware law.

         Stockholder  Nominations  and  Proposals.  The  Bank  Bylaws  generally
provide  that  stockholders  may submit  nominations  for  election at an annual
meeting of stockholders and any new business to be taken up at such a meeting by
filing  such in writing  with the Bank at least five days before the date of any
such meeting.


                                       106

<PAGE>



         The Certificate provides that all nominations for election to the Board
of Directors of the Company and proposals for any new business, other than those
made by the Board or a committee thereof,  can only be made by a stockholder who
has complied with detailed  requirements  concerning timing and information that
must be provided as enumerated in the Certificate.

         The procedures  regarding  stockholder  proposals and  nominations  are
intended to provide the Board of Directors  of the Company with the  information
deemed  necessary to evaluate a  stockholder  proposal or  nomination  and other
relevant information,  such as existing stockholder support, as well as the time
necessary to consider and evaluate such information in advance of the applicable
meeting. The proposed procedures, however, will give incumbent directors advance
notice of a business  proposal  or  nomination.  This may make it easier for the
incumbent  directors to defeat a stockholder  proposal or nomination,  even when
certain  stockholders  view such proposal or nomination as in the best interests
of the Company or its stockholders.

         Stockholder Action Without a Meeting.  The Bank Bylaws provide that any
action to be taken or which may be taken at any  annual or  special  meeting  of
stockholders may be taken if a consent in writing,  setting forth the actions so
taken, is given by the holders of all  outstanding  shares entitled to vote. The
Certificate prohibits the taking of action without a meeting.

         Stockholder's  Right to Examine Books and Records. A federal regulation
which is applicable to the Bank provides that  stockholders may inspect and copy
specified books and records of a federally  chartered savings  association after
proper  written  notice  for a  proper  purpose.  The  DGCL  provides  that  any
stockholder  may inspect books and records for any reasonable and proper purpose
upon  written  demand  stating  the  purpose of the  inspection.  Each  Delaware
corporation must provide  shareholders  access to certain books and records upon
five days written notice.

         Limitations  on  Acquisitions  of Voting Stock and Voting  Rights.  The
Certificate  provides that in no event shall any record owner of any outstanding
Common Stock which is beneficially  owned,  directly or indirectly,  by a person
who beneficially owns in excess of 10% of the then outstanding  shares of Common
Stock (the  "Limit")  be  entitled  or  permitted  to any vote in respect of the
shares held in excess of the Limit. In addition, for a period of five years from
April 1995, no person may directly or indirectly offer to acquire or acquire the
beneficial  ownership of more than 10% of any class of an equity security of the
Company.  A beneficial  holder submitting a proxy or proxies totalling more than
10% of the then  outstanding  shares of Common Stock will be able to vote in the
following  manner:  the number of votes  which may be cast by such a  beneficial
owner shall be a number equal to the total number of votes that a single  record
owner of all  Common  Stock  owned by such  person  would be  entitled  to cast,
multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of such
class or series  which are both  beneficially  owned and owned of record by such
beneficial  owner and the  denominator of which is the total number of shares of
Common Stock  beneficially  owned by such beneficial  owner. The impact of these
provisions on the submission of a proxy on behalf of a beneficial holder of more
than 10% of the  Common  Stock is to (1)  require  divestiture  of the amount of
stock  held in  excess  of 10% (if  within  five  years  of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  more than 10% of the  Common  Stock is  beneficially  owned by a
person)  and (2) at any  time,  limit  the  vote  on  Common  Stock  held by the
beneficial  owner to 10% or  possibly  reduce the amount that may be voted below
the 10% level.  Unless the grantor of a revocable  proxy is an  affiliate  or an
associate  of  such a 10%  holder  or  there  is an  arrangement,  agreement  or
understanding  with such a 10% holder,  these  provisions would not restrict the
ability of such a 10% holder of revocable proxies to exercise  revocable proxies
for which the 10% holder is neither a beneficial nor record owner. A person is a
beneficial  owner of a security  if such  person has the power to vote or direct
the voting of all or part of the voting rights of the security, or has the power
to dispose of or direct

                                       107

<PAGE>



the  disposition of the security.  The  Certificate  further  provides that this
provision limiting voting rights may only be amended upon the vote of 80% of the
outstanding shares of voting stock.

         The foregoing  restrictions do not apply to any  tax-qualified  defined
benefit plan or defined  contribution plan of the Company or its subsidiaries or
to the  acquisition  of more  than 10% of any class of  equity  security  of the
Company if such  acquisition  has been approved by a majority of the  Continuing
Directors, as defined in the Certificate.

         The Charter also contains a provision which imposes a restriction  with
respect  to any offer to  acquire  or  acquisition  of more than 10% of the Bank
Common Stock for five years from the effective date of the Charter. In the event
shares are acquired in violation  of this  section,  the shares in excess of 10%
will not be counted as shares  entitled to vote.  There is no  provision  in the
Charter  which would reduce a beneficial  owner's  voting  position to less than
10%, and the protection in the Charter is limited to five years from April 1995.

         Mergers,  Consolidations  and Sales of  Assets.  A  federal  regulation
requires  the  approval of the Board of Directors of the Bank and the holders of
two-thirds  of the  outstanding  stock of the Bank  entitled to vote thereon for
mergers,  consolidations  and sales of all or  substantially  all of the  Bank's
assets.  Such  regulation  permits  the Bank to merge with  another  corporation
without  obtaining the approval of its  stockholders if: (i) it does not involve
an interim  savings  association;  (ii) the Charter is not  changed;  (iii) each
share of the Bank Common Stock  outstanding  immediately  prior to the effective
date of the  transaction is to be an identical  outstanding  share or a treasury
share of the Bank after such effective  date; and (iv) either:  (A) no shares of
voting stock of the Bank and no securities convertible into such stock are to be
issued or delivered under the plan of combination or (B) the authorized unissued
shares  or the  treasury  shares  of  voting  stock of the Bank to be  issued or
delivered  under the plan of  combination,  plus those  initially  issuable upon
conversion of any  securities to be issued or delivered  under such plan, do not
exceed  15% of the  total  shares  of  voting  stock  of  the  Bank  outstanding
immediately prior to the effective date of the transaction.

         The DGCL requires that the Board of Directors of the Company must adopt
a plan of merger or share exchange or approve any sale, lease, exchange or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's property. The Board may
also  condition the  effectiveness  of the plan or  disposition of assets on any
basis,  including  requiring a  supermajority  vote.  Separate  voting by voting
groups  is  required  under  the DGCL for  certain  plans.  See  "Comparison  of
Stockholder's Rights - Voting Rights."

         In addition to the provisions of Delaware law, the Certificate requires
the approval of the holders of at least 80% of the Company's  outstanding shares
of voting  stock,  and a majority of such  shares not  including  shares  deemed
beneficially  owned by a "Principal  Shareholder" to approve  certain  "Business
Combinations." The term "Principal Shareholder" is defined to include any person
and the  affiliates  and associates of the person (other than the Company or its
subsidiary) who beneficially  owns,  directly or indirectly,  10% or more of the
outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company.  The Certificate requires the
approval  of  the   stockholders  in  accordance   with  the  increased   voting
requirements in connection with any such transactions  except in cases where the
proposed  transaction had been approved in advance by at least two-thirds of the
Company's  "Continuing  Directors"  (generally,  those  members of the Company's
Board of Directors who are not  affiliated  with the Principal  Shareholder  and
were directors before the Principal Shareholder became a Principal Shareholder).
These  provisions of the  Certificate  apply to a "Business  Combination"  which
generally is defined to include (i) any merger or  consolidation  of the Company
with or into a Principal Shareholder;  (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage,
pledge, transfer or other disposition of all or a substantial part of the assets
of  the  Company  or  of a  subsidiary  to a  Principal  Shareholder  (the  term
"substantial part" is defined to include more than

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25% of the  Company's  total  assets);  (iii) any merger or  consolidation  of a
Principal  Shareholder with or into the Company or a subsidiary;  (iv) any sale,
lease, exchange,  mortgage,  pledge, transfer or other disposition of all or any
substantial  part of the assets of a Principal  Shareholder  to the Company or a
subsidiary; (v) the issuance of any securities of the Company or a subsidiary to
a Principal Shareholder;  (vii) any reclassification of the Common Stock, or any
recapitalization  involving the Common Stock; and (viii) an agreement,  contract
or other arrangement providing for any of the foregoing transactions.

         Neither the Charter  and Bank Bylaws nor federal  laws and  regulations
contain a provision which restricts business  combinations  between the Bank and
Principal Shareholders in the manner set forth in the Certificate.

         Dissenters'  Rights  of  Appraisal.   A  federal  regulation  which  is
applicable to the Bank  generally  provides  that a  stockholder  of a federally
chartered savings  association which engages in a merger,  consolidation or sale
of all or  substantially  all of its assets  shall have the right to demand from
such  association  payment of the fair or appraised value of his or her stock in
the association,  subject to specified procedural requirements.  This regulation
also provides,  however,  that the stockholders of a federally chartered savings
association  with stock  which is listed on a national  securities  exchange  or
quoted on The Nasdaq  Stock  Market are not  entitled to  dissenters'  rights in
connection with a merger  involving such savings  association if the stockholder
is required to accept only "qualified consideration" for his or her stock, which
is defined to include cash,  shares of stock of any  association  or corporation
which  at the  effective  date  of the  merger  will  be  listed  on a  national
securities  exchange or quoted on The Nasdaq Stock Market or any  combination of
such shares of stock and cash.

         After the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the right of  appraisal of
dissenting  stockholders  of the Company will be governed by the DGCL.  Pursuant
thereto,  a  stockholder  of a Delaware  corporation  generally has the right to
dissent from any merger or  consolidation  involving the  corporation or sale of
all or  substantially  all of the  corporation's  assets,  subject to  specified
procedural requirements. However, no such appraisal rights are available for the
shares  of any class or series  of a  corporation's  capital  stock if as of the
record date fixed to determine the  stockholders  entitled to receive  notice to
and to vote at the meeting of  stockholders  to act upon the agreement of merger
or  consolidation,  such  shares  were  either  listed on a national  securities
exchange or traded on the Nasdaq National Market or a similar market.

         Amendment of Governing Instruments.  No amendment of the Charter may be
made unless it is first  proposed by the Board of  Directors  of the Bank,  then
preliminarily  approved by the OTS, and thereafter  approved by the holders of a
majority of the total votes eligible to be cast at a legal  meeting.  Article XX
of the  Certificate  generally  provides that the  Certificate may be amended as
permitted by Delaware law, except that any amendment to certain sections must be
approved  by the  affirmative  vote of the  holders  of not less than 80% of the
voting power of the Company entitled to vote thereon.

         The Bank Bylaws may be amended by a majority  vote of the full Board of
Directors  of  the  Bank  or by a  majority  vote  of  the  votes  cast  by  the
stockholders  of the Bank at any legal  meeting.  The Company Bylaws may only be
amended by a vote of a majority of the Board of  Directors or by the vote of not
less  than 80% of the  outstanding  shares of  capital  stock  entitled  to vote
generally  in the election of  directors  cast at a meeting of the  stockholders
called for that purpose.

               CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON ACQUISITION OF THE COMPANY

         Although  the Boards of  Directors  of the Bank and the Company are not
aware of any effort that might be made to obtain  control of the  Company  after
the Conversion and Reorganization,  the Boards of Directors, as discussed below,
believe it is appropriate to include certain provisions in the Certificate

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to protect the interests of the Company and its stockholders from takeovers that
the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  might  conclude  are not in the best
interests of the Bank, the Company, or the Company's stockholders.

Provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Company

         The following discussion is a summary of certain material provisions of
the Certificate  and Company Bylaws and certain other  agreements and regulatory
provisions, which may be deemed to have an "anti-takeover" effect. The following
description  of certain of these  provisions  is  necessarily  general and, with
respect to provisions  contained in the  Certificate  and Company Bylaws and the
Bank's proposed stock charter and bylaws,  reference should be made in each case
to the document in question,  each of which is part of the Bank's application to
the  OTS or the  Company's  Registration  Statement  filed  with  the  SEC.  See
"Additional Information."

         Limitations on Voting Rights. The Certificate provides that in no event
shall any record owner of any  outstanding  Common  Stock which is  beneficially
owned,  directly or indirectly,  by a person who beneficially  owns in excess of
10% of the then outstanding  shares of Common Stock (the "Limit") be entitled or
permitted  to any vote in respect of the shares held in excess of the Limit.  In
addition,  for a period of five years from April 1995, no person may directly or
indirectly offer to acquire or acquire the beneficial ownership of more than 10%
of any class of an equity  security  of the  Company.  The  Certificate  further
provides  that the Limit may be amended upon the vote of 80% of the  outstanding
shares  of  voting  stock.  See  also "-  Comparison  of  Stockholder  Rights  -
Limitations on Acquisitions of Voting Stock and Voting Rights."

         Election  of  Directors.  Certain  provisions  of the  Certificate  and
Company  Bylaws  will  impede  changes  in  majority  control  of the  Board  of
Directors.  The Certificate  provides that the Board of Directors of the Company
will be divided into three  classes,  with  directors in each class  elected for
three-year staggered terms except for the initial directors. Thus, it would take
two  annual  elections  to  replace  a  majority  of the  Company's  Board.  The
Certificate  and Company  Bylaws also provide that any vacancy  occurring in the
Board of Directors,  including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of
directors, shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by a majority
vote of the directors  then in office.  Furthermore,  the Company  Bylaws impose
certain notice and information requirements in connection with the nomination by
stockholders  of  candidates  for  election  to the  Board of  Directors  or the
proposal by  stockholders  of business to be acted upon at an annual  meeting of
stockholders. See "Comparison of Stockholders' Rights - Board of Directors."

         The Certificate  provides that a director may only be removed for cause
by the affirmative vote of not less than 80% of the outstanding  shares eligible
to vote.

         Restriction on Call of Special Meetings.  The Certificate provides that
a special  meeting of  stockholders  may be called only pursuant to a resolution
adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors,  or a Committee of the Board or
other person so empowered by the Company Bylaws.  The  Certificate  also provide
that any action  required or  permitted to be taken by the  stockholders  of the
Company  may be taken at an annual or  special  meeting.  Stockholder  action by
written consent in lieu of a meeting is prohibited.

         Absence of Cumulative Voting. The Certificate provides that there shall
be no cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.


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         Authorized   Shares.   The  Certificate   authorizes  the  issuance  of
10,000,000  shares of Common Stock and 2,000,000  shares of Preferred Stock. The
shares of Common Stock and Preferred  Stock were authorized in an amount greater
than that to be issued in the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  to  provide  the
Company's   Board  of  Directors  with   flexibility  to  effect,   among  other
transactions,  financings,  acquisitions,  stock  dividends,  stock  splits  and
employee stock options.  However, these additional authorized shares may also be
used by the  Board of  Directors  consistent  with its  fiduciary  duty to deter
future attempts to gain control of the Company.  The Board of Directors also has
sole  authority  to  determine  the terms of any one or more series of Preferred
Stock, including voting rights,  conversion rates, and liquidation  preferences.
As a result of the ability to fix voting rights for a series of Preferred Stock,
the Board has the power,  to the extent  consistent  with its fiduciary duty, to
issue a series of Preferred Stock to persons  friendly to management in order to
attempt to block a  post-tender  offer  merger or other  transaction  by which a
third party seeks control, and thereby assist management to retain its position.
The  Company's  Board  currently  has no plans for the  issuance  of  additional
shares,  other than the  issuance of  additional  shares upon  exercise of stock
options.

         Procedures for Certain Business Combinations. The Certificate prohibits
the Company from engaging in or entering into certain Business Combinations with
any Principal  Shareholder or any affiliates of the Principal Shareholder unless
the  proposed  transaction  has  been  approved  in  advance  by  the  Company's
Continuing  Directors.  See  "Comparison  of  Stockholders'  Rights  -  Mergers,
Consolidations and Sales of Assets."

         Amendment  to  Certificate  and  Company  Bylaws.   Amendments  to  the
Certificate  must be  approved  by a  majority  vote of the  Company's  Board of
Directors  and also by a majority  of the  outstanding  shares of the  Company's
voting  stock,  provided,  however,  that  approval  by  at  least  80%  of  the
outstanding  voting stock is generally  required for certain  provisions  (i.e.,
provisions  relating to  restrictions  on the  acquisition and voting of greater
than 10% of the Common Stock;  number,  classification,  election and removal of
directors;  amendment  of the  Bylaws;  call of  special  stockholder  meetings;
director liability; certain business combinations; power of indemnification; and
amendments to provisions relating to the foregoing) in the Certificate.

         The  Company  Bylaws may be amended by a majority  vote of the Board of
Directors or the affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of
the voting stock of the  Company,  provided,  however,  that at least 80% of the
total votes eligible to be voted at a duly  constituted  meeting of stockholders
is required to amend or repeal  provisions  relating to election  and removal of
directors,  director liability,  certain business combinations and amendments to
provisions relating to the foregoing in the Company Bylaws.

         Purpose and Takeover  Defensive  Effects of the Certificate and Company
Bylaws. An unsolicited  takeover proposal can seriously disrupt the business and
management of a corporation and cause it great expense.  Although a tender offer
or other takeover attempt may be made at a price substantially above the current
market  prices,  such  offers  are  sometimes  made  for  less  than  all of the
outstanding  shares  of a  target  company.  As a  result,  stockholders  may be
presented with the alternative of partially  liquidating  their  investment at a
time that may be disadvantageous, or retaining their investment in an enterprise
that is under  different  management and whose  objectives may not be similar to
those of the remaining stockholders.

         The Boards of  Directors  of Guaranty  Federal and the Company  believe
that the  provisions  described  above are prudent and will reduce the Company's
vulnerability to takeover attempts and certain other  transactions that have not
been  negotiated with and approved by its Board of Directors.  These  provisions
will also  assist the Bank in the  orderly  deployment  of the  proceeds  of the
Offerings into

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productive   assets  during  the  initial   period  after  the   Conversion  and
Reorganization. The Boards of Directors believe these provisions are in the best
interests of the Bank, the Company, and the stockholders. In the judgment of the
Boards  of  Directors,  the  Company's  Board  will be in the best  position  to
determine  the true value of the Company and to negotiate  effectively  for what
may be in the best  interests of its  stockholders.  Accordingly,  the Boards of
Directors  of Guaranty  Federal and the Company  believe  that it is in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders to encourage  potential  acquirors
to negotiate  directly with the Board of Directors of the Company and that these
provisions  will encourage such  negotiations  and discourage  hostile  takeover
attempts.  It is also the view of the Boards of Directors that these  provisions
should not discourage  persons from  proposing a merger or other  transaction at
prices  reflective  of the true  value of the  Company  and which is in the best
interests of all stockholders.

         Attempts to acquire financial  institutions and their holding companies
have become increasingly common. Takeover attempts that have not been negotiated
with  and  approved  by the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Company  present  to
stockholders  the risk of a takeover  on terms that may be less  favorable  than
might otherwise be available.  A transaction  that is negotiated and approved by
the  Board of  Directors,  on the  other  hand,  can be  carefully  planned  and
undertaken at an opportune time in order to obtain maximum value for the Company
and its  stockholders,  with  due  consideration  given to  matters  such as the
management  and  business of the  acquiring  corporation  and maximum  strategic
development of the Company's assets.

         Despite  the belief of the Bank and the  Company as to the  benefits to
stockholders of these  provisions of the  Certificate and Company Bylaws,  these
provisions may also have the effect of  discouraging a future  takeover  attempt
that  would not be  approved  by the  Company's  Board,  but  pursuant  to which
stockholders   may  receive  a   substantial   premium  for  their  shares  over
then-current  market  prices.  As a result,  stockholders  who  might  desire to
participate  in such a transaction  may not have any  opportunity to do so. Such
provisions  will also render the removal of the Company's Board of Directors and
management more difficult.  The Boards of Directors of the Bank and the Company,
however,   believe   that  the   potential   benefits   outweigh   the  possible
disadvantages.

Other Restrictions on Acquisitions of Stock

         Federal Regulation.  A federal regulation prohibits any person prior to
the completion of a mutual-to-stock  conversion from  transferring,  or entering
into any  agreement  or  understanding  to  transfer,  the  legal or  beneficial
ownership of the  subscription  rights  issued under a plan of conversion or the
stock to be issued upon their  exercise.  This  regulation  also  prohibits  any
person prior to the completion of a mutual-to-stock conversion from offering, or
making an  announcement of an offer or intent to make an offer, to purchase such
subscription  rights or stock.  For three years  following  the  mutual-to-stock
conversion,  OTS regulations prohibit any person,  without the prior approval of
the OTS, from acquiring or making an offer to acquire more than 10% of the stock
of any  converted  entity  if such  person  is,  or after  consummation  of such
acquisition  would be, the beneficial  owner of more than 10% of such stock.  In
the event that any person, directly or indirectly, violates this regulation, the
securities  beneficially  owned by such  person  in  excess  of 10% shall not be
counted  as shares  entitled  to vote and  shall  not be voted by any  person or
counted as voting  shares in connection  with any matter  submitted to a vote of
stockholders.

         Federal law provides that no company, "directly or indirectly or acting
in concert with one or more  persons,  or through one or more  subsidiaries,  or
through  one  or  more   transactions,"  may  acquire  "control"  of  a  savings
association at any time without the prior approval of the OTS. In addition,  any
company that acquires such control becomes a "savings and loan holding  company"
subject to

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registration,  examination and regulation as a savings and loan holding company.
Control in this  context  means  ownership  of,  control of, or holding  proxies
representing more than 25% of the voting shares of a savings  association or the
power to control in any manner the  election of a majority of the  directors  of
such institution.

         Federal  law  also  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 at least 60 days prior written  notice
has  been  given  to the  OTS and the  OTS  has  not  objected  to the  proposed
acquisition.  Control is defined  for this  purpose  as the power,  directly  or
indirectly,  to direct the management or policies of a savings association or to
vote more than 25% of any class of voting  securities of a savings  association.
Under  federal  law (as well as the  regulations  referred  to  below)  the term
"savings   association"   includes   state-chartered   and  federally  chartered
SAIF-insured  institutions,  federally  chartered  savings and loans and savings
banks whose accounts are insured by the FDIC and holding companies thereof.

         Federal  regulations  require  that,  prior to obtaining  control of an
insured institution or its holding company, a person, other than a company, must
give 60 days  notice  to the OTS and  have  received  no OTS  objection  to such
acquisition of control, and a company must apply for and receive OTS approval of
the acquisition.  Control,  as defined under federal law,  involves a 25% voting
stock  test,  control  in  any  manner  of the  election  of a  majority  of the
institution's directors, or a determination by the OTS that the acquiror has the
power to direct,  or directly or indirectly to exercise a controlling  influence
over,  the management or policies of the  institution.  Acquisition of more than
10% of an institution's voting stock, if the acquiror also is subject to any one
of either "control factors,"  constitutes a rebuttable  determination of control
under  the  regulations.  The  determination  of  control  may  be  rebutted  by
submission to the OTS,  prior to the  acquisition  of stock or the occurrence of
any  other  circumstances  giving  rise to such  determination,  of a  statement
setting  forth  facts and  circumstances  that would  support a finding  that no
control  relationship  will  exist  and  containing  certain  undertakings.  The
regulations provide that persons or companies that acquire beneficial  ownership
exceeding  10% or more of any class of a savings  association's  stock after the
effective date of the regulations  must file with the OTS a  certification  that
the holder is not in control of such institution, is not subject to a rebuttable
determination  of  control  and will  take no  action  which  would  result in a
determination or rebuttable  determination of control without prior notice to or
approval of the OTS, as applicable.

         Effect of  Employment  Agreements  and Stock  Benefit  Plans.  The Bank
intends to enter into an employment  agreement with President James E. Haseltine
that provides for payments in the event of termination of employment following a
change in  control,  as  defined in the  agreement,  of 2.99 times the five year
average  compensation  paid to Mr. Haseltine.  In addition,  the Bank intends to
enter into  employment  agreements  with eight other  officers  that provide for
payments  in the  event of  termination  of  employment  following  a change  in
control, as defined in the agreements.  At June 30, 1997, such payments,  in the
aggregate,   would  have  totaled  approximately  $1.2  million,   rendering  an
acquisition,  followed by termination of their  employment,  more expensive to a
possible acquiror as a result of these agreements. See "Management of the Bank -
Executive Compensation - Employment Agreements." Furthermore, upon completion of
the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Company  intends to adopt stock benefit
plans  which  provide  that all  awards  will vest  upon such  change-in-control
provided OTS regulations in effect at that time permit such accelerated vesting.
See "Management of the Company Proposed Future Stock Benefit Plans."


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                   DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK OF THE COMPANY

         The  Company is  authorized  to issue  10,000,000  shares of the common
stock, $0.10 par value per share, and 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01
par value per share.  The  Company  currently  expects to issue up to  5,410,019
shares of Common Stock in the  Conversion and  Reorganization.  The Company does
not  intend to issue any shares of  preferred  stock in the  Offerings,  nor are
there any present plans to issue such preferred  stock  following the Conversion
and Reorganization. The aggregate par value of the issued shares will constitute
the capital account of the Company.  The balance of the aggregate Purchase Price
will be recorded for  accounting  purposes as additional  paid-in  capital.  See
"Capitalization."  The Common Stock will represent  nonwithdrawable  capital and
will not be insured by the Company,  the Bank, the FDIC, or any other government
agency.

Common Stock

         Voting  Rights.  Each  share of the  Common  Stock  will  have the same
relative  rights and will be identical in all respects with every other share of
the Common Stock. The holders of the Common Stock will possess  exclusive voting
rights in the  Company,  except to the extent  that  shares of  Preferred  Stock
issued in the future may have voting  rights,  if any.  Except as  discussed  in
"Comparison  of  Stockholders'  Rights - Limitations on  Acquisitions  of Voting
Stock and Voting  Rights,"  each holder of the Common  Stock will be entitled to
one vote for each share  held of record on all  matters  submitted  to a vote of
holders of the Common  Stock.  Stockholders  will not be  permitted  to cumulate
their votes in the election of the Company's directors.

         Liquidation.  In the  unlikely  event of the  complete  liquidation  or
dissolution of the Company,  the holders of the Common Stock will be entitled to
receive all assets of the Company available for distribution in cash or in kind,
after payment or provision for payment of (i) all debts and  liabilities  of the
Company  (including  all  deposits  in Guaranty  Federal  and  accrued  interest
thereon); (ii) any accrued dividend claims; (iii) liquidation preferences of any
Preferred Stock which may be issued in the future; and (iv) any interests in the
liquidation  account  established upon the Conversion and Reorganization for the
benefit of Eligible  Account Holders and  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders
who continue their deposits at the Bank.

         Restrictions   on  Acquisition  of  the  Common  Stock.   See  "Certain
Restrictions  on Acquisition of the Company" for a discussion of the limitations
on acquisition of shares of the Common Stock.

         Other  Characteristics.  Holders  of the  Common  Stock  will  not have
preemptive rights with respect to any additional shares of the Common Stock that
may be issued.  Therefore,  the Board of  Directors  may sell  shares of capital
stock of the Company without first offering such shares to existing stockholders
of the Company.  The Common Stock is not subject to a call for  redemption,  and
the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock when  issued  and upon  receipt by the
Company of the Purchase Price therefor will be fully paid and non-assessable.

         Transfer Agent and Registrar. Registrar and Transfer Co. is expected to
act as the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock of the Company.

         Issuance of  Additional  Shares.  Except in the  Offerings and possibly
pursuant  to the  1998 RSP or 1994  Option  Plan or the 1998  Option  Plan,  the
Company has no present plans, proposals, arrangements or understandings to issue
additional  authorized shares of the Common Stock. In the future, the authorized
but unissued  and  unreserved  shares of the Common Stock will be available  for
general corporate purposes,  including, but not limited to, possible issuance as
stock dividends, in

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connection with mergers or acquisitions,  under a cash dividend  reinvestment or
stock purchase plan, in a public or private offering,  or under employee benefit
plans. See "Pro Forma Data." Normally no stockholder  approval would be required
for the issuance of these  shares,  except as  described  herein or as otherwise
required to approve a transaction in which additional  authorized  shares of the
Common Stock are to be issued.

         For additional  information,  see "Dividend  Policy,"  "Regulation" and
"Federal and State Taxation" with respect to restrictions on the payment of cash
dividends;  "The Conversion and Reorganization  Certain Restrictions on Purchase
or  Transfer  After the  Conversion  and  Reorganization"  relating  to  certain
restrictions  on the  transferability  of  shares  purchased  by  directors  and
officers;   and  "Certain  Restrictions  on  Acquisition  of  the  Company"  for
information regarding restrictions on acquiring Common Stock of the Company.

Preferred Stock

         None of the  2,000,000  authorized  shares  of  preferred  stock of the
Company  will  be  issued  in  the  Conversion  and  Reorganization.  After  the
Conversion  and  Reorganization  are  completed,  the Board of  Directors of the
Company will be authorized to issue  preferred stock and to fix and state voting
powers, designations, preferences or other special rights of such shares and the
qualifications,  limitations and restrictions  thereof,  but without stockholder
approval. If and when issued, the preferred stock is likely to rank prior to the
Common Stock as to dividend rights,  liquidation  preferences,  or both, and may
have full or limited voting rights. The Board of Directors,  without stockholder
approval, can issue preferred stock with voting and conversion rights that could
adversely  affect the voting power of the holders of the Common Stock. The Board
of Directors has no present intention to issue any shares of preferred stock.

                                 LEGAL OPINIONS

         The  legality of the Common  Stock has been  passed  upon for  Guaranty
Federal and the Company by Malizia,  Spidi,  Sloane & Fisch,  P.C.,  Washington,
D.C.  Certain legal matters for  Friedman,  Billings,  Ramsey & Co., Inc. may be
passed upon by Luse Lehman Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, A Professional Corporation,
Washington, D.C.

                                  TAX OPINIONS

         The   federal   income  tax   consequences   of  the   Conversion   and
Reorganization  have been  opined upon for  Guaranty  Federal and the Company by
Malizia,  Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C., Washington,  D.C. The Missouri income tax
consequences  of the Conversion  have been opined upon for Guaranty  Federal and
the Company by Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C.

                                     EXPERTS

         The consolidated  financial  statements of the Bank and subsidiaries as
of June 30,  1997 and 1996 and for each of the  years in the  three-year  period
ended June 30, 1997 have been included herein and elsewhere in the  registration
statement and in the Application  for Conversion  filed with the OTS in reliance
upon  the  report  of  Baird,  Kurtz  &  Dobson,  independent  certified  public
accountants, appearing elsewhere herein, such report given upon the authority of
said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


         RP Financial  has consented to the  publication  herein of a summary of
its letter to the Bank setting  forth its opinions as to the estimated pro forma
market value of the Common Stock to be issued upon the

                                       115

<PAGE>



completion  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  and the absence of value of
subscription rights and to the use of its name and statements with respect to it
appearing herein.

                            REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

         The Common Stock of the Company will be registered  pursuant to Section
12(g)  of  the  Exchange  Act  prior  to  completion  of  the   Conversion   and
Reorganization.   The  Company  will  be  subject  to  the  information,   proxy
solicitation,   insider  trading  restrictions,  tender  offer  rules,  periodic
reporting and other  requirements of the SEC under the Exchange Act. The Company
is not  expected to  deregister  the Common  Stock under the  Exchange Act for a
period of at least three years following the Conversion and Reorganization.

                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

         The Company has filed with the SEC a registration  statement  under the
Securities  Act with  respect to the Common Stock and  Exchange  Shares  offered
hereby.  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  examined  without  charge  at the  public  reference
facilities of the SEC located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and copies of such material can be obtained  from the SEC at  prescribed  rates.
The SEC maintains a Web site  (http://www.sec.gov)  that contains reports, proxy
and  information   statements  and  other  information  regarding   registrants,
including the Company, that file electronically. The statements contained herein
as to the contents of any contract or other  document filed as an exhibit to the
registration statement are, of necessity, brief descriptions thereof and are not
necessarily  complete;  each such  statement  is  qualified by reference to such
contract or document.

         The Mutual Holding Company has filed an Application for Conversion with
the OTS with respect to the Conversion and Reorganization. Pursuant to the rules
and regulations of the OTS, this Prospectus omits certain information  contained
in that Application.  The Application may be examined at the principal office of
the OTS, 1700 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20552 and at the Midwest Regional
Office of the OTS,  122 W. John  Carpenter  Freeway,  Suite 600,  Irving,  Texas
75039, without charge.

         Copies of the  Certificate of  Incorporation  and Bylaws of the Company
are available without charge from the Bank.



                                       116

<PAGE>



                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                                AND SUBSIDIARIES


                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----

Independent Accountants' Report                                            F-2

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of
  June 30, 1997 and 1996                                                   F-3

Consolidated Statements of Income
  for the Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995                          28

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity
  for the Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995                         F-4

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
  for the Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995                         F-5

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements                                 F-7


         All schedules  are omitted  because they are not required or applicable
or the required  information  is shown in the financial  statements or the notes
thereto.

         Financial  statements of the Company have not been provided because the
Company has not conducted any operations to date.




                                       F-1
<PAGE>
                        [Baird Kurtz & Dobson Letterhead]



                         Independent Accountants' Report


Board of Directors
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Springfield, Missouri



         We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of
GUARANTY  FEDERAL  SAVINGS  BANK (a  69%-Owned  Subsidiary  of Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares,  M.H.C.) as of June 30, 1997 and 1996, and the related  consolidated
statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of
the three years in the period ended June 30, 1997.  These  financial  statements
are the  responsibility  of the  Bank'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 GUARANTY FEDERAL
SAVINGS BANK as of June 30, 1997 and 1996, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 1997, in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.



                                           /s/Baird, Kurtz & Dobson


July 31, 1997
Springfield, Missouri




                                      F-2
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Consolidated Balance Sheets
June 30, 1997 and 1996

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                     ASSETS
                                     ------
                                                                                1997           1996
                                                                                ----           ----
<S>                                                                       <C>            <C>    
        Cash                                                              $    417,485        301,911
        Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions            3,399,866      2,372,646
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                Cash and cash equivalents                                    3,817,351      2,674,557
        Available-for-sale securities                                        3,360,000      7,842,380
        Held-to-maturity securities                                          8,585,753      9,865,719
        Mortgage-backed securities, held-to-maturity                        15,813,890     20,067,249
        Mortgage loans held for sale                                         5,903,002      3,416,576
        Loans receivable, net                                              152,232,295    131,612,835
        Accrued interest receivable
                Loans                                                          996,014        885,596
                Investments                                                    165,949        311,238
                Mortgage-backed securities                                     149,598        184,175
        Prepaid expenses and other assets                                    1,963,875      1,913,512
        Foreclosed assets held for sale                                        210,155          1,527
        Premises and equipment                                               6,267,157      6,391,743
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                                                                          $199,465,039    185,167,107
                                                                          ============   ============


                LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 
                ------------------------------------
LIABILITIES                                                                                        
        Deposits                                                          $151,246,482    157,007,890
        Federal Home Loan Bank advances                                     18,150,844           --
        Advances from borrowers for taxes and insurance                        674,618        575,486
        Accrued expenses and other liabilities                                 666,427        496,567
        Accrued interest payable                                               131,245         17,873
        Income taxes payable                                                   289,268        158,127
        Deferred income taxes                                                  816,000        325,000
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                                                                           171,974,884    158,580,943
                                                                          ------------   ------------
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
        Capital Stock
                Common stock, $1 par value; authorized 8,000,000
                        shares; issued and outstanding 3,125,000 shares      3,125,000      3,125,000
        Additional paid-in capital                                           3,687,356      3,555,814
        Retained earnings, substantially restricted                         18,620,219     18,645,939
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                                                                            25,432,575     25,326,753
        Unrealized appreciation on available-for-sale securities,
                net of income taxes 1997 - $1,208,000, 1996 - $740,000       2,057,580      1,259,411
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                                                                            27,490,155     26,586,164
                                                                          ------------   ------------
                                                                          $199,465,039    185,167,107
                                                                          ============   ============
</TABLE>

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-3
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity
Years Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                        Unrealized                
                                                                       Additional                     Appreciation on
                                                         Common          Paid-In        Retained     Available-for-Sale
                                                          Stock          Capital        Earnings      Securities, Net     Total    
                                                          -----          -------        --------      ---------------     -----    
                                                                                                                       
<S>                                                     <C>           <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>       
BALANCE, JULY 1, 1994                                   $      --            --       16,562,542           --      16,562,542

        Adoption of FAS 115, net of income
                taxes of $558,000                              --            --             --          950,390       950,390

        Net income                                             --            --        1,329,985           --       1,329,985

        Stock issued                                      3,125,000     3,899,532           --             --       7,024,532

        Change in unrealized appreciation on
                available-for-sale securities, net of
                income taxes of $104,000                       --            --             --          176,489       176,489
                                                        -----------   -----------    -----------    -----------   -----------
BALANCE, JUNE 30, 1995                                    3,125,000     3,899,532     17,892,527      1,126,879    26,043,938

        Net income                                             --            --        1,753,412           --       1,753,412

        Dividends on common stock,
                ($.32 per share)                               --            --       (1,000,000)          --      (1,000,000)

        Recognition and Retention Plan
                (RRP) expense                                  --         120,925           --             --         120,925

        Contributions to RRP Trust                             --        (464,643)          --             --        (464,643)

        Change in unrealized appreciation on
                available-for-sale securities, net of
                income taxes of $78,000                        --            --             --          132,532       132,532
                                                        -----------   -----------    -----------    -----------   -----------
BALANCE, JUNE 30, 1996                                    3,125,000     3,555,814     18,645,939      1,259,411    26,586,164

        Net income                                             --            --        1,161,780           --       1,161,780

        Dividends on common stock,
                ($.38 per share)                               --            --       (1,187,500)          --      (1,187,500)

        Dividends received on RRP stock                        --          11,987           --             --          11,987

        Recognition and Retention Plan
                (RRP) expense                                  --         106,197           --             --         106,197

        Reduction of shares in RRP Trust                       --          13,358           --             --          13,358

        Change in unrealized appreciation on
                available-for-sale securities, net of
                income taxes of $468,000                       --            --             --          798,169       798,169
                                                        -----------   -----------    -----------    -----------   -----------
BALANCE, JUNE 30, 1997                                  $ 3,125,000     3,687,356     18,620,219      2,057,580    27,490,155
                                                        ===========   ===========    ===========    ===========   ===========

</TABLE>                                                
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-4
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Years Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  1997           1996           1995
                                                                                  ----           ----           ----
<S>                                                                           <C>             <C>            <C>      
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
        Net income                                                            $ 1,161,780      1,753,412      1,329,985
        Items not requiring (providing) cash:
                Deferred income taxes                                              22,000        128,000         71,000
                Depreciation                                                      441,367        384,988        132,964
                Provision (credit)  for loan losses                                  --       (1,211,502)        16,350
                (Gain) loss on loans, available-for-sale
                        investment securities and
                        mortgage-backed securities                                (61,468)       (43,065)       103,473
                (Gain) loss on sale of premises and equipment                      (5,169)        79,218           --
                Gain on sale  of foreclosed assets                                 (9,921)          --             --
                FHLB stock dividends received                                        --          (34,200)          --  
                Amortization of deferred income,
                        premiums and discounts                                   (220,135)      (102,016)      (124,184)
                Origination of loans held for sale                             (6,626,148)    (6,364,845)    (1,575,680)
                Proceeds from sale of loans held for sale                       4,134,389      5,361,589           --
                RRP expense                                                       106,197        120,925           --
        Changes in:
                Accrued interest receivable                                        69,448       (107,366)      (150,093)
                Prepaid expenses and other assets                                 (11,357)       (76,843)       272,420
                Accrued expenses and other liabilities                            283,466        102,140        (92,449)
                Income taxes payable                                              131,141         51,567        (60,105)
                                                                                -----------  -----------    -----------
                        Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities      (584,410)        42,002        (76,319)
                                                                                -----------  -----------    -----------
</TABLE>

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-5
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued)
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1997            1996            1995
                                                                        ----            ----            ----
<S>                                                                <C>              <C>             <C>         
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
        Net increase in loans                                       $(20,918,542)    (12,266,153)    (12,925,498)
        Principal payments on mortgage-backed securities,
                held-to-maturity                                       4,300,576       4,627,722       2,484,927
        Purchases of mortgage-backed securities,
                held-to-maturity                                            --       (10,833,592)     (2,173,785)
        Purchase of premises and equipment                              (337,112)     (2,132,191)     (2,745,099)
        Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment                      25,500         262,941            --
        Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities           5,318,175       2,348,454       8,860,215
        Proceeds from maturities of available-for-sale securities           --         1,000,000            --
        Purchase of available-for-sale securities                           --          (248,638)     (5,259,671)
        Proceeds from maturities of held-to-maturity securities        1,739,461       5,607,624       2,870,149
        Purchases of held-to-maturity securities                            --        (2,002,500)           --
        Refund of restricted cash deposit                                   --              --            34,301
        Proceeds from sale of foreclosed assets                          362,900            --              --
        Capitalized costs on foreclosed assets                           (90,167)          2,227         148,927
                                                                    ------------    ------------    ------------
                        Net cash used in investing activities         (9,599,209)    (13,634,106)     (8,705,534)
                                                                    ------------    ------------    ------------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
        Cash dividends paid                                           (1,187,500)     (1,000,000)           --
        Cash dividends received on RRP Stock                              11,987            --              --
        Net increase (decrease) in demand deposits,
                NOW accounts and savings accounts                      4,944,356       3,314,286      (5,681,201)
        Net increase (decrease) in certificates of deposit           (10,705,764)     14,098,895       4,258,871
        Advances from borrowers for taxes and insurance                   99,132         (32,101)         (5,243)
        Proceeds from FHLB advances                                   31,163,750            --         4,000,000
        Repayments of FHLB advances                                  (13,012,906)     (4,000,000)           --
        Proceeds from sale of common stock                                  --              --         7,024,532
        Contributions to RRP Trust                                          --          (464,643)           --
        Reduction of shares in RRP Trust                                  13,358            --              --
                                                                    ------------    ------------    ------------
                        Net cash provided by financing activities     11,326,413      11,916,437       9,596,959
                                                                    ------------    ------------    ------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH
        AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                                           1,142,794      (1,675,667)        815,106
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS,
        BEGINNING OF YEAR                                              2,674,557       4,350,224       3,535,118
                                                                    ------------    ------------    ------------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS,
        END OF YEAR                                                 $  3,817,351       2,674,557       4,350,224
                                                                    ============    ============    ============

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-6
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995

NOTE 1:  NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
         ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Organization
- ------------

        In April 1995,  Guaranty Federal Savings & Loan Association  reorganized
from a federally  chartered  mutual savings and loan  association  into a mutual
holding company,  Guaranty Federal Bancshares,  M. H. C. (the "MHC"). Concurrent
with the  reorganization,  Guaranty  Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank"),  a stock
savings bank was chartered.  The Bank issued 3,125,000 shares of common stock in
connection with the  reorganization,  the majority of which are owned by the MHC
(see Note 17).

Nature of Operations
- --------------------

        The Bank is  primarily  engaged in providing a full range of banking and
mortgage services to individual and corporate  customers in southwest  Missouri.
It also provides other  services,  such as insurance and annuities.  The Bank is
subject to  competition  from  other  financial  institutions.  The Bank also is
subject to the  regulation of certain  federal  agencies and undergoes  periodic
examinations by those regulatory authorities.

Principles of Consolidation
- ---------------------------

        The consolidated  financial  statements include the accounts of the Bank
and its wholly-owned  subsidiary,  Guaranty  Financial  Services of Springfield,
Inc. All significant  intercompany profits,  transactions and balances have been
eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates
- ----------------

        The  preparation  of financial  statements in conformity  with generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that  affect the  reported  amounts of assets and  liabilities  and
disclosure of  contingent  assets and  liabilities  at the date of the financial
statements  and the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during  the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

        Material  estimates  that are  particularly  susceptible  to significant
change  relate to the  determination  of the  allowance  for loan losses and the
valuation  of  real  estate  acquired  in  connection  with  foreclosures  or in
satisfaction of loans. In connection with the determination of the allowance for
loan losses and the  valuation of  foreclosed  assets held for sale,  management
obtains independent appraisals for significant properties.

        Management  believes  that the  allowances  for  losses on loans and the
valuation of foreclosed assets held for sale are adequate. While management uses
available  information to recognize  losses on loans and foreclosed  assets held
for sale,  changes in  economic  conditions  may  necessitate  revision of these
estimates in future  years.  In addition,  various  regulatory  agencies,  as an
integral  part of their  examination  process,  periodically  review  the Bank's
allowances for losses on loans and valuation of foreclosed assets held for sale.
Such agencies may require the Bank to recognize additional losses based on their
judgments of information available to them at the time of their examination.

Cash and Investments in Debt and Equity Securities
- --------------------------------------------------

        Regulations  require  the Bank to  maintain  an amount  equal to 5.0% of
savings deposits (net of loans on savings deposits) plus  short-term  borrowings
in cash and US government and other approved securities.

        Available-for-sale  securities, which include any security for which the
Bank has no  immediate  plan to sell but  which may be sold in the  future,  are
carried  at fair  value.  Realized  gains  and  losses,  based  on  specifically
identified  amortized  cost of the  specific  security,  are  included  in other
income.  Unrealized  gains and losses are  recorded,  net of related  income tax
effects,  in  stockholders'  equity.  Premiums and  discounts  are amortized and
accreted, respectively, to interest income using the level-yield method over the
period to maturity.

                                      F-7
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 1:  NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
         ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Cash and Investments in Debt and Equity Securities (Continued)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

        Held-to-maturity  securities,  which  include any security for which the
Bank has the positive intent and ability to hold until maturity,  are carried at
historical  cost  adjusted  for   amortization  of  premiums  and  accretion  of
discounts.  Premiums and discounts are amortized and accreted,  respectively, to
interest income using the level-yield method over the period to maturity.

        Interest and dividends on investments in debt and equity  securities are
included in income when earned.

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale
- ----------------------------

        Mortgage  loans  held for sale are  carried at the lower of cost or fair
value,  determined  using an  aggregate  basis.  Write-downs  to fair  value are
recognized  as a charge to  earnings  at the time the  decline in value  occurs.
Forward  commitments  to sell mortgage  loans are  sometimes  acquired to reduce
market risk on mortgage loans in the process of  origination  and mortgage loans
held for sale.  Gains and  losses  resulting  from sales of  mortgage  loans are
recognized when the respective loans are sold to investors. Gains and losses are
determined  by the  difference  between  the  selling  price  plus the  value of
retained servicing rights for loans originated after the adoption of SFAS 122 on
July 1,  1996,  and the  carrying  amount of the loans  sold,  net of  discounts
collected or paid and  considering a normal  servicing  rate. Fees received from
borrowers to guarantee the funding of mortgage loans held for sale and fees paid
to investors to ensure the ultimate sale of such mortgage  loans are  recognized
as income or expense when the loans are sold or when it becomes evident that the
commitment will not be used.

Loans
- -----

        Loans  that  management  has the  intent  and  ability  to hold  for the
foreseeable  future  or  until  maturity  or  pay-offs  are  reported  at  their
outstanding  principal  adjusted for any  charge-offs,  the  allowance  for loan
losses,  and any  deferred  fees or costs on  originated  loans and  unamortized
premiums or discounts on purchased loans.

Loan Servicing
- --------------

        The cost of originated  mortgage-servicing  rights is amortized over the
shorter of the actual or contractual loan life. Impairment of mortgage-servicing
rights is  assessed  based on the fair value of those  rights.  Fair  values are
estimated  using  discounted  cash flows  based on a current  market  rate.  For
purposes  of  measuring  impairment,  the  rights  are  stratified  based on the
prepayment  risk   characteristics  of  the  underlying  loan.  The  predominant
characteristic  currently used for stratification is type of loan. The amount of
impairments recognized is the amount by which the capitalized mortgage servicing
rights for a stratum exceed their fair value.

Allowance for Loan Losses
- -------------------------

        The  allowance  for loan losses is  increased by  provisions  charged to
expense and reduced by provisions credited to expense and loans charged off, net
of  recoveries.  The allowance is maintained at a level  considered  adequate to
provide for potential  loan losses,  based on the Bank's  evaluation of the loan
portfolio,  as well as on prevailing  and  anticipated  economic  conditions and
historical  losses by loan category.  General  allowances have been established,
based upon the  aforementioned  factors,  and allocated to the  individual  loan
categories.  Allowances are accrued on specific  loans  evaluated for impairment
for  which the basis of each  loan,  including  accrued  interest,  exceeds  the
discounted  amount of expected future  collections of interest and principal or,
alternatively, the fair value of loan collateral.

        A loan is considered impaired when it is probable that the Bank will not
receive all amounts due  according to the  contractual  terms of the loan.  This
includes loans that are delinquent  ninety days or more  (nonaccrual  loans) and
certain  other  loans   identified  by   management.   Accrual  of  interest  is
discontinued,  and  interest  accrued  and unpaid is  removed,  at the time such
amounts are delinquent ninety days.  Interest is recognized for nonaccrual loans
only upon receipt.


                                      F-8
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 1:         NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
                ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Foreclosed Assets Held for Sale
- -------------------------------

        Assets  acquired by  foreclosure  or in  settlement of debt and held for
sale are valued at  estimated  fair value as of the date of  foreclosure,  and a
related valuation  allowance is provided for estimated costs to sell the assets.
Management  evaluates the value of foreclosed  assets held for sale periodically
and increases the valuation allowance for any subsequent declines in fair value.
Changes in the  valuation  allowance  are  charged or  credited  to  noninterest
expense.

Premises and Equipment
- ----------------------

        Depreciable  assets  are stated at cost less  accumulated  depreciation.
Depreciation  is charged  to expense  using the  straight-line  and  accelerated
methods over the estimated useful lives of the assets.

Fee Income
- ----------

         Loan origination fees, net of direct  origination costs, are recognized
as income over the term of the loan using the level-yield method. Loan servicing
income  represents fees earned for servicing real estate mortgage loans owned by
various investors.

Income Taxes
- ------------

        Deferred tax liabilities and assets are recognized for the tax effect of
differences  between  the  financial  statement  and tax  bases  of  assets  and
liabilities.  A valuation allowance is established to reduce deferred tax assets
if it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Cash Equivalents
- ----------------

         The Bank considers all highly liquid interest-bearing deposits in other
financial  institutions  with an initial  maturity of three months or less to be
cash equivalents.

Regulatory Matters
- ------------------

        The  Bank  is  subject  to  various  regulatory   capital   requirements
administered  by the federal banking  agencies.  Failure to meet minimum capital
requirements    can    initiate    certain    mandatory--possibly     additional
discretionary--actions  by regulators  that, if undertaken,  could have a direct
material  effect on the Bank's  financial  statements.  Under  capital  adequacy
guidelines and the regulatory  framework for prompt corrective  action, the Bank
must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative  measures of the
Bank's assets,  liabilities  and certain  off-balance-sheet  items as calculated
under  regulatory   accounting   practices.   The  Bank's  capital  amounts  and
classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about
components, risk weightings and other factors.

        Quantitative  measures  established  by  regulation  to  ensure  capital
adequacy  require the Bank to maintain  minimum amounts and ratios (set forth in
the table below) of total and Tier I capital (as defined in the  regulations) to
risk-weighted assets (as defined) and of Tier I capital (as defined) to adjusted
tangible assets (as defined). Management believes, as of June 30, 1997, that the
Bank meets all capital adequacy requirements to which it is subject.

        As of June 30,  1997,  the most recent  notification  from the Office of
Thrift Supervision categorized the Bank as well capitalized under the regulatory
framework for prompt  corrective  action.  To be categorized as well capitalized
the Bank must maintain  minimum total  risk-based,  Tier I risk-based and Tier I
leverage ratios as set forth in the following table.  There are no conditions or
events  since that  notification  that  management  believes  have  changed  the
institution's category.


                                      F-9
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 1:  NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
         ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

        The Bank's actual  capital  amounts and ratios are also presented in the
table.  No amount was  deducted  from  capital for  interest-rate  risk.  Dollar
amounts are expressed in thousands.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             To Be Well
                                                                                          Capitalized Under
                                                                       For Capital        Prompt Corrective
                                                      Actual        Adequacy Purposes     Action Provisions
                                             -------------------    -----------------     -----------------
                                                Amount     Ratio     Amount    Ratio      Amount     Ratio
                                                ------     -----     ------    -----      ------     -----
<S>                                          <C>           <C>      <C>         <C>    <C>         <C>
As of June 30, 1997:
Stockholders equity,
        and ratio to total assets ........   $  27,490      13.8
Unrealized appreciation on
        available-for-sale securities ....      (2,058)
                                             ---------
Tangible capital,
        and ratio to adjusted total assets   $  25,432      13.0%    $ 2,943     1.5%
                                             =========      ====     =======     === 
Tier 1 (core) capital,
        and ratio to adjusted total assets   $  25,432      13.0%    $ 5,886     3.0%   $   9,810      5.0%
                                             =========      ====     =======     ===    =========      === 
Tier 1 (core) capital,
        and ratio to risk-weighted assets    $  25,432      22.1%                       $   6,914      6.0%
                                                                                        =========
Allowance for loan losses -
        Tier 2 capital ...................       1,440
                                                 -----
Total risk-based capital,
        and ratio to risk-weighted assets    $  26,872      23.3     $ 9,218     8.0%   $  11,523     10.0%
                                             =========      ====     =======     ===    =========     ==== 
Total assets .............................   $ 199,465
                                             =========
Adjusted total assets ....................   $ 196,199
                                             =========
Risk-weighted assets .....................   $ 115,231
                                             =========
</TABLE>

        The  amount of  dividends  that the Bank may pay is  subject  to various
regulatory limitations. At June 30, 1997, approximately $9,077,000 was available
from the Bank's retained earnings, without regulatory approval, for distribution
as dividends.

Earnings Per Share
- ------------------

        Earnings per common share for 1997, 1996 and 1995, since the conversion,
are based on net income divided by the weighted  average number of common shares
outstanding. Average shares include the weighted average number of common shares
considered outstanding,  plus the shares issuable upon exercise of stock options
after the assumed  repurchase  of common  shares  with the  related  proceeds as
follows.

                                   Weighted Average          Shares
                                Number of Common Shares     Issuable
                                -----------------------     --------

         1997                           3,149,062             24,062
         1996                           3,125,933                933
         1995 (post conversion)         3,125,000                 --


Reclassifications
- -----------------

        Certain 1996 and 1995 amounts have been  reclassified  to conform to the
1997 financial statements presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on
net income.

                                      F-10
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 1:         NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
                ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Impact of Future Accounting Pronouncements
- ------------------------------------------

        The FASB recently adopted SFAS 128, "Earnings Per Share." This statement
replaces the  presentation of primary  earnings per share with a presentation of
basic earnings per share. The statement also requires dual presentation of basic
and diluted  earnings per share by entities with complex capital  structures and
requires a  reconciliation  of the numerators and  denominators  between the two
calculations.  SFAS 128 is effective for financial statements issued for periods
ending after December 15, 1997,  including  interim periods.  Management has not
estimated  the  impact,  if any,  of  adopting  SFAS 128 on the Bank's financial
statements.


NOTE 2:  INVESTMENTS IN DEBT AND EQUITY SECURITIES

        The amortized  cost and  approximate  fair values of  available-for-sale
securities are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                           June 30, 1997
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                         Gross                   Gross                Approximate
                                                   Amortized           Unrealized              Unrealized                  Fair
                                                     Cost                 Gains                 (Losses)                   Value
                                                     ----                 -----                 --------                   -----
<S>                                             <C>                     <C>                    <C>                      <C>      
Equity Securities:
        FHLMC stock                             $       94,000          3,266,000                       --              3,360,000
                                                --------------          ---------              -----------              ---------
                                                $       94,000          3,266,000                       --              3,360,000
                                                ==============          =========              ===========              =========
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                           June 30, 1996
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                         Gross                   Gross                Approximate
                                                   Amortized           Unrealized              Unrealized                  Fair
                                                     Cost                 Gains                 (Losses)                   Value
                                                     ----                 -----                 --------                   -----
<S>                                             <C>                     <C>                    <C>                      <C>      
Debt Securities:
        US Treasury                             $    5,248,308             35,822                       --              5,284,130
        US government agencies                         501,006              5,244                       --                506,250
                                                --------------          ---------              -----------              ---------
                                                     5,749,314             41,066                       --              5,790,380
Equity Securities:
        FHLMC stock                                     94,000          1,958,000                       --              2,052,000
                                                --------------          ---------              -----------              ---------
                                                $    5,843,314          1,999,066                       --              7,842,380
                                                ==============          =========              ===========              =========
</TABLE>

        The  amortized  cost and  approximate  fair  values of  held-to-maturity
securities are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                           June 30, 1997
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                         Gross                   Gross                Approximate
                                                   Amortized           Unrealized              Unrealized                  Fair
                                                     Cost                 Gains                 (Losses)                   Value
                                                     ----                 -----                 --------                   -----
<S>                                             <C>                     <C>                    <C>                      <C>      

Debt Securities:
        US government agencies                  $      8,585,753            5,143                 (217,896)             8,373,000
                                                ================            =====                 ========              =========
</TABLE>


                                      F-11
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995

NOTE 2:  INVESTMENTS IN DEBT AND EQUITY SECURITIES (Continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                June 30, 1996
                                                                           -------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Gross          Gross      Approximate
                                                                             Amortized   Unrealized      Unrealized       Fair
                                                                                Cost        Gains         (Losses)        Value
<S>                                                                        <C>            <C>             <C>           <C>      
Debt Securities:
        US government agencies .........................................   $ 9,865,719          --        (169,719)     9,696,000
                                                                           ===========    ========        ========      =========
</TABLE>

        Maturities of held-to-maturity debt securities at June 30, 1997:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            Amortized     Approximate
                                                                               Cost       Fair Value
                                                                               ----       ----------
<S>                                                                        <C>             <C>      
        Due in one through five years ..................................   $ 7,002,471     6,785,000
        Due after ten years ............................................     1,583,282     1,588,000
                                                                           -----------     ---------
                                                                           $ 8,585,753     8,373,000
                                                                           ===========     =========
</TABLE>

        Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities were $5,318,175 for
the year ended June 30, 1997,  with  resultant  gross gains of $27,897 and gross
losses  of $102.  Proceeds  from  sales of  available-for-sale  securities  were
$2,348,454  for the year ended  June 30, 1996,  with  resultant  gross  gains of
$106,677 and gross losses of $21,484.  Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale
securities  were  $8,860,215  for the year ended June 30, 1995,  with  resultant
gross gains of $16,796 and gross losses of $120,269. There were no sales of debt
securities  from the  "held-to-maturity"  portfolio for the years ended June 30,
1997, 1996 or 1995.

NOTE 3: MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES

        The  amortized  cost and  approximate  fair  values of  held-to-maturity
mortgage-backed securities are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
                                                                                    June 30, 1997
                                                                 -------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Gross          Gross      Approximate
                                                                 Amortized       Unrealized     Unrealized      Fair
                                                                    Cost           Gains         (Losses)      Value
                                                                    ----           -----         --------      -----
<S>                                                              <C>             <C>           <C>           <C>      
Certificates:
        GNMA .................................................   $ 5,941,453       370,547           --        6,312,000
        FHLMC ................................................     8,189,400       105,212       (234,612)     8,060,000
        FNMA .................................................     1,683,037        35,963           --        1,719,000
                                                                 -----------       -------        -------     ----------
                                                                 $15,813,890       511,722       (234,612)    16,091,000
                                                                 ===========       =======       ========     ==========

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    June 30, 1996
                                                                 -------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Gross          Gross      Approximate
                                                                 Amortized       Unrealized     Unrealized      Fair
                                                                    Cost           Gains         (Losses)      Value
                                                                    ----           -----         --------      -----
<S>                                                              <C>             <C>           <C>           <C>      
Certificates:
        GNMA .................................................   $ 7,316,456       355,544           --        7,672,000
        FHLMC ................................................    10,219,383          --          (30,383)    10,198,000
        FNMA .................................................     2,531,410           410        (51,820)     2,480,000
                                                                 -----------       -------        -------     ----------
                                                                 $20,067,249       355,954        (82,203)    20,341,000
                                                                 ===========       =======        =======     ==========
</TABLE>

        There were no sales of  mortgage-backed  securities for the years ending
June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995.

                                      F-12
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 4:  LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

        Categories of loans at June 30, 1997 and 1996, include:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      1997               1996
                                                                      ----               ----
<S>                                                              <C>               <C>       
Real estate - residential mortgage
        One to four family units                                 $ 110,537,731       95,501,514
        Multi-family                                                15,456,727       13,701,131
Real estate - construction                                          25,148,543       21,729,463
Real estate - commercial                                             8,323,579        8,738,522
Commercial loans                                                       383,116          254,909
Installment loans                                                    4,492,833        1,053,049
Loans on savings accounts                                              719,657          529,952
                                                                 -------------      -----------
                                                                   165,062,186      141,508,540
Undisbursed portion of
        loans-in-process                                           (10,475,789)      (7,572,330)
Allowance for loan losses                                           (2,177,009)      (2,108,059)
Unearned discounts                                                    (216,141)        (237,520)
Deferred loan costs, net                                                39,048           22,204
                                                                 -------------      -----------
                                                                 $ 152,232,295      131,612,835
                                                                 =============      ===========
</TABLE>

Transactions in the allowance for loan losses were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        1997           1996             1995
                                                        ----           ----             ----
<S>                                                 <C>             <C>            <C>      
Balance, beginning of year                          $ 2,108,059      1,718,316      1,703,435
        Provision (credit) charged to operations           --       (1,211,502)        16,350
        Loans charged off                               (62,768)        (4,648)        (5,511)
        Recoveries                                      131,718      1,406,860          4,042
        Allowances reclassified to loans which
                were previously classified as in-
                substance foreclosures (Note 5)            --          199,033           --
                                                    -----------      ---------      ---------
Balance, end of year                                $ 2,177,009      2,108,059      1,718,316
                                                    ===========      =========      =========
</TABLE>

        The weighted  average  interest rate on loans at June 30, 1997 and 1996,
was 8.43% and 8.19%, respectively.

        The Bank serviced  mortgage loans for others  amounting to  $14,165,126,
$11,290,426 and $7,315,988 at June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995 respectively.

        Impaired loans totaled $1,257,352 at June 30, 1997, and $393,398 at June
30, 1996 with a related  allowance  for loan losses of  $206,897  and  $147,302,
respectively. At June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively, impaired loans of $75,956
and $0 had no related allowance for loan losses.

        Interest of $66,676 and $995 was recognized on average impaired loans of
$1,342,217  and  $157,574  for 1997  and  1996  respectively.  No  interest  was
recognized on impaired loans on a cash basis during 1997 and 1996.

NOTE 5:  FORECLOSED ASSETS HELD FOR SALE

        Foreclosed assets held for sale consist of the following:

                                         1997                    1996
                                         ----                    ----

Foreclosed real estate                $210,155                   1,527
Valuation allowance                         --                      --
                                      --------                   -----
                                      $210,155                   1,527
                                      ========                   =====
                                                              
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 5:  FORECLOSED ASSETS HELD FOR SALE (Continued)

        Changes in the valuation allowance on foreclosed assets were as follows:

                                       1997      1996       1995
                                       ----      ----       ----

Balance, beginning of year          $   --      45,637     45,637
Valuation allowance related to
        in-substance foreclosures       --     (45,637)      --
                                    ------     -------     ------
Balance, end of year                $   --        --       45,637
                                    ======     =======     ======

         As of July  1,  1995,  the  Bank  implemented  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting Standard No. 114. While  implementation had no material effect on net
income, in accordance with the new pronouncement,  loans totaling $851,818,  net
of the valuation  allowance,  which were  previously  classified as in-substance
foreclosures and reported as part of foreclosed assets  held-for-sale  have been
reclassified   to  loans  along  with   $199,033  of  related   allowances   for
collectability.

NOTE 6:  PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

        Major classifications of premises and equipment,  stated at cost, are as
follows:

                                         1997         1996
                                         ----         ----

Land                                $   993,445       993,445
Buildings and improvements            5,244,129     5,002,248
Furniture, fixtures and equipment     1,330,275     1,278,811
Automobiles                              20,243        36,706
                                    -----------     ---------
                                      7,588,092     7,311,210 
Accumulated depreciation             (1,320,935)     (919,467)
                                    -----------     ---------
                                    $ 6,267,157     6,391,743
                                    ===========     =========


        Depreciation  expense was $441,367,  $384,988 and $132,964 for the years
ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively.

NOTE 7:  DEPOSITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                June 30, 1997                                      June 30, 1996
                     -------------------------------------             ---------------------------------------
                      Weighted                  Percentage             Weighted                    Percentage
                      Average                       of                 Average                        of
                       Rate        Balance       Deposits                Rate        Balance        Deposits
                       ----        -------       --------                ----        -------        --------
<S>                    <C>      <C>               <C>                   <C>       <C>               <C> 
Core Deposits:                                                      
Demand                 0.00%    $  2,334,159        1.5%                 0.00%    $  1,534,264        1.0%
NOW                    2.34        9,385,517        6.2                  2.36        6,624,905        4.2
Money market           3.62        8,288,164        5.5                  3.16        5,263,386        3.3
Passbook savings       2.76        8,621,308        5.7                  3.06       10,262,237        6.5
                                 -----------       ----                            -----------       ----
                       2.64       28,629,148       18.9                  2.69       23,684,792       15.0
                                 -----------       ----                            -----------       ----
Certificates:                                                       
      0% - 3.99%       2.75            5,928        0.0                  3.00           49,859        0.1
   4.00% - 5.99%       5.47      108,383,612       71.7                  5.34      106,243,545       67.7
   6.00% - 7.99%       6.40       14,227,794        9.4                  6.44       27,029,694       17.2
                                 -----------       ----                            -----------       ----
                       5.58      122,617,334       81.1                  5.56      133,323,098       85.0
                                 -----------       ----                            -----------       ----
Total Deposits         5.02     $151,246,482      100.0%                 5.13     $157,007,890      100.0%
                                ============      =====                           ============      ===== 
</TABLE>                                                            
                                                            
        The aggregate  amount of  certificates of deposit with a minimum balance
of $100,000 was  approximately  $8,000,000  and  $8,780,000 at June 30, 1997 and
1996, respectively.

                                      F-14
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995

NOTE 7:  DEPOSITS (Continued)

        A summary of savings  certificates  by maturity at June 30, 1997,  is as
follows:

             Fiscal year ending:
                June 30, 1998             $  81,479,645
                June 30, 1999                27,125,222
                June 30, 2000                 6,342,552
                June 30, 2001                 4,034,303
                June 30, 2002                 3,130,335
                Thereafter                      505,277
                                          -------------
                                          $ 122,617,334
                                          =============
                               
A summary of interest expense on deposits is as follows:

                                     1997           1996           1995
                                     ----           ----           ----

NOW and Money Market accounts   $   406,025        276,460        244,705
Savings accounts                    258,143        314,557        462,655
Certificate accounts              6,823,212      7,633,893      5,766,502
Early withdrawal penalties          (16,287)       (24,884)       (30,266)
                                -----------      ---------      ---------
                                $ 7,471,093      8,200,026      6,443,596
                                ===========      =========      =========

NOTE 8:  FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK ADVANCES

        At June 30,  1997,  Federal  Home Loan Bank  advances  consisted  of the
following:

                                       Weighted
                                       Average
             Maturity Date              Rate                Amount
             -------------              ----                ------
                  1998                  5.90%            $ 5,000,000
                  1999                  6.22               3,000,000
                  2000                  6.11               7,528,750
                  2001                   --                       --
                  2002                  6.21               1,635,000
            Thereafter                  6.84                 987,094
                                        ----             -----------
                                        6.12             $18,150,844
                                        ====             ===========
                                         
        The FHLB requires the Bank to maintain FHLB stock, investment securities
and first  mortgage loans free of other pledges,  liens and  encumbrances  in an
amount equal to at least 150% of  outstanding  advances as  collateral  for such
borrowings.                              
                                         
NOTE 9:  INCOME TAXES                    
                                   
        In computing  federal  income  taxes for taxable  years prior to July 1,
1996, the Bank has been allowed an 8% deduction from otherwise taxable income as
a statutory bad debt deduction,  subject to limitations based on aggregate loans
and savings  balances.  In August 1996 this  statutory  bad debt  deduction  was
repealed and is no longer available for thrifts. In addition,  bad debt reserves
accumulated  after 1987, which are presently  included as a component of the net
deferred tax liability, must be recaptured over a six year period. The amount of
the deferred tax  liability  which must be recaptured is $338,000 as of June 30,
1997.

                                      F-15
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 9:  INCOME TAXES (Continued)

        As of June 30, 1997 and 1996,  retained earnings includes  approximately
$5,075,000 for which no deferred income tax liability has been recognized.  This
amount  represents  an  allocation  of  income  to bad debt  deductions  for tax
purposes only. Reduction of amounts so allocated for purposes other than tax bad
debt losses or adjustments  arising from carryback of net operating losses would
create income for tax purposes only,  which would be subject to the then current
corporate  income tax rate. The unrecorded  deferred income tax liability on the
above amount was approximately $1,878,000 at June 30, 1997 and 1996.

        The provision for income taxes consists of:

                                         1997            1996            1995
                                         ----            ----            ----
   
        Taxes currently payable     $  642,500           898,000        619,000
        Deferred income taxes           22,000           128,000         71,000
                                    ----------         ---------        -------
                                    $  664,500         1,026,000        690,000
                                    ==========         =========        =======

    The tax effects of temporary  differences related to deferred taxes shown on
the June 30, 1997 and 1996, balance sheets are:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1997            1996
                                                                        ----            ----
<S>                                                                <C>             <C>    
Deferred tax assets:
        Allowance for loan and foreclosed asset losses             $   778,000        779,000
        Accrued compensated absences                                    19,000         17,000
        Accrued retirement plan costs                                   33,000         52,000
        Unrealized loss on loans held for sale                          80,000         88,000
        RRP expense                                                     57,000         45,000
                                                                   -----------       -------- 
                                                                       967,000        981,000
                                                                   -----------       -------- 
Deferred tax liabilities:
        FHLB stock dividends                                           207,000        207,000
        Deferred loan fees/costs                                        15,000          9,000
        Tax bad debt reserves in excess of base year                   338,000        350,000
        Mortgage servicing rights                                       15,000           --
        Unrealized appreciation on available-for-sale securities     1,208,000        740,000
                                                                   -----------       -------- 
                                                                     1,783,000      1,306,000
                                                                   -----------       -------- 
Net deferred tax liability                                         $  (816,000)      (325,000)
                                                                   ===========       ======== 
</TABLE>

        A  reconciliation  of income tax expense at the statutory rate to income
tax expense at the Bank's effective rate is shown below:

                                                       1997     1996     1995
                                                       ----     ----     ----

Computed at statutory rate                             34.0%    34.0%    34.0%
Increase (reduction) in taxes resulting from:
        State financial institution tax                 3.3      4.5      3.6
        Tax-exempt interest                              --      (.5)    (1.7)
        Change in deferred tax valuation allowance       --       --      (.1)
        Other                                           (.9)    (1.1)    (1.6)
                                                       ----     ----     ---- 
                Actual tax provision                   36.4%    36.9%    34.2%
                                                       ====     ====     ==== 

        State  legislation  provides that savings and loan  associations will be
taxed based on an annual privilege tax of 7% of net income. The privilege tax is
included in provision for income taxes.

        Deferred  income taxes related to the change in unrealized  appreciation
on   available-for-sale   securities,   shown  in  stockholders'   equity,  were
approximately $468,000 and $78,000 for 1997 and 1996, respectively.

                                      F-16
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 10:        DISCLOSURES ABOUT FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

        The  following  methods and  assumptions  were used to estimate the fair
value of each class of financial instruments:

Cash and Cash Equivalents
- -------------------------

        The carrying  amounts  reported in the balance  sheets for cash and cash
equivalents approximate those assets' fair value.

Available-For-Sale   and   Held-To-Maturity   Securities   and   Mortgage-Backed
Securities
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Fair values for investment and  mortgage-backed  securities equal quoted
market prices,  if available.  If quoted market prices are not  available,  fair
values are estimated  based on quoted market prices of similar  securities.  The
carrying amount of accrued interest approximates its fair value.

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale
- ----------------------------

        For  homogeneous  categories of loans,  such as mortgage  loans held for
sale,  fair value is estimated  using the quoted  market  prices for  securities
backed by similar loans, adjusted for differences in loan characteristics.

Loans
- -----

        The fair value of loans is  estimated  by  discounting  the future  cash
flows using the current  rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers
with similar credit ratings and for the same  remaining  maturities.  Loans with
similar  characteristics  are aggregated for purposes of the  calculations.  The
carrying amount of accrued interest approximates its fair value.

Deposits
- --------

        The fair value of demand  deposits  and  savings  accounts is the amount
payable on demand at the reporting date (i.e., their carrying amounts). The fair
value of fixed-maturity  certificates of deposit is estimated using a discounted
cash flow calculation  that applies the rates currently  offered for deposits of
similar  remaining  maturities.  The carrying amount of accrued interest payable
approximates its fair value.

Federal Home Loan Bank Advances
- -------------------------------

        Rates  currently  available to the Bank for debt with similar  terms and
remaining maturities are used to estimate fair value of existing advances.

Commitments to Extend Credit, Letters of Credit and Lines of Credit
- -------------------------------------------------------------------

        The fair value of  commitments  is  estimated  using the fees  currently
charged to enter into  similar  agreements,  taking into  account the  remaining
terms of the agreements and the present credit worthiness of the counterparties.
For  fixed-rate  loan  commitments,  fair value also  considers  the  difference
between current levels of interest rates and the committed rates. The fair value
of letters of credit is based on fees currently  charged for similar  agreements
or on the estimated cost to terminate them or otherwise  settle the  obligations
with the counterparties at the reporting date.

        The  following  table  presents  estimated  fair  values  of the  Bank's
financial  instruments.  The fair  values of certain of these  instruments  were
calculated by discounting expected cash flows, which method involves significant
judgments by management and uncertainties. Fair value is the estimated amount at
which  financial  assets  or  liabilities   could  be  exchanged  in  a  current
transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced or liquidation sale.
Because no market exists for certain of these financial  instruments and because
management  does not intend to sell these financial  instruments,  the Bank does
not know  whether the fair  values  shown  below  represent  values at which the
respective financial instruments could be sold individually or in the aggregate.


                                      F-17
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 10:       DISCLOSURES ABOUT FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        June 30, 1997                   June 30, 1996
                                                                 -------------------------        -------------------------
                                                                    Carrying        Fair          Carrying         Fair
                                                                     Amount         Value          Amount          Value
                                                                     ------         -----          ------          -----
<S>                                                              <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>      
Financial assets:
        Cash and cash equivalents                                $  3,817,351      3,871,351      2,674,557      2,674,557
        Available-for-sale securities                               3,360,000      3,360,000      7,842,380      7,842,380
        Held-to-maturity securities                                 8,585,753      8,373,000      9,865,719      9,696,000
        Mortgage-backed securities                                 15,813,890     16,091,000     20,067,249     20,341,000
        Mortgage loans held for sale                                5,903,002      5,903,002      3,416,576      3,416,576
        Loans, net of allowance for loan losses                   152,232,295    155,505,000    131,612,835    137,373,000
        Interest receivable                                         1,311,561      1,311,561      1,381,009      1,381,009
Financial liabilities:
        Deposits                                                  151,246,482    150,926,000    157,007,890    157,084,000
        Federal Home Loan Bank advances                            18,150,844     18,180,000           --             --
Unrecognized financial instruments 
        (net of contractual value):
                Commitments to extend credit                             --             --             --             --
                Unused lines of credit                                   --             --             --             --
</TABLE>

NOTE 11:  SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATES AND CONCENTRATIONS

        Generally accepted  accounting  principles require disclosure of certain
significant estimates and current vulnerabilities due to certain concentrations.
Estimates related to the allowance for loan losses are reflected in the footnote
regarding loans. Current vulnerabilities due to certain concentrations of credit
risk are discussed in the footnote on commitments and credit risk.

NOTE 12:  ADDITIONAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                   1997        1996        1995
                                                                   ----        ----        ----
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>         <C>      
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
        Transfer of insubstance foreclosed assets to loans    $     --        652,785         --
        Assets held-for-sale transferred to investment
                securities and mortgage-backed securities           --           --     14,602,295
        Loans held for sale transferred to
                loans receivable portfolio                          --        708,700         --
        Loans receivable transferred to loans held for sale         --           --      1,588,468
        Loans receivable transferred to foreclosed
                assets held for sale                             471,440         --           --
Additional Cash Payment Information
        Interest paid                                          8,198,629    8,266,794    6,572,589
        Income taxes paid                                        582,319      845,682      697,739
</TABLE>

NOTE 13:        EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

        The Bank  participates  in a  multiemployer  pension  plan  covering all
employees  who  have  met  minimum  service  requirements.  As  a  member  of  a
multiemployer  pension  plan,  disclosures  of plan assets and  liabilities  for
individual  employers are not required or  practicable.  Due to changes  enacted
under the Tax  Reform  Act of 1986,  qualified  pension  plans  require  benefit
accruals for any active  employee  working beyond age 65 with respect to service
completed on or after July 1, 1988.  Internal  Revenue  Service  interpretations
require retroactive credit for the period between age 65 and July 1, 1988.

                                      F-18
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 13:        EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Continued)

        As a result,  the Bank has accrued an unfunded  liability of $87,005 and
$139,843 at June 30, 1997 and 1996,  respectively,  to provide for prior service
credit to its eligible  employees.  Pension plan expense was $128,785,  $156,013
and $173,889 for the years ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995 respectively.

        The Bank has  established a Recognition and Retention Plan (RRP) for the
benefit of directors, officers and employees of the Bank and its subsidiary. The
RRP was voted on and  approved  by the Bank's  stockholders  at the  October 18,
1995, annual  stockholders'  meeting.  The RRP provides directors,  officers and
employees  of the  Bank  with a  proprietary  interest  in the  Bank in a manner
designed to encourage these individuals to remain with the Bank.

        The Plan is  administered  by a Committee  consisting  of members of the
Bank's Board of Directors.  Under the Plan, the Committee can award up to 38,895
shares of the Bank's common stock to selected directors, officers and employees.
As of June 30, 1997,  all shares have been awarded.  A total of 5,629 shares had
been  forfeited as of June 30, 1997. The awards vest at the rate of 20% per year
over a five-year period.  Compensation expense is recognized based on the Bank's
stock price on the date the Plan was ratified by stockholders,  which was $11.00
per share. The Bank recognized $106,197 and $120,925 of expense under the RRP in
1997 and 1996, respectively.  Shares to be issued under the RRP are purchased on
the open market by a separate RRP Trust.  The Bank  contributed  $464,643 to the
Trust  for  stock  purchases   during  the  year  ended  June 30,  1996.   These
contributions have been accounted for as a reduction of stockholders' equity.

        In addition to the RRP, the Bank has  established  the 1994 Stock Option
and Incentive Plan for the benefit of certain directors,  officers and employees
of the  Bank  and  its  subsidiary.  The  Plan  was  voted  on and  approved  by
stockholders at the October18,  1995, annual stockholders'  meeting. The Plan is
administered by the Bank Option Committee.  Under the Plan, the Option Committee
may grant stock  options or awards of up to 97,237  shares of the Bank's  common
stock.

        The stock options may be either  incentive stock options or nonqualified
stock options.  Incentive stock options can be granted only to participants  who
are employees of the Bank or its  subsidiary.  The option price must not be less
than the market value of the Bank stock on the date of grant. All options expire
no later than 10 years from the date of grant.  The options  vest at the rate of
20% per year over a five-year period.

        A  summary  of the  status of the plan at June 30,  1997 and  1996,  and
changes during the years then ended is presented below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            June 30, 1997                   June 30, 1996
                                       ------------------------------   --------------------------
                                                    Weighted Average              Weighted Average
                                        Shares      Exercise Price      Shares    Exercise Price
                                        ------      -----------------   ------    ----------------
Outstanding,
<S>                                    <C>            <C>              <C>           <C>    
        Beginning of Year               84,375         $ 11.62          97,237        $ 11.62
        Granted                          6,640           11.55              --             --
        Exercised                           --              --              --             --
        Forfeited                      (12,459)          11.62         (12,862)            --
                                        ------         -------          ------        -------
        End of Year                     78,556         $ 11.61          84,375        $ 11.62
                                        ======         =======          ======        =======
Options Exercisable,
        End of Year                     14,383                              -- 
                                        ======                          ======
</TABLE>


                                      F-19
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 13:        EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Continued)

        The fair value of each option  granted is  estimated  on the date of the
grant using the Black Scholes pricing model with the following  weighted-average
assumptions:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                             June 30, 1997           June 30, 1996
                                                             -------------           -------------
<S>                                                              <C>                    <C> 
    Dividends per share                                          $0.33                  0.32
    Risk-Free Interest Rate                                       6.36%                 5.54
    Expected Life of Options                                      5 years               5 years
                                                        
    Weighted-Average Fair Value of Options Granted During Year   $2.51                  2.46
</TABLE>
                                   
        The following table summarizes information about stock options under the
Plan outstanding at June 30, 1997:


                      Options Outstanding            Options Exercisable
                -------------------------------     ---------------------
    Range of        Number        Remaining           Number      Exercise
Exercise Prices  Outstanding   Contractual Life     Exercisable     Price
- ---------------  -----------   ----------------     -----------     -----

   $ 11.25           2,640         9.5 years             --         --   
   $ 11.62          71,916         8.5 years           14,383     $ 11.62
   $ 11.75           4,000         9.0 years             --         --
                                                  
         The  Bank  applies  APB  Opinion  25  and  related  Interpretations  in
accounting for its plans,  and no compensation  cost has been recognized for the
Plan. Had  compensation  cost for the Bank's Plan been  determined  based on the
fair value at the dates using  Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards No.
123,  the Bank's net income  would have  decreased  by $32,187  and  $16,083 and
earnings per share would have  decreased by $0.01 for 1997 and 1996. The effects
of applying this statement for either recognizing compensation cost or providing
pro forma  disclosures  are not likely to be  representative  of the  effects on
reported net income for future years because options vest over several years and
additional awards generally are made each year.

NOTE 14:  TRANSACTION WITH RELATED PARTIES

        In June 1996,  the Bank closed a $906,500  one-year term loan to the MHC
for the purchase of and secured by certain  real estate in  Southwest  Missouri.
This loan is payable in monthly  installments  of interest at Prime plus 2% with
the principal  balance due in August 1998. The principal balance of the loan was
$600,000 and $906,500 on June 30, 1997 and June 30, 1996, respectively.

        Beginning in November  1995,  the Bank leased office space to the MHC at
$200 per month.  Rental income  pursuant to this agreement was $2,400 and $1,400
in 1997 and 1996,  respectively.  The  rental is  negotiable  November 1 of each
subsequent year.

        Certain  executive  officers  of the  Bank  were  customers  of and  had
transactions with the Bank in the ordinary course of business.  At June 30, 1997
and 1996, loans outstanding to these executive officers amounted to $281,000 and
$382,000, respectively. In management's opinion, such loans and other extensions
of credit and  deposits  were made in the  ordinary  course of business and were
made on substantially  the same terms (including  interest rates and collateral)
as those prevailing at the time for comparable  transactions with other persons.
Further, in management's  opinion,  these loans did not involve more than normal
risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.


                                      F-20
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 15:  LEASES

        In September 1995, the Bank completed  construction of a new home office
facility.  The Bank does not require full use of the building,  so it leases the
excess space to other  tenants.  As of June 30, 1997, the Bank has signed leases
on all  8,938  square  feet  available  for  lease in the  building.  One  lease
agreement  is with the holding  company of the Bank as discussed in Note 14. The
following  minimum lease  payments will be received as a result of leases signed
as of June 30, 1997:

                          1998         $ 116,216
                          1999            97,601
                          2000            59,740
                          2001            54,762
                                       ---------
                                       $ 328,319
                                       =========

NOTE 16:  COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT RISK

        Commitments  to extend  credit are  agreements  to lend to a customer as
long as there is no  violation of any  condition  established  in the  contract.
Commitments  generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination  clauses
and may require  payment of a fee. Since a portion of the commitments may expire
without  being  drawn  upon,  the total  commitment  amounts do not  necessarily
represent future cash  requirements.  The Bank evaluates each customer's  credit
worthiness on a casebycase basis. The amount of collateral  obtained,  if deemed
necessary by the Bank upon extension of credit, is based on management's  credit
evaluation of the counter party. Collateral held varies but may include accounts
receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, commercial real estate and
residential real estate.

        At June 30,  1997 and  1996,  the Bank had  outstanding  commitments  to
originate  loans of  approximately  $2,084,000 and $850,000,  respectively.  The
commitments  extend  over  varying  periods  of time  with  the  majority  being
disbursed within a thirtyday  period. At June 30, 1997 and 1996,  commitments of
$395,000 and  $140,000,  respectively,  were at fixed rates and  $1,689,000  and
$710,000, respectively, were at floating market rates.

        Forward  commitments to sell mortgage  loans are  obligations to deliver
loans at a specified price on or before a specified date. The Bank acquires such
commitments  to  reduce  market  risk  on  mortgage  loans  in  the  process  of
origination  and mortgage loans held for sale.  Related  forward  commitments to
sell mortgage loans amounted to approximately $1,069,000 and $35,000 at June 30,
1997 and 1996, respectively.

        Letters  of credit  are  conditional  commitments  issued by the Bank to
guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party.  Those  guarantees are
primarily issued to support public and private borrowing arrangements, including
commercial paper and similar  transactions.  The credit risk involved in issuing
letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loans to
customers.  The Bank had no  outstanding  letters of credit at June 30, 1997 and
1996.

        Lines of credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is
no violation  of any  condition  established  in the  contract.  Lines of credit
generally have fixed  expiration  dates.  Since a portion of the line may expire
without being drawn upon,  the total unused lines do not  necessarily  represent
future cash  requirements.  Each customer's  credit worthiness is evaluated on a
case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained,  if deemed necessary,  is
based on management's  credit  evaluation of the  counterparty.  Collateral held
varies but may  include  accounts  receivable,  inventory,  property,  plant and
equipment,  commercial real estate and residential real estate.  Management uses
the same credit  policies in granting  lines of credit as it does for on balance
sheet instruments.

        At June 30,  1997,  the Bank  had  granted  unused  lines of  credit  to
borrowers aggregating approximately $266,000 and $2,275,000 for commercial lines
and open-end  consumer lines,  respectively.  At June 30, 1996,  unused lines of
credit to borrowers  aggregated  approximately  $66,000 for commercial lines and
$1,837,000 for open-end consumer lines.



                                      F-21
<PAGE>
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years Ended June 30, 1997, 1996 and 1995


NOTE 16:  COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT RISK (Continued)

        Although  the Bank  grants  consumer  loans,  the  majority  of its loan
originations are single or multi-family  residential real estate in Springfield,
Missouri,  and the  surrounding  area.  At June 30, 1997,  the Bank had eighteen
borrowers with balances in excess of $1,000,000  each,  aggregating  $35,171,000
for which the collateral is primarily singlefamily and multi-family  residential
rental real estate and  commercial  real estate.  At June 30, 1996, the Bank had
fifteen  borrowers  with  balances  in excess of  $1,000,000  each,  aggregating
$30,259,000 for which the collateral is primarily  single-family and multifamily
residential  rental real estate and  commercial  real estate.  Also, at June 30,
1997 and  1996,  the Bank had  $19,340,000  and  $13,590,000,  respectively,  in
construction  loans  to or  guaranteed  by  builders  of  primarily  residential
property.

NOTE 17:        REORGANIZATION TO A MUTUAL HOLDING COMPANY

        In connection with the  Reorganization  in April 1995,  Guaranty Federal
Savings and Loan  Association (the  "Association")  reorganized from a federally
chartered  mutual  savings and loan  association  into a federal  mutual holding
company,  Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  M. H. C. (the  "MHC").  As part of the
reorganization, the Association incorporated a de novo federally chartered stock
savings bank, Guaranty Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank") and transferred most of
its assets and all its liabilities to the Bank. The Bank issued 3,125,000 shares
of its common  stock  (par value  $1.00) of which  972,365  shares  were sold to
parties other than the MHC, thus creating a minority  ownership  interest in the
Bank. The shares had an initial public offering price of $8 per share, resulting
in gross sales  proceeds of  $7,778,920.  Costs  related to the stock  issuance,
which have been  applied  to reduce  the gross  proceeds,  were  $654,388.  Also
$100,000 was  transferred  to the MHC for initial  capitalization  in connection
with Reorganization. The net proceeds of $7,024,532 have been included in common
stock and capital surplus on the accounts of the Bank.

        As long as they remain depositors of the Bank,  persons who prior to the
reorganization  had  liquidation  rights with  respect to the  Association  will
continue to have such rights solely with respect to the MHC.

        For a period of three years after the reorganization,  no person,  other
than the MHC, may directly or  indirectly  acquire the  beneficial  ownership of
more than 10% of the common  stock of the Bank  without  prior  approval  of the
Office of Thrift Supervision.

        In May 1997,  the Boards of  Directors  of the Bank and MHC  announced a
plan  whereby the Bank would be wholly  owned by a newly  formed  stock  holding
company.  Each share of Bank common stock currently owned by public stockholders
shall be automatically converted into shares of the Holding Company common stock
based upon an exchange ratio.  Subscription  rights to purchase the remainder of
the conversion  stock will be granted to certain  eligible  depositors and other
members of the Bank and MHC.  Any shares not sold in the  subscription  offering
will be offered to certain persons in a community  offering.  The Conversion and
Reorganization  are subject to several  contingencies,  including the receipt of
regulatory approval, the approval of the depositors of the Bank and the approval
of the stockholders of the Bank.

                                      F-22



<PAGE>

                                    Glossary
                                    --------


         Affiliate  means a Person who,  directly or indirectly,  through one or
more  intermediaries,  controls or is controlled  by or is under common  control
with the Person specified.

         Associate,  when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, means
(i) a corporation or organization  (other than the Mutual Holding  Company,  the
Bank,  a  majority-owned  subsidiary  of the Bank or the  Company) of which such
Person is a  director,  officer or partner or is,  directly or  indirectly,  the
beneficial  owner of 10% or more of any  class of  equity  securities,  (ii) any
trust or other estate in which such Person has a substantial beneficial interest
or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity,
provided,  however, that such term shall not include any Tax-Qualified  Employee
Stock  Benefit  Plan of the  Company  or the Bank in  which  such  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 any relative of
such  spouse,  who has the same  home as such  Person  or who is a  director  or
officer of the Company or the Bank or any of the subsidiaries of the foregoing.

         Bank means Guaranty Federal Savings Bank in its mutual or stock form or
Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank  following  consummation  of the  Conversion and
Reorganization, as the context of the reference indicates.

         Bank Common Stock means the common  stock of the Bank,  par value $1.00
per share,  which  stock is not and will not be insured by the FDIC or any other
governmental authority.

         Bank  Merger  means  the  merger  of  Interim  B with and into the Bank
pursuant to the Plan of  Reorganization  which is included as an appendix to the
Plan.

         Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         Common Stock means the Common Stock of the Company,  par value $.10 per
share,  which  stock  cannot  and will not be  insured  by the FDIC or any other
governmental authority.

         Community  Offering  means the  offering for sale by the Company of any
shares of Common Stock not subscribed for in the Subscription Offering or Public
Stockholders'  Offering to (i) natural persons  residing in the Local Community,
and (ii) such other  Persons  within or without  the State of Missouri as may be
selected by the Company and the Bank within their sole discretion.

         Company  means  Guaranty  Federal   Bancshares,   Inc.,  a  corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware.  The Company is a first-tier,
wholly owned  subsidiary  of the Bank.  Upon  completion of the  Conversion  and
Reorganization,  the Company will hold all of the  outstanding  capital stock of
the Bank.

         Control (including the terms "controlling," "controlled by," and "under
common control with") means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power
to direct or cause the direction

                                      A-1
<PAGE>



of the  management  and policies of a Person,  whether  through the ownership of
voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

         Conversion  Stock  means  the  Common  Stock to be issued  through  the
Offerings and, therefore, excludes Exchange Shares.

         Conversion  and  Reorganization  means (i) the conversion of the Mutual
Holding  Company  to an  interim  federal  stock  savings  association  and  the
subsequent  merger,  pursuant to which the Mutual Holding  Company will cease to
exist,  (ii) the Bank  Merger,  pursuant  to which the Bank will become a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Company and, in connection therewith, each share of Bank
Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time thereof that is
held by Public  Stockholders shall  automatically be converted,  without further
action by the holder  thereof,  into and  become the right to receive  shares of
Common Stock based on the Exchange  Ratio,  plus cash in lieu of any  fractional
share  interest,  and (iii) the  issuance of Common  Stock by the Company in the
Offerings,  which will increase the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
and the capitalization of the Company and the Bank.

         Deposit Account means savings and demand accounts,  including  passbook
accounts,  money market  deposit  accounts and  negotiable  order of  withdrawal
accounts,  and certificates of deposit and other authorized accounts of the Bank
held by a Member.

         Director,  Officer and Employee means the terms as applied respectively
to any  person who is a  director,  officer or  employee  of the Mutual  Holding
Company, the Bank or any subsidiary thereof.

         Eligible  Account Holder means any Person holding a Qualifying  Deposit
on the Eligibility Record Date for purposes of determining  subscription  rights
and  establishing   subaccount   balances  in  the  liquidation  account  to  be
established pursuant to the Plan.

         Eligibility  Record  Date  means  the date for  determining  Qualifying
Deposits  of Eligible  Account  Holders and is the close of business on December
31, 1995.

         Estimated  Price Range means the range of the  estimated  aggregate pro
forma market value of the  Conversion  Stock to be issued in the  Offerings,  as
determined by the Independent Appraiser.

         Exchange  Ratio means the rate at which  shares of Common Stock will be
exchanged  for shares of Bank Common  Stock held by the Public  Stockholders  in
connection  with the Bank  Merger.  The exact  rate shall be  determined  by the
Mutual Holding Company and the Bank in order to ensure that upon consummation of
the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  the  Public  Stockholders  will own in the
aggregate   approximately  the  same  percentage  of  the  Common  Stock  to  be
outstanding  upon  completion  of  the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  as  the
percentage  of Bank Common Stock owned by them in the aggregate on the Effective
Date, as adjusted in accordance with OTS policy to reflect any special dividends
declared by the Bank and waived by the Mutual Holding Company, but before giving
effect to (a) cash paid in lieu of any

                                      A-2
<PAGE>



fractional  interests  of  Common  Stock  and (b) any  shares  of  Common  Stock
purchased by the Public Stockholders in the Offerings or tax-qualified  employee
stock benefit plans thereafter.

         Exchange  Shares  means the shares of Common  Stock to be issued to the
Public Stockholders in connection with the Bank Merger.

         ESOP means the employee stock ownership plan.

         FBR means Friedman,  Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc., who has been engaged
to render  financial  advisory  advice to the  Primary  Parties and serve as the
selling agent in the Offerings.

         FDIC means the Federal Deposit  Insurance  Corporation or any successor
thereto.

         FHLB means the Federal Home Loan Bank.

         FHLMC means the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

         GNMA means the Government National Mortgage Association.

         Guaranty Federal means Guaranty Federal Savings Bank.

         Independent  Appraiser  means the  independent  investment  banking  or
financial  consulting  firm  retained  by the  Holding  Company  and the Bank to
prepare an  appraisal  of the  estimated  pro forma  market  value of the Common
Stock.

         Interim A means Guaranty Federal Interim Bancshares, an interim federal
stock  savings  bank,  which  will be formed as a result  of the  conversion  of
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. into the stock form of organization.

         Interim B means Guaranty  Federal Interim  Savings Bank,  which will be
formed as a first-tier, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company to facilitate the
Bank Merger.

         IRS means Internal Revenue Service.

         Local Community means Greene County, Missouri.

         Member means any Person  qualifying  as a member of the Mutual  Holding
Company in  accordance  with its mutual  charter  and bylaws and the laws of the
United States.

         MHC  Merger  means  the  merger  of  Interim  A with  and into the Bank
pursuant to the Plan of Merger that is included as an appendix to the Plan

         Mutual Holding Company means Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.  prior
to its conversion into an interim federal stock savings bank.

         OCC means Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

                                      A-3
<PAGE>




         Offerings means the  Subscription  Offering,  the Public  Stockholders'
Offering,  the Community  Offering and the  Syndicated  Community  Offering,  if
applicable.

         Officer  means  the  president,   senior   vice-president,   secretary,
treasurer or principal  financial officer,  comptroller or principal  accounting
officer and any other person  performing  similar  functions with respect to any
organization whether incorporated or unincorporated.

         Order  Form  means  the  form or forms  provided  by the  Company  to a
Participant  or other  Person  by  which  Common  Stock  may be  ordered  in the
Offerings.  The Order Form includes a certification  that, among other things, a
prospectus has been  received,  and the risks  described in the prospectus  have
been reviewed.

         Other  Member  means a Voting  Member  who is not an  Eligible  Account
Holder or a Supplemental Eligible Account Holder.

         OTS means the Office of Thrift Supervision or any successor thereto.

         Participant means any Eligible Account Holder,  Tax-Qualified  Employee
Stock Benefit Plan, Supplemental Eligible Account Holder and Other Member.

         Person  means  an  individual,   a  corporation,   a  partnership,   an
association, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a
government or any political subdivision thereof.

         Plan and Plan of Conversion  means the Plan of Conversion and Agreement
and Plan of Reorganization, as amended, as adopted by the Boards of Directors of
the Mutual Holding Company, the Bank and the Company.

         Primary Parties  means  the  Mutual  Holding  Company, the Bank and the
Company.

         Prospectus  means the one or more  documents to be used in offering the
Conversion Stock in the Offerings.

         Public  Stockholders  means those Persons who own shares of Bank Common
Stock, excluding the Mutual Holding Company, as of the Stockholder Voting Record
Date.

         Public  Stockholders'  Offering  means  the  offering  for  sale by the
Company of any shares of Common  Stock not  subscribed  for in the  Subscription
Offering to Public Stockholders, at the sole discretion of the Bank and Company.

         Purchase Price means the $10.00 price per share at which the Conversion
Stock is sold by the Holding Company in the Offerings.

         Qualifying  Deposit means the aggregate balance of all Deposit Accounts
in the Bank of (i) an  Eligible  Account  Holder at the close of business on the
Eligibility  Record Date,  provided such aggregate balance is not less than $50,
and (ii) a Supplemental Eligible Account Holder at

                                      A-4
<PAGE>



the close of business on the Supplemental Eligibility Record Date, provided such
aggregate balance is not less than $50.

         Resident means any person who, on the date designated for that category
of subscriber  in the Plan,  maintained a bona fide  residence  within the Local
Community and has manifested an intent to remain within the Local  Community for
a  period  of  time.  The  designated   dates  for  Eligible   Account  Holders,
Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders and Other  Members are the  Eligibility
Record Date,  the  Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date and the Voting  Record
Date, respectively.  To the extent the person is a corporation or other business
entity, the principal place of business or headquarters must be within the Local
Community  in order to  qualify  as a  Resident.  To the  extent the person is a
personal  benefit plan, the  circumstances  of the beneficiary  shall apply with
respect  to  this   definition.   In  the  case  of  all  other  benefit  plans,
circumstances  of the trustee shall be examined for purposes of this definition.
The Bank may utilize deposit or loan records or such other evidence  provided to
it to make a determination as to whether a person is a bona fide resident of the
Local Community.  Subscribers in the Community  Offering who are natural persons
also  will  have a  purchase  preference  if they  were  residents  of the Local
Community  on  the  date  of  the  Prospectus.   In  all  cases,  however,  such
determination shall be in the sole discretion of the Bank and the Company.

         RP  Financial  means RP  Financial,  L.C.,  who has been engaged as the
Independent Appraiser.

         SAIF means the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the FDIC.

         SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Special  Meeting  means the  Special  Meeting  of Members of the Mutual
Holding Company called for the purpose of submitting the Plan to the Members for
their approval, including any adjournments of such meeting.

         Stockholders means those Persons who own shares of Bank Common Stock.

         Stockholders'   Meeting   means  the  annual  or  special   meeting  of
Stockholders  of the Bank called for the purpose of  submitting  the Plan to the
Stockholders for their approval, including any adjournments of such meeting.

         Stockholder  Voting  Record  Date  means the date for  determining  the
Public Stockholders of the Bank eligible to vote at the Stockholders' Meeting.

         Subscription  Offering  means  the  offering  of the  Common  Stock  to
Participants.

         Subscription  Rights  means  nontransferable  rights to  subscribe  for
Common Stock granted to Participants pursuant to the terms of the Plan.

         Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holder  means  any  Person  holding  a
Qualifying  Deposit at the close of  business  on the  Supplemental  Eligibility
Record Date.

                                      A-5
<PAGE>



         Supplemental  Eligibility  Record  Date means the date for  determining
Qualifying Deposits of Supplemental Eligible Account Holders and is the close of
business on September 30, 1997.

         Syndicated  Community  Offering  means  the  offering  for  sale  by  a
syndicate  of  broker-dealers  to the  general  public of  shares of Common  not
purchased in the Subscription  Offering,  Public Stockholders'  Offering and the
Community Offering.

         Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock  Benefit Plan means any defined  benefit
plan or defined  contribution  plan,  such as an employee stock  ownership plan,
stock bonus plan,  profit-sharing  plan or other plan,  which is established for
the benefit of the  employees  of the  Company and the Bank and which,  with its
related trust, meets the requirements to be "qualified" under Section 401 of the
Code as from time to time in effect. A "Non-Tax-Qualified Employee Stock Benefit
Plan" is any defined  benefit plan or defined  contribution  stock  benefit plan
which is not so qualified.

         Voting Member means a Person who at the close of business on the Voting
Record Date is entitled to vote as a Member of the Mutual Holding Company.

         Voting  Record  Date  means  the  date or  dates  for  determining  the
eligibility  of  Members  to vote at the  Special  Meeting  and is the  close of
business on ______________ 1997.



                                      A-6



<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                                             <C>
===========================================================================     ====================================================

No dealer,  salesman or other person has been authorized to give 
any information or to make any  representations  not contained in
this  Prospectus in connection with the  offering  made  hereby,  and,
if given or made,  such  information  or representations  must not be
relied upon as having been  authorized by the Bank, the Company
or the Selling Agent.  This  Prospectus does not constitute an offer                                Up to 5,410,019 Shares
to sell, or the  solicitation of an offer to buy, any of the securities                              (Anticipated Maximum)
offered hereby to any person in any  jurisdiction  in which  such                                         Common Stock
offer or  solicitation would be unlawful.  Neither the  delivery of
this  Prospectus  by the Bank,  the Mutual  Holding  Company,  the
Company or the Agent nor any sale made  hereunder shall in any 
circumstances  create an implication that there has been no change
in the  affairs  of the Bank or the  Company  since any of the dates
as of which information is furnished herein or since the date hereof.                                         [Logo]

         TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                  Page
                                                  ----
Summary........................................      1                                         Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
Selected Consolidated Financial and Other Data.
Recent Developments............................                                                 (Proposed Holdling Company for
Management's Discussion and Analysis of                                                         Guaranty Federal Savings Bank)
  Recent Developments..........................
Risk Factors...................................                                                           Common Stock
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc. .............                                                     par value $0.10 per share
The Bank ......................................
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.............
Use of Proceeds................................
Dividend Policy................................                                                           -------------   
Market for Common Stock........................
Capitalization.................................                                                             PROSPECTUS
Historical and Pro Forma Capital Compliance....
Pro Forma Data.................................                                                           -------------
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
  Condition and Results of Operations..........
Business of the Bank...........................
Regulation.....................................
Federal and State Taxation.....................                                              FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.
Management of the Company......................
Management of the Bank.........................
Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock...........                                                      Dated November ______, 1997
The Conversion and Reorganization..............
Comparison of Stockholders' Rights.............
Certain Restrictions on Acquisition of
  the Company..................................
Description of Capital Stock of the Company....
Legal Opinions.................................
Tax Opinions...................................
Experts........................................
Registration Requirements......................
Additional Information.........................
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements.....   F-1

   Until the later of __________ ___, 1997, or 25 days after 
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.

===========================================================================     ====================================================
</TABLE>

<PAGE>



                 PART II: INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.       Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

*        Special Counsel Fees and Expenses..................      $  250,000
*        Local Counsel Fees and Expenses....................          10,000
*        Accounting Fees and Expenses.......................          60,000
*        Appraisal/Business Plan Fees and Expenses..........          42,500
*        Blue Sky Legal and Filing Fees.....................          25,000
*        Conversion Agent...................................          12,500
*        Printing Fees and Expenses.........................         100,000
*        Postage and Mailing Expenses.......................          60,000
*        Stock Certificate Expenses.........................          15,000
*        Transfer Agent Fees................................          20,000
*        Underwriting Fees..................................         150,000
*        Underwriting Expenses..............................          50,000
*        Filing Fees........................................
                  OTS.......................................           8,400
                  Nasdaq....................................          36,100
                  SEC.......................................          19,000
                  NASD......................................           6,700
*        EDGAR Fees and Expenses............................          20,000
*        Other..............................................          29,800
                                                                    --------
                          Total.............................      $  915,000
                                                                    ========
- -----------------
*        Estimated.


Item 14       Indemnification of Directors and Officers

         Section  145  of  the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Act  sets  forth
circumstances  under  which  directors,  officers,  employees  and agents may be
insured  or  indemnified  against  liability  which  they  may  incur  in  their
capacities as such.

         The Certificate of Incorporation of the registrant (the  "Certificate")
requires  indemnification  of  directors,  officers and employees to the fullest
extent  permitted by Delaware  law and limits the  liability of directors to the
fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

         The  registrant  may purchase  and maintain  insurance on behalf of any
person who is or was a director,  officer,  employee, or agent thereof or who is
or was serving at the request of the registrant as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another  corporation,  partnership,  joint  venture,  trust or other
enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any
such  capacity  or  arising  out of his  status  as  such,  whether  or not  the
registrant  would have the power to indemnify him against such  liability  under
the provisions of the Certificate.

         A result of such  provisions  could be to increase  the expenses of the
registrant and  effectively  reduce the ability of stockholders to sue on behalf
of the  registrant  since  certain  suits could be barred or amounts  that might
otherwise be obtained on behalf of the registrant could be required to be repaid
by the registrant to an indemnified party.




<PAGE>



Item 15.      Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

                  Not Applicable


Item 16.      Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules:

              The financial  statements  and exhibits  filed as part of this
Registration Statement are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                <C>     <C>
                   (a)     List of Exhibits:

                   1       Agency Agreement with Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.*

                   2       Amended Plan of Conversion of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. and Agreement and Plan
                           of Reorganization between Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. and Guaranty Federal Savings
                           Bank

                   3(i)    Certificate of Incorporation of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

                   3(ii)   Bylaws of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

                   4       Specimen Stock Certificate of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

                   5       Opinion of Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C. regarding legality of securities registered

                   8.1     Federal Tax Opinion of Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C.

                   8.2     Missouri Tax Opinion of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C.

                   8.3     Statement of RP Financial, LC. as to the value of subscription rights

                  10.1     1994 Stock Option Plan of Guaranty Federal Savings Bank

                  10.2     1994 Recognition and Retention Plan of Guaranty Federal Savings Bank

                  23.1     Consent of Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C. (included with Exhibits 5 and 8.1)

                  23.2     Consent of Baird, Kurtz & Dobson

                  23.3     Consent of RP Financial, LC.

                  23.4     Consent of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. (included with Exhibit 8.2)

                  24       Power of Attorney (included with signature page)

                  99.1     Appraisal Report of RP Financial, LC. dated as of September 5, 1997.

                  99.2     Marketing Material*
</TABLE>

- -------------------
*        To be filed by amendment


<PAGE>




                  (b)      Financial Statements and Schedules:

         Except  for  schedules  required  for  electronic   filers,   financial
statement  schedules  are  omitted  because  they  are not  required  or are not
applicable or the required  information is shown in the financial  statements or
the notes thereto.


Item 17. Undertakings

    I.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                    (i)   To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3)
of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act");

                   (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the  effective  date of the  registration  statement  (or the most  recent
post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or in the  aggregate,
represent a fundamental  change in the information set forth in the registration
statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities  offered would not
exceed that which was  registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of
the estimated  maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule 424(b) if, in the  aggregate,  the
changes in volume and price  represent no more than 20 percent change in maximum
aggregate  offering price set forth in the  "Calculation  of  Registration  Fee"
table in the effective registration statement;

                  (iii) To include any material  information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously  disclosed in the registration  statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         (4) To provide  to the  underwriter  at the  closing  specified  in the
underwriting  agreements,  certificates in such  denominations and registered in
such names as  required by the  underwriter  to permit  prompt  delivery to each
purchaser.

    II. Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to  directors,  officers,  and  controlling  persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such  indemnification  is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act,  and  is  therefore,   unenforceable.   In  the  event  that  a  claim  for
indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than  the  payment  by  the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,  officer,  or controlling
person of the  registrant  in the  successful  defense  of any  action,  suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such  director,  officer,  or  controlling  person in
connection with the securities being registered,  the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit  to a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether  such
indemnification  by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES

              Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as
amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed
on its behalf by the  undersigned,  thereunto duly  authorized,  in Springfield,
Missouri, as of September 17, 1997.

                                  GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.


                                  By: /s/James E. Haseltine
                                      James E. Haseltine
                                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                                      (Duly Authorized Representative)

              We the  undersigned  directors  and  officers of Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares,  Inc. do hereby severally  constitute and appoint James E. Haseltine
and Bruce Winston our true and lawful  attorneys  and agents,  to do any and all
things and acts in our names in the  capacities  indicated  below and to execute
all instruments for us and in our names in the capacities  indicated below which
said James E.  Haseltine  and Bruce  Winston may deem  necessary or advisable to
enable Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc. to comply with the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and any rules,  regulations and requirements of the Securities
and Exchange Commission,  in connection with the registration  statement on Form
S-1  relating to the  offering of Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc.'s  common
stock,  including  specifically  but not limited to, power and authority to sign
for  us or any  of us in  our  names  in  the  capacities  indicated  below  the
registration  statement  and any and all  amendments  (including  post-effective
amendments)  thereto;  and we  hereby  ratify  and  confirm  all  that  James E.
Haseltine and Bruce Winston shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

              Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as
amended,  this  registration  statement  has been signed below by the  following
persons in the capacities indicated as of September 17, 1997.


/s/James E. Haseltine                              /s/George L. Hall
- -------------------------------------              -----------------------------
James E. Haseltine                                 George L. Hall
President and Chief Executive Officer              Director
(Principal Executive Officer)


/s/Bruce Winston                                   /s/Ivy L. Rogers
- -------------------------------------              -----------------------------
Bruce Winston                                      Ivy L. Rogers
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer         Director
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)


/s/Jack L. Barham                                  /s/Gary Lipscomb
- -------------------------------------              -----------------------------
Jack L. Barham                                     Gary Lipscomb
Chairman of the Board and Director                 Director


/s/Wayne V. Barnes
- -------------------------------------     
Wayne V. Barnes
Director







                                   EXHIBIT 2
<PAGE>

                               PLAN OF CONVERSION

                                       of

                       GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, M.H.C.

                                       and

                      AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

                                     between

                       GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, M.H.C.

                                       and

                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK

                                   as amended


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section
Number                                                                                                Page
- ------                                                                                                ----

<S> <C>  <C>                                                                                          <C>
    1.   Introduction............................................................................        1
    2.   Definitions.............................................................................        3
    3.   General Procedure for Conversion and Reorganization.....................................        9
    4.   Total Number of Shares and Purchase Price of
           Conversion Stock......................................................................       11
    5.   Subscription Rights of Eligible Account Holders (First Priority)........................       12
    6.   Subscription Rights of the Tax-Qualified Employee Stock
           Benefit Plans (Second Priority).......................................................       13
    7.   Subscription Rights of Supplemental Eligible Account Holders
           (Third Priority)......................................................................       14
    8.   Subscription Rights of Other Members (Fourth Priority)..................................       15
    9.   Public Stockholders' Offering ..........................................................       16
    10.  Community Offering, Syndicated Community Offering
           and Other Offerings...................................................................       16
    11. Limitations on Subscriptions and Purchases of Conversion Stock...........................       18
    12.  Timing of Subscription Offering; Manner of Exercising
           Subscription Rights and Order Forms...................................................       19
    13.  Payment for Conversion Stock............................................................       21
    14.  Account Holders in Nonqualified States or Foreign Countries.............................       22
    15.  Voting Rights of Stockholders...........................................................       23
    16.  Liquidation Account.....................................................................       23
    17.  Transfer of Deposit Accounts............................................................       24
    18.  Requirements Following Conversion and Reorganization for
           Registration, Market Making and Stock Exchange Listing................................       25
    19.  Directors and Officers of the Bank......................................................       25
    20.  Requirements for Stock Purchases by Directors and Officers
          Following the Conversion and Reorganization............................................       25
    21.  Restrictions on Transfer of Stock.......................................................       25
    22.  Restrictions on Acquisition of Stock of the Holding Company.............................       26
    23.  Tax Rulings or Opinions.................................................................       27
    24.  Stock Compensation Plans................................................................       27
    25.  Dividend and Repurchase Restrictions on Stock...........................................       27
    26.  Payment of Fees to Brokers..............................................................       28
    27.  Effective Date..........................................................................       28
    28.  Amendment or Termination of the Plan....................................................       28
    29.  Interpretation of the Plan..............................................................       29
</TABLE>

Appendix A - Plan of Merger  between  the Mutual  Holding  Company  and the Bank
Appendix B - Plan of Reorganization  between the Bank, Interim B and the Holding
Company

                                        i

<PAGE>



1.       INTRODUCTION
         ------------

    For  purposes  of this  section,  all  capitalized  terms  have the  meaning
ascribed to them in Section 2.

    In April 1995,  Guaranty Federal Savings Bank, a federally  chartered mutual
savings  institution  reorganized  into  the  mutual  holding  company  form  of
organization and consummated a sale of stock to its members.  To accomplish this
transaction,  the Bank organized a federally chartered,  stock savings bank as a
wholly owned subsidiary.  The mutual Bank then transferred  substantially all of
its assets and  liabilities  to the stock  Bank in  exchange  for shares of Bank
Common Stock, and reorganized  itself into a federally  chartered mutual holding
company known as Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.  and sold shares of Bank
Common Stock to parties  other than the MHC. As of the date  hereof,  the Mutual
Holding Company and the Public  Stockholders own an aggregate of 68.9% and 31.1%
of the outstanding Bank Common Stock, respectively.

    The Boards of Directors of the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank believe
that a conversion of the Mutual Holding Company to stock form and reorganization
of the Bank pursuant to this Plan of Conversion is in the best  interests of the
Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank,  as well as the best  interests  of their
respective  Members and  Stockholders.  The Boards of Directors have  determined
that this Plan of  Conversion  equitably  provides for the  interests of Members
through  the  granting  of  subscription  rights  and  the  establishment  of  a
liquidation  account.  The Conversion and Reorganization will result in the Bank
being wholly owned by a stock holding company,  which is a more common structure
and form of ownership than a mutual holding company. In addition, the Conversion
and Reorganization will result in the raising of additional capital for the Bank
and the Holding Company and should result in a more active and liquid market for
the  Holding  Company  Common  Stock than  currently  exists for the Bank Common
Stock,  although there can be no assurances that this will be the case. Finally,
the Conversion and Reorganization has been structured to reunite the accumulated
earnings and profits tax attribute  retained by the Mutual Holding  Company with
the retained earnings of the Bank through a tax-free  reorganization.  This will
increase the Bank's ability to pay dividends in the future.

    If the Bank had undertaken a standard conversion  involving the formation of
a stock holding company in 1995,  applicable OTS regulations would have required
a greater  amount of Bank  Common  Stock to be sold than was sold in the  Bank's
initial   public   offering   undertaken   with  the  mutual   holding   company
reorganization.  In addition,  if a standard  conversion  had been  conducted in
1995,  management  of the Bank  believed  that it would have been  difficult  to
profitably  and  prudently  invest the larger  amount of capital that would have
been raised,  when  compared to the amount of net proceeds  raised in the Bank's
initial  public  offering.  A  standard  conversion  in  1995  also  would  have
immediately  eliminated  all  aspects of the  mutual  form of  organization  and
possibly could have subjected the Bank to interference  from stockholders and to
an unwanted acquisition or other change in control of the Bank.


                                        1

<PAGE>



    Subsequent  to the  decision of the Boards of Directors to form a the Mutual
Holding Company,  there have been changes in the policies of the OTS relating to
mutual  holding  companies.  In addition,  market  conditions  for the stocks of
savings  institutions  and their holding  companies have improved.  The Bank has
also  gained  experience  in  being  a  company  required  to  meet  the  filing
requirements  of the  Securities  and  Exchange  Act of 1934  and in  conducting
stockholder  meetings and other  stockholder  matters,  such as  communications,
press releases,  NASD matters and dividend payments.  In light of the foregoing,
the Boards of Directors of the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank believe (i)
that it is in the best interests of such companies and their respective  Members
and Stockholders to reorganize into the stock form of organization at this time,
and (ii) that the most feasible way to do so is through the  Conversion  and the
Reorganization.

    In connection with the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Bank will form a
new first-tier,  wholly owned subsidiary  known as Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,
Inc. which will become the Holding  Company upon  consummation of the Conversion
and Reorganization.  The Holding Company will in turn form Interim B as a wholly
owned subsidiary. As described in more detail herein, the Mutual Holding Company
will convert to an interim  federal stock  savings bank and will  simultaneously
merge with and into the Bank pursuant to the Plan of Merger included as Appendix
A hereto, pursuant to which the Mutual Holding Company will cease to exist and a
liquidation account will be established by the Bank for the benefit of depositor
Members as of  specified  dates and  Interim B will then merge with and into the
Bank  pursuant  to the Plan of  Reorganization  included  as  Appendix B hereto,
pursuant to which the Bank will become a wholly owned  subsidiary of the Holding
Company.  In connection  therewith,  each share of Bank Common Stock outstanding
immediately  prior  to the  effective  time  thereof  that  is  held  by  Public
Stockholders  shall be  automatically  converted,  without further action by the
holder  thereof,  into and become the right to receive shares of Holding Company
Common Stock based on the Exchange  Ratio,  plus cash in lieu of any  fractional
share interest.

    In connection  with the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Holding Company
will offer  shares of  Conversion  Stock in the  Offerings  as provided  herein.
Shares of  Conversion  Stock  will be  offered  in a  Subscription  Offering  in
descending order of priority to Eligible Account Holders, Tax-Qualified Employee
Stock Benefit Plans,  Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holders and Other Members.
Remaining  shares may be  subscribed  for by Public  Stockholders  in the Public
Stockholders'  Offering.  Any shares of Conversion  Stock remaining unsold after
the Subscription Offering and the Public Stockholders'  Offering will be offered
for sale to the public through a Community Offering and/or Syndicated  Community
Offering,  as determined  by the Boards of Directors of the Holding  Company and
the Bank in their sole discretion.

    The  Conversion  and  Reorganization  is intended to provide  support to the
Bank's  lending  and  investment  activities  and  thereby  enhance  the  Bank's
capabilities to serve the borrowing and other financial needs of the communities
it serves.  The use of the Holding Company will provide  greater  organizational
flexibility and facilitate possible acquisitions and diversification.


                                        2

<PAGE>



    This Plan is subject to the approval of the OTS and also must be approved by
(1) at least a  majority  of the total  number of votes  eligible  to be cast by
Voting  Members of the Mutual  Holding  Company at the  Special  Meeting and (2)
holders of at least  two-thirds  of the  outstanding  Bank  Common  Stock at the
Stockholders'  Meeting.  In addition,  the Primary Parties have  conditioned the
consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization on the approval of the Plan by
at least a  majority  of the votes  cast,  in person or by proxy,  by the Public
Stockholders at the Stockholders' Meeting.

    After  the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  the Bank will  continue  to be
regulated  by the OTS,  as its  chartering  authority,  and by the  FDIC,  which
insures the Bank's deposits. In addition,  the Bank will continue to be a member
of the Federal  Home Loan Bank System,  and all insured  savings  deposits  will
continue to be insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amount provided by law.

2.       DEFINITIONS
         -----------

    As used in this Plan, the terms set forth below have the following meanings:

    Actual  Purchase  Price  means the  price per share at which the  Conversion
Stock is ultimately  sold by the Holding  Company in the Offerings in accordance
with the terms hereof.

    Affiliate  means a Person who,  directly or indirectly,  through one or more
intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with the
Person specified.

    Associate, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, means (i) a
corporation or organization (other than the Mutual Holding Company,  the Bank, a
majority-owned  subsidiary  of the Bank or the  Holding  Company)  of which such
Person is a  director,  officer or partner or is,  directly or  indirectly,  the
beneficial  owner of 10% or more of any  class of  equity  securities,  (ii) any
trust or other estate in which such Person has a substantial beneficial interest
or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity,
provided,  however, that such term shall not include any Tax-Qualified  Employee
Stock Benefit Plan of the Holding Company or the Bank in which such 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 any relative of
such  spouse,  who has the same  home as such  Person  or who is a  director  or
officer of the  Holding  Company or the Bank or any of the  subsidiaries  of the
foregoing.

    Bank  means  Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank in its mutual or stock form or
Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank  following  consummation  of the  Conversion and
Reorganization, as the context of the reference indicates.

    Bank Common  Stock means the common  stock of the Bank,  par value $1.00 per
share,  which  stock  is not and will not be  insured  by the FDIC or any  other
governmental authority.


                                        3

<PAGE>



    Bank Merger means the merger of Interim B with and into the Bank pursuant to
the Plan of Reorganization included as Appendix B hereto.

    Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

    Community Offering means the offering for sale by the Holding Company of any
shares of Conversion  Stock not subscribed for in the  Subscription  Offering or
Public  Stockholders'  Offering  to (i)  natural  persons  residing in the Local
Community,  and (ii) such other Persons  within or without the State of Missouri
as may be  selected  by the  Holding  Company  and the Bank  within  their  sole
discretion.

    Control  (including  the terms  "controlling,"  "controlled  by," and "under
common control with") means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power
to direct or cause the  direction  of the  management  and policies of a Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

    Conversion and Reorganization means (i) the conversion of the Mutual Holding
Company to an interim  federal  stock  savings  association  and the  subsequent
merger,  pursuant to which the Mutual Holding Company will cease to exist,  (ii)
the  Bank  Merger,  pursuant  to  which  the Bank  will  become  a wholly  owned
subsidiary of the Holding  Company and, in connection  therewith,  each share of
Bank Common Stock  outstanding  immediately  prior to the effective time thereof
that is held by Public  Stockholders shall  automatically be converted,  without
further  action by the  holder  thereof,  into and  become  the right to receive
shares of Holding Company Common Stock based on the Exchange Ratio, plus cash in
lieu of any  fractional  share  interest,  and (iii) the issuance of  Conversion
Stock by the Holding  Company in the  Offerings as provided  herein,  which will
increase the number of shares of Holding  Company Common Stock  outstanding  and
the capitalization of the Holding Company and the Bank.

    Conversion  Stock means the Holding  Company  Common  Stock to be issued and
sold in the Offerings pursuant to the Plan of Conversion.

    Deposit  Account  means  savings  and demand  accounts,  including  passbook
accounts,  money market  deposit  accounts and  negotiable  order of  withdrawal
accounts,  and certificates of deposit and other authorized accounts of the Bank
held by a Member.

    Director,  Officer and Employee means the terms as applied  respectively  to
any person who is a director, officer or employee of the Mutual Holding Company,
the Bank or any subsidiary thereof.

    Eligible Account Holder means any Person holding a Qualifying Deposit on the
Eligibility  Record Date for  purposes of  determining  subscription  rights and
establishing  subaccount  balances in the liquidation  account to be established
pursuant to the provision herein.


                                        4

<PAGE>



    Eligibility Record Date means the date for determining  Qualifying  Deposits
of Eligible Account Holders and is the close of business on December 31, 1995.

    Estimated  Price Range means the range of the estimated  aggregate pro forma
market  value  of  the  Conversion  Stock  to be  issued  in the  Offerings,  as
determined by the Independent Appraiser in accordance with Section 4 hereof.

    Exchange  Ratio  means the rate at which  shares of Holding  Company  Common
Stock  will be  exchanged  for  shares of Bank  Common  Stock held by the Public
Stockholders  in  connection  with the Bank  Merger.  The  exact  rate  shall be
determined  by the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank in order to ensure that
upon consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization  the Public  Stockholders
will own in the  aggregate  approximately  the same  percentage  of the  Holding
Company  Common Stock to be  outstanding  upon  completion of the Conversion and
Reorganization  as the  percentage  of Bank  Common  Stock  owned by them in the
aggregate on the Effective  Date,  as adjusted in accordance  with OTS policy to
reflect  any  special  dividends  declared  by the Bank and waived by the Mutual
Holding  Company,  but  before  giving  effect  to (a) cash  paid in lieu of any
fractional  interests  of  Holding  Company  Common  Stock and (b) any shares of
Conversion  Stock  purchased  by the Public  Stockholders  in the  Offerings  or
tax-qualified employee stock benefit plans thereafter.

    Exchange  Shares  means the shares of  Holding  Company  Common  Stock to be
issued to the Public Stockholders in connection with the Bank Merger.

    FDIC  means the  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  or any  successor
thereto.

    Holding Company means Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc., a corporation to be
organized  under  the  laws of the  State of  Delaware.  Such  corporation  will
initially be formed as a first-tier,  wholly owned  subsidiary of the Bank. Upon
completion of the Conversion and Reorganization,  the Holding Company shall hold
all of the outstanding capital stock of the Bank.

    Holding Company Common Stock means the Common Stock of the Holding  Company,
par value $.10 per share, which stock cannot and will not be insured by the FDIC
or any other governmental authority.

    Independent Appraiser means the independent  investment banking or financial
consulting  firm  retained  by the  Holding  Company  and the Bank to prepare an
appraisal of the estimated pro forma market value of the Conversion Stock.

    Initial  Purchase  Price means the price per share to be paid  initially  by
Participants  for shares of Conversion  Stock subscribed for in the Subscription
Offering,  Public  Stockholders  for shares of  Conversion  Stock ordered in the
Public  Stockholders'  Offering  and by Persons for shares of  Conversion  Stock
ordered in the Community Offering and/or Syndicated Community Offering.


                                        5

<PAGE>



    Interim A means Guaranty  Federal  Interim  Bancshares,  an interim  federal
stock  savings  bank,  which  will be formed as a result  of the  conversion  of
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. into the stock form of organization.

    Interim B means Guaranty  Federal Interim Savings Bank, which will be formed
as a first-tier,  wholly owned  subsidiary of the Holding  Company to facilitate
the Bank Merger.

    Local  Community means all counties in which the Bank has its home office or
a branch office.

    Member means any Person qualifying as a member of the Mutual Holding Company
in  accordance  with its  mutual  charter  and bylaws and the laws of the United
States.

    MHC Merger means the merger of Interim A with and into the Bank  pursuant to
the Plan of Merger included as Appendix A hereto.

    Mutual Holding Company means Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares, M.H.C. prior  to
its conversion into an interim federal stock savings bank.

    Offerings means the Subscription Offering, the Public Stockholders Offering,
the Community Offering and the Syndicated Community Offering, if applicable.

    Officer means the president, senior vice-president,  secretary, treasurer or
principal financial officer, comptroller or principal accounting officer and any
other person  performing  similar  functions  with  respect to any  organization
whether incorporated or unincorporated.

    Order  Form  means  the  form or  forms  provided  by the  Holding  Company,
containing all such terms and  provisions as set forth herein,  to a Participant
or other Person by which Conversion Stock may be ordered in the Offerings.

    Other Member means a Voting Member who is not an Eligible  Account Holder or
a Supplemental Eligible Account Holder.

    OTS means the Office of Thrift Supervision or any successor thereto.

    Participant means any Eligible Account Holder,  Tax-Qualified Employee Stock
Benefit Plan, Supplemental Eligible Account Holder and Other Member.

    Person means an individual, a corporation, a partnership,  an association, a
joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated  organization or a government or
any political subdivision thereof.

    Plan and Plan of Conversion  means this Plan of Conversion and Agreement and
Plan of  Reorganization  as  adopted by the  Boards of  Directors  of the Mutual
Holding Company and the

                                        6

<PAGE>



Bank  and any  amendment  hereto  approved  as  provided  herein.  The  Board of
Directors of the Holding  Company  shall adopt this Plan as soon as  practicable
following its organization,  and the Board of Directors of Interim B shall adopt
the Plan of Reorganization  included as Appendix B hereto as soon as practicable
following its organization.

    Primary Parties means the Mutual Holding Company, the Bank and  the  Holding
Company.

    Prospectus  means  the one or more  documents  to be  used in  offering  the
Conversion Stock in the Offerings.

    Public Stockholders means those Persons who own shares of Bank Common Stock,
excluding the Mutual Holding Company, as of the Stockholder Voting Record Date.

    Public  Stockholders'  Offering  means the  offering for sale by the Holding
Company of any shares of Conversion Stock not subscribed for in the Subscription
Offering to Public Stockholders,  at the sole discretion of the Bank and Holding
Company.

    Qualifying  Deposit means the aggregate  balance of all Deposit  Accounts in
the Bank of (i) an  Eligible  Account  Holder  at the close of  business  on the
Eligibility  Record Date,  provided such aggregate balance is not less than $50,
and (ii) a Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder at the close of business on the
Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date,  provided such aggregate  balance is not
less than $50.

    Resident  means any person who, on the date  designated for that category of
subscriber  in the Plan,  maintained  a bona  fide  residence  within  the Local
Community and has manifested an intent to remain within the Local  Community for
a  period  of  time.  The  designated   dates  for  Eligible   Account  Holders,
Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders and Other  Members are the  Eligibility
Record Date,  the  Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date and the Voting  Record
Date, respectively.  To the extent the person is a corporation or other business
entity, the principal place of business or headquarters must be within the Local
Community  in order to  qualify  as a  Resident.  To the  extent the person is a
personal  benefit plan, the  circumstances  of the beneficiary  shall apply with
respect  to  this   definition.   In  the  case  of  all  other  benefit  plans,
circumstances  of the trustee shall be examined for purposes of this definition.
The Bank may utilize deposit or loan records or such other evidence  provided to
it to make a determination as to whether a person is a bona fide resident of the
Local Community.  Subscribers in the Community  Offering who are natural persons
also  will  have a  purchase  preference  if they  were  residents  of the Local
Community  on  the  date  of  the  Prospectus.   In  all  cases,  however,  such
determination shall be in the sole discretion of the Bank and Holding Company.

    SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Special  Meeting means the Special  Meeting of Members of the Mutual Holding
Company called for the purpose of submitting  this Plan to the Members for their
approval, including any adjournments of such meeting.

                                        7

<PAGE>




    Stockholders means those Persons who own shares of Bank Common Stock.

    Stockholders' Meeting means the annual or special meeting of Stockholders of
the Bank called for the purpose of submitting this Plan to the  Stockholders for
their approval, including any adjournments of such meeting.

    Stockholder  Voting  Record Date means the date for  determining  the Public
Stockholders of the Bank eligible to vote at the Stockholders' Meeting.

    Subscription  Offering  means  the  offering  of  the  Conversion  Stock  to
Participants.

    Subscription Rights means nontransferable rights to subscribe for Conversion
Stock granted to Participants pursuant to the terms of this Plan.

    Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holder means any Person holding a Qualifying
Deposit at the close of business on the Supplemental Eligibility Record Date.

    Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date,  if  applicable,  means the date for
determining  Qualifying  Deposits of Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holders and
shall be required if the Eligibility Record Date is more than 15 months prior to
the date of the latest  amendment to the Application for Conversion filed by the
Mutual  Holding  Company  prior to approval of such  application  by the OTS. If
applicable,  the Supplemental  Eligibility  Record Date shall be the last day of
the calendar  quarter  preceding OTS approval of the  Application for Conversion
submitted by the Mutual Holding Company pursuant to this Plan of Conversion.

    Syndicated  Community Offering means the offering for sale by a syndicate of
broker-dealers to the general public of shares of Conversion Stock not purchased
in the Subscription Offering and the Community Offering.

    Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plan means any defined benefit plan or
defined contribution plan, such as an employee stock ownership plan, stock bonus
plan, profit-sharing plan or other plan, which is established for the benefit of
the  employees of the Holding  Company and the Bank and which,  with its related
trust, meets the requirements to be "qualified" under Section 401 of the Code as
from time to time in effect. A  "Non-Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plan"
is any defined benefit plan or defined  contribution stock benefit plan which is
not so qualified.

    Voting  Member  means a Person  who at the close of  business  on the Voting
Record  Date is entitled  to vote as a Member of the Mutual  Holding  Company in
accordance with its mutual charter and bylaws.

    Voting Record Date means the date or dates for  determining  the eligibility
of Members to vote at the Special Meeting.


                                        8

<PAGE>



3.        GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR CONVERSION AND REORGANIZATION
          ---------------------------------------------------

     A. After the Bank's  organization of the Holding Company and the receipt of
all requisite regulatory approvals, the Holding Company will form Interim B as a
first-tier,  wholly owned  subsidiary of the Holding  Company,  and the Board of
Directors  of  Interim B shall  adopt  the Plan of  Reorganization  included  as
Appendix  B hereto by at least a  two-thirds  vote.  In  addition,  the  Holding
Company  shall approve such Plan of  Reorganization  in its capacity as the sole
stockholder of Interim B.

     B. An application for the Conversion and Reorganization, including the Plan
and all other requisite  material (the "Application for  Conversion"),  shall be
submitted to the OTS for approval.  The Mutual Holding Company and the Bank also
will cause  notice of the adoption of the Plan by the Boards of Directors of the
Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank to be given by  publication in a newspaper
having  general  circulation in each community in which an office of the Bank is
located;  and will cause copies of the Plan to be made  available at each office
of the  Mutual  Holding  Company  and the Bank for  inspection  by  Members  and
Stockholders.  The  Mutual  Holding  Company  and  the  Bank  will  cause  to be
published,  in accordance with the requirements of applicable regulations of the
OTS, a notice of the filing with the OTS of an application to convert the Mutual
Holding Company from mutual to stock form.

     C. Promptly  following receipt of requisite  approval of the OTS, this Plan
will be  submitted  to the Members for their  consideration  and approval at the
Special  Meeting.  The Mutual  Holding  Company may, at its option,  mail to all
Members as of the Voting Record Date,  at their last known address  appearing on
the records of the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank,  a proxy  statement in
either long or summary  form  describing  the Plan which will be  submitted to a
vote of the Members at the Special Meeting.  The Holding Company also shall mail
to all such  Members (as well as other  Participants)  either a  Prospectus  and
Order Form for the purchase of Conversion  Stock or a letter  informing  them of
their right to receive a Prospectus and Order Form and a postage prepaid card to
request  such  materials,  subject to the  provisions  herein.  The Plan must be
approved by the  affirmative  vote of at least a majority of the total number of
votes eligible to be cast by Voting Members at the Special Meeting.

     D.  Subscription  Rights to  purchase  shares of  Conversion  Stock will be
issued  without  payment  therefor to Eligible  Account  Holders,  Tax-Qualified
Employee Plans, Supplemental Eligible Account Holders and Other Members.

     E. The Bank shall file preliminary proxy materials with the OTS in order to
seek the approval of the Plan by its Stockholders.  Promptly following clearance
of such proxy materials and the receipt of any other  requisite  approval of the
OTS, the Bank will mail definitive proxy materials to all Stockholders as of the
Stockholder  Voting Record Date,  at their last known  address  appearing on the
records of the Bank,  for their  consideration  and approval of this Plan at the
Stockholders'  Meeting.  The Plan must be  approved  by the  holders of at least
two-thirds of the outstanding Bank Common Stock as of the Voting Record Date. In
addition, the Primary

                                        9

<PAGE>



Parties have conditioned the  consummation of the Conversion and  Reorganization
on the approval of the Plan by at least a majority of the votes cast,  in person
or by proxy, by the Public Stockholders as of the Stockholder Voting Record Date
at the Stockholders' Meeting.

     F. The Holding Company shall submit or cause to be submitted an Application
H-(e)1 or H-(e)1-S to the OTS for approval of the  acquisition of the Bank. Such
application also shall include  applications to form Interim A and Interim B. In
addition,  an  application to merge Interim A and the Bank and an application to
merge  Interim B and the Bank shall be filed with the OTS,  either as an exhibit
to the Application H-(e)1 or H-(e)1-S or separately.  All notices required to be
published in connection with such  applications  shall be published at the times
required.

     G. The Holding Company shall file a Registration  Statement with the SEC to
register the Holding  Company  Common Stock to be issued in the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and shall register
such Holding Company Common Stock under any applicable  state  securities  laws.
Upon  registration and after the receipt of all required  regulatory  approvals,
the Conversion Stock shall be first offered for sale in a Subscription  Offering
to  Eligible  Account  Holders,  Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock  Benefit  Plans,
Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders and Other Members. It is anticipated that
any shares of Conversion Stock remaining unsold after the Subscription  Offering
will be sold first through the Public Stockholders'  Offering and then through a
Community Offering and/or a Syndicated  Community  Offering.  The purchase price
per share  for the  Conversion  Stock  shall be a uniform  price  determined  in
accordance with the provisions  herein.  The Holding Company shall contribute to
the Bank an amount of the net proceeds  received by the Holding Company from the
sale of  Conversion  Stock as shall be  determined by the Boards of Directors of
the Holding Company and the Bank and as shall be approved by the OTS.

     H. The Effective  Date of the Conversion  and  Reorganization  shall be the
date set forth in Section 27 hereof.  Upon the  effective  date,  the  following
transactions shall occur:

          (i) The Mutual Holding  Company shall convert into an interim  federal
     stock savings  bank,  Interim A, and Interim A shall  simultaneously  merge
     with and into the Bank in the MHC Merger, with the Bank being the surviving
     institution.  As a result of the MHC Merger,  (a) the shares of Bank Common
     Stock  currently held by the Mutual Holding  Company shall be  extinguished
     and (b) Members of the Mutual Holding Company will be granted  interests in
     the  liquidation  account to be established by the Bank pursuant to Section
     16 hereof.

          (ii) Interim B shall merge with and into the Bank pursuant to the Bank
     Merger, with the Bank being the surviving  institution.  As a result of the
     Bank  Merger,  (a) the shares of Holding  Company  Common Stock held by the
     Bank shall be extinguished; (b) the shares of the Bank Common Stock held by
     the Public Stockholders shall be converted into the right to receive shares
     of Holding Company Common Stock based upon the Exchange Ratio, plus cash in
     lieu of any fractional share interest based upon the Actual

                                       10

<PAGE>



     Purchase Price; and (c) the shares of common stock of Interim B held by the
     Holding  Company  shall be converted  into shares of Bank Common Stock on a
     one-for-one  basis,  with the result  that the Bank  shall  become a wholly
     owned subsidiary of the Holding Company.

          (iii) The  Holding  Company  shall  sell the  Conversion  Stock in the
     Offerings, as provided herein.

     I. The Primary parties may retain and pay for the services of financial and
other  advisors and investment  bankers to assist in connection  with any or all
aspects of the Conversion and  Reorganization,  including in connection with the
Offerings,  the payment of fees to brokers and investment  bankers for assisting
Persons  in  completing  and/or  submitting  Order  Forms.  All fees,  expenses,
retainers and similar items shall be reasonable.

4.        TOTAL NUMBER OF SHARES AND PURCHASE PRICE OF CONVERSION
          -------------------------------------------------------
          STOCK
          -----

     A. The aggregate price at which shares of Conversion Stock shall be sold in
the Offerings  shall be based on a pro forma  valuation of the aggregate  market
value  of the  Conversion  Stock  prepared  by the  Independent  Appraiser.  The
valuation  shall be based  on  financial  information  relating  to the  Primary
Parties,  market, financial and economic conditions, a comparison of the Primary
Parties with selected publicly held financial institutions and holding companies
such other factors as the  Independent  Appraiser may deem to be important.  The
valuation shall be stated in terms of an Estimated  Price Range,  the maximum of
which shall  generally  be no more than 15% above the average of the minimum and
maximum of such price range and the minimum of which shall  generally be no more
than 15%  below  such  average.  The  valuation  shall  be  updated  during  the
Conversion and Reorganization as market and financial  conditions warrant and as
may be required by the OTS.

     B. Based upon the  independent  valuation,  the Boards of  Directors of the
Primary  Parties shall fix the Initial  Purchase Price and the number (or range)
of shares of Conversion Stock ("Offering Range") to be offered in the Offerings.
The Actual Purchase Price and the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock to
be issued in the Offerings shall be determined by the Boards of Directors of the
Primary  Parties  upon  conclusion  of the  Offerings in  consultation  with the
Independent Appraiser and any financial advisor or investment banker retained by
the Primary Parties in connection therewith.

     C.  Subject to the approval of the OTS,  the  Estimated  Price Range may be
increased or decreased prior to completion of the Conversion and  Reorganization
to reflect  changes in  market,  financial  and  economic  conditions  since the
commencement of the Offerings,  and under such circumstances the Primary Parties
may  correspondingly  increase  or  decrease  the  total  number  of  shares  of
Conversion  Stock to be issued in the Conversion and  Reorganization  to reflect
any such  change.  Notwithstanding  anything to the  contrary  contained in this
Plan, no resolicitation

                                       11

<PAGE>



of  subscribers  shall be required  and  subscribers  shall not be  permitted to
modify or cancel their  subscriptions  unless the aggregate  funds received from
the offer of the Conversion Stock in the Conversion and  Reorganization are less
than the minimum or (excluding  purchases,  if any, by the Holding Company's and
the Bank's  Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans) more than 15% above the
maximum of the Estimated Price Range set forth in the  Prospectus.  In the event
of an  increase  in the total  number of shares  offered in the  Conversion  and
Reorganization  due to an increase in the Estimated Price Range, the priority of
share allocation  shall be as set forth in this Plan,  provided,  however,  that
such priority will have no effect whatsoever on the ability of the Tax-Qualified
Employee Stock Benefit Plans to purchase  additional  shares pursuant to Section
4.D.

     D. (i) In the event that  Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock  Benefit Plans are
unable to purchase  the number of shares  subscribed  for by such  Tax-Qualified
Employee Stock Benefit Plans due to an oversubscription for shares of Conversion
Stock pursuant to Section 5 hereof,  Tax- Qualified Employee Stock Benefit Plans
may purchase from the Holding  Company,  and the Holding Company may sell to the
Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans, such additional shares ("Additional
Shares") of Holding Company Common Stock necessary to fill the  subscriptions of
the  Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans,  provided that such Additional
Shares may not exceed 8% of the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock sold
in the  Conversion  and  Reorganization.  The  sale  of  Additional  Shares,  if
necessary,  will occur  contemporaneously with the sale of the Conversion Stock.
The sale of Additional Shares to Tax- Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans by
the Holding  Company is  conditioned  upon  receipt by the Holding  Company of a
letter  from the  Independent  Appraiser  to the effect that such sale would not
have a  material  effect on the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  or the  Actual
Purchase  Price and the  approval of the OTS.  The ability of the  Tax-Qualified
Employee  Stock  Benefit  Plans to purchase up to an  additional 8% of the total
number of shares of Conversion  Stock sold in the Conversion and  Reorganization
shall not be  affected  or limited in any manner by the  priorities  or purchase
limitations otherwise set forth in this Plan of Conversion.

     (ii)  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained in this Plan, if
the final valuation of the Conversion Stock exceeds the maximum of the Estimated
Price Range, up to 8% of the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock sold in
the Conversion and  Reorganization  may be sold to  Tax-Qualified  Stock Benefit
Plans prior to filling any other orders for Conversion Stock from such shares in
excess of the maximum of the Estimated Price Range.

5.        SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT HOLDERS
          -----------------------------------------------
           (FIRST PRIORITY)
           ----------------

     A.  Each  Eligible   Account   Holder  shall  receive,   without   payment,
nontransferable   Subscription  Rights  to  purchase,  subject  to  the  further
limitations of Section 11 hereof,  up to the greater of (i) the maximum purchase
limitation  set forth in Section 11 hereof,  (ii)  one-tenth  of 1% of the total
offering of shares of Conversion Stock in the Subscription  Offering,  and (iii)
15 times  the  product  (rounded  down to the next  whole  number)  obtained  by
multiplying  the  total  number of shares of  Conversion  Stock  offered  in the
Subscription Offering by a fraction, of

                                       12

<PAGE>



which the  numerator  is the amount of the  Qualifying  Deposit of the  Eligible
Account  Holder  and the  denominator  is the  total  amount  of all  Qualifying
Deposits of all Eligible Account Holders, subject to Section 14 hereof.

     B. In the  event of an  oversubscription  for  shares of  Conversion  Stock
pursuant to the provisions  herein,  available  shares shall be allocated  among
subscribing  Eligible Account Holders so as to permit each such Eligible Account
Holder,  to the extent possible,  to purchase a number of shares which will make
his or her  total  allocation  equal  to the  lesser  of the  number  of  shares
subscribed for or 100 shares.  Any available  shares  remaining  after each such
subscribing  Eligible Account Holder has been allocated the lesser of the number
of shares  subscribed for or 100 shares shall be allocated among the subscribing
Eligible Account Holders in the proportion which the Qualifying  Deposit of each
such subscribing  Eligible Account Holder bears to the total Qualifying Deposits
of all such  subscribing  Eligible  Account  Holders  whose orders are unfilled,
provided  that no  fractional  shares  shall be issued.  Subscription  Rights of
Eligible Account Holders who are also Directors or Officers and their Associates
shall be subordinated  to those of other Eligible  Account Holders to the extent
that they are  attributable  to increased  deposits  during the one-year  period
preceding the Eligibility Record Date.

6.        SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF THE TAX-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK
          -------------------------------------------------------
          BENEFIT PLANS (SECOND PRIORITY)
          -------------------------------

     Notwithstanding  the purchase  limitations  discussed below,  Tax-Qualified
Employee Stock Benefit Plans of the Holding  Company and the Bank shall receive,
without payment,  Subscription  Rights to purchase in the aggregate up to 10% of
the  Conversion  Stock,  including  first  priority  to  purchase  any shares of
Conversion Stock to be issued in the Conversion and  Reorganization  as a result
of  an  increase  in  the  Estimated  Price  Range  after  commencement  of  the
Subscription   Offering  and  prior  to   completion  of  the   Conversion   and
Reorganization.  Consistent  with  applicable  laws,  regulations,  policies and
practices of the OTS,  Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans may use funds
contributed  by the  Holding  Company  or  the  Bank  and/or  borrowed  from  an
independent  third party to exercise such Subscription  Rights,  and the Holding
Company and the Bank may make  scheduled  discretionary  contributions  thereto,
provided that such contributions do not cause the Holding Company or the Bank to
fail to meet any applicable regulatory capital requirement.

7.        SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF SUPPLEMENTAL ELIGIBLE ACCOUNT
          ----------------------------------------------------
          HOLDERS (THIRD PRIORITY)
          ------------------------

     A. In the event  that the  Eligibility  Record  Date is more than 15 months
prior to the date of the latest  amendment  to the  Application  for  Conversion
filed  prior to OTS  approval,  then,  and only in that  event,  a  Supplemental
Eligibility  Record  Date shall be set and each  Supplemental  Eligible  Account
Holder shall, subject to the further limitations of Section 11 hereof,  receive,
without  payment,  Subscription  Rights to purchase up to the greater of (i) the
maximum purchase limitation set forth in Section 11 hereof, (ii) one-tenth of 1%
of the  total  offering  of  shares  of  Conversion  Stock  in the  Subscription
Offering, and (iii) 15 times the product (rounded down to

                                       13

<PAGE>



the next whole  number)  obtained by  multiplying  the total number of shares of
Conversion  Stock offered in the Subscription  Offering by a fraction,  of which
the  numerator  is the amount of the  Qualifying  Deposits  of the  Supplemental
Eligible  Account  Holder  and  the  denominator  is  the  total  amount  of all
Qualifying  Deposits of all Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holders,  subject to
Section  14  hereof  and the  availability  of shares  of  Conversion  Stock for
purchase after taking into account the shares of Conversion  Stock  purchased by
Eligible Account Holders and Tax- Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans though
the exercise of Subscription Rights under Sections 5 and 6 hereof.

     B. In the event of an  oversubscription  for  shares of  Conversion  Stock,
available  shares shall be allocated  among  subscribing  Supplemental  Eligible
Account Holders so as to permit each such Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder,
to the extent  possible,  to purchase a number of shares  sufficient to make his
total  allocation  (including  the  number  of  shares,  if  any,  allocated  in
accordance  with  Section  5.A)  equal to the  lesser  of the  number  of shares
subscribed for or 100 shares. Any remaining  available shares shall be allocated
among subscribing  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders in the proportion that
the  Qualifying  Deposits  of each bears to the total  amount of the  Qualifying
Deposits of all such  subscribing  Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holders whose
orders are unfilled, provided that no fractional shares shall be issued.

8.        SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF OTHER MEMBERS (FOURTH PRIORITY)
          ------------------------------------------------------

     A. Each Other Member shall,  subject to the further  limitations of Section
11 hereof, receive,  without payment,  Subscription Rights to purchase up to the
greater of (i) the maximum  purchase  limitation  set forth in Section 11 hereof
and (ii) one-tenth of 1% of the total offering of shares of Conversion  Stock in
the  Subscription  Offering,  in each case  subject to Section 14 hereof and the
availability  of shares of  Conversion  Stock for  purchase  after  taking  into
account the shares of Conversion  Stock purchased by Eligible  Account  Holders,
Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans, and  Supplemental  Eligible Account
Holders, if any, through the exercise of Subscription Rights under Sections 5, 6
and 7 hereof.

     B. If,  pursuant to this Section,  Other Members  subscribe for a number of
shares of Conversion Stock in excess of the total number of shares of Conversion
Stock  remaining,  available shares shall be allocated among  subscribing  Other
Members so as to permit  each such Other  Members,  to the extent  possible,  to
purchase a number of shares sufficient to make his total allocation equal to the
lesser of the number of shares subscribed or 100 shares. Any remaining available
shares shall be allocated among subscribing Other Members on a pro rata basis in
the same proportion as each such Other Member's  subscription bears to the total
subscriptions of all such  subscribing  Other Members whose orders are unfilled,
provided that no fractional shares shall be issued.

                                       14

<PAGE>




9.        PUBLIC STOCKHOLDERS' OFFERING
          -----------------------------

     A. If less than the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock are sold in
the  Subscription  Offering,  all remaining  shares of  Conversion  Stock shall,
subject to the  further  limitations  of  Section  11 hereof,  be sold to Public
Stockholders  as of the  Stockholder  Voting  Record Date in an amount up to the
greater of (i) the maximum  purchase  limitation  established  for the Community
Offering and/or  Syndicated  Community  Offering and (ii) one tenth of 1% of the
total offering of shares of Conversion  Stock in the Subscription  Offering,  in
each case  subject  to  Section  14  hereof  and the  availability  of shares of
Conversion Stock for purchase after taking into account the shares of Conversion
Stock  purchased by Eligible  Account  Holders,  Tax-  Qualified  Employee Stock
Benefit Plans,  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders and Other Members.  The
Public  Stockholders'  Offering  may  commence  concurrently  with,  at any time
during,  or as soon as practicable  after the end of the Subscription  Offering.
The Public  Stockholders'  Offering  must be completed  within 45 days after the
completion of the Subscription Offering,  unless extended by the Primary Parties
with any required  regulatory  approval.  The ability of Public  Stockholders to
purchase stock in the Public  Stockholders'  Offering is subject to the right of
the Primary Parties in their absolute discretion to accept or reject in whole or
in part all orders in the Public Stockholders' Offering.

     B. If, pursuant to this Section,  Public Stockholders as of the Stockholder
Voting  Record  Date  subscribe  for a number of shares of  Conversion  Stock in
excess of the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock  remaining,  available
shares  shall be  allocated  among  subscribing  Public  Stockholders  as of the
Stockholder Voting Record Date in an equitable manner as determined by the Board
of Directors, provided that no fractional shares shall be issued.

10.  COMMUNITY OFFERING, SYNDICATED COMMUNITY OFFERING AND
     -----------------------------------------------------
     OTHER OFFERINGS
     ---------------

     A. If less than the total number of shares of Conversion  Stock are sold in
the Subscription  Offering and Public Stockholders'  Offering, it is anticipated
that all remaining shares of Conversion Stock shall, if practicable,  be sold in
a Community  Offering  and/or a Syndicated  Community  Offering.  Subject to the
requirements set forth herein,  the manner in which the Conversion Stock is sold
in the Community Offering and/or the Syndicated Community Offering shall have as
the objective the achievement of a wide  distribution of such stock,  subject to
the right of the Primary  Parties,  in their absolute  discretion,  to accept or
reject  in  whole  or in  part  all  orders  in the  Community  Offering  and/or
Syndicated Community Offering.

     B. In the event of a Community  Offering,  all shares of  Conversion  Stock
which  are  not  subscribed  for  in  the   Subscription   Offering  and  Public
Stockholders'  Offering shall be offered for sale by means of a direct community
marketing  program,  which  may  provide  for the  use of  brokers,  dealers  or
investment  banking  firms  experienced  in the  sale of  financial  institution
securities.  Any available  shares in excess of those not  subscribed for in the
Subscription  Offering and Public  Stockholders'  Offering will be available for
purchase by members of the

                                       15

<PAGE>



general  public to whom a Prospectus  is delivered by the Holding  Company or on
its behalf,  with  preference  given to natural persons who are Residents of the
Local Community ("Preferred Subscribers").

     C. A  Prospectus  and Order Form shall be  furnished to such Persons as the
Primary Parties may select in connection with the Community  Offering,  and each
order for  Conversion  Stock in the Community  Offering  shall be subject to the
absolute  right of the  Primary  Parties  to accept or reject  any such order in
whole  or in part  either  at the  time of  receipt  of an  order  or as soon as
practicable  following  completion of the Community  Offering.  Available shares
will be allocated first to each Preferred  Subscriber whose order is accepted in
an amount  equal to the lesser of 100 shares or the number of shares  subscribed
for by each such  Preferred  Subscriber,  if possible.  Thereafter,  unallocated
shares shall be allocated among the Preferred  Subscribers whose accepted orders
remain  unsatisfied  in an  equitable  manner  as  determined  by the  Board  of
Directors.  If there  are any  shares  remaining  after all  accepted  orders by
Preferred  Subscribers  have  been  satisfied,  any  remaining  shares  shall be
allocated  to other  members  of the  general  public  who  place  orders in the
Community Offering,  applying the same allocation  described above for Preferred
Subscribers.

     D. The maximum  amount of Conversion  Stock that any Person,  together with
any  Associate  or Group of  Persons  Acting in  Concert,  may  purchase  in the
Community  Offering  shall,  subject to the  further  limitations  of Section 11
hereof,  not exceed such number of shares of  Conversion  Stock that shall equal
$250,000  divided by the Actual Purchase  Price,  provided,  however,  that this
amount may be decreased or increased to up to 5% of the total offering of shares
in  the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  subject  to any  required  regulatory
approval  but  without the  further  approval  of Members of the Mutual  Holding
Company or the Stockholders of the Bank, subject to the preferences set forth in
Section  10.B and 10.C of this  Plan.  The  Primary  Parties  may  commence  the
Community  Offering  concurrently  with,  at any  time  during,  or as  soon  as
practicable after the end of, the Subscription Offering and Public Stockholders'
Offering,  and the Community Offering must be completed within 45 days after the
completion  of the  Subscription  Offering  and Public  Stockholders'  Offering,
unless extended by the Primary Parties with any required regulatory approval.

     E. Subject to such terms, conditions and procedures as may be determined by
the Primary  Parties,  all shares of Conversion  Stock not subscribed for in the
Subscription  Offering  and  Public  Stockholders  Offering  or  ordered  in the
Community  Offering may be sold by a syndicate of  broker-dealers to the general
pubic in a Syndicated Community Offering. Each order for Conversion Stock in the
Syndicated  Community  Offering  shall be subject to the  absolute  right of the
Primary Parties to accept or reject any such order in whole or in part either at
the time of receipt of an order or as soon as  practicable  after  completion of
the  Syndicated  Community  Offering.  The amount of  Conversion  Stock that any
Person,  together with any Associate or Group of Persons Acting in Concert,  may
purchase in the  Syndicated  Community  Offering  shall,  subject to the further
limitations of Section 11 hereof,  not exceed the number of shares of Conversion
Stock that shall equal $250,000 divided by the Actual Purchase Price,  provided,
however, that this amount may be decreased or increased to up to 5% of the total
offering of

                                       16

<PAGE>



shares in the Conversion and Reorganization,  subject to any required regulatory
approval  but  without the  further  approval  of Members of the Mutual  Holding
Company or the  Stockholders  of the Bank. The Primary  Parties may commence the
Syndicated Community Offering  concurrently with, at any time during, or as soon
as  practicable  after  the  end  of,  the  Subscription  Offering,  the  Public
Stockholders'  Offering  and/or  Community  Offering.  The Syndicated  Community
Offering  must  be  completed  within  45  days  after  the  completion  of  the
Subscription Offering,  unless extended by the Primary Parties with any required
regulatory approval.

     F.  If for  any  reason  a  Syndicated  Community  Offering  of  shares  of
Conversion  Stock  not  sold in the  Subscription  Offering  and  the  Community
Offering cannot be effected,  or in the event that any insignificant  residue of
shares of  Conversion  Stock is not sold in the  Subscription  Offering,  Public
Stockholders' Offering, Community Offering or Syndicated Community Offering, the
Primary Parties shall use their best efforts to obtain other purchasers for such
shares in such manner and upon such  conditions  as may be  satisfactory  to the
OTS.

11.  LIMITATIONS ON SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PURCHASES OF CONVERSION
     --------------------------------------------------------
     STOCK
     -----

          The following  limitations  shall apply to all purchases of Conversion
Stock:

     A. The number of shares of  Conversion  Stock which may be purchased by any
Person (or  persons  through a single  account),  in the First  Priority,  Third
Priority and Fourth Priority in the Subscription  Offering shall not exceed such
number of shares of Conversion  Stock that shall equal  $250,000  divided by the
Actual Purchase Price,  except for  Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans,
which in the aggregate may subscribe for up to 8% of the Conversion Stock.

     B. The number of shares of  Conversion  Stock which may be purchased by any
Person,  together with any Associate or group of persons  Acting in Concert,  in
the Public Stockholders, the Community and/or the Syndicated Community Offerings
shall not exceed  such  number of shares of  Conversion  Stock that shall  equal
$250,000 divided by the Actual Purchase Price.

     C. Except for the  Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plans, the maximum
number of shares  of  Conversion  Stock  which  may be  purchased  in all of the
combined  categories  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization  by any Person (or
persons  through  a single  account)  together  with any  Associate  or group of
persons  Acting in Concert  shall not exceed such number of shares of Conversion
Stock that when combined with Exchange  Shares shall equal  $250,000  divided by
the Actual Purchase Price.

     D. The number of shares of  Conversion  Stock which  Directors and Officers
and their  Associates  may purchase in the  aggregate in the Offering  shall not
exceed  31.7% of the total  number of shares  of  Conversion  Stock  sold in the
Offerings,  including any shares which may be issued in the event of an increase
in the  maximum  of the  Estimated  Price  Range to  reflect  changes in market,
financial  and  economic  conditions  after  commencement  of  the  Subscription
Offering and prior to completion of the Offerings.

     E. No Person may purchase  fewer than 25 shares of Conversion  Stock in the
Offerings, to the extent such shares are available;  provided,  however, that if
the Actual Purchase Price is

                                       17

<PAGE>



greater than $20.00 per share,  such minimum  number of shares shall be adjusted
so that the aggregate  Actual  Purchase  Price for such minimum  shares will not
exceed $500.00.

     F. For  purposes of the  foregoing  limitations  and the  determination  of
Subscription  Rights, (i) Directors,  Officers and Employees shall not be deemed
to be  Associates  or a group  acting  in  concert  solely  as a result of their
capacities  as such,  (ii) shares  purchased  by  Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock
Benefit  Plans  shall  not  be  attributable  to  the  individual   trustees  or
beneficiaries  of any such plan for purposes of determining  compliance with the
limitations set forth in this Section,  (iii) shares  purchased by Tax-Qualified
Employee  Stock  Benefit  Plans  shall  not be  attributable  to the  individual
trustees  or  beneficiaries  of  any  such  plan  for  purposes  of  determining
compliance  with the  limitation  set forth in this  Section,  and (iv) Exchange
Shares shall be valued at the Actual Purchase Price.

     G. Subject to any required  regulatory  approval  and the  requirements  of
applicable laws and regulations,  but without further approval of the Members of
the Mutual Holding Company or the  Stockholders of the Bank, the Primary Parties
may increase or decrease the  individual  or overall  purchase  limitations  set
forth  herein to a  percentage  which does not exceed 5% of the total  shares of
Holding Company Common Stock issued in the Conversion and Reorganization whether
prior to, during or after the Subscription  Offering,  Community Offering and/or
Syndicated  Community  Offering.  In the event  that the  individual  or overall
purchase  limitations  are  increased  after  commencement  of the  Subscription
Offering or any other offering,  the Primary Parties shall permit any Person who
subscribed for the maximum  number of shares of Conversion  Stock to purchase an
additional number of shares, so that such Person shall be permitted to subscribe
for the then maximum  number of shares  permitted to be  subscribed  for by such
Person,  subject to the rights and  preferences  of any Person who has  priority
Subscription  Rights.  In the event  that the  individual  or  overall  purchase
limitations are decreased after commencement of the Subscription Offering or any
other  offering,  the orders of any Person who  subscribed for more than the new
purchase  limitation  shall be decreased by the minimum amount necessary so that
such  Person  shall be in  compliance  with the then  maximum  number  of shares
permitted to be subscribed for by such Person.

     H. The Primary Parties shall have the right to take all such action as they
may, in their sole discretion, deem necessary, appropriate or advisable in order
to monitor and  enforce  the terms,  conditions,  limitations  and  restrictions
contained in this Section and  elsewhere in this Plan and the terms,  conditions
and representations  contained in the Order Form, including, but not limited to,
the  absolute  right  (subject  only to any  necessary  regulatory  approvals or
concurrences) to reject, limit or revoke acceptance of any subscription or order
and to delay,  terminate or refuse to consummate  any sale of  Conversion  Stock
which they believe  might  violate,  or is designed to, or is any part of a plan
to, evade or circumvent such terms,  conditions,  limitations,  restrictions and
representations.  Any such action shall be final,  conclusive and binding on all
persons,  and the Primary Parties and their respective Boards shall be free from
any liability to any Person on account of any such action.


                                       18

<PAGE>



     I.  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained in this Plan,  the
Public Stockholders will not have to sell any Bank Common Stock or be limited in
receiving  Exchange  Shares even if their  ownership  of Bank Common  Stock when
converted  into  Exchange  Shares  pursuant to the Bank Merger  would  exceed an
applicable purchase limitation.

12.  TIMING OF SUBSCRIPTION OFFERING; MANNER OF EXERCISING
     -----------------------------------------------------
     SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS AND ORDER FORMS
     -----------------------------------

     A. The Subscription  Offering may be commenced  concurrently with or at any
time after the  mailing to Voting  Members of the  Mutual  Holding  Company  and
Stockholders of the Bank of the proxy statement(s) to be used in connection with
the Special Meeting and the Stockholders' Meeting. The Subscription Offering may
be closed before the Special  Meeting and the  Stockholders'  Meeting,  provided
that the offer and sale of the Conversion  Stock shall be  conditioned  upon the
approval of the Plan by the Voting Members of the Mutual Holding Company and the
Stockholders of the Bank at the Special Meeting and the  Stockholders'  Meeting,
respectively.

     B. The exact timing of the commencement of the Subscription  Offering shall
be  determined  by the  Primary  Parties in  consultation  with the  Independent
Appraiser and any  financial or advisory or investment  banking firm retained by
them in  connection  with the  Conversion.  The Primary  Parties may  consider a
number of factors,  including,  but not limited to, their  current and projected
future  earnings,  local and national  economic  conditions,  and the prevailing
market for stocks in general and stocks of financial institutions in particular.
The Primary Parties shall have the right to withdraw, terminate, suspend, delay,
revoke or modify any such  Subscription  Offering,  at any time and from time to
time, as they in their sole discretion may determine,  without  liability to any
Person,  subject to compliance with applicable securities laws and any necessary
regulatory approval or concurrence.

     C. The Primary  Parties  shall,  promptly  after the SEC has  declared  the
Registration  Statement,  which  includes  the  Prospectus,  effective  and  all
required regulatory  approvals have been obtained,  distribute or make available
the Prospectus,  together with Order Forms for the purchase of Conversion Stock,
to all  Participants  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  them  to  exercise  their
respective  Subscription  Rights,  subject to Section  14  hereof.  The  Primary
Parties may elect to mail a Prospectus and Order Form only to those Participants
who request  such  materials  by  returning a  postage-paid  card to the Primary
Parties by a date specified in the letter  informing them of their  Subscription
Rights. Under such circumstances,  the Subscription Offering shall not be closed
until the expiration of 30 days after the mailing by the Primary  Parties of the
postage-paid card to Participants.

     D. A single Order Form for all Deposit Accounts maintained with the Bank by
an Eligible Account Holder,  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder and any Other
Member  may  be  furnished,  irrespective  of the  number  of  Deposit  Accounts
maintained  with  the  Bank on the  Eligibility  Record  Date  and  Supplemental
Eligibility Record Date and the Voting Record Date, respectively.

                                       19

<PAGE>



     E. The  recipient  of an Order  Form shall have no less than 20 days and no
more than 45 days from the date of  mailing  of the Order  Form  (with the exact
termination  date to be set forth on the Order  Form) to properly  complete  and
execute  the Order  Form and  deliver it to the  Primary  Parties.  The  Primary
Parties  may extend  such  period by such  amount of time as they  determine  is
appropriate.  Failure of any  Participant  to deliver a properly  executed Order
Form to the Primary Parties, along with payment (or authorization for payment by
withdrawal)  for the shares of  Conversion  Stock  subscribed  for,  within time
limits  prescribed,  shall be deemed a waiver and  release by such person of any
rights to subscribe for shares of Conversion  Stock.  Each Participant  shall be
required to confirm to the Primary  Parties by executing an Order Form that such
Person has fully  complied with all of the terms,  conditions,  limitations  and
restrictions in the Plan.

     F. The  Primary  Parties  shall  have the  absolute  right,  in their  sole
discretion and without  liability to any Participant or other Person,  to reject
any Order  Form,  including,  but not  limited  to,  any Order  Form that is (i)
improperly  completed  or  executed;   (ii)  not  timely  received;   (iii)  not
accompanied by the proper payment (or  authorization  of withdrawal for payment)
or,  in the case of  institutional  investors  in the  Community  Offering,  not
accompanied by an irrevocable  order together with a legally binding  commitment
to pay the full  amount  of the  purchase  price  prior to 48 hours  before  the
completion of the Offerings; or (iv) submitted by a Person whose representations
the Primary  Parties believe to be false or who they otherwise  believe,  either
alone, or acting in concert with others, is violating, evading or circumventing,
or intends to violate,  evade or  circumvent,  the terms and  conditions  of the
Plan.  The  Primary  Parties  may,  but  will  not be  required  to,  waive  any
irregularity  on any Order Form or may require the submission of corrected Order
Forms or the  remittance of full payment for shares of Conversion  Stock by such
date as they may specify. The interpretation of the Primary Parties of the terms
and conditions of the Order Forms shall be final and conclusive.

13.  PAYMENT FOR CONVERSION STOCK
     ----------------------------

     A. Payment for shares of Conversion Stock subscribed for by Participants in
the Subscription  Offering and payment for shares of Conversion Stock ordered by
Persons  in  the  Stockholders'  Offering,  Community  Offering  and  Syndicated
Community  Offering (if applicable) shall be equal to the Initial Purchase Price
multiplied  by the number of shares which are being  subscribed  for or ordered,
respectively.  Such payment may be made in cash,  if delivered in person,  or by
check or money  order at the time the Order  Form is  delivered  to the  Primary
Parties.  In  addition,  the Primary  Parties may elect to provide  Participants
and/or other Persons who have a Deposit Account with the Bank the opportunity to
pay for shares of Conversion Stock by authorizing the Bank to withdraw from such
Deposit Account an amount equal to the aggregate  Purchase Price of such shares.
If the  Actual  Purchase  Price is less than the  Initial  Purchase  Price,  the
Primary  Parties  shall  refund the  difference  to all  Participants  and other
Persons,  unless the Primary  Parties choose to provide  Participants  and other
Persons  the  opportunity  on the Order  Form to elect to have  such  difference
applied to the purchase of additional  whole shares of Conversion  Stock. If the
Actual  Purchase  Price is more than the  Initial  Purchase  Price,  the Primary
Parties  shall  reduce  the  number of shares of  Conversion  Stock  ordered  by
Participants  and  other  Persons  and  refund  any  remaining  amount  which is
attributable to a fractional  share interest,  unless the Primary Parties choose
to provide

                                       20

<PAGE>



Participants  and other Persons the  opportunity to increase the amount of funds
submitted to pay for their shares of Conversion Stock.

     B.  Consistent  with  applicable  laws and  regulations  and  policies  and
practices of the OTS,  payment for shares of Conversion  Stock subscribed for by
Tax-Qualified Employee Stock Benefit Plans may be made with funds contributed by
the Holding Company and/or funds obtained pursuant to a loan from an independent
third party pursuant to a loan  commitment  which is in force from the time that
any such plan  submits  an Order  Form  until the  closing  of the  transactions
contemplated hereby.

     C. If a  Participant  or other Person  authorizes  the Bank to withdraw the
amount of the Initial Purchase Price from his or her Deposit  Account,  the Bank
shall have the right to make such  withdrawal  or to freeze  funds  equal to the
aggregate Initial Purchase Price upon receipt of the Order Form. Notwithstanding
any  regulatory  provisions  regarding  penalties  for  early  withdrawals  from
certificate  accounts,  the Bank may allow payment by means of  withdrawal  from
certificate accounts without the assessment of such penalties. In the case of an
early withdrawal of only a portion of such account,  the certificate  evidencing
such account shall be canceled if any  applicable  minimum  balance  requirement
ceases to be met. In such case,  the  remaining  balance will be returned to the
depositor.  However,  where any applicable minimum balance is maintained in such
certificate  account,  the rate of  return  on the  balance  of the  certificate
account shall remain the same as prior to such early withdrawal.  This waiver of
the early withdrawal penalty applies only to withdrawals made in connection with
the purchase of Conversion  Stock and is entirely  within the  discretion of the
Primary Parties.

     D. The Bank shall pay interest, at not less than the passbook rate, for all
amounts paid in cash,  by check or money order to purchase  shares of Conversion
Stock  in the  Subscription  Offering,  Public  Stockholders'  Offering  and the
Community  Offering  from  the  date  payment  is  received  until  the date the
Conversion and Reorganization is completed or terminated.

     E. The Bank shall not  knowingly  loan funds or otherwise  extend credit to
any Participant or other Person to purchase Conversion Stock.

     F. Each share of Conversion Stock shall be  non-assessable  upon payment in
full of the Actual Purchase Price.

14.  ACCOUNTHOLDERS IN NONQUALIFIED STATES OR FOREIGN COUNTRIES
     ----------------------------------------------------------

     The  Primary  Parties  shall make  reasonable  efforts  to comply  with the
securities laws of all jurisdictions in the United States in which  Participants
reside.  However, no Participant will be offered or receive any Conversion Stock
under the Plan if such Participant  resides in a foreign country or resides in a
jurisdiction  of the United  States with  respect to which any of the  following
apply; (a) there are few Participants otherwise eligible to subscribe for shares
under  this  Plan  who  reside  in  such  jurisdiction;   (b)  the  granting  of
Subscription  Rights or the offer or sale of shares of Conversion  Stock to such
Participants would require any of the Primary Parties

                                       21

<PAGE>



or their respective Directors and Officers, under the laws of such jurisdiction,
to register  as a  broker-dealer,  salesman  or selling  agent or to register or
otherwise qualify the Conversion Stock for sale in such jurisdiction,  or any of
the Primary  Parties  would be required to qualify as a foreign  corporation  or
file a  consent  to  service  of  process  in such  jurisdiction;  and (c)  such
registration,  qualification  or filing in the  judgment of the Primary  Parties
would be impracticable or unduly burdensome for reasons of cost or otherwise.

15.  VOTING RIGHTS OF STOCKHOLDERS
     -----------------------------

     Following consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization,  voting rights
with respect to the Bank shall be held and exercised  exclusively by the Holding
Company as holder of all of the Bank's  outstanding  voting capital  stock,  and
voting  rights with respect to the Holding  Company  shall be held and exercised
exclusively by the holders of the Holding Company's voting capital stock.

16.  LIQUIDATION ACCOUNT
     -------------------

     A. At the time of the MHC Merger,  the Bank shall  establish a  liquidation
account in an amount equal to the amount of the dividends from Bank Common Stock
waived by the  Mutual  Holding  Company  plus the  greater  of (i) the  retained
earnings  of the  Bank  as of the  date of the  latest  statement  of  financial
condition  contained  in the final  offering  circular  utilized  in the  Bank's
initial  public  offering,  or (ii) the  Bank's  total  stockholders'  equity as
reflected in its latest statement of financial  condition contained in the final
Prospectus  utilized in the Conversion and  Reorganization.  The function of the
liquidation account will be to preserve the rights of certain holders of Deposit
Accounts in the association who maintain such accounts in the Bank following the
Conversion and Reorganization to priority to distributions in the unlikely event
of a liquidation of the Bank subsequent to the Conversion and Reorganization.

     B. The liquidation  account shall be maintained for the benefit of Eligible
Account Holders and Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders, if any, who maintain
their Deposit Accounts in the Bank after the Conversion and Reorganization. Each
such account  holder will,  with respect to each Deposit  Account  held,  have a
related inchoate interest in a portion of the liquidation account balance, which
interest will be referred to in this Section 16 as the "subaccount balance." All
Deposit  Accounts  having the same social security number will be aggregated for
purposes of  determining  the initial  subaccount  balance  with respect to such
Deposit Accounts, except as provided in this Section.

     C. In the event of a complete  liquidation  of the Bank  subsequent  to the
Conversion and  Reorganization  (and only in such event),  each Eligible Account
Holder and Supplemental  Eligible  Account Holder,  if any, shall be entitled to
receive a liquidation distribution from the liquidation account in the amount of
the then current subaccount balances for Deposit Accounts then held (adjusted as
described below) before any liquidation distribution may be made with respect to
the capital stock of the Bank. No merger, consolidation,  sale of bulk assets or
similar combination  transaction with another FDIC-insured  institution in which
the Bank is not the

                                       22

<PAGE>



surviving entity shall be considered a complete liquidation for this purpose. In
any  merger or  consolidation  transaction,  the  liquidation  account  shall be
assumed by the surviving entity.

     D. The initial subaccount balance for a Deposit Account held by an Eligible
Account  Holder and  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holder,  if any,  shall be
determined by multiplying the opening  balance in the  liquidation  account by a
fraction,  of which the  numerator is the amount of the  Qualifying  Deposits of
such  account  holder  and the  denominator  is the total  amount of  Qualifying
Deposits of all  Eligible  Account  Holders and  Supplemental  Eligible  Account
Holders,  if any.  For Deposit  Accounts in  existence  at both the  Eligibility
Record Date and the  Supplemental  Eligibility  Record  Date,  if any,  separate
initial  subaccount  balances shall be determined on the basis of the Qualifying
Deposits in such Deposit Accounts on each such record date.  Initial  subaccount
balances shall not be increased,  and shall be subject to downward adjustment as
provided below.

     E. If the  aggregate  deposit  balance  in the  Deposit  Account(s)  of any
Eligible Account Holder or Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder, if any, at the
close of business on any June 30 annual  closing date is less than the lesser of
(a) the  aggregate  deposit  balance in such Deposit  Account(s) at the close of
business on any other annual closing date subsequent to such record dates or (b)
the aggregate  deposit balance in such Deposit  Account(s) as of the Eligibility
Record Date or the Supplemental  Eligibility Record Date, the subaccount balance
for such  Deposit  Accounts(s)  shall be adjusted by  reducing  such  subaccount
balance in an amount  proportionate to the reduction in such deposit balance. In
the event of such a downward  adjustment,  the  subaccount  balance shall not be
subsequently  increased,  notwithstanding any subsequent increase in the deposit
balance of the related Deposit Account(s). The subaccount balance of an Eligible
Account Holder or Supplemental  Eligible Account Holder, if any, will be reduced
to zero if the Account  Holder ceases to maintain a Deposit  Account at the Bank
that has the same social security  number as appeared on his Deposit  Account(s)
at the Eligibility Record Date or, if applicable,  the Supplemental  Eligibility
Record Date.

     F.  Subsequent to the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Bank may not pay
cash dividends  generally on deposit  accounts and/or capital stock of the Bank,
if such dividend or repurchase would reduce the Bank's regulatory  capital below
the  aggregate  amount  of the then  current  subaccount  balances  for  Deposit
Accounts then held;  otherwise,  the existence of the liquidation  account shall
not operate to restrict the use or  application of any of the net worth accounts
of the Bank.

     G. For purposes of this Section,  a Deposit Account  includes a predecessor
or  successor  account  which is held by an Account  Holder with the same social
security number.

17.  TRANSFER OF DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
     ----------------------------

     Each  Deposit  Account in the Bank at the time of the  consummation  of the
Conversion  and  Reorganization  shall  become,  without  further  action by the
holder,  a Deposit Account in the Bank equivalent in withdrawable  amount to the
withdrawal value (as adjusted to give effect to

                                       23

<PAGE>



any withdrawal  made for the purchase of Conversion  Stock),  and subject to the
same terms and conditions  (except as to voting and liquidation  rights) as such
Deposit Account in the Bank immediately preceding consummation of the Conversion
and  Reorganization.  Holders of Deposit Accounts in the Bank shall not, as such
holders, have any voting rights.

18.  REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWING CONVERSION AND REORGANIZATION FOR
     --------------------------------------------------------
     REGISTRATION, MARKET MAKING AND STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING
     ------------------------------------------------------

     In connection with the Conversion and  Reorganization,  the Holding Company
shall register the Holding Company Common Stock pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  as  amended,  and  shall  undertake  not to
deregister  such  stock  for a period of three  years  thereafter.  The  Holding
Company  also shall use its best  efforts to (i)  encourage  and assist a market
maker to establish  and maintain a market for the Holding  Company  Common Stock
and (ii)  list the  Holding  Company  Common  Stock on a  national  or  regional
securities  exchange or to have  quotations for such stock  disseminated  on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System.

19.  DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE BANK
     ----------------------------------

     Each person serving as a Director or Officer of the Bank at the time of the
Conversion and  Reorganization  shall continue to serve as a Director or Officer
of the Bank for the balance of the term for which the person was  elected  prior
to the  Conversion  and  Reorganization,  and until a  successor  is elected and
qualified.

20.  REQUIREMENTS FOR STOCK PURCHASES BY DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
     ----------------------------------------------------------
     FOLLOWING THE CONVERSION AND REORGANIZATION
     -------------------------------------------

     For a period of three years  following the Conversion  and  Reorganization,
the  Directors  and  Officers  of the  Holding  Company  and the Bank and  their
Associates  may not  purchase,  without the prior  written  approval of the OTS,
Holding  Company Common Stock except from a  broker-dealer  registered  with the
SEC. This prohibition shall not apply, however, to (i) a negotiated  transaction
arrived at by direct  negotiation  between buyer and seller and  involving  more
than 1% of the  outstanding  Holding  Company Common Stock and (ii) purchases of
stock made by and held by any  Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock  Benefit Plan (and
purchases  of stock  made by and held by any  Non-Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock
Benefit Plan following the receipt of  stockholder  approval of such plan) which
may be attributable to individual officers or directors.

     The  foregoing  restriction  on purchases of Holding  Company  Common Stock
shall be in  addition  to any  restrictions  that may be imposed by federal  and
state securities laws.

21.  RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF STOCK
     ---------------------------------

     All shares of the  Conversion  Stock which are  purchased by Persons  other
than Directors and Officers shall be transferable without restriction, except in
connection with a transaction

                                       24

<PAGE>



proscribed by Section 22 of this Plan.  Shares of Conversion  Stock purchased by
Directors  and  Officers of the Holding  Company and the Bank on original  issue
from the Holding Company (by  subscription or otherwise) shall be subject to the
restriction  that such  shares  shall 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  following  the death of the  original  purchaser or
pursuant to any merger or similar transaction approved by the OTS. The shares of
Conversion  Stock issued by the Holding  Company to Directors and Officers shall
bear  the  following   legend  giving   appropriate   notice  of  such  one-year
restriction.

The shares of stock evidenced by this  Certificate are restricted as to transfer
for a period of one year from the date of this Certificate pursuant to Part 563b
of the Rules and Regulations of the Office of Thrift  Supervision.  These shares
may not be  transferred  during such one-year  period without a legal opinion of
counsel for the Company that said transfer is  permissible  under the provisions
of applicable law and regulation.  This restrictive  legend shall be deemed null
and void after one year from the date of this Certificate.

     In addition, the Holding Company shall give appropriate instructions to the
transfer  agent  for the  Holding  Company  Common  Stock  with  respect  to the
applicable restrictions relating to the transfer of restricted stock. Any shares
issued  at a later  date as a stock  dividend,  stock  split or  otherwise  with
respect to any such restricted stock shall be subject to the same holding period
restrictions as may then be applicable to such restricted stock.

     The  foregoing  restriction  on  transfer  shall  be  in  addition  to  any
restrictions  on transfer  that may be imposed by federal  and state  securities
laws.

22.  RESTRICTIONS ON ACQUISITION OF STOCK OF THE HOLDING COMPANY
     -----------------------------------------------------------

     The articles of  incorporation  of the Holding  Company shall  prohibit any
Person  together  with  Associates  or groups of Persons  acting in concert from
offering to acquire or acquiring,  directly or indirectly,  beneficial ownership
of more than 10% of any class of equity securities of the Holding Company, or of
securities  convertible  into more than 10% of any such  class,  for five  years
following  completion  of the  Conversion  and  Reorganization.  The articles of
incorporation  of the  Holding  Company  also  shall  provide  that  all  equity
securities  beneficially  owned by any  Person  in excess of 10% of any class of
equity  securities  during such  five-year  period shall be  considered  "excess
shares," and that excess shares shall not be counted as shares  entitled to vote
and shall not be voted by any Person or counted as voting  shares in  connection
with  any  matters  submitted  to the  stockholders  for a vote.  The  foregoing
restrictions  shall not apply to (i) any offer with a view toward  public resale
made  exclusively  to the Holding  Company by  underwriters  or a selling  group
acting on this behalf,  (ii) the purchase of shares by a Tax- Qualified Employee
Stock Benefit Plan  established  for the benefit of the employees of the Holding
Company and its subsidiaries which is exempt from approval requirements under 12
C.F.R.  ss.574.3(c)(1)(vi)  or any  successor  thereto,  and  (iii) any offer or
acquisition  approved in advance by the  affirmative  vote of  two-thirds of the
entire Board of Directors of the Holding

                                       25

<PAGE>



Company. Directors,  Officers or Employees of the Holding Company or the Bank or
any subsidiary thereof shall not be deemed to be Associates or a group acting in
concert  with  respect to their  individual  acquisition  of any class of equity
securities  of the Holding  Company  solely as a result of their  capacities  as
such.

23.  TAX RULINGS OR OPINIONS
     -----------------------

     Consummation of the conversion and Reorganization is conditioned upon prior
receipt by the Primary  Parties of either a ruling or an opinion of counsel with
respect to federal tax laws,  and either a ruling or an opinion of counsel  with
respect  to  Missouri  tax  laws,  to  the  effect  that   consummation  of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  will not result in a taxable  reorganization
under the provisions of the applicable codes or otherwise result in any material
adverse tax consequences to the Primary Parties or to account holders  receiving
Subscription Rights before or after the Conversion and Reorganization, except in
each case to the extent,  if any,  that  Subscription  Rights are deemed to have
fair market value on the date such rights are issued.

24.  STOCK COMPENSATION PLANS
     ------------------------

     A. The Holding  Company and the Bank are authorized to adopt  Tax-Qualified
Employee   Stock   Benefit  Plans  in  connection   with  the   Conversion   and
Reorganization, including without limitation an employee stock ownership plan.

     B. The  Holding  Company  and the Bank also are  authorized  to adopt stock
option plans, restricted stock grant plans and other Non-Tax-Qualified  Employee
Stock Benefit  Plans,  provided  that no stock options shall be granted,  and no
shares of  Conversion  Stock shall be  purchased,  pursuant to any of such plans
prior to the earlier of (i) the one-year  anniversary of the consummation of the
Conversion and  Reorganization  or (ii) the receipt of  stockholder  approval of
such  plans at either  the annual or  special  meeting  of  stockholders  of the
Holding  Company to be held not earlier than six months after the  completion of
the Conversion and Reorganization.

     C.  Existing  as well as any newly  created  Tax-Qualified  Employee  Stock
Benefit Plans may purchase shares of Conversion  Stock in the Offerings,  to the
extent permitted by the terms of such benefit plans and this Plan.

25.  DIVIDEND AND REPURCHASE RESTRICTIONS ON STOCK
     ---------------------------------------------

     A. Except as may otherwise may be permitted by the OTS, the Holding Company
may not  repurchase  any  shares of its  capital  stock  during  the first  year
following  consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization.  During the second
and third years following consummation of the Conversion and Reorganization, the
Holding  Company may not  repurchase  any of its capital  stock from any person,
other than pursuant to (i) an offer to repurchase made by the Holding Company on
a pro rata basis to all of its  stockholders  and which is  approved by the OTS,
(ii) the repurchase of qualifying shares of a director,  if any, (iii) purchases
in the open market by

                                       26

<PAGE>



a Tax-Qualified  or  Non-Tax-Qualified  Employee Stock Benefit Plan in an amount
reasonable  and  appropriate  to fund the  plan,  or (iv) a  repurchase  program
approved by the OTS.

     B. The Bank may not declare or pay a cash  dividend on, or  repurchase  any
of, its capital stock if the effect thereof would cause the  regulatory  capital
of the Bank to be reduced below the amount required for the liquidation account.
Any dividend  declared or paid on, or  repurchase  of, the Bank's  capital stock
also shall be in compliance with Section  563.134 of the Regulations  Applicable
to All Savings Associations, or any successor thereto.

     C.  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Holding
Company  may  repurchase  its  capital  stock to the extent  and  subject to the
requirements set forth in Section 563b.3(g)(3) of the Regulations  Applicable to
All Savings  Associations,  or any  successor  thereto,  or as otherwise  may be
approved by the OTS.

26.  PAYMENT OF FEES TO BROKERS
     --------------------------

     The Primary  Parties may elect to offer to pay fees on a per share basis to
securities brokers who assist purchasers of Conversion Stock in the Offerings.

27.  EFFECTIVE DATE
     --------------

     The Effective Date of the Conversion and  Reorganization  shall be the date
upon which the last of the following actions occurs:  (i) the filing of Articles
of Combination  with the OTS with respect to the MHC Merger,  (ii) the filing of
Articles of  Combination  with the OTS with respect to the Bank Merger and (iii)
the closing of the issuance of the shares of Conversion  Stock in the Offerings.
The filing of  Articles of  Combination  relating to the MHC Merger and the Bank
Merger and the  closing of the  issuance  of shares of  Conversion  Stock in the
Offerings shall not occur until all requisite regulatory, Member and Stockholder
approvals have been obtained,  all applicable  waiting  periods have expired and
sufficient subscriptions and orders for the Conversion Stock have been received.
It is intended that the closing of the MHC Merger,  the Bank Merger and the sale
of shares of Conversion  Stock in the Offerings  shall occur  consecutively  and
substantially simultaneously.

28.  AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF THE PLAN
     ------------------------------------

     If deemed  necessary or desirable by the Boards of Directors of the Primary
Parties,  this Plan may be substantively  amended,  as a result of comments from
regulatory  authorities or otherwise,  at any time prior to the  solicitation of
proxies  from  members  and  Stockholders  to vote on the  Plan  and at any time
thereafter  with the  concurrence  of the OTS.  Any  amendment to this Plan made
after approval by the Members and  Stockholders  with the concurrence of the OTS
shall not necessitate  further  approval by the Members or  Stockholders  unless
otherwise  required  by the OTS.  This Plan shall  terminate  if the sale of all
shares of Conversion  Stock is not  completed  within 24 months from the date of
the  Special  Meeting.  Prior to the  earlier  of the  Special  Meeting  and the
Stockholders' Meeting, this Plan may be terminated by the Boards of Directors

                                       27

<PAGE>



of the Primary Parties without approval of the OTS; after the Special Meeting or
the Stockholder's  Meeting, the Boards of Directors may terminate this Plan only
with the approval of the OTS.

29.  INTERPRETATION OF THE PLAN
     --------------------------

     All  interpretations  of this Plan and  application  of its  provisions  to
particular circumstances by a majority of each of the Boards of Directors of the
Primary Parties shall be final, subject to the authority of the OTS.


                                       28

<PAGE>


                                                                      APPENDIX A

                                 PLAN OF MERGER


     PLAN OF MERGER,  dated as of __________ __, 199__ ("Plan of Merger") by and
between  Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank  (the  "Bank")  and  Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares,  M.H.C. ("Mutual Holding Company").  Unless otherwise noted, defined
terms shall have the same  meaning as those set forth in the Plan of  Conversion
of the Mutual  Holding  Company  and the  Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization
between Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  Inc. (the "Holding Company") and the Bank
("Plan") (of which this Plan of Merger is Appendix A thereto).

                                   WITNESSETH:

     WHEREAS,  in  April  1995,  Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank,  a  federally
chartered mutual savings bank (the "Savings Bank"),  reorganized into the mutual
holding company form of organization  whereby (i) the Savings Bank organized the
Bank, a federally  chartered  stock savings bank, as a wholly owned  subsidiary;
(ii) the  Savings  Bank then  transferred  substantially  all of its  assets and
liabilities to the Bank in exchange for 2,152,635 or 68.9% of the shares of Bank
Common Stock, and reorganized  itself into a federally  chartered mutual holding
company known as Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.;

     WHEREAS,  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  has
determined  that it is in the best interests of the Mutual  Holding  Company and
its members to convert from the mutual to stock form of organization;

     WHEREAS, the  Bank  is  currently a majority owned subsidiary of the Mutual
Holding Company;

     WHEREAS, the conversion of the Mutual Holding Company to stock form will be
facilitated  by causing the Mutual  Holding  Company to convert  from the mutual
form to a federal  interim stock  savings bank to be known as "Guaranty  Federal
Interim  Bancshares"  ("Interim  A") and  simultaneously  merge  with  the  Bank
("Conversion"); and

     WHEREAS,  immediately upon completion of the Conversion, the Bank will form
a Delaware  corporation (the Holding Company),  which will in turn form a second
interim savings  association  ("Interim B");  Interim B will merge with and into
the Bank;  and the Bank will  become a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of the Holding
Company ("Reorganization").  The existing minority stockholders of the Bank will
exchange  their  shares of Bank Common  Stock for shares of common  stock of the
Holding Company based upon an Exchange Ratio  established in accordance with the
independent  appraisal of the Bank upon merger with Interim A, and the remaining
shares will be sold in  subscription  and community  offerings,  giving priority
subscription  rights as set forth in the Plan in accordance  with OTS conversion
regulations.

                                      A - 1

<PAGE>



     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and  of  the  mutual
agreements  herein  contained,  and in accordance with federal law, the Bank and
the  Mutual  Holding  Company  hereby  agree  that,  subject  to the  conditions
hereinafter set forth,  the Mutual Holding Company shall convert from the mutual
form to a federal interim stock savings bank, and Interim B shall then be merged
with and into the Bank  with the Bank as the  surviving  entity.  The  terms and
conditions of such merger shall be as follows:

     1.  Regulatory  Approvals.  The  merger  shall not become  effective  until
receipt of approval of the OTS and any other agency having jurisdiction over the
merger, if any.

     2. Identity and Name of Resulting  Bank. The resulting  savings bank in the
Reorganization shall be the Bank.

     3. Offices of Resulting Bank. The home office of the Bank, as the resulting
savings  bank,  shall  be the  Bank's  office  located  at 1341 W.  Battlefield,
Springfield,  Missouri.  The  locations of the branch  offices of the  resulting
savings bank shall be those of the Bank in existence on the date of this Plan of
Merger. In addition,  the resulting savings bank shall operate branch offices at
such additional locations as may be approved by the OTS.

     4. The Bank's  Federal  Charter and Bylaws.  The federal  stock charter and
bylaws of the Bank as in effect  immediately  prior to the  effectiveness of the
Reorganization shall be amended as necessary to accomplish the Reorganization.

     5. Effective Date. The effective date of the Conversion  ("Effective Date")
shall be the date as soon as practicable  after the issuance and/or execution by
the OTS and any other federal or state  regulatory  agencies,  of all approvals,
certificates  and documents as may be required in order to cause the  Conversion
and the Reorganization to become effective.

     6. Bank  Stockholder  Approval.  The  affirmative  vote of the  holders  of
two-thirds of the outstanding  Bank Common Stock and at least a majority of such
Bank Common Stock not held by the Mutual Holding  Company voting at a meeting of
the stockholders shall be required to approve this Plan of Merger.

     7.  Mutual  Holding  Company  Approval.  The  approval of a majority of the
members of the Mutual Holding Company,  as of a specified date shall be required
to approve this Plan of Merger.


                                      A - 2

<PAGE>



     8.  Cancellation  of Savings Bank Common  Stock held by the Mutual  Holding
Company and Member Interests; Liquidation Account.

          (a) On the Effective  Date, (i) each share of Bank Common Stock issued
and outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective Date and held by the Mutual
Holding Company shall, by virtue of the Reorganization and without any action on
the part of the holder  thereof,  be canceled,  (ii) the interests in the Mutual
Holding Company of any person, firm or entity who or which qualified as a member
of the Mutual Holding  Company in accordance  with its mutual charter and bylaws
and the  laws  of the  United  States  prior  to the  Mutual  Holding  Company's
conversion  from mutual to stock form (the  "Members")  shall,  by virtue of the
Reorganization  and  without  any action on the part of the holder  thereof,  be
canceled,  and (iii) the Bank shall establish a liquidation account on behalf of
each depositor member of the Mutual Holding Company,  as defined in the Plan, in
accordance with Section 16 of the Plan.

          (b) At or after  the  Effective  Date and  prior to the  Merger,  each
certificate or certificates theretofore evidencing issued and outstanding shares
of Bank Common Stock,  other than any such  certificate or certificates  held by
the Mutual Holding Company, which shall be canceled, shall continue to represent
issued and outstanding shares of Bank Common Stock.

     9.  Dissenting   Shares.  No  Member  of  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  or
stockholder  of the Bank  shall  have  any  dissenter  or  appraisal  rights  in
connection with the Conversion.

     10.  Deposits of the Bank.  All  deposit  accounts of the Bank shall be and
will become  deposits in the  resulting  savings  bank  without  change in their
respective  terms,  interest rates,  maturities,  minimum  required  balances or
withdrawal  values.  After the Effective  Date, the resulting  savings bank will
continue to issue deposit accounts on the same basis as immediately prior to the
Effective Date.

     11. Effect of Conversion. Upon the Effective Date of the Conversion and the
Reorganization,  all assets and property (real, personal and mixed, tangible and
intangible, chooses in action, rights and credits) then owned by the Bank or the
Mutual Holding Company or which would inure to either of them, shall immediately
by  operation  of law and without any  conveyance,  transfer or further  action,
become the property of the resulting  savings bank,  which shall have,  hold and
enjoy  them in its own  right  as  fully  and to the same  extent  as they  were
possessed,  held  and  enjoyed  by the  Bank  and  the  Mutual  Holding  Company
immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Conversion. The resulting savings
bank shall be deemed to be a continuation of the entity of both the Bank and the
Mutual Holding Company and all of the rights and obligations of the Bank and the
Mutual Holding Company shall remain unimpaired;  and the resulting savings bank,
upon the Effective Date of the Conversion, shall succeed to all those rights and
obligations and the duties and liabilities connected therewith.

     12.  Directors  and  Executive  Officers.  The  persons who are the current
officers  and  directors of the Bank will be the  directors  and officers of the
resulting savings bank and such terms or positions will be unchanged.

                                      A - 3

<PAGE>




     13. Abandonment of Plan of Merger.  This Plan of Merger may be abandoned by
either the Bank or the Mutual  Holding  Company at any time before the Effective
Date in the manner set forth in Section 28 of the Plan.

     14. Amendment of this Plan of Merger. This Plan of Merger may be amended or
modified at any time by mutual  agreement of the Boards of Directors of the Bank
and the  Mutual  Holding  Company  in the  manner set forth in Section 28 of the
Plan.

     15.  Governing  Law.  This Plan of Merger is made pursuant to, and shall be
construed and be governed by, the laws of the United  States,  and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder,  including without limitation, the rules and
regulations of the OTS.

     16.  All  Terms  Included.  This  Plan of  Merger  sets  forth  all  terms,
conditions,  agreements  and  understandings  of the Bank and the Mutual Holding
Company with respect to the Conversion.

     17. Counterparts.  This Plan of Merger may be executed in several identical
counterparts,  each of which when executed by the Parties and delivered shall be
an original, but all of which together shall constitute a single instrument.  In
making  proof of this Plan of Merger,  it shall not be  necessary  to produce or
account for more than one such counterpart.

                                      A - 4

<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  have  caused  this Plan of Merger to be
executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

                                 GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, M.H.C.



Attest:/s/ E. Lorene Thomas      By:   /s/ James E. Haseltine
       --------------------            -----------------------------------------
          E. Lorene Thomas            James E. Haseltine
          Secretary                       Chief Executive Officer and President





                                 GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK




Attest:/s/ E. Lorene Thomas      By:   /s/ James E. Haseltine
       --------------------            -----------------------------------------
          E. Lorene Thomas                James E. Haseltine
          Secretary                       Chief Executive Officer and President






<PAGE>



                                                                      APPENDIX B

                             PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

     PLAN OF REORGANIZATION,  dated as of __________ __, 199__ ("Agreement"), by
and among Guaranty Federal Savings Bank, a federally chartered savings bank (the
"Bank"),  Guaranty  Federal  Interim  Savings Bank ("Interim B"), a to-be-formed
interim  federal  savings bank which will be  organized  for the sole purpose of
consummating  the  reorganization  provided  for herein,  and  Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares, Inc. ("Holding Company"), a Delaware corporation wholly owned by the
Bank  (such  entities  collectively  referred  to  herein  as the  "Parties"  or
individually as "Party").  Unless otherwise noted,  defined terms shall have the
same meaning as those set forth in the Plan of  Conversion  of Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares,  M.H.C. (the "Mutual Holding Company") and the Agreement and Plan of
Reorganization  between the Holding  Company and the Bank (the "Plan") (of which
this Plan of Reorganization is an Appendix thereto).


                              W I T N E S S E T H:

     WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of the Bank has  determined  that it is in
the  best  interests  of the  Bank  and  its  stockholders  for  the  Bank to be
reorganized into the holding company form of ownership;

     WHEREAS,  the Bank has caused the  Holding  Company to be  organized  under
Delaware  law as a wholly  owned  subsidiary  for the  purpose of  becoming  the
holding company of the Bank;

     WHEREAS,  Interim B is being  organized  by the  officers  of the Bank as a
federally  chartered  interim stock savings bank with the Holding Company as its
sole stockholder in order to effect the Reorganization; and

     WHEREAS, the formation of a holding company by the Bank will be effected by
causing the  Holding  Company to become the sole  stockholder  of Interim B, and
then merging Interim B with and into the Bank, so that as part of the merger all
of the  outstanding  shares  of  common  stock  of the  Bank  will be  converted
automatically  into and become  shares of common  stock of the Holding  Company,
which will as a result  thereof  become the sole  stockholder  of the Bank (such
transactions collectively referred to as the "Reorganization");

     WHEREAS,  in  connection  with the  Reorganization,  the existing  minority
stockholders of the Bank will exchange their shares of the Bank Common Stock for
shares of common of the Holding Company based upon an Exchange Ratio established
in  accordance  with the  independent  appraisal  of the Bank upon  merger  with
Interim A, and the remaining  shares will be sold in subscription  and community
offerings,  giving  priority  subscription  rights  as set  forth in the Plan in
accordance with OTS conversion regulations; and

     WHEREAS,  the Bank and Interim B (the Bank and Interim B may be referred to
together  the  "Constituent  Banks") and the Holding  Company  desire to provide
herein for the terms and conditions of the Reorganization.


                                      B - 1

<PAGE>



     NOW, THEREFORE, the Bank, Interim B and the Holding Company do hereby agree
as follows:

     1. Effective Date. The Reorganization  shall become effective only upon the
effectiveness of the Conversion and the  Reorganization on the date specified in
the endorsement of the articles of combination relating to the Reorganization by
the Secretary of the OTS pursuant to 12 C.F.R.
ss. 552.13(k), or any successor thereto (the "Effective Date").

     2. The Merger and Effect  Thereof.  Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, including,  without limitation,  the prior approval of the OTS and
the expiration of all applicable waiting periods, Interim B shall merge with and
into the Bank,  which shall be the surviving bank (the "Surviving  Bank").  Upon
consummation of the  Reorganization,  the Surviving Bank shall be considered the
same  business  and  corporate  entity  as each  of the  Constituent  Banks  and
thereupon and thereafter all the property, rights, powers and franchises of each
of the Constituent Banks shall vest in the Surviving Bank and the Surviving Bank
shall be subject to and be deemed to have assumed all of the debts, liabilities,
obligations and duties of each of the Constituent Banks and shall have succeeded
to all of each of their relationships,  fiduciary or otherwise,  as fully and to
the same extent as if such property,  rights,  privileges,  powers,  franchises,
debts,  obligations,  duties and  relationships  had been  originally  acquired,
incurred or entered into by the Surviving  Bank.  In addition,  any reference to
either of the  Constituent  Banks in any  contract,  will or  document,  whether
executed  or  taking  effect  before  or  after  the  Effective  Date,  shall be
considered a reference to the Surviving Bank if not inconsistent  with the other
provisions of the contract,  will or document;  and any pending  action or other
judicial  proceeding to which either of the  Constituent  Banks is a party shall
not be deemed  to have  abated  or to have  been  discontinued  by reason of the
Reorganization,  but may be prosecuted to final judgment, order or decree in the
same manner as if the  Reorganization had not occurred or the Surviving Bank may
be substituted as a party to such action or proceeding,  and any judgment, order
or decree may be rendered for or against it that might have been rendered for or
against either of the Constituent Banks if the Reorganization had not occurred.

     3.   Conversion of Stock.

          (a) On the Effective  Date, (i) each share of common stock,  par value
$1.00 per share,  of the Bank ("the Bank Common Stock")  issued and  outstanding
immediately  prior to the Effective Date shall, by virtue of the  Reorganization
and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be converted, pursuant
to the Exchange Ratio,  into a fixed number of shares of common stock, par value
$.10 per share, of the Company ("Holding Company Common Stock"), (ii) each share
of common  stock,  par value  $1.00 per share,  of Interim B  ("Interim B Common
Stock") issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date shall, by
virtue of the  Reorganization  and  without any action on the part of the holder
thereof, be converted into one share of the Savings Bank Common Stock, and (iii)
each share of Holding  Company Common Stock issued and  outstanding  immediately
prior to the Effective Date shall, by virtue of the  Reorganization  and without
any action on the part of the holder thereof,  be canceled.  The Company, as the
sole stockholder of Interim B, shall (i) issue shares of Company Common

                                      B - 2

<PAGE>



Stock in accordance with the terms hereof and (ii) cancel all previously  issued
and outstanding shares of Holding Company Common Stock upon the effectiveness of
the Reorganization.

          (b) On and after the Effective Date, there shall be no registration of
any transfers on the stock  transfer books of Interim B or the Bank of shares of
Interim  B  Common  Stock  or the  Bank  Common  Stock  which  were  outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Date.

     4.   Exchange of Shares.

          (a) At or after the Effective  Date,  each holder of a certificate  or
certificates  theretofore  evidencing issued and outstanding  shares of the Bank
Common  Stock,  upon  surrender of the same to an agent,  duly  appointed by the
Holding  Company  ("Exchange  Agent"),  shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor a certificate or certificates representing the number of full shares of
Holding  Company Common Stock  determined in accordance  with the Exchange Ratio
provided  in Section 3 hereof.  The  Exchange  Agent will mail to each holder of
record of an outstanding  certificate  which  immediately prior to the Effective
Date evidenced shares of the Bank Common Stock, and which is to be exchanged for
Holding  Company Common Stock as provided in Section 3 hereof,  a form of letter
of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of
loss and  title to such  certificate  shall  pass,  only upon  delivery  of such
certificate  to the  Exchange  Agent)  advising  such holder of the terms of the
exchange effected by the Reorganization and of the procedure for surrendering to
the  Exchange   Agent  such   certificate  in  exchange  for  a  certificate  or
certificates evidencing Holding Company Common Stock.

          (b) No holder of a  certificate  thereto  representing  shares of Bank
Common  Stock  shall be  entitled  to receive  any  dividends  in respect of the
Holding Company Common Stock into which such shares shall have been converted by
virtue of the Conversion and Reorganization  until the certificate  representing
such shares of Bank Common Stock is  surrendered  in exchange  for  certificates
representing shares of Holding Company Common Stock. In the event that dividends
are  declared  and paid by the  Holding  Company in  respect of Holding  Company
Common Stock after the  consummation  of the Conversion and  Reorganization  but
prior to surrender of  certificates  representing  shares of Bank Common  Stock,
dividends  payable  in respect of shares of Bank  Common  Stock not then  issued
shall accrue  (without  interest).  Any such  dividends  shall be paid  (without
interest) upon surrender of the  certificates  representing  such shares of Bank
Common Stock.  The Holding Company shall be entitled,  after the consummation of
the Conversion and Reorganization,  to treat certificates representing shares of
Bank  Common  Stock as  evidencing  ownership  of the  number of full  shares of
Holding  Company  Common  Stock  into  which  the  shares of Bank  Common  Stock
represented by such certificates shall have been converted,  notwithstanding the
failure on the part of the holder thereof to surrender such certificates.



                                      B - 3

<PAGE>



          (c) If any certificate evidencing shares of Company Common Stock is to
be issued in a name other than that in which the certificate evidencing the Bank
Common  Stock  surrendered  in exchange  therefor is  registered,  it shall be a
condition of the issuance  thereof that the certificate so surrendered  shall be
properly  endorsed and otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the person
requesting  such  exchange pay to the  Exchange  Agent any transfer or other tax
required  by reason of the  issuance  of a  certificate  for  shares of  Holding
Company Common Stock in any name other than that of the registered holder of the
certificate  surrendered  or  otherwise  establish  to the  satisfaction  of the
Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

          (d) If, between the date hereof and the Effective  Date, the shares of
Bank Common Stock shall be changed into a different number or class of shares by
reason  of any  reclassifica-  tion,  recapitalization,  split-up,  combination,
exchange  of  shares  or  readjustment,  or a stock  dividend  thereon  shall be
declared with a record date within said period,  the Exchange Ratio specified in
Section 3(a) hereof shall be adjusted accordingly.

     5. Dissenting Shares.  Holders of shares of the Bank Common Stock shall not
be entitled to exercise  dissenters' or appraisal  rights in connection with the
Reorganization  in  accordance  with 12  C.F.R.  ss.  552.14,  or any  successor
thereto.

     6.  Name of  Surviving  Bank.  The  name of the  Surviving  Bank  shall  be
"Guaranty Federal Savings Bank."

     7.  Directors and Officers of the Surviving  Bank.  The persons who are the
current officers and directors of the Bank will be the directors and officers of
the Surviving Bank and their terms and positions will remain unchanged.

     8. Offices. As of the Effective Date, the main office of the Surviving Bank
shall  remain  at 1341  W.  Battlefield,  Springfield,  Missouri  65807  and the
location of the other offices of the  Surviving  Bank shall be those of the Bank
in  existence  on the date of this  Plan of  Reorganization.  In  addition,  the
Surviving Bank shall operated branch offices at such additional locations as may
be approved by the OTS.

     9. Charter and Bylaws.  On and after the  Effective  Date,  the Charter and
Bylaws of the Bank as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date shall be
the Charter and Bylaws of the Surviving  Bank until  amended in accordance  with
the terms  thereof  and  applicable  law.  The Bank shall  amend its  Charter to
establish a liquidation account on behalf of each depositor member of the Mutual
Holding  Company,  as defined in the Plan, in accordance  with Section 16 of the
Plan.

     10. Savings Accounts.  Upon the Effective Date, all savings accounts of the
Bank,  without  reissue,  shall be and become savings  accounts of the Surviving
Bank without change in their respective terms,  including,  without  limitation,
maturity, minimum required balances or withdrawal value.

                                      B - 4

<PAGE>




     11. Stock Compensation Programs. By voting in favor of this Agreement,  the
Company shall have approved  adoption of the Bank's existing stock  compensation
programs,  including  the  1995  Stock  Option  Plan  ("Option  Plan"),  and the
Recognition  and  Retention  Plan and Trust  ("RRP") as plans of the Company and
shall have agreed to issue  Company  Common  Stock in lieu of Bank Common  Stock
pursuant to the terms of such plans,  subject to the Exchange Ratio set forth in
section  3  hereof.  As of the  Effective  Date  of the  Reorganization,  rights
outstanding  under the Option  Plan and RRP shall be assumed by the  Company and
thereafter  shall be rights only for shares of Company  Common Stock,  with each
such right  being for a number of shares of Company  Common  Stock  equal to the
number of shares of Bank Common Stock that were available thereunder immediately
prior to the  Effective  Date of the  Reorganization,  adjusted  pursuant to the
Exchange Ratio, and with no change in any other term or condition of such right,
other  then as needed to adjust  the price or number of shares  pursuant  to the
Exchange Ratio. The Company shall make appropriate amendments to the Option Plan
and RRP to reflect their adoption by the Company without adverse effect upon the
options outstanding or rights thereunder.

     12. Other  Employment  Agreements and Benefit Plans.  At the Effective Date
and except as  otherwise  provided in Section 11 above,  all rights to purchase,
sell or receive the Bank Common Stock and all rights to elect to make payment in
the Bank Common  Stock under any  agreement  between the Bank and any  director,
officer or  employee  thereof  or under any plan or  program of the Bank,  shall
automatically,  by  operation  of law,  be  converted  into and shall  become an
identical right to purchase, sell or receive Holding Company Common Stock and an
identical  right to make payment in Holding  Company Common Stock under any such
agreement  between the Bank and any  director,  officer or  employee  thereof or
under such plan or program of the Bank,  subject to the Exchange Ratio set forth
in Section 3 hereof.

     13. Stockholder Approval. The affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds
of the issued and  outstanding  the Bank Common Stock held by persons other than
the Mutual Holding Company shall be required to approve this Agreement on behalf
of the Bank.  The  approval of the Bank,  as the sole holder of Holding  Company
Common Stock, shall be required to approve this Plan of Reorganization on behalf
of the Holding  Company and the  approval  of the Holding  Company,  as the sole
holder of Interim B Common  Stock,  shall be  required  to approve  this Plan of
Reorganization on behalf of Interim B.

     14. Registration;  Other Approvals.  In addition to the approvals set forth
in  Sections  1 and 13  hereof,  the  Parties'  obligations  to  consummate  the
Reorganization shall be subject to the Holding Company Common Stock to be issued
hereunder  in exchange  for the Bank Common  Stock  being  registered  under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and registered or qualified under applicable
state securities  laws, as well as the receipt of all other approvals,  consents
or waivers as the Parties may deem necessary or advisable.

     15. Income Tax Matters.  The Parties  hereto shall have received an opinion
of counsel,  or a private  letter  ruling  from the  Internal  Revenue  Service,
satisfactory to them in form and

                                      B - 5

<PAGE>



substance,  with respect to the federal income tax  consequences of this Plan of
Reorganization,  including the formation of a holding  company,  as contemplated
herein.

     16. Abandonment of Plan of Reorganization.  This Plan of Reorganization may
be  abandoned by the Bank,  Interim B or the Holding  Company at any time before
the Effective Date in the event that (a) any action,  suit,  proceeding or claim
has been instituted,  made or threatened  relating to the Plan of Reorganization
which  shall  make   consummation  of  the  transactions   contemplated   hereby
inadvisable in the opinion of the Bank,  Interim B or the Holding  Company,  (b)
the Bank Common  Stock,  as the case may be, is no longer quoted on the National
Association of Securities  Dealers Automated  Quotations  System, or (c) for any
other reason consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby is inadvisable
in the opinion of the Bank,  Interim B or the Holding Company.  Such abandonment
shall be  effected  by  written  notice  by the Bank,  Interim B or the  Holding
Company to the other  Parties  hereto,  authorized  or  approved by the Board of
Directors of the Party giving such notice.  Upon the giving of such notice, this
Agreement  shall be terminated  and there shall be no liability  hereunder or on
account of such  termination  on the part of the Bank,  Interim B or the Holding
Company or the directors,  officers, employees, agents or stockholders of any of
them. In the event of  abandonment of this Plan of  Reorganization,  the Savings
Bank, if in existence,  shall pay the fees and expenses incurred by itself,  the
Bank,  Interim  B and the  Holding  Company  in  connection  with  this  Plan of
Reorganization and the Reorganization.

     17. Amendments. To the extent permitted by law, this Plan of Reorganization
may be amended by a  subsequent  writing  signed by the Parties  hereto upon the
approval of the Board of Directors of each of the Parties  hereto and subject to
Section 28 of the Plan;  provided,  however,  that the  provisions  of Section 3
hereof  relating to the  consideration  to be  exchanged  for shares of the Bank
Common Stock shall not be amended after the meeting of  stockholders of the Bank
at which this Agreement is considered so as to decrease the amount or change the
form of such consideration without the approval of such stockholders.

     18.  Successors.  This  Plan of  Reorganization  shall  be  binding  on the
successors of the Bank, Interim B and the Holding Company.

     19.  Counterparts.  This Plan of  Reorganization  may be executed in one or
more counterparts.

     20.  Governing  Law. This Plan of  Reorganization  shall be governed by and
construed in  accordance  with the laws of the United  States of America and, to
the extent not governed by such laws, the laws of the State of Delaware.

     21.  Execution by Interim B. The Bank and the Holding  Company  acknowledge
that as of the date hereof,  Interim B is in  organization  and has not received
its charter from the OTS. Therefore,  Interim B does not have the legal capacity
to  execute  this Plan of  Reorganization  as of the date  hereof.  The  Holding
Company  agrees  to cause  Interim  B to  execute  this  Plan of  Reorganization
promptly following the organization of Interim B upon receipt of OTS approval

                                      B - 6

<PAGE>



for  Interim B to be  organized.  The Bank and the Holding  Company  agree to be
bound by this Plan of  Reorganization  prior to and following  such execution by
Interim B.





                                      B - 7

<PAGE>



     IN  WITNESS   WHEREOF,   the  Parties  hereto  have  caused  this  Plan  of
Reorganization to be duly executed on its behalf by its officers  thereunto duly
authorized, all as of the date first above written.

                            GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK


                            By:      /s/ James E. Haseltine
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     James E. Haseltine, Chief Executive
                                       Officer


                            Attest: /s/ E. Lorene Thomas
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     E. Lorene Thomas, Secretary



                            GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.


                            By:      /s/ James E. Haseltine
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     James E. Haseltine, Incorporator


                            Attest: /s/ E. Lorene Thomas
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                       E. Lorene Thomas, Secretary


                            GUARANTY FEDERAL INTERIM SAVINGS BANK
                       


                            By:      /s/ James E. Haseltine
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     James E. Haseltine, Chief Executive
                                         Officer


                            Attest: /s/ E. Lorene Thomas
                                    --------------------------------------------
                                       E. Lorene Thomas, Secretary







                                   EXHIBIT 3.i
<PAGE>




                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.


                                    ARTICLE I

                                      Name

         The  name of the  corporation  is  Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc.
(herein the "Corporation").


                                   ARTICLE II

                                Registered Office

         The  address  of the  Corporation's  registered  office in the State of
Delaware  is 1209  Orange  Street,  Corporation  Trust  Center,  in the  City of
Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of the Corporation's registered agent
at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.


                                   ARTICLE III

                                     Powers

         The  purpose  for which the  Corporation  is  organized  is to act as a
savings and loan holding  company and to transact all other lawful  business for
which  corporations  may be  incorporated  pursuant  to the laws of the State of
Delaware.  The Corporation shall have all the powers of a corporation  organized
under said laws.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                                      Term

         The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.


                                    ARTICLE V

                                  Incorporators

         The name and mailing address of the incorporator is as follows:

    Name                                        Mailing Address
    ----                                        ---------------

James E. Haseltine                              1341 W. Battlefield
                                                Springfield, Missouri  65807


<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE VI

                                  Capital Stock

         The  aggregate  number of shares of all classes of capital  stock which
the Corporation has authority to issue is 12,000,000, of which 10,000,000 are to
be shares of common stock,  $.10 par value per share, and of which 2,000,000 are
to be shares of serial preferred stock, $.01 par value per share. The shares may
be issued by the  Corporation  without the  approval of  stockholders  except as
otherwise  provided  in this  Article VI or the rules of a  national  securities
exchange, if applicable.  The consideration for the issuance of the shares shall
be paid to or received by the  Corporation  in full before  their  issuance  and
shall  not be less  than the par  value per  share.  The  consideration  for the
issuance  of the shares  shall be cash,  services  rendered,  personal  property
(tangible  or  intangible),  real  property,  leases  of  real  property  or any
combination of the foregoing. In the absence of actual fraud in the transaction,
the  judgment of the board of  directors  as to the value of such  consideration
shall be  conclusive.  Upon payment of such  consideration  such shares shall be
deemed to be fully paid and nonassessable.  In the case of a stock dividend, the
part of the surplus of the  Corporation  which is  transferred to stated capital
upon the  issuance  of  shares  as a stock  dividend  shall be  deemed to be the
consideration for their issuance.

         A  description  of the  different  classes  and  series (if any) of the
Corporation's   capital  stock,   and  a  statement  of  the  relative   powers,
designations,  preferences and rights of the shares of each class and series (if
any) of capital  stock,  and the  qualifications,  limitations  or  restrictions
thereof, are as follows:

         A. Common Stock.  Except as provided in this Certificate the holders of
the common  stock shall  exclusively  possess all voting  power.  Each holder of
shares of common stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share held by such
holders.

         Whenever  there  shall have been paid,  or  declared  and set aside for
payment,  to the holders of the outstanding  shares of any class of stock having
preference over the common stock as to the payment of dividends, the full amount
of dividends and sinking fund or retirement fund or other  retirement  payments,
if any, to which such holders are  respectively  entitled in  preference  to the
common stock,  then dividends may be paid on the common stock,  and on any class
or series of stock entitled to participate therewith as to dividends, out of any
assets legally available for the payment of dividends, but only when as declared
by the board of directors of the Corporation.

         In the  event of any  liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up of the
Corporation,  after  there shall have been paid,  or declared  and set aside for
payment, to the holders of the outstanding shares of any class having preference
over the common stock in any event, the full preferential  amounts to which they
are respectively  entitled,  the holders of the common stock and of any class or
series of stock  entitled to participate  therewith,  in whole or in part, as to
distribution of assets shall be entitled, after payment or provision for payment
of all debts and liabilities of the Corporation, to receive the remaining assets
of the Corporation available for distribution, in cash or in kind.

         Each  share of  common  stock  shall  have the  same  relative  powers,
preferences  and rights as, and shall be identical in all respects with, all the
other shares of common stock of the Corporation.

         B. Serial Preferred  Stock.  Except as provided in this Certificate the
board  of  directors  of  the  Corporation  is  authorized,   by  resolution  or
resolutions  from time to time  adopted,  to provide for the  issuance of serial
preferred  stock  in  series  and to fix and  state  the  powers,  designations,
preferences and

                                        2

<PAGE>



relative, participating,  optional or other special rights of the shares of such
series, and the qualifications,  limitations or restrictions thereof, including,
but not limited to determination of any of the following:

         1.  the  distinctive  serial  designation  and  the  number  of  shares
constituting such series; and

         2. the  dividend  rates or the  amount of  dividends  to be paid on the
shares of such series,  whether  dividends  shall be cumulative and, if so, from
which  date  or  dates,  the  payment  date  or  dates  for  dividends,  and the
participating or other special rights, if any, with respect to dividends; and

         3. the voting  powers,  full or limited,  if any, of the shares of such
series; and

         4.  whether the shares of such series shall be  redeemable  and, if so,
the price or prices at which,  and the  terms and  conditions  upon  which  such
shares may be redeemed; and

         5. the amount or amounts  payable upon the shares of such series in the
event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation; and

         6.  whether the shares of such series shall be entitled to the benefits
of a sinking or  retirement  fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of
such shares, and, if so entitled,  the amount of such fund and the manner of its
application,  including the price or prices at which such shares may be redeemed
or purchased through the application of such funds; and

         7.  whether the shares of such series  shall be  convertible  into,  or
exchangeable  for,  shares of any other class or classes or any other  series of
the same or any other  class or classes of stock of the  Corporation  and, if so
convertible  or  exchangeable,  the conversion  price or prices,  or the rate or
rates of exchange, and the adjustments thereof, if any, at which such conversion
or exchange may be made, and any other terms and  conditions of such  conversion
or exchange; and

         8. the  subscription  or purchase price and form of  consideration  for
which the shares of such series shall be issued; and

         9.  whether the shares of such series  which are  redeemed or converted
shall have the status of  authorized  but  unissued  shares of serial  preferred
stock and whether such shares may be reissued as shares of the same or any other
series of serial preferred stock.

         Each share of each series of serial preferred stock shall have the same
relative  powers,  preferences  and  rights as,  and shall be  identical  in all
respects with, all the other shares of the Corporation of the same series.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                                Preemptive Rights

         No  holder  of any of the  shares of any class or series of stock or of
options,  warrants or other rights to purchase  shares of any class or series of
stock or of other securities of the Corporation  shall have any preemptive right
to purchase or subscribe for any unissued  stock of any class or series,  or any
unissued bonds,  certificates of  indebtedness,  debentures or other  securities
convertible  into or  exchangeable  for stock of any class or series or carrying
any right to purchase stock of any class or

                                        3

<PAGE>



series;  but any such  unissued  stock,  bonds,  certificates  of  indebtedness,
debentures or other  securities  convertible  into or exchangeable  for stock or
carrying any right to purchase stock may be issued pursuant to resolution of the
board of directors of the  Corporation to such persons,  firms,  corporations or
associations,  whether  or not  holders  thereof,  and upon such terms as may be
deemed  advisable  by the  board  of  directors  in  the  exercise  of its  sole
discretion.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                              Repurchase of Shares

         The Corporation may from time to time, pursuant to authorization by the
board of directors of the  Corporation  and without action by the  stockholders,
purchase or otherwise  acquire shares of any class,  bonds,  debentures,  notes,
scrip, warrants, obligations,  evidences of indebtedness, or other securities of
the  Corporation  in such  manner,  upon such terms,  and in such amounts as the
board of directors shall  determine;  subject,  however,  to such limitations or
restrictions,  if any, as are  contained  in the  express  terms of any class of
shares of the Corporation outstanding at the time of the purchase or acquisition
in question or as are imposed by law or regulation.


                                   ARTICLE IX

                   Meetings of Stockholders; Cumulative Voting

         A.  Notwithstanding  any other  provision  of this  Certificate  or the
Bylaws of the Corporation,  no action required to be taken or which may be taken
at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken
without a meeting, and the power of stockholders to consent in writing,  without
a meeting, to the taking of any action is specifically denied.

         B. Special  meetings of the  stockholders  of the  Corporation  for any
purpose or purposes  may be called at any time by the board of  directors of the
Corporation,  or by a committee  of the board of  directors  which has been duly
designated  by the board of  directors  and whose  powers  and  authorities,  as
provided  in a  resolution  of the board of  directors  or in the  Bylaws of the
Corporation,  include the power and  authority to call such  meetings,  but such
special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons.

         C. There shall be no cumulative  voting by stockholders of any class or
series in the election of directors of the Corporation.

         D. Meetings of stockholders  may be held within or without the State of
Delaware, as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide.

                                    ARTICLE X

                      Notice for Nominations and Proposals

         A.  Nominations for the election of directors and proposals for any new
business to be taken up at any annual or special meeting of stockholders  may be
made by the board of directors of the

                                        4

<PAGE>



Corporation or by any stockholder of the Corporation  entitled to vote generally
in the election of directors.  In order for a stockholder of the  Corporation to
make any such nominations and/or proposals,  he or she shall give notice thereof
in writing,  delivered  or mailed by first class  United  States  mail,  postage
prepaid,  to the Secretary of the Corporation not less than thirty days nor more
than sixty days prior to any such meeting; provided,  however, that if less than
thirty-one  days' notice of the meeting is given to  stockholders,  such written
notice shall be  delivered or mailed,  as  prescribed,  to the  Secretary of the
Corporation not later than the close of the tenth day following the day on which
notice of the meeting was mailed to  stockholders.  Each such notice  given by a
stockholder  with respect to  nominations  for  election of directors  shall set
forth (i) the name, age,  business address and, if known,  residence  address of
each  nominee  proposed  in  such  notice,  (ii)  the  principal  occupation  or
employment  of each such  nominees,  (iii) the  number of shares of stock of the
Corporation which are beneficially  owned by each such nominee,  (iv) such other
information as would be required to be included in a proxy statement  soliciting
proxies for the election of the proposed  nominee  pursuant to Regulation 14A of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including,  without limitation,
such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee
and to serving as a director,  if elected,  and (v) as to the stockholder giving
such notice (a) his name and address as they appear on the Corporation's  books,
and (b) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially
owned by such stockholder.  In addition,  the stockholder making such nomination
shall  promptly  provide  any  other  information  reasonably  requested  by the
Corporation.

         B.  Each such  notice  given by a  stockholder  to the  Secretary  with
respect  to  business  proposals  to bring  before a meeting  shall set forth in
writing as to each matter: (i) a brief description of the business desired to be
brought before the meeting and the reasons for  conducting  such business at the
meeting,  (ii) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation's  books,
of the stockholder proposing such business; (iii) the class and number of shares
of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder; and (iv) any
material interest of the stockholder in such business.  Notwithstanding anything
in this  Certificate  to the  contrary,  no business  shall be  conducted at the
meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article.

         C. The Chairman of the annual or special meeting of  stockholders  may,
if the facts warrant,  determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination or
proposal was not made in  accordance  with the foregoing  procedure,  and, if he
should so  determine,  he shall so  declare  to the  meeting  and the  defective
nomination or proposal shall be disregarded and laid over for action at the next
succeeding adjourned, special or annual meeting of the stockholders taking place
thirty days or more thereafter.  This provision shall not require the holding of
any adjourned or special meeting of stockholders  for the purpose of considering
such defective nomination or proposal.

                                   ARTICLE XI

                                    Directors

         A. Number;  Vacancies. The number of directors of the Corporation shall
be such number, not less than three nor more than 15 (exclusive of directors, if
any,  to be elected by holders of  preferred  stock of the  Corporation,  voting
separately  as a  class),  as  shall  be  provided  from  time  to time in or in
accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation,  provided that no decrease in the
number  of  directors  shall  have  the  effect  of  shortening  the term of any
incumbent  director,  and  provided  further  that no  action  shall be taken to
decrease or increase the number of  directors  from time to time unless at least
two-thirds  of the  directors  then in  office  shall  concur  in  said  action.
Vacancies in the board of directors of the

                                        5

<PAGE>



Corporation,  however caused, and newly created directorships shall be filled by
a vote of two-thirds of the directors  then in office,  whether or not a quorum,
and any director so chosen  shall hold office for a term  expiring at the annual
meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class to which the director has
been chosen expires and when the director's successor is elected and qualified.

         B. Classified Board. The board of directors of the Corporation shall be
divided into three classes of directors which shall be designated Class I, Class
II and Class III. The members of each class shall be elected for a term of three
years and until their  successors are elected and qualified.  Such classes shall
be as nearly equal in number as the then total number of directors  constituting
the entire  board of  directors  shall  permit,  with the terms of office of all
members  of one class  expiring  each  year.  At the  first  annual  meeting  of
stockholders,  directors  in Class I shall be elected to hold  office for a term
expiring at the third succeeding annual meeting thereafter. At the second annual
meeting of  stockholders,  directors of Class II shall be elected to hold office
for a term expiring at the third  succeeding  meeting  thereafter.  At the third
annual meeting of stockholders,  directors of Class III shall be elected to hold
office for a term expiring at the third  succeeding  annual meeting  thereafter.
Thereafter, at each succeeding annual meeting, directors whose term shall expire
at any annual  meeting shall  continue to serve until such time as his successor
shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified unless his position on the
board of directors  shall have been abolished by action taken to reduce the size
of the board of directors prior to said meeting.  The initial board of directors
shall  consist  of Jack L.  Barham and James E.  Haseltine  in Class 1, Wayne V.
Barnes  and Ivy L.  Rogers in Class 2, and George L. Hall and Gary  Lipscomb  in
Class 3.

         Should the number of  directors  of the  Corporation  be  reduced,  the
directorship(s)  eliminated  shall be allocated  among classes as appropriate so
that the number of directors  in each class is as  specified in the  immediately
preceding paragraph.  The board of directors shall designate, by the name of the
incumbent(s), the position(s) to be abolished. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term
of any incumbent director.  Should the number of directors of the Corporation be
increased,  the  additional  directorships  shall be allocated  among classes as
appropriate so that the number of directors in each class is as specified in the
immediately preceding paragraph.

         Whenever  the holders of any one or more series of  preferred  stock of
the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one
or more directors of the  Corporation,  the board of directors  shall consist of
said  directors  so elected in  addition  to the  number of  directors  fixed as
provided above in this Article XI. Notwithstanding the foregoing,  and except as
otherwise may be required by law, whenever the holders of any one or more series
of preferred stock of the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as
a class,  to elect one or more  directors of the  Corporation,  the terms of the
director  or  directors  elected  by  such  holders  shall  expire  at the  next
succeeding annual meeting of stockholders.

                                   ARTICLE XII

                              Removal of Directors

         Notwithstanding  any other provision of this  Certificate or the Bylaws
of the  Corporation,  no member of the board of directors of the Corporation may
be removed except for cause,  and then only by the affirmative  vote of at least
80% of the outstanding  shares of capital stock of the  Corporation  entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors  (considered for this purpose as one
class) cast at a

                                        6

<PAGE>



meeting  of the  stockholders  called  for  that  purpose.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing,  whenever the holders of any one or more series of preferred stock of
the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one
or more directors of the Corporation,  the preceding  provisions of this Article
XII shall not apply with respect to the  director or  directors  elected by such
holders of preferred stock.


                                  ARTICLE XIII

                      Certain Limitations on Voting Rights

         Notwithstanding   any   other   provision   of  this   Certificate   of
Incorporation,  in no event  shall any record  owner of any  outstanding  Common
Stock which is beneficially owned,  directly or indirectly,  by a person who, as
of any record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote on any
matter,  beneficially  owns in excess of 10% of the  then-outstanding  shares of
Common Stock (the "Limit"),  be entitled, or permitted to any vote in respect of
the shares held in excess of the Limit. The number of votes which may be cast by
any record owner by virtue of the  provisions  hereof in respect of Common Stock
beneficially  owned by such person owning shares in excess of the Limit shall be
a number equal to the total  number of votes which a single  record owner of all
Common  Stock owned by such person  would be entitled to cast,  multiplied  by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of such class or series
which are both  beneficially  owned by such  person  and owned of record by such
record  owner  and the  denominator  of which is the  total  number of shares of
Common Stock  beneficially  owned by such person  owning shares in excess of the
Limit.

         B.       The following definitions shall apply to this Article XIII.

         1.  "Affiliate"  shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Rule 12b-2 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
in effect on the date of filing of this Certificate of Incorporation.

         2. "Beneficial ownership" shall be determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (or
any  successor  rule or  statutory  provision),  or, if said Rule 13d-3 shall be
rescinded and there shall be no successor rule or provision thereto, pursuant to
said  Rule  13d-3 as in effect  on the date of  filing  of this  Certificate  of
Incorporation;  provided,  however,  that a person shall, in any event,  also be
deemed the "beneficial owner" of any Common Stock:

     (1)  which such person or any of its affiliates beneficially owns, directly
          or indirectly; or

     (2)  which  such  person  or any of its  affiliates  has (i) the  right  to
          acquire  (whether such right is exercisable  immediately or only after
          the  passage  of time),  pursuant  to any  agreement,  arrangement  or
          understanding  (but shall not be deemed to be the beneficial  owner of
          any voting shares solely by reason of an agreement, contract, or other
          arrangement with this  Corporation to effect any transaction  which is
          described  in any one or more of  Sections 1 through 5 of Section A of
          Article  XIV) or upon the  exercise  of  conversion  rights,  exchange
          rights,  warrants,  or  options or  otherwise,  or (ii) sole or shared
          voting or  investment  power  with  respect  thereto  pursuant  to any
          agreement, arrangement, understanding,  relationship or otherwise (but
          shall not be deemed to be the  beneficial  owner of any voting  shares
          solely by reason of a revocable proxy granted for a particular meeting
          of stockholders, pursuant to a public solicitation of proxies for such
          meeting,

                                        7

<PAGE>



          with  respect  to  shares  of  which  neither such person nor any such
          affiliate is otherwise deemed the beneficial owner); or

     (3)  which are  beneficially  owned,  directly or indirectly,  by any other
          person with which such first mentioned person or any of its affiliates
          acts as a partnership,  limited partnership,  syndicate or other group
          pursuant  to any  agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  for  the
          purpose of  acquiring,  holding,  voting or disposing of any shares of
          capital stock of this Corporation;

and  provided  further,  however,  that  (1) no  Director  or  Officer  of  this
Corporation (or any affiliate of any such Director or Officer) shall,  solely by
reason of any or all of such Directors or Officers acting in their capacities as
such, be deemed,  for any purposes hereof,  to beneficially own any Common Stock
beneficially  owned by any other  such  Director  or Officer  (or any  affiliate
thereof),  and (2) neither any employee stock  ownership or similar plan of this
Corporation or any subsidiary of this Corporation,  nor any trustee with respect
thereto or any  affiliate of such trustee  (solely by reason of such capacity of
such trustee), shall be deemed, for any purposes hereof, to beneficially own any
Common Stock held under any such plan.  For purposes of computing the percentage
beneficial  ownership of Common Stock of a person,  the outstanding Common Stock
shall include  shares deemed owned by such person  through  application  of this
subsection but shall not include any other Common Stock which may be issuable by
this  Corporation  pursuant to any  agreement,  or upon  exercise of  conversion
rights,  warrants  or  options,  or  otherwise.  For  all  other  purposes,  the
outstanding  Common Stock shall include only Common Stock then  outstanding  and
shall not  include any Common  Stock  which may be issuable by this  Corporation
pursuant to any agreement,  or upon the exercise of conversion rights,  warrants
or options, or otherwise.

         3. A "person" shall mean any individual,  firm,  corporation,  or other
entity.

         C. The Board of  Directors  shall have the power to construe  and apply
the provisions of this Article XIII and to make all determinations  necessary or
desirable to implement  such  provisions,  including  but not limited to matters
with respect to (i) the number of shares of Common Stock  beneficially  owned by
any person,  (ii) whether a person is an affiliate of another,  (iii)  whether a
person has an agreement,  arrangement,  or understanding  with another as to the
matters  referred  to in  the  definition  of  beneficial  ownership,  (iv)  the
application of any other definition or operative provision of the section to the
given facts, or (v) any other matter relating to the  applicability or effect of
this Article XIII.

         D. The Board of  Directors  shall  have the  right to  demand  that any
person who is reasonably  believed to beneficially own Common Stock in excess of
the Limit (or holders of record of Common Stock beneficially owned by any person
in excess of the Limit) supply the Corporation  with complete  information as to
(i) the record owner(s) of all shares  beneficially  owned by such person who is
reasonably believed to own shares in excess of the Limit, (ii) any other factual
matter  relating  to the  applicability  or effect of this  Article  XIII as may
reasonably be requested of such person.

         E. Except as otherwise  provided by law or  expressly  provided in this
Article  XIII,  the presence in person or by proxy,  of the holders of record of
shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to cast
a majority of the votes (after giving effect, if required,  to the provisions of
this Article XIII) entitled to be cast by the holders of shares of capital stock
of the Corporation entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of
the stockholders,  and every reference in this Certificate of Incorporation to a
majority or other proportion of capital stock (or the

                                        8

<PAGE>



holders  thereof)  for purposes of  determining  any quorum  requirement  or any
requirement for stockholder consent or approval shall be deemed to refer to such
majority or other proportion of the votes (or the holders thereof) then entitled
to be cast in respect of such capital stock.

         F. The  provisions  of this Article XIII shall not be applicable to the
acquisition of more than 10% of any class of equity  security of the Corporation
if such acquisition has been approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors,
as defined in Article  XIV of this  Certificate;  provided,  however,  that such
approval  shall only be effective if such  continuing  directors  shall have the
power to construe and apply the  provisions of this Article XIII and to make all
determinations  necessary or desirable to implement such  provisions,  including
but not limited to matters with respect to (a) the number of shares beneficially
owned by any person,  (b)  whether a person has an  agreement,  arrangement,  or
understanding  with another as to the matters  referred to in the  definition of
beneficial ownership, (c) the application of any other material fact relating to
the   applicability   or  effect  of  this  Article  XIII.  Any   constructions,
applications,  or determinations  made by the Continuing  Directors  pursuant to
this  Article  XIII in good  faith  and on the  basis  of such  information  and
assistance as was then reasonably available for such purpose shall be conclusive
and binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders.

         G. In the event any provision (or portion thereof) of this Article XIII
shall be found to be invalid,  prohibited or unenforceable  for any reason,  the
remaining  provisions (or portions thereof) of this Article XIII shall remain in
full force and effect, and shall be construed as if such invalid,  prohibited or
unenforceable  provision  had been  stricken  here  from or  otherwise  rendered
inapplicable,  it being the intent of this Corporation and its stockholders that
each such remaining  provision (or portion thereof) of this Article XIII remain,
to the fullest extent  permitted by law,  applicable  and  enforceable as to all
stockholders,  including  stockholders owning an amount of stock over the Limit,
notwithstanding any such finding.


                                   ARTICLE XIV

                        Approval of Business Combinations

         A. Standards of Board of Directors'  Evaluation of an Offer.  The Board
of Directors of the Corporation,  when evaluating any offer of another Person to
effect a Business  Combination  shall,  in  connection  with the exercise of its
judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the Corporation and its
shareholders, give due consideration to all relevant factors, including, without
limitation:  (i) the social and economic  effects of acceptance of such offer on
its depositors,  borrowers,  other  customers,  employees,  and creditors of the
Corporation  and  its  Subsidiaries,   and  on  the  communities  in  which  the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries operate or are located; (ii) the ability of the
Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries  to fulfill the  objectives  of a bank and/or
savings bank and/or savings and loan association holding company, as applicable,
and of commercial  banking and/or savings bank and/or savings and loan entities,
as applicable,  under  applicable  federal and state  statutes and  regulations;
(iii) the business and financial  condition and prospects and earnings prospects
of the Person or Persons proposing the Business Combination,  including, but not
limited to, debt service and other  existing  financial  obligations,  financial
obligations  to be incurred in  connection  with the Business  Combination,  and
other likely financial  obligations of such Person or Persons,  and the possible
effect  of  such   conditions  and  prospects  upon  the   Corporation  and  its
Subsidiaries  and the communities in which the Corporation and its  Subsidiaries
are located;  (iv) the  competence,  experience,  and integrity of the Person or
Persons proposing the Business Combination and its or their management;  and (v)
the prospects for successful conclusion of the proposed

                                        9

<PAGE>



Business Combination.  The provisions of this Article XIV shall be deemed solely
to grant  discretionary  authority  to the Board of  Directors  and shall not be
deemed to provide any  constituency  the right to be considered or to compel the
consideration of its interests.

         B. General Requirement. The affirmative vote of the holders of not less
than  eighty  percent  (80%) of the  outstanding  shares of  "Voting  Stock" (as
hereinafter  defined) shall be required for the approval or authorization of any
"Business Combination", as defined and set forth below:

                  1.  Any  merger,  reorganization,   or  consolidation  of  the
Corporation  or any of its  Affiliates  (as  defined  in  Article  XIII  of this
Certificate) with or into any Principal Shareholder (as hereinafter defined);

                  2. Any sale, lease, exchange,  mortgage,  pledge, transfer, or
other disposition (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) of
all or a  "Substantial  Part"  (as  hereinafter  defined)  of the  assets of the
Corporation or any of its Affiliates to any Principal Shareholder;

                  3.  Any  sale,  lease,  exchange,  or other  transfer  (in one
transaction or in a series of related transactions) by any Principal Shareholder
to the Corporation or any of the Corporation's  Affiliates of any assets,  cash,
or  securities  in exchange for shares of Voting Stock (or of shares of stock of
any of the  Corporation's  Affiliates  entitled  to  vote  in  the  election  of
directors of such Affiliate or securities  convertible  into or exchangeable for
shares of Voting Stock or such stock of an Affiliate,  or options,  warrants, or
rights to purchase shares of Voting Stock or such stock of an Affiliate);

                  4. The  adoption at any time when there  exists any  Principal
Shareholder  of any plan or proposal for the  liquidation  or dissolution of the
Corporation; and

                  5. Any  reclassification of securities  (including any reverse
stock  split),  recapitalization,  or other  transaction  at any time when there
exists any Principal Shareholder if such reclassification,  recapitalization, or
other  transaction  would  result in a decrease  in the number of holders of the
outstanding shares of Voting Stock.

         The affirmative  vote required by this Article XIV shall be in addition
to the vote of the  holders  of any class or series of stock of the  Corporation
otherwise required by law, by any other Article of this Certificate, as amended,
by any  resolution  of the Board of  Directors  providing  for the issuance of a
class or series of stock,  or by any agreement  between the  Corporation and any
national securities exchange.

         C.       Certain Definitions.  For the purposes of this Article XIV:

                  1. The term "Principal Shareholder" shall mean and include any
individual, Corporation,  partnership, or other person or entity which, together
with its  "Affiliates"  and  "Associates"  (as  defined in Article  XIII of this
Certificate),   "beneficially   owns"  (as  defined  in  Article  XIII  of  this
Certificate)  in the  aggregate  ten  percent  (10%) or more of the  outstanding
shares of Voting Stock,  and any Affiliate or Associate of any such  individual,
corporation, partnership, or other person or entity.

                  2.  The  term   "Substantial   Part"   shall  mean  more  than
twenty-five  percent  (25%) of the fair market  value of the total assets of the
Corporation, as of the end of its most recent fiscal quarter ending prior to the
time the determination is being made.


                                       10

<PAGE>




                  3.  The  term  "Voting  Stock"  shall  mean  the  stock of the
Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors.

                  4. Any  corporation,  partnership,  person,  or entity will be
deemed to be a "beneficial  owner" of or to own beneficially any share or shares
of stock of the  Corporation:  (a)  which it owns  directly,  whether  or not of
record;  or (b)  which  it has the  right  to  acquire  (whether  such  right is
exercisable  immediately  or only  after the  passage of time)  pursuant  to any
agreement or arrangement or understanding or upon exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, or which it has the right to
vote pursuant to any agreement,  arrangement, or understanding; or (c) which are
beneficially owned,  directly or indirectly (including shares deemed to be owned
through  application of clause (b) above) by any Affiliate or Associate;  or (d)
which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (including shares deemed to
be owned  through  application  of clause (b)  above) by any other  corporation,
person,  or entity with which it or any of its Affiliates or Associates have any
agreement or arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting, or disposing of Voting Stock.

         For the purpose only of determining  the percentage of the  outstanding
shares of Voting  Stock which any  corporation,  partnership,  person,  or other
entity  beneficially  owns,  directly or indirectly,  the outstanding  shares of
Voting  Stock will be deemed to include  any shares of Voting  Stock  which such
corporation,  partnership,  person or other entity beneficially owns pursuant to
the  foregoing  provisions  of this  subsection  (whether  or not such shares of
Voting Stock are in fact issued or outstanding), but shall not include any other
shares of Voting  Stock  which may be  issuable  either  immediately  or at some
future date pursuant to any agreement,  arrangement,  or  understanding  or upon
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants, options, or otherwise.

         D. Exceptions.  The provisions of this Article XIV shall not apply to a
Business  Combination  which is approved by  two-thirds  of those members of the
Board of  Directors  who were  directors  prior to the time  when the  Principal
Shareholder  became a Principal  Shareholder (the "Continuing  Directors").  The
provisions  of this  Article XIV also shall not apply to a Business  Combination
which (a) does not change any shareholder's  percentage  ownership in the shares
of stock  entitled to vote in the election of directors of any  successor of the
Corporation  from the  percentage  of the shares of Voting  Stock  owned by such
shareholder;  (b) provides for the  provisions of this Article XIV,  without any
amendment,  change,  alteration,  or deletion,  to apply to any successor to the
Corporation;  and  (c)  does  not  transfer  all or a  Substantial  Part  of the
Corporation's assets other than to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation.

         E. Additional Provisions.  Nothing contained in this Article XIV, shall
be construed to relieve a Principal  Shareholder  from any fiduciary  obligation
imposed by law. In addition, nothing contained in this Article XIV shall prevent
any shareholders of the Corporation  from objecting to any Business  Combination
and  from  demanding  any  appraisal  rights  which  may be  available  to  such
Shareholder.

         F. Notwithstanding  Article XX or any provisions of this Certificate or
the  Bylaws  of the  Corporation  (and  notwithstanding  the fact  that a lesser
percentage  may be  specified  by law,  this  Certificate  or the  Bylaws of the
Corporation),  the  affirmative  vote  of the  holders  of at  least  80% of the
outstanding  shares  entitled to vote  thereon  (and,  if any class or series is
entitled to vote thereon  separately,  the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least  80% of the  outstanding  shares of each such  class or  series)  shall be
required  to  amend  or  repeal  this  Article  XIV  or  adopt  any   provisions
inconsistent with this Article XIV.


                                       11

<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE XV

                             Fair Price Requirements

         A.  General  Requirement.  No  "Business  Combination"  (as  defined in
Article XIV) shall be effected  unless all of the following  conditions,  to the
extent applicable, are fulfilled.

                  1. The ratio of (a) the  aggregate  amount of the cash and the
fair market  value of the other  consideration  to be received  per share by the
holders of the common stock of the  Corporation  in the Business  Combination to
(b) the  "Market  Price" (as  hereinafter  defined)  of the common  stock of the
Corporation immediately prior to the announcement of the Business Combination or
the solicitation of the holders of the common stock of the Corporation regarding
the Business Combination,  whichever is first, shall be at least as great as the
ratio of (x) the  highest  price per  share  previously  paid by the  "Principal
Shareholder"  (as  hereinafter  defined)  (whether  before  or after it became a
Principal  Shareholder) for any of the shares of common stock of the Corporation
at any time  beneficially  owned,  directly,  or  indirectly,  by the  Principal
Shareholder  to (y) the Market Price of the common stock of the  Corporation  on
the trading date  immediately  prior to the earliest date on which the Principal
Shareholder  (whether  before  or  after  it  became  a  Principal  Shareholder)
purchased  any  shares of common  stock of the  Corporation  during the two year
period prior to the date on which the Principal  Shareholder acquired the shares
of common stock of the Corporation at any time owned by it for which it paid the
highest price per share (or, if the Principal  Shareholder  did not purchase any
shares of common stock of the Corporation during the two year period, the Market
Price of the common stock of the  Corporation  on the date of two years prior to
the date on which the Principal  Shareholder acquired the shares of common stock
of the  Corporation  at any time owned by it for which it paid the highest price
per share).

                  2. The aggregate  amount of the cash and the fair market value
of the other consideration to be received per share by the holders of the common
stock of the Corporation in the Business  Combination shall be not less than the
highest price per share  previously paid by the Principal  Shareholder  (whether
before  or after it became a  Principal  Shareholder)  for any of the  shares of
common stock of the  Corporation  at any time  beneficially  owned,  directly or
indirectly, by the Principal Shareholder.

                  3. The  consideration  to be  received  by the  holders of the
common stock of the Corporation in the Business Combination shall be in the same
form and of the same kind as the consideration paid by the Principal Shareholder
in  acquiring  the  majority  of the shares of common  stock of the  Corporation
already   beneficially   owned,   directly  or  indirectly,   by  the  Principal
Shareholder.

         The  conditions  imposed by this Article XV shall be in addition to all
other conditions (including,  without limitation, the vote of the holders of any
class or series of stock of the  Corporation)  otherwise  imposed by law, by any
other Article of this  Certificate,  by any resolution of the Board of Directors
providing  for the issuance of a class or series of stock,  or by any  agreement
between the Corporation and any national securities exchange.

         B.  Certain  Definitions.  For the  purpose  of this  Article  XV,  the
definitions of "Business  Combination,"  "Principal  Shareholder",  "Substantial
Part",  "Voting  Stock,"  and  "Beneficial  Owner" set forth in Article XIV will
apply to this Article XV.


                                       12

<PAGE>



         The "Market Price" of the common stock of the Corporation  shall be the
mean  between the high "bid" and the low "asked"  prices of the common  stock in
the  over-the-counter  market on the day on which such value is to be determined
or, if no shares were traded on such date,  on the next  preceding  day on which
such shares were traded,  as reported by the National  Association of Securities
Dealers  Automated  Quotation  System  ("NASDAQ")  or other  national  quotation
service.  If the common stock of the Corporation is not regularly  traded in the
over-the-counter  market but is registered on a national  securities exchange or
traded in the national  over-the-counter  market, the market value of the common
stock  shall  mean the  closing  price  of the  common  stock  on such  national
securities exchange or market on the day on which such value is to be determined
or, if no shares  were traded on such day,  on the next  preceding  day on which
shares were traded, as reported by the National  Quotation Bureau,  Incorporated
or other national  quotation service.  If no such quotations are available,  the
fair market value of the date in question of a share of such stock as determined
by the Board of Directors in good faith;  and in the case of property other than
cash or stock,  the fair market value of such property other than cash or stock,
the fair market value of such  property on the date in question as determined by
the Board of Directors in good faith.

         C.  Exceptions.  The provisions of this Article XV shall not apply to a
Business  Combination  which was approved by  two-thirds of those members of the
Board of Directors of the  Corporation who were directors prior to the time when
the Principal  Shareholder  became a Principal  Shareholder.  The  provisions of
which this Article XV also shall not apply to a Business  Combination  which (a)
does not change any  shareholder's  percentage  ownership in the shares of stock
entitled  to  vote  in  the  election  of  directors  of  any  successor  of the
Corporation from the percentage of the shares of Voting Stock beneficially owned
by such shareholder; (b) provides for the provisions of this Article XV, without
any amendment,  change alteration, or deletion, to apply to any successor to the
Corporation;  and  (c)  does  not  transfer  all or a  Substantial  Part  of the
Corporation's assets other than to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation;
provided,  however,  that nothing  contained in this Article XV shall permit the
Corporation to issue any of its shares of Voting Stock or to transfer any of its
assets to a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of the  Corporation  if such  issuance of
shares of Voting Stock or transfer of assets is part of a plan to transfer  such
shares of Voting Stock or assets to a Principal Shareholder.

         D. Additional Provisions. Nothing contained in this Article XV shall be
construed  to relieve a  Principal  Shareholder  from any  fiduciary  obligation
imposed by law. In addition,  nothing contained in this Article XV shall prevent
any shareholders of the Corporation  from objecting to any Business  Combination
and  from  demanding  any  appraisal  rights  which  may be  available  to  such
shareholders.

         E.  Notwithstanding   Article  XX  or  any  other  provisions  of  this
Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (and  notwithstanding the fact that
a lesser  percentage may be specified by law, this  Certificate or the Bylaws of
the  Corporation),  the  affirmative  vote of the holders of at least 80% of the
outstanding  shares  entitled to vote  thereon  (and,  if any class or series is
entitled to vote thereon  separately,  the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least  80% of the  outstanding  shares of each such  class or  series)  shall be
required  to amend or  repeal  or adopt any  provisions  inconsistent  with this
Article XV.

                                   ARTICLE XVI

                              Evaluation of Offers

         The Board of Directors of the Corporation, when evaluating any offer to
(A) make a tender or exchange offer for any equity security of the  Corporation,
(B) merge or consolidate the Corporation with

                                       13

<PAGE>



another  corporation  or entity or (C)  purchase  or  otherwise  acquire  all or
substantially  all of the  properties  and assets of the  Corporation,  may,  in
connection with the exercise of its judgment in determining  what is in the best
interest of the Corporation and its stockholders,  give due consideration to all
relevant factors, including,  without limitation, the social and economic effect
of acceptance of such offer: on the  Corporation's  present and future customers
and employees and those of its  subsidiaries;  on the  communities  in which the
Corporation and its subsidiaries  operate or are located;  on the ability of the
Corporation  to fulfill its  corporate  objective  as a savings and loan holding
company under  applicable  statutes and  regulations;  and on the ability of its
subsidiary  savings bank to fulfill the  objectives of a stock form savings bank
under applicable statutes and regulations.


                                  ARTICLE XVII

                       Elimination of Directors' Liability

         Directors of the Corporation shall have no liability to the Corporation
or its  stockholders  for  monetary  damages for breach of  fiduciary  duty as a
director,  provided  that this Article XVII shall not  eliminate  liability of a
director (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Corporation
or its stockholders,  (ii) for acts or omissions not made in good faith or which
involve  intentional  misconduct  or a knowing  violation  of law,  (iii)  under
section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction
from which a director  derived an improper  personal  benefit.  If the  Delaware
General  Corporation Law is amended after the effective date of this Certificate
to further  eliminate or limit the personal  liability  of  directors,  then the
liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the
fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

         Any  repeal  or  modification   of  the  foregoing   paragraph  by  the
stockholders  of the  Corporation  shall  not  adversely  affect  any  right  or
protection of a director of the Corporation  existing at the time of such repeal
or modification.


                                  ARTICLE XVIII

                                 Indemnification

         A. Persons. The Corporation shall indemnify,  to the extent provided in
paragraphs B, D or F:

          1.   any person who is or was a director,  officer,  employee,  of the
               Corporation; and

          2.   any person who serves or served at the Corporation's request as a
               director,  officer,  employee,  partner  or  trustee  of  another
               corporation,   partnership,   joint   venture,   trust  or  other
               enterprise.

         B. Extent --  Derivative  Suits.  In case of a  threatened,  pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation  against a person
named in  paragraph A by reason of his holding a position  named in paragraph A,
the Corporation shall indemnify him if he satisfies the standard in paragraph C,
for expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him
in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit.


                                       14

<PAGE>



         C. Standard -- Derivative  Suits.  In case of a threatened,  pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the  Corporation,  a person named
in paragraph A shall be indemnified only if:

                  1.  he is successful on the merits or otherwise; or

                  2. he acted  in good  faith  in the  transaction  which is the
subject of the suit or action, and in a manner he reasonably  believed to be in,
or not opposed  to, the best  interest of the  Corporation,  including,  but not
limited  to,  the  taking  of  any  and  all  actions  in  connection  with  the
Corporation's  response to any tender  offer or any offer or proposal of another
party to engage in a Business  Combination  (as  defined in Article  XIV of this
Certificate)  not approved by the board of directors.  However,  he shall not be
indemnified  in respect  of any  claim,  issue or matter as to which he has been
adjudged  liable to the  Corporation  unless  (and only to the extent  that) the
Court of Chancery or the court in which the suit was  brought  shall  determine,
upon  application,  that  despite  the  adjudication  but in  view  of  all  the
circumstances,  he is fairly  and  reasonably  entitled  to  indemnity  for such
expenses as the court shall deem proper.

         D. Extent -- Nonderivative  Suits. In case of a threatened,  pending or
completed suit, action or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative),  other  than  a  suit  by or in the  right  of the  Corporation,
together hereafter  referred to as a nonderivative  suit, against a person named
in  paragraph A by reason of his holding a position  named in  paragraph  A, the
Corporation shall indemnify him if he satisfies the standard in paragraph E, for
amounts  actually and reasonably  incurred by him in connection with the defense
or  settlement  of the  nonderivative  suit,  including,  but not limited to (i)
expenses  (including  attorneys' fees),  (ii) amounts paid in settlement,  (iii)
judgments, and (iv) fines.

         E. Standard -- Nonderivative  Suits. In case of a nonderivative suit, a
person named in paragraph A shall be indemnified only if:

                  1.  he is successful on the merits or otherwise; or

                  2. he acted  in good  faith  in the  transaction  which is the
subject of the nonderivative  suit and in a manner he reasonably  believed to be
in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, including, but not
limited  to,  the  taking  of  any  and  all  actions  in  connection  with  the
Corporation's  response to any tender  offer or any offer or proposal of another
party to engage in a Business  Combination  (as  defined in Article  XIV of this
Certificate)  not  approved by the board of directors  and,  with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was  unlawful.  The  termination  of a  nonderivative  suit by judgment,  order,
settlement,  conviction,  or upon a plea of nolo  contendere  or its  equivalent
shall not, in itself, create a presumption that the person failed to satisfy the
standard of this paragraph E.2.

         F.  Determination  That Standard Has Been Met. A determination that the
standard of  paragraph  C or E has been  satisfied  may be made by a court,  or,
except as stated in paragraph C.2 (second  sentence),  the  determination may be
made by:

                  1.  the board of directors by a  majority  vote  of  a  quorum
consisting of directors of the Corporation who were not parties to  the  action,
suit or proceeding; or

                  2. independent  legal counsel  (appointed by a majority of the
disinterested  directors  of the  Corporation,  whether  or not a  quorum)  in a
written opinion; or

                                       15

<PAGE>




                  3.  the stockholders of the Corporation.

         G.  Proration.  Anyone  making a  determination  under  paragraph F may
determine  that a person has met the  standard as to some  matters but not as to
others, and may reasonably prorate amounts to be indemnified.

         H. Advance  Payment.  The  Corporation  may pay in advance any expenses
(including  attorneys' fees) which may become subject to  indemnification  under
paragraphs  A-G if the person  receiving  the payment  undertakes  in writing to
repay  the  same  if it is  ultimately  determined  that he is not  entitled  to
indemnification by the Corporation under paragraphs A-G.

         I.  Nonexclusive.  The  indemnification  and  advancement  of  expenses
provided by paragraphs A-H or otherwise  granted  pursuant to Delaware law shall
not be  exclusive  of any other rights to which a person may be entitled by law,
bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

         J. Continuation.  The  indemnification  and advance payment provided by
paragraphs  A-H shall  continue as to a person who has ceased to hold a position
named in paragraph A and shall inure to his heirs, executors and administrators.

         K. Insurance.  The  Corporation may purchase and maintain  insurance on
behalf of any person who holds or who has held any  position  named in paragraph
A, against any  liability  asserted  against him and incurred by him in any such
position,  or arising out of his status as such,  whether or not the Corporation
would have power to indemnify him against such liability under paragraphs A-H of
this Article XVIII.

         L. Savings Clause. If this Article XVIII or any portion hereof shall be
invalidated  on any  ground by any  court of  competent  jurisdiction,  then the
Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director,  officer,  employee, and
agent  of  the  Corporation  as  to  costs,  charges,  and  expenses  (including
attorneys' fees), judgments,  fines, and amounts paid in settlement with respect
to any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,  administrative, or
investigative,  including an action by or in the right of the Corporation to the
full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article XVIII that shall
not have been invalidated and to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

         If Delaware  law is amended to permit  further  indemnification  of the
directors,   officers,  employees  and  agents  of  the  Corporation,  then  the
Corporation  shall  indemnify  such persons to the fullest  extent  permitted by
Delaware law, as so amended.  Any repeal or  modification of this Article by the
stockholders  of the  Corporation  shall  not  adversely  affect  any  right  or
protection  of a director,  officer,  employee or agent  existing at the time of
such repeal or modification.

                                   ARTICLE XIX

                     Amendment of Bylaws of the Corporation

         In  furtherance  and  not in  limitation  of the  powers  conferred  by
statute,  the board of directors of the  Corporation is expressly  authorized to
make,  repeal,   alter,  amend  and  rescind  the  Bylaws  of  the  Corporation.
Notwithstanding  any other  provision of this  Certificate  or the Bylaws of the
Corporation  (and  notwithstanding  the fact that some lesser  percentage may be
specified by law), the Bylaws of the

                                       16

<PAGE>



Corporation shall not be made,  repealed,  altered,  amended or rescinded by the
stockholders  of the  Corporation  except by the vote of the holders of not less
than 80% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation  entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors  (considered  for this purpose as
one  class)  cast at a  meeting  of the  stockholders  called  for that  purpose
(provided that notice of such proposed adoption, repeal,  alteration,  amendment
or  rescission  is  included  in the notice of such  meeting),  or, as set forth
above, by the board of directors.

                                   ARTICLE XX

                    Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation

         The Corporation  reserves the right to repeal,  alter, amend or rescind
any  provision  contained  in this  Certificate  in the manner now or  hereafter
prescribed by law, and all rights  conferred on stockholders  herein are granted
subject to this reservation.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the provisions set
forth in Articles IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, and this
Article  XX of  this  Certificate  may  not be  repealed,  altered,  amended  or
rescinded in any respect unless the same is approved by the affirmative  vote of
the holders of not less than 80% of the  outstanding  shares of capital stock of
the  Corporation  entitled  to  vote  generally  in the  election  of  directors
(considered  for  this  purpose  as a single  class)  cast at a  meeting  of the
stockholders  called for that  purpose  (provided  that notice of such  proposed
adoption, repeal, alteration,  amendment or rescission is included in the notice
of such meeting).




                                 EXHIBIT 3.ii
<PAGE>

                                     BYLAWS

                                       OF

                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.


                                    ARTICLE I

                                   Home Office

         The  home   office  of   Guaranty   Federal   Bancshares,   Inc.   (the
"Corporation") shall be at 1341 W. Battlefield,  City of Springfield,  County of
Greene, in the State of Missouri.  The Corporation may also have offices at such
other  places  within or without the State of Missouri as the board of directors
shall from time to time determine.


                                   ARTICLE II

                                  Stockholders

         SECTION  1. Place of  Meetings.  All annual  and  special  meetings  of
stockholders  shall be held at the home  office  of the  Corporation  or at such
other  place  within  or  without  the  State in which  the home  office  of the
Corporation is located as the board of directors may determine and as designated
in the notice of such meeting.

         SECTION  2.  Annual  Meeting.  A  meeting  of the  stockholders  of the
Corporation  for the election of directors and for the  transaction of any other
business of the Corporation  shall be held annually at such date and time as the
board of directors may determine.

         SECTION 3. Special  Meetings.  Special meetings of the stockholders for
any purpose or purposes  may be called at any time by the  majority of the board
of directors or by a committee of the board of directors in accordance  with the
provisions of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation.

         SECTION 4. Conduct of Meetings.  Annual and special  meetings  shall be
conducted in accordance  with the rules and procedures  established by the board
of directors.  The board of directors shall designate,  when present, either the
chairman of the board or president to preside at such meetings.

         SECTION 5. Notice of Meetings.  Written notice  stating the place,  day
and hour of the meeting  and the  purpose or  purposes  for which the meeting is
called shall be mailed by the  secretary or the officer  performing  his duties,
not less than ten days nor more than  sixty  days  before  the  meeting  to each
stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.  If mailed,  such notice
shall be deemed to be  delivered  when  deposited  in the  United  States  mail,
addressed to the  stockholder at his address as it appears on the stock transfer
books or records of the  Corporation as of the record date prescribed in Section
6 of this Article II, with postage thereon prepaid.  If a stockholder is present
at a meeting,  or in writing  waives notice thereof before or after the meeting,
notice  of the  meeting  to such  stockholder  shall  be  unnecessary.  When any
stockholders'  meeting,  either annual or special, is adjourned for thirty days,
notice of the  adjourned  meeting  shall be given as in the case of an  original
meeting.  It shall not be  necessary to give any notice of the time and place of
any meeting adjourned for less than thirty days or

                                       -1-


<PAGE>



of the  business  to be  transacted  at such  adjourned  meeting,  other than an
announcement at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken.

         SECTION  6.  Fixing of Record  Date.  For the  purpose  of  determining
stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or
any  adjournment  thereof,  or  stockholders  entitled to receive payment of any
dividend,  or in order to make a  determination  of  stockholders  for any other
proper purpose, the board of directors shall fix in advance a date as the record
date for any such determination of stockholders.  Such date in any case shall be
not more than sixty  days,  and in case of a meeting of  stockholders,  not less
than ten days prior to the date on which the particular  action,  requiring such
determination  of  stockholders,  is  to  be  taken.  When  a  determination  of
stockholders  entitled to vote at any meeting of  stockholders  has been made as
provided in this  section,  such  determination  shall apply to any  adjournment
thereof.

         SECTION 7. Voting  Lists.  The officer or agent,  having  charge of the
stock transfer books for shares of the Corporation shall make, at least ten days
before  each  meeting of  shareholders,  a complete  record of the  stockholders
entitled  to  vote at such  meeting  or any  adjournment  thereof,  arranged  in
alphabetical  order,  with the address of and the number of shares held by each.
The record, for a period of ten days before such meeting,  shall be kept on file
at the principal office of the  Corporation,  and shall be subject to inspection
by any  shareholder  for any  purpose  germane to the meeting at any time during
usual  business  hours.  Such record shall also be produced and kept open at the
time and place of the  meeting  and shall be  subject to the  inspection  of any
stockholder  for any purpose germane to the meeting during the whole time of the
meeting.  The original  stock transfer books shall be prima facie evidence as to
who are the stockholders entitled to examine such record or transfer books or to
vote at any meeting of stockholders.

         SECTION  8.  Quorum.  A  majority  of  the  outstanding  shares  of the
Corporation  entitled  to  vote,  represented  in  person  or  by  proxy,  shall
constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders. If less than a majority of the
outstanding  shares are  represented  at a meeting,  a majority of the shares so
represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. At
such adjourned  meeting at which a quorum shall be present or  represented,  any
business may be  transacted  which might have been  transacted at the meeting as
originally  notified.  The stockholders  present at a duly organized meeting may
continue to transact business until adjournment,  notwithstanding the withdrawal
of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

         SECTION 9. Proxies. At all meetings of stockholders,  a stockholder may
vote by proxy executed in writing by the  stockholder or by his duly  authorized
attorney in fact.  Proxies  solicited on behalf of the management shall be voted
as  directed  by the  stockholder  or,  in the  absence  of such  direction,  as
determined  by a majority  of the board of  directors.  No proxy  shall be valid
after eleven months from the date of its execution unless otherwise  provided in
the proxy.

         SECTION 10. Voting.  At each election for directors  every  stockholder
entitled to vote at such  election  shall be entitled to one vote for each share
of  stock  held  by  him.  Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the  Certificate  of
Incorporation, by Statute, or by these Bylaws, a majority of those votes cast by
stockholders at a lawful meeting shall be sufficient to pass on a transaction or
matter.

         SECTION 11. Voting of Shares in the Name of Two or More  Persons.  When
ownership of stock stands in the name of two or more persons,  in the absence of
written  directions to the  Corporation  to the contrary,  at any meeting of the
stockholders of the Corporation any one or more of such  stockholders  may cast,
in person or by proxy,  all votes to which such  ownership is  entitled.  In the
event

                                       -2-


<PAGE>



an  attempt is made to cast  conflicting  votes,  in person or by proxy,  by the
several persons in whose name shares of stock stand,  the vote or votes to which
these  persons  are  entitled  shall be cast as  directed by a majority of those
holding  such stock and  present in person or by proxy at such  meeting,  but no
votes shall be cast for such stock if a majority cannot agree.

         SECTION 12. Voting of Shares by Certain Holders. Shares standing in the
name of another  corporation may be voted by any officer,  agent or proxy as the
bylaws of such corporation may prescribe,  or, in the absence of such provision,
as the board of directors of such  corporation may determine.  Shares held by an
administrator,  executor,  guardian  trustee or conservator may be voted by him,
either in person or by proxy,  without a transfer  of such shares into his name.
Shares  standing in the name of a receiver  may be voted by such  receiver,  and
shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by such  receiver
without the transfer thereof into his name if authority to do so is contained in
an  appropriate  order of the  court or other  public  authority  by which  such
receiver was appointed.

             A  stockholder  whose shares are pledged  shall be entitled to vote
such shares until the shares have been  transferred into the name of the pledgee
and thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred.

             Neither  treasury shares of its own stock held by the  Corporation,
nor shares held by another corporation,  if a majority of the shares entitled to
vote for the  election of directors  of such other  corporation  are held by the
Corporation,  shall be voted at any meeting or counted in determining  the total
number of outstanding shares at any given time for purposes of any meeting.

             SECTION 13.  Inspectors  of Election.  In advance of any meeting of
stockholders,  the board of  directors  may  appoint  any  persons,  other  than
nominees  for office,  as  inspectors  of election to act at such meeting or any
adjournment  thereof.  The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. If
the  board  of  directors  so  appoints  either  one or three  inspectors,  that
appointment  shall not be altered at the meeting.  If inspectors of election are
not so  appointed,  the  chairman  of the board or the  president  may make such
appointment at the meeting.  In case any person  appointed as inspector fails to
appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by  appointment  by
the board of  directors  in  advance  of the  meeting  or at the  meeting by the
chairman of the board or the president.

             Unless  otherwise  prescribed by applicable law, the duties of such
inspectors  shall  include:  determining  the  number of shares of stock and the
voting power of each share, the shares of stock represented at the meeting,  the
existence  of a quorum,  the  authenticity,  validity  and  effect  of  proxies;
receiving votes, ballots or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and
questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote;  counting and
tabulating all votes or consents;  determining the result;  and such acts as may
be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders.

         SECTION 14. Nominating Committee. The board of directors shall act as a
nominating  committee  for  selecting  the  management  nominees for election as
directors.  Except in the case of a nominee substituted as a result of the death
or other  incapacity of a management  nominee,  the nominating  committee  shall
deliver  written  nominations to the secretary at least twenty days prior to the
date of the annual meeting.  Provided such committee makes such nominations,  no
nominations for directors except those made by the nominating committee shall be
voted upon at the annual meeting unless other  nominations by  stockholders  are
made in writing and delivered to the secretary of the  Corporation in accordance
with the provisions of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation.


                                       -3-


<PAGE>



         SECTION 15. New Business. Any new business to be taken up at the annual
meeting  shall  be  stated  in  writing  and  filed  with the  secretary  of the
Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the  Corporation's  Certificate
of  Incorporation.  This  provision  shall not  prevent  the  consideration  and
approval or disapproval at the annual meeting of reports of officers,  directors
and  committees,  but in connection  with such reports no new business  shall be
acted upon at such  annual  meeting  unless  stated and filed as provided in the
Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation.


                                   ARTICLE III

                               Board of Directors

         SECTION 1. General Powers.  The business and affairs of the Corporation
shall be under the direction of its board of  directors.  The board of directors
shall  annually  elect a  president  from among its members and may also elect a
chairman  of the board  from among its  members.  The board of  directors  shall
designate,  when  present,  either the chairman of the board or the president to
preside at its meetings.

         SECTION 2. Number,  Term and  Election.  The board of  directors  shall
initially  consist of six (6) members and shall be divided into three classes as
nearly equal in number as  possible.  The members of each class shall be elected
for a term of three years and until their  successors  are elected or qualified.
The board of directors  shall be classified in accordance with the provisions of
the  Corporation's  Certificate  of  Incorporation.  The board of directors  may
increase the number of members of the board of  directors  but in no event shall
the number of directors be increased in excess of fifteen.

         SECTION  3.  Regular  Meetings.  A  regular  meeting  of the  board  of
directors shall be held without other notice than this Bylaw immediately  after,
and at the same  place as,  the annual  meeting  of  stockholders.  The board of
directors  may  provide,  by  resolution,  the time and place for the holding of
additional regular meetings without other notice than such resolution.

         SECTION 4. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors
may be  called  by or at  the  request  of the  chairman  of  the  board  or the
president,  or by one-third of the  directors.  The persons  authorized  to call
special  meetings  of the board of  directors  may fix any place in the State of
Missouri as the place for holding any special  meeting of the board of directors
called by such persons.

         Members of the board of directors may  participate in special  meetings
by means of conference  telephone or similar  communications  equipment by which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation
shall  constitute  presence  in  person  but  directors  will  not  receive  any
compensation for participation in meetings by conference telephone.

         SECTION 5. Notice. Written notice of any special meeting shall be given
to each director at least two days previous thereto  delivered  personally or by
telegram or at least five days previous thereto delivered by mail at the address
at which the director is most likely to be reached.  Such notice shall be deemed
to be delivered  when  deposited in the United  States mail so  addressed,  with
postage thereon prepaid if mailed or when delivered to the telegraph  company if
sent by  telegram.  Any  director  may waive  notice of any meeting by a writing
filed  with the  secretary.  The  attendance  of a director  at a meeting  shall
constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director attends a
meeting for the express  purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business
because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Neither the business to
be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the board of directors need
be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

                                       -4-


<PAGE>




         SECTION 6.  Quorum.  A majority  of the  number of  directors  fixed by
Section 2 of this Article III shall  constitute a quorum for the  transaction of
business  at any  meeting  of the  board of  directors,  but if less  than  such
majority  is present  at a meeting,  a majority  of the  directors  present  may
adjourn the meeting from time to time.  Notice of any adjourned meeting shall be
given in the same manner as prescribed by Section 5 of this Article III.

         SECTION 7. Manner of Acting.  The act of the majority of the  directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present  shall be the act of the board
of  directors,  unless a  greater  number is  prescribed  by these  Bylaws,  the
Certificate of Incorporation, or the laws of Delaware.

         SECTION 8. Action Without a Meeting.  Any action  required or permitted
to be taken by the  board of  directors  at a  meeting  may be taken  without  a
meeting if a consent in  writing,  setting  forth the action so taken,  shall be
signed by all of the directors.

         SECTION 9. Resignation.  Any director may resign at any time by sending
a  written  notice of such  resignation  to the home  office of the  Corporation
addressed  to the  chairman  of the  board or the  president.  Unless  otherwise
specified herein such resignation  shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the
chairman of the board or the president.

         SECTION 10. Vacancies.  Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors
shall  be  filled  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Corporation's
Certificate  of  Incorporation.  Any  directorship  to be filled by reason of an
increase in the number of  directors  may be filled by the  affirmative  vote of
two-thirds of the directors  then in office.  The term of such director shall be
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the   Corporation's   Certificate  of
Incorporation.

         SECTION 11.  Removal of Directors.  Any director or the entire board of
directors  may be  removed  for  cause  and  then  only in  accordance  with the
provisions of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation.

         SECTION 12. Compensation.  Directors, as such, may receive a stated fee
for their services. By resolution of the board of directors,  a reasonable fixed
sum, and reasonable  expenses of  attendance,  if any, may be allowed for actual
attendance at each regular or special meeting of the board of directors. Members
of either standing or special  committees may be allowed such  compensation  for
actual attendance at committee meetings as the board of directors may determine.
Nothing  herein shall be  construed  to preclude  any director  from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving remuneration therefor.

         SECTION 13. Presumption of Assent. A director of the Corporation who is
present at a meeting of the board of directors at which action on any  corporate
matter is taken shall be presumed to have  assented to the action  taken  unless
his  dissent or  abstention  shall be entered in the  minutes of the  meeting or
unless he shall file his written  dissent to such action with the person  acting
as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment  thereof or shall forward
such dissent by registered mail to the secretary of the Corporation  immediately
after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a
director who votes in favor of such action.


                                       -5-


<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE IV

                      Committees of the Board of Directors

         The board of directors  may, by resolution  passed by a majority of the
whole  board,  designate  one or more  committees,  as they may  determine to be
necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the Corporation, and
may prescribe the duties,  constitution and procedures  thereof.  Each committee
shall  consist  of one or more  directors  of the  Corporation.  The  board  may
designate one or more directors as alternate  members of any committee,  who may
replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.

         The board of directors shall have power,  by the affirmative  vote of a
majority  of the  authorized  number of  directors,  at any time to  change  the
members of, to fill  vacancies  in, and to discharge any committee of the board.
Any member of any such  committee may resign at any time by giving notice to the
Corporation  provided,  however,  that notice to the board,  the chairman of the
board,  the chief  executive  officer,  the chairman of such  committee,  or the
secretary  shall  be  deemed  to  constitute  notice  to the  Corporation.  Such
resignation  shall take effect upon  receipt of such notice or at any later time
specified therein;  and, unless otherwise specified therein,  acceptance of such
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.  Any member of any such
committee  may be removed at any time,  either  with or  without  cause,  by the
affirmative  vote of a majority of the  authorized  number of  directors  at any
meeting of the board called for that purpose.


                                    ARTICLE V

                                    Officers

         SECTION  1.  Positions.  The  officers  of the  Corporation  shall be a
president,  one or more vice  presidents,  a secretary and a treasurer,  each of
whom shall be elected by the board of directors. The board of directors may also
designate the chairman of the board as an officer.  The  president  shall be the
chief executive officer unless the board of directors designates the chairman of
the board as chief executive  officer.  The president shall be a director of the
Corporation.  The offices of the secretary and treasurer may be held by the same
person and a vice  president may also be either the secretary or the  treasurer.
The board of directors may  designate  one or more vice  presidents as executive
vice president or senior vice  president.  The board of directors may also elect
or  authorize  the  appointment  of such other  officers as the  business of the
Corporation may require. The officers shall have such authority and perform such
duties as the board of directors  may from time to time  authorize or determine.
In the absence of action by the board of directors, the officers shall have such
powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices.

         SECTION 2. Election and Term of Office. The officers of the Corporation
shall be elected  annually by the board of directors at the first meeting of the
board of directors  held after each annual meeting of the  shareholders.  If the
election of officers is not held at such meeting, such election shall be held as
soon thereafter as possible.  Each officer shall hold office until his successor
shall have been duly elected and  qualified or until his death or until he shall
resign or shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter  provided.  Election
or  appointment  of an officer,  employee  or agent  shall not of itself  create
contract  rights.  The board of directors may authorize the Corporation to enter
into an employment

                                       -6-


<PAGE>



contract  with any officer in  accordance  with state law; but no such  contract
shall  impair the right of the board of  directors  to remove any officer at any
time in accordance with Section 3 of this Article V.

         SECTION 3. Removal. Any officer may be removed by vote of two-thirds of
the board of directors  whenever,  in its  judgment,  the best  interests of the
Corporation  will be served  thereby,  but such  removal,  other than for cause,
shall be without  prejudice  to the  contract  rights,  if any, of the person so
removed.

         SECTION  4.  Vacancies.  A  vacancy  in any  office  because  of death,
resignation,  removal, disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the board
of directors for the unexpired portion of the term.

         SECTION 5.  Remuneration.  The  remuneration  of the officers  shall be
fixed  from  time to time by the  board of  directors  and no  officer  shall be
prevented  from  receiving  such  salary by reason of the fact that he is also a
director of the Corporation.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                      Contracts, Loans, Checks and Deposits

         SECTION 1.  Contracts.  To the extent  permitted by applicable law, and
except as otherwise prescribed by the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation
or these Bylaws with respect to certificates for shares,  the board of directors
may authorize any officer,  employee,  or agent of the Corporation to enter into
any contract or execute and deliver any  instrument in the name of and on behalf
of the  Corporation.  Such  authority  may be general or  confined  to  specific
instances.

         SECTION  2.  Loans.  No loans  shall be  contracted  on  behalf  of the
Corporation and no evidence of  indebtedness  shall be issued in its name unless
authorized by the board of directors.  Such authority may be general or confined
to specific instances.

         SECTION 3. Checks,  Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for
the payment of money,  notes or other  evidences of  indebtedness  issued in the
name of the  Corporation  shall be signed by one or more officers,  employees or
agents  of the  Corporation  in  such  manner  as  shall  from  time  to time be
determined by resolution of the board of directors.

         SECTION  4.  Deposits.  All  funds  of the  Corporation  not  otherwise
employed shall be deposited  from time to time to the credit of the  Corporation
in any of its duly authorized depositories as the board of directors may select.


                                       -7-


<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE VII

                   Certificates for Shares and Their Transfer

         SECTION 1. Certificates for Shares. The shares of the Corporation shall
be represented by certificates  signed by the chairman of the board of directors
or by the president or a vice president and by the treasurer or by the secretary
of the  Corporation,  and may be sealed  with the seal of the  Corporation  or a
facsimile  thereof.  Any  or all of the  signatures  upon a  certificate  may be
facsimiles  if  the  certificate  is  countersigned  by  a  transfer  agent,  or
registered by a registrar,  other than the Corporation  itself or an employee of
the Corporation.  If any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has
been placed upon such  certificate  shall have ceased to be such officer  before
the  certificate is issued,  it may be issued by the  Corporation  with the same
effect as if he were such officer at the date of its issue.

         SECTION 2. Form of Share  Certificates.  All certificates  representing
shares issued by the Corporation  shall set forth upon the face or back that the
Corporation  will furnish to any  shareholder  upon request and without charge a
full  statement  of the  designations,  preferences,  limitations,  and relative
rights of the shares of each class  authorized to be issued,  the  variations in
the relative  rights and  preferences  between the shares of each such series so
far as the same have been fixed and  determined,  and the authority of the board
of  directors  to fix and  determine  the  relative  rights and  preferences  of
subsequent series.

         Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof:
that the Corporation is organized  under the laws of the State of Delaware;  the
name of the person to whom issued;  the number and class of shares;  the date of
issue; the designation of the series, if any, which such certificate represents;
the par value of each share represented by such certificate, or a statement that
the shares are  without  par value.  Other  matters in regard to the form of the
certificates shall be determined by the board of directors.

         SECTION 3. Payment for Shares.  No certificate  shall be issued for any
shares until such share is fully paid.

         SECTION  4. Form of  Payment  for  Shares.  The  consideration  for the
issuance  of  shares  shall be paid in  accordance  with the  provisions  of the
Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation.

         SECTION 5.  Transfer of Shares.  Transfer of shares of capital stock of
the Corporation  shall be made only on its stock transfer  books.  Authority for
such  transfer  shall be given  only by the  holder of record  thereof or by his
legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of such authority, or by
his attorney  thereunto  authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed
with  the  Corporation.  Such  transfer  shall  be made  only on  surrender  for
cancellation of the certificate for such shares. The person in whose name shares
of capital  stock stand on the books of the  Corporation  shall be deemed by the
Corporation to be the owner thereof for all purposes.

         SECTION 6. Stock Ledger.  The stock ledger of the Corporation  shall be
the only evidence as to who are the  stockholders  entitled to examine the stock
ledger,  the list  required  by  Section  7 of  Article  II or the  books of the
Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

         SECTION 7. Lost  Certificates.  The board of directors may direct a new
certificate to be issued in place of any certificate  theretofore  issued by the
Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or

                                       -8-


<PAGE>



destroyed,  upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person  claiming
the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. When authorizing such
issue of a new certificate, the board of directors may, in its discretion and as
a condition  precedent to the issuance thereof,  require the owner of such lost,
stolen,  or  destroyed  certificate,  or his legal  representative,  to give the
Corporation  a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity  against any claim
that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged
to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.

         SECTION 8.  Beneficial  Owners.  The  Corporation  shall be entitled to
recognize the exclusive  right of a person  registered on its books as the owner
of shares to  receive  dividends,  and to vote as such  owner,  and shall not be
bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such shares on
the part of any other person,  whether or not the Corporation shall have express
or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                            Fiscal Year; Annual Audit

         The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the last day of June of
each year. The Corporation  shall be subject to an annual audit as of the end of
its fiscal year by independent public  accountants  appointed by and responsible
to the board of directors.


                                   ARTICLE IX

                                    Dividends

         Subject to the  provisions  of the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and
applicable  law, the board of directors may, at any regular or special  meeting,
declare dividends on the Corporation's  outstanding capital stock. Dividends may
be paid in cash, in property or in the Corporation's own stock.


                                    ARTICLE X

                                 Corporate Seal

         The  corporate  seal of the  Corporation  shall be in such  form as the
board of directors shall prescribe.



                                       -9-


<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE XI

                                   Amendments

         In accordance  with the  Corporation's  Certificate  of  Incorporation,
these Bylaws may be repealed,  altered, amended or rescinded by the stockholders
of the Corporation  only by vote of not less than 80% of the outstanding  shares
of capital stock of the  Corporation  entitled to vote generally in the election
of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of the
stockholders  called for that  purpose  (provided  that notice of such  proposed
repeal,  alternation,  amendment or rescission is included in the notice of such
meeting).  In  addition,  the board of  directors  may repeal,  alter,  amend or
rescind  these Bylaws by vote of a majority of the board of directors at a legal
meeting held in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws.


                                      -10-





                                   EXHIBIT 4
<PAGE>


================================================================================
COMMON STOCK                                                        COMMON STOCK
CERTIFICATE NO.          GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.


                             INCORPORATED UNDER THE
                           LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE               CUSIP

                                             SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

                  THIS
                  CERTIFIES
                  THAT

                  IS THE
                  OWNER OF

              FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,
                          $0.10 PAR VALUE PER SHARE OF

                        Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

         The shares represented by this certificate are transferable only on the
stock  transfer  books of the  corporation  by the  holder of  record  hereof in
person,  or by his duly authorized  attorney or legal  representative,  upon the
surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate and the shares
represented  hereby are issued and shall be held  subject to all the  provisions
contained in the corporation's official corporate papers filed with the Delaware
Secretary of State (copies of which are on file with the Transfer Agent), to all
of the provisions the holder, by acceptance hereof, assents.

         This  certificate is not valid unless  countersigned  and registered by
the Transfer Agent and Registrar.

                        THIS SECURITY IS NOT A DEPOSIT OR
          SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND IS NOT FEDERALLY INSURED OR GUARANTEED.

         In Witness Whereof,  Guaranty Federal Bancshares,  Inc. has caused this
certificate  to be executed by the facsimile  signatures of its duly  authorized
officers  and has  caused  a  facsimile  of its  corporate  seal to be  hereunto
affixed.


DATED:

- ----------------------------                        ----------------------------
 PRESIDENT                           SEAL                              SECRETARY
================================================================================



<PAGE>
                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.

         The shares  represented by this certificate are subject to a limitation
contained in the certificate of incorporation of the corporation ("Certificate")
to the effect that in no event shall any record owner of any outstanding  common
stock  which is  beneficially  owned,  directly or  indirectly,  by a person who
beneficially  owns in excess of 10% of the outstanding  shares of common stock (
the  "Limit") be entitled or  permitted to any vote in respect of shares held in
excess of the Limit and may have their voting  rights  reduced  below the Limit.
[In addition,  for five years from the initial sale of the corporation's  common
stock,  no person or entity may offer to acquire or acquire over 10% of the then
outstanding shares of any class of equity securities of the corporation.]

         The  Board  of  Directors  of  the   corporation   is   authorized   by
resolution(s),  from time to time adopted, to provide for the issuance of serial
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.  The  corporation  will furnish to any  shareholder  upon
request and  without  charge a full  description  of each class of stock and any
series thereof.

         The shares  represented  by this  certificate  may not be  cumulatively
voted in the election of  directors of the  corporation.  The  Certificate  also
includes a provision  the effect of which is to require the approval of not less
than 80% of the corporation's  voting stock prior to the corporation engaging in
certain business  combinations (as defined in the Certificate) with a person who
is the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the corporation's  outstanding  voting
stock,  or with an  affiliate  or associate  of the  corporation  (a  "Principal
Stockholder"). This restriction does not apply if certain approvals are obtained
from the Board of  Directors.  The  affirmative  vote of  holders  of 80% of the
outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock  of the  corporation  entitled  to  vote
generally in the election of directors  (considered for this purpose as a single
class)  is  required  to  amend  this  and  certain  other   provisions  of  the
Certificate.

                  The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on
the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>               <C>                               <C>                  <C>                           
TEN COM -         as tenants in common              UNIF TRAN MIN ACT -                 Custodian
                                                                         ---------------         ---------------
                                                                              (Cus)                   (Minor)
TEN ENT -         as tenants by the entireties
                                                                         under Uniform Transfers to Minors Act

JT TEN  -         as joint tenants with right of
                  survivorship and not as tenants                        -------------------------------     
                  in common                                                              (State)
</TABLE>

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

            FOR VALUE RECEIVED                          hereby sell,
                               ------------------------
                            assign and transfer unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE)


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
shares of the common stock represented by the within certificate and do hereby 
irrevocably constitute and appoint

                                                                        
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attorney  to  transfer  the  said  shares  on  the  books  of the  within  named
corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated                                                X
      ---------------------                            -------------------------
                                                     X
                                                       -------------------------

         NOTICE:  The signatures to this  assignment  must  correspond  with the
name(s) as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
<PAGE>


SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED:          ----------------------------------------------
                                 THE   SIGNATURE(S)   SHOULD  BE  GUARANTEED  BY
                                 AN   ELIGIBLE  GUARANTOR   INSTITUTION  (BANKS,
                                 STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS  AND  LOAN  ASSOCIATIONS,
                                 AND  CREDIT  UNIONS   WITH  MEMBERSHIP  IN   AN
                                 APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM)
                                 PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

Countersigned and Registered:


                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                 Transfer Agent and Registrar





                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                 Authorized Signature




                                   EXHIBIT 5
<PAGE>


                      MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.
                                ATTORNEYS AT LAW
                               1301 K STREET, N.W.
                                 SUITE 700 EAST
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005
                                 (202) 434-4660
                            FACSIMILE: (202) 434-4661


                                                     WRITER'S DIRECT DIAL NUMBER

September 19, 1997

Board of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri  65807

         Re: Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933, as Amended
             -------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         This opinion is rendered in connection with the Registration  Statement
on Form S-1  ("Registration  Statement")  to be filed  with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  (the "Act")
relating to the issuance of up to 6,221,522  shares of common  stock,  par value
$0.10 per share (the "Common Stock"), of Guaranty Federal Bancshares,  Inc. (the
"Company"),  in connection with the conversion of Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,
M.H.C.  (the "MHC") from the mutual form to a federal interim stock savings bank
("Interim"),  the merger of Interim  into  Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank (the
"Bank"),  a subsidiary  of the MHC, and the merger of a second  interim  savings
institution,  a to-be-formed  wholly owned  subsidiary of the Company,  with and
into the Bank (the  "Conversion and  Reorganization")  all pursuant to a written
plan (the  "Plan").  As special  counsel to the  Company,  we have  reviewed the
corporate proceedings relating to the Plan and the Conversion and Reorganization
and such other legal  matters as we have deemed  appropriate  for the purpose of
rendering this opinion.

         Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the shares of Common
Stock of the Company covered by the aforesaid  Registration Statement will, when
issued in accordance  with the terms of the Plan against full payment  therefor,
be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.

         We hereby  consent to the use of this  opinion and to the  reference to
our  firm  appearing  in  the  Company's  Prospectus  under  the  headings  "The
Conversion  and  Reorganization  -- Tax Effects" and "Legal  Opinions"  and "Tax
Opinions." We also consent to any  references  to our legal opinion  referred to
under the aforementioned headings in the Prospectus.  In giving this consent, we
do not admit  that we come  within the  category  of  persons  whose  consent is
required  under  Section  7 of the  Act  or the  rules  and  regulations  of the
Securities and Exchange Commission adopted under the Act.




<PAGE>
Board of Directors
September 19, 1997
Page 2


         This  opinion  is given as of the  effective  date of the  Registration
Statement  and we  assume  no  obligation  to  advise  you of  changes  that may
hereafter be brought to our attention.


                                         Very truly yours,




                                         /s/Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C.
                                         MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.





                                  EXHIBIT 8.1
<PAGE>

                      MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.
                                ATTORNEYS AT LAW
                               1301 K STREET, N.W.
                                 SUITE 700 EAST
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005
                                 (202) 434-4660
                            FACSIMILE: (202) 434-4661



September 17, 1997

Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri 65807

Dear Board Members:

         In  accordance  with your  request,  set forth herein is the opinion of
this firm  relating  to  certain  federal  income  tax  consequences  of the two
integrated transactions described below.

         We  have  examined  such  corporate  records,  certificates  and  other
documents as we have considered  necessary or appropriate  for this opinion.  In
our  examination,  we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,  the legal
capacity of all natural persons,  the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted
to us as certified,  conformed or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the
originals of such copies. In rendering our opinion,  we have relied upon certain
written  representations  and  covenants of Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank (the
"Savings Bank") and Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.  (the "Mutual Holding
Company")  which are  annexed  hereto  (collectively  referred  to herein as the
"Officer Affidavits").


                               STATEMENT OF FACTS
                               ------------------

         Based solely upon our review of the documents  described herein, and in
reliance  upon such  documents,  we  understand  that the relevant  facts are as
follows.  The Savings  Bank and the Mutual  Holding  Company  were  created in a
reorganization  of the  Savings  Bank from its prior  mutual  form (the  "Mutual
Institution")  in April of 1995 (the "1995  Reorganization").  In April of 1995,
the Mutual  Holding  Company and the Savings Bank received a federal tax opinion
from the law firm of Arndt &  Associates  stating  that the 1995  Reorganization
constituted a tax-free  transaction  under  Section 351 of the Internal  Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").  In the 1995  Reorganization,  the Mutual
Institution  transferred  substantially all of its assets and liabilities to the
newly created Savings Bank in exchange for all of the  outstanding  stock of the
Savings Bank ("Savings Bank Stock"), and converted its charter from that of a


<PAGE>
Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 2

federally-chartered  mutual savings bank to that of a federally-chartered mutual
holding  company.  As part of the 1995  Reorganization,  the Savings Bank sold a
portion  of  its  stock  to  the  public  whereby  immediately  after  the  1995
Reorganization  the public  owned less than 50.1% of the  outstanding  shares of
Savings Bank Stock and the Mutual Holding Company owned the remaining shares.

         The principal business of the Savings Bank is the acceptance of savings
deposits from the general  public and the  origination  and purchase of mortgage
loans for the purpose of  constructing,  financing  or  refinancing  one-to-four
family residences and other improved residential and commercial real estate. The
Savings  Bank's  income is derived  largely from interest and fees in connection
with its lending activities. Its principal expenses are interest paid on savings
deposits and operating expenses.

         Currently,  the  management of the Savings Bank and the Mutual  Holding
Company believe it would be in their best interest, as well as the best interest
of their  stockholders  and members  (respectively)  to operate in the corporate
structure specified below. The proposed  transactions will result in the Savings
Bank being wholly owned by a stock  holding  company  (the  "Holding  Company"),
which is a more common  structure  and form of ownership  than a mutual  holding
company.  The new corporate structure would also provide greater  organizational
flexibility,  and enable the  resulting  institutions  to increase  their equity
capital base available for expansion of services,  facilities,  possible  future
acquisitions  of other financial  institutions,  possible  diversification  into
other related financial services activities, and enhance their ability to render
services  to the public in a  competitive  manner.  In  addition,  the  proposed
transactions  will result in the raising of  additional  capital for the Savings
Bank and the  Holding  Company  and  should  result in a more  active and liquid
market for the common stock of the Holding  Company  ("Holding  Company  Stock")
than  currently  exists for the  Savings  Bank Stock,  although  there can be no
assurances that this will be the case. Finally,  the proposed  transactions have
been structured to re-unite the  accumulated  earnings and profits tax attribute
retained by the Mutual Holding Company with the retained earnings of the Savings
Bank through a tax-free  reorganization.  This would increase the Savings Bank's
ability to pay dividends in the future.

         The Savings Bank and the Mutual Holding  Company have adopted a Plan of
Conversion and a related Plan of Merger (collectively  referred to herein as the
"Plan of Conversion"). The Mutual Holding Company and the Savings Bank represent
that the Plan of  Conversion  complies  with the  provisions  of Subpart A of 12
C.F.R.  Part 563b which sets forth the Office of Thrift  Supervision (the "OTS")
regulations  for  conversions of mutual  institutions to stock form and that the
Plan of Conversion also complies with the provisions of 12 C.F.R. ss. 575.12(a),
which is the OTS regulation  governing the conversion of mutual savings and loan
holding companies to stock form. The Mutual Holding Company and the Savings Bank
also represent that the Plan


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 3

of Conversion includes language that complies with 12 C.F.R. ss. 552.13, the OTS
regulation governing mergers involving federal stock associations.

         For valid business reasons, as described above and in the prospectus to
be used in the  public  offerings  of Holding  Company  Stock  described  herein
("Prospectus"),  the present  corporate  structure of the Mutual Holding Company
and the  Savings  Bank  will  be  changed  pursuant  to the  following  proposed
transactions:

         (i) The Savings  Bank will form  "Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc."
(i.e., the Holding Company) as a new, wholly owned, first tier subsidiary, which
will become a new holding  company.  The Holding  Company will receive  approval
from the OTS to acquire control (as defined by the OTS) of the Savings Bank.

         (ii) The Holding Company will form an interim corporation ("Interim B")
as a new, wholly owned first tier subsidiary that is a federally-chartered stock
savings bank.

         (iii)  Pursuant to the Plan of Conversion,  the Mutual Holding  Company
will  convert  from the mutual  form to a federal  interim  stock  savings  bank
("Interim A") and simultaneously  merge with and into the Savings Bank, with the
Savings  Bank being the  surviving  corporation  ("Merger  1"). The Savings Bank
Stock  which  was  previously  held  by  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  will  be
extinguished.  Eligible  members  of the  Mutual  Holding  Company as of certain
specified dates set forth in the Plan of Conversion will be granted interests in
a liquidation  account to be established by the Savings Bank (referred to herein
as "Savings Bank Liquidation Interests").

         The initial balance of the  liquidation  account will equal the greater
of: (i) 100% of the retained  earnings of the Mutual  Institution as of the date
of the latest statement of financial  condition  contained in the final offering
circular utilized in the 1995  Reorganization,  or (ii) a certain  percentage of
the Savings Bank's total shareholder equity as reflected in its latest statement
of financial  condition contained in the Prospectus to be utilized in the Mutual
Holding Company's mutual-to-stock conversion (the "Conversion").

         (iv) Immediately following Merger 1, Interim B will merge with and into
the Savings Bank, with the Savings Bank surviving ("Merger 2"). Merger 2 will be
completed in  accordance  with  applicable  federal and state laws,  and will be
pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization  between the Holding Company
and the Savings Bank (the "Plan of Reorganization"). The Savings Bank Stock held
by the public  stockholders will automatically be converted into Holding Company
Stock based upon an exchange  ratio which  ensures that the public  stockholders
will own, in the aggregate, approximately the same percentage of Holding Company
Stock outstanding upon completion of the Conversion as the percentage of Savings


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 4

Bank Stock owned by them in the aggregate  immediately prior to the consummation
of the Conversion,  before giving effect to: (a) cash paid in lieu of fractional
shares, (b) any shares of Holding Company Stock purchased by public stockholders
in the offering  described  below; in addition,  the shares of Interim B will be
converted into 100 shares of Savings Bank Stock. Thereupon,  the Holding Company
will become a savings  and loan  holding  company  within the meaning of Section
10(a) of the Home  Owners'  Loan Act  ("HOLA"),  12  U.S.C.  Section  1467a,  as
amended,  and Part  583 of  Subchapter  F of  Title  12 of the  Code of  Federal
Regulations.

         (v)  Simultaneously  with the  consummation  of Merger  2, the  Holding
Company will sell  additional  shares of Holding  Company  Stock,  with priority
subscription  rights granted to certain members of the Mutual Holding Company at
specified dates, and to tax qualified  employee  benefit plans,  directors,  and
employees of the Savings Bank.

         With respect to the Plan of Conversion and the Plan of  Reorganization,
the  following  three  issues  are  not  adequately   addressed  by  a  statute,
regulation,  decision of the Supreme Court, tax treaty,  revenue ruling, revenue
procedure,  notice,  or  other  authority  published  in  the  Internal  Revenue
Bulletin.  Further,  in accordance with Rev. Proc.  97-3,  1997-1 I.R.B. 85, the
Internal  Revenue  Service (the  "Service") will not provide the Savings Bank or
the Mutual Holding Company letter rulings that address such issues.

         1. Whether the exchange of the members' equity  interests in the Mutual
Holding  Company for  interests  in a  liquidation  account  established  at the
Savings Bank in Merger 1 will satisfy the continuity of interest  requirement of
Section  1.368-1(b) of the Treasury  Regulations (cf. Rev. Rul.  69-646,  1969-1
C.B. 54)?

         2. Whether the interests in the liquidation  account established at the
Savings Bank (i.e., the Savings Bank Liquidation  Interests),  and the shares of
Savings Bank Stock held by the Mutual Holding Company prior to the  consummation
of Merger 1, will be disregarded  for the purpose of determining  that an amount
of Savings  Bank Stock  which  constitutes  "control"  of such  corporation  was
acquired by the Holding  Company in exchange for shares of Holding Company Stock
pursuant to Merger 2 (Section 368(c) of the Code)?

         3.  Whether the  exchange  of Savings  Bank Stock for shares of Holding
Company Stock in Merger 2, following the  consummation of Merger 1, will satisfy
the  continuity of interest  requirement  of Section  1.368-1(b) of the Treasury
Regulations with regard to Merger 2?

         Pursuant to Rev.  Proc.  97-3, the proposed  transaction  constitutes a
transaction  that the  Service  will  not  issue  related  letter  rulings.  The
Service's current position of non-issuance of letter rulings does not affect the
tax status of the proposed transaction nor does it reflect a


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 5

change in how the  Service  would rule if said  rulings  were to be issued.  The
Service's  position  reflects the manner in which the Service reserves the right
not to issue letter rulings as to certain transactions.


                                    ANALYSIS
                                    --------

         Rev.  Rul.  80-1051  provides that the  conversion of a federal  mutual
savings  and loan  association  to a state or  federal  stock  savings  and loan
association,  and the  conversion of a state  chartered  mutual savings and loan
association  to a stock  savings  and loan  association  in the same  state  are
reorganizations  under Code Section  368(a)(1)(F) (Rev. Rul. 54-193 superseded).
Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code provides that a mere change in identity,  form,
or place of organization,  however effected, is a reorganization.  If the Mutual
Holding  Company  converts  itself from a federal  mutual  holding  company to a
federal  interim stock savings bank the changes at the  corporate  level,  other
than its place of organization and form of organization as described above, will
be  insubstantial.  Throughout its brief period of existence Interim A will: (i)
continue its  business in the same manner as the Mutual  Holding  Company,  (ii)
hold the same assets  previously held by the Mutual Holding  Company,  (iii) not
engage in any  business  which the Mutual  Holding  Company is  prohibited  from
engaging in, and (iv) be subject to the same regulatory agencies which regulated
the Mutual Holding  Company.  Therefore,  the change in the form of operation of
the Mutual Holding  Company from a federal  mutual holding  company to that of a
federal interim stock savings bank should constitute a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code.

         It  is  important  to  note  that  Merger  1  could   alternatively  be
accomplished  by merging the Mutual Holding  Company  directly with and into the
Savings Bank without the formation of an interim stock savings  bank.2  However,
solely for regulatory  reasons,  Merger 1 will take place  immediately after the
Mutual Holding  Company  converts its charter to that of a federal interim stock
savings  bank.  It should be further noted that the formation of Interim A prior
to  Merger  1 will  not be for  the  purpose  of  tax  avoidance.  Clearly,  the
transaction  providing  for the  formation  of Interim A,  should be held to its
chosen form when specific business benefits are


- ------------------------
1    1980-1 C.B. 78.

2    Prior taxpayers have accomplished a transaction similar to that of Merger 1
     with a  direct  merger  of a  mutual  holding  company  with  and  into its
     subsidiary  stock savings  institution.  See Priv.  Ltr. Ruls.  9449018 and
     9437020.


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 6

sought (such as the  avoidance of additional  regulatory  delay and expense) and
presumably obtained by forming Interim A prior to Merger 1.3

         Section  368(a)(1)(A) of the Code defines the term  "reorganization" to
include a "statutory  merger or  consolidation" of corporations such as Merger 1
and Merger 2.  Section  368(a)(2)(E)  of the Code  provides  that a  transaction
otherwise qualifying as a merger under Section  368(a)(1)(A),  such as Merger 2,
shall  not be  disqualified  by  reason  of the  fact  that  common  stock  of a
corporation  (referred to in the Code as the "controlling  corporation")  (i.e.,
the  Holding  Company)  which  before  the  merger  was in control of the merged
corporation, is used in the transaction if:

         (i) after the  transaction,  the corporation  surviving the merger [the
         Savings  Bank]  holds  substantially  all of  its  properties  and  the
         properties  of the merged  corporation  [Interim  B] (other than common
         stock of the controlling  corporation [the Holding Company] distributed
         in the transaction); and

         (ii)  in  the  transaction,   former   stockholders  of  the  surviving
         corporation [the Savings Bank public  stockholders]  exchanged,  for an
         amount of voting common stock of the controlling corporation, an amount
         of common stock in the surviving  corporation which constitutes control
         of such corporation.

         Section  1.368-2(b)(1)  of the Treasury  Regulations  provides that, in
order to qualify as a reorganization under Section  368(a)(1)(A),  a transaction
must be a merger or consolidation  effected  pursuant to the corporation laws of
the United States or a state. The Plan of Conversion and Plan of  Reorganization
together  provide that Merger 1 and Merger 2 will be  consummated  in accordance
with applicable  federal and state laws. The simple act of consummating  the two
transactions under applicable federal and state laws should be sufficient to not
only  satisfy  the   specifically   expressed   requirements   of  Code  Section
368(a)(1)(A) but also the regulations promulgated thereunder.



- -----------------
3    The Service has accepted  that a taxpayer may choose his form to obtain the
     tax consequences  desired. In Rev. Rul. 70-223, 1970-2 C.B. 79, Corporation
     X acquired all of the outstanding  stock of Corporation Y within a 12 month
     period. The assets of Y had an adjusted basis in its hands greater than the
     cost of the Y stock to X. It was thus decided,  for good business  reasons,
     to merge X into Y in order to avoid the  reduction  in basis of Y's  assets
     that would have  resulted  under Code Sections 332 and 334(b)(2) had Y been
     liquidated  into X (or  merged  upstream  into  X).  In  holding  that  the
     downstream  merger  qualified under Code Section  368(a)(1)(A),  the ruling
     states "[s]ince X may accomplish its desired objective of combining the two
     businesses  by either  liquidating  Y or by  merging  into Y, it may choose
     whichever form it desires for the transaction."


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 7

         The Service has  previously  issued Rev. Proc.  94-76,  1994-2 C.B. 825
(the language of which is  reiterated in Rev.  Proc.  96-3,  1996-1 I.R.B.  82),
which  indicates  the  Service  will be  studying  transactions  "in  which  one
corporation owns stock in a second corporation,  the first corporation is not an
80-percent  distributee of the second corporation under Code Section 337(c), and
the two are  combined."  After two years of study,  the Service has announced in
Notice 96- 6, 1996-5 I.R.B.  27, that it has  concluded  the study  described in
Rev. Proc.  94-76. In connection with Notice 96-6, the Service issued Rev. Proc.
96-22,  1996-5 I.R.B. 27, which modified Rev. Proc. 96-3 by moving the specified
transaction of Rev. Proc.  94-76 from the "under study" section to the "no rule"
section of the revenue procedure.  Consequently, Rev. Proc. 97-3 states that the
Service  will not provide  taxpayers  letter  ruling  guidance  with  respect to
certain  corporate  combinations  that are similar to the  proposed  transaction
described herein.  However,  the Service's decision not to issue a letter ruling
with respect to the proposed  transaction does not affect the tax-free nature of
the transaction.

         Treasury  Regulations  and case law  require  that,  in addition to the
existence of statutory authority for a merger,  certain other conditions must be
satisfied in order to qualify a proposed transaction as a reorganization  within
the meaning of Section  368(a)(1)(A)  of the Code. The "business  purpose test,"
which required a proposed merger to have a bona fide business  purpose,  must be
satisfied.  See Treas.  Reg.  Section  1.368-1(c).  We believe that Merger 1 and
Merger 2 will satisfy the business purpose test for the reasons set forth herein
and in the  Prospectus  which is  related  to the  public  offerings  of Holding
Company Stock pursuant to Merger 2. The "continuity of business enterprise test"
requires an acquiring  corporation to either continue an acquired  corporation's
historic  business  or use a  significant  portion of its  historic  assets in a
business. See Treas. Reg. Section 1.368-1(d).  We believe that the continuity of
business  enterprise test is satisfied because the Prospectus  provides that the
business  conducted  by the Savings  Bank prior to Merger 1 and Merger 2 will be
unaffected by the proposed transactions.

         The  "continuity  of interest  doctrine"  requires that the  continuing
common  stock  interest  of  the  former  owners  of  an  acquired  corporation,
considered  in the  aggregate,  represent a  "substantial  part" of the value of
their  former  interest  and  provide  them  with a  "definite  and  substantial
interest"  in the  affairs of the  acquiring  corporation  or a  corporation  in
control of the acquiring  corporation.  Paulsen v. Comm'r,  469 U.S. 131 (1985);
Helvering  v.  Minnesota  Tea Co.,  296 U.S.  378 (1935);  John A. Nelson Co. v.
Helvering,  296 U.S. 374 (1935);  Southwest Natural Gas Co. v. Comm'r,  189 F.2d
332 (5th Cir. 1951), cert. denied, 342 U.S. 860 (1951).

         Due to the "no rule"  position of the Service in Rev.  Proc.  97-3, the
Savings  Bank and the Mutual  Holding  Company  are not able to seek  definitive
confirmation from the Service on the following issues:



<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 8

         (i) whether the judicially-developed continuity of interest requirement
is satisfied when the Mutual Holding Company converts to stock form,

         (ii)  whether  to  include  the  Mutual  Holding  Company  as a  former
stockholder  of  the  Savings  Bank  in  applying  the  continuity  of  interest
requirement with respect to Merger 2, and

         (iii) whether the Savings Bank Liquidation Interests (to be distributed
to certain  members of the Mutual  Holding  Company in Merger 1) and the Savings
Bank Stock  held by the  Mutual  Holding  Company  prior to Merger 1,  should be
disregarded  for  purposes  of  determining  if  the  Holding  Company  acquired
"control" of the Savings Bank in Merger 2.

         First,  as to the issue of continuity of interest with regard to Merger
1, the Mutual Holding Company, as a federally-chartered  mutual holding company,
does not have stockholders and has no authority to issue capital stock. Instead,
the Mutual Holding  Company (in mutual form) has a unique equity  structure,  in
that the  Mutual  Holding  Company  has  members  who are  accorded a variety of
proprietary  rights  (pursuant  to OTS  regulations)  such as voting  rights and
certain rights in the unlikely event of liquidation.  Prior to Merger 1, certain
depositors  in the Savings Bank have both a deposit  account in the  institution
and a pro rata  inchoate  proprietary  interest  in the net worth of the  Mutual
Holding  Company  based upon the balance in his (or her)  account in the Savings
Bank, an interest  which may only be realized in the event of a  liquidation  of
the Mutual Holding Company.  However, this inchoate proprietary interest is tied
to the  depositor's  account and has no tangible market value separate from such
deposit account. A depositor who reduces or closes his (or her) account receives
a portion or all of the  balance in the  account  but  nothing  for his (or her)
ownership interest in the net worth of the Mutual Holding Company, which is lost
to the extent that the balance in the account is reduced.

         The eligible  members of the Mutual Holding  Company,  set forth in the
Plan of Conversion (the "Members"),  maintain an inchoate  proprietary  interest
represented  by a  liquidation  interest  in  the  Mutual  Holding  Company.  In
accordance  with the Plan of Conversion,  the Members will receive  Savings Bank
Liquidation  Interests and continue their inchoate proprietary  interests in the
Savings Bank following Merger 1. Although the Savings Bank Liquidation Interests
would  not  allow  the  Members  the  right  to vote or the  right  to pro  rata
distributions  of earnings,  they would be entitled to share in the distribution
of assets upon the  liquidation  of the  Savings  Bank  following  Merger 1. The
Members' liquidation  interests in the Savings Bank is substantially  similar to
their current  ownership  interest in the Mutual Holding  Company (a liquidation
interest in the Mutual Holding  Company).  Because the Members are not in effect
"cashing  out"  their  inchoate  proprietary  interests  in the  Mutual  Holding
Company, they would continue to maintain an inchoate proprietary interest in the
Savings Bank upon the  consummation of Merger 1. Such payments to be received as
Savings Bank  Liquidation  Interests are not guaranteed and can only be received
by Members who continue to maintain deposit


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 9

accounts in the Savings Bank following  Merger 1. Therefore,  it would seem that
the exchange of the Members' equity  interests in the Mutual Holding Company for
Savings Bank Liquidation Interests should not violate the continuity of interest
requirement  of Section  1.368-1(b) of the Treasury  Regulations  (cf. Rev. Rul.
69-646, 1969-1 C.B. 544).

         Second, as to the issue of continuity of interest with regard to Merger
2, the fact that Merger 2 may occur only after the completion of Merger 1 raises
another  issue as to  whether  Merger 1 would be  disregarded  in  applying  the
continuity of interest  requirement to Merger 2. A judicially  created substance
over form concept often referred to as the "step  transaction  doctrine" applies
throughout  tax law,  including  the  corporate  reorganization  area.  The step
transaction  doctrine is an extremely amorphous concept.  Often,  application of
the  doctrine  hinges  on  whether a court  finds  that a  particular  series of
transactions runs counter to a significant tax policy.  Notwithstanding years of
litigation  and hundreds of cases,  the exact  contours of the step  transaction
doctrine,  and even its  proper  formulation,  are still the  subject of intense
debate. Consequently, it often will be difficult to determine with a high degree
of certainty  whether a series of related  transactions will be stepped together
in some fashion for tax purposes.

         The  courts  over  the  years  have  developed  three  distinct  verbal
formulations  of the doctrine:  (i) the binding  commitment  test,  (ii) the end
result test,  and (iii) the  interdependence  test.  While the courts  nominally
apply one or more of these three tests, a careful  reading of the relevant cases
indicates that the courts, as a preliminary matter, in deciding whether to apply
the step  transaction  doctrine,  tend to focus  primarily  on two key  factors:
intent and temporal proximity. However, case law and IRS pronouncements indicate
that  there  are  limitations  on the  ability  to assert  the step  transaction
doctrine,  regardless  of (i) the  taxpayer's  intent  at the time of the  first
transaction  to engage in the later  transactions,  and (ii) the short period of
time that elapses between the transactions.

         Case  law  and  IRS  pronouncements   indicate  that  if  two  or  more
transactions carried out pursuant to an overall plan have economic  significance
independent  of each  other,  the  transactions  generally  will not be  stepped
together.5 The Service's most significant


- -----------------
4    In Rev.  Rul.  69-646,  a merger  of two  building  and loan  associations,
     whereby the acquired  association's  shareholders  exchanged their passbook
     accounts  and equity  interests  for equal  passbook  accounts and guaranty
     shares  of the  acquiring  association  was  held  to  have  satisfied  the
     continuity  of  interest  requirement  and  subsequently  deemed  to  be  a
     reorganization under Section 368(a)(1)(A) of the Code.
5    See e.g., Rev. Rul. 79-250, 1979-2 C.B. 156.


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 10

pronouncement  regarding independent economic significance is Rev. Rul. 79-250.6
In that ruling, the Service asserted that:

         the substance of each of a series of steps will be  recognized  and the
         step   transaction   doctrine  will  not  apply,   if  each  such  step
         demonstrates  independent  economic  significance,  is not  subject  to
         attack as a sham, and was  undertaken  for valid business  purposes and
         not mere avoidance of taxes.

         The facts in Rev. Rul. 79-250 involved a situation  where,  pursuant to
an overall plan, (i) the target corporation merged into the parent corporation's
subsidiary,  in a tax-free Code Section  368(a)(2)(D)  reorganization,  with the
target corporation  shareholders  receiving parent corporation stock in exchange
for their target corporation  stock, and (ii) the parent corporation  thereafter
reincorporated  in a different state by merging into a newly formed  corporation
in an intended "F" reorganization. If the two mergers were stepped together, the
intended  "F"  reorganization  would not qualify as such because the Service has
taken the position that virtually 100% continuity of interest is required for an
"F" reorganization.  However,  the Service concluded that the two mergers should
not be stepped  together  because each merger was "real and substantial" and the
economic  motivation  supporting  each  merger was  sufficiently  meaningful  to
warrant the conclusion that the mergers were independent of each other.

         The  parties  to Merger 1 maintain a  separate  and  distinct  business
purpose for  consummating  Merger 1 (e.g.,  allowing for the  conversion  of the
Mutual  Holding  Company from mutual to stock form).  Similarly,  the parties to
Merger 2 maintain a separate  and  distinct  business  purpose for  consummating
Merger 2 (e.g.,  allowing the Holding  Company  flexibility in future  corporate
acquisitions  and  provides  the  Holding  Company  an  opportunity  to  raise a
substantial  amount  of  capital).  Although  Merger  1 and  Merger  2 are to be
undertaken pursuant to an overall plan, the consummation of Merger 1 will result
in a  permanent  alteration  of a  previous  bona  fide  business  relationship.
Immediately  after the consummation of Merger 1, the Savings Bank will no longer
be  controlled by the Mutual  Holding  Company but will instead be controlled by
its public stockholders. The facts indicate that the initial merger of Interim A
with and into the Savings Bank will result in a real and  substantial  change in
the form of ownership of the Savings Bank that is  sufficient  to conclude  that
Merger  1  comports  with  the   underlying   purposes  and   assumptions  of  a
reorganization  under Section  368(a)(1)(A) of the Code (see Treas. Reg. Section
1.368-1(b)) and would not be subject to attack as a sham or illusory.

         The   subsequent   consummation   of  Merger  2  in  which  the  public
stockholders  of the Savings Bank will  continue  their equity  interests in the
Holding Company, the sole shareholder



- -------------------------
6    1979-2 C.B. 156.


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 11

of the Savings Bank  following the  completion of Merger 2, is likewise real and
substantial  and would not be subject to attack as a sham or illusory.  Further,
although the overall plan  comprehends  both Merger 1 and Merger 2, the economic
motivation supporting each transaction is sufficiently  meaningful (as such term
is used in Rev. Rul. 79-250) and is not dependent upon the other transaction for
its  substantiation to warrant the conclusion that the overall plan presents two
separate  and  independent  reorganizations.  Given  that the  business  reasons
supporting Merger 1 exist regardless of Merger 2, the step transaction  doctrine
should not be applied under the facts and circumstances presented here.

         The final  issue,  focuses  on whether  the  Savings  Bank  Liquidation
Interests and the Savings Bank Stock held by the Mutual Holding Company prior to
Merger 1, should be disregarded for purposes of determining  whether the Holding
Company acquired "control" of the Savings Bank in Merger 2. The Savings Bank has
represented in its Officer  Affidavit that,  following Merger 2, it will hold at
least 90% of the fair  market  value of its net  assets  and at least 70% of the
fair market value of its gross assets, and at least 90% of the fair market value
of Interim B's net assets and at least 70% of the fair  market  value of Interim
B's gross  assets  held  immediately  prior to Merger 2. By holding  such a high
percentage of its assets and Interim B's assets  following Merger 2, the Savings
Bank would clearly satisfy the first requirement of Code Section 368(a)(2)(E).

         As further required by Code Section  368(a)(2)(E),  the Holding Company
must  acquire  control of the Savings Bank in Merger 2. Control is defined as at
least 80% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to
vote, and at least 80% of the total number of shares.7

         If  the  Savings  Bank  Liquidation  Interests  are to be  included  in
determining  whether the Holding Company acquired control of the Savings Bank in
Merger 2, it would be necessary to recognize  such interests as another class of
Savings  Bank  Stock.  Members of the Mutual  Holding  Company  are  entitled to
liquidation  interests  in the  Mutual  Holding  Company,  and such  liquidation
interests  resemble an  equity/ownership  interest in the Mutual Holding Company
because of its unique equity structure. Pursuant to federal law, the Members are
to receive Savings Bank Liquidation  Interests in connection with Merger 1 which
would  entitle the Members to an interest  similar to the interest  enjoyed as a
member of the Mutual  Holding  Company.  However,  upon  receipt of Savings Bank
Liquidation Interests, the Members would not enjoy any control over the business
of the Savings Bank that would in any way resemble the control  maintained  by a
true stockholder of the Savings Bank, and would not be entitled to any assets of
the Savings Bank unless the Savings Bank is liquidated  after Merger 2. Although
the


- -----------------------
7    I.R.C. ss. 368(c).


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 12

Savings Bank Liquidation  Interests may be compared to the equity interests held
by  members  of  the  Mutual  Holding   Company,   which  afforded   members  an
equity/ownership  interest in the Mutual Holding Company, these interests in the
Savings  Bank are too  remote to qualify  as a  separate  class of Savings  Bank
Stock.  Therefore,  the Savings Bank Liquidation Interests should be disregarded
in determining  whether the Holding Company acquires control of the Savings Bank
in Merger 2.

         In  addition,  if the  Savings  Bank Stock  held by the Mutual  Holding
Company prior to Merger 1 is to be included in  determining  whether the Holding
Company  acquired control of the Savings Bank in Merger 2, it would be necessary
to apply the step  transaction  doctrine to Merger 1 and Merger 2. As  discussed
earlier,  the step transaction  doctrine should not apply to Merger 1 and Merger
2. Therefore,  the Savings Bank Stock,  held by the Mutual Holding Company prior
to Merger 1, should be disregarded in  determining  whether the Holding  Company
acquires control of the Savings Bank in Merger 2.

         The Service has previously ruled on the same three issues in Priv. Ltr.
Rul.  9510044.  Although  Priv.  Ltr.  Rul.  9510044 may not be used or cited as
precedent  pursuant  to  Section  6110(j)(3)  of the Code,  it  illustrates  the
Service's analysis and position  concerning these particular issues. As provided
in Priv. Ltr. Rul. 9510044, a mutual holding company owns approximately 57.5% of
the outstanding stock of a federally-chartered  stock savings bank. The proposed
transaction  in Priv.  Ltr.  Rul.  9510044  includes the  conversion of a mutual
holding  company  from mutual to stock form and the  simultaneous  merger of the
mutual holding company with and into the federally-chartered  stock savings bank
with the stock savings bank being the surviving corporation.  Subsequent to such
mutual-to-stock  conversion,  the common stock of the stock savings bank held by
the mutual holding company was to be  extinguished,  and eligible members of the
mutual holding company were to be granted interests in a liquidation  account to
be established by the stock savings bank. This particular transaction,  which is
identical to the proposed transaction  described herein as Merger 1, was held by
the  Service  to satisfy  the  continuity  of  interest  requirement  of Section
1.368-1(b) of the Treasury  Regulations.  The Service  cited Rev.  Rul.  69-646,
1969-1 C.B. 54, as authority for this ruling.8

         The issue of whether to include the Mutual Holding  Company as a former
stockholder  of  the  Savings  Bank  in  applying  the  continuity  of  interest
requirement  with respect to Merger 2 was also addressed by the Service in Priv.
Ltr.  Rul.  9510044.  The Service  found no cause to apply the step  transaction
doctrine to step together the two mergers contemplated in Priv. Ltr.


- ------------------
8    The  Service  has ruled  consistently  regarding  the  exchange of members'
     equity interests in a converting  mutual holding company for interests in a
     liquidation account established by its subsidiary stock savings institution
     in other Private Letter Rulings with substantially similar facts. See Priv.
     Ltr. Ruls. 9602015, 9449018, and 9437020.


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 13

Rul.  9510044.  The Service ruled that the exchange of shares of common stock of
the savings and loan holding company for the shares of common stock of the stock
savings  bank  satisfied  the  continuity  of interest  requirement  of Treasury
Regulation Section  1.368-1(b),  an exchange which occurs immediately  following
the conversion of the mutual holding company.

         The Service also ruled in Priv.  Ltr.  Rul.  9510044  that  liquidation
interests  (comparable  to the Savings  Bank  Liquidation  Interests)  and stock
previously  held by a mutual  holding  company  (comparable  to the Savings Bank
Stock  held  by the  Mutual  Holding  Company  prior  to  Merger  1)  were to be
disregarded in determining  whether the acquiring  corporation  obtained control
within the meaning of Code Section 368(c). The Service cited Code Section 368(c)
as authority for this ruling.

         Although Code Section 6110 precludes the parties to Merger 1 and Merger
2 from using or citing Priv. Ltr. Rul. 9510044 as precedent,  there is currently
no reasonable basis to believe that the Service will take a position contrary to
recent  private  letter  rulings  encompassing  substantially  similar facts and
circumstances.  However, should the Service take a contrary position as to these
three issues,  our opinions  rendered  herein  (regarding the tax-free status of
Merger 1 and Merger 2) may be significantly affected thereby.

         Further,  we believe that Merger 2 satisfies the continuity of interest
doctrine  because the Savings  Bank's  public  stockholders  who do not exercise
dissenters'  rights  following Merger 1, will receive only Holding Company Stock
in exchange  for their shares of Savings  Bank Stock.  In  addition,  we believe
other applicable requirements of the Treasury Regulations and case law which are
preconditions to the qualification of Merger 1 and Merger 2 as a reorganization,
within the meaning of Sections  368(a)(1)(A)  and  368(a)(2)(E) of the Code, are
satisfied on the basis of the  information  contained in the Plan of Conversion,
the Plan of Reorganization, the Officer Affidavits, and the Prospectus.

         The Service has previously issued Notice 94-93, 1994-41 I.R.B., wherein
the Service warns that it is drafting  regulations that will require appropriate
recognition  of  income  or gain,  or  reductions  of the  basis of stock or the
parties to a transaction in which a parent and a subsidiary  switch places -- an
inversion transaction. The specific transaction described in the notice involves
an inversion  resulting in the  disappearance  of built-in  gain inherent in the
prior  subsidiary  corporation's  stock  when the prior  subsidiary  corporation
becomes the new parent  corporation.  Further,  the value of the new  subsidiary
corporation's stock has been reduced, following the inversion, and may allow the
new  parent  corporation  to obtain a loss  upon the sale of its new  subsidiary
corporation's stock.

         Although,  for a moment in time the Savings  Bank will be the parent of
the  Holding  Company  when the  Savings  Bank first  incorporates  the  Holding
Company, the Holding Company


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 14

will not hold any assets of value until the Holding  Company first  acquires all
of the  outstanding  Savings Bank Stock  pursuant to Merger 2. In addition,  the
value of Savings  Bank Stock  would not  likely be diluted  following  Merger 2.
Further,  the Holding  Company Stock held by the Savings Bank is held for such a
brief period of time that the possibility of built-in gain  materializing is not
likely to occur, in light of the minimal capitalization (all in cash) of Interim
B. Therefore, the Service should not challenge the tax-free nature of Merger 2.

         Section  354 of the  Code  provides  that  no gain  or  loss  shall  be
recognized by stockholders  who exchange common stock in a corporation,  such as
the Savings Bank, which is a party to a reorganization,  solely for common stock
in  another  corporation  which  is a party to the  reorganization,  such as the
Holding  Company.  Section  356 of the Code  provides  that  stockholders  shall
recognize  gain to the extent they  receive  money as part of a  reorganization,
such as money  received in lieu of  fractional  shares.  Section 358 of the Code
provides that, with certain  adjustments for money received in a reorganization,
a stockholder's basis in the common stock he or she receives in a reorganization
shall  equal the basis of the common  stock which he or she  surrendered  in the
transaction.  Section 1223(1) states that, where a stockholder receives property
in an exchange which has the same basis as the property  surrendered,  he or she
shall be deemed to have held the  property  received  for the same period as the
property  exchanged,  provided  that the property  exchanged  had been held as a
capital asset.

         Section  361 of the  Code  provides  that  no gain  or  loss  shall  be
recognized  to a  corporation  such as the  Savings  Bank  which is a party to a
reorganization on any transfer of property pursuant to a plan of reorganization.
Section 362 of the Code  provides  that if property is acquired by a corporation
such as the Savings Bank in connection with a reorganization,  then the basis of
such  property  shall be the same as it would be in the hands of the  transferor
immediately prior to the transfer. Section 1223(2) of the Code states that where
a corporation  such as the Savings Bank will have a carryover  basis in property
received  from another  corporation  which is a party to a  reorganization,  the
holding  period of such assets in the hands of the acquiring  corporation  shall
include the period for which such assets were held by the  transferor,  provided
that the property  transferred had been held as a capital asset. Section 1032 of
the Code states that no gain or loss shall be recognized to a corporation,  such
as the Holding Company, on the receipt of property in exchange for common stock.


                               OPINION OF COUNSEL
                               ------------------

         If Merger 1 and  Merger 2 are  consummated  as  described  herein,  and
provided that the change in the form of operation of the Mutual Holding  Company
from a federal mutual holding company to that of a federal interim stock savings
bank constitutes a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of
the Code, we are of the opinion that:


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 15


         1. Merger 1 qualifies as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368(a)(1)(A)  of the Code.  Therefore,  both the Mutual Holding  Company and the
Savings Bank will be a party to a "reorganization"  as defined in Section 368(b)
of the Code.

         2. Interim A (Mutual  Holding  Company) will  recognize no gain or loss
upon the transfer of assets to the Savings Bank pursuant to Merger 1.

         3. No gain or loss  will be  recognized  by the  Savings  Bank upon the
receipt of the assets of the Mutual Holding Company in Merger 1.

         4. Merger 2 qualifies as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368(a)(1)(A) of the Code. Pursuant to Section 368(a)(2)(E) of the Code, Merger 2
is not disqualified  from qualifying as a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section  368(a)(1)(A)  because  Holding  Company  Stock will be  conveyed to the
Savings  Bank's  public  stockholders  in exchange for their Savings Bank Stock.
Therefore,  the Savings Bank, the Holding Company,  and Interim B will each be a
party to a reorganization as defined in Section 368(b) of the Code.

         5. No gain or loss will be recognized by Interim B upon the transfer of
its assets to the Savings Bank pursuant to Merger 2.

         6. No gain or loss  will be  recognized  by the  Savings  Bank upon the
receipt of the assets of Interim B.

         7. No gain or loss will be recognized  by the Holding  Company upon the
receipt of Savings Bank Stock solely in exchange for Holding Company Stock.

         8. No gain or loss will be  recognized  by the  Savings  Bank's  public
stockholders  upon the receipt of Holding  Company  Stock solely in exchange for
their shares of Savings Bank Stock.

         9. The basis of the Holding Company Stock to be received by the Savings
Bank's  public  stockholders  will be the same as the basis of the Savings  Bank
Stock surrendered in exchange  therefor,  before giving effect to any payment of
cash in lieu of fractional shares.

         10. The holding  period of the Holding  Company Stock to be received by
the Savings  Bank's public  stockholders  will include the holding period of the
Savings Bank Stock,  provided  that the Savings Bank Stock was held as a capital
asset on the date of the exchange.

         11.  The  Eligible  Account  Holders,   Supplemental  Eligible  Account
Holders, and Other Members (as such terms are defined in the Plan of Conversion)
will recognize gain upon the


<PAGE>


Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
September 17, 1997
Page 16
issuance,  to them, of nontransferable  subscription  rights to purchase Holding
Company Stock,  but only to the extent of the value, if any, of the subscription
rights.


                                SCOPE OF OPINION
                                ----------------

         No  opinion  is  expressed  as to the tax  consequences  to any  party,
whether federal,  state,  local, or foreign,  of either Merger 1 or Merger 2, or
any transactions  related to Merger 1 or Merger 2, or contemplated by either the
Plan of Conversion or the Plan of Reorganization, or to the tax treatment of any
conditions  existing at the time of, or effects resulting from, the transactions
which are not specifically referenced above. Further, no opinion is expressed or
intended to be expressed  herein as to the effect of Merger 1 or Merger 2 on the
continued existence of, the carryover or carryback of, or the limitation on, any
net operating  losses of the Savings Bank, if any, under the Code. If any of the
information  upon  which we have  relied  is  incorrect,  or if  changes  in the
relevant  facts  occur  after the date  hereof,  our  opinion  could be affected
thereby.  Moreover,  our  opinion  is  based  on the case  law,  Code,  Treasury
Regulations  thereunder,  and the Revenue  Rulings  from the Service as they now
exist.  These authorities are all subject to change, and such change may be made
with retroactive  effect. We can give no assurance that, after such change,  the
opinions  set forth  herein  would not  significantly  change.  We  undertake no
responsibility to update or supplement our opinion.  This opinion is not binding
on the Service and there can be no assurance, and none is hereby given, that the
Service  will  not  take a  position  contrary  to one or more of the  positions
reflected in the  foregoing  opinion,  or that our opinion will be upheld by the
courts if challenged by the Service.


                                     CONSENT
                                     -------

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement  on Form S-1  ("Form  S-1")  to be filed by the  Holding
Company with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission,  and as an exhibit to the
Mutual Holding Company's Application for Conversion on the Form AC as filed with
the OTS ("Form AC"), and to the  references to our firm in the Prospectus  which
is part of both the Form S-1 and the Form AC.

                                     Very truly yours,


                                     /s/Mallizia, Spidi, Sloane, & Fisch, P.C.
                                     Malizia, Spidi, Sloane, & Fisch, P.C.




                                  EXHIBIT 8.2

<PAGE>
                    CARNAHAN, EVANS, CANTWELL & BROWN, P.C.
                        Four Corporate Centre, Suite 410
                                1949 F. Sunshine
                             P.O. Box 10009 G.S.S.
                        Springfield, Missouri 65808-0009
                       (417) 887-8490 FAX: (417) 887-8935
                           E-Mail: [email protected]
                    Web: http://www.cland.net/~carnahan/cecb

JOHN M. CARNAHAN III                                        JULIE T. BROWN
   WILLIAM E. EVANS                                         DOUGLAS D. LEE
 C. BRADFORD CANTWELL                                        --------------
  CLIFFORD S. BROWN                                      JOHN M. CARNAHAN, JR.
  FRANK C. CARNAHAN                                              (Retired)
JOSEPH D. SHEPPARD III




                               September 18, 1997

Boards of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri 65807

Dear Members:

         We have been engaged by Guaranty  Federal  Savings  Bank (herein  after
referred to as "Savings Bank") in connection with certain matters  pertaining to
a reorganization transaction.

         Specifically,  we have been engaged to render an opinion from this firm
regarding the income tax  consequences of the  reorganization  under the laws of
the State of  Missouri.  We have been  provided  with an opinion of tax counsel,
Malizia,  Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, PC ("Federal Tax Opinion"), to the Savings Bank
dated September 17, 1997,  pertaining to the treatment of the reorganization for
federal income tax purposes under the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
("Code"), and stating in relevant part that:

        "If Merger 1 and Merger 2 are  consummated  as  described in the Federal
Tax Opinion, and provided that the change in the form of operation of the Mutual
Holding  Company  from a federal  mutual  holding  company  to that of a federal
interim stock savings bank  constitutes a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, we are of the opinion that:

1.       Merger 1 qualifies  as a  reorganization  within the meaning of Section
         368(a)(1)(A)  of the Code.  Therefore,  both Mutual Holding Company and
         Savings  Bank  will be a party  to a  "reorganization"  as  defined  in
         Section 368(b) of the Code.

2.       Interim A (Mutual Holding  Company) will recognize no gain or loss upon
         the transfer of assets to the Savings Bank pursuant to Merger 1.

3.       No gain or loss will be recognized by the Savings Bank upon the receipt
         of the assets of the Mutual Holding Company in Merger 1.

4.       Merger 2 qualifies  as a  reorganization  within the meaning of Section
         368(a)(1)(A) of the Code. Pursuant to Section 368(a)(2)(E) of the Code,
         Merger 2 is not disqualified 

<PAGE>
Letter to Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Page - 2
September 18, 1997


         from  qualifying  as a  reorganization  within  the  meaning of Section
         368(a)(1)(A)  because  Holding  Company  Stock  will be conveyed to the
         Savings  Bank's public  stockholders in exchange for their Savings Bank
         Stock.  Therefore, the Savings Bank, the Holding Company, and Interim B
         will  each be a party to a reorganization  as defined in Section 368(b)
         of the Code.

5.       No gain or loss will be  recognized  by Interim B upon the  transfer of
         its assets to the Savings Bank pursuant to Merger 2.

6.       No gain or loss will be recognized by the Savings Bank upon the receipt
         of the assets of Interim B.

7.       No gain or loss will be  recognized  by the  Holding  Company  upon the
         receipt of Savings Bank Stock  solely in exchange  for Holding  Company
         Stock.

8.       No  gain or  loss  will be  recognized  by the  Savings  Bank's  public
         stockholders  upon the  receipt  of  Holding  Company  Stock  solely in
         exchange for their shares of Savings Bank Stock.

9.       The basis of the  Holding  Company  Stock to be received by the Savings
         Bank's public stockholders will be the same as the basis of the Savings
         Bank Stock surrendered in exchange  therefore,  before giving effect to
         any payments of cash in lieu of fractional shares.

10.      The holding  period of the Holding  Company Stock to be received by the
         Savings Bank's public  stockholders  will include the holding period of
         the Savings Bank Stock,  provided  that the Savings Bank Stock was held
         as a capital asset on the date of the exchange.

11.      The Eligible  Account Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders,
         and Other Members (as such terms are defined in the Plan of Conversion)
         will  recognize  gain upon the  issuance  to them,  of  nontransferable
         subscription  rights to purchase Holding Company Stock, but only to the
         extent of the value, if any, of the subscription right."

         In rendering  the opinion set forth  below,  we have  assumed,  without
independent  verification  or  investigation,  that the facts and  circumstances
attendant  to the  reorganization  as  described  in the Federal Tax Opinion are
true,  accurate and  complete.  Based upon your specific  instructions, we

<PAGE>
Letter to Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Page - 3
September 18, 1997




         have  specifically  relied  upon  the  conclusions of law stated in the
         Federal  Tax  Opinion as to the  treatment  of the  Reorganization  for
         federal  income  tax  purposes,  and our  opinions as set forth  herein
         assume  the  accuracy  and  correctness  of such  conclusions  of  law.
         Further, our opinion is subject to the qualifications set forth in  the
         Federal  Tax  Opinion,  and is  limited  to the  law of  the  State  of
         Missouri.  Defined terms shall have the same meanings set forth  in the
         Federal Tax Opinion.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:


1.       For Missouri income tax purposes the State of Missouri will  treat  the
         reorganization in an identical manner as it is treated by the Code, for
         federal income tax purposes.

2.       No gain or loss will be  recognized  which  would  result  in  Missouri
         taxable  income of the  Savings  Bank upon the receipt of the assets of
         the Mutual Holding Company in Merger 1.

3.       No gain or loss will be  recognized  which  would  result  in  Missouri
         taxable  income of the  Savings  Bank upon its receipt of the assets of
         Interim B.

4.       The Eligible  Account Holders,  Supplemental  Eligible Account Holders,
         and Other  Members (as such terms are defined in the Plan of Conversion
         ) will  recognize  gain which would result in Missouri  taxable  income
         upon the issuance to them, of  nontransferable  subscription  rights to
         purchase Holding Company Stock, but only to the extent of the value, if
         any, of the subscription right.

         The opinion herein  expressed  specifically  does not include,  without
limitation  by the  specification  hereof:  (1) any opinion  with respect to any
franchise tax, capital stock tax, transfer tax, bank and or credit  institutions
tax, or similar tax which might  result from the  implementation  of the Plan or
Conversion;  or (2) any opinion as to the effect, if any, of the  reorganization
transaction  on the  continued  existence of, carry back or carry forward of, or
the limitation on, any net operating losses of the Savings Bank.

         This  opinion is solely for your  information  in  connection  with the
transaction described above and should not be quoted or otherwise referred to in
whole or in part, in any financial statement or other document,  or furnished to
any  other  person or agency  without  prior  written  consent.  Other  than the
addressee hereof, no one is entitled to use or rely on this opinion letter.

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the

<PAGE>
Letter to Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Page - 4
September 18, 1997




Registration  Statement  on Form S-1  ("Form  S- 1") to be filed by the  Holding
Company with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission,  and as an exhibit to the
Mutual Holding Company's Application for Conversion on the Form AC as filed with
the OTS ("Form AC"), and to the  references to our firm in the Prospectus  which
is part of both the Form S-1 and the Form AC.

         We expressly  undertake no  responsibility  or duty to inform any party
whether addressees hereof or not, as to any change in fact,  circumstance or law
occurring  after the date hereof  which may affect or alter any of the  opinions
set forth above.

                                   Very Truly yours,



                                   /s/Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell and Brown, P.C.
                                   Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell and Brown, P.C.





                                  EXHIBIT 8.3
<PAGE>

                                RP FINANCIAL, LC
             [Financial Services Industry Consultants - Letterhead]


                               September 18, 1997



Board of Directors
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.c.
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri  65807

Re:      Plan of Conversion:  Subscription Rights
         ----------------------------------------

Gentlemen:

         All  capitalized  terms no  otherwise  defined in this  letter have the
meanings given such terms in the Plan of Conversion  (the "Plan") adopted by the
Boards of Directors of Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank (the "Bank") and Guaranty
Federal Bancshares, M.H.C. (the "Mutual Holding Company"). Pursuant to the Plan,
Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  will  offer and sell the
Conversion Stock.

         We  understand  that  "subscription  rights" to purchase  shares of the
Conversion  Stock are to be issued to (i)  Eligible  Account  Holders;  (ii) the
ESOP;  (iii)  Supplemental  Eligible  Account  Holders;  and (iv) Other  Members
collectively referred to as the "Recipients".  Based solely upon our observation
that the subscription  rights will be available to such Recipients without cost,
will be legally  non-transferable  and of short  duration,  and will  afford the
Recipients  the right only to purchase  shares of  Conversion  Stock at the same
price as will be paid by members of the general public in the Community Offering
and Syndicated  Community  Offering,  but without  undertaking  any  independent
investigation  of state or federal law or the position of the  Internal  Revenue
Service with respect to this issue, we are of the belief that:

          (1)  the subscription rights will have no ascertainable  market value;
               and,

          (2)  the price at which the  subscription  rights are exercisable will
               not e more or less than the pro forma  market value of the shares
               upon issuance.

         Changes  in  the  local  and  national  economy,  the  legislative  and
regulatory  environment,  the stock market,  interest rates,  and other external
forces (such as natural  disasters or  significant  world events) may occur from
time to time, often with great  unpredictability  and may materially  impact the
value of thrift stocks as a whole or the Company's value alone. Accordingly,  no
assurance can be given that persons who subscribe to shares of Conversion  Stock
in the conversion will thereafter be able to buy or sell such shares at the same
price paid in the Subscription Offering.

                                         Sincerely,



                                         /s/James J. Oren
                                         ----------------
                                         James J. Oren
                                         Vice President






                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                             1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN


         1.       Purpose of the Plan.

         The purpose of this Guaranty Federal Savings Bank ("Savings Bank") 1994
Stock  Option  Plan  ("Plan") is to advance the  interests  of the Savings  Bank
through  providing  select key  Employees and Directors of the Savings Bank with
the  opportunity  to purchase  shares of Common  Stock of the Savings  Bank.  By
encouraging such stock ownership,  the Savings Bank seeks to attract, retain and
motivate  the  best   available   personnel   for   positions   of   substantial
responsibility  and  to  provide  additional  incentive  to  key  Employees  and
Directors of the Savings Bank or any present or future  Parent or  Subsidiary of
the Savings  Bank to promote the success of the  business.  It is intended  that
options issued pursuant to this Plan may constitute either ISOs or Non-ISOs.

         2.       Definitions

         As used herein, the following definitions shall apply.

         (a) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Savings Bank.

         (b) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         (c) "Committee" shall mean the Stock Option Committee  appointed by the
Board in accordance with paragraph 4(a) of the Plan hereof.

         (d) "Common  Stock"  shall mean the common  stock,  par value $1.00 per
share, of the Savings Bank.

         (e) "Continuous Employment" or "Continuous Status as an Employee" shall
mean the absence of any interruption or termination of employment by the Savings
Bank. Employment shall not be considered  interrupted in the case of sick leave,
military leave or any other leave of absence  approved by the Savings Bank or in
the case of transfers between payroll locations of the Savings Bank, its Parent,
its Subsidiaries or a successor.

         (f) "Director" shall mean any member of the Board of Directors.

         (g)  "Effective  Date" shall mean the date  specified  in  paragraph 12
hereof.

         (h) "Employee" shall mean any person employed by the Savings Bank.

         (i) "Option" shall mean an option to purchase  Shares granted  pursuant
to the Plan,  whether the option is an incentive stock option within the meaning
of  Section  422 of the Code  ("ISO"),  or an option  that  does not so  qualify
("Non-ISO").



<PAGE>



         (j) "Option  Price"  shall mean the price per Option  Share at which an
Option may be exercised.

         (k) "Optioned  Shares" shall mean Shares  subject to an Option  granted
pursuant to this Plan.

         (l) "Optionee" shall mean any person who receives an Option pursuant to
the Plan.

         (m) "Parent" shall mean any present or future  corporation  which would
be a "parent corporation" as defined in Subsections 424(e) and (g) of the Code.

         (n) "Plan" shall mean the Savings Bank 1995 Stock Option Plan.

         (o) "Savings  Bank" shall mean the Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank. The
term shall  include any present or future  Parent or  Subsidiary  of the Savings
Bank.

         (p) "Share" shall mean one share of Common Stock.

         (q)  "Subsidiary"  shall mean any present or future  corporation  which
would be a "subsidiary  corporation" as defined in Subsections 424(f) and (g) of
the Code.

         3.       Shares Subject to the Plan.

         Except as otherwise  required by the provisions of paragraph 11 hereof,
the aggregate number of Shares deliverable upon the exercise of Options pursuant
to the Plan  shall  not  exceed  972,365  Shares.  Such  Shares  may  either  be
authorized but unissued Shares or Shares held in treasury.

         If Options should expire,  become unexercisable or be forfeited for any
reason without  having been  exercised in full, the Option Shares shall,  unless
the Plan shall have been  terminated,  be available  for the grant of additional
Options under the Plan.

         4.       Administration of the Plan.

         (a)  Composition of Committee.  The Plan shall be  administered  by the
Committee, which shall consist of not less than three (3) Directors appointed by
the  Board.  All  persons  designated  as  members  of the  Committee  shall  be
"disinterested  persons"  within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the General  Rules
and  Regulations  under the  Securities  Exchange  of 1934,  as  amended  ("Rule
16b-3").  Members of the committee  shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. In
the  absence  at any  time of a duly  appointed  Committee,  the  Plan  shall be
administered  by those  Directors  who are  "disinterested  persons"  within the
meaning of Rule 16b-3.

         (b) Powers of the  Committee.  The Committee  shall have  discretionary
authority (but only to the extent not contrary to the express  provisions of the
Plan or to resolutions adopted by

                                      - 2 -

<PAGE>



the Board) to interpret  the Plan,  to  prescribe,  amend and rescind  rules and
regulations  relating to the Plan,  to determine the form and content of Options
to be  issued  under  the Plan and to make  other  determinations  necessary  or
advisable for the  administration  of the Plan,  and shall have any may exercise
such other power and  authority as may be delegated to it by the Board from time
to time. A majority of the entire  Committee  shall  constitute a quorum and the
action of a majority of the members  present at any meeting at which a quorum is
present shall be deemed the action of the Committee.

         (c) Effect of Committee's Decision.  All decisions,  determinations and
interpretations  of the Committee  shall be final and  conclusive on all persons
affected thereby.

         5.       Eligibility.

         (a) General  Rule.  In its sole  discretion,  the  Committee  may grant
Options to Employees of the Savings Bank.  Each  nonemployee  director  shall be
granted  Non-ISOs only in accordance  with paragraph 11 hereof.  An Optionee who
has been granted an Option may, if otherwise eligible,  be granted an additional
Option or Options.  However,  no  Employer or Director  shall have a right to be
granted an Option or, having  received an option,  the right to again be granted
an Option.

         (b) Special  Rules.  The  aggregate  fair market value  (determined  in
accordance  with paragraph 7 hereof),  as of the date the Option is granted,  of
the Shares with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the
first time by an Employee  during any calendar year (under all  incentive  stock
option plans,  as defined in Section 422 of the Code, of the Savings Bank or any
present or future  Parent or  Subsidiary  of the Savings  Bank) shall not exceed
$100,000.  Notwithstanding the prior provisions of this paragraph, the Committee
may grant  Options in excess of the  foregoing  limitations,  in which case such
Options  granted  in  excess  of such  limitation  shall be  Options  which  are
Non-ISOs.  Furthermore,  in no event shall Shares subject to Options  granted to
non-employee  Directors under this Plan exceed in the aggregate more than 20% of
the total  number of Shares  authorized  for  issuance  pursuant to  paragraph 3
hereof.

         6.       Term of Plan; Term of Options.

         (a) The Plan shall  continue in effect for a term of ten years from the
Effective Date,  unless sooner  terminated  pursuant to paragraph 17 hereof.  No
Option shall be granted under the Plan after ten years from the Effective Date.

         (b) The term of each Option granted under the Plan shall be established
by the Committee, but shall not exceed 10 years; provided,  however, that in the
case  of an  Employee  who  owns  Shares  representing  more  than  10%  of  the
outstanding  Common  Stock at the time the Option is  granted,  the term of such
Option shall not exceed five (5) years.


                                     - 3 -

<PAGE>



         (c)  All  options  will  be  exercisable  in  five  equal  installments
commencing  the first year  following  the  effective  date of the Option  Plan;
provided  that all options  will be 100%  exercisable  in the event the Optionee
terminates his or her employment due to death, disability,  or in the event of a
change in control of the Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C., the mutual holding
company of the Savings Bank ("MHC").

         7.       Option Price      .

         (a) The Option Price as to any particular Option granted under the Plan
shall not be less than the fair market value of the Optioned  Shares on the date
of grant. In the case of an Employee who owns Shares  representing more than 10%
of the Savings Bank's  outstanding  Shares of Common Stock at the time an ISO is
granted,  the Option  Price shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value
of the Optioned Shares at the time the ISO is granted.

         (b)  Determination  of  Option  Price.  If the  Common  Stock is traded
otherwise than on a national  securities exchange at the time of the granting of
an  Option,  then the  Option  Price per  Share  shall not be less than the mean
between  the bid and asked  price on the date the Option is granted or, if there
is no bid and asked price on said date,  then on the next prior  business day on
which  there  was a bid and  asked  price.  If no such  bid and  asked  price is
available, then the Option Price per Share shall be determined by the Committee,
in its sole and absolute discretion. If the Common Stock is listed on a national
securities exchange (including the NASDAQ National Market System) at the time of
granting an Option,  then the Option  Price per share shall be not less than the
average of the highest  and lowest  selling  price on such  exchange on the date
such  Option is granted or if there were no sales on said date,  then the Option
Price  shall be not less than the mean  between  the bid and asked price on such
date.

         8.       Exercise of Option.

         (a) Procedure  for  Exercise.  Any Option  granted  hereunder  shall be
exercisable  at such times and under  such  conditions  as shall be  permissible
under the terms of the Plan and of the Option granted to an Optionee.  An Option
may not be exercised for a fractional Share.

         An Optionee may exercise Options granted pursuant to the Plan,  subject
to provisions relative to its termination and limitations on its exercise,  only
by (1)  written  notice of intent to  exercise  the  Option  with  respect  to a
specified   number  of   Shares,   and  (2)   payment   to  the   Savings   Bank
(contemporaneously  with delivery of such notice) in cash, in Common Stock, or a
combination of cash and Common Stock,  of the amount of the Option price for the
number of Shares with respect to which the Option is then being exercised.  Each
such notice and payment shall be delivered,  or mailed by prepaid  registered or
certified  mail,  addressed to the  Treasurer of the Savings Bank at the Savings
Bank's  executive  offices.  Common Stock utilized in full or partial payment of
the  Option  Price  shall  be  valued  at is fair  market  value  at the date of
exercise.

         (b) Exercise During Employment or Following Death or Disability. Except
as  may  be  specifically  provided  for by the  terms  of an  Option  as may be
authorized by the Committee

                                      - 4 -

<PAGE>



at the time of such grant,  an Option may be exercised by an Optionee only while
he is an Employee and has maintained  Continuous Status as an Employee since the
date of the grant of the Option or within  three  months  after  termination  of
status as an  Employee  (but not later than the date on which the  Option  would
otherwise  expire),  except  if  the  Savings  Bank  terminates  the  Employee's
Continuous  Employment by reason of (1 "Just Cause"  (which for purposes  hereof
shall have the same meaning as defined in the then existing employment agreement
between  the  Optionee  and the  Savings  Bank and,  in the  absence of any such
agreement,  shall have the meaning  defined in 12 C.F.R.  ss.563.39(b)(1)  as in
effect on the  Effective  Date),  then the  Optionee's  rights to exercise  such
Option  shall  expire on the date of such  termination;  (2) death,  then to the
extent  that the  Optionee  would  have been  entitled  to  exercise  the Option
immediately  prior to his death,  such Option of the  deceased  Optionee  may be
exercised  within  two years  from the date of his death (but not later than the
date on which the option would otherwise expire) by the personal representatives
of his estate or person or persons to whom his rights  under such  Option  shall
have passed by will or by laws of descent and distribution; or (3) Permanent and
Total Disability (as such term is defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), then
to the extent that  Optionee  would have been  entitled  to exercise  the Option
immediately  prior to his  Permanent  and Total  Disability,  such Option may be
exercised within one year from the date of such Permanent and Total  Disability,
but not  later  than  the date on  which  the  Option  would  otherwise  expire.
Notwithstanding  the provisions of any Option which provides for its exercise in
installments   as  designated  by  the  Committee,   such  Option  shall  become
immediately exercisable upon death or Permanent and Total Disability, as defined
herein, of the Optionee.

         The  Committee's   determination   whether  an  Optionee's   Continuous
Employment  has  ceased,  and the  effective  date  thereof  shall be final  and
conclusive on all persons affected thereby.

         (c) Notwithstanding  anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall
any Option  granted  pursuant to the Plan be  exercisable  for one year from the
date of grant,  except in the event of the death,  retirement  or Permanent  and
Total Disability of the Optionee.

         9.       Non-Transferability of Options.

         Options  granted  under  the Plan may not be sold,  pledged,  assigned,
hypothecated,  transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by
the laws of descent and  distribution.  An Option may be  exercised,  during the
lifetime of the Optionee, only by the Optionee.

         10. Effect of Change in Common Shares Subject to the Plan.

         In the event that each of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other
than Shares held by dissenting  shareholders) shall be changed into or exchanged
for a different number or kind of shares of capital stock of the Savings Bank or
of  another   corporation   (whether   by  reason  of   merger,   consolidation,
recapitalization,  reclassification,  stock dividend,  split-up,  combination of
shares, or otherwise),  then there shall be substituted for each Share of Common
Stock then

                                      - 5 -

<PAGE>



under  Option or  available  for Option the number and kind of shares of capital
stock into which each outstanding  Share of Common Stock (other than Shares held
by  dissenting  stockholders)  shall be so  changed or for which each such Share
shall be so  exchanged,  together with an  appropriate  adjustment of the Option
Price.

         In the event  there  shall be any  change in the number of, or kind of,
issued shares of Common Stock, or of any capital stock or other  securities into
which such Common Stock shall have been changed, or for which it shall have been
exchanged,  then if the Committee shall, in its discretion,  determine that such
change equitably  requires an adjustment in the number, or kind, or Option Price
of Shares then subject to an Option or  available  for Option,  such  adjustment
shall be made by the Board and shall be  effective  and binding for all purposes
of the Plan.

         11.      Time of Granting Options.

         The date of grant of an Option under the Plan shall,  for all purposes,
be the date  following  the  effective  date on which  the  Committee  makes the
determination  of granting  such Option.  Notice of the  determination  shall be
given to each Optionee to whom an Option is so granted within a reasonable  time
after the date of such grant.

         12.      Effective Date.

         The Plan shall become  effective  upon the  effective  date the Plan is
approved  by the  stockholders,  other than the MHC,  of the  Savings  Bank at a
properly  called meeting of  shareholders  to be held no earlier than six months
following  the effective  date of the  formation of the Savings  Bank.  The Plan
shall continue in effect for a term of ten years from the Effective Date, unless
sooner terminated under paragraph 15 hereof.

         13.      Modification of Options.

         At any  time,  and from  time to time,  the  Board  may  authorize  the
Committee to direct execution of an instrument providing for the modification of
any  outstanding  Option,  provided no such  modification,  extension or renewal
shall  confer on the holder of said Option any right or benefit  which could not
be  conferred  on him by the grant of a new Option at such  time,  or impair the
Option without the consent of the holder of the Option.

         14.      Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

         The Board may from time to time amend,  modify or  terminate  the Plan,
except  that no  action  of the Board may  materially  increase  (other  than as
provided in Paragraph 12) the maximum number of Shares  permitted to be optioned
or become  available  for the  granting  of Options  under the Plan,  materially
increase  the  benefits   accruing  to  Optionees,   or  materially  modify  the
requirements for eligibility for  participation in the Plan,  unless such action
of the Board shall be subject to approval or ratification by the stockholders of
the Savings Bank.

                                      - 6 -

<PAGE>




         No amendment,  suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the
consent of any  affected  Optionee,  alter or impair  any rights or  obligations
under any Option theretofore granted to such Optionee under the Plan.

         15.      Conditions Upon Insurance of Shares.

         Shares of Common  Stock shall not be issued with  respect to any Option
granted  under the Plan unless the  issuance  and  delivery of such Shares shall
comply with all relevant provisions of law, including,  without limitation,  the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended,  the  rules and  regulations  promulgated
thereunder,  any applicable  state  securities law, and the  requirements of any
stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed.

         The  inability  of  the  Savings  Bank  to  obtain  approval  from  any
regulatory  body  or  authority  deemed  by the  Savings  Bank's  counsel  to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares  hereunder shall relieve
the Savings  Bank of any  liability  in respect of the non-  issuance or sale of
such Shares.  As a condition to the exercise of an Option,  the Savings Bank may
require  the  person  exercising  the  Option to make such  representations  and
warranties as may be necessary to assure the  availability  of an exception from
the registration requirements of federal or state securities law.

         16.      Reservation of Shares.

         The Savings  Bank,  during the term of the Plan,  will reserve and keep
available a number of Shares sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

         17.      Withholding Tax.

         The Savings  Bank's  obligation to deliver  shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of  Options,  in whole or in part,  shall be subject to the  Optionee's
satisfaction  of all applicable  federal,  state and local income and employment
tax withholding  obligations.  The Committee, in its discretion,  may permit the
Optionee to satisfy the obligation, in whole or in part, by irrevocably electing
to have the Savings Bank withhold  shares of Common Stock,  or to deliver to the
Savings Bank shares of Common Stock that he already  owns,  having a value equal
to the amount  required to be withheld.  The value of shares to be withheld,  or
delivered  to the Savings  Bank,  shall be based on the fair market value of the
shares,  as determined in accordance  with  procedures to be  established by the
Committee, on the date the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined (the
"Tax Date").  The Optionee's  election to have shares withheld,  or delivered to
the  Savings   Bank,   for  this  purpose  will  be  subject  to  the  following
restrictions:

         (1) the election must be made prior to the Tax Date.

         (2) the election must be irrevocable.

         (3) the election will be subject to the  disapproval  of the Committee,
and

                                      - 7 -

<PAGE>




         (4) if an  optionee  is a  person  whose  transactions  in stock of the
         Savings Bank are subject to Section  16(b) of the  Securities  Exchange
         Act of 1934 and the Plan is then  intended to qualify under Rule 16b-3,
         such  election may not be made within six months of the date the Option
         is granted  and must be made during the period  beginning  on the third
         business  day and ending on the twelfth  business  day that follows the
         release of the Savings Bank's quarterly or annual summary  statement of
         sales and earnings.

         18.      Governing Law.

         The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of Missouri,  except to the extent  preempted by federal law as now
or hereafter in effect.



                                      - 8 -






                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                         RECOGNITION AND RETENTION PLAN


                                    ARTICLE I
                       ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLAN AND TRUST

         1.01 Guaranty Federal Savings Bank ("Savings Bank") hereby  establishes
this  Recognition  and Retention  Plan  ("Plan")  upon the terms and  conditions
hereinafter  stated in this  Recognition  and Retention Plan and Trust Agreement
("Agreement").

         1.02 The Trustee hereby accepts this Trust and agrees to hold the Trust
assets  existing on the date of this  Agreement and all additions and accretions
thereto upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated.

                                   ARTICLE II
                               PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

         2.01 The  purpose  of the Plan is to reward  and  retain  personnel  of
experience and ability by providing such persons with a proprietary  interest in
the Savings Bank as compensation for their contributions to the Savings Bank and
as an incentive  to make such  contributions  and to promote the Savings  Bank's
growth and profitability in the future.

                                   ARTICLE III
                                   DEFINITIONS

         The following  words and phrases when used in this Plan with an initial
capital letter,  unless the context clearly indicates otherwise,  shall have the
meanings set forth below.  Wherever  appropriate,  the  masculine  pronoun shall
include the feminine pronoun and the singular shall include the plural.

         3.01  "Beneficiary"  means  the  person  or  persons  designated  by  a
Recipient  to receive any benefits  payable  under the Plan in the event of such
Recipient's  death.  Such person or persons  shall be  designated  in writing on
forms provided for this purpose by the Committee and may be changed from time to
time by similar  written  notice to the  Committee.  In the absence of a written
designation,  the Beneficiary shall be the Recipient's surviving spouse, if any,
or if none, his estate.

         3.02     "Board" means the board of directors of the Savings Bank.

         3.03  "Committee"  means a  Committee  of the Board  consisting  of all
Directors of the Savings Bank.

         3.04  "Common  Stock"  means  shares of the common stock of the Savings
Bank.



<PAGE>



         3.05 "Company" means Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.,  the mutual
holding company of the Savings Bank.

         3.06 "Director" means a director of the Savings Bank or the Company who
is not an Officer of the Savings Bank or the Company.

         3.07 "Disability"  means the permanent and total inability by reason of
mental or physical  infirmity,  or both,  of a  participant  to perform the work
customarily assigned to him. Additionally, a medical doctor selected or approved
by the Board  must  advise  the  Committee  that it is either  not  possible  to
determine when such Disability  will terminate or that it appears  probable that
such  Disability  will be permanent  during the remainder of said  participant's
lifetime.

         3.08  "Employee"  means any person  who is  currently  employed  by the
Savings Bank or a subsidiary, including Officers.

         3.09 "Minority  Stock  Offering"  means one or more offerings of Common
Stock by the Savings Bank to persons other than the Company.

         3.10 "Normal  Retirement" means retirement at the date set forth in the
Savings Banks Retirement Plan, or any successor plan.

         3.11  "Officer"  means an  executive  officer of the Savings Bank which
includes the Chief  Executive  Officer,  President,  Executive Vice  Presidents,
Senior  Vice  Presidents,  Vice  Presidents  in  charge  of  principal  business
functions,  the Secretary, the Treasurer and any other person performing similar
functions.

         3.12 "Plan  Shares"  means shares of Common Stock held in the Trust and
issued or issuable to a Recipient pursuant to the Plan.

         3.13 "Plan Share Award" means a right  granted  under this Plan to earn
Plan Shares.

         3.14 "Plan Share  Reserve" means the shares of Common Stock held by the
Trustee pursuant to Sections 5.03 and 5.04.

         3.15 "Recipient" means an Employee,  Officer or Director who receives a
Plan Share Award under the Plan.

         3.16  "Reorganization"  means the  reorganization  of Guaranty  Federal
Savings and Loan  Association of Springfield as a mutual holding company and the
establishment of the Savings Bank as its majority-owned subsidiary.

         3.17     "Savings Bank" means Guaranty Federal Savings Bank.


                                      - 2 -

<PAGE>



         3.18  "Trustee"  mans that person or entity  nominated by the Committee
and approved by the Board pursuant to Sections 4.01 and 4.02 to hold legal title
to the Plan assets for the purposes set fort herein.

                                   ARTICLE IV
                           ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

         4.01  Role  of the  Committee.  The  Plan  shall  be  administered  and
interpreted by the Committee, which shall have all of the powers allocated to it
in this and other Sections of the Plan. The  interpretation  and construction by
the  Committee of any  provisions of the Plan or of any Plan Share Award granted
hereunder shall be final and binding. The Committee shall act by vote or written
consent of a majority  of its  members.  Subject to the express  provisions  and
limitations  of the Plan,  the Committee may adopt such rules,  regulations  and
procedures as it deems appropriate for the conduct of its affairs. The Committee
shall report its actions and decisions  with respect to the Plan to the Board at
appropriate  times,  but in no event less than one time per calendar  year.  The
Committee  shall  recommend to the Board one or more persons or entity to act as
Trustee in accordance  with the  provisions of this Plan and Trust and the terms
or Article VIII.

         4.02 Role of the Board.  The members of the  Committee  and the Trustee
shall be appointed or approved by, and will serve at the pleasure of, the Board.
The Board may in its  discretion  from time to time remove  members from, or add
members to, the Committee,  and may remove,  replace or add Trustees.  The Board
shall have all of the powers  allocated to it in this and other  Sections of the
Plan,  may take any action under or with respect to the Plan which the Committee
is authorized to take,  and may reverse or override any action taken or decision
made by the Committee under or with respect to the Plan, provided, however, that
except as proved in  Section  7.01(d),  the Board may not  revoke any Plan Share
Award except in the event of revocation  for Cause,  or with respect to unearned
Plan Share  Awards in the event a Recipient  of a Plan Share  Award  voluntarily
terminates  his  employment  or his  directorship  (as the case may be) with the
Savings Bank prior to retirement.

         4.03  Limitation on Liability.  No member of the Board or the Committee
or the  Trustee  shall be liable for any  determination  made in good faith with
respect to the Plan or any Plan Shares or Plan Share Awards granted under it. If
a  member  of the  Board  or the  Committee  or any  Trustee  is a  party  or is
threatened to be made a party to any  threatened,  pending or completed  action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by
reason  of  anything  done or not  done by him in such  capacity  under  or with
respect to the Plan,  the  Savings  Bank shall  indemnify  such  member  against
expense (including  reasonable attorneys' fees),  judgements,  fines and amounts
paid in settlement  actually and reasonably  incurred by him in connection  with
such  action,  suit or  proceeding  if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably  believed  to be in the  best  interests  of the  Savings  Bank and a
subsidiary  and,  with  respect to any  criminal  action or  proceeding,  had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.


                                      - 3 -

<PAGE>



                                    ARTICLE V
                        CONTRIBUTIONS; PLAN SHARE RESERVE

         5.01 Amount and Timing of Contributions.  The Board shall determine the
amounts  (or the method of  computing  the  amounts)  to be  contributed  by the
Savings Bank to the Trust  established  under this Plan.  Such amounts  shall be
paid to the Trustees at the time of contribution.  No contributions by Employees
or Directors shall be permitted.

         5.02  Initial  Investment.  Any amounts  held by the Trust prior to the
effective  date of the  Reorganization  and the Minority Stock Offering shall be
invested  by the  Trustee in such  interest-bearing  account or  accounts at the
Savings Bank as the Trustee shall determine to be appropriate.

         5.03  Investment of Trust Assets upon the  Reorganization;  Creation of
Plan Share Reserve. Upon the consummation of the Reorganization and the Minority
Stock Offering,  the Trustee shall invest all of the Trust's assets  exclusively
in Common Stock except as otherwise provided below; provided,  however, that the
Trust  shall not  invest in more than two  percent  (4%) of the shares of Common
Stock  issued  in  connection  with the  Minority  Stock  Offering  which  shall
constitute the Plan Share Reserve.  Any earnings received with respect to Common
Stock  held in the  Plan  Share  Reserve  shall  be held in an  interest-bearing
account.  Any earnings  received  with respect to Common Stock subject to a Plan
Share  Award  shall be held in an  interest-bearing  account  on  behalf  of the
individual Recipient.

         5.04 Effect of  Allocations,  Returns and  Forfeitures  upon Plan Share
Reserves.  Upon the  allocation  of Plan Share Awards under Section 6.02, or the
decision of the  Committee to return Plan Shares to the Savings  Bank,  the Plan
Share Reserve shall be reduced by the number of Shares  subject to the Awards so
allocated  or  returned.  Any shares  subject to an Award that may not be earned
because of a  forfeiture  by the  Recipient  pursuant  to Section  7.01 shall be
returned to the Plan Share Reserve.

                                      - 4 -

<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE VI
                            ELIGIBILITY; ALLOCATIONS

         6.01  Eligibility.  Employees  Directors  of  the  Savings  Bank  and a
subsidiary are eligible to receive Plan Share Awards.

         6.02  Allocations.  The Committee may determine  which of the Employees
referenced  in Section  6.01 will be granted Plan Share Awards and the number of
shares  covered  by each  Award;  provided,  however,  that the number of shares
covered  by such  Awards  may not  exceed the number of shares in the Plan Share
Reserve  immediately prior to the grant of such Awards,  and provided,  further,
that in no event shall any Awards be made that will violate the Charter,  Bylaws
or  Plan  of  Reorganization  and  Stock  Issuance  of the  Savings  Bank or any
applicable  federal or state law or  regulation.  In the event  Plan  Shares are
forfeited for any reason, the Committee,  from time to time, may determine which
of the  Recipients  referenced in Section 6.01 will be granted  additional  Plan
Share  Awards to be awarded from  forfeited  Plan  Shares.  In  selecting  those
Recipients  to whom Plan Share  Awards  will be  granted  and the number of Plan
Shares  covered by such Awards,  the Committee  shall  consider the position and
responsibilities  of the  eligible  Recipients,  the  length  and value of their
services to the Savings Bank,  the  compensation  paid to the Recipients and any
other factors the Committee may deem relevant.

         6.03  Form  of  Allocation.   As  promptly  as   practicable   after  a
determination  is made pursuant to Section 6.02 that a Plan Share Award has been
granted, the Committee shall notify the Recipient in writing of the grant of the
Award,  the number of Plan Shares covered by the Award, and the terms upon which
the Plan  Shares  subject  to the  Award  may be  earned.  The date on which the
Committee so notifies the Recipient shall be considered the date of grant of the
Plan Share Awards. The Committee shall maintain records as to all grants of Plan
Share Awards under the Plan.

         6.04 Allocations Not Required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in Sections 6.01 and 6.02, no Recipient  shall have any right or  entitlement to
receive a Plan Share Award hereunder,  such Awards being at the total discretion
of the  Committee  and the Board,  nor shall the salaried  Recipients as a group
have  such a right.  The  Committee,  with the  approval  of the Board (or if so
directed by the Board), may return all Common Stock in the Plan Share Reserve to
the Savings Bank at any time, and cease issuing Plan Share Awards.



                                      - 5 -

<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE VII
             EARNINGS AND DISTRIBUTION OF PLAN SHARES; VOTING RIGHTS

         7.01     Earning Plan Shares; Forfeitures.

                  (a) General  Rules.  Unless the Committee  shall  specifically
state to the  contrary at the time a Plan Share  Award is  granted,  Plan Shares
subject to an Award shall be earned and non-forfeitable by a Recipient according
to the following schedule:

        Years of Service                             Vested Interest
        ----------------                             ---------------

           Less than 1                                          0%
                2                                              20%
                3                                              20%
                4                                              20%
                5                                              20%
                6                                              20%

                  (b)  Exception  for  Termination  Due to Death or  Disability.
Notwithstanding  the general  rule  contained  in Section  7.01(a),  Plan Shares
subject to a Plan Share Award held by a Recipient  whose service as an Employee,
Officer or Director  with the Savings  Bank or a  subsidiary  terminates  due to
death or disability,  or any part thereof that has not theretofore  been earned,
shall be deemed earned as of the Recipient's last day or service as an Employee,
Officer or Director with the Savings Bank or a subsidiary.

                  (c) Revocation for Cause. Notwithstanding anything hereinafter
to the contrary,  the Board may be resolution  immediately  revoke,  rescind and
terminate any Plan Share Award,  or portion  thereof,  previously  awarded under
this Plan, to the extent Plan Shares have not been  delivered  thereunder to the
Recipient,  whether or not yet earned,  in the case of an  Employee,  Officer or
Director who is discharged  from the Savings Bank or a subsidiary  for Cause (as
hereinafter  defined),  or who is discovered after  termination of employment to
have engaged in conduct that would have justified termination for Cause. "Cause"
is defined as personal dishonesty,  willful misconduct,  any breach of fiduciary
duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties, or
the  wilful  violation  of any  law,  rule or  regulation  (other  than  traffic
violations or similar  offenses)  that results in a material loss to the Savings
Bank or a subsidiary, or a final cease-and-desist order.

         7.02 Accrual of Dividends. Whenever Plan Shares are paid to a Recipient
or Beneficiary  under Section 7.03, such Recipient or Beneficiary  shall also be
entitled to receive,  with  respect to each Plan Share paid,  an amount equal to
any cash  dividends  and a number of shares of Common  Stock  equal to any stock
dividends, declared and paid with respect to a share of Common Stock between the
date the  relevant  Plan Share Award  became  fully vested and the date the Plan
Shares are being  distributed.  There shall also be  distributed  an appropriate
amount of net earnings,  if any, of the Trust with respect to any cash dividends
so paid out.

                                      - 6 -

<PAGE>




         7.03     Distribution of Plan Shares.

                  (a) Timing of Distributions;  General Rule. Except as provided
in subsection  (b) below,  Plan Shares shall be  distributed to the Recipient or
his Beneficiary, as the case may be, as soon as practicable after they have been
earned. No fractional shares shall be distributed.

                  (b)  Timing;  Exception  for Ten Percent  (10%)  Shareholders.
Notwithstanding subsection (a) above, no Plan Shares may be distributed prior to
the date that is five (5) years from the effective date of the Reorganization to
the extent the Recipient or Beneficiary, as the case may be, would after receipt
of such  shares  own in  excess  of then ten  percent  (10%) of the  issued  and
outstanding  shares of Common Stock.  Any Plan Shares remaining unpaid solely by
reason of the operation of this subsection (b) shall be paid to the Recipient or
his  Beneficiary  on the date that is five (5) years from the effective  date of
the Reorganization.

                  (c) Form of Distribution.  All Plan Shares,  together with any
shares representing stock dividends,  shall be distributed in the form of Common
Stock.  One share of Common  Stock shall be given for each Plan Share earned and
payable. Payments representing accumulated cash dividends (and earnings thereon)
shall be made in cash.

                  (d) Withholding.  The Trustee may withhold from any payment or
distribution made under this Plan sufficient amounts of cash or shares of Common
Stock to cover any  applicable  withholding  and  employment  taxes,  and if the
amount of such payment is insufficient, the Trustee may require the Recipient or
Beneficiary  to pay to the  Trustee  the amount  required  to be  withheld  as a
condition  of  delivering  the Plan  Shares.  The Trustee  shall pay over to the
Savings Bank or a subsidiary  that employs or employed  such  Recipient any such
amount withheld from or paid by the Recipient or Beneficiary.

         7.04 Voting of Plan Shares.  After a Plan Share Award has been granted,
the  Recipient  shall be  entitled to direct the Trustee as to the voting of the
Plan  Shares that are covered by the Plan Share Award and that have not yet been
earned and  distributed  to him pursuant to Section  7.03,  subject to rules and
procedures adopted by the Committee for this purpose. All shares of Common Stock
held by the Trust as to which Recipients are not entitled to direct, or have not
directed,  the voting,  shall be voted by the Trustee in the same  proportion as
Plan Shares that have been awarded and voted.



                                      - 7 -

<PAGE>



                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                      TRUST

         8.01 Trust.  The Trustee shall receive,  hold,  administer,  invest and
make  distributions  and  disbursements  from the Trust in  accordance  with the
provisions  of  the  Plan  and  Trust  and  the  applicable  directions,  rules,
regulations,  procedures and policies  established by the Committee  pursuant to
the Plan.

         8.02 Management of Trust. It is the intent of this Plan and Trust that,
subject  to the  provisions  of this  Plan,  the  Trustee  shall  have  complete
authority and discretion with respect to the management,  control and investment
of the Trust, and that the Trustee shall invest all assets of the Trust,  except
those attributable to cash dividends paid with respect to Plan Shares, in Common
Stock to the  fullest  extent  practicable,  and except to the  extent  that the
Trustee  determines  that the holdings of monies in cash or cash  equivalents is
necessary to meet the obligations of the Trust. In performing their duties,  the
Trustees  shall have the power to do all things and execute such  instruments as
may be deemed necessary or proper, including the following powers:

                  (a) To invest up to one  hundred  percent  (100%) of all Trust
assets in Common  Stock  without  regard  to any law now or  hereafter  in force
limiting   investments  for  Trustees  or  other  fiduciaries.   The  investment
authorized  herein  constitutes the only investment of the Trust,  and in making
such  investment,  the Trustees are authorized to purchase Common Stock from the
Savings Bank or a subsidiary or from any other source,  and such Common Stock so
purchased may be outstanding, newly issued, or treasury shares.

                  (b) To invest  any Trust  assets  not  otherwise  invested  in
accordance with (a) above in such deposit accounts,  and certificates of deposit
(including  those issued by the Savings Bank),  obligations of the United States
government or its agencies or such other  investments as shall be considered the
equivalent of cash.

                  (c) To sell,  exchange or otherwise dispose of any property at
any time held or acquired by the Trust.

                  (d)  To  cause  stocks,   bonds  or  other  securities  to  be
registered  in the name of a nominee,  without the addition of words  indicating
that such  security  is an asset of the Trust  (but  accurate  records  shall be
maintained showing that such security is an asset of the Trust).

                  (e) To hold cash without interest in such amounts as may be in
the opinion of the Trustee  reasonable for the proper  operation of the Plan and
Trust.

                  (f) To employ  brokers,  agents,  custodians,  consultants and
accountants.


                                      - 8 -

<PAGE>



                  (g) To hire  counsel to render  advice  with  respect to their
rights,  duties and  obligations  hereunder,  and such other  legal  services or
representation as they may deem desirable.

                  (h) To hold funds and securities  representing  the amounts to
be distributed  to a Recipient or his  Beneficiary as a consequence of a dispute
as to the disposition thereof, whether in a segregated account or held in common
with other assets of the Trust.

         Notwithstanding  anything herein contained to the contrary, the Trustee
shall not be required to make any  inventory,  appraisal or settlement or report
to any  court,  or to secure  any order of court for the  exercise  of any power
herein contained, or give bond.

         8.03 Records and  Accounts.  The Trustee  shall  maintain  accurate and
detailed records and accounts of all  transactions of the Trust,  which shall be
available at all reasonable  times for inspection by any legally entitled person
or entity  to the  extent  required  by  applicable  law,  or any  other  person
determined by the Committee.

         8.04  Earnings.  All  earnings,  gains and losses with respect to Trust
assets shall be allocated,  in accordance with a reasonable procedure adopted by
the Committee,  to bookkeeping accounts for Recipients or to the general account
of the Trust,  depending on the nature and  allocation of the assets  generating
such earnings,  gains and losses. In particular,  any earnings on cash dividends
received  with  respect to shares of Common Stock shall be allocated to accounts
for Recipients, if such shares are the subject of outstanding Plan Share Awards,
or, otherwise to the Plan Share Reserve.

         8.05  Expenses.  All costs and expenses  incurred in the  operation and
administration of this Plan,  including those incurred by the Trustee,  shall be
borne by the Savings Bank.

         8.06 Indemnification. The Savings Bank shall indemnify, defend and hold
the Trustee harmless against all claims, expenses and liabilities arising out of
or related to the exercise of the  Trustee's  powers and the  discharge of their
duties  hereunder,  unless the same shall be due to their  gross  negligence  or
willful misconduct.

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         9.01 Adjustments for Capital Changes. In the event of any change in the
outstanding  shares of Common  Stock of the Savings  Bank by reason of any stock
dividend   or  split,   recapitalization,   merger,   consolidation,   spin-off,
reorganization,  combination or exchange of shares,  or other similar  corporate
change, or other increase or decrease in such shares effected without receipt or
payment of  consideration  by the Savings Bank,  the Committee  shall adjust the
aggregate number of Plan Shares available for issuance  pursuant to the Plan and
shall  adjust  the  number of shares to which any Plan  Share  Award  relates to
prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to the Recipient under the
Plan.

                                      - 9 -

<PAGE>



         9.02  Amendment and  Termination of Plan. The Board may, by resolution,
at any  time  amend or  terminate  the Plan  and  Trust.  The  power to amend or
terminate shall include the power to direct the Trustee to return to the Savings
Bank all or any part of the  assets  of the  Trust,  including  shares of Common
Stock  held in the Plan  Share  Reserve,  as well as shares of Common  Stock and
other assets subject to Plan Share Awards but not yet earned by the Employees to
whom they are allocated.  However, the termination of the Trust shall not affect
a  Recipient's  right to earned  Plan Share  Awards and to the  distribution  of
Common Stock relating thereto,  including  earnings thereon,  in accordance with
the terms of this Plan and the grant by the Committee or Board.

         9.03 Nontransferable. Plan Share Awards and rights to Plan Shares shall
not be  transferable  by a Recipient,  and during the lifetime of the Recipient,
Plan Shares may only be earned by and paid to the  Recipient who was notified in
writing of the Award by the Committee pursuant to Section 6.03.

         9.04 Employment Rights.  Neither the Plan nor any grant of a Plan Share
Award  or Plan  Shares  hereunder  nor any  action  taken  by the  Trustee,  the
Committee or the Board in connection with the Plan shall create any right on the
part  of any  Employee  to  continue  in the  employ  of the  Savings  Bank or a
subsidiary thereof, or the Company.

         9.05 Voting and Dividend Rights.  No Recipient shall have any voting or
dividend  rights or other rights of a shareholder  in respect to any Plan Shares
covered by a Plan Share Award, except as expressly provided in Sections 7.02 and
7.04,  prior to the time said  Plan  Shares  are  actually  distributed  to such
Recipient.

         9.06  Governing  Law.  The Plan and Trust and this  Agreement  shall be
governed by the laws of the State of Missouri.

         9.07 Effective  Date. This Plan is effective as of the date the Plan is
approved  by the  stockholders,  other than the MHC,  of the  Savings  Bank at a
properly  called meeting of  shareholders  to be held no earlier than six months
following the effective date of the formation of the Savings Bank.

         9.08 Term of Plan.  This Plan shall  remain in effect until the earlier
of (1)  termination by the Board,  or (2) the  distribution of all assets of the
Trust. Termination of the Plan shall not affect any Plan Share Awards previously
granted,  and such Awards  shall remain valid and in effect until they have been
earned and paid, or by their terms expire or are forfeited.




                                     - 10 -





                                  EXHIBIT 23.2


<PAGE>



                       [Baird, Kurtz & Dobson Letterhead]




                         Consent of Independent Auditors


We hereby  consent  to the  reference  to our firm under the  caption  "Experts"
included in the  Registration  Statement  on Form S-1 filed by Guaranty  Federal
Bancshares,  Inc.  and to the use  therein  of our report  dated July 31,  1997,
concerning the  consolidated  financial  statements of Guaranty  Federal Savings
Bank and its subsidiary.

 
                                            /s/ Baird, Kurtz & Dobson




Springfield, Missouri
September 22, 1997





                                  EXHIBIT 23.3
<PAGE>

                                RP FINANCIAL, LC
             [Financial Services Industry Consultants - Letterhead]



                               September 18, 1997



Board of Directors
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.c.
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri  65807

Gentlemen:

         We hereby consent to the use of our firm's name in the  Application for
Conversion of Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  M.H.C.,  the mutual holding company
for Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank,  Springfield,  Missouri and any  amendments
thereto, in the Forms S-1 Registration  Statement and any amendments thereto and
in the Form  H-(e)1-S  for  Guaranty  Federal  Bancshares,  Inc.  We also hereby
consent to the inclusion of, summary of and  references to our Appraisal  Report
and our statement  concerning  subscription rights in such filings including the
Prospectus of Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.

                                             Sincerely,



                                             /s/James J. Oren
                                             ----------------
                                             James J. Oren
                                             Vice President



<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                                            9
                      
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                             JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                  JUN-30-1997
<CASH>                                            417
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                          3,400
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                    0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                    0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                     3,360
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                          8,586
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                            8,373
<LOANS>                                       170,965
<ALLOWANCE>                                     2,177
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                199,465
<DEPOSITS>                                    151,246
<SHORT-TERM>                                   18,151
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                             2,578
<LONG-TERM>                                         0
                               0
                                         0
<COMMON>                                        3,125
<OTHER-SE>                                     24,365
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                199,465
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                12,347
<INTEREST-INVEST>                               1,965<F1>
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                  400
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               14,712
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                              7,471
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                839
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                           6,401
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                       0
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                 61
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                 5,105
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 1,826
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                          0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                     0
<CHANGES>                                           0
<NET-INCOME>                                    1,162
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     .37
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     .37
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                   3.52
<LOANS-NON>                                       715
<LOANS-PAST>                                      113
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                    0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                   502
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                2,108
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                     (63)
<RECOVERIES>                                      132
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                               2,177
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                                0
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                 0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                         2,177
        
<FN>
<F1>  INCLUDES MORTGAGE-BACKED AND RELATED SECURITIES.
</FN>


</TABLE>


================================================================================
                           CONVERSION APPRAISAL REPORT
                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.

                          PROPOSED HOLDING COMPANY FOR
                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK

                              Springfield, Missouri


                                  Dated As Of:
                                September 5, 1997

================================================================================





                                  Prepared By:

                                RP Financial, LC.
                             1700 North Moore Street
                                   Suite 2210
                            Arlington, Virginia 22209


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
- ---------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants




           
                                                               September 5, 1997


Board of Directors
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, M.H.C.
Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
1341 West Battlefield
Springfield, Missouri  65807

Gentlemen:

         At your request,  we have  completed and hereby  provide an independent
appraisal  ("Appraisal")  of the  estimated pro forma market value of the common
stock which is to be issued by Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  Inc. (the "Holding
Company"), in connection with the mutual-to-stock conversion of Guaranty Federal
Bancshares,  M.H.C.,  Springfield,  Missouri (the "Mutual Holding Company"). The
Mutual Holding Company currently has a majority  ownership  interest in, and its
principal asset consists of, the common stock of Guaranty  Federal Savings Bank,
Springfield,  Missouri, ("Guaranty" or the "Bank"). It is our understanding that
the Holding  Company  will offer its stock to  depositors,  the Bank's  employee
stock ownership plan ("ESOP"),  members of the local community and the public at
large.

         This Appraisal is furnished pursuant to the requirements of the Code of
Federal  Regulations  563b.7  and has  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the
"Guidelines  for  Appraisal  Reports  for the  Valuation  of  Savings  and  Loan
Associations Converting from Mutual to Stock Form of Organization" of the Office
of Thrift  Supervision  ("OTS"),  which  have been  adopted in  practice  by the
Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  ("FDIC"),  including  the most  recent
revisions  as of October 21, 1994,  and  applicable  regulatory  interpretations
thereof.


Description of Reorganization
- -----------------------------

         The Boards of Directors of the Bank and the Mutual Holding Company have
adopted Plan of  Conversion  pursuant to which the Mutual  Holding  Company will
convert from a  federally-chartered  mutual holding  company to a Delaware stock
corporation.  In the reorganization process, to become effective concurrent with
the  completion  of the stock sale,  which is targeted  for the fourth  calendar
quarter  of  1997:  (1)  the  Mutual  Holding  Company,   which  currently  owns
approximately 68.9 percent of the Bank, will convert to an interim federal stock
savings bank and merge with and into the Bank, with the Bank being the surviving
entity;  (2) as a result of the merger of the interim federal stock savings bank
into the Bank,  the Bank will become a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of the Holding
Company  operating  under the name Guaranty  Federal  Savings Bank; and, (4) the
outstanding  shares of Bank common  stock,  (other than those held by the Mutual
Holding  Company,  which  will be  cancelled)  (the  "Public  Shares"),  will be
converted  into shares of common  stock of the Holding  Company  (the  "Exchange
Shares")  pursuant  to a ratio that will  result in the  holders of such  shares
owning the same  percentage of the Holding  Company as they currently own of the
Bank (adjusted for assets currently held at the Mutual Holding Company level).


         Pursuant to the  reorganization,  the Holding Company will issue shares
in the  Subscription  and Community  Offerings  that will represent an ownership
interest in the  Holding  Company  equal to the  percentage  ownership  that the
Mutual  Holding  Company  currently  maintains in the Bank,  adjusted for assets
currently  held at the  Mutual  Holding  Company  level.  Also  pursuant  to the
reorganization,  the  Holding  Company  will  issue the  Exchange  Shares to the
current minority stockholders of the Bank in exchange for the

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Washington Headquarters
Rosslyn Center
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210                   Telephone: (703) 528-1700
Arlington, VA  22209                                    FAX No.: (703) 528-1788
<PAGE>
RP Financial, L.C.
Board of Directors
September 5, 1997
Page 2

Public Shares pursuant to an exchange ratio determined by the Board of Directors
that  will  maintain  the  current  minority  stockholders'  existing  ownership
interest  (the  "Exchange  Ratio"),  adjusted for assets  currently  held at the
Mutual Holding Company level.


RP Financial, LC.
- -----------------

         RP Financial,  LC. ("RP Financial") is a financial consulting firm that
specializes  in financial  valuations and analyses of business  enterprises  and
securities.  The  background  and  experience  of RP  Financial  are detailed in
Exhibit  V-1.  We  believe  that,  except  for the fee we will  receive  for our
appraisal of the shares to be issued by the Holding Company, and the preparation
of and  the fee  received  for the  regulatory  business  plan  filed  with  the
application,  we are  independent of the Bank, the Mutual Holding  Company,  the
Holding  Company  and other  parties  engaged by the Bank to assist in the stock
issuance process.

Valuation Methodology
- ---------------------

         In  preparing  our  appraisal,  we have  reviewed  the  Mutual  Holding
Company's Application for Approval of Conversion, including the Proxy Statement,
as filed with the OTS and the Holding Company's Form S-1 registration  statement
as filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission ("SEC"). We have conducted
an  analysis  of  the  Bank  and  the  Mutual  Holding   Company   (hereinafter,
collectively  referred to as the "Bank") that has included due diligence related
discussions  with the  Bank's  management;  Baird,  Kurtz & Dobson,  the  Bank's
independent auditor; Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C., the Bank's conversion
counsel; and Friedman, Billings, Ramsey, & Co., Inc., which has been retained by
the Bank as a financial  and marketing  advisor in  connection  with the Holding
Company's  stock  offering.  All  conclusions  and  assumptions set forth in the
Appraisal were reached independently from such discussions.  In addition,  where
appropriate,  we have considered  information based on other available published
sources that we believe are reliable.  While we believe the information and data
gathered  from all these  sources are reliable we cannot  guarantee the accuracy
and completeness of such information.

         We have investigated the competitive  environment within which the Bank
operates,  and have assessed the Bank's relative  strengths and  weaknesses.  We
have kept abreast of the changing  regulatory and  legislative  environment  and
analyzed the potential  impact on the Bank and the industry as a whole.  We have
analyzed the  potential  effects of the stock  offering on the Bank's  operating
characteristics and financial performance as they relate to the pro forma market
value of the Bank.  We have  reviewed the economy in the Bank's  primary  market
area and have  compared the Bank's  financial  performance  and  condition  with
selected  publicly-traded  thrift institutions in the Midwest region of the U.S.
We have reviewed  conditions in the securities markets in general and for thrift
stocks in particular, including the market for existing thrift issues (including
both full  stock  institutions  and  institutions  organized  as mutual  holding
companies),  initial  public  offerings  by thrifts and second  step  conversion
offerings.

         Our  Appraisal  is  based  on  the  Bank's   representation   that  the
information contained in the regulatory  applications and additional information
furnished to us by the Bank and its independent auditors are truthful,  accurate
and complete. We did not independently verify the financial statements and other
information  provided  by the  Bank  and its  independent  auditors,  nor did we
independently  value the  individual  assets  or  liabilities  of the Bank.  The
valuation  considers the Bank only as a  publicly-held  going concern and should
not be considered as an indication of the  liquidation  or control values of the
Bank.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, L.C.
Board of Directors
September 5, 1997
Page 3

         Our  appraised  value is predicated  on a  continuation  of the current
operating environment for the Bank and for all thrifts. Changes in the local and
national economy, the legislative and regulatory environment,  the stock market,
interest rates, and other external forces (such as natural  disasters) may occur
from time to time, often with great  unpredictability  and may materially impact
the value of thrift  stocks as a whole or the Bank's value alone.  To the extent
that such factors can be foreseen, they have been factored into our analysis.

         Pro forma  market  value is defined  as the price at which the  Holding
Company's  shares  would  change  hands  between a  willing  buyer and a willing
seller,  neither  being  under  any  compulsion  to buy or sell and both  having
reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.

Valuation Conclusion
- --------------------

         It is our opinion  that,  as of September 5, 1997,  the  aggregate  pro
forma market value of the Bank and the Mutual Holding Company,  inclusive of the
sale of an approximate 70.2 percent  ownership  interest in the Subscription and
Community  Offerings,  was  $47,043,645  at the midpoint.  Based on the range of
value set forth in the OTS conversion guidelines,  the resultant valuation range
equals $39,987,098 at the minimum and $54,100,192 at the maximum.  Based on this
valuation and the approximate 70.2 percent ownership  interest being sold in the
Subscription  and  Community  Offerings,  the midpoint of the Holding  Company's
stock offering was $33,000,000, equal to 3,300,000 shares offered at a per share
value of $10.00.  The resultant offering range includes a minimum of $28,050,000
and a maximum of $37,950,000. Based on the $10.00 per share offering price, this
range  equates to an offering of  2,805,000  shares at the minimum to  3,795,000
shares at the maximum.  The Holding Company's offering also includes a provision
for a super range,  which if exercised,  based on a market value of $62,215,221,
would result in an offering size of  $43,642,500,  equal to 4,364,250  shares at
the $10.00 per share offering price.

Establishment of Exchange Ratio
- -------------------------------

         OTS  regulations  provide  that in a  conversion  of a  mutual  holding
company, the minority  stockholders are entitled to exchange their shares of the
Bank's  common  stock for  common  stock of the  Holding  Company.  The Board of
Directors of the Mutual Holding Company has independently  established a formula
to determine the exchange  ratio.  The formula has been designed to preserve the
current  aggregate  percentage  ownership in the Bank  represented by the Public
Shares,  adjusted for assets currently held at the Mutual Holding Company level,
which  results in an  approximate  29.9  percent  minority  ownership  interest.
Pursuant to the formula, the Exchange Ratio will be determined at the end of the
Holding Company's stock offering based on the total number of shares sold in the
Subscription and Community Offerings. Based upon this formula, and the valuation
conclusion  and offering  range  concluded  above,  the Exchange  Ratio would be
1.2276 shares, 1.4443 shares, 1.6609 shares and 1.9101 shares of Holding Company
stock issued for each Public Share, at the minimum,  midpoint, maximum and super
range of the offering, respectively.

Limiting Factors and Considerations
- -----------------------------------

         Our  valuation  is  not  intended,  and  must  not be  construed,  as a
recommendation  of any kind as to the  advisability of purchasing  shares of the
common  stock.  Moreover,  because  such  valuation  is  necessarily  based upon
estimates and  projections  of a number of matters,  all of which are subject to
change from time to time,  no  assurance  can be given that persons who purchase
shares of common stock in the initial  offering will  thereafter be able to sell
such shares at prices related to the foregoing valuation of the pro forma market
value.  The  Appraisal  does not take into  account  any trading  activity  with
respect to the purchase and sale of common stock in the  secondary  market,  and
reflects  only a valuation  range as of this date for the pro forma market value
of the Bank immediately upon issuance of the stock.
<PAGE>
RP Financial, L.C.
Board of Directors
September 5, 1997
Page 4

         RP  Financial's   valuation  was  determined  based  on  the  financial
condition,  operations  and shares  outstanding as of June 30, 1997, the date of
the financial data included in the Holding  Company's  Prospectus.  The proposed
Exchange  Ratio and the  exchange  of Public  Shares  for newly  issued  Holding
Company  shares was determined  independently  by the Boards of Directors of the
Mutual  Holding  Company and the Bank. RP Financial  expresses no opinion on the
proposed  Exchange  Ratio and the  exchange  of Public  Shares for newly  issued
Holding  Company shares. 

         RP  Financial is not a seller of  securities  within the meaning of any
federal and state  securities laws and any report prepared by RP Financial shall
not be used as an offer or solicitation  with respect to the purchase or sale of
any securities. RP Financial maintains a policy which prohibits the company, its
principals or employees from purchasing stock of its client institutions.

         The valuation  will be updated  should market  conditions or changes in
Guaranty's  operating results warrant. The valuation will also be updated at the
completion of the Holding Company's stock offering. These updates will consider,
among  other  things,  any  developments  or  changes  in the  Bank's  financial
performance and condition,  management  policies,  and current conditions in the
equity markets for thrift  shares,  both existing  issues and new issues.  Also,
these updates will consider changes in other external factors which impact value
including, but not limited to: various changes in the legislative and regulatory
environment  (including changes in the appraisal  guidelines),  the stock market
and the  market for  thrift  stocks,  and  interest  rates.  Should any such new
developments  or changes be material,  in our opinion,  to the  valuation of the
shares,  appropriate adjustments to the estimated pro forma market value will be
made.  The reasons for any such  adjustments  will be explained in the update at
the date of the release of the update.


                                                Respectfully submitted,

                                                RP FINANCIAL, LC.



                                                /s/William E. Pommerening
                                                --------------------------------
                                                William E. Pommerening
                                                Chief Executive Officer



                                                /s/James J. Oren
                                                --------------------------------
                                                James J. Oren
                                                Vice President


<PAGE>


RP Financial, LC.
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                              Springfield, Missouri
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                                                          PAGE
         DESCRIPTION                                                                                     NUMBER
         -----------                                                                                     ------

<S> <C>  <C>                        <C>                                                                   <C>

    CHAPTER ONE                     OVERVIEW AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

         Plan of Conversion and Holding Company Reorganization                                             1.1
         Strategic Discussion                                                                              1.2
         Balance Sheet Trends                                                                              1.5
         Income and Expense Trends                                                                         1.8
         Interest Rate Risk Management                                                                     1.11
         Lending Activities and Strategy                                                                   1.12
         Asset Quality                                                                                     1.14
         Funding Composition and Strategy                                                                  1.14
         Subsidiary Operations                                                                             1.15
         Legal Proceedings                                                                                 1.15



    CHAPTER TWO                     MARKET AREA

         Introduction                                                                                      2.1
         National Economic Factors                                                                         2.2
         Market Area Demographics                                                                          2.5
         Economy                                                                                           2.6
         Deposit Trends and Competition                                                                    2.7
         Summary                                                                                           2.9



    CHAPTER THREE                   PEER GROUP ANALYSIS

         Selection of Peer Group                                                                           3.1
         Financial Condition                                                                               3.4
         Income and Expense Components                                                                     3.7
         Loan Composition                                                                                  3.9
         Credit Risk                                                                                       3.9
         Interest Rate Risk                                                                                3.12
         Summary                                                                                           3.12

</TABLE>



<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                          GUARANTY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                              Springfield, Missouri

                                   (continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                                                         PAGE
         DESCRIPTION                                                                                    NUMBER
         -----------                                                                                    ------

<S> <C>  <C>                        <C>                                                                   <C>
    CHAPTER FOUR                    VALUATION ANALYSIS

         Introduction                                                                                      4.1
         Appraisal Guidelines                                                                              4.1
         Valuation Analysis                                                                                4.2
           1. Financial Condition                                                                          4.2
           2. Profitability, Growth and Viability of Earnings                                              4.3
           3. Asset Growth                                                                                 4.4
           4. Primary Market Area                                                                          4.4
           5. Dividends                                                                                    4.6
           6. Liquidity of the Shares                                                                      4.7
           7. Marketing of the Issue                                                                       4.7
                A. The Public Market                                                                       4.8
                B. The New Issue Market                                                                    4.11
                C. Secondary Step Conversion Offerings                                                     4.14
                D. The Acquisition Market                                                                  4.14
                E. Trading in Guaranty's Stock                                                             4.14
           8. Management                                                                                   4.18
           9. Effect of Government Regulation and Regulatory Reform                                        4.18
         Summary of Adjustments                                                                            4.18
         Valuation Approaches                                                                              4.19
           1. Price-to-Tangible Book ("P/TB")                                                              4.21
           2. Price-to-Earnings ("P/E")                                                                    4.21
           3. Price-to-Assets ("P/A")                                                                      4.22
         Valuation Conclusion                                                                              4.22
         Establishment of Exchange Ratio                                                                   4.23

</TABLE>

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.

                                 LIST OF TABLES
                         GUARANTY, FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
                        GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                              Springfield, Missouri

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

TABLE
NUMBER                DESCRIPTION                                                                      PAGE
- ------                -----------                                                                      ----

<S>               <C>                                                                                  <C>
 1.1              Historical Balance Sheets                                                             1.6
 1.2              Historical Income Statements                                                          1.9


 2.1              Major Employers                                                                       2.6
 2.2              Market Area Unemployment Trends                                                       2.7
 2.3              Deposit Summary                                                                       2.8


 3.1              Peer Group of Publicly-Traded Thrifts                                                 3.2
 3.2              Balance Sheet Composition and Growth Rates                                            3.5
 3.3              Income as a Percent of Average Assets
                    and Yields, Costs, Spreads                                                          3.8
 3.4              Loan Portfolio Composition & Related Info.                                            3.10
 3.5              Credit Risk Measures & Related Information                                            3.11
 3.6              Interest Rate Risk Comparative Analysis                                               3.13


 4.1              Peer Group Market Area Comparative Analysis                                           4.5
 4.2              Recent Conversions:  Market Pricing Comparatives                                      4.12
 4.3              Market Pricing Comparatives                                                           4.13
 4.4              Completed Second Step Conversions                                                     4.15
 4.5              MHC Institutions - Implied Pricing Ratios                                             4.16
 4.6              Calculation of Exchange Ratios                                                        4.23
 4.7              Public Market Pricing: Valuation Conclusion                                           4.24
</TABLE>




<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.1
                       I. OVERVIEW AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

         Guaranty   Federal  Savings  Bank  ("Guaranty"  or  the  "Bank")  is  a
federally-chartered  stock savings bank  headquartered  in  Springfield,  Greene
County,  Missouri.  The  Bank  also  operates  three  other  branch  offices  in
Springfield.  The Bank  considers its primary  market for deposits to consist of
the city of Springfield and Greene County,  in particular the areas  surrounding
the office locations. Lending activities are also concentrated in Greene County,
although additional lending activities are performed in the surrounding counties
of Christian and Webster,  and to a lesser extent,  other outlying counties (see
Exhibit I-1).  The Bank was chartered as a state mutual  savings  association in
1913, and in 1935 obtained  federal deposit  insurance.  The Bank is currently a
member of the Federal  Home Loan Bank  ("FHLB")  system and is  regulated by the
Office of Thrift Supervision  ("OTS"). The Bank's deposits are insured up to the
regulatory  maximums by the Savings  Association  Insurance Fund ("SAIF") of the
Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation  ("FDIC").  As of June 30, 1997, the Bank
maintained  $199.5  million in assets,  $151.2  million  in  deposits  and $27.5
million in stockholders' equity, equal to 13.8 percent of assets.

         In  April  1995,  the Bank  completed  a  reorganization  from a mutual
savings bank to a stock savings bank  concurrent  with the  reorganization  as a
federal  mutual  holding  company.  Pursuant  to  the  reorganization,  Guaranty
transferred  substantially  all of its assets and  liabilities to a newly-formed
stock  association in exchange for 2,152,635  shares of stock issued to Guaranty
Federal   Bankshares,   M.H.C.   (the  "Mutual   Holding   Company"  or  "MHC").
Simultaneously,  the Bank  sold  972,365  shares  of stock  to the  public  in a
subscription  and community  offering.  As of June 30, 1997 there were 3,125,000
total shares of the Bank common stock issued and outstanding, of which 2,152,635
shares,  or 68.88 percent,  were owned by the Mutual Holding Company and 972,365
shares, or 31.12 percent,  were owned by the public. Other than the ownership of
stock in the Bank,  the MHC's  other  assets  consist of land  acquired  for the
purpose of a future branch office building,  equity  securities of approximately
$116,000 and cash which is deposited at the Bank level. 

Plan of Conversion  and Holding  Company  Reorganization 
- --------------------------------------------------------

         On May 21,  1997,  the Board of  Directors  of the Bank and the  Mutual
Holding  Company  adopted  the  Plan of  Conversion  and  Agreement  and Plan of
Reorganization  (the "Plan")  pursuant to which the Mutual Holding  Company will
convert  from  mutual to stock form and  simultaneously  merge with and into the
Bank. A newly formed Delaware  corporation,  Guaranty Federal  Bancshares,  Inc.
(the "Holding  Company"),  will be formed as a unitary  savings and loan holding
company to facilitate the  reorganization.  In the  reorganization  process,  to
become  effective  concurrent  with the  completion  of the stock  sale which is
targeted  for the  fourth  calendar  quarter  of 1997:  (1) the  Mutual  Holding
Company, which currently owns approximately 68.9 percent


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.2

         of the Bank,  will convert to an interim federal stock savings bank and
merge with and into the Bank, with the Bank being the surviving entity; (2) as a
result of the merger of the interim federal savings bank into the Bank, the Bank
will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holding Company operating under the
name Guaranty Federal Savings Bank; and, (3) the  publicly-owned  shares of Bank
common stock (the "Public Shares") will be converted into shares of common stock
of the Holding  Company (the  "Exchange  Shares")  pursuant to a ratio that will
result in the holders of such shares  owning the same  percentage of the Company
as they currently own of the Bank, adjusted for the assets currently held by the
Mutual Holding Company.

         Pursuant to the  reorganization,  the Holding Company will issue shares
in a  subscription  and  community  offering  that will  represent  an ownership
interest in the Holding  Company of  approximately  70.2 percent (the percentage
ownership  that the Mutual  Holding  Company  currently  maintains  in the Bank,
adjusted for assets  currently held at the Mutual Holding  Company  level).  The
Holding  Company  will also issue the  Exchange  Shares to the current  minority
stockholders  of the Bank.  The number of exchange  shares issued by the Holding
Company will be calculated pursuant to an exchange ratio determined by the Board
of Directors  that will  maintain the current  minority  stockholders'  existing
ownership interest (the "Exchange Ratio"), adjusted for assets currently held at
the Mutual Holding Company level.

         The  Holding  Company  anticipates  granting  common  stock  awards  to
directors, officers and other key personnel (1998 Restricted Stock Plan or "1998
RSP") up to 4 percent of the shares being offered publicly,  supplementing stock
awards  granted in the mutual  holding  company  reorganization  (1994 RRP). The
Bank's Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP") intends to purchase 8.0 percent of
the common  stock  being  offered  publicly,  funded by a loan from the  Holding
Company.  The Holding Company also intends to implement,  subject to stockholder
approval,  a stock option plan no less than six months after  conversion,  which
will  reserve  for  future  issuance  10  percent  of the  stock  issued  in the
Subscription and Community offerings.

         At this time,  no other  activities  are  contemplated  for the Holding
Company other than the ownership of the Bank, although in the future the Holding
Company  may  acquire or  organize  other  operating  subsidiaries.  The Holding
Company  plans to retain a portion of the net  proceeds  from the sale of common
stock and infuse the remaining proceeds into the Bank.

Strategic Discussion 
- -------------------- 

         The Bank is a community-oriented family financial institution dedicated
to  meeting  the  borrowing,   savings  and  financial  services  needs  of  its
communities  served. The market area served by the Bank (the city of Springfield
and Greene County), has been experiencing  increases in the levels of population
and households in recent years.  The economy and  employment  base is relatively
diversified into most economic sectors, including
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.3

services and manufacturing.  Springfield is located in southwestern Missouri and
serves  as a  regional  population  center.  Thus,  there  are a number of other
community-oriented  banks and savings banks as well as larger regional financial
institutions  operating in the area. In this operating  environment the Bank has
pursued a strategy of  increasing  the asset base and the number of products and
services offered in order to more effectively compete.


         Throughout  its history,  the Bank has generally  pursued a traditional
operating  strategy  of  mortgage  lending  secured  by 1-4  family  residential
properties in the local market area.  Guaranty  diversified  its loan  portfolio
beginning  in the  mid-1980s  by  increasing  the  emphasis  on income  property
lending, resulting in higher balances of various types of commercial real estate
loans in portfolio.  Following a period of elevated non-performing assets due to
the higher credit risk associated with these loan types,  the Bank returned to a
strategy of  emphasizing  residential  lending in the early 1990's and permitted
the  commercial  real estate loan  portfolio to decline  through  repayments and
amortization.  Upon attaining a relatively  higher credit quality  earning asset
base, the Bank completed the mutual holding  company  minority stock offering in
1995 and has since continued to expand the loan portfolio  primarily in the area
of 1-4 family permanent and construction  loans. In context with the emphasis on
providing a wider range of  products,  recently  the Bank has also  expanded its
activities in consumer  loans,  primarily  home equity,  automobile and personal
loans.  The increases in loans receivable has been funded  internally  through a
reduction in cash and investments and mortgage-backed  securities  ("MBS"),  and
externally  through  FHLB  advances.  The Bank also  sells a portion  of the 1-4
family loan  originations for interest rate risk management  purposes.  The Bank
expects the majority of its loan  activity in the future to be within the Greene
County market area.

         The Bank's more recent  emphasis on  originating  1-4 family  permanent
mortgage loans in local and familiar markets and strong underwriting criteria on
loans originated has resulted in recently improving credit quality measures. The
Bank's allowance for loan losses relative to loans is also comparatively  higher
by industry standards, a level that the Bank has historically  maintained,  even
in light of the recent growth in the loan portfolio (the portfolio  increased by
17 percent during fiscal 1997).  The ratio of  non-performing  assets  ("NPAs"),
consisting of real estate owned and other repossessed assets, non-accruing loans
and delinquent  accruing loans to assets has dropped steadily over the past five
fiscal years, and was 0.53 percent of assets as of June 30, 1997.

         The Bank's  lending  strategies to limit exposure to interest rate risk
have involved  originating  adjustable rate residential mortgage loans ("ARMs"),
adjustable  rate  commercial  real estate loans and  shorter-term  construction,
consumer and  commercial  business  loans.  Liability  strategies  have involved
increasing the level of core deposits (i.e.  checking accounts and other savings
accounts),  which are deemed less  sensitive to changes in interest  rates,  and
FHLB advances utilized in recent months to meet loan demand have been in general
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.4

maturity-matched  to certain real estate loans.  As of June 30, 1997,  ARM loans
comprised  approximately  75 percent  of the loan  portfolio.  Residential  loan
products  offered by the Bank include  adjustable  rate loans that are fixed for
one, three or five years and adjust annually  thereafter.  Regarding the measure
of  interest  rate risk,  Guaranty's  projected  change in net  portfolio  value
("NPV"),  based on calculations  provided by the OTS, reveal that the Bank's NPV
would  decrease by 11 percent upon a positive 200 basis point change in interest
rates. Guaranty anticipates the conversion proceeds will facilitate  improvement
in the  asset/liability gap analysis as the net capital raised in the conversion
will increase the ratio of  interest-earning  assets ("IEA") to interest-bearing
liabilities   ("IBL")  and  the  proceeds  will   increase  the   proportion  of
shorter-term or adjustable rate assets.

         The Bank's main  source of net income,  the net  interest  margin,  has
remained  relatively  stable over the past few years,  with overall net interest
income increasing in step with the growth in assets. Core profitability has been
primarily  affected by an increasing level of operating  expenses that have been
incurred in connection  with the Bank's growth in operations.  The Bank opened a
new  headquarters  office in 1995,  requiring  investment  in fixed  assets  and
personnel.  Further  improvement in core  profitability has also been limited by
historical  deposit pricing strategies that increased the Bank's overall cost of
funds (the Bank  attempted  to obtain  additional  funds for lending  operations
through  aggressive  pricing).  Deposit  pricing  strategies  have been recently
changed  to permit  the most  costly  deposit  funds to roll out of the Bank and
deposit costs have recently declined,  improving the net interest margin. Future
core  profitability  is projected to improve  moderately  with the  reinvestment
benefit of the new capital raised.


         Guaranty's  Board of Directors has determined that a full conversion to
stock form is an attractive  business  strategy for several reasons.  First, the
new structure will provide the ability to diversify business activities, provide
greater  flexibility in structuring  acquisitions and increase the future access
to capital markets. Second, it will provide the capital necessary to improve the
overall  competitive  position  of the Bank in its market  area,  with regard to
rates and  services  offered  and ability to expand.  Third,  an increase in the
publicly-held  shares may increase the stock liquidity.  Fourth,  the conversion
may provide the  opportunity  for  expanded  local stock  ownership  which could
enhance  the  financial  success of the Bank as local  shareholders  promote the
Bank's products and services. Furthermore, the new structure is being pursued in
view of certain regulatory  uncertainties regarding the MHC structure and thrift
industry as a whole.  As disclosed in the  prospectus,  the proceeds  from stock
conversion are anticipated to be invested as follows.


     o    Holding Company.  Approximately 50 percent of the conversion  proceeds
          will be  retained  by the  Holding  Company,  with the  balance  to be
          invested in the Bank. Such holding company funds are anticipated to be
          invested  initially  into  high-quality  short-  to  intermediate-term
          securities,  a loan to the Bank's ESOP to fund stock  purchases in the
          conversion  or a loan to the Bank in order  to  downstream  additional
          funds to the Bank.  The Holding  Company  funds
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.5
          will be utilized for various  corporate  purposes,  including  funding
          expansion  through  diversification  or acquisition,  stock repurchase
          programs,  funding  stock  purchases  for the RSP  and/or  payment  of
          regular or special dividends,  although there are no specific plans at
          present.

     o    Guaranty. The net proceeds infused into the Bank will be exchanged for
          all  of the  Bank's  newly  issued  stock.  The  Bank's  proceeds  are
          anticipated to initially be used to repay a portion of the outstanding
          FHLB  advances  and also be held in  short-term  cash and  investments
          until such funds are redeployed into lending and investment activities
          consistent with the Bank's plan.

         On a pro forma  basis,  Guaranty is  expected  to have a capital  ratio
above both regulatory requirements and industry averages. The Board of Directors
has  determined to pursue a strategy of  controlled  growth in order to maintain
well-capitalized  status,  with growth expected to be funded  primarily  through
local retail deposit growth and additional borrowings.

Balance Sheet Trends
- --------------------

         Table 1.1 shows key  balance  sheet items at the close of the last five
fiscal years.  Guaranty's  audited  financial  statements  are  incorporated  by
reference as Exhibit I-2, while historical key operating ratios are presented in
Exhibit I-3. From June 30, 1993 through June 30, 1997, Guaranty exhibited annual
asset growth of 6.0 percent,  with the asset growth channelled into increases in
loans  receivable.  This trend of increased  focus on loan  portfolio  growth is
evident as loans  receivable  as a percent  of total  assets  increased  from 61
percent to 79 percent  from fiscal 1993 to fiscal  1997.  The balance of MBS and
cash and  investments  has fallen since 1993, with funds utilized in the lending
operations. Guaranty's annual deposit growth totaled 1.5 percent over the period
in Table 1.1,  although  deposits  declined during fiscal 1997 by 3.7 percent as
the Bank allowed certain high cost deposits to roll-out. Borrowings,  consisting
of FHLB advances, have been used as a supplemental funding source in fiscal 1997
to support lending operations.

         The balance of loans  receivable  increased  consistently  since fiscal
1993,  averaging a 13.3 percent  annual  increase.  Over the most recent  fiscal
years,   Guaranty  has  been  successful  in  expanding  its  residential   loan
origination efforts in the local market (including  construction loans), and has
more recently  increased the level of consumer  loans.  At June 30, 1997,  loans
receivable  totaled  $158.1  million,  or 79.3  percent  of  total  assets.  The
composition  of the loan  portfolio  reflects the  concentration  on residential
lending,  as loans  secured  by  residential  property  (including  construction
loans),  constituted $141.6 million, or 82.8 percent of the gross loan portfolio
at June 30, 1997.  Commercial real estate loans (including  multi-family loans),
totaled $23.8 million,  or 13.9 percent of the loan  portfolio,  as Guaranty has
not emphasized these types of loans recently. As

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.

                                    Table 1.1
                          Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
                          Historical Balance Sheets (1)
                         (Amount and Percent of Assets)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                           6/30/92-
                                                                                                                           9/30/96
                                                                     For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30,                   Annualized
                        -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             1993                 1994                 1995                 1996                1997    Growth Rate
                        ----------------- --------------------  ------------------  ------------------  --------------- ------------
                          Amount    Pct     Amount       Pct     Amount      Pct     Amount     Pct        Amount   Pct    Pct
                          ------    ---     ------       ---     ------      ---     ------     ---        ------   ---    ---
                          ($000)    (%)     ($000)       (%)     ($000)      (%)     ($000)     (%)        ($000)   (%)    (%)

<S>                     <C>       <C>      <C>         <C>     <C>>        <C>     <C>         <C>     <C>        <C>     <C>  
Total Amount of:
 Assets                 $158,311  100.00%  $158,850    100.00%  $170,884   100.00%  $185,167   100.00%  $199,465  100.00%   5.95%
 Loans Receivable (net)   96,142   60.73%   105,265     66.27%   119,842    70.13%   135,029    72.92%   158,135   79.28%  13.25%
 Mortgage-Backed 
   Securities             24,101   15.22%    14,138      8.90%    13,855     8.11%    20,067    10.84%    15,814    7.93% -10.00%
 Cash and Investment 
   Securities             33,765   21.33%    32,469     20.44%    28,468    16.66%    20,383    11.01%    17,497    8.77% -15.16%
 Deposits                142,529   90.03%   141,017     88.77%   139,595    81.69%   157,008    84.79%   151,246   75.83%   1.50%
 FHLB Advances, Other 
   Borrowed Funds              0    0.00%         0      0.00%     4,000     2.34%         0     0.00%    18,151    9.10%    N/M
 Stockholders Equity      14,517    9.17%    16,563     10.43%    26,044    15.24%    26,586    14.36%    27,490   13.78%  17.31%
 AFS Adjustment              N/A     N/A        N/A       N/A      1,127     0.66%     1,259     0.68%     2,058    1.03%

 End of Period Shares 
   Outstanding               N/A                N/A            3,125,000           3,125,000           3,125,000
 Wghtd Avg Shrs for EPS 
   Calculations(2)           N/A                N/A            3,125,000           3,125,933           3,149,062
 Book Value/Share            N/A                N/A                $8.33               $8.51               $8.80
 Offices Open                  3                  3                    3                   4                   4

</TABLE>

(1)   Ratios are as a percent of ending assets.
(2)   The Bank's minority sale of stock was completed in April 1995.

Source:  Guaranty audited financial statements.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.7

of June 30, 1997,  consumer loans totaled $5.2 million,  or 3.1 percent of loans
receivable, representing an increase of $3.6 million from the prior year period.
This  increase has primarily  been in the area of home equity loans,  automobile
and personal loans

         MBS totaled $15.8 million at June 30, 1997, the third largest component
of interest-earning assets. Similar to cash and investments,  the decline of the
MBS  balance  since  fiscal  year end 1993  highlights  the Bank's  strategy  of
investing funds into whole loans receivable in order to improve asset yields, as
funds from the repayment and  pre-payment  of MBS have been utilized for lending
activities.  The balance of MBS increased in fiscal 1996 as additional  MBS were
purchased from available  liquidity,  while the balance  declined in fiscal 1997
due to repayments  and  amortization.  No MBS were purchased in fiscal 1997. The
MBS portfolio  consists of FNMA, FHLMC and GNMA  pass-through  certificates,  of
which  approximately  52  percent  carried  adjustable  rates.  The  entire  MBS
portfolio was classified as "held-to-maturity"  ("HTM") at June 30, 1997, and is
carried on the balance sheet at historical cost. There was an unrealized pre-tax
gain of $277,000 as of June 30, 1997 in the MBS  portfolio.  The Bank utilizes a
portion of its MBS  portfolio  to  satisfy  regulatory  liquidity  requirements,
preferring  to  maintain  such funds in MBS instead of lower  yielding  cash and
investments.  Going forward,  the Bank intends to continue a focus on investment
into whole loans, although MBS may be purchased with available funds.

         The portfolio of cash and investment  securities totaled $17.5 million,
or 8.8  percent of assets,  at June 30,  1997 (see  Exhibit  I-4).  The cash and
investments   portfolio   consisted   of   cash   and   equivalents,   including
interest-earning  deposits in other financial institutions ($3.8 million),  U.S.
Government and agency  securities ($8.6 million),  FHLB stock ($1.7 million) and
FHLMC stock ($3.4  million).  During the most recent fiscal years,  the Bank has
used cash flow from maturing  investments  or sales of investment  securities to
fund loan  originations,  and the cash and  investments  portfolio  declined  to
current  levels from $33.8  million at June 30,  1993.  Management  utilizes the
portfolio  of cash and  investments  for  liquidity  purposes and as part of the
asset-liability  management strategy,  as the investments  portfolio consists of
short- to intermediate-term  instruments. The Bank classifies the FHLMC stock as
"available-for-sale", and as of June 30, 1997, an unrealized pretax gain of $3.3
million  was tax  adjusted  and added to stated  equity  on the  Bank's  audited
financial  statements.  Going forward,  the Bank intends to continue to purchase
generally low risk  investments  and the composition of the cash and investments
portfolio is not  anticipated to change  significantly,  although the level will
initially increase on a post-conversion  basis. Going forward,  the Bank intends
to  continue  a focus  on  investment  into  whole  loans,  although  MBS may be
purchased with available funds.

         As noted previously, deposits have traditionally met most of the Bank's
funding  needs,  and all of the Bank's  deposits are generated  through its four
office  locations.  In the last  several  years,  the Bank  achieved  growth  in
deposits by  attempting  to be more  visible in the local  market  area  through
advertising and other
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.8

marketing efforts and by offering  competitive rates. This strategy  facilitated
deposit growth,  but also increased funding costs.  During fiscal 1997, the Bank
became  slightly  less  aggressive  in the  pricing of certain  certificates  of
deposit ("CD")  accounts and changed  pricing  strategies in an attempt to lower
the overall cost of funds. As a result, deposits declined by $5.8 million during
fiscal  1997 as  primarily  of higher  costing  CDs were  withdrawn.  Currently,
savings  rates  offered  by  Guaranty  are  generally  in line  with  the  local
competition,  with certificates of deposits ("CDs")  accounting for the majority
of deposits. The Bank has a portfolio of core deposits totaling approximately 19
percent of  deposits,  providing a base of stable  lower  costing  deposits  for
operations.

         As  stated  previously,  borrowings  have also been used by the Bank in
recent periods for the purpose of funding certain loan originations.  As of June
30, 1997, the Bank had borrowed funds of  approximately  $18.2 million in short-
to intermediate-term advances from the FHLB of Des Moines to meet the demand for
loans, and the borrowings  mature between 1998 and the year 2002. Going forward,
the Bank intends to continue using  borrowings to support  operations,  although
deposits   are  expected  to  continue  to  comprise  the  majority  of  funding
liabilities.

         Positive  earnings from fiscal 1993 to fiscal 1997,  the minority stock
offering in 1995 and a positive  adjustment  for FAS 122 resulted in an increase
in the Bank's  capital to $27.5 million,  or 13.8 percent of assets,  as of June
30, 1997.  The Bank has also paid dividends to  shareholders  (including the MHC
shares) since fiscal 1996.  The Bank's  capital ratio declined from 15.2 percent
as of June 30,  1995,  due to the  expansion  of the  asset  base.  Guaranty  is
currently  in  compliance  with  respect to all of its fully  phased-in  capital
requirements.  The  addition  of  conversion  proceeds  will  enhance the Bank's
capital position and strengthen Guaranty's competitive posture within its market
area.

Income and Expense Trends 
- ------------------------- 

         Table 1.2 displays the Bank's  earnings over the past five fiscal years
and reveals that earnings for the past five fiscal years have fluctuated between
0.60 and 1.28  percent of average  assets,  and totaled  0.60 percent for fiscal
1997, a decrease from the level in fiscal 1996.  The more recent lower  earnings
have been  attributable  to  non-operating  items,  primarily  the one-time SAIF
assessment fee booked in the September 30, 1996 quarter, while the higher income
in fiscal 1996 was due in part to a recovery on the Bank's loan loss  provision.
Earnings  have also  been  affected  by a  changing  net  interest  margin.  The
reinvestment  of  offering  proceeds is expected to improve net income in future
periods.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.

                                    Table 1.2
                          Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
                          Historical Income Statements
                        (Amount and Percent of Assets)(1)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30,
                                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       1993                  1994                  1995                1996               1997
                                  ------------------  -------------------  ------------------  -----------------  ------------------
                                    Amount     Pct       Amount    Pct        Amount     Pct     Amount    Pct      Amount     Pct
                                    ------     ---       ------    ---        ------     ---     ------    ---      ------     ---
                                    ($000)     (%)       ($000)    (%)        ($000)     (%)      ($000)    (%)      ($000)     (%)

<S>                              <C>          <C>     <C>          <C>     <C>         <C>     <C>        <C>     <C>         <C>  
 Interest Income                  $11,480      7.34%   $10,858      6.82%   $11,637     7.09%   $13,702    7.50%   $14,711     7.60%
 Interest Expense                  (6,657)    -4.26%    (5,924)    -3.72%    (6,595)   -4.02%    (8,239)  -4.51%    (8,310)   -4.29%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
 Net Interest Income               $4,823      3.08%    $4,934      3.10%    $5,042     3.07%    $5,463    2.99%    $6,401     3.31%
 Provision for Loan Losses             98      0.06%       (14)    -0.01%       (16)   -0.01%     1,212    0.66%         0     0.00%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
 Net Interest Income after 
   Provisions                      $4,921      3.15%    $4,920      3.09%    $5,026     3.06%    $6,675    3.65%    $6,401     3.31%

Other Income                         $191      0.12%      $160      0.10%      $158     0.10%      $178    0.10%      $450     0.23%
Operating Expense                  (2,514)    -1.61%    (2,815)    -1.77%    (3,077)   -1.87%    (4,117)  -2.25%    (4,173)   -2.15%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
 Net Operating Income              $2,598      1.66%    $2,265      1.42%    $2,107     1.28%    $2,736    1.50%    $2,679     1.38%

Gain(Loss) on Sale of Inv. 
  Sec.\MBS                            $36      0.02%     ($226)    -0.14%     ($103)   -0.06%       $43    0.02%       $61     0.03%
Income on Foreclosed Assets            42      0.03%        16      0.01%        17     0.01%         0    0.00%        18     0.01%
SAIF Special Assessment                 0      0.00%         0      0.00%         0     0.00%         0    0.00%      (932)   -0.48%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
Total Non-Operating Inc.\Exp.         $77      0.05%     ($210)    -0.13%      ($87)   -0.05%       $43    0.02%     ($853)   -0.44%

 Net Income Before Tax             $2,676      1.71%    $2,055      1.29%    $2,020     1.23%    $2,779    1.52%    $1,826     0.94%
 Income Taxes                        (815)    -0.52%      (637)    -0.40%      (690)   -0.42%    (1,026)  -0.56%      (665)   -0.34%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
 Net Inc(Loss) Before 
   Extraordinary Items             $1,861      1.19%    $1,418      0.89%    $1,330     0.81%    $1,753    0.96%    $1,162     0.60%
 Cumulative Effect of 
  Change in Accounting 
  For Income Taxes                     $0      0.00%      $628      0.39%        $0     0.00%        $0    0.00%         0     0.00%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
 Net Income (Loss)                 $1,861      1.19%    $2,046      1.28%    $1,330     0.81%    $1,753    0.96%    $1,162     0.60%

Earnings Excluding Non-
Operating and
Extraord. Items:
- ----------------
                         
Pre-Tax Net Inc. Before 
  Extraordinary Items              $2,676      1.71%    $2,055      1.29%    $2,020     1.23%    $2,779    1.52%    $1,826     0.94%
Addback(Deduct): 
  Non-Recurring 
  (Inc)/Exp                           (77)    -0.05%       210      0.13%        87     0.05%       (43)  -0.02%       853     0.44%
Tax Effect (34.00%)                  (883)    -0.57%      (770)    -0.48%      (716)   -0.44%      (930)  -0.51%      (911)   -0.47%
                                  -------      -----   -------      -----   -------     -----   -------    -----   -------     -----
  Earnings Excl. Non-Op.
    /Extraord Items:               $1,715      1.10%    $1,495      0.94%    $1,390     0.85%    $1,806    0.99%    $1,768     0.91%

 Earnings Per Share:
      Reported                        N/A                  N/A                  N/A               $0.56              $0.37
      Earnings Excl. Non-Op.
        /Extraord Items:              N/A                  N/A                  N/A                0.58               0.56

Dividends:      Amount                N/A                  N/A                  N/A               $0.32              $0.38
      Payout Ratio                    N/A                  N/A                  N/A               57.14%            102.70%

      Efficiency Ratio              49.17%               55.42%               59.36%              60.07%             60.90%
</TABLE>

(1)  Ratios are as a percent of average assets.  Average assets calculated based
     on annual average.

Source:  Guaranty's audited financial statements.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.10


         The  Bank's net  interest  income is the major  source of  income,  and
increased  from 2.99  percent of average  assets for fiscal 1996 to 3.31 percent
for fiscal 1997, as shown in Table 1.2. The source of this increase in income is
highlighted  in Exhibit I-5,  which shows the changes in the Bank's asset yields
and cost of funds over the past three fiscal years,  which have  influenced  the
level of net interest income.  Spreads widened by 39 basis points between fiscal
1996 and 1997,  as higher  yields on loans and MBS (and a greater  proportion of
loans in the earning asset base),  increased the Bank's  overall asset yields by
26 basis  points.  The cost of funds  declined by 13 basis  points,  as Guaranty
became less aggressive in the pricing of certain CD accounts, and allowed higher
cost  CDs to be  withdrawn.  These  trends  indicate  that  the  Bank  has  been
successful   improving   the  net  interest   margin.   Despite   balance  sheet
repositioning,  however,  the Bank's net interest income is still  influenced by
changes in interest rates.

         Guaranty has  historically  derived income from  non-interest  sources,
which has provided some  protection  from changes in the net interest margin due
to  interest  rate  fluctuations.  For the  most  recent  twelve  month  period,
non-interest  operating  income  totaled  $450,000,  or 0.23  percent of average
assets,  a 0.13  percent of average  assets  improvement  from  fiscal  1996.  A
majority  of this income  results  from the Bank's  deposit  base in the form of
various fees and charges on deposit accounts and  transactions,  which increased
during fiscal 1997 due to the Bank's  recent  emphasis on checking  accounts.  A
smaller portion of this income is obtained from other sources such as the Bank's
loan servicing operation and various fees and charges.  Going forward,  the Bank
anticipates  that  non-interest  income  will  remain  primarily  related to the
deposit  base,  as other  significant  income  sources  are not  expected  to be
developed.

         Guaranty's  operating  expenses have increased in the time period shown
in  Table  1.2 due to the  growth  in the  asset  base and  related  operations,
including the new headquarters  office opened in 1995. The Bank's overall larger
asset and deposit  base has also  resulted in higher data  processing  expenses.
Despite the asset growth and utilization of FHLB advances to partially fund such
growth, the operating expense ratio has increased to a higher level as a percent
of average  assets.  The Bank's  operating  expenses  are  expected to initially
increase  following the conversion as a result of the following  items. The ESOP
and  RSP  purchases  in  the  offering  and in the  year  following  conversion,
respectively,  will  increase  annual  expenses.  In  addition,  as a full stock
institution, the Bank will incur additional legal, accounting,  printing/mailing
and related costs.  The Bank's  efficiency  ratio defined as operating  expenses
divided by net interest income and  non-interest  operating income has increased
to approximately 61 percent in 1997 form earlier lower levels in part due to the
increase in operating expenses.

         Provisions  for  loan  losses  have  generally  had a small  impact  on
earnings in recent years,  as the  improvement  in asset quality since the early
1990s has resulted in an allowance  for loan and lease losses  balance in excess
of  requirements  as calculated by the Bank. In fiscal 1996, the Bank recorded a
recovery of $1.2
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.11

million on a commercial loan which was previously partially charged off, and the
recovery  reflects  amounts  recovered in excess of the carrying  balance of the
loan.  The Bank  determined  that the allowance  for loan losses was  sufficient
prior to the recovery and credited the provision for loan losses.  During fiscal
1997,  the Bank  reviewed  the  allowance  for loan and lease loss  balance  and
determined  that no provision  was  necessary in the current  fiscal year. As of
June 30,  1997 the  allowance  for loan and  lease  loss  balance  was  equal to
$2,177,000,  or 1.38  percent  of net loans  receivable  and  304.48  percent of
non-accruing loans (see Exhibit I-6).

         Historically, non-operating gains and losses have been limited to gains
or losses on the sale of investment securities and/or MBS that were sold to fund
loan originations, and income from property held as REO (see Table 1.2). Similar
to all SAIF-insured financial  institutions,  the Bank incurred a pre-tax charge
for the special SAIF  insurance  premium  assessment  fee at September  30, 1996
equal to $932,000. During the most recent twelve month period, Guaranty reported
net gains of $61,000  from the sale of  interest-earning  assets,  REO income of
$18,000, and the SAIF assessment charge.

         The Bank's  effective tax rate was  approximately 36 percent for fiscal
1997. Dividends paid to shareholders (including shares held by the MHC), totaled
$0.32 per share for fiscal 1996 and $0.38 for fiscal 1997.

Interest  Rate Risk Management
- ------------------------------

         Guaranty  attempts to manage exposure to interest rate  fluctuations on
both the asset and  liability  side of the balance  sheet,  and has attempted to
enhance the  interest  sensitivity  of its  operations  through  several  means,
including: (1) increasing the portfolio of ARMs held in the loan portfolio (both
residential and commercial real  estate-related);  (2) originating  shorter-term
fixed-rate   residential   mortgages  (10  to  15  year  terms)  and  short-term
construction   loans  for  portfolio;   (3)  holding  short-term  or  adjustable
investment  securities  and MBS; (4)  increasing  the balance of  short-term  to
maturity consumer loans; (5) extending whenever possible the term to maturity of
the CD base;  (6)  utilizing  borrowed  funds  which are  maturity-matched  to a
certain  extent with earning  assets;  and, (7)  increasing  the  proportion  of
transaction  accounts  in the  deposit  base  which  are  considered  to be less
interest rate  sensitive  funds.  Exhibit I-7 displays the  distribution  of the
Bank's fixed and adjustable rate loans.

         Guaranty  monitors  its  exposure  to  interest  rate risk using an OTS
calculation of the change in net portfolio value of the Bank's equity.  As shown
in  Exhibit  I-8,  according  to the most  recent  calculation,  the  Bank's net
portfolio  value  would  decline by 11 percent in the event of a 200 basis point
increase in interest rates,  indicating a level of interest rate risk.  Although
this measure is within the Board-established limits of the
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.12

Bank,  Guaranty is seeking to reduce  exposure to  interest  rate risk,  and the
reinvestment  of  conversion  proceeds  is  expected  to  contribute  to reduced
exposure.

Lending  Activities and Strategy 
- -------------------------------- 

         The Bank's recent lending  activities  emphasize the origination of 1-4
family  mortgage  loans  (see  Exhibits  I-9  and  I-10,  loan  composition  and
maturity).  Guaranty also  maintains a level of loan  portfolio  diversification
with a portfolio of commercial real estate loans,  commercial business loans and
non-mortgage  loans in an effort to enhance overall  portfolio yields and expand
the Bank's  products and services  offered.  Gross loans  increased  from $144.9
million at June 30, 1996 to $171.0 million at June 30, 1997, with the proportion
of 1-4 family loans remaining relatively constant at 68 percent.  Consumer loans
showed the greatest  percentage  increase  over that time frame,  while all loan
categories except  non-residential real estate reported increases in outstanding
balances.

         As of June 30, 1997,  residential  mortgage loans secured by 1-4 family
properties  totaled $116.4 million,  or 68.1 percent of total loans  receivable.
The  Bank  originates  both  ARMs  and  fixed-rate  residential  mortgages  with
essentially all loans underwritten to secondary market  guidelines.  Residential
loans  made by the Bank are  generally  originated  with  maximum  loan-to-value
("LTV") ratios of 80 percent, with loans with LTV ratios in excess of 80 percent
requiring private mortgage insurance ("PMI") coverage.  Fixed-rate mortgages are
offered  with  maturities  of up to 30 years,  with  essentially  all loans with
maturities  in excess of 15 years sold in the secondary  market,  and loans with
shorter terms held in portfolio.

         Approximately 86 percent of the Bank's 1-4 family residential mortgages
consisted of ARMs at June 30, 1997,  which are retained for portfolio as part of
asset/liability  management  strategy.  Guaranty  offers ARMs that are fixed for
one-, three- or five year periods and adjust annually thereafter and are indexed
to the  weekly  average  rate on the  corresponding  U.S.  Treasury  securities,
adjusted to a constant maturity. The majority of ARMs are originated with annual
adjustment caps of 2.0 percent, lifetime adjustment caps of up to 5.0 percentage
points, and are originated at discounted rates.

         Construction loans have been an area of emphasis for the Bank in recent
years, and totaled $25.1 million, or 14.7 percent of gross loans outstanding, at
June  30,  1997,   primarily  for  residential   property.  A  majority  of  the
construction  loans are speculative loans, loan to builders who intend to locate
a purchaser  for the home prior to or shortly after  construction  is completed.
Other  construction  loans are made on "pre-sold"  homes with are  structured to
become permanent loans upon completion of the construction.  Construction  loans
are structured as interest-only  during the construction period, which generally
equals six months to one
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.13

year. Pre-sold  construction/permanent loans have maximum LTV ratios of up to 95
percent, while speculative  construction loans typically have maximum LTV ratios
of 80 percent


         Guaranty  maintains  a  balance  of  commercial  real  estate  loans in
portfolio  in an effort to diversify  the loan  portfolio  and increase  overall
asset yields. As of June 30, 1997,  multi-family loans totaled 15.5 million,  or
9.0 percent of the loan portfolio,  while non-residential mortgage loans totaled
$8.3  million,  or 4.9 percent of the loan  portfolio.  The Bank's  multi-family
portfolio  consists  primarily of loans  secured by  apartment  buildings in the
local market area.  Non-residential mortgage loans are generally secured by land
under development for residential  purposes,  office  buildings,  retail stores,
small  shopping  centers,  medical  offices  churches and other  non-residential
buildings  primarily  in the local  market  area.  Commercial  real estate loans
originated by Guaranty are  predominantly  adjustable  rate loans that generally
have terms of up to 20 years,  and are  indexed to the prime rate of interest or
the U.S.  Treasury  rate of a similar  term as the  adjustment  period.  LTVs on
income  property  loans  typically  do not exceed 75 percent.  The Bank seeks to
manage  credit risk on such loans by lending  primarily  on local  property,  to
borrowers with whom management is familiar, and obtaining personal guarantees.

         Guaranty also offers consumer and commercial business loans,  including
home equity loans,  which  totaled $5.6  million,  or 3.3 percent of gross loans
receivable,  at June 30,  1997.  The Bank  offers a variety of types of consumer
loans,  including  loans secured by deposit  accounts,  automobile,  home equity
loans and secured and unsecured  personal  loans.  Consumer  loans are generally
offered for terms of up to five years at fixed interest rates, and Guaranty will
lend up to 90 percent of the depositor's  savings account  balance.  Home equity
loans  represent  an area of growth for  Guaranty in recent  years,  and usually
consist of equity loans for typically up to 80 percent of the appraised value of
a home, less the amount of the first mortgage.  Home equity loans are offered at
both fixed and adjustable  rates of interest,  with the adjustable rate based on
the prime rate of interest.  The Bank has a small balance of commercial business
loans  consisting  of loans to a number  of local  area  businesses.  Commercial
business loans are not expected to be a growth area in the future.

         As shown in Exhibit I-11,  Guaranty's  overall loan origination  volume
increased from $50.8 million in 1995 to $87.0 million for the most recent twelve
months.  The table highlights the Bank's emphasis on residential real estate and
construction  lending,  with originations of these loan types ranging from $48.9
million,  or 96 percent of loan  originations  in fiscal 1995,  to $76.8,  or 88
percent of loan  originations  in fiscal  1997.  Guaranty  has not  historically
purchased  loans,  and has sold a portion of loans  originated  in the secondary
market.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.14

Asset Quality
- -------------

         Exhibit I-12 displays  Guaranty's  delinquent loans from fiscal 1995 to
1997, and shows that the level of delinquent  loans  (consisting of non-accruing
loans and loans  greater than 90 days past due and still  accruing) has declined
in each year since 1993,  from 2.42 to 0.52 percent of total loans.  REO totaled
$210,000 as of June 30, 1997, and the Bank had minimal  balances of REO at prior
fiscal year ends. As of June 30, 1997,  NPAs  (defined as delinquent  loans plus
REO) equaled $1,038,000, or 0.53 percent of assets and consisted of residential,
multi-family  and  construction  loans on  non-accrual  status  and a balance of
construction loans over 90 days delinquent, and a balance of REO. As of the same
date, the Bank  maintained  valuation  allowances of  $2,177,000,  equal to 1.38
percent of loans receivable and 209.73 percent of NPAs.  Guaranty had classified
assets of $2.2 at June 30, 1997,  all of which were  classified  as  substandard
(see Exhibit I-13).

Funding  Composition  and Strategy 
- ---------------------------------- 

         Exhibits I-14 and I-15 provide data  pertaining  to Guaranty's  deposit
composition at fiscal year ends 1995 through 1997.  Guaranty's  deposits consist
of CD accounts, which totaled $122.6 million, or 81.1 percent of total deposits,
and a base of core  deposits  (passbook  accounts,  NOW  accounts,  non-interest
checking  accounts,  and MMDAs) which totaled $28.6 million,  or 18.9 percent of
total  deposits.  NOW accounts  were the largest  component of core deposits and
totaled  $9.4  million,  or 6.2  percent of total  deposits,  at June 30,  1997,
followed by passbook  accounts  totaling  $8.6  million,  money market  deposits
totaling $8.3 million and non-interest  bearing accounts  totaling $2.3 million.
Going  forward,  the Bank  intends to try to  increase  the base of  transaction
accounts  in order to lower  the  overall  cost of funds and  assist in  funding
anticipated increases in lending operations.

         CDs accounted for approximately 81.1 percent of Guaranty's deposit base
at June 30, 1997.  Approximately 66 percent of the CD portfolio was scheduled to
mature in one year or less. Jumbo CDs, which tend to be more rate sensitive than
lower balance CDs,  accounted for $8.0 million,  or 5.3 percent of deposits,  at
June 30, 1997.  The level of jumbo CDs in the Bank's CD portfolio is significant
in that jumbo CDs tend to be more rate sensitive than smaller  denomination CDs,
increasing the Bank's interest rate risk to a degree.

         Due to recent lending activity,  the Bank has utilized  borrowings from
the FHLB of Des Moines.  These  advances  are secured by the Bank's stock in the
FHLB  and  a  portion  of   Guaranty's   mortgage   loans,   and  are  generally
maturity-matched  with real estate loans. As of June 30, 1997, the Bank had FHLB
advances of $18.2 million outstanding with maturities primarily between 1998 and
the year 2002, and an average interest rate of 6.12 percent.
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 1.15

Subsidiary Operations 
- --------------------- 

         The Bank currently has one subsidiary,  Guaranty  Financial Services of
Springfield,  Inc. The Bank had an investment of $643,000 in this  subsidiary as
of June 30, 1997. Guaranty Financial sells mutual funds, fixed and variable rate
annuities,  unit  investment  trusts,  individual  stocks  and  bonds  and  life
insurance.  Such sales are  completed  through an  agreement  with  "INVEST" for
providing brokerage services. In addition,  the subsidiary acts as a real estate
broker for properties owned by the Bank.

Legal  Proceedings
- ------------------

         Other  than the  routine  legal  proceedings  that  occur in the Bank's
ordinary  course of business,  Guaranty is not involved in  litigation  which is
expected  to  have a  material  impact  on  Guaranty's  financial  condition  or
operations.


<PAGE>


RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.1

                                 II. MARKET AREA

Introduction
- ------------

         Guaranty conducts  operations out of a headquarters  office in the city
of Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, and three branch offices in Springfield
(see Exhibit II-1).  Greene County,  part of the  Springfield,  MO  metropolitan
statistical area ("MSA"),  is located in southwestern  Missouri.  Springfield is
the largest  city in  southwest  Missouri  and serves as an economic  hub to the
southwest portion of Missouri and proximate areas in southeast Kansas, northeast
Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. Located along the major transportation route of
Interstate  44 (and the  location of the old U.S.  Route 66),  Springfield  also
operates as an access  point for the  Missouri  resort  areas of Branson (to the
south)  and  Lake  of  the  Ozarks  (to  the  northeast).  The  Springfield  MSA
population,  which includes the counties of Greene,  Christian and Webster,  was
estimated  at 300,000 in 1997,  with 75 percent of the  population  residing  in
Greene County. The Springfield economy exhibits many characteristics of an urban
market,   with  employment   diversified   into  industries  such  as  services,
manufacturing,  and retail trade.  Springfield  is also a regional  agribusiness
center given the role of agriculture in the economies of the more outlying areas
of Greene County and the MSA (dairy  farming and livestock  industries  form the
historical basis of the area's economy).

         Greene County  represents  the Bank's  primary  market area for deposit
generation  as most of  Guaranty's  depositors  live  in  this  county.  Lending
activities are concentrated in Greene County and in the surrounding  counties of
Christian  and  Webster,  and  to a  lesser  extent,  other  outlying  counties.
Christian County,  Missouri is a growing suburban and rural area to the south of
Springfield.

         The Bank's  offices  operate  in a market  area with  rising  levels of
population and  households.  The Greene County  economy,  historically  based on
agriculture, has gradually diversified into most economic sectors, and currently
maintains an employment sector cross-section that mirrors the national averages.
Major  employment   sectors  include  health   care/clinics,   health  services,
government  agencies,  schools  and  manufacturing.   The  region  has  recorded
demographic and economic  growth for a number of years,  with lower than average
unemployment levels, and historically has experienced  relatively steady growth,
avoiding periods of rapid growth or contraction in the economy.

         Competition  from  other  financial  institutions  operating  in Greene
County  includes  approximately  17  commercial  banks  and five  other  savings
institutions,  with  four  of the  commercial  banks  and  one  of  the  savings
institutions  having a  larger  presence  than  Guaranty.  A  number  of de novo
financial  institutions  have  begun  operations  in the  market  area in recent
periods, reflecting the attractiveness of the market area for financial services
firms.  The Bank  maintains  a market  share of  approximately  five  percent of
overall financial institution
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.2


deposits in Greene County.  Similar to the Bank, a number of the other financial
institutions   are   locally-owned    community-oriented   banks   and   savings
institutions.  Guaranty has  experienced  growth in deposits and market share in
recent  years due in part to an  increased  emphasis  on  marketing  the  Bank's
products and services. However, competition remains high in the marketplace.

         Future business and growth opportunities for Guaranty will be partially
influenced by economic and  demographic  characteristics  of the market  served,
particularly   the  future  growth  and  stability  of  the  regional   economy,
demographic  growth  trends,  and the nature and  intensity  of the  competitive
environment for financial institutions. These factors have been briefly examined
in the following  pages to help  determine the growth  potential that exists for
the Bank and the relative  economic  health of the market area,  and the related
impact on the value.

National Economic Factors  
- -------------------------  

         Over the past year,  national economic growth has been mixed. The third
quarter of 1996 started with a continuation of second quarter  trends,  although
mid-July  Congressional  testimony  by the Federal  Reserve  Chairman  hinted of
expectations  that the economy  would  taper off  slightly in the second half of
1996.  However,  much of the  economic  data  released  during  July and  August
continued to indicate a fairly  robust pace of economic  growth.  Such  economic
data included a stronger  than  expected  increase in July durable goods orders,
the  consumer  confidence  index  hitting a six year  high and a decline  in the
August unemployment rate.  Comparatively,  for the balance of the third quarter,
economic data, such as a decline in August durable goods orders and smaller than
expected  increases in August retail sales and consumer  prices,  suggested that
the economy was cooling  off. A slight  increase in the  September  unemployment
rate further signaled a slowing economy.


         Economic data released at the beginning of the fourth quarter generally
confirmed that the national economy was slowing.  October unemployment  remained
at 5.2  percent,  although the number of new jobs being added to the economy was
lower compared to job growth  recorded  during the  late-spring  and the summer.
Third quarter GDP growth fell to a 2.2 percent annual rate, versus a comparative
4.7 percent rate in the second quarter.  Wage data also indicated that inflation
was under control,  as wages  remained flat for  production  and  nonsupervisory
workers in  October,  despite a $0.50  increase  in the  minimum  wage rate that
became  effective  on October  1, 1996.  While the  November  unemployment  rate
climbed to 5.4  percent  from 5.2 percent in October,  inflation  concerns  were
heightened  somewhat  by an  unexpectedly  sharp  $0.09 jump in  average  hourly
earnings.  However,  most of the  economic  data  released at the close of 1996,
which included jobless claims rising to a five
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.3

month high in November and a decline in November durable goods orders, suggested
that the economy was sluggish and non-inflationary.

         While fourth quarter GDP growth came in at a stronger than expected 4.7
percent annual growth rate  (subsequently  revised to 3.9 percent),  most of the
economic  data  released  during  the  beginning  of the first  quarter  of 1997
indicated a continuation  of moderate  economic  growth.  Such measures as a 1.9
percent  decline in December  durable  goods  orders and a modest  uptick in the
January 1997  unemployment  rate to 5.4 percent,  versus 5.3 percent in December
1996, eased concerns that the economy was overheating.  However, the increase in
the unemployment rate was attributable to more people who entered the job force,
and some  markets  have been  experiencing  labor  shortages.  In  congressional
testimony at the end of February 1997, the Federal  Reserve  Chairman  indicated
that he  anticipated  recent signs of lower job  insecurity  among workers would
lead to upward  pressure  in wages,  which  could  possibly  trigger the Federal
Reserve to boost interest rates.  Signs of inflation  became more notable during
March and April, with most economic indicators posting month-to-month  increases
from January to February.  Most notably,  during February industrial  production
increased 0.5 percent, housing starts rose 12.2 percent and the sale of existing
homes jumped 9.0 percent.  Accelerating economic growth was further indicated by
a decline in the March unemployment rate to 5.2 percent,  versus 5.3 percent for
February,  and a higher than  expected rise in the March "core"  producer  price
index, which posted its largest increase in 18 months. The revised first quarter
GDP growth rate,  released in late May 1997,  was an annual rate of 5.9 percent,
far  exceeding  analysts'  projections,  and gave more  evidence  of the  strong
economy.  The unemployment rate for April 1997 declined to 4.9 percent,  also an
indicator of a strong economy.

         More  recent  economic  data  released  in the  second  quarter of 1997
indicates a continued expanding economy, as retail sales have increased modestly
from the prior quarter's  level,  and business  inventories have also increased,
which  added to the first  quarter  GDP  growth  figures.  New home  sales  also
remained  steady based on the latest data  available.  Automobile  sales for May
increased from April levels,  but remained below year-earlier  levels.  Overall,
GDP growth for the second quarter of 1997 is estimated at 2.0 to 2.5 percent,  a
significant drop from the first quarter 1997 results.

         Consistent  with recent  economic  activity,  interest rate trends have
been varied as well over the past year.  In  early-July  1996,  the release of a
strong June  employment  report had a more severe effect on bond prices,  as the
large drop in  unemployment  provided for one of the largest one day declines in
bond prices with the yield on the 30-year  benchmark bond  increasing  from 6.93
percent to 7.18 percent.  After  trending lower for a brief period during early-
and mid-August,  interest rates moved higher in late-August and  early-September
as inflation concerns were raised by the stronger than expected economic growth.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.4

         The  Federal  Reserve's  decision  not to raise  interest  rates at its
September  and  October  1996  meetings,  along  with  economic  data  providing
indications  of a cooling  economy,  translated  into a declining  interest rate
environment during  late-September  and through most of October.  Interest rates
continued to edge lower through November, as the October economic data suggested
that inflationary pressures were non-threatening.  Bond prices declined slightly
in early-December, as investors focused on weakness in the dollar and rising oil
prices.  Concern over Japanese  investors  slowing their buying of U.S. Treasury
notes caused bond prices to slide in  mid-December,  despite economic data which
continued to indicate mild inflation.  Interest rates were somewhat trendless at
the close of 1996, as the Federal  Reserve  elected not to change interest rates
at its December meeting.

         With  few  inflationary  signs,  interest  rates  held  steady  at  the
beginning of 1997,  which was followed by a mild easing in interest rates during
the first  half of  February.  Indications  of slowing  economic  growth and the
Federal  Reserve's  decision  to leave  rates  unchanged  at its  early-February
meeting  spurred the downward trend in interest rates.  However,  interest rates
edged higher in late-February, following renewed concerns by the Federal Reserve
Chairman  over the sharp  rise in the stock  market  during  the past two years.
After stabilizing briefly, the strengthening economy and growing expectations of
a rate  increase by the  Federal  Reserve  propelled  interest  rates  higher in
late-March 1997.

         The Federal Reserve increased short-term interest rates by 0.25 percent
in late-March  1997,  which was followed by a sharp sell-off in the bond market.
For the first time in six months,  the rate on the 30-year  benchmark bond moved
above 7.0 percent.  Inflation  concerns  pushed interest rates higher during the
first half of April 1997,  which was  followed  by a slight  decline in interest
rates on rumors of a national budget accord. Throughout the end of April and the
month of May 1997,  interest rates continued to fluctuate in a moderately narrow
range as various  economic  indicators  showed  various  signs of growth  and/or
stability in the economy.  The most recent revision to the inflation rate in May
1997 showed a 2.2 percent  annual rate.  Confidence in the nation's  economy was
relatively  strong  through August 1997,  reflecting  little signs of inflation,
continued  strong  stock market  performance  and an overall  positive  business
outlook, and as of mid-September 1997 one- and thirty-year U.S. Government bonds
were yielding 5.59 percent and 6.69 percent,  respectively (see Exhibit II-2 for
historical interest rate information).


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.5

Market Area Demographics
- ------------------------

         Demographic  growth trends in the Bank's  primary market area of Greene
County have been measured by changes in  population,  number of  households  and
median household income and other data, with trends in those areas summarized by
the data  presented  in Exhibit  II-3.  Missouri  and U.S.  data is provided for
comparative purposes,  and trends in this data provide some indication of future
levels of business activities for financial institutions.


         The Bank's  offices are located within the  Springfield  MSA, which has
reported  relatively higher growth in population and households during the 1990s
in  comparison  to  statewide  and national  averages.  Greene  County  recorded
demographic  growth  at a rate  less than the MSA and in line with the state and
national  averages,  indicating  that the outlying MSA counties of Christian and
Webster have increased in population  and  households at a higher rate.  Overall
growth of the MSA is an indication of the area's attractiveness to new residents
and  businesses,  which include a relatively  low cost of living,  lower housing
costs,  and a well  diversified  economy  and  employment  base.  The  growth in
Christian  County  reflects the increasing  influence of the Branson area to the
south. The respective growth trends for Greene County and the MSA as a whole are
projected to continue through the year 2002.

         Although the Springfield MSA is the third largest  metropolitan area in
the state of Missouri, the MSA's location in rural southwestern Missouri results
in lower  income  levels in  comparison  to  statewide  and  national  averages.
Estimated per capita annual income for 1997 in the MSA is approximately $16,300,
8 percent less than the statewide  average.  Greene  County,  which contains the
majority of the MSA population and income,  reported per capita income  slightly
higher  than the MSA level.  Median  household  income  levels  follow a similar
relationship,  with the MSA and Greene County levels  moderately below the state
averages.  Income  distribution  levels are also  similar  to per capita  income
figures,  revealing that the Springfield  area has a higher  proportion of lower
income households (below $50,000 annually),  reflecting the more rural nature of
the area.  The median age for the  Springfield  MSA is  slightly  lower than the
state  averages,  indicating  a certain  attractiveness  of the area to  younger
residents.  Based on the rising  population trends and comparable income levels,
growth   opportunities  in  the  primary  market  area  counties  for  financial
institution  deposits can be expected to be available,  although  limited by the
size of the overall population base and by the level of competition.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.6

Economy
- -------

         Employment  in the  Springfield  MSA and  Greene  County  is  generally
diversified,  containing  employment  primarily  in services  (28 percent of the
labor  force),   retail/wholesale  trade  (27  percent)  and  manufacturing  (15
percent). Similar to most areas of the country, the Springfield area has evolved
from a manufacturing and agricultural  economy to a more service-based  economy,
with a history of steady growth,  with few large  expansions or  contractions in
the market  area  economy.  In  particular,  Springfield  has  developed  into a
regional  employment  center for medical care,  agribusiness,  and for financial
institutions.  Table 2.1 displays a list of major  employers in the  Springfield
MSA, and Exhibit II-4 presents  additional data  concerning  sources of personal
income and employment sectors.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 2.1
                                 Major Employers

          Employer                                           Industry                            Employees
          --------                                           --------                            ---------
                                Springfield Area

<S>                                                      <C>                                      <C>  
      St. John's Health System                           Health Care                               6,100
      Cox Health System                                  Health Care                               4,934
      Bass Pro Shops                                     Sporting Goods Retail/Wholesale           3,500
      Springfield Public Schools                         Education                                 3,000
      State of Missouri                                  Government                                2,000
      City of Springfield                                Government                                1,700
      Southwest MO State University                      Education                                 1,700
      Aarons Automotive Products                         Automotive Parts                          1,500
      Hudson Foods                                       Food                                      1,200
      MCI                                                Telecommunications                        1,200
      Gen. Council Assemblies of God                     Religious Organization                    1,200
      Kraft Foods                                        Food Distribution                         1,100
      Sweethart Cup Company                              Plastic Dinnerware                        1,100
      O'Reilly Auto Parts                                Automotive Parts                          1,000
      General Electric Company                           Manufacturing                             1,000
      Associated Wholesale Grocers                       Food Wholesale                            1,000
</TABLE>

      Source:  Local Area Chamber of Commerce.

         The level of, and recent trends in, unemployment in a given market area
is another  indication  of the  economic  health of the market  area.  Table 2.2
displays unemployment data in the local market area as of May 1997 and May 1996.
The labor force unemployment rates for Greene County and the city of Springfield
remain below state and  national  averages,  and the  employment  situation  has
improved in the most recent  twelve  month period for all areas  examined.  This
data, which indicates a relatively positive economic situation for Guaranty's

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.7

market area,  reflects in part the  attractiveness  of the  Springfield  MSA for
employers,  providing a sufficient  number of  employment  opportunities  in the
market area.


                                    Table 2.2
                         Market Area Unemployment Trends

         Region                                      May 1996         May 1997
         ------                                      --------         --------

         United States                                  5.4%            4.7%
         Missouri                                       4.2             3.8
         Greene County                                  3.1             2.8
         City of Springfield                            3.5             3.1


         Source:  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.



Deposit Trends and Competition
- ------------------------------

         Guaranty's  market area  (defined as Greene  County for  deposits),  is
characterized  by the  presence of a number of both  locally-based  and regional
financial  institutions,  including  commercial banks and savings  institutions.
Table 2.3  displays  deposit  market  trends for the state of  Missouri  and the
primary  market area from June 30,  1994 to June 30,  1996.  Overall,  financial
institution deposits showed an increase statewide, with commercial banks showing
growth  while  savings  institutions  lost  deposits.  This  trend  of  moderate
increases in overall  deposits,  similar to the rest of the nation,  reflects in
part  disintermediation  whereby  banking  customers have also placed  available
funds  into  other  types of  financial  intermediaries  such as  mutual  funds,
investment firms,  brokerage houses, and insurance  companies.  The shrinkage in
SAIF-insured  thrift  deposits  in  Missouri  was  due  to a  number  of  thrift
acquisitions by commercial banks during this time period coupled with the impact
of disintermediation.

         Deposit  trends in Greene  County  exhibited a stronger rate of deposit
increase,  as total deposits increased by 4.6 percent annually over the two year
period.  Similar to the statewide trends,  commercial banks recorded an increase
in deposits,  while savings  institutions  lost deposits.  The relatively strong
deposit growth in Greene County is believed to be  attributable to the continued
growth of the population base and economy in the Springfield MSA, along with the
reduction in  unemployment  rates in recent  years as more people were  working.
Guaranty, similar to the other local commercial banks, has recorded increases in
deposits  over the time period shown in Table 2.3, and recorded  higher rates of
deposit growth than the market area overall.  Notably,  Guaranty gained deposits
while savings  institutions  lost  deposits as a whole.  This has resulted in an
increase in deposit  market  share in Greene  County for the Bank since June 30,
1994.
<PAGE>
                     --------------------------------------             
                                    Table 2.3
                          Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
                                 Deposit Summary
                     --------------------------------------                    
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                   As of June 30,
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 1994                                    1996                       Deposit
                                 -------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
                                                  Market   Number of                       Market   Number of     Growth Rate
                                    Deposits       Share    Branches        Deposits       Share    Branches       1994-1996
                                    --------       -----    --------        --------       -----    --------       ---------
                                                               (Dollars In Thousands)                                 (%)
A. Deposit Summary
- ------------------
<S>                              <C>               <C>      <C>          <C>                <C>         <C>           <C> 
   State of Missouri             $65,690,283       100.0%   1,848        $70,084,895        100.0%      1,877           3.3%
      Commercial Banks            54,410,515        82.8%   1,541         59,988,569         85.6%      1,612           5.0%
      Savings Institutions        11,279,768        17.2%     307         10,096,326         14.4%        265          -5.4%
                                                                                                       
    Greene County                 $2,743,809       100.0%      75         $3,003,859        100.0%         80           4.6%
      Commercial Banks             1,939,327        70.7%      51          2,259,693         75.2%         57           7.9%
      Savings Institutions           804,482        29.3%      24            744,166         24.8%         23          -3.8%
        Guaranty                     141,087         5.1%       3            156,897          5.2%          4           5.5%
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                   
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

 Source: FDIC; OTS.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 2.9



Summary
- -------

         The overall condition of the Bank's market area can be characterized as
positive,  with a growing  population,  household  and deposit  base.  The local
Springfield MSA economy is relatively  diversified and unemployment rates remain
below state and national averages, notwithstanding the population increases. The
size  of  the  MSA  and  the  nature  of  the  local  economy  and   demographic
characteristics  has resulted in a number of competitors for the Bank's loan and
deposit customers.  Going forward, in view of the local demographic and economic
trends  and the  numbers  and  types of  competitors  in the  market  area,  the
competition for deposits is expected to remain substantial, which will result in
Guaranty  having to pay  competitive  deposit rates to maintain  and/or increase
local market share. The Bank's current deposit market share in the range of five
percent indicates that some gains in deposit market share may be achievable. The
reinvestment  of stock  proceeds from the conversion may mitigate to some extent
the potentially  higher funding costs to attract  deposits  through  anticipated
loyalty of local shareholders and referrals from local shareholders.


<PAGE>


RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.1
                            III. PEER GROUP ANALYSIS

         This chapter  presents an analysis of  Guaranty's  operations  versus a
group of  comparable  public  companies  (the "Peer  Group")  selected  from the
universe of all publicly-traded  savings institutions.  The primary basis of the
pro forma market  valuation  of the Bank is provided by these public  companies.
Factors affecting Guaranty's pro forma market value such as financial condition,
credit risk,  interest rate risk,  and recent  operating  results can be readily
assessed  in  relation to the Peer  Group.  Current  market  pricing of the Peer
Group, subject to appropriate adjustments to account for differences between the
Guaranty and the Peer Group,  will then be used as a basis for the  valuation of
the Bank's to-be-issued common stock.

Selection of Peer Group
- -----------------------

         We consider  the  appropriate  Peer Group to be comprised of only those
publicly-traded  savings  institutions  whose common stock is either listed on a
national exchange or is NASDAQ listed, since the market for companies trading in
this fashion is regular and reported.  We believe  non-listed  institutions  are
inappropriate  since the trading activity for thinly-traded  stocks is typically
highly  irregular  in terms of  frequency  and price  and may not be a  reliable
indicator  of  market   value.   We  have  excluded  from  the  Peer  Group  all
publicly-traded  subsidiary  institutions of mutual holding  companies,  because
their pricing ratios are distorted by the minority  issuance of their shares. We
have also excluded from the Peer Group those companies under acquisition  and/or
companies  whose market prices appear to be distorted by speculative  factors or
unusual operating conditions,  and recently converted companies whose stock does
not  have  sufficient  seasoning  as a  public  company.  The  universe  of  all
publicly-traded   institutions   is   included   as   Exhibit   III-1.   Pricing
characteristics  of  all  thrift  institutions  are  included  as  Exhibit  IV-1
(institutions  excluded  from the  calculation  of averages  are denoted  with a
footnote (8)).

         Under  ideal  circumstances,  the Peer Group  would be  comprised  of a
minimum of ten similarly sized  publicly-traded  Missouri  thrifts with capital,
earnings,  asset sizes,  balance sheet  composition,  risk  profiles,  operating
strategies  and market areas  comparable  to the Bank.  We were able to select a
group of 10 Missouri institutions with certain similarities in various financial
and operating characteristics.  In the selection process we applied one "screen"
to the universe of all public companies as follows:

          o    Screen #1. Missouri institutions with assets between $50 and $250
               million.  Ten  companies met the criteria for this screen and all
               ten were included in the Peer Group (see Exhibit III-2).

<PAGE>

 RP FINANCIAL, LC.
 ----------------------------------------
 Financial Services Industry Consultants
 1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
 Arlington, Virginia  22209
 (703) 528-1700

                                    Table 3.1
                      Peer Group of Publicly-Traded Thrifts
                              September 17, 1997(1)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                   Primary           Operating Total          Fiscal  Conv.  Stock    Market
 Ticker Financial Institution               Exchg. Market            Strat.(2) Assets  Offices  Year  Date   Price    Value
 ------ ---------------------               ------ -------           --------- ------  -------  ----  ----   -----    -----
                                                                                                               ($)    ($Mil)

<S>     <C>                                 <C>    <C>                <C>        <C>        <C> <C>     <C>    <C>       <C>
 CAPS   Capital Savings Bancorp of MO       OTC    Central MO         Thrift     243        7   06-30   12/93  15.75     30
 MBLF   MBLA Financial Corp. of MO          OTC    Northeast MO       Thrift     235        2   06-30   06/93  23.25     30
 CMRN   Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO            OTC    Northwest MO       Thrift     208        3   09-30   04/95  17.75     47
 SMBC   Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO       OTC    Southeast MO       Thrift     166 M      8   06-30   04/94  17.12     28
 FBSI   First Bancshares of MO              OTC    Southcentral MO    Thrift     164        6   06-30   12/93  23.75     26
 HFSA   Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO         OTC    Western MO         Thrift     108        3   03-31   09/95  16.50     14
 CNSB   CNS Bancorp of MO                   OTC    Central MO         Thrift      98        5   12-31   06/96  17.00     28
 PCBC   Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO          OTC    EastCentral MO     Thrift      81        1   09-30   02/95  21.25     18
 NSLB   NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO           OTC    Southwest MO       Thrift      60        2   09-30   06/95  18.75     13
 LXMO   Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO      OTC    West Central MO    Thrift      59        1   09-30   06/96  16.00     18

</TABLE>

     NOTES: (1) Or most recent date available (M=March, S=September, D=December,
                J=June, E=Estimated, and P=Pro Forma)
            (2) Operating strategies are: Thrift=Traditional Thrift, 
                M.B.=Mortgage Banker, R.E.=Real Estate Developer,
                Div.=Diversified, and Ret.=Retail Banking.
            (3) FDIC savings bank institution.

     Source: Corporate offering circulars, data derived from information 
             published in SNL Securities Quarterly Thrift Report, and financial
             reports of publicly-traded thrifts.

     Date of Last Update: 09/17/97
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.3



         Table 3.1 lists key  characteristics  of the Peer Group  companies.  In
general,  the Peer Group is comprised  of  relatively  seasoned  publicly-traded
institutions  operating in Missouri with a moderately  lower average asset size.
While the Peer Group is not exactly  comparable  to the Bank, we believe that it
provides a reasonable  representation of publicly-traded thrifts with operations
comparable  to those of the Bank and thus forms a sound basis for  valuation.  A
summary  description  of the  key  characteristics  of each  of the  Peer  Group
companies selected is detailed below.

o        Capital Savings Bancorp of Jefferson City, Missouri. Capital Savings, a
         $243 million company  operating  seven offices in and around  Jefferson
         City, was chosen due to its relatively  similar asset size and Missouri
         operations.  Capital  Savings  follows a traditional  thrift  operating
         strategy of 1-4 family residential  lending,  and has a relatively high
         loans/asset  ratio.  Capital  Savings' equity position is the lowest of
         the Peer Group.

o        MBLA  Financial  Corp  of  Macon,  Missouri.  MBLA  is a  $235  million
         institution  operating two offices in a primarily  rural market area in
         northeastern  Missouri.  While MBLA was  selected for the Peer Group on
         the basis of its  market  area and size,  MBLA is unique in that it has
         engaged in substantial  arbitrage,  funding  investments  with borrowed
         funds, to leverage the high equity position.

o        Cameron Financial Corporation of Cameron,  Missouri.  Cameron Financial
         is a $208 million thrift  operating three branches in a rural market in
         the northeastern part of the state.  Cameron Financial maintains a high
         proportion  of  assets  in  loans   receivable,   and  in   particular,
         construction  lending,  thus  resulting  in the  highest  risk-weighted
         assets ratio of the Peer Group.  Cameron  Financial  also  reported the
         highest net income and net interest margin of the Peer Group, resulting
         from high yields on interest earning assets.

o        Southern Missouri Bancorp of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.  Southern Missouri
         is a $166 million thrift  operating eight branches in a rural market in
         the  southern  part of the state.  Southern  Missouri  maintains a high
         proportion  of assets in cash and  investments  and MBS, due to limited
         local lending  opportunities.  Southern  Missouri also has pursued loan
         diversification in recent years.

o        First Bancshares of Mountain Grove, Missouri. First Bancshares operates
         six offices in a rural market in southern  Missouri,  approximately  60
         miles east of  Springfield.  While  lending is  dominated by 1-4 family
         residential  mortgages,  however,  First  Bancshares  has pursued  loan
         diversification in recent years.

o        Hardin  Bancorp of Hardin,  Missouri.  Hardin  Bancorp  operates in the
         western  portion of  Missouri  out of three  office  locations.  Hardin
         Bancorp  maintains a relatively high investment in cash and investments
         and MBS, with loan diversification into commercial business loans.

o        CNS Bancorp of Jefferson City,  Missouri.  CNS Bancorp is a $98 million
         thrift  operating  from  five  offices  in  central  Missouri,  with  a
         concentration in commercial real estate lending, primarily in Jefferson
         City.  CNS Bancorp also maintains  investments in cash and  investments
         and MBS,  although  reserve  coverage  ratios are low relative to other
         Peer Group members.

o        Perry County  Financial  Corp. of  Perryville,  Missouri.  Perry County
         operates with $81 million of assets out of a single office  location in
         eastern  Missouri.  Perry County maintains high levels of investment in
         cash  and  investments  and MBS,  and the  lowest  investment  in loans
         receivable of the Peer Group  members.  Perry County also operates with
         the lowest  operating  expense  level and lowest  risk-weighted  assets
         ratio of the Peer Group members.
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.4

o        NS&L Bancorp of Neosho,  Missouri.  NS&L  Bancorp,  with $60 million in
         assets,  operates in a primarily  rural market outside of  Springfield.
         NS&L Bancorp  maintains a high  proportion of assets in investments and
         MBS, due to limited loan opportunities.

o        Lexington B&L Financial Corp. of Lexington,  Missouri. Lexington is the
         smallest  member of the Peer  Group  with $59  million  in  assets  and
         operates in Lexington, Missouri,  approximately 60 miles east of Kansas
         City.   Lexington   maintains   relatively  high  investment  in  loans
         receivable  (primarily  residential  loans),  funded with  deposits and
         equity. Reserve coverage ratios are lower than Peer Group averages.

         In aggregate,  the Peer Group  companies have an average  capital ratio
that is higher than the industry  average  (17.63 percent of assets versus 12.88
percent for the all SAIF average),  and higher core profitability  (0.96 percent
versus 0.75 percent for all SAIF-insured publicly-traded institutions). The Peer
Group's  higher capital ratio results in a lower core ROE of 5.70 percent versus
7.52 percent for the all SAIF  average.  In terms of pricing,  the Peer Group on
average   trades  at  a  lower   price/book   ("P/B")   multiple  and  a  higher
price/earnings  ("P/E")  multiple  relative to the industry  (see the  following
table).


                                             As of September 5, 1997
                                             -----------------------
                                             Peer             All SAIF
                                            Group             Insured
                                            -----             -------

 Equity-to-Assets                           17.63%              12.88%
 Return on Assets ("ROA")-Core               0.96%               0.75%
 Return on Equity ("ROE")-Core               5.70%               7.52%
 Market Capitalization ($Mil)              $25.20             $156.65

 Price-to-Tangible Book Ratio ("P/TB")     112.89%             146.01%
 Price-to-Earnings Multiple ("P/E")-Core    19.91x              18.61x
 Price-to-Assets Ratio ("P/A")              19.67%              17.73%

 Source:  Chapter IV tables.

         The following  sections  present a comparison  of the Bank's  financial
condition,  income and expense trends, loan composition,  interest rate risk and
credit risk versus the Peer Group.  The  conclusions  drawn from the comparative
analysis are then factored into the  valuation  analysis  discussed in the final
chapter.


Financial  Condition
- --------------------

         Table 3.2 shows comparative balance sheet measures for the Bank and the
Peer Group,  reflecting the expected similarities and some differences given the
selection procedures outlined above.  Information for Guaranty is as of June 30,
1997, and as of the latest  available  (June 30 or March 31) for the Peer Group.
The Bank's  pre-conversion  net worth of 13.8 percent was below the Peer Group's
average net worth ratio of 17.6 percent,  although the Bank's  capital level can
be expected to exceed the Peer Group average on a pro forma

<PAGE>
     RP FINANCIAL, LC.
     ------------------------------------------
     Financial Services Industry Consultants
     1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
     Arlington, Virginia  22209
     (703) 528-1700

                                    Table 3.2
                   Balance Sheet Composition and Growth Rates
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                               As of June 30, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



                                                                     Balance Sheet as a Percent of Assets                           
                                         ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                          Cash and                          Borrowed  Subd.    Net    Goodwill Tng Net    MEMO:     
                                         Investments  Loans   MBS  Deposits   Funds   Debt    Worth   & Intang  Worth  Pref.Stock   
                                         ----------- ------ ------ -------- -------- ------- -------- -------- ------- ----------   
 
<S>                                           <C>    <C>    <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>       <C>    <C>        <C>     
     Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
     ------------------------------
       June 30, 1997                            8.8   79.3    7.9     75.8      9.1     0.0     13.8      0.0    13.8       0.0     

     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                      18.2   67.1   11.4     70.9     14.8     0.2     12.5      0.2    12.3       0.0     
     Comparable Group Average                  24.2   62.8   10.6     68.3     13.1     0.0     17.6      0.0    17.6       0.0     
       Mid-West Companies                      24.2   62.8   10.6     68.3     13.1     0.0     17.6      0.0    17.6       0.0     


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Mid-West Companies
     ------------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                   18.9   66.0   11.4     74.5      0.0     0.0     24.9      0.0    24.9       0.0     
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO            11.4   84.0    0.0     60.0     16.9     0.0     21.7      0.0    21.7       0.0     
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO       10.2   78.4    9.7     70.5     19.2     0.0      8.8      0.0     8.8       0.0     
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO              14.9   81.8    0.5     71.8     14.4     0.0     13.5      0.0    13.5       0.0     
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO         29.5   51.6   17.2     68.7     17.6     0.0     12.5      0.0    12.5       0.0     
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO      18.5   76.3    3.0     71.0      0.0     0.0     28.3      0.0    28.3       0.0     
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO          37.8   53.8    7.5     43.4     43.8     0.0     12.2      0.0    12.2       0.0     
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO           33.6   55.7    8.0     73.7      5.0     0.0     19.6      0.0    19.6       0.0     
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO          47.6   16.4   34.5     74.8      5.5     0.0     19.2      0.0    19.2       0.0     
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)    19.8   63.6   14.6     75.0      8.2     0.0     15.7      0.0    15.7       0.0     

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 3.2
                   Balance Sheet Composition and Growth Rates
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                               As of June 30, 1997



                                                  Balance Sheet Annual Growth Rates                          Regulatory Capital
                                          ------------------------------------------------------------    -------------------------
                                                 Cash and   Loans           Borrows.   Net    Tng Net
                                         Assets Investments & MBS  Deposits &Subdebt  Worth    Worth     Tangible   Core   Reg.Cap.
                                         ------ ----------- ------ -------- -------- -------- -------    -------- -------- --------

<S>                                       <C>      <C>      <C>        <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>         <C>    <C>      <C>  
     Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
     ------------------------------
       June 30, 1997                        7.72   -14.16    17.11     -3.67     0.00    3.40    3.40        13.00  13.00    23.30

     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                  12.09     8.90    13.03      8.39    16.80    0.45   -0.07        10.92  10.98    22.49
     Comparable Group Average               8.88     0.30     9.22      5.49    40.51   -3.36   -3.36        14.86  14.86    35.49
       Mid-West Companies                   8.88     0.30     9.22      5.49    40.51   -3.36   -3.36        14.86  14.86    35.49


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Mid-West Companies
     ------------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                0.03   -33.44    12.96     -0.70       NM    1.38    1.38        19.70  19.70    41.27
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO        18.35     2.30    18.47      1.28       NM   -2.59   -2.59        17.11  17.11    25.59
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO   11.27    29.69     9.59     12.27    10.71    4.19    4.19         7.89   7.89    16.60
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO          14.13    21.34    12.70     11.07    73.77   -6.41   -6.38           NM     NM       NM
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO     24.23       NM     6.21     12.22       NM   -9.75   -9.75        10.73  10.73    27.53
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO  -3.36   -36.11     9.25     -0.25       NM  -10.48  -10.48        23.30  23.30    44.10
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO      16.81    23.79    12.79     17.58    20.90    1.67    1.67        11.19  11.19    31.65
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO        4.23    -2.54     7.55      2.37       NM  -12.52  -12.52        15.00  15.00    35.10
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO       0.88     5.42    -2.93     -2.93    80.00    3.19    3.19        16.20  16.20    72.60
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1) 2.28    -7.76     5.62      1.99    17.18   -2.31   -2.31        12.61  12.61    25.01
</TABLE>

     (1) Financial information is for the quarter ending March 31, 1997.

     Source: Audited and unaudited financial statements, corporate reports 
             and offering circulars, and RP Financial, LC. calculations.
             The information provided in this table has been obtained from 
             sources we believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee the 
             accuracy or completeness of such information.

     Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.6


basis.  The  increase  in the Bank's  capital  on a pro forma  basis can also be
expected to reduce its ROE.  Neither the Bank or the Peer Group had  goodwill or
other  intangible  assets.  The Bank and all of the Peer Group companies were in
compliance with all fully phased-in  regulatory  capital  requirements  and were
considered to be well-capitalized by FDICIA standards.

         In terms of asset  composition,  the  Bank's  ratio of loans to  assets
exceeded the Peer Group's  ratio (79.3 percent of assets versus 62.8 percent for
the Peer  Group),  while the Peer  Group  recorded  a higher  level of MBS (10.6
percent versus 7.9 percent for the Bank).  The Bank maintains a lower balance of
cash  and  investments  as part of its  operating  strategy,  and the  portfolio
totaled 8.8 percent of total assets.  In contrast,  the Peer Group  maintained a
higher ratio of cash and  investments  (24.2  percent of assets).  Following the
conversion,  the Bank's level of cash and  investments  is expected to initially
increase, pending the Bank's deployment of the proceeds into loans. Overall, the
Bank's IEA totaled 96.0 percent of assets, which was lower than the Peer Group's
ratio of 97.6 percent.

         While both the Bank and the Peer Group have  relied on  deposits as the
primary source of funds, the Peer Group on average has utilized  borrowings to a
greater  extent as  reflected in the current  deposits to assets  ratios of 75.8
percent and 68.3 percent,  respectively,  and borrowings to assets ratios of 9.1
percent  and 13.1  percent,  respectively.  Total  interest-bearing  liabilities
("IBL")  maintained by the Bank and the Peer Group equaled 84.9 percent and 81.4
percent,  respectively,  with the Peer Group's lower ratio  attributable  to its
higher capital ratio. On a pro forma basis,  the Bank's IBL ratio is expected to
decline as a result of the Bank's  enhanced  capital base and potential  deposit
withdrawals to fund stock purchases.

         The growth rate section of Table 3.2 shows growth rates for key balance
sheet items.  The growth rates for the Bank are for the year ended June 30, 1997
while growth rates for the Peer Group are for the latest  trailing twelve months
available.  The Bank  reported an increase in assets of 7.72 percent  since June
30, 1996, while the Peer Group reported asset growth equal to 8.88 percent.  The
Bank's balance sheet expansion  occurred in the area of loans  receivable,  with
cash and investments declining to fund additional increases in loans receivable.
Asset  growth  was  support by growth in  borrowings  (the "NM"  indicates  that
borrowings growth was above 100 percent) and equity, while deposits declined due
to less  aggressive  deposit  pricing by the Bank.  The Peer Group  funded asset
growth  through a combination of deposits and  borrowings.  Capital growth rates
for the  Bank  and the  Peer  Group  were  generally  comparable  with  the Bank
increasing the net worth account,  while the Peer Group's capital ratio declined
due to stock repurchases and dividends.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.7


Income and Expense Components
- -----------------------------

         For the  twelve  months  ended  June 30,  1997,  the  Bank's net income
amounted  to 0.60  percent of average  assets,  below the 0.74  percent  average
return  posted by the Peer Group (see Table 3.3).  Net  interest  income was the
primary component of the Bank's and the Peer Group's earnings.  The ratio of net
interest  income was similar for the Bank and Peer Group,  3.31 and 3.17 percent
of average assets,  respectively,  with Guaranty reporting higher levels of both
interest income and interest  expense.  The Bank's interest income was supported
by the greater loan portfolio diversification into higher yielding construction,
commercial  real estate and consumer  loans.  Interest  expense was elevated for
Guaranty, in part due to previous deposit pricing strategies which resulted in a
balance of higher costing CDs and a relatively  high balance of CDs in portfolio
in comparison  to  savings/transaction  accounts.  The  reinvestment  of the net
conversion proceeds may serve to initially dilute the Bank's asset yields due to
current market rates on short- to  intermediate-term  investment  securities but
the net interest margin should increase with an increase in the IEA/IBL ratio.

         In another key area of core earnings strength, the Bank operates with a
higher  operating  expense ratio than the Peer Group (2.15  percent  versus 1.82
percent  of assets  for the Peer  Group),  which is  attributable  to its recent
office  expansion and additional  personnel hired to support  operations and the
overall  higher asset base.  These  features have  inflated the Bank's  staffing
requirements and compensation  expenses, as evidenced by the Bank's lower assets
per employee ratio relative to the Peer Group median ($2.977  million and $4.655
million,  respectively).  Going forward,  Guaranty's  operating expenses will be
subject to increase related to operations as a publicly-held company, stock plan
expenses the expected growth in operations.

         Non-interest  operating income made a similar  contribution to both the
Bank's and Peer Group's earnings.  For the trailing twelve months ended June 30,
1997, the Bank and Peer Group  recorded  non-interest  operating  income of 0.23
percent of average  assets.  This level is only  approximately  one-half  of the
industry average,  indicating a lower level of earnings  diversification for the
Bank and Peer Group.  Going  forward,  the Bank  anticipates  that  non-interest
operating income will continue to contribute similar levels to overall revenues.

         When viewed together,  net interest income,  other operating income and
operating  expenses  provide insight into an  institution's  earnings  strength,
since  those  sources of income and  expense are  typically  the most  prominent
components of earnings and are generally more  predictable than losses and gains
realized  from the sale of assets  or other  non-recurring  activities.  In this
regard,  the Bank's efficiency ratio of 60.90 percent compares less favorably to
the Peer Group's ratio of 53.53 percent.


<PAGE>


     RP FINANCIAL, LC.
     ----------------------------------------------
     Financial Services Industry Consultants
     1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
     Arlington, Virginia  22209
     (703) 528-1700
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 3.3
        Income as a Percent of Average Assets and Yields, Costs, Spreads
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                    For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 1997



                                                             Net Interest Income                   Other Income               
                                                             -------------------                   ------------               
                                                                               Loss     NII                            Total  
                                                  Net                         Provis.  After    Loan   R.E.   Other    Other  
                                                Income  Income Expense   NII  on IEA   Provis.  Fees   Oper.  Income  Income  
                                                ------  --------------   ---  ------   -------  ----   -----  ------  ------  

<S>                                               <C>     <C>     <C>    <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>    <C>     <C>      <C>   
    Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
    ------------------------------   
       June 30, 1997                              0.60    7.60    4.29   3.31   0.00    3.31    0.00   0.00    0.23     0.23  


 
 
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                         0.55    7.38    4.10   3.28   0.14    3.15    0.12   0.01    0.31     0.43  
     Comparable Group Average                     0.74    7.22    4.06   3.17   0.06    3.11    0.03   0.01    0.19     0.23  
       Mid-West Companies                         0.74    7.22    4.06   3.17   0.06    3.11    0.03   0.01    0.19     0.23  


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Mid-West Companies
     ------------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                      0.42    7.11    3.70   3.41   0.06    3.36    0.05   0.01    0.11     0.17  
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO               1.06    8.01    3.99   4.03   0.24    3.78    0.08   0.00    0.02     0.10  
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO          0.67    7.62    4.45   3.17   0.05    3.12    0.08   0.00    0.43     0.51  
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO                 0.91    7.51    4.17   3.34   0.05    3.29    0.01   0.04    0.29     0.34  
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO            0.52    7.31    4.37   2.94   0.07    2.87    0.04   0.01    0.21     0.25  
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO         1.02    7.45    3.78   3.66   0.03    3.63    0.00   0.00    0.15     0.15  
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO             0.67    6.95    4.82   2.13   0.04    2.08    0.00   0.00    0.01     0.00  
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO              0.49    6.45    3.39   3.05   0.00    3.05    0.01   0.00    0.32     0.33  
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO             0.93    6.82    3.97   2.85   0.02    2.83    0.00   0.00    0.04     0.04  
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)       0.71    7.03    3.91   3.12   0.05    3.07    0.03   0.05    0.33     0.41  

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 3.3
        Income as a Percent of Average Assets and Yields, Costs, Spreads
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                    For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 1997



                                                   G&A/Other Exp.    Non-Op. Items  Yields, Costs, and Spreads
                                                   --------------    -------------  --------------------------
                                                                                                                    MEMO:     MEMO:
                                                    G&A  Goodwill      Net  Extrao.     Yield     Cost  Yld-Cost  Assets/  Effective
                                                  Expense  Amort.     Gains  Items   On Assets Of Funds Spread    FTE Emp. Tax Rate
                                                  -------  ------     -----  -----   -------------------------    -----------------

<S>                                                 <C>     <C>        <C>    <C>      <C>       <C>      <C>      <C>        <C>  
    Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
    ------------------------------
       June 30, 1997                                2.15    0.00      -0.44   0.00     8.10      5.23     2.87     2,977      36.42


 
 
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                           2.33    0.03      -0.31   0.00     7.44      4.67     2.77     4,572      37.03
     Comparable Group Average                       1.82    0.00      -0.34   0.00     7.39      5.04     2.35     6,324      37.23
       Mid-West Companies                           1.82    0.00      -0.34   0.00     7.39      5.04     2.35     6,324      37.23


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Mid-West Companies
     ------------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                        2.19    0.00      -0.53   0.00     7.36      4.95     2.41     3,643      47.38
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO                 1.78    0.00      -0.41   0.00     8.33      5.36     2.97     4,002      37.23
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO            2.13    0.00      -0.40   0.00     7.75      4.95     2.80     3,150      39.57
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO                   1.92    0.01      -0.29   0.00     7.72      4.91     2.81     2,645      35.69
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO              1.90    0.00      -0.41   0.00     7.45      5.19     2.26     5,685      37.03
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO           1.75    0.00      -0.46   0.00     7.60      5.44     2.16     5,924      34.49
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO               0.68    0.00      -0.29   0.00     7.01      5.59     1.42    21,348      40.63
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO                2.26    0.00      -0.42   0.00     6.62      4.37     2.26     3,981      30.62
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO               1.13    0.00      -0.22   0.00     6.92      4.92     2.00     9,012      39.37
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)         2.48    0.00       0.02   0.00     7.18      4.73     2.45     3,853      30.28

</TABLE>


     (1) Financial information is for the quarter ending March 31, 1997.


     Source: Audited and unaudited financial statements, corporate reports and
             offering circulars, and RP Financial, LC. calculations.  The
             information provided in this table has been obtained from sources
             we believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee the accuracy or 
             completeness of such information.

     Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.
<PAGE>

RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.9

 
         During the most recent  fiscal year,  Guaranty  recorded  non-operating
expense  of 0.44  percent  of  average  assets,  while the Peer Group as a whole
recorded  net  non-operating  expense of 0.34  percent of average  assets.  Like
Guaranty,  all of the Peer Group  companies were affected by the SAIF assessment
charge to income during the quarter ended  September 30, 1996. The Bank recorded
non-operating  income  in the  form of  gains  on the  sale of  interest-earning
assets.  Loan loss  provisions  for the Peer Group and Guaranty  were similar at
zero and 0.06 percent of average assets, respectively.

Loan  Composition 
- ----------------- 

         Table 3.4 presents data related to the loan composition of the Bank and
the Peer  Group.  The Peer Group  exhibited a greater  emphasis  on  residential
lending  than the  Bank,  with  1-4  family  permanent  mortgage  loans  and MBS
accounting  for 86.08  percent  and 71.96  percent of the Peer  Group's  and the
Bank's total loan and MBS portfolios, respectively. Similar to the Bank, most of
the Peer Group members are not active  sellers of loans in the secondary  market
with servicing  retained and maintaining  minimal balances of loans serviced for
others.

         The Bank's loan portfolio exhibited greater diversification into higher
risk  weight  loans  than the Peer  Group's  loan  portfolio.  Construction/land
lending is the Bank's primary method of lending diversification,  and such loans
comprised  15.3  percent of the total loan and MBS  portfolio  at June 30, 1997,
with  commercial  real estate  comprising an additional  11.4 percent.  The Peer
Group's loan portfolio  diversification  was relatively constant in the areas of
construction/land,  commercial  real  estate and  commercial  business  lending.
Overall,  however,  the Bank's loan portfolio  diversification was above that of
the Peer Group, as Guaranty's commercial real estate, construction, consumer and
commercial business loans totaled 29.7 percent of total loans and MBS, while the
Peer Group's combined level of these loan categories  totaled only 15.8 percent.
The Bank's risk-weighted  assets ratio was higher than the Peer Group,  measured
at 57.8 and 46.2 percent,  respectively,  reflecting  the greater loan portfolio
diversification into higher risk earning assets.

Credit Risk
- -----------

         Guaranty's  credit risk  exposure  appears to be comparable to the Peer
Group's based on the Bank's higher reserve coverage ratios,  offset by a similar
level of NPAs and higher  risk-weighted  assets ratio. As shown in Table 3.5, as
of June 30, 1997,  the Bank recorded NPAs of 0.52 percent of assets,  comparable
to the Peer Group  average of 0.45  percent,  and  maintained a similar ratio of
non-performing  loans  ("NPLs") to loans of 0.45 percent versus 0.46 percent for
the Peer  Group.  Both the Bank and Peer Group  reported  a minor  level of real
estate owned.  The Bank  maintained a higher level of loss reserves as a percent
of loans receivable (1.38

<PAGE>


     RP FINANCIAL, LC.
    ----------------------------------------   
     Financial Services Industry Consultants
     1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
     Arlington, Virginia  22209
     (703) 528-1700
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 Table 3.4
                                                             Loan Portfolio Composition and Related Information
                                                                      Comparable Institution Analysis
                                                                             As of June 30, 1997



                                           Portfolio Composition as a Percent of MBS and Loans
                                           ---------------------------------------------------
                                                    1-4     Constr.   5+Unit    Commerc.             RWA/      Serviced    Servicing
 Institution                              MBS     Family    & Land    Comm RE   Business  Consumer  Assets    For Others     Assets
 -----------                              ---     ------    ------    -------   --------  --------  ------    ----------     ------
                                          (%)       (%)       (%)       (%)       (%)        (%)      (%)         ($000)     ($000)

<S>                                       <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>      <C>        <C>         <C>
 Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO            8.60     63.36     15.27     11.35      0.21      2.84     57.77       14,163         39


 SAIF-Insured Thrifts                     15.44     61.51      5.27     11.71      6.49      1.71     51.91      403,354      2,908
 Comparable Group Average                 19.00     67.08      5.66      5.14      4.36      0.65     46.15        7,107          2


 Comparable Group
 ________________


 CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                  17.52     64.60      2.79     13.62      1.61      1.03     46.31       21,342         23
 CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO            0.01     71.13     32.92      4.64      3.98      0.36     65.32            0          0
 CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO      13.50     75.52      1.38      3.76      6.24      0.00     49.12       41,016          0
 FBSI  First Bancshares of MO              0.76     77.27      8.25      7.29      5.58      2.39     61.61           18          0
 HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO        29.12     61.57      1.83      1.28      6.97      0.00     39.01        8,691          0
 LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO      4.36     85.12      2.31      2.35      6.38      0.00     50.03            0          0
 MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO         15.56     78.14      0.00      5.74      0.24      0.31     36.10            0          0
 NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO          14.76     77.63      1.78      0.21      6.35      0.00     41.47            0          0
 PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO         70.93     25.13      1.94      0.80      0.95      0.86     21.62            0          0
 SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)   23.44     54.63      3.41     11.71      5.36      1.52     50.88            0          0

</TABLE>

 (1) Financial information is for the quarter ending March 31, 1997.


 Source: Audited and unaudited financial statements, corporate reports and
         offering circulars, and RP Financial, LC. calculations.  The 
         information provided in this table has been obtained from sources we 
         believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee the accuracy or 
         completeness of such information.

 Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 3.12


percent  versus 0.46 percent for the Peer Group),  and higher ratios of reserves
as a percent of NPLs and total NPAs.

Interest Rate Risk
- ------------------

         Table 3.6 reflects the relative interest rate risk exposure of Guaranty
and the  Peer  Group.  The  Bank's  lower  capital  level  was  the  key  factor
contributing  to its lower  IEA/IBL  ratio  relative  to the Peer  Group  (113.1
percent  versus  120.5  percent,  respectively).  The Bank's  lower  capital and
IEA/IBL ratios increases its funding costs relative to the Peer Group.  However,
the Bank's  capital ratio and IEA/IBL  ratio will increase on a  post-conversion
basis. The Bank maintained a higher ratio of non-interest  earning assets, which
is less  favorable  from an interest rate risk  perspective  as it decreases the
proportion of assets repricing upward in a rising rate environment.

         In the absence of available or comparable  gap and rate shock  analyses
for the Peer Group,  the change in the  quarterly  net interest  income ratio to
average  assets for the Bank and the Peer Group has been examined in relation to
the  change in market  interest  rates.  As shown in Table  3.6,  the Bank's net
interest margin has recently shown more  sensitivity to changing market interest
rates than the Peer Group's average net interest  margin.  On a pro forma basis,
the Bank's higher  capital  position and  reinvestment  of proceeds in short- to
intermediate-term  securities  can be expected  to lower  exposure to changes in
interest rates.

Summary 
- ------- 

         Based on the above  analysis and the  criteria  employed by in the Peer
Group selection  process,  the Peer Group appears to form a reasonable basis for
determining  the pro forma market value of the Bank,  subject to the adjustments
noted in the following section.

<PAGE>

RP FINANCIAL, LC.
- ---------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 528-1700
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                Table 3.5
                                                               Credit Risk Measures and Related Information
                                                                     Comparable Institution Analysis
                                                             As of June 30, 1997 or Most Recent Date Available



                                                       NPAs &                                   Rsrves/
                                              REO/     90+Del/    NPLs/    Rsrves/   Rsrves/    NPAs &   Net Loan       NLCs/ 
Institution                                  Assets    Assets     Loans     Loans     NPLs      90+Del   Chargoffs     Loans
- -----------                                  ------    ------     -----     -----     ----      ------   ---------     -----
                                               (%)       (%)       (%)       (%)       (%)        (%)      ($000)       (%)

<S>                                          <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>     <C>       <C>             <C>       <C> 
Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO                0.11      0.52      0.45      1.38    304.48    209.73           63        0.04


SAIF-Insured Thrifts                          0.28      0.79      0.84      0.82    176.81    130.83          392        0.16
Comparable Group Average                      0.02      0.45      0.46      0.46    261.68    105.34            4        0.03


Comparable Group
- ---------------- 

CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                       0.00      0.53      0.80      0.58     72.14     72.14            0        0.00
CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO                0.00      0.73      0.28      0.97    347.55    111.82            0        0.00
CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO           0.03      0.31      0.18      0.39    216.08     97.24            2        0.00
FBSI  First Bancshares of MO                  0.07      0.56      0.04      0.36    845.61     52.51            7       -0.01
HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO             0.00      0.09      0.18      0.32    179.21    179.21           13        0.10
LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO          0.00      0.48      0.62      0.49     78.37     78.37           20        0.18
MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO              0.00      0.25      0.45      0.50    109.19    109.19            0        0.00
NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO               0.00      0.03      0.03      0.13    466.67    210.00            0        0.00
PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO              0.00        NA        NA      0.19        NA        NA            0        0.00
SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)        0.07      1.10      1.60      0.64     40.26     37.60            0        0.00
</TABLE>


(1) Financial information is for the quarter ending March 31, 1997.


Source: Audited and unaudited financial statements, corporate reports and
        offering circulars, and RP Financial, LC. 
        calculations.  The information provided in this table has been obtained 
        from sources we believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee the 
        accuracy or completeness of such information.

Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.


<PAGE>


RP FINANCIAL, LC.
- ---------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 528-1700
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 3.6
         Interest Rate Risk Measures and Net Interest Income Volatility
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                As of June 30, 1997 or Most Recent Date Available


                                         Balance Sheet Measures  
                                         ----------------------  
                                                        Non-Earn.              Quarterly Change in Net Interest Income
                                                        ---------              ---------------------------------------
                                       Equity/     IEA/   Assets/
Institution                            Assets      IBL     Assets    06/30/97  03/31/97  12/31/96  09/30/96  06/30/96  03/31/96
- -----------                            ------      ---     ------    --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
                                         (%)       (%)       (%)     (change in net interest income is annualized in basis points)

<S>                                      <C>      <C>         <C>        <C>      <C>        <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>
Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO           13.8     113.1       4.0         21        -8        17        25         0         0


SAIF-Insured Thrifts                     12.2     112.8       3.3          0         0        -0        -1         8         7
Comparable Group Average                 17.6     120.5       2.4          6        -7         8         1         9         7


Comparable Group
- ---------------- 

CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                  24.9     129.3       3.7          5        12         5        53        24        14
CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO           21.7     124.0       4.6         -2       -24         4        -6         6        10
CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO       8.8     109.6       1.7          4        -3        -1       -12         1        -7
FBSI  First Bancshares of MO             13.5     112.8       2.8         -9        14        -5       -10        17        16
HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO        12.5     113.9       1.7          8       -40         2        -5         6        19
LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO     28.3     137.7       2.2         12         3        59        -4         9        -4
MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO         12.2     113.7       0.9         22       -38        31        -7        12        14
NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO          19.6     123.4       2.8          7         8         0       -19        13       -36
PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO         19.2     122.5       1.5          3        20       -10         3         3         8
SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO(1)   15.7     117.8       2.0         NA       -22        -2        14        -4        36
</TABLE>


(1) Financial information is for the quarter ending March 31, 1997.
    NA=Change is greater than 100 basis points during the quarter.


Source:  Audited  and  unaudited  financial  statements,  corporate  reports and
         offering  circulars,  and RP Financial,  LC.  calculations.  The 
         information provided  in this  table has been  obtained  from  sources 
         we  believe  are reliable,  but we cannot  guarantee  the  accuracy or 
         completeness  of such information.

Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.
<PAGE>

RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.1

                             IV. VALUATION ANALYSIS
Introduction

         This chapter presents the valuation analysis,  prepared pursuant to the
approved  valuation  methodology  promulgated by the OTS, and valuation  factors
used to determine the estimated pro forma market value of the common stock to be
issued in conjunction with the conversion of the MHC. The MHC is converting to a
Delaware  stock  corporation  pursuant  to the  Plan.  The pro  forma  valuation
methodology  has been  modified  to reflect  the unique  characteristics  of the
conversion of the MHC, specifically the fact that the MHC will be selling only a
partial ownership interest in the Subscription and Community offerings,  instead
of a 100  percent  ownership  interest  as  would  be  the  case  in a  standard
conversion.

Appraisal  Guidelines
- ---------  ----------

         The OTS  appraisal  guidelines,  originally  released in October  1983,
specify  the  methodology  for  estimating  the pro  forma  market  value  of an
institution.  The  methodology  included:  (1)  selection  of a  peer  group  of
comparable seasoned publicly-traded  institutions whose pricing is not distorted
due to a variety of factors;  (2) a fundamental  analysis of the subject company
to the peer group; and (3) a pro forma valuation analysis of the subject company
based on the market  pricing of the peer group as of the date of valuation.  The
amended valuation guidelines also limit the amount of a new issue discount which
may be  incorporated  into the valuation and thereby curtail the potential price
appreciation in the after-market.

         RP Financial's  valuation  analysis  complies with the October 1983 OTS
appraisal   guidelines  as  revised  on  October  21,  1994,   incorporating   a
"fundamental  analysis" relative to the Peer Group and a "technical analysis" of
final conversion  pricing and trading levels of recently  completed  conversions
(given the emphasis of limiting after-market  appreciation).  It should be noted
that such analysis cannot possibly fully account for all the market forces which
impact after-market trading activity and pricing characteristics of a stock on a
given day.

         The pro forma market value determined herein is a preliminary value for
the Holding Company's to-be-issued stock.  Throughout the conversion process, RP
Financial  will:  (1)  review  changes in the Bank's  operations  and  financial
condition; (2) monitor the Bank's operations and financial condition relative to
the Peer Group to identify  any  fundamental  changes;  (3) monitor the external
factors  affecting  value  including,  but not  limited to,  local and  national
economic conditions, interest rates, and the stock market environment, including
the market for thrift stocks;  and (4) monitor  pending  initial and second step
conversion offerings (including those in the offering phase) both regionally and
nationally. If material changes should occur during


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.2


the conversion  process,  RP Financial will prepare  updated  valuation  reports
reflecting  such changes and their  related  impact on value,  if any,  over the
course  of the  conversion  process.  RP  Financial  will  also  prepare a final
valuation  update at the closing of the conversion  offering to determine if the
preliminary range of value continues to be appropriate.

         The appraised  value  determined  herein is based on the current market
and operating  environment for the Bank and for all thrifts.  Subsequent changes
in the local and national economy,  the legislative and regulatory  environment,
the stock market,  interest  rates,  and other external  forces (such as natural
disasters or major world events),  which may occur from time to time (often with
great  unpredictability),  may materially impact the market value of all savings
institution stocks, including Guaranty, or Guaranty's value alone. To the extent
a change in factors  impacting  the Bank's value can be  reasonably  anticipated
and/or  quantified,  RP Financial has incorporated the estimated impact into its
analysis.

Valuation Analysis
- ------------------

         A fundamental analysis discussing similarities and differences relative
to the Peer Group was presented in Chapter III. The following sections summarize
such differences  between the Bank and the Peer Group and how those  differences
affect the pro forma valuation. Emphasis is placed on the specific strengths and
weaknesses of the Bank relative to the Peer Group in such key areas as financial
condition,  profitability,  growth and  viability  of  earnings,  asset  growth,
primary market area, dividends,  liquidity of the issue, marketing of the issue,
management,  and the effect of government  regulations and/or regulatory reform.
We have also  considered  the  market for  savings  institution  stocks,  and in
particular new issues,  including second step conversions,  to assess the impact
on value of Guaranty coming to market at this time.


1.       Financial Condition
         -------------------

         The financial strength of an institution is an important determinant in
pro forma market  value,  because  investors  typically  look to such factors as
liquidity,  capital,  asset  composition  and  quality,  and funding  sources in
assessing  investment  attractiveness.  The  similarities and differences in the
Bank's financial strength can be summarized as follows:

         o        Overall A/L Composition.  Permanent residential mortgage loans
                  funded by retail deposits were the primary  components of both
                  Guaranty's  and the  Peer  Group's  balance  sheets.  The Bank
                  maintains a higher proportion of overall loans receivable than
                  the  Peer  Group,   offset  by  a  lower  level  of  cash  and
                  investments and investment in MBS.  Guaranty reported a higher
                  level of  diversification  into  higher  credit  risk types of
                  loans  relative  to the Peer  Group,  and the Bank  intends to
                  continue loan portfolio diversification. The Peer Group relied
                  on borrowed
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.3
               funds  to  a  greater  extent  than  the  Bank,  although  retail
               deposits comprised the major portion of  the  respective  funding
               needs.

          o    Credit Risk. Guaranty maintains  comparable levels of NPAs/assets
               and NPLs/loans  ratios, a higher credit risk profile and a higher
               risk-weighted  assets  ratio.  Further,  the  Bank  has a  higher
               loans/assets  ratio than the Peer  Group.  The Bank  maintains  a
               relatively  higher proportion of construction and commercial real
               estate loans in portfolio in  comparison  to the Peer Group.  The
               Bank's reserve coverage ratios are higher than the Peer Group.

          o    Liquidity.   Guaranty  maintained  a  lower  level  of  cash  and
               investments and MBS than the Peer Group. The Bank's proportion of
               cash and  investments  is likely to  initially  increase on a pro
               forma basis.  Borrowings  were utilized to a higher degree by the
               Peer Group,  and both maintain  ample  borrowings  capacity.  The
               Bank's loans meet secondary market  standards for sale.  Overall,
               Guaranty  appears to have less balance sheet  liquidity  than the
               Peer Group.

          o    Capital.  While the Bank  maintains a lower  capital  position in
               relation to the Peer Group,  following the infusion of conversion
               proceeds,  the Bank's capital  position is expected to exceed the
               Peer Group  average.  As a result,  the Bank is  expected to have
               more leverage  capacity than the Peer Group. The Bank's pro forma
               return on equity ("ROE") is not expected to exceed the Peer Group
               average due to lower profitability.

         On balance,  RP Financial  applied a moderate  downward  adjustment for
financial condition.


2.       Profitability, Growth and Viability of Earnings
         -----------------------------------------------

         Earnings are an important factor in determining pro forma market value,
as the level and risk  characteristics  of an institution's  earnings stream and
the prospects  and ability to generate  future  earnings are  typically  heavily
factored  into an  investment  decision.  The  historical  income  statements of
Guaranty and the Peer Group were  generally  reflective of  traditional  savings
institution  operating  strategies,  with  net  interest  income  and  operating
expenses being the major  determinants of their  respective  core earnings.  The
specific factors considered in the valuation include:

          o    Reported  Earnings.  The Bank reported net income of 0.60 percent
               of average  assets for the most recent twelve month period versus
               earnings of 0.74 percent for the Peer Group.  The differential in
               reported earnings is due to the Bank's higher operating expenses,
               offset by a higher level of net interest income.

          o    Core Earnings.  The Bank maintains a slightly less favorable core
               earnings posture relative to the Peer Group, as both the Bank and
               Peer Group's  earnings  were  affected by the payment of the SAIF
               assessment  fee  in the  September  30,  1996  period.  The  Bank
               operated  with a higher level of net interest  income,  a similar
               level  of  non-interest   operating  income  and  less  favorable
               operating  expenses than the Peer Group,  along with a comparable
               effective tax rate.  While  redeployment  of conversion  proceeds
               into  interest-earning   assets  should  enhance  Guaranty's  net
               interest income,  operating expenses for the Bank are expected to
               increase  as  well.  On  a  pro  forma  basis,   Guaranty's  core
               profitability is expected to exceed that of the Peer Group.



<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.4


          o    Interest Rate Risk.  Guaranty's NPV analysis  measures  indicated
               moderate exposure to rising interest rates. Although gap data was
               not  available  for the Peer Group,  other  analyses  indicated a
               comparable  advantage for the Peer Group.  The pro forma increase
               in the  IEA/IBL  ratio  can be  expected  to  reduce  the  Bank's
               interest rate risk exposure.

          o    Credit Risk.  Loss  provisions had a lower impact on the earnings
               of the Bank in comparison  to the Peer Group.  In terms of credit
               quality  related  losses,  the  Bank  maintained  higher  reserve
               coverage  ratios as a percent of loans  receivable,  non-accruing
               loans and total NPAs. The Bank's  concentration on lending in the
               areas of  construction  and commercial  real estate exposes it to
               potentially greater credit risk than the Peer Group, which adds a
               higher  risk of earnings  volatility  relative to the Peer Group.
               The Bank's loan  portfolio  has increased in recent fiscal years,
               adding a level of unseasoned loans to the portfolio.

          o    Earnings  Growth  Potential.  Several  factors were considered in
               assessing  earnings  growth  potential.  Guaranty's  recent  loan
               demand has been in excess of available funds, requiring the third
               party borrowings and a liquidity  reduction.  Although the higher
               expected  pro forma  capital  position  is expected to enable the
               Bank to continue on a growth  pattern,  expectations of continued
               growth in operating  expenses and the uncertain cost of acquiring
               new  deposit  funds for  lending  result in the  Bank's  earnings
               appearing to have less upside potential than the Peer Group.

          o    Return on  Equity.  On a pro forma  basis  the  Bank's  pro forma
               return on equity will be lower to the Peer Group average,  as the
               pro forma  profitability  is  measured  against  a  comparatively
               higher  capital  position.  Overall,  RP Financial  made a slight
               downward  adjustment for  profitability,  growth and viability of
               earnings.


3.       Asset Growth
         ------------

         The Bank's asset growth in recent  periods,  which has been achieved by
utilizing borrowed funds as deposits have declined, has been less favorable than
the Peer Group's.  The Bank has been able to improve the net interest  margin in
recent  periods,  although there remains upward pressure on funding costs due to
the need to raise additional funds for lending  operations.  The Bank intends to
continue to grow in future  periods,  and is expected to have  adequate  capital
post-conversion  to support such growth.  We concluded  that no  adjustment  was
warranted for the Bank's asset growth potential.


4.       Primary Market Area
         -------------------

         The general condition of a financial  institution's  market area has an
impact on value, as future success is in part dependent upon  opportunities  for
profitable  activities in the local market area. Summary demographic and deposit
market  share data for the Bank and the Peer Group is included in Table 4.1. The
Bank's market area of Springfield  and Greene  County,  Missouri is an urban and
rural market that has been  experiencing  increases in population and households
in recent years, while the Peer Group companies operate

<PAGE>
                                    Table 4.1
                   Peer Group Market Area Comparative Analysis
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                         Per Capita Income 
                                                                                                         -----------------
                                                  Population    Proj.                                                      Deposit
                                                 -------------  Pop.    1990-97  1997-2002                        % State  Market
Institution                      County           1990  1997    2002   % Change  % Change   Median Age    Amount  Average  Share(1) 
- -----------                      ------           ----  ----    ----   --------  --------   ----------    ------  -------  -------- 
                                                  (000) (000)

<S>                              <C>              <C>   <C>     <C>    <C>        <C>         <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>  
Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO         Clinton            17    18      20     10.8%      6.7%        36.8      15,721    89.0%     39.4%
Capital Savings Bancorp of MO    Cole               64    69      72      8.3%      5.3%        35.5      19,705   111.6%      5.8%
CNS Bancorp of MO                Cole               64    69      72      8.3%      5.3%        35.5      19,705   111.6%      4.0%
First Bancshares of MO           Wright             17    20      22     18.4%     10.7%        36.9      10,145    57.4%     30.0%
Hardin Bancorp of Hardin, MO     Ray                22    23      23      4.1%      2.7%        36.5      15,618    88.4%     22.0%
Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO   Lafayette          31    32      33      4.4%      2.9%        36.8      14,300    81.0%      9.4%
MBLA Financial Corp. of MO       Macon              15    15      15     -1.2%     -0.8%        40.2      13,799    78.1%     25.7%
NS&L Bancorp of Neosho, MO       Newton             44    48      51      8.6%      5.4%        36.5      14,804    83.8%     15.4%
Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO       Perry              17    18      18      5.4%      3.6%        35.9      16,145    91.4%     22.0%
Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO    Butler             39    40      41      4.0%      2.6%        38.0      12,411    70.3%     14.1%
                                                    --    --      --      ---       ---         ----      ------    ----      ---- 

                                     Averages:      33    35      37      7.1%      4.4%        36.9      15,235    86.3%     18.8%
                                      Medians:      27    28      28      6.9%      4.4%        36.7      14,959    86.1%     18.7%

Guaranty FS&LA of MO             Greene            208   225     237      8.3%      5.3%        34.7     $16,955    96.0%      5.2%
</TABLE>

(1)  Total  institution  deposits  in  headquarters  county as  percent of total
     county deposits, excluding Credit Unions.

Sources:  CACI, Inc, SNL Securities


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.5


on average in smaller and slower growing  markets.  The per capita income in the
Bank's  market is above the  average  of the  primary  markets of the Peer Group
members and the median age in  Guaranty's  market is lower.  The Bank's share of
market area deposits is considerably lower than the average position of the Peer
Group  institutions  in their primary market areas,  which indicates a potential
for the Bank to increase  deposits and market share.  This also indicates that a
number of larger  competitors  also operate in the market area.  On balance,  RP
Financial  concluded  that a slight upward  adjustment  was warranted for market
area.


5.       Dividends
         ---------

         As stated in the  Holding  Company's  offering  circular,  the  Holding
Company  intends  to  implement  a cash  dividend  policy  during the first full
quarter following  consummation of the conversion at an estimated annual rate of
3.0 percent,  or $0.30 annually on an estimated  $10.00 share price,  to be paid
semi-annually.  The ability to pay a dividend will be based on numerous  factors
including growth  objectives,  financial  condition,  the amount of net proceeds
retained  by the Holding  Company in the  conversion,  investment  opportunities
available   to  the   Holding   Company   and  the  Bank,   profitability,   tax
considerations,  minimum capital  requirements,  regulatory  limitations,  stock
market characteristics and general economic conditions.

         Historically,  savings  institutions  typically  have  not  established
dividend  policies at the time of their  conversion  to stock  ownership.  Newly
converted  institutions,  in general,  have preferred to gain market  seasoning,
establish an earnings track record and more fully invest the conversion proceeds
before establishing a dividend policy.  However, during the late 1980s and early
1990s, with negative publicity  surrounding  savings  institutions,  there was a
tendency for more institutions to initiate moderate dividend policies concurrent
with their conversion as a means of increasing the  attractiveness  of the stock
offering.  Today,  fewer  institutions  are  compelled  to  initially  establish
dividend  policies at the time of their  conversion  offering  to  increase  the
attractiveness  of the stock issue as: (1) industry  profitability has improved,
(2) the number of problem thrift  institutions  has declined,  and (3) the stock
market cycle for thrift  stocks is generally  more  favorable  than in the early
1990s.  At the same time,  with ROE ratios  under  pressure,  due to high equity
levels,  well-capitalized  institutions  are  subject to  increased  competitive
pressures  to offer  dividends  and a number  of  institutions  have  instituted
special dividends.

         As   publicly-traded   savings   institution's   capital   levels   and
profitability have improved and as weakened institutions have been resolved, the
proportion of  institutions  with cash dividend  policies has increased.  All 10
institutions  in the Peer Group  presently  pay  regular  cash  dividends,  with
implied  dividend yields ranging from 0.83 percent to 2.85 percent.  The average
dividend yield on the stocks of the Peer Group  institutions was 1.93 percent as
of September 5, 1997,  representing  an average  earnings  payout ratio of 38.89
percent.  As of September 5, 1997,  approximately 84 percent of all SAIF-insured
savings institutions had adopted cash
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.7


dividend  policies  (see  Exhibit  IV-1),  exhibiting  an average  yield of 1.98
percent  and an average  payout  ratio of 41.26  percent.  The  dividend  paying
institutions  generally  maintain  higher  than  average  profitability  ratios,
facilitating  their  ability  to pay cash  dividends,  which  supports  a market
pricing premium on average  relative to non-dividend  paying  institutions.

         The  Holding   Company's   ability  following  the  completion  of  the
conversion  to pay a dividend  would  appear to be similar  relative to the Peer
Group  based on higher pro forma  capital and  earnings.  The  Company's  stated
intention to implement a dividend  shortly after completion of the conversion is
a favorable  comparison  to the Peer Group  companies  and thus no adjustment is
warranted for this valuation factor.


6.       Liquidity of the Shares
         -----------------------

         The Peer Group is by definition  composed of companies  that are traded
in the public markets, all of which trade on the NASDAQ system.  Typically,  the
number of shares outstanding and market capitalization provides an indication of
how  much  liquidity   there  will  be  in  a  particular   stock.   The  market
capitalization  of the Peer Group  companies  ranged from $13.3 million to $46.6
million as of September 5, 1997,  with an average market value of $25.2 million.
The shares  outstanding of the Peer Group members ranged from 0.7 million to 2.6
million,  with average shares  outstanding  of  approximately  1.4 million.  The
Bank's pro forma market value is expected to exceed the  comparative  Peer Group
averages,  and  shares  outstanding  will also be higher.  The  Bank's  stock is
expected to be listed on the NASDAQ National Market System, and accordingly,  we
anticipate  the  liquidity  of the Bank's  shares will be similar to that of the
Peer Group on average,  and thus there has been no valuation  adjustment applied
for this factor.


7.       Marketing of the Issue
         ----------------------

         We believe that five separate  markets  exists for savings  institution
stocks  coming to market  such as  Guaranty:  (A) the  after-market  for  public
companies,  in which trading  activity is regular and  investment  decisions are
made based upon financial condition,  earnings,  capital, ROE and dividends; (B)
the new issue market in which  converting  thrifts are evaluated on the basis of
the same factors but on a pro forma basis without the benefit of a stock trading
history and reporting  quarterly  operating results as a publicly-held  company;
(C) the market for second step  conversions by MHCs; (D) the acquisition  market
for  savings  institution  franchises  in  Missouri;  and (E) the market for the
public stock of Guaranty.  All of these markets were considered in the valuation
of the Bank's second step conversion.



<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.8


         A.       Public Market
                  -------------

         The value of publicly-traded thrift stocks is easily measurable, and is
tracked  by most  investment  houses and  related  organizations.  Exhibit  IV-1
provides pricing and financial data on all publicly-traded  thrifts. In general,
thrift stock values react to market stimuli such as interest  rates,  inflation,
perceived industry health, projected rates of economic growth, regulatory issues
and stock market conditions in general.  Exhibit IV-2 displays  historical stock
market  trends for various  indices and  includes  historical  stock price index
values for thrifts and commercial banks.  Exhibit IV-3 displays historical stock
price indices for thrifts only.

         In terms of assessing general stock market conditions, the stock market
has  generally  trended  higher  over the past year.  The stock  market  rose in
early-September  1996, as investors  reacted  positively  to the inflation  data
contained in the August employment report. Oil stocks sustained the upward trend
in the stock market in early-September 1996, as renewed tension between the U.S.
and Iraq pushed crude oil prices to their highest level in five years. Both bond
and stock  prices  surged  higher as most of the  economic  data for August 1996
indicated that the economy was slowing down and investors became more optimistic
that the Federal Reserve would not raise interest rates in September 1996.

         The  Federal  Reserve's  decision  not to raise  interest  rates at its
September 1996 meeting,  and generally  healthy third quarter  earnings  results
sustained  the upward  momentum in the stock market  during the beginning of the
fourth  quarter.  Favorable  inflation  data and lower  interest  rates  further
spurred the upward trend in the stock market  prior to the  election.  Investors
were cheered by the "status quo" election  results,  as stocks rallied  strongly
immediately  following  the  election  with the  DJIA  posting  ten  consecutive
advances  through  mid-November.  Economic  stability  and a rising  bond market
sustained  the stock  market rally  through the end of November.  For the entire
month of November,  the DJIA increased 492.3 points,  or 8.2 percent.  Following
the rapid rise in the stock market during November,  stocks retreated during the
first half of December. Profit taking, concern about speculative excesses in the
stock market and higher  interest  rates all  contributed  to the decline in the
stock market.

         The stock market resumed an upward trend during the end of 1996 and the
first three weeks of 1997, with the DJIA  establishing  several new highs in the
process.  Factors  contributing  to the rally in the stock  market  included the
Federal  Reserve's  decision to leave rates  unchanged at its December  meeting,
economic data which reflected  moderate growth and low inflation,  and favorable
fourth quarter  earnings  particularly  in the  technology  sector.  However,  a
disappointing  fourth quarter  earnings  report by IBM ignited a sell-off in the
stock market in  late-January.  Higher interest rates extended the downturn,  as
the 30-year bond approached 7.0 percent at the end of January.  A high degree of
market  volatility  was evident  throughout  most of February  1997,  reflecting
concern over speculative excesses in the stock market; particularly, as the DJIA

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.9


closed above the 7000 mark in mid-February.  Profit taking, growing expectations
of a correction and comments by the Federal  Reserve  Chairman pulled the market
lower in late-February.

         Following a downturn in  late-February  1997,  the market  recovered in
early-March.  Despite  increasing  expectations  of an interest rate hike by the
Federal  Reserve,  the Dow Jones  Industrial  Average  ("DJIA")  closed to a new
record high of 7085.16 on March 11,  1997.  However,  an upward  revision to the
January retail sales figure  triggered a one day sell-off in stocks and bonds on
March 13, 1997, as the stronger than expected growth heightened  expectations of
an interest rate increase by the Federal  Reserve.  Unease over higher  interest
rates,  profitability  concerns in the technology sector and litigation concerns
for tobacco stocks pulled the stock market lower in mid-March.  As expected, the
Federal  Reserve  increased the rate on short-term  funds by 0.25 percent at its
late-March  meeting.  Following  the rate  increase,  the  sell-off in the stock
market became more severe amid further signs of an accelerating economy.  Stocks
bottomed-out  on news of a stronger than  expected rise in core producer  prices
for March,  with the DJIA closing at 6391.69 on April 11,  1997,  or 9.8 percent
below its all-time high recorded a month ago.

         Some favorable  first quarter  earnings  reports and news of a possible
settlement  by tobacco  companies  to resolve the threat of  liability  lawsuits
provided  for a modest  recovery  in the stock  market  in  mid-April  1997.  In
late-April,  the  release of economic  data which  indicated  mild  inflationary
pressures  furthered  the  rally  in bond  and  stock  prices.  News of a budget
agreement  and a favorable  ruling for tobacco  companies  sent the stock market
soaring  to record  highs in  early-May.  Mixed  economic  data and the  Federal
Reserve's  decision to leave its target for the federal-funds  rate unchanged at
its May meeting  sustained a positive  trend in the stock market through the end
of  May.  Profit  worries  caused  a  sell-off  in  high-technology   stocks  in
early-June,  while  declining  interest  rates served to  stabilize  the broader
market.  The stock market rose during late June,  July and early August based on
positive  consumer  confidence,  little sign of  inflation  with  continued  low
unemployment rates, and continued strong second quarter earnings reports.  After
reaching  an all time  high of  8259.31  on August 6,  1997,  the DJIA  suffered
declines  of 157  points on August 8, 101 points on August 12, and 247 points on
August 15, 1997 to close at 7694.66 as of that date, a decline of 6.8 percent in
less than two weeks.  Through September 5, 1997, the stock market has followed a
fluctuating  trend,  as the market has reacted to investor  fears of  inflation,
public  statements  regarding  the  health of the  economy by  regional  federal
reserve bank presidents,  and an overall  perception that the market had reached
excessive levels,  leading to certain  profit-taking.  On September 5, 1997, the
DJIA closed at 7822.41, an increase of 38.2 percent from one year ago.

         Similar to the overall stock  market,  the market for thrift stocks has
generally been favorable during the past twelve months,  as a bullish outlook on
the financial  institution  sector in general served to bolster  prices.  Thrift
stocks   settled  into  a  narrow   trading  range  in   late-August   1996  and
early-September 1996,
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.10


as higher interest rates dampened interest in the thrift sector. For the balance
of  September,  trading  activity in thrift  stocks was somewhat  mixed.  Higher
thrift prices were recorded in  mid-September,  as the yield on the 30-year U.S.
Treasury bond briefly dropped below 7.0 percent. However, the rally in financial
services  stocks  faltered in  late-September,  reflecting  renewed  fears about
higher interest rates and rising bad debt on credit cards.

         Thrift prices  generally moved higher during October and November 1996.
The upward trend in thrift prices was supported by lower  interest  rates,  with
the slow down in economic  growth  pushing the 30-year U.S.  bond rate below 6.5
percent during the second half of November. Investors also reacted positively to
the SAIF rescue  legislation,  in light of the  reduction  in deposit  insurance
premiums  to be paid by  SAIF-insured  thrifts  following  the one time  special
assessment.  Similar to the overall stock market,  thrift prices traded lower in
early-December.  Profit taking and  expectations  of higher  interest rates were
factors contributing to the pull back in thrift issues.

         Bullish  sentiment  for thrift  stocks  heightened  at the beginning of
1997,  as investors  reacted  positively  to the  favorable  inflation  data and
generally strong fourth quarter earnings.  The rally in thrift issues was driven
by the large California  institutions,  reflecting expectations that there would
be further  consolidation  among the large California  thrifts.  The acquisition
speculation for the large  California  thrifts became a reality in mid-February,
as H.F.  Ahamanson's  unsolicited  offer to acquire Great Western Financial sent
the SNL Index soaring in  mid-February.  Stable  interest rates and  acquisition
activity  supported  higher  thrift  prices in  early-March,  with the SNL Index
posting a new high of 579.1 on March 11, 1997. Like the stock market in general,
the peak in thrift  prices was  followed by a sharp  sell-off in  mid-March.  In
fact,  interest-rate  sensitive issues were among the sectors hardest hit by the
revised January retail sales report, as the 30-year bond approached 7.0 percent.
Interest-rate  sensitive  issues  continued to  experience  selling  pressure in
late-March and early-April,  as signs of a strengthening economy pushed interest
rates  higher.  The sell-off in thrift  stocks  culminated on April 11, 1997, as
interest  rates  increased  sharply on news of the higher than  expected rise in
core  producer  prices  for  March.  Thrift  prices  edged  modestly  higher  in
mid-April,  reflecting  generally  favorable first quarter earnings and a slight
decline in interest  rates  following  the release of economic data which showed
that  inflation  was low.  Favorable  inflation  data and the  budget  agreement
provided  for a more  substantial  rally in  thrift  stocks  in  late-April  and
early-May,  as  interest-rate  sensitive  issues were  bolstered by a decline in
interest rates.  Thrift stocks  continued to trend higher through the second and
third quarters of 1997, based on the improved  interest-rate  outlook,  consumer
confidence  and the  overall  rise in the  stock  market.  The SNL Index for all
publicly-traded  thrifts  closed at 692.6 on September  5, 1997,  an increase of
68.6 percent from one year ago.



<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.11


         B.       The New Issue Market
                  --------------------

         In addition to thrift stock market conditions in general, the new issue
market for converting thrifts is also an important  consideration in determining
the Bank's pro forma  market  value.  There was  generally  strong  interest  in
converting issues during the second half of 1996, as most offerings  experienced
oversubscriptions.  Fewer  offerings,  more attractive  pricing,  lower interest
rates,  and the  general  positive  trend in thrift  prices  were among the most
prominent  factors  contributing  to the investor  interest shown for converting
thrift issues. The favorable market environment for converting thrift issues has
generally been  sustained  during the first three quarters of 1997 and there has
been an increase in the number of conversion offerings completed during the past
three  months in  comparison  to previous  periods.  As shown in Table 4.2,  the
median one week change in price for offerings  completed during the latest three
months equaled positive 46.3 percent.

         In  examining  the  current  pricing  characteristics  of  institutions
completing  their  conversions  during the last three months (see Table 4.3), we
note there exists a considerable  difference in pricing  ratios  compared to the
universe of all publicly-traded thrifts.  Specifically,  the current average P/B
ratio of the  conversions  completed  in the most recent  three month  period of
117.29  percent  reflects a discount of 19.67 percent from the average P/B ratio
of all publicly-traded  savings institutions (equal to 146.01 percent),  and the
average  core P/E ratio of 32.83 times  reflects a premium of 76.4  percent from
the all public average core P/E ratio of 18.61 times.  The pricing ratios of the
better  capitalized but lower earning recently  converted  savings  institutions
(based on return on equity measures)  suggest that the investment  community has
determined to discount  their stocks on a book basis until the earnings  improve
through redeployment and leveraging of the proceeds over the longer term.

         In determining our valuation  adjustment for marketing of the issue, we
considered  trends in both the overall  savings  institution  market and the new
issue market. The overall market for savings institution stocks is considered to
be positive,  as savings  institution  stocks are currently  exhibiting  pricing
ratios that are in the range of historically  high levels.  Investor interest in
the new issue  market  has been  favorable,  as most of the  recently  completed
offerings have been  oversubscribed and have recorded price increases in initial
post-conversion trading activity.



<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
September 5, 1997

         ---------------------------------------------------------------        
                                    Table 4.2
                     Recent Conversions (Last Three Months)
           Conversion Pricing Characteristics: Sorted Chronologically
         ---------------------------------------------------------------        
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Institutional Information                          Pre-Conversion Data                                             
                                                            ----------------------------------       Offering     Insider Purchases 
                                                            Financial Info.     Asset Quality       Information                     
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------------- --------------------  ------------------
                                                                                                                  Benefit Plans     
                                                                                                                  -----------       
                                       Conversion                   Equity/   NPAs/    Res.  Gross    % of Exp./       Recog. Mgmt. 
Institution                   State      Date       Ticker  Assets  Assets    Assets   Cov.  Proc.    Mid. Proc.  ESOP Plans & Dirs.
- -----------                   -----      ----       ------  ------  ------    ------   ----  -----    ---- -----  ---- ----- -------
                                                            ($Mil)   (%)      (%)(2)    (%)  ($Mil)    (%)  (%)    (%)  (%)  (%)(3) 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                             <C>      <C>        <C>      <C>    <C>      <C>       <C>   <C>     <C>   <C>    <C>  <C>   <C>    
WSB Holding Company             PA       08/29/97   WSBH      $33    6.04%    2.34%     26%   $3.3    132%  8.5%   8.0% 4.0%  31.0% 
Bayonne Bancshares (8)          NJ       08/22/97   FSNJ      577    8.33%    0.81%     53%   48.7    132%  3.8%   8.0% 4.0%  10.0% 
FirstSpartan Fin. Corp.         SC  *    07/09/97   FSPT      388   11.81%    0.75%     44%   88.6    132%  1.6%   8.0% 4.0%   1.5% 
GSB Financial Corp.             NY       07/09/97   GOSB       96   12.68%    0.07%    188%   22.5    132%  4.1%   8.0% 4.0%   2.6% 
FirstBank Corp.                 ID  *    07/02/97   FBNW      138    8.00%    0.99%     68%   19.8    132%  3.5%   8.0% 4.0%   8.2% 
Montgomery Fin. Corp.(8)        IN       07/01/97   MONT       94    9.83%    0.91%     20%   11.9    132%  4.5%   8.0% 4.0%   4.6% 
Community First Bankg. Corp.    GA       07/01/97   CFBC      366    7.02%    1.68%     40%   48.3    132%  2.9%   8.0% 4.0%   1.0% 
First Robinson Fin. Corp.(9)    IL       06/30/97   FRFC       72    6.78%    0.63%     89%    8.6    132%  4.7%   8.0% 4.0%   9.8% 
Security Bancorp                TN       06/30/97   P./Sheet   46    5.46%    0.06%     NM     4.4    132%  6.9%   8.0% 4.0%   2.0% 
Sistersville Bancorp            WV       06/30/97   P./Sheet   27   17.91%    0.31%    198%    6.6    110%  6.8%   8.0% 4.0%   5.4% 

                                                    Averages:$184    9.39%    0.86%     81%  $26.3    130%  4.7%   8.q%        7.6% 
                                                     Medians:  95    8.17%    0.78%     53%  $15.9    132%  4.3%   8.0% 4.0%   5.0% 

                               Averages, Excluding 2nd Steps $146    9.46%    0.85%     93%   25.3    130%  4.9%   8.0% 4.0%   7.7% 
                               Medians, Excluding 2nd Steps   $84    7.51%    0.69%     68%  $14.2    132%  4.4%   8.0% 4.0%   4.0% 
</TABLE>

         ---------------------------------------------------------------        
                                    Table 4.2
                     Recent Conversions (Last Three Months)
           Conversion Pricing Characteristics: Sorted Chronologically
         ---------------------------------------------------------------        
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>





- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Institutional Information                                 Pro Forma Data                     
                                                            -------------------------------------------       
                                                               Pricing Ratios(4)  Fin. Characteristics        
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------       
                                                                                                              
                                                                                                              
                                       Conversion                                                        IPO  
Institution                   State      Date       Ticker   P/TB     P/E(5)   P/A   ROA    TE/A  ROE   Price 
- -----------                   -----      ----       ------   ----     ------   ---   ---    ----  ---   ----- 
                                                              (%)       (x)    (%)   (%)     (%)  (%)    ($)  
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                             <C>      <C>        <C>     <C>       <C>    <C>    <C>    <C>   <C>   <C>    
WSB Holding Company             PA       08/29/97   WSBH     71.4%     16.6   9.2%   0.6%   12.9% 4.3%  $10.00
Bayonne Bancshares (8)          NJ       08/22/97   FSNJ    100.9%     NM    14.6%    NM    14.4%  NM    10.00
FirstSpartan Fin. Corp.         SC  *    07/09/97   FSPT     72.4%     17.3  19.1%   1.1%   26.3% 4.2%   20.00
GSB Financial Corp.             NY       07/09/97   GOSB     72.5%     22.5  19.6%   0.9%   27.1% 3.2%   10.00
FirstBank Corp.                 ID  *    07/02/97   FBNW     71.4%     22.8  12.9%   0.6%   18.0% 3.1%   10.00
Montgomery Fin. Corp.(8)        IN       07/01/97   MONT     89.1%     24.1  16.0%   0.7%   17.9% 3.7%   10.00
Community First Bankg. Corp.    GA       07/01/97   CFBC     72.3%     24.5  11.9%   0.5%   16.4% 2.9%   20.00
First Robinson Fin. Corp.(9)    IL       06/30/97   FRFC     71.4%     16.7  10.9%   0.7%   15.2% 4.3%   10.00
Security Bancorp                TN       06/30/97   P./Sheet 72.0%     14.1   8.8%   0.6%   12.2% 5.1%   10.00
Sistersville Bancorp            WV       06/30/97   P./Sheet 65.0%     18.9  20.6%   1.1%   31.6% 3.4%   10.00

                                                    Average  75.8%     19.7  14.3%   0.7%   19.2% 3.8%  $12.00
                                                     Median  72.1%     18.9  13.7%   0.7%   17.2% 3.6%  $10.00

                               Averages, Excluding 2nd Steps 71.1%     19.2  14.1%   0.7%   20.0% 3.8%  $11.25
                               Medians, Excluding 2nd Steps  71.7%     18.1  12.4%   0.6%   17.2% 3.8%  $10.00
</TABLE>






        ---------------------------------------------------------------        
                                    Table 4.2
                     Recent Conversions (Last Three Months)
           Conversion Pricing Characteristics: Sorted Chronologically
         ---------------------------------------------------------------        
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Institutional Information                              Post-IPO Pricing Trends
                                                                ---------------------------------------------
                                                                              Closing Price:
- ------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
                                                                       
                                                                First           After         After
                                       Conversion              Trading    %     First    %    First     %
Institution                   State      Date       Ticker      Day    Chg.   Week(6)  Chg.  Month(7)  Chg.
- -----------                   -----      ----       ------      ---    ----   -------  ----  --------  ----
                                                                ($)     (%)     ($)     (%)   ($)      (%)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                             <C>      <C>        <C>       <C>      <C>    <C>     <C>    <C>     <C>  
WSB Holding Company             PA       08/29/97   WSBH       $13.50   35.0%  $14.50  45.0%  $14.50  45.0%
Bayonne Bancshares (8)          NJ       08/22/97   FSNJ        11.75   17.5%   11.88  18.8%   12.50  25.0%
FirstSpartan Fin. Corp.         SC  *    07/09/97   FSPT        36.69   83.4%   36.62  83.1%   35.63  78.1%
GSB Financial Corp.             NY       07/09/97   GOSB        14.63   46.3%   14.75  47.5%   14.38  43.8%
FirstBank Corp.                 ID  *    07/02/97   FBNW        15.81   58.1%   15.56  55.6%   17.88  78.8%
Montgomery Fin. Corp.(8)        IN       07/01/97   MONT        11.13   11.2%   11.25  12.5%   11.75  17.5%
Community First Bankg. Corp.    GA       07/01/97   CFBC        31.88   59.4%   33.00  65.0%   34.25  71.3%
First Robinson Fin. Corp.(9)    IL       06/30/97   FRFC        14.50   45.0%   14.38  43.8%   16.50  65.0%
Security Bancorp                TN       06/30/97   P./Sheet    14.50   45.0%   15.00  50.0%   15.25  52.5%
Sistersville Bancorp            WV       06/30/97   P./Sheet    13.75   37.5%   13.88  38.8%   14.00  40.0%

                                                    Averages:  $17.81   43.8%  $18.08  46.0%  $18.66  51.7%
                                                     Medians:  $14.50   45.0%  $14.63  46.3%  $14.88  48.8%

                               Averages, Excluding 2nd Steps   $19.41   51.2%  $19.71  53.6%  $20.30  59.3%
                               Medians, Excluding 2nd Steps    $14.56   45.6%  $14.88  48.8%  $15.88  58.8%



Note: * - Appraisal performed by RP Financial; "NT" - Not Traded; "NA" - Not Applicable, Not Available.
(1) Non-OTS regulated thrifts.                                 September 5, 1997
(2) As reported in summary pages of prospectus.
(3) As reported in prospectus.
(4) Does not take into account the adoption of SOP 93-6.
(5) Excludes impact of special SAIF assessment on earnings
(6) Latest price if offering less than one week old.
(7) Latest price if offering more than one week but less than one month old.
(8) Second-step conversions.
(9) Simultaneously converted to commercial bank charter.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


<PAGE>
RP FINANCIAL, LC.
- -----------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 528-1700 


                                   Table 4.3
                           Market Pricing Comparatives
                         Prices As of September 5, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              Per Share Data
                                                 Market      ---------------
                                             Capitalization   Core    Book              Pricing Ratios(3)            
                                             ---------------                 --------------------------------------- 
                                             Price/   Market  12-Mth  Value/                                         
                                                                                                                     
     Financial Institution                  Share(1)   Value  EPS(2)  Share     P/E     P/B    P/A     P/TB  P/CORE  
     ---------------------                  --------   -----  ------  -----     ---     ---    ---     ----  ------  
                                                ($)   ($Mil)    ($)     ($)     (X)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (x)  

 
<S>                                           <C>     <C>      <C>    <C>     <C>    <C>      <C>    <C>      <C>    
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                     22.42   156.65   1.15   15.71   21.17  141.84   17.73  146.01   18.61  
     Special Selection Grouping(8)            22.77    65.54   0.70   19.07   27.88  116.96   24.47  117.29   28.57  


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Special Comparative Group(8)
     ----------------------------
     CFBC  Community First Bnkg Co. of GA     34.38    82.99   1.06   28.74      NM  119.62   18.42  121.27      NM  
     FBNW  FirstBank Corp of Clarkston WA     17.37    34.46   0.44   14.00      NM  124.07   22.38  124.07      NM  
     FSPT  FirstSpartan Fin. Corp. of SC      35.62   157.80   1.16   27.63      NM  128.92   33.93  128.92      NM  
     GOSB  GSB Financial Corp. of NY          14.50    32.60   0.44   13.78   27.88  105.22   28.48  105.22      NM  
     MONT  Montgomery Fin. Corp. of IN        12.00    19.84   0.42   11.22      NM  106.95   19.16  106.95   28.57  

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     
                                     
                                            Dividends(4)                Financial Characteristics(6)   
                                      ----------------------- -------------------------------------------------------
                                      Amount/         Payout   Total  Equity/  NPAs/     Reported         Core       
                                                                                      ________________ _______________
     Financial Institution            Share    Yield Ratio(5) Assets  Assets  Assets    ROA     ROE     ROA     ROE
     ---------------------            -----    ----- -------- ------  ------  ------    ---     ---     ---     ---
                                         ($)     (%)     (%)   ($Mil)     (%)    (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)

 
<S>                                      <C>    <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C> 
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts                0.37   1.71   29.68   1,156   12.88    0.79    0.53    5.46    0.75    7.52
     Special Selection Grouping(8)       0.00   0.00    0.00     258   20.95    1.67    0.73    3.44    0.75    3.59


     Comparable Group
     ----------------

     Special Comparative Group(8)
     ----------------------------
     CFBC  Community First Bnkg Co. o    0.00   0.00    0.00     451   15.40    2.02    0.56    3.65    0.57    3.69
     FBNW  FirstBank Corp of Clarksto    0.00   0.00    0.00     154   18.04    2.07    0.70    3.86    0.57    3.14
     FSPT  FirstSpartan Fin. Corp. of    0.00   0.00    0.00     465   26.32      NA    0.95    3.62    1.11    4.20
     GOSB  GSB Financial Corp. of NY     0.00   0.00    0.00     114   27.06      NA    1.02    3.77    0.86    3.19
     MONT  Montgomery Fin. Corp. of I    0.00   0.00    0.00     104   17.91    0.91    0.42    2.32    0.67    3.74

</TABLE>

(1)  Average of High/Low or Bid/Ask price per share.
(2)  EPS (estimate  core basis) is based on actual  trailing  twelve month data,
     adjusted to omit  non-operating  items (including the SAIF assessment) on a
     tax effected basis.
(3)  P/E = Price to earnings; P/B = Price to book; P/A = Price to assets; P/TB =
     Price  to  tangible  book  value;  and  P/CORE = Price  to  estimated  core
     earnings.
(4)  Indicated twelve month dividend, based on last quarterly dividend declared.
(5)  Indicated  dividend as a percent of trailing  twelve month  estimated  core
     earnings.
(6)  ROA  (return on assets) and ROE  (return on equity)  are  indicated  ratios
     based on trailing  twelve  month  earnings  and  average  equity and assets
     balances.
(7)  Excludes  from  averages  those  companies the subject of actual or rumored
     acquisition activities or unusual operating characteristics.
(8)  Includes Converted Last 3 Mths (no MHC);


Source:  Corporate  reports,   offering   circulars,   and  RP  Financial,   LC.
         calculations.  The  information  provided  in  this  report  has   been
         obtained from sources we believe are reliable,  but we cannot guarantee
         the accuracy or completeness of such information.

Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.

<PAGE>

RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.14


         C.       Secondary Step Conversion Market
                  --------------------------------

         There  is a  pronounced  difference  in  the  pricing  of  second  step
conversions  relative to full  conversion  offerings in which 100 percent of the
shares are issued. As noted in Table 4.4, during the past 12 months,  the median
pro forma  price/tangible  book  ratios of second step  conversions  exceeded 82
percent,  as compared to the median  price/tangible book of conversions over the
last three months which just exceeds 71 percent,  perhaps reflecting the smaller
offering and some seasoning as a public  company for second steps.  Furthermore,
as shown in Table 4.5, assuming the  publicly-traded  MHCs completed second step
conversions  (utilizing  standard  assumptions  for each  MHC) at their  current
market  prices,   the  implied  median   price/tangible   book  is  computed  at
approximately 103.45 percent.

         D.       Acquisition Market
                  ------------------

         Also considered in the valuation was the potential impact on Guaranty's
stock price of recently  completed  and pending  acquisitions  of other  thrifts
operating in  Guaranty's  market area.  As shown in Exhibit  IV-4,  there were 7
Missouri savings institutions  acquired or under acquisition since the beginning
of 1996. The recent acquisition activity involving Missouri savings institutions
may imply a certain degree of acquisition  speculation  for the Bank's stock. To
the extent that acquisition  speculation may impact the Bank's offering, we have
largely taken this into account in selecting Missouri savings  institutions that
also experience a degree of acquisition speculation.

         E.       Trading in Guaranty's Stock
                  ---------------------------

         Since  Guaranty's  minority  stock  currently  trades  under the symbol
"GFED" on the NASDAQ  National  Market system,  RP Financial also considered the
recent  trading  activity in its  valuation  analysis.  Guaranty  had a total of
3,125,000  shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 1997, of which 972,365 were
held by  Public  Stockholders  and  were  traded  as  public  securities.  As of
September  5, 1997,  the Bank's  stock price was $19.12 per share.  Prior to the
announcement of the second step conversion, the shares were trading in the range
of  $15.625 to $15.75 per share.  The day the  second  step was  announced,  the
shares  increased  to a range of $15.75 to $17.25 on heavy  volume and closed at
$17.00.  We attribute  the price  increase to some  speculation  and the current
pricing  has placed it at a slight  premium to the  average  P/TB of other MHCs.
There are significant  differences  between the Bank's minority stock (currently
being  traded)  and the  conversion  stock  that will be  issued by the  Holding
Company.  Such differences include different liquidity  characteristics (the new
conversion  stock will be  significantly  more  liquid  owing to greater  public
shares available to trade),  a lower return on equity for the Holding  Company's
conversion stock, and the anticipated  difference in dividend for the conversion
stock. Since the pro forma impact has not been publicly disseminated to date, it
is appropriate to

<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
August 29, 1997


 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Table 4.4
                 Pricing Characteristics and After-Market Trends
                             Second Step Conversions
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Institutional Information                                 Pre-Conversion Data                                        
                                                              ----------------------------------------            Offering          
                                                               Financial Info.       Asset Quality                Information       
- -----------------------------------------------------------  --------------------- -------------------  --------------------------- 
                                                                                                                                    
                                       Conversion                         Equity/   NPAs/        Res.    Gross     % of       Exp./ 
Institution                State          Date       Ticker   Assets      Assets    Assets       Cov.    Proc.     Mid.      Proc.  
- -----------                -----          ----       ------   ------      ------    ------      ----     -----     ----      -----  
                                                              ($Mil)         (%)     (%)(2)      (%)     ($Mil)     (%)       (%)   
- -----------------------------------------------------------  -----------------------------------------  ----------------------------

<S>                          <C>         <C>          <C>     <C>         <C>      <C>          <C>     <C>      <C>         <C>  
Bayonne Bancshares           NJ          08/22/97     FSNJ      $577        8.33%    0.81%        53%     $48.7    132%        3.8% 
Montgomery Fin. Corp.        IN          07/01/97     MONT        94        9.83%    0.91%        20%      11.9    132%        4.5% 
Cumberland Mtn. Bncshrs.     KY    *     04/01/97     P.Sheet     92        5.14%    1.31%        19%       4.4    132%        8.0% 
Kenwood Bancorp              OH    *     07/01/96     P.Sheet     48        6.88%    0.00%        NM        1.6    102%       22.2% 
Commonwealth Bancorp         PA    *     06/17/96     CMSB     2,054        6.71%    0.51%       109%      98.7    110%        1.9% 
Westwood Financial Corp.     NJ          06/07/96     WWFC        85        7.05%    0.00%        NM        3.9     99%        9.9% 
Jacksonville Bancorp         TX          04/01/96     JXVL       198       10.47%    1.41%        36%      16.2    106%        4.4% 
North Central Bancshares     IA          03/21/96     FFFD       180       16.47%    0.17%       562%      26      106%        3.5% 
Fidelity Financial of Ohio   OH    *     03/04/96     FFOH       227       13.23%    0.50%        69%      22.8    132%        3.2% 
First Colorado Bancorp       CO    *     01/02/96     FFBA     1,400       12.71%    0.31%        20%     134.1    105%        1.9% 
Charter Financial            IL    *     12/29/95     CBSB       293       12.17%    0.27%       281%      29.2    116%        3.4% 
American Nat'l Bancorp       MD    *     11/03/95     ANBK       426        6.80%    2.23%        67%      21.8    132%        3.3% 
First Defiance Fin. Corp.    OH    *     10/02/95     FDEF       476       15.27%    0.24%       135%      64.8    132%        2.3% 
Community Bank Shares        IN    *     04/10/95     CBIN       205        7.00%    0.33%        80%      10.1    132%        4.4% 
Fed One Bancorp              WV    *     01/19/95     FOBC       305        9.2%     0.32%       142%      16.1     85%        7.7% 
Home Financial Corp.         FL    *     10/25/94     HOFL     1,005       13.4%     0.91%        44%     175.6    112%        3.1% 
Jefferson Bancorp            LA    *     08/18/94     JEBC       257        6.3%     0.9%         25%      16.1    107%        3.9% 
                                                                                              
                                                Averages:       $440        9.28%    0.62%       104%     $39.0    110%        5.1% 
                                                Medians:         257        9.25%    0.50%        67%     $21.8    112%        3.8% 
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Institutional Information                 Insider Purchases                          Pro Forma Data             
                                                                               -----------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Pricing Ratios(4)           Fin. Characteristics
- ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------  ------------------------------  ---------------------
                                                        Benefits Plan                                                     
                                  Conversion                   Recog. Mgmt.                                                        
Institution                 State    Date       Ticker   ESOP  Plans  & Dirs.   P/TB   P/E(7) P/Core    P/A      ROA  TE/A    ROE  
- -----------                 -----    ----       ------   ----  -----  -------   ----   -----  -----     ---      ---  ----    ---  
                                                         (%)   (%)     (%)(3)    (%)    (x)    (x)      (%)      (%)   (%)    (%)  
- ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------  ------------------------------  --------------------

<S>                           <C>   <C>          <C>    <C>   <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>    <C>      <C>     <C>    <C>    <C>
Bayonne Bancshares            NJ    08/22/97     FSNJ     8.0%   4.0%  10.0%   100.9%   NM      NM      14.6%   -0.5% 14.4%  -6.6% 
Montgomery Fin. Corp.         IN    07/01/97     MONT     8.0%   4.0%   4.6%    89.1%   24.1    24.1    16.0%    0.7% 17.9%   3.7% 
Cumberland Mtn. Bncshrs.      KY  * 04/01/97     P.Sheet  6.2%   4.0%   4.5%    81.2%   13.8    13.8     7.1%    0.5%  8.8%   5.9% 
Kenwood Bancorp               OH  * 07/01/96     P.Sheet  8.0%   4.0%   6.4%    67.6%   NM      NM       6.0%    0.1%  8.8%   1.7% 
Commonwealth Bancorp          PA  * 06/17/96     CMSB     8.0%   4.0%   0.1%   109.3%   12.1    12.5     8.4%    0.7%  6.7%  10.4% 
Westwood Financial Corp.      NJ    06/07/96     WWFC     0.0%   0.0%   2.5%    80.0%   10.1    10.1     7.3%    0.7%  9.2%   7.9% 
Jacksonville Bancorp          TX    04/01/96     JXVL     8.0%   4.0%   2.0%    77.7%   14.9    14.9    12.6%    0.8% 16.2%   5.2% 
North Central Bancshares      IA    03/21/96     FFFD     3.2%   0.0%   0.5%    74.2%   12.1    12.5    19.7%    1.6% 26.5%   6.1% 
Fidelity Financial of Ohio    OH  * 03/04/96     FFOH     8.0%   4.0%   5.6%    82.6%   18.1    18.1    16.6%    0.9% 20.0%   4.6% 
First Colorado Bancorp        CO  * 01/02/96     FFBA    10.0%   2.0%   2.0%    87.0%   12.7    13.4    13.2%    1.0% 15.2%   6.9% 
Charter Financial             IL  * 12/29/95     CBSB     3.3%   0.0%   0.1%    81.4%   12.3    12.3    15.5%    1.3% 19.1%   6.6% 
American Nat'l Bancorp        MD  * 11/03/95     ANBK     8.0%   4.0%   0.6%    83.9%   17.7    17.7     9.0%    0.5% 10.7%   4.7% 
First Defiance Fin. Corp.     OH  * 10/02/95     FDEF     8.0%   4.0%   0.9%    85.6%   18.2    18.2    20.6%    1.1% 24.1%   4.7% 
Community Bank Shares         IN  * 04/10/95     CBIN     8.0%   0.0%  17.9%    85.5%   10.3     9.0     9.3%    0.9% 10.9%   8.3% 
Fed One Bancorp               WV  * 01/19/95     FOBC     7.0%   4.0%   0.9%    67.9%    9.0     9.0     8.8%    1.0% 13.0%   7.6% 
Home Financial Corp.          FL  * 10/25/94     HOFL     8.0%   4.0%   0.6%    86.4%   10.6    12.4    21.3%    2.0% 24.6%   8.2% 
Jefferson Bancorp             LA  * 08/18/94     JEBC     7.0%   3.0%   1.5%    71.7%   10.2    10.2     7.9%    0.8% 11.1%   7.0% 
                                                         
                                           Averages:      6.5%   2.7%   3.4%    78.4%   12.9    13.0    11.9%    0.9% 14.3%   5.9% 
                                           Medians:       8.0%   4.0%   2.0%    82.6%   12.3    12.5    12.6%    0.8% 14.4%   6.1% 
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Institutional Information                                                   Post-IPO Pricing Trends
                                                                             ------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                Closing Price:
- -----------------------------------------------------------------            ------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             First                 After           After
                                           Conversion                  IPO   Trading    %          First      %    First     %
Institution                    State          Date       Ticker       Price    Day     Chg.       Week(5)   Chg.  Month(6)  Chg.
- -----------                    -----          ----       ------       -----    ---     ----       -------   ----   -------  ----
                                                                       ($)     ($)     (%)          ($)      (%)     ($)     (%)

<S>                              <C>   <C>   <C>          <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>         <C>      <C>      <C>     <C> 
Bayonne Bancshares               NJ          08/22/97     FSNJ       $10.00   $11.75   17.5%       $11.94    19.4%   $11.94  19.4%
Montgomery Fin. Corp.            IN          07/01/97     MONT        10.00    11.13   11.2%        11.25    12.5%    12.13  21.3%
Cumberland Mtn. Bncshrs.         KY    *     04/01/97     P.Sheet     10.00    11.88   18.8%        12.25    22.5%    12.63  26.3%
Kenwood Bancorp                  OH    *     07/01/96     P.Sheet     10.00       NT      NA           NT       NA       NT     NA
Commonwealth Bancorp             PA    *     06/17/96     CMSB        10.00    10.50    5.0%        10.75     7.5%    10.00   0.0%
Westwood Financial Corp.         NJ          06/07/96     WWFC        10.00    10.75    7.5%        10.38     3.8%    10.62   6.2%
Jacksonville Bancorp             TX          04/01/96     JXVL        10.00     9.75   -2.5%         9.63    -3.8%     9.88  -1.2%
North Central Bancshares         IA          03/21/96     FFFD        10.00    10.88    8.7%        10.69     6.9%    10.44   4.4%
Fidelity Financial of Ohio       OH    *     03/04/96     FFOH        10.00    10.50    5.0%        10.00     0.0%    10.13   1.3%
First Colorado Bancorp           CO    *     01/02/96     FFBA        10.00    11.44   14.4%        11.63    16.3%    12.00  20.0%
Charter Financial                IL    *     12/29/95     CBSB        10.00    10.81    8.1%        10.88     8.7%    11.38  13.8%
American Nat'l Bancorp           MD    *     11/03/95     ANBK        10.00     9.38   -6.3%         9.75    -2.5%     9.88  -1.2%
First Defiance Fin. Corp.        OH    *     10/02/95     FDEF        10.00    10.38    3.8%        10.31     3.1%    10.13   1.3%
Community Bank Shares            IN    *     04/10/95     CBIN        10.00    12.00   20.0%        12.75    27.5%    12.25  22.5%
Fed One Bancorp                  WV    *     01/19/95     FOBC        10.00    11.00   10.0%        11.00    10.0%    11.62  16.2%
Home Financial Corp.             FL    *     10/25/94     HOFL        10.00     9.59   -4.1%        10.00     0.0%    10.31   3.1%
Jefferson Bancorp                LA    *     08/18/94     JEBC        10.00    13.00   30.0%        14.25    42.5%    14.25  42.5%
                                                                  
                                                    Averages:         $9.44    10.28    7.3%        10.43     8.9%   $10.48  11.0%
                                                    Medians:         $10.00   $10.84    7.8%       $10.81     7.2%   $10.62   6.2%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
                                                                              
Note: "NT" - Not Traded; "NA" - Not Applicable, Not Available.
(1) Non-OTS regulated thrifts.                                  August 29, 1997
(2) As reported in summary pages of prospectus.
(3) As reported in prospectus.
(4) Does not take into account the adoption of SOP 93-6.
(5) Latest price if offering less than one week old.
(6) Latest price if offering more than one week but less than one month old.
(7) Price to core earnings if converted after 9/30/96 due to impact of SAIF 
    assessment.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>

                                    Table 4.5
        MHC INSTITUTIONS -- IMPLIED PRICING RATIOS FULL CONVERISON BASIS
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                             As of September 5, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



                                     Fully Converted                 
                                      Implied Value    Per Share(8)
                                    ----------------  ---------------
                                                                                     Pricing Ratios(3)               Dividends(4)   
                                                                     ---------------------------------------  ----------------------
                                             Implied   Core    Book                                                                 
                                    Price/   Market    12-Mth  Value/                                         Amount/       Payout  
                                    Share(1) Val(8)    EPS(2)  Share   P/E     P/B    P/A      P/TB  P/CORE    Share  Yield Ratio(5)
                                    -------- ------    ------  -----   ---     ---    ---      ----  ------    -----  ----- --------

                                      ($)     ($Mil)    ($)     ($)     (X)     (%)    (%)      (%)    (X)      ($)    (%)     (%)  


<S>                                   <C>     <C>        <C>    <C>    <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>       <C>    <C>   <C>    
SAIF-Insured Thrifts(7)
  Averages                            22.42   156.65     1.15   15.71  21.17  141.84  17.73   146.01  18.61     0.37   1.71  29.68  
  Medians                               ---      ---      ---     ---  20.96  135.79  15.79   136.99  18.08      ---    ---    ---  



Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions,
Full Conversion Basis
  Averages                            26.03   228.57     1.22   25.31  25.05  102.25  21.31   103.04  22.33     0.57   2.17  40.30  
  Medians                               ---      ---      ---     ---  26.37  103.25  20.10   103.45  21.82      ---    ---    ---  

Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions,
Full Conversion Basis

CMSV Commty. Savgs, MHC of FL (48.5)  32.75   166.70     1.47   29.62  29.50  110.57  21.60   110.57  22.28     0.90   2.75  61.22  

FFFL Fidelity FSB, MHC of FL (47.7)   27.87   188.71     1.12   24.62     NM  113.20  17.44   113.62  24.88     0.90   3.23     NM  

SKBO First Carnegie, MHC of PA (45.0) 16.50    37.95     0.56   17.83     NM   92.54  22.65    92.54  29.46     0.30   1.82  53.57  

FFSX First FS&LA, MHC of IA (46.1)    28.00    79.18     1.53   26.42  27.18  105.98  15.70   106.42  18.30     0.48   1.71  31.37  

FSLA First SB SLA MHC of NJ (47.5)    31.00   225.18     1.62   27.23  26.50  113.85  19.87   120.25  19.14     0.48   1.55  29.63  

GDVS Greater DV SB, MHC of PA (19.9)  24.50    80.16     0.87   25.13     NM   97.49  26.87    97.49  28.16     0.36   1.47  41.38  

HARS Harris SB, MHC of PA (24.3)      44.25   496.62     1.75   42.74  28.55  103.53  21.04   108.16  25.29     0.58   1.31  33.14  

JXSB Jcksnville SB, MHC of IL (45.6)  22.50    28.62     1.07   23.71     NM   94.90  16.28    94.90  21.03     0.40   1.78  37.38  

LFED Leeds FSB, MHC of MD (36.3)      30.25   104.51     1.34   29.38  28.27  102.96  30.94   102.96  22.57     0.76   2.51  56.72  

NWSB Northwest SB, MHC of PA (30.7)   25.87   604.74     1.23   23.55  26.13  109.85  24.75   112.19  21.03     0.32   1.24  26.02  

PBCT Peoples Bank, MHC of CT (40.1)   29.19  1782.14     1.43   25.63  16.31  113.89  20.33   113.93  20.41     0.68   2.33  47.55  

PFSL Pocahnts Fed, MHC of AR (47.0)   28.50    46.51     2.27   27.42  16.47  103.94  11.65   103.94  12.56     0.90   3.16  39.65  

PHSB Ppls Home SB, MHC of PA (45.0)   16.37    45.18     0.87   21.92     NM   74.68  18.08    74.68  18.82     0.00   0.00   0.00  

PULB Pulaski SB, MHC of MO (29.8)     26.50    55.49     1.24   26.67  26.24   99.36  26.36    99.36  21.37     1.00   3.77     NM  

PLSK Pulaski SB, MHC of NJ (46.0)     17.50    36.23     0.72   18.14     NM   96.47  18.69    96.47  24.31     0.30   1.71  41.67  

SBFL SB Fngr Lakes MHC of NY (33.1)   25.00    44.63     0.89   25.69     NM   97.31  18.46    97.31  28.09     0.40   1.60  44.94  

WAYN Wayne S&L Co. MHC of OH (47.8)   24.25    54.51     1.03   21.09     NM  114.98  19.60   114.98  23.54     0.62   2.56  60.19  

WCFB Wbstr Cty FSB MHC of IA (45.2)   17.75    37.28     0.86   18.70  25.36   94.92  33.33    94.92  20.64     0.80   4.51     NM  


</TABLE>
                                    Table 4.5
        MHC INSTITUTIONS -- IMPLIED PRICING RATIOS FULL CONVERISON BASIS
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                             As of September 5, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



                                        
                                        
                                      
                                                  Financial Characteristics(6)
                                         -------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Reported       Core
                                          Total  Equity/ NPAs/   -----------   -----------
                                          Assets Assets  Assets   ROA    ROE   ROA    ROE
                                          ------ ------  ------   ---    ---   ---    ---

                                           ($Mil)   (%)     (%)    (%)    (%)   (%)    (%)


<S>                                        <C>     <C>     <C>    <C>    <C>   <C>    <C> 
SAIF-Insured Thrifts(7)

  Averages                                 1,156   12.88   0.79   0.53   5.46  0.75   7.52

  Medians                                    ---     ---    ---    ---    ---   ---    ---



Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions,
Full Conversion Basis

  Averages                                 1,096   21.09   0.66   0.77   3.71  1.00   4.87

  Medians                                    ---     ---    ---    ---    ---   ---    ---

Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions,
Full Conversion Basis

CMSV Commty. Savgs, MHC of FL (48.5)         772   19.53   0.55   0.77   3.81  1.02   5.04

FFFL Fidelity FSB, MHC of FL (47.7)        1,082   15.40   0.34   0.57   3.41  0.78   4.61

SKBO First Carnegie, MHC of PA (45.0)        168   24.47     NA   0.62   2.52  0.77   3.14

FFSX First FS&LA, MHC of IA (46.1)           504   14.81   0.11   0.59   3.97  0.88   5.90

FSLA First SB SLA MHC of NJ (47.5)         1,133   17.45   0.68   0.77   4.39  1.07   6.07

GDVS Greater DV SB, MHC of PA (19.9)         298   27.56   2.79   0.77   2.72  0.98   3.48

HARS Harris SB, MHC of PA (24.3)           2,360   20.32   0.65   0.82   3.71  0.93   4.18

JXSB Jcksnville SB, MHC of IL (45.6)         176   17.15   0.66   0.50   2.72  0.83   4.55

LFED Leeds FSB, MHC of MD (36.3)             338   30.05   0.02   1.12   3.68  1.40   4.61

NWSB Northwest SB, MHC of PA (30.7)        2,443   22.53   0.72   1.00   4.25  1.25   5.28

PBCT Peoples Bank, MHC of CT (40.1)        8,767   17.85   0.90   1.29   7.21  1.03   5.76

PFSL Pocahnts Fed, MHC of AR (47.0)          399   11.21   0.15   0.71   6.43  0.93   8.44

PHSB Ppls Home SB, MHC of PA (45.0)          250   24.21     NA   0.57   2.37  0.96   3.97

PULB Pulaski SB, MHC of MO (29.8)            211   26.52     NA   1.00   3.81  1.23   4.68

PLSK Pulaski SB, MHC of NJ (46.0)            194   19.38   0.65   0.46   2.80  0.79   4.80

SBFL SB Fngr Lakes MHC of NY (33.1)          242   18.97   0.69   0.41   2.08  0.69   3.50

WAYN Wayne S&L Co. MHC of OH (47.8)          278   17.05   0.73   0.52   3.07  0.84   4.94

WCFB Wbstr Cty FSB MHC of IA (45.2)          112   35.11   0.26   1.31   3.77  1.61   4.63

</TABLE>


(1)  Current stock price of minority stock. Average of High/Low or Bid/Ask price
     per share.
(2)  EPS (estimated  core earnings) is based on reported  trailing  twelve month
     data,  adjusted to omit non-operating  gains and losses (including the SAIF
     assessment) on a tax effected  basis.  Public MHC data reflects  additional
     earnings from reinvestment of proceeds of second step conversion.
(3)  P/E = Price to Earnings; P/B = Price to Book; P/A = Price to Assets; P/TB =
     Price to Tangible Book; and P/CORE = Price to Core Earnings. Ratios are pro
     forma assuming a second step conversion to full stock form.
(4)  Indicated twelve month dividend, based on last quarterly dividend declared.
(5)  Indicated  twelve  month  dividend  as a percent of trailing  twelve  month
     estimated  core  earnings   (earnings   adjusted  to  reflect  second  step
     conversion).
(6)  ROA  (return on assets) and ROE  (return on equity)  are  indicated  ratios
     based on trailing  twelve  month  earnings  and  average  equity and assets
     balances.
(7)  Excludes from averages and medians those companies the subject of actual or
     rumored acquisition activities or unusual operating characteristics.
(8)  Figures  estimated by RP Financial to reflect a second step  conversion  of
     the MHC to full stock form.

Source:   Corporate  reports,   offering  circulars,   and  RP  Financial,   LC.
          calculations.  The  information  provided  in  this  report  has  been
          obtained from sources we believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee
          the accuracy or completeness of such information.

Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.


<PAGE>

                    Calculation of Implied Per Share Data --
                    Incorporating MHC Second Step Conversion
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                    For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 1997


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             Current Ownership                 Current Per Share Data (MHC Ratios)  
                                       ----------------------------  ---------------------------------------------- 
                                          Total   Public     MHC              Core      Book     Tangible           
                                         Shares   Shares    Shares      EPS    EPS      Value     Book      Assets  
                                         ------   ------    ------      ---    ---      -----     ----      ------  
                                          (000)    (000)     (000)      ($)    ($)      ($)        ($)       ($)    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
<S>                                      <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>     <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>     
Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions                                                                                    
- --------------------------------                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
CMSV Commty. Savgs, MHC of FL (48.5)      5,090    2,470     2,620     0.73    1.09      15.46     15.46    137.48  
                                                                                                                    
FFFL Fidelity FSB, MHC of FL (47.7)       6,771    3,224     3,547     0.50    0.79      12.36     12.27    147.58  
                                                                                                                    
FFSX First FS&LA, MHC of IA (46.1)        2,828    1,303     1,525     0.69    1.19      13.74     13.63    165.69  
                                                                                                                    
FSLA First SB SLA MHC of NJ (47.5)        7,264    3,404     3,860     0.80    1.25      13.39     11.94    142.18  
                                                                                                                    
GDVS Greater DV SB, MHC of PA (19.9)      3,272      650     2,622     0.23    0.42       8.64      8.64     74.69  
                                                                                                                    
HARS Harris SB, MHC of PA (24.3)         11,223    2,723     8,500     0.79    0.99      14.59     12.76    182.15  
                                                                                                                    
JXSB Jcksnville SB, MHC of IL (45.6)      1,272      580       692     0.36    0.79      13.43     13.43    127.94  
                                                                                                                    
LFED Leeds FSB, MHC of MD (36.3)          3,455    1,255     2,200     0.63    0.90      13.20     13.20     81.59  
                                                                                                                    
NWSB Northwest SB, MHC of PA (30.7)      23,376    7,176    16,200     0.58    0.82       8.49      8.00     89.47  
                                                                                                                    
PBCT Peoples Bank, MHC of CT (40.1)      61,053   24,453    36,600     1.39    1.03      10.93     10.92    128.90  
                                                                                                                    
PFSL Pocahnts Fed, MHC of AR (47.0)       1,632      769       863     1.39    1.93      14.76     14.76    232.05  
                                                                                                                    
PHSB Ppls Home SB, MHC of PA (45.0)       2,760    1,242     1,518     0.32    0.67      14.36     14.36     82.97  
                                                                                                                    
PLSK Pulaski SB, MHC of NJ (46.0)         2,070      952     1,118     0.21    0.51      10.20     10.20     85.68  
                                                                                                                    
PULB Pulaski SB, MHC of MO (29.8)         2,094      624     1,470     0.59    0.82      11.04     11.04     84.92  
                                                                                                                    
SBFL SB Fngr Lakes MHC of NY (33.1)       1,785      590     1,195     0.15    0.51      11.63     11.63    121.40  
                                                                                                                    
SKBO First Carnegie, MHC of PA (45.0)     2,300    1,035     1,265     0.24    0.35      10.21     10.21     65.23  
                                                                                                                    
WAYN Wayne S&L Co. MHC of OH (47.8)       2,248    1,075     1,173     0.35    0.74      10.46     10.46    113.09  
                                                                                                                    
WCFB Wbstr Cty FSB MHC of IA (45.2)       2,100      950     1,150     0.48    0.64      10.53     10.53     45.09 
                                                                            
</TABLE>

                    Calculation of Implied Per Share Data --
                    Incorporating MHC Second Step Conversion
                         Comparable Institution Analysis
                    For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                Impact of Second Step Conversion         Pro Forma Per Share Data (Fully Converted)
                                        ----------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------
                                         Share     Gross         Net Incr.   Net Incr.           Core   Book     Tangible           
                                         Price    Procds(1)     Capital(2)  Income(3)     EPS     EPS   Value     Book       Assets
                                         -----    ---------     ----------  ---------     ---     ---   -----     ----       ------
                                         ($000)    ($000)         ($000)      ($000)      ($)     ($)    ($)      ($)         ($)
                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                 
<S>                                      <C>       <C>            <C>          <C>       <C>    <C>    <C>      <C>        <C>   
                                                                                                                
Publicly-Traded MHC Institutions                                                                                 
                                                                                                                 
CMSV Commty. Savgs, MHC of FL (48.5)      32.75     85,805         72,076       1,948     1.11   1.47   29.62    29.62      151.64
                                                                                                                 
FFFL Fidelity FSB, MHC of FL (47.7)       27.87     98,855         83,038       2,244     0.83   1.12   24.62    24.53      159.84
                                                                                                                 
FFSX First FS&LA, MHC of IA (46.1)        28.00     42,700         35,868         969     1.03   1.53   26.42    26.31      178.37
                                                                                                                 
FSLA First SB SLA MHC of NJ (47.5)        31.00    119,660        100,514       2,717     1.17   1.62   27.23    25.78      156.02
                                                                                                                 
GDVS Greater DV SB, MHC of PA (19.9)      24.50     64,239         53,961       1,458     0.68   0.87   25.13    25.13       91.18
                                                                                                                 
HARS Harris SB, MHC of PA (24.3)          44.25    376,125        315,945       8,540     1.55   1.75   42.74    40.91      210.30
                                                                                                                 
JXSB Jcksnville SB, MHC of IL (45.6)      22.50     15,570         13,079         354     0.64   1.07   23.71    23.71      138.22
                                                                                                                 
LFED Leeds FSB, MHC of MD (36.3)          30.25     66,550         55,902       1,511     1.07   1.34   29.38    29.38       97.77
                                                                                                                 
NWSB Northwest SB, MHC of PA (30.7)       25.87    419,094        352,039       9.515     0.99   1.23   23.55    23.06      104.53
                                                                                                                 
PBCT Peoples Bank, MHC of CT (40.1)       29.19  1,068,354        897,417      24,256     1.79   1.43   25.63    25.62      143.60
                                                                                                                 
PFSL Pocahnts Fed, MHC of AR (47.0)       28.50     24,596         20,660         558     1.73   2.27   27.42    27.42      244.71
                                                                                                                 
PHSB Ppls Home SB, MHC of PA (45.0)       16.37     24,850         20,874         564     0.52   0.87   21.92    21.92       90.53
                                                                                                                 
PLSK Pulaski SB, MHC of NJ (46.0)         17.50     19,565         16,435         444     0.42   0.72   18.14    18.14       93.62
                                                                                                                 
PULB Pulaski SB, MHC of MO (29.8)         26.50     38,955         32,722         884     1.01   1.24   26.67    26.67      100.55
                                                                                                                 
SBFL SB Fngr Lakes MHC of NY (33.1)       25.00     29,875         25,095         678     0.53   0.89   25.69    25.69      135.46
                                                                                                                 
SKBO First Carnegie, MHC of PA (45.0)     16.50     20,873         17,533         474     0.45   0.56   17.83    17.83       72.85
                                                                                                                 
WAYN Wayne S&L Co. MHC of OH (47.8)       24.25     28,445         23,894         646     0.64   1.03   21.09    21.09      123.72
                                                                                                                 
WCFB Wbstr Cty FSB MHC of IA (45.2)       17.75     20,413         17,147         463     0.70   0.86   18.70    18.70       53.26
                                                                                                                 
</TABLE>

(1)  Gross proceeds calculated as stock price multiplied by the number of shares
     owned by the mutual holding company (i.e., non-public shares).
(2)  Net increase in capital  reflects  gross  proceeds less offering  expenses,
     contra-equity  account for leveraged ESOP and deferred compensation account
     for restricted stock plan:
                  Offering expense percent   4.00
                  ESOP percent purchase      8.00
                  Recognition plan percent   4.00

(3)  Net increase in earnings reflects  after-tax  reinvestment  income (assumes
     ESOP  and  recognition  plan do not  generate  reinvestment  income),  less
     after-tax ESOP amortization and recognition plan vesting:
                  After-tax reinvestment     3.96
                  ESOP loan term (years)       10
                  Recog. plan vesting (yrs)     5
                  Effective tx rate         34.00

Source:   Audited and  unaudited  financial  statements,  corporate  reports and
          offering  circulars,   and  RP  Financial,   LC.   calculations.   The
          information  provided in this table has been  obtained from sources we
          believe  are  reliable,  but  we  cannot  guarantee  the  accuracy  or
          completeness of such information.

Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.


<PAGE>


RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.18


discount  the  current  trading  level.  As the pro forma  impact is made  known
publicly,  the trading level will become more informative. 

         Taking these  factors and trends into account,  RP Financial  concluded
that no adjustment  was  appropriate  in the valuation  analysis for purposes of
marketing of the issue.

8.       Management
         ----------

         Guaranty's  management  team has experience and expertise in all of the
key areas of the  Bank's  operations.  Exhibit  IV-5 lists  Guaranty's  Board of
Directors and executive  management with summary resumes.  The Bank's operations
to date  indicates that  Guaranty's  management  team, in  conjunction  with the
Board, has developed and implemented an effective operating philosophy. Guaranty
has no apparent  senior  management or Board vacancies and there appears to be a
well-defined organizational structure.

         Similarly,  the financial results of the Peer Group companies  indicate
that they have been  effectively  managed,  as all of the Peer  Group  companies
maintained capital positions in compliance with regulatory  requirements,  solid
core earnings and favorable credit quality measures. We have therefore concluded
that, in general,  Guaranty is currently  being operated at least as effectively
as the Peer Group companies and no adjustment for this factor was necessary.


9.    Effect of Government  Regulation and Regulatory  Reform
      -------------------------------------------------------

         The Bank and the Peer Group members were similarly impacted by the 1996
recapitalization of the SAIF insurance fund, and their deposits will be assessed
at the same rate going forward. As a fully-converted  SAIF-insured  institution,
Guaranty will operate in  substantially  the same regulatory  environment as the
Peer Group members -- all of whom are adequately  capitalized  institutions  and
are operating  with no apparent  restrictions.  Exhibit IV-6 reflects the Bank's
pro forma regulatory capital ratios. On balance,  RP Financial concluded that no
adjustment  to the  Bank's  value was  warranted  for this  factor.

Summary of Adjustments
- ----------------------

         Overall,  we believe the Bank's pro forma market value should take into
account the valuation adjustments relative to the Peer Group:




<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.19

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Key Valuation Parameters:                                                 Valuation Adjustment
         -------------------------                                                 --------------------
<S>                                                                                <C>
         Financial Condition                                                       Moderate Downward
         Profitability, Growth and Viability of Earnings                           Slight Downward
         Asset Growth                                                              No Adjustment
         Primary Market Area                                                       Slight Upward
         Dividends                                                                 No Adjustment
         Liquidity of the Shares                                                   No Adjustment
         Marketing of the Issue                                                    No Adjustment
         Management                                                                No Adjustment
         Effect of Government Regulations and Regulatory Reform                    No Adjustment
</TABLE>

Valuation Approaches
- --------------------

         In applying the accepted valuation  methodology  promulgated by the OTS
and  adopted  by the  FDIC,  i.e.,  the pro  forma  market  value  approach,  we
considered the three key pricing ratios in valuing Guaranty's to-be-issued stock
- -- the price/earnings  ("P/E"),  price/book  ("P/B"),  and price/assets  ("P/A")
approaches  -- all  performed on a pro forma basis  including the effects of the
conversion  proceeds from selling the MHCs interest to the public.  In computing
the pro forma impact of the conversion and the related pricing  ratios,  we have
incorporated  the valuation  parameters  disclosed in Guaranty's  prospectus for
offering expenses, and the effective tax rate and stock benefit plan assumptions
(summarized in Exhibits IV-7 and IV-8). We have utilized the  reinvestment  rate
set forth in the  prospectus,  the  arithmetic  average of the  Bank's  yield on
interest  earning assets and cost of deposits for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1997.  With regard to the employee stock  ownership plan and stock reward plans,
we have  performed the valuation  assuming the ESOP purchases an amount equal to
8.0 percent of the  offering  (10 year  amortization)  and the RSP  acquires 4.0
percent of the offering.  In our estimate of value, we assessed the relationship
of the pro forma  pricing  ratios  relative  to the Peer  Group  and the  recent
conversions.  In addition to the three valuation  methodologies specified by the
OTS, RP Financial  also  considered  the recent  prices for trades of the Bank's
stock. 

     RP Financial's valuation placed emphasis on the following:


     o    P/E  Approach.  The P/E  approach is generally  the best  indicator of
          long-term  value  for a stock.  Since  the  Bank  and the  Peer  Group
          reported  pro forma core  profitability,  the P/E approach was heavily
          considered in this valuation.  In applying this approach, we took into
          account primarily estimated core earnings.

     o    P/B Approach.  P/B ratios have generally  served as a useful benchmark
          in the  valuation  of savings  institution  stocks,  with the  greater
          determinant of long term value being  earnings.  We have also modified
          the P/B  approach to exclude the impact of  intangible  assets  (i.e.,
          price/tangible book value or "P/TB"). RP Financial considered the P/TB
          approach  to be a reliable  indicator  of value given  current  market
          conditions,  particularly the market for new conversions,  which often
          exhibit a willingness to pay premium P/E multiples in the  expectation
          that such institutions will implement leveraging strategies to promote
          earnings  growth.  At the 
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.20


          same time,  with  lower ROE  ratios,  new  conversions  are  typically
          discounted on a book value basis relative to the market at least until
          there is partial realization of leveraging strategies.

          o    P/A Approach.  P/A ratios are generally a less reliable indicator
               of market  value,  as  investors  do not place  exclusive  weight
               simply  on the size of total  assets as a  determinant  of market
               value. Furthermore,  this approach does not take into account the
               amount of stock  purchases  funded by deposit  withdrawals,  thus
               understating   the  pro  forma   P/A   ratio.   Investors   place
               significantly  greater weight on book value and earnings -- which
               have received  greater weight in our valuation  analysis.  At the
               same time, the P/A ratio is an indicator of franchise  value and,
               in the case of a highly capitalized institution, a high P/A ratio
               limits the  investment  community's  willingness  to pay  average
               market multiples for earnings and book value when ROE is low.

          o    Trading of GFED Stock.  Converting  institutions generally do not
               have stock  outstanding.  Guaranty,  however,  has public  shares
               outstanding  due to the mutual holding company form of ownership.
               Because GFED stock is currently  traded in the markets,  it is an
               indicator of investor interest in the Bank's conversion stock and
               therefore  received  some weight in our  valuation.  Based on the
               September  5,  1997  stock  price of  $19.12  per  share  and the
               3,125,000  shares  of Bank  stock  issued  and  outstanding,  the
               implied value of $59.75  million was  considered in the valuation
               process.  However, since the conversion stock will have different
               characteristics  than the  minority  shares  and  since pro forma
               information  has not been  publicly  disseminated  to  date,  the
               current  trading  price of GFED  stock  was  somewhat  discounted
               herein but will become more important  towards the closing of the
               offering. 

         The current minority  ownership  percentage is 31.12 percent.  However,
pursuant to federal  policy as  established  subsequent to February 1, 1995, the
minority  ownership  interest is required to be adjusted  pursuant to a two-step
process to reflect both waived  dividends and assets held by the MHC. Based upon
estimated  assets of $1.9 million at the MHC  (inclusive of dividends to be paid
to the MHC prior to completion of the second step conversion), and our estimated
pro forma  fully  converted  value of $47.0  million,  the  resulting  pro forma
ownership  interest of the minority  stockholders  would be approximately  29.85
percent,  based on this formula (see Exhibit  IV-9).  Our  calculations  for the
exchange ratio and the size of the offering were based upon this figure.

         The Bank intends to adopt  Statement of Position  ("SOP"  93-6),  which
will cause  earnings  per share  computations  to be based on shares  issued and
outstanding excluding shares owned by an ESOP where there is not a commitment to
release such shares.  For the purpose of preparing the pro forma pricing  tables
and exhibits,  we have  reflected  all shares  issued in the offering  including
shares  purchased by the ESOP as outstanding to capture the full dilutive impact
of such stock to the Bank's shareholders. However, we have considered the impact
of adoption of SOP 93-6 on the Bank in the determination of the Bank's pro forma
value.


<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.21


         Based on the application of the three valuation approaches, taking into
consideration  the  valuation  adjustments  discussed  above,  and  placing  the
greatest weight on the P/TB and P/E approaches, followed by the P/A approach, RP
Financial  concluded  that the pro forma market  value of the Bank's  conversion
stock is $47,043,645 at the midpoint at this time.


         1.  Price-to-Tangible  Book  ("P/TB").  The  application  of  the  P/TB
valuation  method  requires  calculating  the Bank's pro forma  market  value by
applying a valuation P/TB ratio to Guaranty's pro forma tangible book value. The
pre-conversion  book value for Guaranty of  $27,490,000  was equal to the Bank's
reported  capital as of June 30, 1997,  plus the mutual  holding  company assets
which  will  be  consolidated  with  the  Holding  Company  as a  result  of the
conversion.  Based on the $47,043,645  midpoint valuation,  Guaranty's pro forma
P/TB ratio was 82.46  percent.  In  comparison to the average P/TB ratio for the
Peer Group of 112.89 percent, Guaranty's valuation reflected a discount of 26.96
percent.  RP  Financial  considered  a discount  under the P/TB  approach  to be
reasonable in light of the valuation adjustments discussed previously. Given the
historically  high P/TB  pricing  for  thrifts in today's  market,  a  valuation
discount under the P/TB approach  could only be expected and is consistent  with
the aftermarket trading of new conversion issues.

         Given the  emphasis on limiting  near term  aftermarket  trading in the
revised  appraisal  guidelines,  RP Financial also considered the pro forma P/TB
ratios of recent  conversions in its valuation  analysis.  It is these companies
that  provide a proxy for  aftermarket  trading  for new thrift  issues.  At the
midpoint value of $47,043,645,  Guaranty's pro forma P/TB ratio of 82.46 percent
represented  a discount of 29.7  percent  from the 117.29  percent  average P/TB
ratio of the recently converted thrifts (see Table 4.3). At the super maximum of
the  valuation  range,  Guaranty's  pro  forma  P/B  ratio of 93.68  percent  is
discounted by approximately 20.1 percent from the new conversions.


         2.  Price-to-Earnings  ("P/E").  The  application  of the P/E valuation
method  requires  calculating  the Bank's pro forma  market  value by applying a
valuation P/E multiple times the pro forma earnings base. Ideally, the pro forma
earnings base is composed  principally  of the Bank's  recurring  earnings base,
that is, earnings adjusted to exclude any one-time non-operating items, plus the
estimated  after-tax  earnings  benefit of the  reinvestment  of net  conversion
proceeds.  Guaranty  reported net income of  $1,162,000  for fiscal 1997,  which
included  net  non-operating  items such as the SAIF  assessment  fee, and other
various gains on the sale of interest earning assets. As shown below, the Bank's
core earnings were  calculated to equal the  following  (Note:  the  adjustments
applied to the Peer Group's  earnings in the  calculation  of core  earnings are
shown in Exhibit IV-10, including the SAIF assessment):



<PAGE>

RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.22 

                                                                    Amount
                                                                    ------
                                                                    ($000)

                  Pre-Tax Net Operating Income                     $1,826
                  Plus: Non-Operating Expense                         853
                  Less: Tax Adjustment(1)                            (991)
                                                                     ---- 

                  Adjusted (Core) Income After Tax                 $1,688

                  (1) Tax rate equal to 37%.

         Based  on  Guaranty's   trailing   twelve  month  core  earnings,   and
incorporating the impact of the pro forma assumptions previously discussed,  the
Bank's pro forma core P/E multiple at the  $47,043,645  midpoint  value  equaled
18.61 times.  Comparatively,  the Peer Group posted an average core P/E multiple
of 19.91  times,  which  indicates a discount of 6.53  percent in the Bank's pro
forma earnings multiple. In reaching the valuation conclusion, we also evaluated
the  Bank's  price/earnings  multiple  on the  basis of  projected  earnings  as
reflected in the business plan.


         3. Price-to-Assets  ("P/A"). The P/A valuation  methodology  determines
market  value by  applying a  valuation  P/A ratio to the Bank's pro forma asset
base,  conservatively  assuming  no deposit  withdrawals  are made to fund stock
purchases. In all likelihood there will be deposit withdrawals, which results in
understating the pro forma P/A ratio which is computed  herein.  At the midpoint
of the  valuation  range,  Guaranty's  value  equaled 20.54 percent of pro forma
assets.  Comparatively,  the Peer Group companies exhibited an average P/A ratio
of 19.67  percent,  which  implies a 4.42 percent  premium  being applied to the
Bank's pro forma P/A ratio.

Valuation Conclusion
- --------------------

         Based on the  foregoing,  it is our opinion  that,  as of  September 5,
1997, the aggregate pro forma market value of the Bank, inclusive of the sale of
the MHCs  ownership  interest in the  Subscription  and Community  Offerings was
$47,043,645 at the midpoint.  Based on this valuation and the approximate  70.15
percent  ownership  interest  being  sold  in  the  Subscription  and  Community
Offerings,  the  midpoint  value of the Holding  Company's  stock  offering  was
$33,000,000  (i.e.  0.7015 x $47,043,645),  equal to 3,300,000 shares offered at
$10.00 per share. Pursuant to the conversion guidelines, the 15 percent offering
range includes a minimum of $28,050,000 and a maximum of  $37,950,000.  Based on
the $10.00 per share offering price, this valuation range equates to an offering
of  2,805,000  shares at the minimum to  3,795,000  shares at the  maximum.  The
Holding Company's offering also includes a provision for a super maximum,  which
would result in an offering size of  $43,642,500,  equal to 4,364,250  shares at
the $10.00 per share offering price. The comparative pro forma
<PAGE>
RP Financial, LC.
Page 4.23


valuation  ratios relative to the Peer Group are shown in Table 4.7, and the key
valuation  assumptions are detailed in Exhibit IV-7. The pro forma  calculations
for the range are detailed in Exhibit IV-8.

 Establishment of Exchange Ratio
 -------------------------------

         OTS  regulations  provide  that in a  conversion  of a  mutual  holding
company, the minority  stockholders are entitled to exchange their shares of the
Bank's  common stock for common stock of the Company.  The Board of Directors of
the Mutual Holding Company has independently  established a formula to determine
the  exchange  ratio.  The  formula has been  designed  to preserve  the current
aggregate  percentage  ownership in the Bank  represented  by the Public Shares,
which is an approximate 29.85 percent ownership  interest (the original minority
ownership  percentage is adjusted for assets held at the Holding Company level).
Pursuant to the formula, the Exchange Ratio will be determined at the end of the
Holding Company's stock offering based on the total number of shares sold in the
Subscription and Community offerings. Based upon this formula, and the valuation
conclusion  and offering  range  concluded  above,  the Exchange  Ratio would be
1.2276 shares, 1.4443 shares, 1.6609 shares and 1.9101 shares of Holding Company
stock  issued for each  Public  Share,  at the  minimum,  midpoint,  maximum and
supermaximum of the offering, respectively.

         The  Exchange  Ratio  formula  and  share  exchange   procedures   were
determined  independently by the Board of Directors.  RP Financial  expresses no
opinion on the proposed  exchange of the Holding  Company  shares for the Public
Shares or on the proposed Exchange Ratio.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Table 4.6
                          Guaranty Federal Savings Bank
                         Calculation of Exchange Ratios


                                           Shares          Price/       Exchange             Implied
                                          Offered          Share        Shares(1)         Exch. Ratio(2)
                                          -------          -----        ---------         --------------
                                                                                             ($000)

<S>                                      <C>               <C>          <C>                  <C>   
         Minimum                         2,805,000         $10.00       1,193,709            1.2276
         Midpoint                        3,300,000          10.00       1,404,364            1.4443
         Maximum                         3,795,000          10.00       1,615,019            1.6609
         Super Maximum                   4,364,250          10.00       1,857,272            1.9101

</TABLE>

          (1)  Calculated to preserve the Public Shares percentage  ownership in
               the Holding Company at approximately 29.85 percent.
          (2)  Calculated  as pro  forma  exchange  shares  divided  by  972,365
               existing Public Shares outstanding.


<PAGE>

RP FINANCIAL, LC.
- -----------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 528-1700

                                    Table 4.7
                              Public Market Pricing
               Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO and the Comparables
                             As of September 5, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                      Per Share Data 
                                         Market      ---------------
                                     Capitalization   Core    Book               Pricing Ratios(3)                 Dividends(4)     
                                     ---------------                 --------------------------------------  -----------------------
                                                                                                                                    
                                     Price/   Market  12-Mth  Value/                                         Amount/         Payout 
                                    Share(1)   Value  EPS(2)  Share     P/E     P/B    P/A    P/TB   P/CORE  Share    Yield Ratio(5)
                                    --------   -----  ------  -----     ---     ---    ---    ----   ------  -----    --------------
                                        ($)   ($Mil)    ($)     ($)     (X)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (X)     ($)     (%)     (%) 

<S>                                   <C>     <C>      <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>    <C>   
     Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
     ------------------------------
      Superrange                      10.00    62.22   0.37   10.68   27,22   93.68   26.10   93.68   22.13    0.30    3.00   81.7% 
      Range Maximum                   10.00    54.10   0.39   11.35   25.35   88.10   23.18   88.10   20.34    0.30    3.00   76.1% 
      Range Midpoint                  10.00    47,04   0.43   12.13   23.49   82.46   20.54   82.46   18.61    0.30    3.00   70.5% 
      Range Minimum                   10.00    39.99   0.47   13.18   21.38   75.89   17.80   75.89   16.69    0.30    3.00   64.1% 
                                                                                                      
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts(7)
     -----------------------
      Averages                        22.42   156.65   1.15   15.71   21.17  141.84   17.73  146.01   18.61    0.37    1.71   29.68 
      Medians                           ---     ---     ---     ---   20.96  135.79   15.79  136.99   18.08     ---     ---     --- 


     All Non-MHC State of MO(7)
     --------------------------
      Averages                        21.35    46.30   1.13   16.65   21.79  129.69   20.65  133.31   19.02    0.39    1.94   36.22 
      Medians                           ---     ---     ---     ---   22.76  113.27   19.50  113.27   18.54     ---     ---     --- 


     Comparable Group Averages
     -------------------------
      Averages                        18.71    25.20   0.95   16.71   23.37  112.88   19.67  112.89   19.91    0.35    1.93   38.89 
      Medians                           ---     ---     ---     ---   23.18  110.79   19.31  110.79   18.54     ---     ---     --- 


     State of MO
     -----------
     CBES  CBES Bancorp of MO         17.75    18.19   0.86   17.08   25.72  103.92   19.11  103.92   20.64    0.40    2.25   46.51 
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO          17.00    28.10   0.46   14.84     NM   114.56   28.57  114.56     NM     0.24    1.41   52.17 
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. 
             of MO                    17.75    46.63   0.97   17.18   22.76  103.32   22.41  103.32   18.30    0.28    1.58   28.87 
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp
             of MO                    15.75    29.80   1.15   11.28   19.21  139.63   12.29  139.63   13.70    0.24    1.52   20.87 
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO     23.75    26.03   1.56   20.26   18.41  117.23   15.87  117.40   15.22    0.20    0.84   12.82 
     FTNB  Fulton Bancorp of MO       21.00    36.10   0.58   14.47     NM   145.13   36.29  145.13     NM     0.20    0.95   34.48 
     GSBC  Great Southern Bancorp 
             of MO                    17.37   140.78   1.30    7.45   15.10  233.15   19.89  233.15   13.36    0.40    2.30   30.77 
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of 
             Hardin MO                16.50    14.17   0.89   15.69   28.45  105.16   13.12  105.16   18.54    0.48    2.91   53.93 
     JSBA  Jefferson Svgs Bancorp 
             of MO                    34.75   173.92   1.63   21.24     NM   163.61   13.41  214.77   21.32    0.40    1.15   24.54 
     JOAC  Joachim Bancorp of MO      14.62    10.56   0.38   13.63     NM   107.26   30.21  107.26     NM     0.50    3.42     NM  
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. 
             of MO                    16.00    18.21   0.71   14.74   29.09  108.55   30.74  108.55   22.54    0.30    1.88   42.25 
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. 
             of MO                    23.25    30.18   1.42   21.98   20.95  105.78   12.85  105.78   16.37    0.40    1.72   28.17 
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of 
             Neosho MO                18.75    13.26   0.64   16.52     NM   113.50   22.20  113.50   29.30    0.50    2.67     NM  
     NASB  North American SB of MO    49.00   109.22   3.86   25.37   11.95  193.14   14.83  199.84   12.69    0.80    1.63   20.73 
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. 
             of MO                    21.25    17.60   1.04   18.80   23.61  113.03   21.69  113.03   20.43    0.40    1.88   38.46 
     SMFC  Sho-Me Fin. Corp. 
             of MO(7)                 39.37    59.02   2.35   19.81   18.93  198.74   17.95  198.74   16.75    0.00    0.00    0.00 
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp 
             of MO                    17.12    28.04   0.69   15.85   24.46  108.01   16.93  108.01   24.81    0.50    2.92   72.46 


     Comparable Group
     ----------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO          17.00    28.10   0.46   14.84     NM   114.56   28.57  114.56     NM     0.24    1.41   52.17 
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO   17.75    46.63   0.97   17.18   22.76  103.32   22.41  103.32   18.30    0.28    1.58   28.87 
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp 
             of Mo                    15.75    29.80   1.15   11.28   19.21  139.63   12.29  139.63   13.70    0.24    1.52   20.87 
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                         
                                         
                                                    Financial Characteristics(6)
                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Reported          Core       MEMO:     MEMO:
                                         Total   Equity/  NPAs/  _______________ _______________   Exchange  Conversion
                                         Assets  Assets  Assets    ROA     ROE     ROA     ROE     Ratio     Proceeds
                                         ------  ------  ------    ---     ---     ---     ---     -----     --------
                                         ($Mil)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)               ($000)

<S>                                         <C>   <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>        <C>   
     Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO
     ------------------------------
      Superrange                            238   27.86    0.44    0.96    3.44    1.18    4.23    1.9101     $43.64
      Range Maximum                         233   26.31    0.44    0.91    3.48    1.14    4.33    1.6609      87.95
      Range Midpoint                        229   24.91    0.45    0.87    3.51    1.10    4.43    1.4443      33.00
      Range Minimum                         225   23.45    0.46    0.83    3.55    1.07    4.55    1.2276      28.05
                                         
     SAIF-Insured Thrifts(7)
     -----------------------
      Averages                            1,156   12.88    0.79    0.53    5.46    0.75    7.52
      Medians                               ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---


     All Non-MHC State of MO(7)
     --------------------------
      Averages                              275   17.02    0.76    0.77    5.64    0.99    7.10
      Medians                               ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---


     Comparable Group Averages
     -------------------------
      Averages                              142   17.63    0.45    0.74    4.37    0.96    5.70
      Medians                               ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---


     State of MO
     -----------
     CBES  CBES Bancorp of MO                95   18.39    0.77    0.77    5.22    0.96    6.51
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                 98   24.94    0.53    0.42    1.70    0.77    3.13
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO         208   21.69    0.73    1.07    4.43    1.33    5.51
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO    243    8.80    0.31    0.67    7.61    0.93   10.68
     FBSI  First Bancshares of MO           164   13.54    0.56    0.91    6.15    1.10    7.44
     FTNB  Fulton Bancorp of MO              99   25.01    0.81    0.74    3.81    1.05    5.39
     GSBC  Great Southern Bancorp of MO     708    8.53    1.91    1.38   14.76    1.56   16.69
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of Hardin MO      108   12.48    0.09    0.52    3.53    0.79    5.41
     JSBA  Jefferson Svgs Bancorp of MO   1,297    8.20    0.46    0.30    3.91    0.70    9.25
     JOAC  Joachim Bancorp of MO             35   28.17    0.20    0.47    1.59    0.77    2.62
     LXMO  Lexington B&L Fin. Corp. of MO    59   28.32    0.48    1.03    3.49    1.33    4.50
     MBLF  MBLA Financial Corp. of MO       235   12.15    0.25    0.67    5.10    0.85    6.52
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of Neosho MO         60   19.56    0.03    0.49    2.37    0.77    3.71
     NASB  North American SB of MO          737    7.68    3.11    1.26   17.18    1.19   16.18
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. Corp. of MO        81   19.19     NA     0.93    4.93    1.07    5.70
     SMFC  Sho-Me Fin. Corp. of MO(7)       329    9.03    0.14    1.04   10.44    1.17   11.79
     SMBC  Southern Missouri Bncrp of MO    166   15.67    1.10    0.71    4.42    0.70    4.35


     Comparable Group
     ----------------
     CNSB  CNS Bancorp of MO                 98   24.94    0.53    0.42    1.70    0.77    3.13
     CMRN  Cameron Fin. Corp. of MO         208   21.69    0.73    1.07    4.43    1.33    5.51
     CAPS  Capital Savings Bancorp of MO    243    8.80    0.31    0.67    7.61    0.93   10.68
</TABLE>
<PAGE>



RP FINANCIAL, LC.
- -----------------------------------------
Financial Services Industry Consultants
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2210
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 528-1700 

                                    Table 4.7
                              Public Market Pricing
               Guaranty FSB of Springfield MO and the Comparables
                             As of September 5, 1997
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Per Share Data 
                                      Market      ----------------
                                  Capitalization   Core    Book               Pricing Ratios(3)                 Dividends(4)      
                                  ---------------                 --------------------------------------- -------------------------
                                                                                                                                  
                                  Price/   Market  12-Mth  Value/                                         Amount/         Payout  
                                 Share(1)   Value  EPS(2)  Share     P/E     P/B    P/A    P/TB   P/CORE  Share    Yield Ratio(5) 
                                 --------   -----  ------  -----     ---     ---    ---    ----   ------  -----    ---------------
                                      ($)   ($Mil)    ($)     ($)     (X)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (X)     ($)     (%)     (%) 

<S>                               <C>      <C>     <C>    <C>     <C>    <C>      <C>    <C>      <C>      <C>     <C>    <C>     
     FBSI  First Bancshares
             of MO                 23.75    26.03   1.56   20.26   18.41  117.23   15.87  117.40   15.22    0.20    0.84   12.82  
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of 
             Hardin MO             16.50    14.17   0.89   15.69   28.45  105.16   13.12  105.16   18.54    0.48    2.91   53.93  
     LXMO  Lexington B&L 
             Fin. Corp. of MO      16.00    18.21   0.71   14.74   29.09  108.55   30.74  108.55   22.54    0.30    1.88   42.25  
     MBLF  MBLA Financial 
             Corp. of MO           23.25    30.18   1.42   21.98   20.95  105.78   12.85  105.78   16.37    0.40    1.72   28.17  
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of 
             Neosho MO             18.75    13.26   0.64   16.52     NM   113.50   22.20  113.50   29.30    0.50    2.67     NM   
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. 
             Corp. of MO           21.25    17.60   1.04   18.80   23.61  113.03   21.69  113.03   20.43    0.40    1.88   38.46  
     SMBC  Southern Missouri 
             Bncrp of MO           17.12    28.04   0.69   15.85   24.46  108.01   16.93  108.01   24.81    0.50    2.92   72.46  
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 
                                 
                                             Financial Characteristics(6)
                                 --------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Reported          Core
                                  Total   Equity/  NPAs/  _______________ _______________
                                  Assets  Assets  Assets    ROA     ROE     ROA     ROE 
                                 -------  ------  ------    ---     ---     ---     --- 
                                   ($Mil)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)     (%)

<S>                                 <C>   <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>     <C> 
     FBSI  First Bancshares
             of MO                   164   13.54    0.56    0.91    6.15    1.10    7.44
     HFSA  Hardin Bancorp of 
             Hardin MO               108   12.48    0.09    0.52    3.53    0.79    5.41
     LXMO  Lexington B&L 
             Fin. Corp. of MO         59   28.32    0.48    1.03    3.49    1.33    4.50
     MBLF  MBLA Financial 
             Corp. of MO             235   12.15    0.25    0.67    5.10    0.85    6.52
     NSLB  NS&L Bancorp of 
             Neosho MO                60   19.56    0.03    0.49    2.37    0.77    3.71
     PCBC  Perry Co. Fin. 
             Corp. of MO              81   19.19     NA     0.93    4.93    1.07    5.70
     SMBC  Southern Missouri 
             Bncrp of MO             166   15.67    1.10    0.71    4.42    0.70    4.35

</TABLE>

(1)  Average of high/low or bid/ask price per share.
(2)  EPS (core basis) is based on actual trailing twelve month data, adjusted to
     omit the impact of non-operating items (including the SAIF assessment) on a
     tax effected basis, and is shown on a pro forma basis where appropriate.
(3)  P/E = Price to Earnings; P/B = Price to Book; P/A = Price to Assets; P/TB =
     Price to Tangible Book; and P/CORE = Price to Core Earnings.
(4)  Indicated twelve month dividend, based on last quarterly dividend declared.
(5)  Indicated  twelve  month  dividend  as a percent of trailing  twelve  month
     estimated core earnings.
(6)  ROA  (return on assets) and ROE  (return on equity)  are  indicated  ratios
     based on trailing  twelve month common  earnings and average  common equity
     and total assets balances.
(7)  Excludes from averages and medians those companies the subject of actual or
     rumored acquisition activities or unusual operating characteristics.

Source:  Corporate  reports,   offering  circulars,   and  RP  Financial,   Inc.
         calculations.  The  information  provided  in  this  report  has   been
         obtained from sources we believe are reliable,  but we cannot guarantee
         the accuracy or completeness of such information.

     Copyright (c) 1997 by RP Financial, LC.




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