|
New
Issue
|
STRUCTURED
EQUITY PRODUCTS
Indicative
Terms
|
THE
BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.
INVESTMENT
HIGHLIGHTS
|
|
|
|
Reverse
Convertible
Note
Securities
|
·
6-month
term to maturity
·
Note
offering linked to the common stock of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.,
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. or The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
(each, a
“Reference Asset”), based on which Reference Asset has the greatest price
decline percentage.
·
The
Notes pay a fixed rate coupon of [16.0-18.0]% per annum, payable
as a
single cash payment at maturity equal to one-half of the Coupon
Rate times
the principal amount of the Notes. Interest will be computed using
a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months, unadjusted.
·
The
Notes are a direct obligation of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
(Rated A1
by Moody’s / A+ by S&P).
·
Issue
price for the Note offering: [100]% of principal amount ($1,000).
However,
investors who purchase an aggregate principal amount of at least
$1,000,000 of this Note offering will be entitled to purchase each
Note
for 99.50% of the principal amount.
·
The
Notes are not principal protected if: (i) the Closing Price of
any of the
Reference Assets ever falls below the applicable Contingent Protection
Level on any day from the Pricing Date up to and including the
Calculation
Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of any of the Reference Assets is less than
the
Initial Level of such Reference Asset. In such event, the payment
of
principal on the Notes will be linked to the performance of the
Reference
Asset with the greatest price decline percentage.
·
The
Notes do not participate in the upside of any of the Reference
Assets.
Even if the Final Level of each of the Reference Assets exceeds
the
Initial Level of such Reference Asset, your return will not exceed
the
principal amount invested plus the coupon payment.
|
Reference
Assets
|
Symbols
|
Term
to
Maturity
|
Coupon
Rate,
per annum
|
Contingent
Protection
Percentage
|
Initial
Public
Offering
Price1
|
Merrill
Lynch & Co., Inc.
Lehman
Brothers Holdings Inc.
The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
|
MER
LEH
GS
|
6-month
|
[16.0-18.0]%
|
[80]%
|
[100]%
|
BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
(212) 272-6928
|
The
issuer has filed a registration statement (including
a prospectus) with
the SEC for the offering to which this free writing prospectus
relates.
Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in
that registration
statement and other documents the issuer has filed with
the SEC for more
complete information about the issuer and this offering.
You may get these
documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site
at
www.sec.gov.
Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer
participating in
the offerings will arrange to send you the prospectus
if you request it by
calling toll free
1-866-803-9204.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
GENERAL
TERMS FOR THE NOTE
OFFERING
|
ISSUER:
|
The
Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
|
ISSUER’S
RATING:
|
A1
/
A+ (Moody’s / S&P).
|
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF OFFERING:
|
[●]
|
DENOMINATIONS:
|
$1,000
per Note and $1,000 multiples thereafter.
|
REFERENCE
ASSETS:
|
The
common stock of (1) Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., traded on the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc. (“NYSE”) under the symbol “MER”, (2) Lehman Brothers
Holdings Inc., traded on the NYSE under the symbol “LEH”, or (3) The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., traded on the NYSE under the symbol
“GS”.
|
SELLING
PERIOD ENDS:
|
July
[●],
2007.
|
PRICING
DATE:
|
July
[●],
2007.
|
SETTLEMENT
DATE:
|
July
[●],
2007.
|
CALCULATION
DATE:
|
January
[●],
2008.
|
MATURITY
DATE:
|
January
[●],
2008.
|
COUPON
RATE (PER ANNUM):
|
[16.0-18.0]%
per annum, payable as a single cash payment of [8.0-9.0]% at
maturity
(equal
to one-half of the Coupon Rate times par).
Interest will be computed using a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months,
unadjusted.
|
CONTINGENT
PROTECTION PERCENTAGE:
|
[80.00]%.
|
CONTINGENT
PROTECTION LEVEL:
|
For
each Reference Asset, [●]
(Contingent Protection Percentage x the applicable Initial
Level).
|
AGENT’S
DISCOUNT:
|
[●]%
,
to be disclosed in the final pricing supplement.
|
CASH
SETTLEMENT VALUE:
|
We
will pay you 100% of the principal amount of your Notes, in cash,
at
maturity if either
of
the following is true: (i) the Closing Price of each of the Reference
Assets never falls below the Contingent Protection Level on any
day from
the Pricing Date up to and including the Calculation Date; or
(ii) the Final Level of each of the Reference Assets is equal
to or
greater than the Initial Level of such Reference Asset.
|
However,
if both
of
the following are true, the amount of principal you receive at
maturity
will be reduced by a percentage equal to the price decline percentage
of
the Reference Asset having the greatest price decline percentage:
(i) the
Closing Price of any of the Reference Assets ever falls below
the
applicable Contingent Protection Level on any day from the Pricing
Date up
to and including the Calculation Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of any of the Reference Assets is less than
the
Initial Level of such Reference Asset. In that event, we, at
our option,
will either: (i) physically deliver to you a number of shares
of the
Reference Asset with the greatest price decline percentage equal
to the
applicable Exchange Ratio for such Reference Asset, plus the
applicable
Fractional Share Cash Amount (which means that you will receive
shares
with a market value that is less than the full principal amount
of your
Notes); or (ii) pay you a cash amount equal to the principal
amount you
invested reduced by a percentage equal to the price decline percentage
of
the Reference Asset having the greatest price decline percentage.
It is
our intent to physically deliver the appropriate Reference Asset
when
applicable, but we reserve the right to settle the Notes in
cash.
|
|
INTEREST
PAYMENT DATE:
|
The
Maturity Date.
|
INITIAL
LEVEL:
|
For
each Reference Asset, the Closing Price of such Reference Asset
on the
Pricing Date.
|
FINAL
LEVEL:
|
For
each Reference Asset, the Closing Price of such Reference Asset
on the
Calculation Date.
|
EXCHANGE
RATIO:
|
For
each Reference Asset, the Exchange Ratio will equal $1,000 divided
by the
applicable Initial Level (rounded down to the nearest whole number,
with
fractional shares to be paid in cash).
|
FRACTIONAL
SHARE CASH AMOUNT:
|
For
the applicable Reference Asset, an amount in cash per Note equal
to the
applicable Final Level of such Reference Asset multiplied by
the
difference between (x) $1,000 divided by the applicable Initial
Level
(rounded to the nearest three decimal places), and (y) the applicable
Exchange Ratio.
|
CUSIP:
|
[073902MC9].
|
LISTING:
|
The
Notes will not be listed on any U.S. securities exchange or quotation
system.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
ADDITIONAL
TERMS SPECIFIC TO THE
NOTES
|
·
|
Prospectus
Supplement, dated August 16, 2006:
|
·
|
Prospectus,
dated August 16, 2006:
|
SELECTED
RISK
CONSIDERATIONS
|
·
|
Suitability
of Notes for Investment — A
person should reach a decision to invest in the Notes
after carefully
considering, with his or her advisors, the suitability
of the Notes in
light of his or her investment objectives and the information
set out in
the Prospectus Supplement. Neither the Issuer nor any
dealer participating
in the offering makes any recommendation as to the
suitability of the
Notes for investment.
|
|
·
|
Not
Principal Protected —The
Notes are not principal protected. If both
of
the following are true, the amount of principal you
receive at maturity
will be reduced by a percentage equal to the price
decline percentage of
the Reference Asset having the greatest price decline
percentage: (i) the
Closing Price of any of the Reference Assets ever falls
below the
applicable Contingent Protection Level on any day from
the Pricing Date up
to and including the Calculation Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of any of the Reference Assets
is less than the
Initial Level of such Reference Asset. In that event,
we, at our option,
will either: (i) physically deliver to you a number
of shares of the
Reference Asset with the greatest price decline percentage
equal to the
applicable Exchange Ratio for such Reference Asset,
plus the applicable
Fractional Share Cash Amount (which means that you
will receive shares
with a market value that is less than the full principal
amount of your
Notes); or (ii) pay you a cash amount equal to the
principal amount you
invested reduced by a percentage equal to the price
decline percentage of
the Reference Asset with the greatest price decline
percentage.
|
|
·
|
Return
Limited to Coupon — Your
return is limited to the principal amount you invested
plus the coupon
payments. You will not participate in any appreciation
in the value of any
of the Reference Assets.
|
|
·
|
No
Secondary Market — Because
the Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange,
a secondary
trading market is not expected to develop, and, if
such a market were to
develop, it may not be liquid. Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. intends under
ordinary market conditions to indicate prices for the
Notes on request.
However, there can be no guarantee that bids for the
outstanding Notes
will be made in the future; nor can the prices of any
such bids be
predicted.
|
|
·
|
No
Interest, Dividend or Other Payments —
You will not receive any interest or dividend payments
or other
distributions on the stocks comprising the Reference
Assets; nor will such
payments be included in the calculation of the Cash
Settlement Value you
will receive at maturity.
|
|
·
|
Taxes —
We
intend to treat the Notes as a put option written by
you in respect of the
Reference Assets and a deposit with us of cash in an
amount equal to the
issue price of the Note to secure your potential obligation
under the put
option, and we intend to treat the deposit as a short-term
obligation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to the terms
of the Notes, you
agree to treat the Notes in accordance with this characterization
for all
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Howver, because there
are no
regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions
addressing the
characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes
of securities with
terms that are substantially the same as those of the
Notes, other
characterizations and treatments are possible. See
“Certain U.S. Federal
Income Tax Considerations” below.
|
|
·
|
The
Notes Are Subject to Equity Market Risks—
The
Notes involve exposure to price movements in the equity
securities to
which they are respectively linked. Equity securities
price movements are
difficult to predict, and equity securities may be
subject to volatile
increases or decreases in value.
|
|
·
|
The
Notes May be Affected by Certain Corporate Events and
You Will Have
Limited Antidilution Protection —
Following certain corporate events relating to one
or more of the
underlying Reference Assets (where the underlying company
is not the
surviving entity), you will receive at maturity, cash
or a number of
shares of the common stock of a successor corporation
to the underlying
company, based on the Closing Price of such successor’s common stock. The
Calculation Agent for the Notes will adjust the amount
payable at maturity
by adjusting the Initial Level of the applicable Reference
Asset, the
applicable Contingent Protection Level, the Contingent
Protection
Percentage and the applicable Exchange Ratio for certain
events affecting
such Reference Asset, such as stock splits and stock
dividends and certain
other corporate events involving an underlying company.
However, the
Calculation Agent is not required to make an adjustment
for every
corporate event that can affect such Reference Asset.
If an event occurs
that is perceived by the market to dilute the applicable
Reference Asset
but that does not require the Calculation Agent to
adjust the amount of
such Reference Asset payable at maturity, the market
value of the Notes
and the amount payable at maturity may be materially
and adversely
affected.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
INTEREST
AND PAYMENT AT
MATURITY
|
Scenario
1
The
prices of the Reference Assets generally increase over
the term of the
Notes. The applicable Contingent Protection Level is never
breached by any
Reference Asset.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
The
Reference Assets do not trigger a reduction in the Cash Settlement
Value
below the principal amount. The share prices generally increased
over the
term of the Notes and none of the Reference Assets ever breached
their
applicable Contingent Protection
Levels.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Scenario
2
The
share prices of two of the Reference Assets generally decline
below their
Initial Levels. However, none of the Reference Assets ever
breach their
applicable Contingent Protection Levels.
|
|
Outcome
This
scenario does not trigger a reduction in the Cash Settlement
Value below
the principal amount. The share prices of two of the Reference
Assets
decreased over the term of the Notes and at the Calculation
Date each were
below their applicable Initial Levels, but none of the
Reference Assets
ever breached their applicable Contingent Protection
Levels.
|
||
Scenario
3
The
share price of one of the Reference Assets declines below
its Initial
Level. One of the Reference Assets breaches its Contingent
Protection
Level, even though ultimately its final share price is
above its Initial
Level.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
A
Contingent Protection Level was breached and a final
share price of one
Reference Asset at the Calculation Date is below its
applicable Initial
Level, so there is no principal protection. The Cash
Settlement Value will
be reduced to reflect the greatest price decline percentage
among the
Reference Assets.
|
Scenario
4
The
price of one Reference Asset declines below its applicable
Contingent
Protection Level, but ultimately the final share prices
of all three
Reference Assets are above their applicable Initial
Levels.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
This
scenario does not trigger a reduction in the Cash Settlement
Value below
the principal amount. Even though the share price of
one Reference Asset
decreased below its Contingent Protection Level during
the term of the
Notes, by the Calculation Date the underlying share
prices of all three
Reference Assets were above their Initial
Levels.
|
REFERENCE
ASSET INFORMATION
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
ILLUSTRATIVE
EXAMPLES & HISTORICAL
TABLES
|
·
|
Investor
purchases $1,000 principal amount of Notes
on the Pricing Date at the
initial offering price of 100% and holds the
Notes to maturity. No Market
Disruption Events or Events of Default occur
during the term of the
Notes.
|
·
|
Contingent
Protection Percentage: 80%
|
·
|
Coupon:
17.0% per annum, paid as a single cash payment
of 8.5% of par at
maturity.
|
·
|
Maturity:
Six months.
|
·
|
The
following table depicts the assumptions for
each Reference Asset regarding
its Initial Level, Contingent Protection Level,
Exchange Ratio, and
Fractional Shares.
|
Reference
Asset
|
Initial
Level
|
Contingent
Protection Level
|
Exchange
Ratio
|
Fractional
Shares
|
MER
|
$82.50
|
$66.00
($82.50 x 80%)
|
12
($1,000 / $82.50)
|
0.121
|
LEH
|
$71.00
|
$56.80
($71.00 x 80%)
|
14
($1,000 / $71.00)
|
0.085
|
GS
|
$220.00
|
$176.00
($220.00 x 80%)
|
4
($1,000 / $220.00)
|
0.545
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Reference
Asset
|
Final
Level
|
Percentage
Change in
the
Price of the
Reference
Asset
|
Contingent
Protection
Level
Breached During
Term
of Notes?
|
Payment
at Maturity
|
MER
|
$88.28
|
+7.00%
|
No
|
Note
pays $85.00 interest
and $1,000 in principal,
in cash.
|
LEH
|
$86.62
|
+22.00%
|
No
|
|
GS
|
$272.80
|
+24.00%
|
No
|
Reference
Asset
|
Final
Level
|
Percentage
Change in
the
Price of the
Reference
Asset
|
Contingent
Protection
Level
Breached During
Term
of Notes?
|
Payment
at Maturity
|
MER
|
$70.13
|
-15.00%
|
No
|
Note
pays $85.00 interest
and $1,000 in principal,
in cash.
|
LEH
|
$69.58
|
-2.00%
|
No
|
|
GS
|
$231.00
|
+5.00%
|
No
|
Reference
Asset
|
Final
Level
|
Percentage
Change in
the
Price of the
Reference
Asset
|
Contingent
Protection
Level
Breached During
Term
of Notes?
|
Payment
at Maturity
|
MER
|
$74.25
|
-10.00%
|
No
|
Note
pays $85.00 interest,
and at our election,
investor receives physical
delivery of 12 shares
of MER plus a fractional
share cash amount of
$8.98.
|
LEH
|
$83.43
|
+17.50%
|
No
|
|
GS
|
$231.00
|
+5.00%
|
Yes
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS
GROUP
|
Reference
Asset
|
Final
Level
|
Percentage
Change
in
the
Price
of
the
Reference
Asset
|
Contingent
Protection
Level
Breached
During
Term
of
Notes?
|
Payment
at
Maturity
|
MER
|
$97.35
|
+18.00%
|
No
|
Note
pays
$85.00
interest
and
$1,000
in
principal,
in
cash.
|
LEH
|
$71.71
|
+1.00%
|
No
|
|
GS
|
$224.40
|
+2.00%
|
Yes
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
|
December
31, 2001
|
54.65
|
38.49
|
52.12
|
|
September
30, 2004
|
54.32
|
47.35
|
49.72
|
March
29, 2002
|
59.32
|
44.15
|
55.38
|
|
December
31, 2004
|
61.16
|
50.01
|
59.77
|
June
28, 2002
|
55.20
|
36.50
|
40.50
|
|
March
31, 2005
|
61.99
|
56.01
|
56.60
|
September
30, 2002
|
40.71
|
30.97
|
32.95
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
57.50
|
52.00
|
55.01
|
December
31, 2002
|
44.91
|
28.21
|
37.95
|
|
September
30, 2005
|
61.67
|
54.36
|
61.35
|
March
31, 2003
|
43.75
|
30.75
|
35.40
|
|
December
30, 2005
|
69.34
|
58.64
|
67.73
|
June
30, 2003
|
49.20
|
35.30
|
46.68
|
|
March
31, 2006
|
79.32
|
67.04
|
78.76
|
September
30, 2003
|
57.50
|
45.83
|
53.53
|
|
June
30, 2006
|
81.25
|
64.58
|
69.56
|
December
31, 2003
|
60.47
|
53.85
|
58.65
|
|
September
29, 2006
|
79.40
|
66.69
|
78.22
|
March
31, 2004
|
64.89
|
56.97
|
59.56
|
|
December
29, 2006
|
93.93
|
77.90
|
93.10
|
June
30, 2004
|
60.74
|
51.35
|
53.98
|
|
July
2, 2007 to July 11, 2007
|
86.62
|
81.32
|
83.33
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
|
December
31, 2001
|
36.10
|
27.75
|
33.40
|
|
September
30, 2004
|
40.42
|
33.63
|
39.86
|
March
29, 2002
|
34.95
|
26.80
|
32.32
|
|
December
31, 2004
|
44.73
|
38.21
|
43.74
|
June
28, 2002
|
33.67
|
28.01
|
31.26
|
|
March
31, 2005
|
48.47
|
42.71
|
47.08
|
September
30, 2002
|
31.85
|
23.50
|
24.53
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
49.96
|
42.96
|
49.64
|
December
31, 2002
|
32.07
|
21.24
|
26.65
|
|
September
30, 2005
|
58.97
|
48.76
|
58.24
|
March
31, 2003
|
30.38
|
25.08
|
28.88
|
|
December
30, 2005
|
66.58
|
51.86
|
64.09
|
June
30, 2003
|
38.13
|
28.86
|
33.24
|
|
March
31, 2006
|
74.79
|
62.91
|
72.27
|
September
30, 2003
|
35.93
|
30.01
|
34.54
|
|
June
30, 2006
|
78.85
|
58.37
|
65.15
|
December
31, 2003
|
38.85
|
33.90
|
38.61
|
|
September
29, 2006
|
74.67
|
59.25
|
73.86
|
March
31, 2004
|
44.86
|
38.47
|
41.44
|
|
December
29, 2006
|
78.89
|
71.08
|
78.12
|
June
30, 2004
|
42.20
|
34.75
|
37.63
|
|
July
2, 2007 to July 11, 2007
|
76.99
|
70.05
|
70.95
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS
GROUP
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
|
December
31,
2001
|
95.17
|
71.00
|
92.75
|
September
30,
2004
|
94.96
|
83.29
|
93.24
|
|
March
29,
2002
|
97.25
|
77.52
|
90.25
|
December
31,
2004
|
110.88
|
90.74
|
104.04
|
|
June
28,
2002
|
89.45
|
69.03
|
73.35
|
March
31,
2005
|
113.93
|
101.79
|
109.99
|
|
September
30,
2002
|
81.97
|
64.49
|
66.03
|
June
30,
2005
|
114.25
|
94.75
|
102.02
|
|
December
31,
2002
|
81.00
|
58.57
|
68.10
|
September
30,
2005
|
121.70
|
102.02
|
121.58
|
|
March
31,
2003
|
75.75
|
61.02
|
68.08
|
December
30,
2005
|
134.99
|
110.23
|
127.71
|
|
June
30,
2003
|
91.98
|
68.06
|
83.75
|
March
31,
2006
|
159.63
|
124.23
|
156.96
|
|
September
30,
2003
|
93.74
|
82.36
|
83.90
|
June
30,
2006
|
169.31
|
136.79
|
150.43
|
|
December
31,
2003
|
100.78
|
83.90
|
98.73
|
September
29,
2006
|
171.15
|
138.97
|
169.17
|
|
March
31,
2004
|
109.29
|
96.15
|
104.35
|
December
29,
2006
|
206.70
|
168.51
|
199.35
|
|
June
30,
2004
|
107.50
|
87.68
|
94.16
|
July
2,
2007
to
July
11,
2007
|
225.77
|
214.65
|
217.95
|
CERTAIN
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX
CONSIDERATIONS
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Reference
Asset
|
Term
to Maturity
|
Coupon
Rate, per
annum
|
Yield
on the Deposit,
per
Annum
|
Put
Premium, per
Annum
|
Merrill
Lynch & Co., Inc.
Lehman
Brothers Holdings Inc.
The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
|
6-month
|
[16.0-18.0]%
|
[●]%
|
[●]%
|