|
New
Issue
|
STRUCTURED
EQUITY PRODUCTS
Indicative
Terms
|
THE
BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.
INVESTMENT
HIGHLIGHTS
|
|
One
year term to maturity
|
|
Reverse
Convertible
Note
Securities
|
·
Note
offering linked to the Class A common stock of Google Inc. (the “Reference
Asset”).
·
The
Notes pay a fixed rate coupon of [10.25]% per annum, payable as two
semi-annual cash payments, each equal to one-half of the Coupon Rate
times
the principal amount of the Notes, in arrears.
·
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 99.00% of the principal amount.
·
The
Notes are not principal protected if: (i) the Trading Level of the
Reference Asset ever equals or falls below the Contingent Protection
Level
at any time from the Pricing Date up to and including the Calculation
Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than the Initial
Level
of the Reference Asset.
·
The
Notes do not participate in the upside of the Reference Asset. Even
if the
Final Level of the Reference Asset exceeds the Initial Level of the
Reference Asset, your return will not exceed the principal amount
invested
plus the coupon payments.
|
Reference
Asset
|
Symbol
|
Term
to Maturity
|
Coupon
Rate,
per annum
|
Contingent
Protection Percentage
|
Initial
Public Offering Price
|
Google
Inc., Class A common stock, traded on the NASDAQ
|
GOOG
|
1
year
|
[10.25]%
|
[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.
_____________
1
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 99.00% of the principal
amount.
|
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
ASSET:
|
The
Class A common stock of Google Inc. (“Google”), traded on The Nasdaq Stock
Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) under the symbol “GOOG.”
|
|
SELLING
PERIOD ENDS:
|
June
[8], 2007.
|
|
PRICING
DATE:
|
June
[8], 2007.
|
|
SETTLEMENT
DATE:
|
June
[13], 2007.
|
|
CALCULATION
DATE:
|
June
[9], 2008.
|
|
MATURITY
DATE:
|
June
[12], 2008.
|
|
COUPON
RATE (PER ANNUM):
|
[10.25]%
per annum, payable semi-annually.
|
|
CONTINGENT
PROTECTION PERCENTAGE:
|
[80.00]%. | |
CONTINGENT
PROTECTION LEVEL:
|
[●]
(Contingent Protection Percentage x 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 Trading Level of the Reference
Asset never
equals or falls below the Contingent Protection Level at any
time from the
Pricing Date up to and including the Calculation Date; or
(ii) the Final Level of the Reference Asset is equal to or
greater than
the Initial Level of the Reference Asset.
|
|
However,
if both
of
the following are true, the amount of principal you receive
at maturity
will be reduced by the percentage decrease in the Reference
Asset: (i) the
Trading Level of the Reference Asset ever equals or falls below
the
Contingent Protection Level at any time from the Pricing Date
up to and
including the Calculation Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than the
Initial Level
of the Reference Asset. In that event, we, at our option, will
either: (i)
physically deliver to you an amount of the Reference Asset
equal to the
Exchange Ratio plus the 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 the percentage
decrease in
the Reference Asset. It is our intent to physically deliver
the Reference
Asset when applicable, but we reserve the right to settle the
Notes in
cash.
|
||
INTEREST
PAYMENT DATES:
|
December
[●],
2007 and June [●],
2008.
|
|
INITIAL
LEVEL:
|
The
Closing Price of the Reference Asset on the Pricing
Date.
|
|
FINAL
LEVEL:
|
The
Closing Price of the Reference Asset on the Calculation
Date.
|
|
EXCHANGE
RATIO:
|
[●],
i.e., $1,000 divided by the Initial Level (rounded down to
the nearest
whole number, with fractional shares to be paid in
cash).
|
|
FRACTIONAL
SHARE CASH AMOUNT:
|
An
amount in cash per Note equal to the Final Level multiplied
by the
difference between (x) $1,000 divided by the Initial Level
(rounded to the
nearest three decimal places), and (y) the Exchange
Ratio.
|
|
CUSIP:
|
[073902LZ9].
|
|
LISTING:
|
The
Note 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 Note 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 the percentage decrease in the Reference
Asset: (i) the
Trading Level of the Reference Asset ever equals or falls
below the
Contingent Protection Level at any time from the Pricing
Date up to and
including the Calculation Date; and
(ii) the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than
the Initial Level
of the Reference Asset. In that event, we, at our option,
will either: (i)
physically deliver to you an amount of the Reference Asset
equal to the
Exchange Ratio plus the 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 the percentage
decrease in
the Reference Asset.
|
·
|
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 the
Reference Asset.
|
·
|
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 stock comprising the Reference Asset;
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 Note as a put option written by
you in respect of
the Reference Asset 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. However, because
under certain
circumstances the Notes may be outstanding for more than
one year it is
possible that the Notes may not be treated as short-term
obligations, in
which case the tax treatment of interest payments on the
Notes is
described in "U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations --
Tax Treatment of
U.S. Holders -- Tax Treatment of the Deposit on Notes with
a Term of More
Than a Year" in the prospectus supplement. Moreover, 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.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
·
|
The
Notes May be Affected by Certain Corporate
Events and You Will Have
Limited Antidilution Protection —
Following certain corporate events relating
to the underlying Reference
Asset (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 Reference Asset, Contingent Protection
Level, Contingent
Protection Percentage and Exchange Ratio for
certain events affecting the
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 the Reference
Asset. If an event occurs
that is perceived by the market to dilute the
Reference Asset but that
does not require the Calculation Agent to adjust
the amount of the
Reference Asset payable at maturity, the market
value of the Notes and the
amount payable at maturity may be materially
and adversely
affected.
|
INTEREST
AND PAYMENT AT
MATURITY
|
Scenario
1
The
price of the underlying shares generally increases over
the term of the
Note. The Contingent Protection Level is never
breached.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
The
Cash Settlement Value equals 100% of the principal amount
of the Notes.
The share price generally increased over the term of the
Note and never
breached the Contingent Protection
Level.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Scenario
2
The
price of the underlying shares generally declines over
the term of the
Note. The Contingent Protection Level is never
breached.
|
|
Outcome
The
Cash Settlement Value equals 100% of the principal amount
of the Notes.
The share price decreased over the term of the Note and
at maturity was
below the Initial Level, but never breached the Contingent
Protection
Level.
|
||
Scenario
3
The
price of the underlying shares declines over the term of
the Note. The
Contingent Protection Level is breached.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
The
Cash Settlement Value is less than the principal amount
of the Notes,
reflecting the percentage decline in the underlying shares
below the
Initial Level. The Contingent Protection Level is breached
so there is no
principal protection.
|
Scenario
4
The
price of the underlying shares declines below the Contingent
Protection
Level, but ultimately recovers to finish above its Initial
Level.
|
|
|
|
Outcome
The
Cash Settlement Value equals 100% of the principal amount
of the Notes.
Even though the share price decreased below the Contingent
Protection
Level during the term of the Note, by the Calculation Date
the underlying
share price was above the Initial Level.
|
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.
|
·
|
Initial
Level: $515.00
|
·
|
Contingent
Protection Percentage: 80%
|
·
|
Contingent
Protection Level: $412.00 ($515.00 x
80%)
|
·
|
Exchange
Ratio: 1 ($1,000/$515.00)
|
·
|
Coupon:
10.25% per annum, paid semi-annually in
arrears.
|
·
|
The
reinvestment rate on any interest payments
made during the term of the
Notes is assumed to be 0%. The one-year total
return on a direct
investment in the Reference Asset is calculated
below prior to the
deduction of any brokerage fees or charges.
Both a positive reinvestment
rate, or the incurrence of any brokerage fees
or charges, would increase
the total return on the Notes relative to the
total return of the
Reference Asset.
|
·
|
Assumes
cash settlement at maturity.
|
·
|
Maturity:
One year.
|
·
|
Dividend
and dividend yield on the Reference Asset:
no dividend distributed.
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Investment
in the Notes
|
Direct
Investment in the Reference
Asset
|
|||||||
Initial
Level
|
Hypothetical
Final
Level
|
Cash
Settlement
Value
|
Total
Coupon
Payments
(in
%
Terms)
|
1-Year
Total
Return
|
Percentage
Change in
Value
of Reference
Asset
|
Dividend
Yield
|
1-Year
Total Return
|
|
515.00
|
669.50
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
30.00%
|
0.00%
|
30.00%
|
515.00
|
643.75
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
25.00%
|
0.00%
|
25.00%
|
515.00
|
618.00
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
20.00%
|
0.00%
|
20.00%
|
515.00
|
592.25
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
15.00%
|
0.00%
|
15.00%
|
515.00
|
566.50
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
10.00%
|
0.00%
|
10.00%
|
515.00
|
540.75
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
5.00%
|
0.00%
|
5.00%
|
515.00
|
515.00
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
515.00
|
489.25
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
-5.00%
|
0.00%
|
-5.00%
|
515.00
|
463.50
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
-10.00%
|
0.00%
|
-10.00%
|
515.00
|
437.75
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
-15.00%
|
0.00%
|
-15.00%
|
Investment
in the Notes
|
Direct
Investment in the Reference
Asset
|
|||||||
Initial
Level
|
Hypothetical
Final
Level
|
Cash
Settlement
Value
|
Total
Coupon
Payments
(in
%
Terms)
|
1-Year
Total
Return
|
Percentage
Change in
Value
of Reference
Asset
|
Dividend
Yield
|
1-Year
Total Return
|
|
515.00
|
643.75
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
25.00%
|
0.00%
|
25.00%
|
515.00
|
618.00
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
20.00%
|
0.00%
|
20.00%
|
515.00
|
592.25
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
15.00%
|
0.00%
|
15.00%
|
515.00
|
566.50
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
10.00%
|
0.00%
|
10.00%
|
515.00
|
540.75
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
5.00%
|
0.00%
|
5.00%
|
515.00
|
515.00
|
$1,000.00
|
10.25%
|
10.25%
|
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
515.00
|
489.25
|
$950.00
|
10.25%
|
5.25%
|
|
-5.00%
|
0.00%
|
-5.00%
|
515.00
|
463.50
|
$900.00
|
10.25%
|
0.25%
|
|
-10.00%
|
0.00%
|
-10.00%
|
515.00
|
437.75
|
$850.00
|
10.25%
|
-4.75%
|
|
-15.00%
|
0.00%
|
-15.00%
|
515.00
|
412.00
|
$800.00
|
10.25%
|
-9.75%
|
|
-20.00%
|
0.00%
|
-20.00%
|
515.00
|
386.25
|
$750.00
|
10.25%
|
-14.75%
|
|
-25.00%
|
0.00%
|
-25.00%
|
515.00
|
360.50
|
$700.00
|
10.25%
|
-19.75%
|
|
-30.00%
|
0.00%
|
-30.00%
|
515.00
|
334.75
|
$650.00
|
10.25%
|
-24.75%
|
|
-35.00%
|
0.00%
|
-35.00%
|
515.00
|
309.00
|
$600.00
|
10.25%
|
-29.75%
|
|
-40.00%
|
0.00%
|
-40.00%
|
515.00
|
283.25
|
$550.00
|
10.25%
|
-34.75%
|
|
-45.00%
|
0.00%
|
-45.00%
|
515.00
|
257.50
|
$500.00
|
10.25%
|
-39.75%
|
|
-50.00%
|
0.00%
|
-50.00%
|
515.00
|
231.75
|
$450.00
|
10.25%
|
-44.75%
|
|
-55.00%
|
0.00%
|
-55.00%
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
Quarter
Ending
|
Quarterly
High
|
Quarterly
Low
|
Quarterly
Close
|
|
September
30, 2004
|
135.02
|
85.00
|
129.60
|
March
31, 2006
|
475.11
|
331.55
|
390.00
|
|
December
31, 2004
|
201.60
|
128.90
|
192.79
|
June
30, 2006
|
450.72
|
360.57
|
419.33
|
|
March
31, 2005
|
216.80
|
172.57
|
180.51
|
September
29, 2006
|
427.89
|
363.36
|
401.90
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
309.25
|
179.84
|
294.15
|
December
29, 2006
|
513.00
|
398.19
|
460.48
|
|
September
30, 2005
|
320.95
|
273.35
|
316.46
|
March
30, 2007
|
513.00
|
437.00
|
458.16
|
|
December
30, 2005
|
446.21
|
290.69
|
414.86
|
April
2, 2007 to June 6, 2007
|
520.15
|
452.12
|
516.40
|
CERTAIN
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX
CONSIDERATIONS
|
Reference
Asset
|
Term
to Maturity
|
Coupon
Rate, per annum
|
Yield
on the Deposit, per Annum
|
Put
Premium, per Annum
|
Google
Inc.
|
1
year
|
[10.25]%
|
[●]%
|
[●]%
|