As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2004
                                                     Registration No. 333-108976
================================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                  ------------
                                    FORM S-8
                        POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER THE
                             SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  ------------

                         The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


                 Delaware                                13-3286161
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
      Incorporation or Organization)


                               383 Madison Avenue
                            New York, New York 10179
                                 (212) 272-2000
               (Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
        including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)


                         The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
             Capital Accumulation Plan for Senior Managing Directors

                         The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
                           Restricted Stock Unit Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plans)


                             Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.
              Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
                         The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
                               383 Madison Avenue
                            New York, New York 10179
                                 (212) 272-2000
            (Name, Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
                   including Area Code, of Agent For Service)


                                   Copies to:
                              Dennis J. Block, Esq.
                        Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
                                 100 Maiden Lane
                            New York, New York 10038
                                 (212) 504-6000


                                Explanatory Note


      On September 19, 2003, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form
S-8 (File No. 333-108976) in order to register an aggregate of 40,000,000 shares
of the Company's common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"),
which included 33,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable from time to time upon
settlement of awards of stock units (the "CAP Units") pursuant to the Company's
Capital Accumulation Plan for Senior Managing Directors (the "CAP Plan") and
7,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable from time to time upon settlement of
awards of restricted stock units pursuant to the Company's Restricted Stock Unit
Plan.

      This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement is being
filed solely for purposes of registering 375,039 shares of Common Stock awarded
pursuant to the CAP Plan to certain employees who are affiliates of the Company
(the "Selling Stockholders") for resale by the Selling Stockholders. The reoffer
prospectus which is filed as a part of this Registration Statement has been
prepared in accordance with the requirements of Form S-3, and pursuant to
General Instruction C of Form S-8 may be used for reoffers or resales of the
shares of Common Stock that have been acquired by the Selling Stockholders
pursuant to the CAP Plan.



                               REOFFER PROSPECTUS

                         The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.


                         375,039 Shares of Common Stock


      Certain of our employees, all of whom are named in this prospectus, may
offer and sell from time to time, for their own accounts up to 375,039 shares of
our Common Stock that they acquired pursuant to our Capital Accumulation Plan
for Senior Managing Directors. We will not receive any of the proceeds from such
sales.

      The Selling Stockholders propose to sell the shares from time to time in
transactions occurring either on or off the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. at
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Sales may be made through
brokers or to dealers, who are expected to receive customary commissions or
discounts.

      The Selling Stockholders and participating brokers and dealers may be
deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, in which event any profit on the sale of shares by those Selling
Stockholders and any commissions or discounts received by those brokers or
dealers may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act.

      Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and/or Bear, Stearns Securities Corp.,
subsidiaries of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., may act as a broker on behalf
of one or more of the Selling Stockholders.

      The Common Stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "BSC." On February
24, 2004, the closing price of the Common Stock on the NYSE was $85.20 per
share.



      Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.









                                February 25, 2004


      You should only rely on the information incorporated by reference or
provided in this prospectus or any supplement. We have not authorized anyone
else to provide you with different information. The Common Stock is not being
offered in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume
that the information in this prospectus or any supplement is accurate as of any
date other than the date on the front of those documents.

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

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                           Page
                                                                           ----

Where You Can Find More Information..........................................2
Forward-Looking Statements...................................................3
The Company..................................................................5
Selling Stockholders.........................................................7
Plan of Distribution........................................................10
Experts.....................................................................11



                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

      We file current, annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other
information required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), with the SEC. You may read and copy any of these filed
documents at the SEC's public reference room located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further
information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to
the public from the SEC's internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of these
reports, proxy statements and other information can also be inspected at the
offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New
York 10005.

      Our public website is http://www.bearstearns.com. We make available free
of charge on our website, via a link to the SEC's internet site at
http://www.sec.gov, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form
10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed
on behalf of directors and executive officers and amendments to those reports
filed or furnished pursuant to the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably
practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to,
the SEC.

      In addition, we currently make available on http://www.bearstearns.com our
most recent annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for
the current fiscal year and our most recent proxy statement, although in some
cases these documents are not available on our website as soon as they are
available on the SEC's internet site. You will need to have on your computer the
Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view these documents, which are in the .PDF
format.

      We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), with respect to 33,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
pursuant to our Capital Accumulation Plan for Senior Managing Directors. This
prospectus, which constitutes a part of that Registration Statement, does not
include all the information contained in that Registration Statement and its
exhibits. For further information with respect to the Company and the Common
Stock, you should consult the Registration Statement and its exhibits.
Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the provisions of any
documents are necessarily

                                      -2-


summaries of those documents, and each statement is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the copy of the document filed with the SEC. The Registration
Statement and any of its amendments, including exhibits filed as a part of the
Registration Statement or an amendment to the Registration Statement, are
available for inspection and copying through the entities listed above.

      The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information that we
file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by
referring you to the other information we have filed with the SEC. The
information that we incorporate by reference is considered to be part of this
prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically
update and supersede this information.

      The following documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 of
the Exchange Act (File No. 1-8989) and any future filings under Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act made before the termination of the
offering are incorporated by reference:

            (i) the Annual Report on Form 10-K (including the portions of the
      Company's Annual Report to Stockholders and Proxy Statement incorporated
      by reference therein) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2002;

            (ii) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended
      February 28, 2003, May 31, 2003 and August 31, 2003;

            (iii) the Current Reports on Form 8-K dated December 18, 2002,
      December 18, 2002, December 20, 2002, January 8, 2003, January 14, 2003,
      January 30, 2003, February 11, 2003, February 11, 2003, February 24, 2003;
      March 19, 2003; March 19, 2003, March 26, 2003, April 7, 2003, April 24,
      2003, April 28, 2003, April 28, 2003, June 2, 2003, June 18, 2003, June
      18, 2003, June 19, 2003, July 10, 2003, July 17, 2003, September 18, 2003,
      September 25, 2003, October 21, 2003, November 17, 2003, November 21,
      2003, December 15, 2003, December 17, 2003, December 17, 2003, January 7,
      2004 and January 21, 2004; and

            (iv) the description of the Common Stock, which is registered under
      Section 12 of the Exchange Act, set forth under the caption "Description
      of Capital Stock" contained in the Company's Registration Statement on
      Form 10, dated September 19, 1985.

      We will provide to you without charge a copy of any or all documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus except the exhibits to such
documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in
such documents). You may request copies by writing or telephoning us at our
Investor Relations Department, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., 383 Madison
Avenue, New York, New York 10179; telephone number (212) 272-2000.

                           FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

      Certain statements included in or incorporated by reference into this
prospectus including (without limitation) certain matters discussed under "Legal
Proceedings," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations" and "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about
Market Risk" included in or incorporated by reference in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2002 and our Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended February 28, 2003, May 31, 2003 and
August 31, 2003, which have been filed with the SEC, are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such forward-looking statements concerning management's expectations,
strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated economic performance and
financial condition and other similar matters are subject to risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially

                                      -3-


from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. We
disclaim any obligation or undertaking to provide any updates or revisions to
any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or any
change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking
statement is based.



                                      -4-


                                   THE COMPANY

      We are a holding company that, through our subsidiaries, principally Bear,
Stearns & Co. Inc. ("Bear Stearns"), Bear, Stearns Securities Corp. ("BSSC"),
Bear, Stearns International Limited ("BSIL") and Bear Stearns Bank plc ("BSB"),
is a leading investment banking, securities and derivatives trading, clearance
and brokerage firm serving corporations, governments, institutional and
individual investors worldwide. BSSC, a subsidiary of Bear Stearns, provides
professional and correspondent clearing services, in addition to clearing and
settling customer transactions and certain of our proprietary transactions. Our
business includes:

o     market-making and trading in US government, government agency, corporate
      debt and equity, mortgage-related, asset-backed, municipal securities and
      high yield products;

o     trading in options, futures, foreign currencies, interest rate swaps and
      other derivative products;

o     securities, options and futures brokerage;

o     providing securities clearance services;

o     managing equity and fixed income assets for institutional and individual
      clients;

o     financing customer activities;

o     securities lending;

o     securities and futures arbitrage;

o     involvement in specialist activities on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.,
      American Stock Exchange LLC and International Securities Exchange;

o     underwriting and distributing securities;

o     arranging for the private placement of securities;

o     assisting in mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and leveraged
      transactions;

o     making principal investments in leveraged acquisitions;

o     engaging in commercial real estate activities;

o     investment management and advisory services; and

o     fiduciary, custody, agency and securities research services.

Our business is conducted:

o     from our principal offices in New York City;

o     from domestic regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
      Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Juan;

o     from representative offices in Beijing, Herzliya, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo and
      Shanghai;

                                      -5-


o     through international offices in Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Lugano, Milan,
      Singapore and Tokyo; and

o     through joint ventures with other firms in Belgium, Greece, Spain, and
      Sweden.

Our international offices provide services and engage in investment activities
involving foreign clients and international transactions. Additionally, certain
of these foreign offices provide services to US clients. We provide trust
company and clearance services through our subsidiary, Custodial Trust Company,
which is located in Princeton, New Jersey.

      Bear Stearns and BSSC are broker-dealers registered with the SEC.
Additionally, Bear Stearns is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC.
Bear Stearns and/or BSSC are also members of the NYSE, all other principal US
securities and futures exchanges, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the National Futures
Association and the ISE. Bear Stearns is a "primary dealer" in US government
securities, as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

      BSIL is a full service broker-dealer based in London and among other
European exchanges, is a member of Eurex Deutschland, the International
Petroleum Exchange, Euronext Liffe, Euronext Paris and NASDAQ Europe. BSIL is
supervised by and is regulated in accordance with the rules of the Financial
Services Authority.

      BSB is an Ireland-based bank, which was registered in 1996 and
subsequently granted a banking license under the Irish Central Bank Act, 1971.
BSB allows our existing and prospective clients the opportunity of dealing with
a banking counterparty.

   We are incorporated in the State of Delaware. Our principal executive office
is located at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179; our telephone number
is (212) 272-2000. In this prospectus, the terms Company," "we," "us" and "our"
refer only to The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. excluding its consolidated
subsidiaries.


                                      -6-


                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

      This prospectus relates to shares of Common Stock that have been acquired
by the Selling Stockholders named below pursuant to our Capital Accumulation
Plan for Senior Managing Directors.

      Each of the Selling Stockholders is an employee of the Company or one of
its subsidiaries and is a Senior Managing Director of Bear Stearns. The
following table sets forth:

      o     the name and principal position or positions over the past three
            years with the Company of each Selling Stockholder (other than such
            Selling Stockholder's current position as a Senior Managing Director
            of Bear Stearns);

      o     the number of shares of Common Stock each Selling Stockholder
            beneficially owned as of February 18, 2004;

      o     the number of shares of Common Stock acquired by each Selling
            Stockholder pursuant to the CAP Plan and being registered under this
            Registration Statement, some or all of which shares may be sold
            pursuant to this prospectus; and

      o     the number of shares of Common Stock and the percentage, if 1% or
            more, of the total class of Common Stock outstanding to be
            beneficially owned by each Selling Stockholder following this
            offering, assuming the sale pursuant to this offering of all shares
            acquired by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to the CAP Plan and
            registered under this Registration Statement.

Certain of the Selling Stockholders may sell some or all of the shares listed
below from time to time in order to satisfy tax obligations incurred in
connection with the receipt of awards of Common Stock pursuant to the CAP Plan.
There is no assurance that any of the Selling Stockholders will sell any or all
of the shares offered by them under this Registration Statement. The address of
each Selling Stockholder is c/o The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., 383 Madison
Avenue, New York, New York 10179.



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

                                                                                         Shares Beneficially Owned
                                                                                            After this Offering
                                                                                            -------------------
                                                    Shares                               ------------- ---------------
                           Position(s) with      Beneficially      Shares Covered by
  Selling Stockholder        the Company       Owned (1)(2)(3)      this Prospectus        Number         Percent
  -------------------        -----------       ---------------      ---------------        ------         -------
------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -------------------------------

                                                                                              
James E. Cayne (4)        Chairman of the              5,837,217              126,161       5,711,056        5.49%
                          Board and Chief
                          Executive Officer
------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------

Alan C. Greenberg         Chairman of the                 79,188               64,188          15,000         *
                          Executive
                          Committee
------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------

Mark E. Lehman (5)        Executive Vice                 237,150               10,679         226,471         *
                          President and
                          General Counsel
------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------


                                      -7-



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

Michael Minikes (a)(6)    Treasurer                      323,546                6,445         317,101         *
------------------------- ------------------ -------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------

Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.    Executive Vice                  54,574                1,020          53,554         *
                          President and
                          Chief Financial
                          Officer
------------------------- ------------------ -------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------

Alan D. Schwartz          President and                1,038,775               87,137         951,638         *
                          Co-Chief
                          Operating Officer
------------------------- ------------------ -------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------

Warren Spector (7)        President and                  319,494               79,409         240,085         *
                          Co-Chief
                          Operating Officer
------------------------- ------------------ -------------------- -------------------- --------------- ---------------



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

* Less than one (1%) percent.

(a)   Former member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

(1)   Nature of beneficial ownership is sole voting and investment power except
      as indicated in subsequent notes.

(2)   Includes shares of Common Stock owned by the Selling Stockholders through
      The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the
      "ESOP"). Shares owned by the ESOP that are allocated to employees'
      accounts are voted on a "pass through" basis by the employees to whose
      accounts such shares are allocated. Shares not allocated to accounts and
      allocated shares for which voting directions have not been received are
      voted by the trustee of the ESOP in proportion to the manner in which
      allocated shares are directed to be voted by participants in the ESOP.

(3)   Does not include an aggregate of 5,704,080 shares underlying units
      credited under the Capital Accumulation Plan to the indicated individuals
      because such individuals neither have the present ability to direct the
      vote nor the ability to dispose of such shares and will not have such
      rights within 60 days. Does not include an aggregate of 26,088 shares
      underlying units granted under a one-time long term incentive award to the
      indicated individuals because such individuals neither have the present
      ability to direct the vote nor the ability to dispose of such shares and
      will not have such rights within 60 days.

(4)   Includes 45,669 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Cayne's wife, as to
      which shares Mr. Cayne disclaims beneficial ownership. Includes 232,515
      shares of Common Stock held by a charitable trust, as to which shares Mr.
      Cayne disclaims beneficial ownership. Does not include 220,054 shares of
      Common Stock held by trusts established for Mr. Cayne's children, as to
      which shares Mr. Cayne disclaims beneficial ownership. Does not include
      8,048 shares of Common Stock owned by a child of Mr. Cayne, as to which
      shares Mr. Cayne disclaims beneficial ownership.

(5)   Does not include 29,763 shares of Common Stock held in a trust established
      for Mr. Lehman's wife, as to which shares Mr. Lehman disclaims beneficial
      ownership.

                                      -8-


(6)   Does not include 1,780 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Minikes' wife,
      as to which shares Mr. Minikes disclaims beneficial ownership.

(7)   Does not include 636 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Spector's wife,
      as to which shares Mr. Spector disclaims beneficial ownership.

                                      -9-



                                PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

      Shares covered by this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Stockholders
as principals for their own account. We will not receive any proceeds from sales
of any shares by Selling Stockholders.

      The Selling Stockholders or their pledgees, donees, transferees or other
successors in interest (including Bear Stearns to the extent that shares may be
sold from a margin account) may sell shares pursuant to this prospectus from
time to time:

      o     in transactions (including one or more block transactions) on the
            NYSE;

      o     in the public market off the NYSE;

      o     in privately negotiated transactions;

      o     through put or call options transactions relating to the shares; or

      o     in a combination of such transactions.

Each sale may be made either at the market price prevailing at the time of sale
or at a negotiated price. Sales may be made through brokers or to dealers, and
such brokers or dealers may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
discounts not exceeding those customary in similar transactions. Any shares
covered by this prospectus that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this
prospectus. All expenses of registration incurred in connection with this
offering are being borne by the Company, but all brokerage commissions and other
expenses incurred by a Selling Stockholder will be borne by that Selling
Stockholder.

      The Selling Stockholders and any dealer acting in connection with the
offering or any broker executing a sell order on behalf of a Selling Stockholder
may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act, in
which event any profit on the sale of shares by a Selling Stockholder and any
commissions or discounts received by any such broker or dealer may be deemed to
be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. In addition, any such
broker or dealer may be required to deliver a copy of this prospectus to any
person who purchases any of the shares from or through such broker or dealer.

      Bear Stearns and/or BSSC may act as a broker on behalf of one or more of
the Selling Stockholders in connection with sales under this prospectus and may
receive customary commissions in connection therewith. Bear Stearns and BSSC are
member firms of the NASD and their activities in connection with the offering
will conform to the requirements set forth in Rule 2720 of the NASD Conduct
Rules.

      In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if
applicable, the shares will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers
or dealers.

                                      -10-


                                     EXPERTS

      The consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement
schedules incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our 2002 Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2002 have been audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their reports, which
are incorporated in this prospectus by reference, and have been so incorporated
in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts
in accounting and auditing.

                                      -11-


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.     Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

      The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") (File No. 1-8989), are
incorporated herein by reference: (i) the Annual Report on Form 10-K (including
the portions of the Company's Annual Report to Stockholders and Proxy Statement
incorporated by reference therein) for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2002;
(ii) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended February
28, 2003, May 31, 2003 and August 31, 2003; (iii) the Current Reports on Form
8-K dated December 18, 2002, December 18, 2002, December 20, 2002, January 8,
2003, January 14, 2003, January 30, 2003, February 11, 2003, February 11, 2003,
February 24, 2003, March 19, 2003, March 19, 2003, March 26, 2003, April 7,
2003, April 24, 2003, April 28, 2003, April 28, 2003, June 2, 2003, June 18,
2003, June 18, 2003, June 19, 2003, July 10, 2003, July 17, 2003, September 18,
2003, September 25, 2003, October 21, 2003, November 17, 2003 and November 21,
2003, December 15, 2003, December 17, 2003, December 17, 2003, January 7, 2004
and January 21, 2004; and (iv) the description of the Common Stock, which is
registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, set forth under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock" contained in the Company's Registration Statement
on Form 10, dated September 19, 1985. All documents filed by the Company
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to
the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment indicating that all securities offered hereby have been
sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.     Description of Securities.

      Not Applicable.

Item 5.     Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

      Not Applicable.

Item 6.     Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

      Reference is made to Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
which provides for indemnification of directors and officers in certain
circumstances.

      Article VIII of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the Company against
certain liabilities incurred as a result of their duties as such and also
provides for the elimination of the monetary liability of directors for certain
actions as such. The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation is filed as
Exhibit 4(a)(1) to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-57083) filed
June 17, 1998, and the Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, dated April 2, 2001, is filed as Exhibit 4(a)(2) to the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-92357) filed June 14, 2001.

      We have in effect reimbursement insurance for our directors' and officers'
liability claims and directors' and officers' liability insurance indemnifying,
respectively, ourselves and our directors and officers within specific limits
for certain liabilities incurred by them, subject to the conditions and
exclusions and deductible provisions of the policies.


                                      II-1


      For the undertaking with respect to indemnification, see Item 9.

Item 7.     Exemption from Registration Claimed.

      Not Applicable.

Item 8.     Exhibits.

            Exhibit        No. Description
            -------        ---------------

            4(a)(1)   --   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                           registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           4(a)(1) to the Registration Statement on Form S-3
                           (File No. 333-57083)).

            4(a)(2)   --   Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate
                           of Incorporation of the registrant (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 4(a)(2) to the Registration
                           Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-92357)).

            4(a)(3)   --   Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                           registrant's 6.15% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series
                           E (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the
                           Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on January
                           14, 1998).

            4(a)(4)   --   Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                           registrant's 5.72% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series
                           F (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the
                           Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on April 20,
                           1998).

            4(a)(5)   --   Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                           registrant's 5.49% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series
                           G (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the
                           Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on June 18,
                           1998).

            4(a)(6)   --   Certificate of Elimination of the Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A; Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B; Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C; and Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series D of the
                           registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           4(d)(9) to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                           January 15, 2002).

            4(a)(7)   --   Certificate of Elimination of the 7.88% Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B of the
                           registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           4(d)(10) to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                           January 15, 2002).

            4(a)(8)   --   Certificate of Elimination of the 7.60% Cumulative
                           Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C of the
                           registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           4(d)(11) to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                           January 15, 2002).


                                      II-2


            Exhibit        No. Description
            -------        ---------------

            4(a)(9)   --   Certificate of Elimination of the Adjustable Rate
                           Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A of the
                           registrant.

            4(b)      --   Amended and Restated By-laws of the registrant as
                           amended through January 8, 2002 (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 4(d)(6) to the Current Report on
                           Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2002).

            5         --   Opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
                           (previously filed with the Registration Statement on
                           Form S-8 (File No. 333-108976)).

            10(a)     --   The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Capital Accumulation
                           Plan for Senior Managing Directors (amended and
                           restated as of October 28, 1999) (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 10(a)(4) to the Quarterly Report
                           on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December
                           31, 1999, filed on February 14, 2000).

            10(b)     --   The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Capital Accumulation
                           Plan for Senior Managing Directors (amended and
                           restated November 29, 2000 for plan years beginning
                           on or after July 1, 1999) (incorporated by reference
                           to Exhibit 10(a)(1) to the Quarterly Report on Form
                           10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended February 23, 2001,
                           filed on April 9, 2001).

            10(c)     --   The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Restricted Stock
                           Unit Plan (enacted November 29, 2000) (incorporated
                           by reference to Exhibit 10(a)(6) to the Quarterly
                           Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended
                           February 23, 2001, filed on April 9, 2001).

            23(a)     --   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

            23(b)     --   Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
                           (included in Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement
                           on Form S-8 (File No. 333-108976)).

            24        --   Power of attorney (included in the signature pages
                           to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No.
                           333-108976)).


Item 9.     Undertakings.

      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

            (a) 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;

                  (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
            after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most
            recent post-effective amendment thereto) which, individually or in
            the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set
            forth in this


                                      II-3


            Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase
            or decrease in the 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 end of the
            estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
            prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
            aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a
            20 percent change in the 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 this Registration
            Statement or any material change to such information in this
            Registration Statement;

provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(i) and
(a)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports
filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement.

            (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment will be deemed to be a
      new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
      the offering of such securities at that time will be deemed to be the
      initial bona fide offering thereof.

            (c) 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.

            (d) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to
      Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by
      reference in this Registration Statement 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.

            (e) 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 provisions referred to in Item 6
      of this Registration Statement, or otherwise, the registrant has been
      advised that in the opinion of the SEC 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.


                                      II-4



                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
hereby certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of
the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on February 25, 2004.



                                           THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.


                                           By: /s/ Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.
                                               --------------------------------
                                               Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.
                                               Executive Vice President
                                               and Chief Financial Officer




      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on February 25, 2004.



             Signature                                   Title
             ---------                                   -----

                         THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.


                  *                       Chairman of the Executive
------------------------------------        Committee and Director
          Alan C. Greenberg


                  *                       Chairman of the Board, Chief
------------------------------------         Executive Officer (Principal
           James E. Cayne                    Executive Officer) and Director



                  *
------------------------------------      Director
          Carl D. Glickman


                  *
------------------------------------      Director
        Donald J. Harrington


                  *
------------------------------------      Director
           William L. Mack


                  *
------------------------------------      Director
          Frank T. Nickell


                  *
------------------------------------      Director
           Paul A. Novelly


                                      II-5


             Signature                                   Title
             ---------                                   -----
                  *
------------------------------------      Director
         Frederic V. Salerno


                  *                       President, Co-Chief Operating
------------------------------------         Officer and Director
          Alan D. Schwartz


                  *                       President, Co-Chief Operating
------------------------------------         Officer and Director
          Warren J. Spector


                  *                       Director
------------------------------------
            Vincent Tese


     /s/ Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.            Executive Vice President and Chief
------------------------------------         Financial Officer
       Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.                (Principal Financial Officer)



        /s/ Jeffrey M. Farber              Controller
------------------------------------         (Principal Accounting Officer)
          Jeffrey M. Farber



* By:     /s/ Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.
      --------------------------------
      Samuel L. Molinaro Jr.
      Attorney-in-Fact


                                      II-6



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Number             Description
------             -----------

4(a)(1)     --     Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the registrant
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(a)(1) to the
                   Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-57083)).

4(a)(2)     --     Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
                   Incorporation of the registrant (incorporated by reference to
                   Exhibit 4(a)(2) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8
                   (File No. 333-92357)).

4(a)(3)     --     Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                   registrant's 6.15% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the Registration
                   Statement on Form 8-A filed on January 14, 1998).

4(a)(4)     --     Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                   registrant's 5.72% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the Registration
                   Statement on Form 8-A filed on April 20, 1998).

4(a)(5)     --     Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the
                   registrant's 5.49% Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.4 to the Registration
                   Statement on Form 8-A filed on June 18, 1998).

4(a)(6)     --     Certificate of Elimination of the Cumulative Convertible
                   Preferred Stock, Series A; Cumulative Convertible Preferred
                   Stock, Series B; Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock,
                   Series C; and Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series
                   D of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                   4(d)(9) to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January
                   15, 2002).

4(a)(7)     --     Certificate of Elimination of the 7.88% Cumulative
                   Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B of the registrant
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(d)(10) to the Current
                   Report on Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2002).

4(a)(8)     --     Certificate of Elimination of the 7.60% Cumulative
                   Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C of the registrant
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(d)(11) to the Current
                   Report on Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2002).

4(a)(9)     --     Certificate of Elimination of the Adjustable Rate
                   Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A of the registrant.

4(b)        --     Amended and Restated By-laws of the registrant as amended
                   through January 8, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                   4(d)(6) to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January
                   15, 2002).

5           --     Opinion  of  Cadwalader, Wickersham  & Taft LLP  (previously
                   filed with the  Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (File No.
                   333-108976)).




10(a)       --     The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Capital Accumulation  Plan
                   for Senior Managing Directors (amended and restated as of
                   October 28, 1999) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                   10(a)(4) to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
                   quarter ended December 31, 1999, filed on February 14, 2000).

10(b)       --     The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Capital Accumulation Plan
                   for Senior Managing Directors (amended and restated November
                   29, 2000 for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 1999)
                   (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(a)(1) to the
                   Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended
                   February 23, 2001, filed on April 9, 2001).

10(c)       --     The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Restricted  Stock Unit Plan
                   (enacted November 29, 2000) (incorporated by reference to
                   Exhibit 10(a)(6) to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
                   fiscal quarter ended February 23, 2001, filed on April 9,
                   2001).

23(a)       --     Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

23(b)       --     Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham  & Taft LLP  (included in
                   Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No.
                   333-108976)).

24          --     Power of attorney (included in the  signature pages to the
                   Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-108976)).