Free
Writing Prospectus
Filed
Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration
No. 333−136666
July
19, 2007
|
||
|
STRUCTURED
EQUITY
PRODUCTS
|
|
New Issue
|
Indicative
Terms
|
|
The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. | |
BearLinxSM Alerian MLP Select ETN | |
INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS |
·
|
20
year term to maturity.
|
·
|
The
Notes are not principal protected.
|
·
|
Issue
is a direct obligation of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Rated
A1 by
Moody’s / A+ by S&P).
|
·
|
Issue
Price: 100.00% of Principal Amount ($38.8915 per Note).
|
·
|
We
plan to apply to list the Notes on the New York Stock Exchange
under the
symbol “BSR”.
|
·
|
Linked
to the performance of the Alerian MLP Select Index (“AMZS” or
“Index”).
|
·
|
The
AMZS is an index designed to track liquid Master Limited Partnerships
(“MLPs”) listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ.
|
·
|
MLPs
are partnerships that own mid-stream US energy infrastructural
assets such
as pipelines.
|
·
|
The
Cash Settlement Amount is based on the change, if any, of the
volume-weighted average prices of the MLPs in the Index during
the term of
the Notes, and will equal an amount per Note in U.S. dollars
equal to (i)
the Principal Amount multiplied by the quotient of the Final
VWAP Level
divided by the Initial VWAP Level minus (ii) the accrued Tracking
Fee, if
any.
|
·
|
Monthly
coupon payments to the extent the amount of gross cash dividends
that a
Reference Holder would have received from the MLPs in the Index
exceed a
Tracking Fee equal to 0.070834% per month.
|
·
|
Redeemable
in amounts of 75,000 Notes or greater as of the last Business
Day of each
week during the term of the
Notes.
|
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 offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request
it by
calling toll free 1-866-803-9204.
|
||
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO. INC.
STRUCTURED
EQUITY PRODUCTS
(212)
272-1786
|
Neither
the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission
has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined
that this
free writing prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation
to the
contrary is a criminal offense.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
GENERAL
TERMS
|
ISSUER:
|
The
Bear Stearns Companies Inc.
|
ISSUER’S
RATING:
|
A1
/ A+ (Moody’s / S&P)
|
CUSIP
NUMBER:
|
073902835
|
CLOSING
DATE:
|
July
11, 2007
|
PRICING
DATE:
|
July
19, 2007
|
SETTLEMENT
DATE:
|
July
20, 2007
|
ISSUE
PRICE:
|
100%
|
INDEX:
|
The
Alerian MLP Select Index (ticker “AMZS”), as published by the Standard
& Poor’s, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (the
“Sponsor”), in consultation with Alerian Capital Management LLC
(“Alerian”).
|
The
Index measures the composite performance of energy oriented
Master Limited
Partnerships (“MLPs”), and is calculated by the Sponsor using a
float-adjusted, market capitalization weighted methodology.
The objective
of the Index is to provide investors with an unbiased,
comprehensive
benchmark for the performance of the energy MLP universe.
The MLPs
underlying the Index are generally limited partnerships
engaged in the
exploration, marketing, mining, processing, production,
storage or
transportation of any mineral or natural resource. The
Index itself is
disseminated real-time on a price-return basis and is listed
on the
Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
|
|
INDEX
COMPONENTS:
|
As
of any date of determination, the constituents underlying
the Index.
|
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT:
|
The
Notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars. Each Note will
be issued in
minimum denominations to be determined by the Calculation
Agent based upon
the quotient of (1) the arithmetic mean of the sum for
each Index
Component of the products of (i) the volume-weighted average
price of that
Index Component and (ii) the published share weighting
of that Index
Component, each measured daily over a specified period
of Index Business
Days following the Closing Date (the “Initial Measurement Period”) in
accordance with the following schedule (the “VWAP Schedule”), divided by
2) the product of the Index Divisor and the number ten:
|
Aggregate
Size of the Issuance
|
Initial
VWAP Period
|
||
Less
than $200 Million
|
6
Index Business Days
|
VWAP
LEVEL
|
As
of any date of determination and with respect to the Index,
the quotient
of (1) the arithmetic mean of the sum for each Index Component
of the
products of (i) the volume weighted-average price of that
Index Component
as of such date and (ii) the published share weighting
of that Index
Component as of such date divided by (2) the Index Divisor
as of such
date, as determined by the Calculation Agent.
|
INDEX
DIVISOR:
|
As
of any date of determination, the divisor used by the Sponsor
to calculate
the level of the Index, as further described under “Description of the
Index - Computation of the Index” in the Pricing Supplement.
|
FURTHER
ISSUANCES:
|
We
may, without your consent, offer further issuances of the
Notes at
offering prices based upon market conditions and Index
levels at any time
during the term of the Notes. If there is substantial demand
for the
Notes, we may issue additional Notes frequently. These
further issuances,
if any, will be consolidated to form a single series with
the Notes and
will have the same CUSIP number and will trade interchangeably
with the
Notes immediately upon settlement.
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO. INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS
GROUP
|
COUPON:
|
The
Notes will pay a coupon, if any, on each Coupon Payment
Date. For each
Note you hold, on each Coupon Payment Date you will receive
an amount in
U.S. dollars equal to the difference between the Reference
Dividend Amount
minus the Tracking Fee (the “Coupon Amount”). To the extent the Reference
Dividend Amount is less than the Tracking Fee on any Coupon
Valuation
Date, there will be no coupon payment made on the corresponding
Coupon
Payment Date, and an amount equal to the difference between
the Tracking
Fee and the Reference Dividend Amount in respect of such
period (the
“Tracking Fee Shortfall”) will be added to the Tracking Fee deducted from
the Reference Dividend Amount in respect of the next Coupon
Payment Date.
For the avoidance of doubt, the process will be repeated
to the extent
necessary until such time as the accrued Tracking Fee has
been deducted
from the appropriate Reference Dividend Amount in all prior
months.
|
COUPON
PAYMENT DATE:
|
The
fifth Business Day following each Coupon Valuation Date,
subject to
adjustment, as described in the Pricing Supplement.
|
COUPON
VALUATION DATE:
|
The
first Business Day of each calendar month during the term
of the Notes
beginning on August 1, 2007, and the last Coupon Valuation
Date will be
the Calculation Date, subject to adjustment, as described
in the Pricing
Supplement.
|
REFERENCE
DIVIDEND AMOUNT:
|
As
of any Coupon Payment Date, an amount per Note equal to
the gross cash
dividends that would have been received by a Reference
Holder in respect
of a quantity of Index Components held by such Reference
Holder on an
“ex-dividend date” with respect to any Index Component, which “ex-dividend
date” occurred during the period from and including the first
Index
Business Day following the Initial Measurement Period to
and excluding the
immediately preceding Coupon Valuation Date. Any non-cash
dividends that
would have been received by a Reference Holder during any
period of
determination will be valued in cash by the Calculation
Agent and will be
included in the gross cash dividends for purposes of this
calculation.
|
TRACKING
FEE:
|
As
of any date of determination, an amount per Note equal
to the product of
0.070834% (representing 0.85% per annum) multiplied by
the Current NAV.
The Tracking Fee will be increased by an amount equal to
any Tracking Fee
Shortfall.
|
CURRENT
NAV:
|
As
of any date of determination, an amount per Note equal
to the product of
(i) the Principal Amount multiplied by (ii) a fraction,
the numerator of
which is equal to the VWAP Level as of such date and the
denominator of
which is equal to the Initial VWAP Level, as determined
by the Calculation
Agent.
|
CASH
SETTLEMENT AMOUNT:
|
An
amount per Note payable in U.S. dollars on the Maturity
Date equal to (i)
the Principal Amount multiplied by the Index Ratio minus
(ii) the accrued
Tracking Fee, if any.
|
INDEX
RATIO:
|
As
of any date of determination, an amount equal to the quotient
of the Final
VWAP Level divided by the Initial VWAP Level.
|
INITIAL
VWAP LEVEL:
|
388.915,
representing the arithmetic mean of the VWAP Levels measured
each Index
Business Day in the Initial Measurement Period determined
in accordance
with the VWAP Schedule set forth above, as determined by
the Calculation
Agent.
|
FINAL
VWAP LEVEL:
|
The
arithmetic mean of the VWAP Levels measured each Index
Business Day in the
Final Measurement Period, as determined by the Calculation
Agent.
|
FINAL
MEASUREMENT PERIOD:
|
The
five Index Business Days from and including the Calculation
Date. The
Final Measurement Period is subject to adjustment as described
in the
Pricing Supplement.
|
CALCULATION
DATE:
|
July
20, 2027, unless such day is not an Index Business Day,
in which case the
Calculation Date shall be the next Index Business Day.
The Calculation
Date is subject to further adjustment as described in the
Pricing
Supplement.
|
MATURITY
DATE:
|
The
third Business Day following the final Index Business Day
in the Final
Measurement Period.
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
EARLY
REDEMPTION EVENT:
|
You
may redeem your Notes as of the last Business Day of each
week during the
term of the Notes (each, a “Redemption Valuation Date”) by delivering a
Redemption Notice to us via email no later than 10:00 a.m.
New York City
time on the Business Day prior to such Redemption Valuation
Date. If we
receive your Redemption Notice in accordance with the foregoing,
we or our
affiliate will send a form of Redemption Confirmation to
you via return
email, which you must complete, execute and return to us
via facsimile by
no later than 4:00 p.m. New York City time on the same
Business Day. We or
our affiliate must acknowledge receipt of your completed
Redemption
Confirmation in order for your redemption to be effective.
The procedures
described in the foregoing paragraph are referred to herein
as the “Notice
Procedures.”
|
Upon
compliance with the Notice Procedures, the Calculation
Agent will
accelerate the Calculation Date with respect to the Notes
being redeemed
to the relevant Redemption Valuation Date, which will automatically
accelerate the final Coupon Valuation Date and the Maturity
Date with
respect to the Notes being redeemed in accordance with
the terms set forth
herein. On the accelerated Maturity Date you will receive
an amount per
Note in U.S. dollars equal to (i) the Cash Settlement Amount
minus the
Redemption Fee Amount plus (ii) the Coupon Amount, if any
(the “Redemption
Amount”).
|
|
The
Tracking Fee applicable to the Notes subject to an Early
Redemption Event
shall be an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Tracking
Fee Shortfall as
of the last Coupon Valuation Date (if any) plus (ii) the
Tracking Fee as
of the next Coupon Valuation Date multiplied by a percentage,
the
numerator of which is the total number of days since the
prior Coupon
Valuation Date, and the denominator of which is 30 (the
“Adjusted Tracking
Fee”). To the extent the Reference Dividend Amount as of the
accelerated
Calculation Date is greater than the Adjusted Tracking
Fee, the Redemption
Amount will include a coupon payment equal to the Coupon
Amount (with the
Calculation Agent using the Adjusted Tracking Fee in calculating
such
Coupon Amount). To the extent the Reference Dividend Amount
as of the
accelerated Calculation Date is less than the Adjusted
Tracking Fee, the
Redemption Amount will not include any coupon payment,
and an amount equal
to the difference between the Adjusted Tracking Fee less
the Reference
Dividend Amount will be subtracted from the Index Ratio
in determining the
Cash Settlement Amount payable on the accelerated Maturity
Date.
|
|
We
will inform you of the Redemption Amount on the first Business
Day
following the final Index Business Day in the Final Measurement
Period.
Upon receipt, you must instruct your custodian at The Depositary
Trust
Company (“DTC”) to book a delivery vs. payment trade with respect to
your
Notes on such date at a price equal to the Redemption Amount,
facing Bear
Stearns DTC 0352, and cause your DTC custodian to deliver
the trade as
booked for settlement via DTC at or prior to 10:00 a.m.
New York City
time, on the applicable accelerated Maturity Date.
|
|
You
may redeem your Notes only in amounts of 75,000 Notes or
greater, subject
to adjustment by the Calculation Agent. You may not redeem
your Notes in
the week in which the Notes mature.
|
|
REDEMPTION
NOTICE:
|
The
form of redemption notice attached to the Pricing Supplement
as Appendix
1.
|
REDEMPTION
CONFIRMATION:
|
The
form of redemption confirmation attached to the Pricing
Supplement as
Appendix 2.
|
REDEMPTION
FEE:
|
0.125%
|
REDEMPTION
FEE AMOUNT:
|
As
of any date of determination, an amount per Note in U.S.
dollars equal to
the product of the Redemption Fee multiplied by the applicable
Cash
Settlement Amount.
|
REFERENCE
HOLDER:
|
As
of any date of determination, a hypothetical holder of
a number of shares
of each of the Index Components in the then current weightings
within the
Index as if such holder had invested an amount in the Index
as of that
date equal to the then equivalent Cash Settlement Amount
(as if the
Calculation Agent were to determine the Cash Settlement
Amount on that
date), as determined by the Calculation Agent.
|
EXCHANGE
LISTING:
|
The
Notes will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the ticker
symbol “BSR”.
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
BUSINESS
DAY:
|
Any
day other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banking institutions
in New
York, New York, are not authorized or obligated by law
or executive order
to close.
|
INDEX
BUSINESS DAY:
|
Any
day on which the Primary Exchange and each Related Exchange
are scheduled
to be open for trading.
|
PRIMARY
EXCHANGE:
|
With
respect to each Index Component, the primary exchange or
market of trading
of such Index Component.
|
RELATED
EXCHANGE:
|
With
respect to each Index Component, each exchange or quotation
system where
trading has a material effect (as determined by the Calculation
Agent) on
the overall market for futures or options contracts relating
to such Index
Component.
|
CALCULATION
AGENT:
|
Bear,
Stearns & Co. Inc.
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
ADDITIONL
TERMS SPECIFIC TO THE
NOTES
|
·
|
Pricing
Supplement dated July 19, 2007:
|
·
|
Prospectus
Supplement dated August 16, 2006:
|
·
|
Prospectus
dated August 16, 2006:
|
ILLUSTRATIVE
EXAMPLE OF COUPON
PAYMENT
|
Coupon
Valuation
Date
|
Current
NAV
|
Reference
Dividend
Amount
|
Tracking
Fee
|
Coupon
Payment
|
Tracking
Fee
Shortfall
|
Coupon
Valuation
Date
|
Month
1
|
$37.70
|
$0.19
|
$0.02670
|
$0.1633
|
$0.00
|
Month
1
|
Month
2
|
$40.00
|
$0.00
|
$0.02833
|
$0.00
|
$0.02833
|
Month
2
|
Month
3
|
$45.00
|
$0.00
|
$0.03188
|
$0.00
|
$0.06021
|
Month
3
|
Month
4
|
$35.00
|
$0.25
|
$0.02479
|
$0.165
|
$0.00
|
Month
4
|
Month
5
|
$30.00
|
$0.30
|
$0.02125
|
$0.2788
|
$0.00
|
Month
5
|
ILLUSTRATIVE
HYPOTHETICAL CASH SETTLEMENT AMOUNT
TABLE
|
·
|
Investor
purchases $37.70 aggregate Principal Amount of Notes
at the initial
offering price of $37.70.
|
·
|
Investor
holds the Notes to maturity or redeems the Notes prior
to
Maturity.
|
·
|
There
is no accrued Tracking Fee.
|
·
|
The
Initial Index Level is equal to
377.00
|
· |
No
Market Disruption Events occur during the Final Measurement
Period.
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
Initial
VWAP Level
|
Final
VWAP Level
|
Face
Amount
|
Cash
Settlement Amount
|
Percent
Change in Note Value
|
377.00
|
282.75
|
$37.70
|
$28.28
|
-25.00%
|
377.00
|
301.60
|
$37.70
|
$30.16
|
-20.00%
|
377.00
|
320.45
|
$37.70
|
$32.05
|
-15.00%
|
377.00
|
339.30
|
$37.70
|
$33.93
|
-10.00%
|
377.00
|
358.15
|
$37.70
|
$35.82
|
-5.00%
|
377.00
|
377.00
|
$37.70
|
$37.70
|
0.00%
|
377.00
|
395.85
|
$37.70
|
$39.59
|
5.00%
|
377.00
|
414.70
|
$37.70
|
$41.47
|
10.00%
|
377.00
|
433.55
|
$37.70
|
$43.36
|
15.00%
|
377.00
|
452.40
|
$37.70
|
$45.24
|
20.00%
|
377.00
|
471.25
|
$37.70
|
$47.13
|
25.00%
|
377.00
|
490.10
|
$37.70
|
$49.01
|
30.00%
|
377.00
|
508.95
|
$37.70
|
$50.90
|
35.00%
|
377.00
|
527.80
|
$37.70
|
$52.78
|
40.00%
|
THE
INDEX
|
•
|
The
Index is a liquid subset of the Alerian MLP Index (AMZ),
a benchmark index
tracking US listed Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs).
The Index is
composed of 37 MLPs whose liquidity profile meets the
generic NYSE Index
requirements for listed linked
securities.
|
•
|
The
Index attempts to provide investors with an unbiased,
comprehensive
benchmark for the performance of the energy master limited
partnership
universe.
|
•
|
Using
the Sponsor’s proprietary and independent calculation methodology,
the
Index attempts to provide transparency into the historical
and ongoing
performance of Master Limited Partnership
investments.
|
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
January
|
203.54
|
195.14
|
244.75
|
285.54
|
284.37
|
338.48
|
February
|
186.50
|
196.46
|
246.15
|
285.75
|
279.97
|
345.40
|
March
|
198.65
|
199.16
|
253.15
|
274.93
|
282.38
|
360.04
|
April
|
202.12
|
211.94
|
231.51
|
281.19
|
285.28
|
379.74
|
May
|
195.85
|
216.11
|
229.09
|
281.94
|
289.74
|
|
June
|
180.54
|
223.59
|
233.80
|
293.48
|
285.51
|
|
July
|
181.41
|
224.45
|
239.75
|
305.97
|
296.32
|
|
August
|
192.09
|
224.67
|
246.00
|
295.88
|
301.11
|
|
September
|
184.91
|
228.60
|
259.82
|
297.22
|
296.96
|
|
October
|
183.51
|
230.78
|
256.81
|
290.78
|
310.02
|
|
November
|
183.53
|
239.00
|
267.31
|
278.06
|
320.88
|
|
December
|
190.35
|
251.50
|
273.29
|
270.90
|
325.37
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
|
Return
With
Dividends2
|
Volatility
|
%
Positive
Months
|
Value
of
$1,000
|
Sharpe
Ratio3
|
Correlation
to
AMZS
Index4
|
Alerian
MLP Select Index (AMZS)
|
16.40%
|
9.79%
|
70%
|
$5,586
|
1.29
|
1.00
|
S&P
500
|
9.86%
|
14.93%
|
64%
|
$2,901
|
0.41
|
0.24
|
Russell
2000
|
10.11%
|
19.51%
|
61%
|
$2,979
|
0.32
|
0.27
|
NAREIT
|
16.07%
|
13.56%
|
64%
|
$5,410
|
0.90
|
0.29
|
NASDAQ
|
8.03%
|
27.86%
|
54%
|
$2,400
|
0.15
|
0.18
|
IXE
TR1
|
12.46%
|
20.34%
|
53%
|
$2,981
|
0.45
|
0.33
|
Dow
Jones
|
10.78%
|
15.14%
|
62%
|
$3,189
|
0.46
|
0.26
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|
|
STRUCTURED
PRODUCTS GROUP
|
SELECTED
RISK CONSIDERATIONS
|
·
|
Possible
loss of principal - The
Notes are not principal protected. Therefore, you may
receive less, and
possibly significantly less, than the principal you
invested. If the Final
Index VWAP Level is less than the Initial Index VWAP
Level, the Cash
Settlement Amount you will receive at maturity will
be less than the
principal you invested. In that case, you will receive
less, and possibly
significantly less, than the principal you
invested.
|
|
·
|
Limited
portfolio diversification
-
The Index Components are concentrated in the energy
oriented Master
Limited Partnership sector. Your investment may, therefore,
carry risks
similar to a concentrated investment in a limited number
of industries or
sectors.
|
|
·
|
The
level of the Index cannot be predicted
-
The future performance of the Index is impossible to
predict and,
therefore, no future performance of the Notes or the
Cash Settlement
Amount may be inferred from any of the historical data
or any other
information set forth herein. Because it is impossible
to predict the
level of the Index or the performance of any of the
Index Components, it
is possible that the level of the Index and the VWAP
Level will decline
and you will lose all or part the principal you
invested.
|
|
·
|
Liquidity
-
Although we plan to apply to list the Notes on the
New York Stock
Exchange, a trading market for your Notes does not
currently exist and may
not develop. In addition, our subsidiary, Bear, Stearns
& Co. Inc. has
advised us that they intend under ordinary market conditions
to indicate
prices for the Notes on request. However, we cannot
guarantee that bids
for outstanding Notes will be made; nor can we predict
the price at which
such bids will be made. If you sell your Notes prior
to maturity, you may
receive less than the principal you invested.
|
|
·
|
Possible
loss of value in the secondary market
- If
you sell your Notes prior to maturity, you may receive
less than the
principal you invested.
|
|
·
|
Coupon
payments are not guaranteed
-
You will not receive a coupon payment to the extent
that, for any period
of calculation, the amount of gross cash dividends
that would be received
by a Reference Holder of the Index Components would
be less than the
Tracking Fee. The yield on the Notes, therefore, may
be less than the
overall return you would earn if you purchased a conventional
debt
security at the same time and with the same maturity.
|
|
·
|
Taxes
-
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment
in the Notes are
uncertain. The Issuer and the holders agree (in the
absence of an
administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary)
to treat the Notes for
federal income tax purposes as pre-paid cash-settled
executory contracts
linked to the value of the Index and, where required,
to file information
returns with the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) in accordance with
such treatment. Assuming the Notes are treated as pre-paid
cash-settled
executory contracts, you should generally recognize
capital gain or loss
to the extent that the cash you receive on the Maturity
Date or upon a
sale or exchange of the Notes prior to the Maturity
Date differs from your
tax basis on the Notes (which will generally be the
amount you paid for
the Notes) and you agree with the Issuer to currently
recognize as
ordinary income any coupon received in respect of the
Notes. However,
other treatments are possible. Prospective investors
are urged to consult
their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income
tax consequences of
an investment in the Notes.
|
LICENSE
AGREEMENT
|
BEAR,
STEARNS & CO.
INC.
|