Pricing Supplement No: 38
Filing Under Rule 424(b)(3)
Date: March 4, 1996 Registration File No. 33-49719
(to Prospectus dated January 12, 1994
and
Prospectus dated January 14, 1994)
$400,000,000
PROVIDIAN CORPORATION
Medium-Term Notes, Series D
CUSIP: 74406QBC0
Principal amount: $25,000,000 Floating Rate Notes:
Interest Rate (if fixed rate): Interest Rate Basis:
6.67%
Maturity Date: March 7, 2006 --- Commercial Paper Rate
Specified Currency: U.S. Dollars --- Prime Rate
Exchange Rate (if any): --- LIBOR
U.S. $1.00 = --- Treasury Rate
Issue price (as a percentage of --- CD Rate
principal amount): 100.000% --- Federal Funds Rate
Selling Agent's commission (%): Index Maturity:
0.625%
Purchasing Agent's discount or Spread (plus or minus):
commission (%): Spread Multiplier:
Net proceeds to the company (%) : Maximum Interest Rate:
99.375%
Settlement date (Original Issue Date): Minimum Interest Rate:
March 7, 1996
Redemption Commencement Date (if any): Initial Interest Rate: Exchange
Rate Agent: Interest Reset Date(s) (if semi
-annually
Original Issue Discount Security: or annually):
Yes: No: XXX Third Wednesday of:
Default Rate (%): Interest Reset Date: (if
weekly, monthly or (applicable
only for Original Issue or quarterly): A/S
Discount Security) Intererest Determination Date
(s): A/S
Calculation Date(s): A/S
Calculation Agent: A/S Interest
Payment Date (s):
Third Wednesday of :____
March
Redemption Periods:
____ June
____ September
Other Provisions:
____ October
Regular Record Date(s): Interest
Reset Period: Redemption Prices:
If such Notes are denominated in other than U.S dollars, the applicable
Foreign Currency Supplement is attached hereto.
Additional Terms:
As of the date of this Pricing Supplement (i) the aggregate initial public
offering price (or its equivalent in other currencies or
composite currencies) of the Notes (as defined in the Prospectus Supplement)
which have been sold (including the Notes to which
this Pricing Supplement relates) is $282,000,000; and the aggregate proceeds
which the Company has
received from Debt
Securities (as defined in the Prospectus) which have been sold (including the
Notes to which this Pricing Supplement relates) is
$271,270,595.
"N/A" as used herein means "Not Applicable". "A/S" as used herein means
"As stated in the Prospectus Supplement referred to
above".
Effective May 12, 1994, Capital Holding Corporation changed its name to
Providian Corporation. As a result, all references in
the prospectus to "Capital Holding Corporation" shall be read as to refer
to "Providian Corporation".
Merrill Lynch CapitalMarkets
Goldman Sachs & Co.