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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 1997
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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
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(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-7182 13-2740599
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(State or other (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification No.)
incorporation)
World Financial Center, North Tower, New York, New York 10281-1220
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 449-1000
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
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Item 5. Other Events
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Exhibits are filed herewith in connection with the Registration Statement
on Form S-3 (File No. 333-28537) filed by Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. ("ML & Co.")
with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering Senior Debt Securities
issuable under an indenture dated as of April 1, 1983, as amended and restated,
between ML & Co. and The Chase Manhattan Bank (the "Indenture"). ML & Co. will
issue $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.56% Notes due December 16,
2007 under the Indenture. The exhibits consist of the form of Notes and an
opinion of counsel relating thereto.
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
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EXHIBITS
(4) Instruments defining the rights of
security holders, including indentures.
Form of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.'s 6.56% Notes
due December 16, 2007.
(5) & (23) Opinion re: legality; consent of
counsel.
Opinion of Brown & Wood LLP relating to the 6.56%
Notes due December 16, 2007 (including consent
for inclusion of such opinion in this report and
in Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.'s Registration
Statement relating to such Notes).
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
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(Registrant)
By: /s/ Theresa Lang
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Theresa Lang
Treasurer
Date: December 16, 1997
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description Page
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(4) Instruments defining the rights of
security holders, including indentures.
Form of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.'s
6.56% Notes due December 16, 2007.
(5) & (23) Opinion re: legality; consent of counsel.
Opinion of Brown & Wood LLP
relating to the 6.56% Notes due
December 16, 2007 (including
consent for inclusion of such
opinion in this report and in
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.'s
Registration Statement relating to
such Notes).
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Exhibit (4)
THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER
REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED
FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TRUST
COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), TO A NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY DTC OR ANY
SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITORY. UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
DTC TO MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,
EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO.
OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND
ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED
OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
No. R-
CUSIP 590188 HX9 $250,000,000
MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
6.56% NOTE DUE DECEMBER 16, 2007
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the
"Company", which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture
herein referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO.,
or registered assigns, the principal sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS
($250,000,000) on December 16, 2007 and to pay interest thereon from December
16, 1997, or from the most recent date in respect of which interest has been
paid or duly provided for, semiannually on June 16 and December 16 in each year
(each, an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing June 16, 1998, at the rate of
6.56% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for
payment. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on
any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the
Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such
interest, which shall be the June 1 or December 1 (whether or not a Business
Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest which is
payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment
Date, shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder on such
Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or
one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a
Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by
the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to the Holder of this Note not less
than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in
any other lawful manner, as more fully provided in such Indenture.
Payment of the principal of and the interest on this Note will be made at
the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of
public and private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest may be
made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.
This Note is one of the series of 6.56% Notes due December 16, 2007 (the
"Notes"). Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by The
Chase Manhattan Bank, the Trustee under the Indenture, or its successor
thereunder, by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture, or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.
Dated: December 16, 1997
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
This is one of the Securities of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee By:
Treasurer
By: Attest:
Authorized Officer Secretary
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MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
6.56% NOTE DUE DECEMBER 16, 2007
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company,
issued and to be issued under an Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1983, as
amended and restated (herein called the "Indenture"), between the Company and
The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee", which term
includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the
Notes, and the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and
delivered.
The Notes are not subject to redemption by the Company prior to maturity.
If an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) with respect to the
Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of all the Notes may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of not less than 66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of
the Securities at the time Outstanding, as defined in the Indenture, of each
series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the
Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Securities
of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all
Securities of each series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain
provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and
their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall
be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this
Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in
exchange herefor or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such consent or
waiver is made upon this Note.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the
Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute
and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note, at the
time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth
therein and on the face hereof, the transfer of this Note may be registered on
the Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for
registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly executed
by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and
thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.
The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof. As provided in the
Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth therein and on the face
hereof, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of
Notes in authorized denominations as requested by the Holder surrendering the
same. If (x) any Depository is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as
Depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 60
days, (y) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to
the effect that this Note shall be exchangeable or (z) an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes, this Note shall be
exchangeable for Notes in definitive form of like tenor and of an equal
aggregate principal amount, in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples
thereof. Such definitive Notes shall be registered in such name or names as the
Depository shall instruct the Trustee. If definitive Notes are so delivered,
the Company may make such changes to the form of this Note as are necessary or
appropriate to allow for the issuance of such definitive Notes.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture, but not in
this Note, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
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EXHIBIT (5) & (23)
December 16, 1997
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
World Financial Center
North Tower
New York, New York 10281-1220
Gentlemen:
As your counsel, we have examined a copy of the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (hereinafter called the
"Company"), certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. We
are familiar with the corporate proceedings had in connection with the proposed
issuance and sale by the Company to the Underwriters named in the Terms
Agreement referred to below, pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated
September 8, 1997 (the "Underwriting Agreement"), between the Company and
Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
("MLPF&S"), as supplemented by the Terms Agreement dated December 11, 1997 (the
"Terms Agreement") among the Company, MLPF&S and the other underwriters named
therein (the "Underwriters"), of $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the
Company's 6.56% Notes due
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December 16, 2007 (the "Notes"). We have also examined a copy of the Indenture
between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee, dated as of April
1, 1983, as amended and restated (the "Indenture"), and the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-28537) relating to the Notes
(the "Registration Statement").
Based upon the foregoing and upon such further investigation as we deemed
relevant in the premises, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Company has been duly incorporated under the laws of the State of
Delaware.
2. The Notes have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and when
the Notes have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the terms
of the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor as set forth in the
Underwriting Agreement, as supplemented by the Terms Agreement, the Notes will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that
enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium
reorganization or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights
generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles at
equity (regardless of
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whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and as an exhibit to the Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K
dated December 16, 1997.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Brown & Wood LLP
