BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC
S-3/A, 1999-06-30
SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES
Previous: AMERICAN CLAIMS EVALUATION INC, 10-K405, 1999-06-30
Next: BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC, S-8, 1999-06-30




      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 28, 1999

                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-79417

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                 Amendment No.1
                                       to
                                    FORM S-3
                             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)

                                 245 PARK AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10167
                                 (212) 272-2000
               (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
        Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                             SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                         THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.
                                 245 PARK AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10167
                                 (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
                                 100 MAIDEN LANE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10038
                                 (212) 504-6000

                                   ----------

        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
      At various times after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

     If the only  securities  being  registered  on this form are being  offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [__]

     If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [x]

     If this form is filed to  register  additional  securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [__] 333-_______________

     If this form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. [__] 333-_______________

     If delivery of the  prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [__]


<TABLE>
                                             CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=========================================================================================================================
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       PROPOSED MAXIMUM       AMOUNT OF

TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES     AMOUNT TO BE      PROPOSED MAXIMUM OFFERING     AGGREGATE OFFERING     REGISTRATION
        TO BE REGISTERED              REGISTERED(1)         PRICE PER UNIT(2)              PRICE(2)             FEE(2)
- ---------------------------------     -------------     -------------------------     ------------------     ------------
<S>                                   <C>               <C>                           <C>                    <C>
  Common Stock, par value $1.00         1,091,697                $41.69                  $45,512,848          $2,339(3)
            per share                   shares(3)
=========================================================================================================================
<FN>
(1)  Plus such  indeterminate  number of shares  pursuant to Rule 416 as may be issued in respect of stock splits,  stock
     dividends and similar transactions.
(2)  Pursuant to Rule 457 under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  the  proposed  maximum  aggregate  offering  price and the
     registration  fee are based upon the average of the high and low prices per share of the  Registrant's  Common Stock
     reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on June 25, 1999.
(3)  A registration fee with respect to 889,929 shares was previously paid with the original filing of this  Registration
     Statement, and the registration fee paid herewith is with respect to the additional 201,768 shares.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                                   ----------

     THE REGISTRANT  HEREBY AMENDS THIS  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER  AMENDMENT  WHICH  SPECIFICALLY  STATES  THAT  THIS  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL  THEREAFTER  BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE  COMMISSION,  ACTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(A), MAY
DETERMINE.

================================================================================

<PAGE>

THE  INFORMATION IN THIS  PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED.  WE MAY
NOT SELL  THESE  SECURITIES  UNTIL THE  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  FILED  WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER
TO  SELL  THESE  SECURITIES  AND IT IS NOT  SOLICITING  AN  OFFER  TO BUY  THESE
SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.


                       THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS
                WILL BE AMENDED OR COMPLETED; DATED JUNE 28, 1999


PROSPECTUS


                         THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.

                        1,091,697 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK


     Certain of the Company's  former  employees,  all of whom are named in this
Prospectus,  are selling for their own  accounts up to  1,091,697  shares of its
Common Stock that they acquired pursuant to the Company's  Capital  Accumulation
Plan for Senior  Managing  Directors.  The  Company  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  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, 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 New York Stock  Exchange under the symbol
"BSC".  On June 25, 1999,  the closing price of the Common Stock on the Exchange
was $41.25 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.

                                  June    , 1999

<PAGE>

     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
Certain Definitions............................................................3
The Company....................................................................4
Selling Stockholders...........................................................6
Plan of Distribution..........................................................11
Experts.......................................................................11
Validity of the Common Stock..................................................11


                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     We  file  annual  and  quarterly   reports,   proxy  statements  and  other
information  required by the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended (the
"Exchange Act"),  with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "SEC").  You
may read and copy any document the Company  files at the SEC's public  reference
rooms located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,  D.C. 20549, at Seven World
Trade  Center,  13th Floor,  New York,  New York 10048 and at  Northwest  Atrium
Center,  5000 West Madison Street,  Suite 1400,  Chicago,  Illinois  60661-2511.
Please  call the SEC at  1-800-SEC-0330  for further  information  on the public
reference rooms. The Company's SEC filings are also available to the public from
the  SEC's  web  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, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

     The Company  has filed with the SEC a  registration  statement  on Form S-3
(the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities  Act"),  with respect to the Common Stock.  This  Prospectus,  which
constitutes  a part of that  Registration  Statement,  does not  contain 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
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 the Company 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.


                                      -2-

<PAGE>

     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 June 30,
           1998;

     (ii)  the Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended  September
           25, 1998,  December 31, 1998 and March 26,  1999,  and the  Quarterly
           Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended December 31, 1998;

     (iii) the Current Reports on Form 8-K dated July 21, 1998, August 26, 1998,
           October 14, 1998,  October 30, 1998,  December 9, 1998,  December 16,
           1998, December 21, 1998, January 19, 1999, January 20, 1999, February
           23, 1999, April 12, 1999, April 14, 1999, June 28, 1999; 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.

     The  Company  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 the Company
at the Corporate Communications Department, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., 245
Park Avenue, New York, New York 10167; telephone number (212) 272-2000.


                               CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

     Unless otherwise stated in this Prospectus:

     o  the  "Company,"  "we" and "us" refer to The Bear Stearns  Companies Inc.
        and its subsidiaries;

     o  "Bear Stearns" refers to Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.;

     o  "BSSC" refers to Bear, Stearns Securities Corp.;

     o  "BSIL" refers to Bear, Stearns International Limited; and

     Bear Stearns,  BSSC and BSIL are subsidiaries of The Bear Stearns Companies
Inc.

     o  "Common Stock" refers to the Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
        The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.

     o  "NASD" refers to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

     o  "NYSE" refers to the New York Stock Exchange.


                                      -3-

<PAGE>

                                   THE COMPANY

     The Bear Stearns  Companies  Inc. is a holding  company  that,  through its
principal subsidiaries,  Bear Stearns, BSSC and BSIL, is a leading United States
investment banking,  securities trading and brokerage firm serving corporations,
governments and institutional and individual investors worldwide.  The Company's
business includes:

     o  market-making  and  trading  in  corporate,  United  States  government,
        government-agency,    mortgage-related,   asset-backed   and   municipal
        securities;

     o  trading in  corporate  equity  and debt  securities,  options,  futures,
        foreign currencies, interest-rate swaps and other derivative products;

     o  securities and commodities arbitrage;

     o  securities, options and commodities brokerage;

     o  underwriting and distributing securities;

     o  providing securities clearance services;

     o  financing customer activities;

     o  securities lending;

     o  arranging for the private placement of securities;

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

     o  providing other financial advisory services;

     o  making principal investments in leveraged acquisitions;

     o  acting as specialist on the floor of the NYSE;

     o  providing  fiduciary and other services,  such as real estate brokerage,
        investment management and investment advisory; and

     o  financial market and securities research.


     The Company's  business is conducted (a) from its principal  offices in New
York City;  (b) from  domestic  regional  offices in Atlanta,  Boston,  Chicago,
Dallas,  Los  Angeles  and San  Francisco;  (c) from  representative  offices in
Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai; (d) from a branch office in Lugano; (e) through
international  subsidiaries  in Buenos Aires,  Dublin,  Hong Kong,  London,  Sao
Paulo,  Singapore and Tokyo;  and (f) through joint ventures with other firms in
Belgium,  Madrid and the  Philippines.  The Company's  foreign  offices  provide
services  and engage in  investment  activities  involving  foreign  clients and
international transactions.  The Company provides trust-company services through
its subsidiary, Custodial Trust Company, located in Princeton, New Jersey.


                                      -4-

<PAGE>

     Bear Stearns and BSSC are broker-dealers registered with the SEC. They also
are  members of the NYSE,  all other  principal  United  States  securities  and
commodities  exchanges,  the NASD and the  National  Futures  Association.  Bear
Stearns  is a  "primary  dealer"  in United  States  government  securities,  as
designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. BSIL is a securities  broker
dealer  based  in  London.  BSIL is  regulated  by the  Securities  and  Futures
Authority  in the United  Kingdom  and is a member of the  London  International
Financial Futures Exchange,  the London Securities & Derivatives  Exchange,  the
International Petroleum Exchange and the London Commodity Exchange.

     The Company is incorporated in Delaware.  The principal executive office of
the  Company  is located  at 245 Park  Avenue,  New York,  New York  10167;  the
telephone  number of the  Company  is (212)  272-2000.  The  Company's  Internet
address is http://www.bearstearns.com.

<PAGE>

                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

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

     The  Selling  Stockholders  are former  employees  of the  Company and were
Senior Managing Directors of Bear Stearns,  except as noted. The following table
sets forth:

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


     o  the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  each   Selling   Stockholder
        beneficially owned as of June 3, 1999;


     o  the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock   acquired  by  each  Selling
        Stockholder  pursuant  to the  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 Plan and registered under this Registration
        Statement.

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.


                                      -6-

<PAGE>


      This table  reflects all Selling  Stockholders  who are eligible to resell
and the number of shares of Common Stock  available to be resold by such Selling
Stockholders.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 Shares Beneficially Owned
 Selling Stockholders, Addresses of          Shares              Shares             After This Offering
   Selling Stockholders and Prior         Beneficially         Covered by        -------------------------
Principal Positions with the Company     Owned (1)(2)(3)     this Prospectus         Number    Percent
- ------------------------------------     ---------------     ---------------     -------------------------
<S>                                      <C>                 <C>                 <C>           <C>
 Andre Backar                                 17,768               6,849         10,919          *
 The Sherry Netherlands
 781 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1205
 New York, NY  10022

 Dennis Baum                                  13,374               4,449          8,925          *
 128 Baldwin Road
 Mt. Kisco, NY  10549

 Jeffrey Cianci                                9,958               9,255           703           *
 33 Normandy Lane
 Riverside, CT  06878

 Stephen M. Cunningham                        54,089              48,279          5,810          *
 24 Greenbriar Lane
 Greenwich, CT  06831

 Peter Delaney                                15,361              15,361            0            0%
 1371 Cooper Road
 Scotch Plains, NJ  07076

 Lawrence Doyle                               34,174              34,174            0            0%
 128 Byram Shore Road
 Greenwich, CT  06830

 Michael Ehrlich                              11,653              11,653            0            0%
 38 Cornwell's Beach Road
 Sands Point, NY  11050

 Neil T. Eigen                                10,385              10,121           264           *
 143 N. Passaic Avenue
 Chatham, NJ  07928

 Howel T. Evans (4)                           32,529              29,257          3,272          *
 330 Nagog Hill Road
 Acton, MA  01720

 Kevin J. Finnerty                           156,149             155,898           251           *
 15 Middle Drive
 Plandome, NY  11030

 Peter B. Fox (4)                              2,983                 831          2,152          *
 1118 West Armory Street
 Champaign, IL  61821

 Richard N. Greenfield                        24,794              24,794            0            0%
 62 Parker Street
 Norwell, MA  02061

 Sharon Held (5)                               4,611               4,611            0            0%
 563 Park Avenue, Apt. 6E
 New York, NY  10021


                                                    -7-

<PAGE>

 Michael Hellenbrand                          16,919              16,919            0            0%
 424 West End Avenue,
 Apt. 17B
 New York, NY  10024

 John A. Hirsch                                4,379                 571          3,808          *
 414 Round Hill Road
 Greenwich, CT  06831

 Douglas Lake                                 26,133              26,133            0            0%
 29 Sturgis Road
 Bronxville, NY 10708

 Curtis S. Lane (6)                          102,801              94,499          8,302          *
 135 Central Park West,
 Apt. 3S
 New York, NY  10023

 David M. Malcolm                              2,364               2,364            0            0%
 129 Katonah's Wood Road
 Katonah, NY 10536

 James A. Martello                            30,474              30,474            0            0%
 26 Bromley Road
 Montville, NJ  07045

 James D. Marver                              21,036               2,434         18,602          *
 c/o VantagePoint Venture Partners
 1001 Bayhill Drive,
 Suite 100
 San Bruno, CA  94066

 William Montgoris (7)                       327,699             280,033         47,666          *
 286 Gregory Road
 Franklin Lakes, NJ  07417

 Brian Murray                                 19,972               9,159         10,813          *
 485 Clinton Avenue
 Wyckoff, NJ  07481

 Salvatore Naro                               24,094              24,094            0            0%
 244 Piping Rock Road
 Locust Valley, NY  11560

 John F. Otto, Jr.                            21,355              21,260           95            *
 375 Round Hill Road
 Greenwich, CT  06831

 R. Blaine Roberts                            18,654                 155         18,499          *
 7100 Armat Drive
 Bethesda, MD  20817

 Peter H. Rothschild                          40,391              40,344           47            *
 50 East 89th Street, Apt. 20D
 New York, NY  10128


                                                   -8-

<PAGE>

 Milton B. Rubin                              89,680               8,789         80,891          *
 98 Hill Drive
 Oyster Bay, NY  11771

 Arif Sarfraz                                  4,549               4,549            0            0%
 2 Chesterfield Hill
 London, England W1X 7RP

 Curtis Schade                               122,404             121,278          1,126          *
 74 Douglas Road
 Glen Ridge, NJ  07028

 Gregory Smith                                33,462              32,876           586           *
 1120 Park Avenue, Apt. 18B
 New York, NY  10128

 Nulsen B. Smith (8)                          15,974              15,974            0            0%
 41 Middlesex Road
 Chestnut Hill, MA  02467

 Gregory A. Stoupnitzky                          602                 602            0            0%
 35 Seville Avenue
 Rye, NY  10580

 Curtis Welling                                4,970               3,658          1,312          *
 239 Millstone Road
 Wilton, CT  06897
</TABLE>

- ----------
*Less than one (1%) percent.

(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 former  employees'  accounts
     are  voted on a "pass  through"  basis  by the  former  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 763,125 shares  underlying  units credited
     under  the  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.


(4)  Mr. Howel T. Evans and Mr. Peter B. Fox are Managing Directors Emeritus.

(5)  Mrs. Sharon Held is the designated beneficiary of, and the beneficial owner
     of the shares  credited under the Plan to, James Held, a former employee of
     the Company and Senior Managing Director of Bear Stearns.


(6)  Mr. Curtis Lane also has a short position of 5,000 shares of Common Stock.



                                       -9-

<PAGE>

(7)  Mr. William Montgoris is a current employee of the Company.  He is retiring
     on June 30, 1999.


(8)  Mr.  Nulsen B. Smith also has a short  position  of 2,000  shares of Common
     Stock.



                                      -10-

<PAGE>

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     Shares covered by this Prospectus will be sold by the Selling  Stockholders
as principals  for their own account.  The Company 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 (a) in transactions  (including one or more block  transactions) on
the NYSE;  (b) in the public  market off the NYSE;  (c) in privately  negotiated
transactions,  or (d) 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.


                                     EXPERTS

     The consolidated  financial  statements and the related financial statement
schedules  incorporated  in this Prospectus by reference from the Company's 1998
Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  have  been  audited  by  Deloitte  & Touche  LLP,
independent auditors, as stated in their reports,  which are incorporated herein
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.


                          VALIDITY OF THE COMMON STOCK

     The  validity  of the Common  Stock will be passed  upon for the Company by
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, New York, New York.


                                      -11-

<PAGE>

                                     PART II
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

     The following table sets forth all expenses in connection with the issuance
and  distribution  of the  securities  being  registered.  All amounts shown are
estimated, except the SEC registration fee.


SEC registration fee................................................     $12,552
Accounting fees.....................................................       5,000
Legal fees and expenses.............................................      10,000
Miscellaneous.......................................................         448
                                                                         -------
         Total......................................................     $28,000


ITEM 15.  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,  as
amended,  is filed as Exhibit 4(a)(1) to the Registration  Statement on Form S-3
(No. 333-57083) filed June 17, 1998.

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

     For the undertaking with respect to indemnification, see Item 17.

ITEM 16.  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  Stock  Designation  relating  to the
                           Registrant's  Adjustable  Rate  Cumulative  Preferred
                           Stock, Series A (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           4(a)(6)  to the  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8
                           (File No. 33-49979)).

            4(a)(3)    --  Certificate  of  Stock  Designation  relating  to the
                           Registrant's  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).


                                      II-1

<PAGE>

            4(a)(4)    --  Certificate  of  Stock  Designation  relating  to the
                           Registrant's  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  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(b)       --  Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant (filed
                           as  Exhibit  (3)(b)  to  the  Registrant's  Quarterly
                           Report on Form 10-Q for the  quarterly  period  ended
                           December 31, 1997).

            5          --  Opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.*

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

            23(b)      --  Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft (included in
                           Exhibit 5).*


            24         --  Power of attorney (included in the signature pages to
                           the Registration Statement).*

- ----------
*Previously filed.


ITEM 17.  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
     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;


                                      II-2

<PAGE>

          (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  15  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-3

<PAGE>

                                   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-3 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 June 28, 1999.

                                        THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.



                                        By:      /s/ SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                   SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.
                                             Senior Vice President--Finance 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 June 28, 1999.



          SIGNATURE                                              TITLE
          ---------                                              -----

                         THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.



                 *                      Chairman of the Board and Director
- -----------------------------------
         ALAN C. GREENBERG


                 *                      President, Chief Executive Officer and
- -----------------------------------     Director
          JAMES E. CAYNE                (Principal Executive Officer)



                                        Director
- -----------------------------------
         CARL D. GLICKMAN



                 *                      Director
- -----------------------------------
       DONALD J. HARRINGTON


                 *                      Director
- -----------------------------------
          WILLIAM L. MACK


                 *                      Director
- -----------------------------------
         FRANK T. NICKELL


                 *                      Director
- -----------------------------------
        FREDERIC V. SALERNO


                 *                      Director
- -----------------------------------
           VINCENT TESE



                                      II-4

<PAGE>


                                        Director
- -----------------------------------
            FRED WILPON


    /S/ SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.         Senior Vice President-Finance and
- -----------------------------------     Chief Financial Officer
      SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.           (Principal Financial Officer)



                 *                      Controller and Assistant Secretary
- -----------------------------------     (Principal Accounting Officer)
        MARSHALL J LEVINSON


*By:   /S/ SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.
      -----------------------------
         SAMUEL L. MOLINARO, JR.
            Attorney-in-Fact



                                      II-5

<PAGE>

                                  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 Stock Designation relating to the Registrant's
                   Adjustable  Rate  Cumulative   Preferred   Stock,   Series  A
                   (incorporated   by  reference  to  Exhibit   4(a)(6)  to  the
                   Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 33-49979)).

4(a)(3)     --     Certificate of Stock Designation relating to the Registrant's
                   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
                   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
                   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(b)        --     Amended  and  Restated  By-laws of the  Registrant  (filed as
                   Exhibit (3)(b) to the  Registrant's  Quarterly Report on Form
                   10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 31, 1997).

5           --     Opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.*

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

23(b)       --     Consent of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft (included in Exhibit
                   5).*

24          --     Power of attorney  (included  in the  signature  pages to the
                   Registration Statement).*


- ----------
*Previously filed.




                                                                   Exhibit 23(a)


INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this  Registration  Statement of
The Bear  Stearns  Companies  Inc. on Form S-3 of our reports  dated  August 21,
1998,  appearing in and  incorporated  by reference in the Annual Report on Form
10-K of The Bear Stearns  Companies  Inc., for the year ended June 30, 1998, and
to the reference to us under the heading  "Experts" in the Prospectus,  which is
part of the Registration Statement.


/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP


June 28, 1999
New York, New York




© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission