Finance Companies Listing

Investment and Commercial Banks

Founded in 1887, A.G. Edwards is one for the largest securities firm headquartered off Wall Street. It is one of the few firms described as a "national full line" firm by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Securities Industry Association. For over 100 years, the firm has played a major role in providing financial services to a variety of clients nationwide.

>From its headquarters in St. Louis, the firm and its subsidiaries provide securities and commodities brokerage, asset management, insurance, real estate, and investment banking services. Its departments provide investment banking services in the areas of corporate finance, mergers and acquisition and valuations, as well as public and structured finance.

San Francisco-based BankAmerica is the holding company for the Bank of America. IT is the largest west coast bank, servicing almost half of the households of California and Washington. Since 1980, the corporation has pursued a strategy of growth through acquisition. The Security Pacific transaction, in which BankAmerica and Security Pacific merged was the largest merger in the banking industry at that time and it gave the newly-formed company a presence in each of the 50 states. In 1993, BankAmerica also purchased Continental Bank, a Chicago-based institution.

For additional information, Bank of America

Bankers Trust New York Corporation, headquartered in New York City, is a registered bank holding company incorporated in 1965. Its principal banking subsidiary, Bankers Trust Company, began business in 1903 as a trust company and became a commercial bank in 1917. In the early 1980's, BT sold its retail branch network and redirected its resources toward wholesale banking. BT focused its business on major corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net-worth individuals worldwide. BT is a universal bank holding company that operates in the world's financial markets.

Consistent with this business strategy, BT is organized globally into two principal units. The first, Financial Services, brings together the firm's financing, derivative, advisory and trading capabilities. The second is Global Assets, which contains the trust, investment management, securities processing, cash management and private banking businesses. Domestic, corporate debt and equity underwriting powers are exercised by BT Securities Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary. Within and across these businesses, there are five business functions that represent the fundamental roles that are performed in the marketplace: client finance, client advisory, client financial risk management, client transaction processing and trading and repositioning.

For additional information, Bankers Trust

The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc. is the parent for Bear, Stearns & Company, Inc. A leading investment banking, securities, trading and brokerage firm with more than $3.3 billion in capital. The firm's businesses include underwriting, financing activities, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, financial advisory services, real estate finance, securities research and asset management. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bear Stearns Securities Corp., it provides professional and correspondent clearing services, including securities lending.

Custodial Trust Company is another wholly-owned subsidiary and provides master trust, custody and governmental clearing services.

Bear Stearns' Investment Banking division offers a full range of financial advisory expertise in the following areas: corporate finance, capital markets, financial advisory, financial restructuring, high yield finance, mergers and acquisitions, principal investments, public finance and structured finance. Internationally, the firm has been very active in Latin America.

Bear Stearns employees own roughly 38% of the company, either directly or through an employee ownership program.

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is the oldest and largest private bank in the United States and the only commercial bank with direct membership on the New York Stock Exchange and other principal US exchanges. In executing transactions involving corporate securities, however, the firm only acts as an agent for its clients and does not participate in underwritings nor make markets in a dealer capacity. Brown Brothers has the unique ability to offer clients a truly comprehensive financial service, including investment management, brokerage, custody of securities and banking. Banking services include: deposit accounts, commercial loans, letters of credit, foreign exchange, and corporate finance.

In addition, the Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Company provides fiduciary services to complement both the investment and banking functions. The firm's 33 general partners and over 450 professionals operate form nine domestic and seven international offices.

For additional information, Brown Brothers

For additional information, Citicorp

Chase Manhattan and Chemical Banking Corporation are in the midst of merging currently. Chase had focused on six core businesses: consumer products (credit cards and mortgage lending/servicing), regional banking, global private banking, global corporate finance, global risk management and transaction and information services (cash management, custody services and international payments). Chemical had focused on three core businesses: Regional banking, serving the NY metro area; Global Banking (foreign financing, stock trading and government securities) and Texas Commerce Bank.

For additional information, Chase Manhattan

For additional information, Credit Suisse

DLJ is a full service investment and merchant bank. DLJ has developed premier franchises in the research, sales, trading and underwriting of equity and fixed income securities. In 1985, DLJ merged with The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. Very recently, The Equitable has spun off, via a public offering, a portion of the equity in DLJ.

CS First Boston Group, Inc. is a full-service, global investment banking and securities firm working in close cooperation with Swiss banking giant, Credit Suisse. The company serves both suppliers and users of capital around the world and operates primarily through three wholly-owned operating units: The First Boston Corporation in the Americas; CS First Boston Pacific, Inc. in the Asia/Pacific region and Financial Credit Suisse First Boston in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Through these companies, CS First Boston Group provides comprehensive financial advisory and capital-raising services and develops innovative financing for a broad range of clients. The firm employs its own capital resources to trade and underwrite securities. In addition, CS First Boston Group has a 50% nonvoting common stock interest in Credit Suisse Financial Products, a London-headquartered joint venture with Credit Suisse providing derivative product services worldwide.

For additional information, CS First Boston

First National Bank of Chicago is the largest bank in the Chicago area. It is also the fifth largest credit card issuer in the US and owns the American National Corp. In the past few years, the company has strengthened its capital position through a new stock issue and has begun a restructuring program to refocus on and strengthen its three traditional core segments: corporate and institutional banking, consumer banking and middle market.

For additional information, First Chicago Capital Markets Home Page

First Union Corporation is one of the two Charlotte-based banking organizations in the top 12 US banks. Nationsbank is the other. First Union has generally grown by making a large number of small acquisitions. First Union's strategy is to gain market share by taking advantage of the consolidation that is now occurring in the banking industry and to safeguard its position through geographic and product diversity.

In addition to its retail consumer business, First Union has strong operations in mortgage banking, home equity, insurance, banking, trust and brokerage services. It is increasingly diversifying into nonbank services and products, such as stocks, mutual funds and derivative instruments.

For additional information, First Union

Goldman, Sachs & Co. is a full service international investment banking and securities firm headquartered in New York City. Major offices in London and Tokyo serve as European and Asia/Pacific basin headquarters respectively. Other offices are located throughout the United States and in Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Montreal, Paris, Singapore, Sidney, Toronto and Zurich.

The firm is a leader in virtually every aspect of financing and investing, servicing corporations, institutions, governments and individual clients. It is the only traditional Wall Street investment bank to retain a partnership as its capital structure.

J.P. Morgan provides sophisticated financial services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, private firms, nonprofit institutions and wealthy individuals throughout the world. Its activities include: advising on corporate financial structures, arranging financing in capital and credit markets, underwriting, trading and investing in an array of currencies and the full range of securities and derivative instruments, serving as an investment advisor and providing select trust, agency and operational services.

Since the mid-80's, J.P. Morgan has been changing the emphasis of its activities from the traditional areas of credit and investment management to areas in which the company formerly had little or no presence. These activities include: trading and advice in emerging markets, derivatives, commodities market activities, debt and equity underwriting, futures brokerage and securities lending. Morgan achieved this shift while avoiding both the high-risk lending binge of the 1980's and the bad debt hangover of the 1990's.

For additional information, JP Morgan

Lehman Brothers, one of America's oldest investment banks, is a full-line securities firm serving institutions, governments, and individual investors in the US and around the world. Its business lines include: investment and merchant banking, fixed income, equities, commodities and foreign exchange, as well as derivatives of these products.

Merrill Lynch is a global investment banking firm headquartered in New York with a presence in 20 countries worldwide. It is the leading underwriting and brokerage firm in the United States. Merrill Lynch acts as a principal, agent, underwriter, market maker, broker, and financial adviser to its clients.

For additional information, Merrill Lynch

Privately held Montgomery Securities is a San Francisco-based investment bank with a national and international presence. Montgomery's investment banking activities are conducted through two departments: 1)corporate finance, which includes underwritings, mergers and acquisition and private placements and 2)research, sales and trading. In addition, Montgomery's investment management business with assets of over $3 billion, manages a family of mutual funds and handles the money management needs of corporations and high net-worth individuals. The activities of the departments are closely coordinated and focused on four industries: technology, consumer, health care and financial services. Montgomery's investment banking clients consist of emerging and established growth companies located throughout the United States.

For additional information, Montgomery Securities

Morgan Stanley provides a wide range of financial services to institutional and individual clients worldwide. Its businesses include corporate financial research and advisory activities, merchant banking, asset management, real estate services, futures trading, the underwriting, lending and global clearance of securities, global equity issues and brokerage. Morgan Stanley is active in the issuance of government bonds for several countries.

NationsBank, the fourth largest banking company in the US, is the largest bank in the South East. NationsBank is positioning itself as a financial services company. NationsBank evolved from the combination of three banks: Citizens and Southern (C&S) which merged with Sovran and shortly thereafter with NCNB.

For additional information, NationsBank

Nomura Securities International, Inc. Is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nomura Company, Limited, the world's largest securities firm. A medium-sized investment banking company, Nomura has evolved from a company handling primarily Japanese-related securities into a full-fledged member of the American financial community. It is a member of the securities and commodities exchanges as well as a primary dealer in US Treasury securities. Nomura offers a wide range of products and services including, sales and trading, investment banking, mutual funds and portfolio and asset management.

Paine, Webber Group owns the nation's sixth largest brokerage firm, Paine Webber Inc. Paine Webber attempts to minimize the risk of specialization by concentrating on four business segments: retail sales, asset management, capital markets (serving institutional clients) and banking (investment banking and management of tax-exempt securities). Its asset management activities are conducted by its Mitchell Hutchins subsidiaries.

Raymond James and Associates offers comprehensive financial services to individuals, corporations, municipalities and institutions. Raymond James provides investment banking services to emerging growth and established companies throughout the US and Europe. Investment banking services include: public underwriting, private placement, merger, acquisition and divestiture representation, and various advisory services.

Raymond James has also developed a reputation for providing capital and advice to emerging growth and medium-sized companies in a limited number of industries.

Robinson Humphrey's primary corporate finance clientele is middle market, emerging growth companies, based in the Southeast, although the firm does maintain investment banking relationships with several large corporations headquartered in that region. The company was purchased by American Express in 1982 and is currently operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Smith Barney, Inc.

Salomon Brothers is a full-service financial institution engaged in investment banking, market making and trading of financial instruments, fixed-income and equity market research, and institutional money management. Salomon's services and activities include: advisory services provided for mergers and acquisitions and financial restructurings; capital -raising activities, including the underwriting and distribution of debt, equity and derivatives securities; trading and arbitrage strategies using debt, equity and derivatives instruments, entering into contractual commitments, such as forward securities and currency agreements, interest rate swap, cap and floor agreements, options, warrants, and derivative products. Salomon's customer base consists primarily of large and medium sized corporations, governments and financial institutions.

For additional information (U.K.), Salomon

Smith Barney's principal businesses are corporate and municipal securities financing, securities brokerage and trading. Its serves as it has for 118 years, corporations and governments, financial institutions and individuals.

For additional information, Smith Barney Weekly Watch

Wheat, First Securities, Inc. Is a full-service securities firm that serves primarily the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Wheat is considered a leading regional investment bank in its core businesses: equity, municipal and corporate debt underwriting and merger and acquisition advisory services. The firm is owned entirely by its management and an employee stock ownership plan. What provides comprehensive securities brokerage, investment banking and other financial services to individuals and institutional investors, corporations, municipalities and government agencies. The firm employs its own capital resources to trade and underwrite securities.

Wheat's Asset Management Group contains the Wheat funds, including Commonwealth Investment Council, Charter Asset Management and Cambridge Advisors.

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