PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 17 Rule 424(b)(3)
DATED: June 19, 2003 File No. 333-104455
(To Prospectus dated April 24, 2003,
and Prospectus Supplement dated April 24, 2003)
$10,227,293,162
THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.
Medium-Term Notes, Series B
Principal Amount: $100,000,000 Floating Rate Notes [x] Book Entry Notes [x]
Original Issue Date: 6/24/2003 Fixed Rate Notes [ ] Certificated Notes [ ]
Maturity Date: 6/24/2005 CUSIP#: 073928A37
Option to Extend Maturity: No [x]
Yes [ ] Final Maturity Date:
Optional Optional
Redemption Repayment Repayment
Redeemable On Price(s) Date(s) Price(s)
------------- -------------- ------------- -----------
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Applicable Only to Fixed Rate Notes:
-----------------------------------
Interest Rate:
Interest Payment Dates:
Applicable Only to Floating Rate Notes:
--------------------------------------
Interest Rate Basis: Maximum Interest Rate: N/A
[ ] Commercial Paper Rate Minimum Interest Rate: N/A
[ ] Federal Funds Effective Rate
[x] Federal Funds Open Rate Interest Reset Date(s): Daily
[ ] Treasury Rate Interest Reset Period: Daily
[ ] LIBOR Reuters Interest Payment Date(s): *
[ ] LIBOR Telerate
[ ] Prime Rate
[ ] CMT Rate
Initial Interest Rate: 1.4375% Interest Payment Period: Quarterly
Index Maturity: N/A
Spread (plus or minus): + 0.25%
* On the 24th of each September, December, March and June, including the
maturity date.
At February 28, 2003:
o the Company had outstanding (on an unconsolidated basis)
approximately $37.4 billion of debt and other obligations, including
approximately $34.3 billion of unsecured senior debt and $2.6
billion of unsecured inter-company debt; and
o subsidiaries of the Company had outstanding (after elimination of
inter-company items) approximately $145.5 billion of debt and other
obligations (including $47.9 billion related to securities sold
under repurchase agreements, $52.9 billion related to payables to
customers, $26.4 billion related to financial instruments sold, but
not yet purchased, and $18.3 billion of other liabilities, including
$13.6 billion of debt).
The distribution of Notes will conform to the requirements set forth in Rule
2720 of the NASD Conduct Rules.