Note 7. Preferred Securities Issued by
Subsidiaries
Preferred securities issued by subsidiaries, which represent
preferred minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries,
primarily consist of perpetual trust-issued preferred securities.
Trust Originated Preferred SecuritiesSM ("TOPrS" SM ) are
issued to investors by trusts created by Merrill Lynch. Using
the issuance proceeds, the trusts purchase Partnership Preferred
Securities, representing limited partnership interests. Using
the purchase proceeds, the limited partnerships extend loans
to ML & Co. and one or more subsidiaries of ML & Co. The
trusts and partnerships are consolidated subsidiaries of Merrill
Lynch. ML & Co. has guaranteed, on a subordinated basis, the
payment in full of all distributions and other payments on the
TOPrS to the extent that the trusts have funds legally available.
This guarantee and a similar partnership distribution guarantee
are subordinated to all other liabilities of ML & Co. and rank
equally with preferred stock of ML & Co.
The table below presents data related to the issuance of
TOPrS by Merrill Lynch Capital Trust I, II, III, IV, and V. All TOPrS
issued have a liquidation value of $25 per security, have a perpetual life, and can be redeemed at the option of the trusts, in
whole or in part, at the liquidation value on or after their respective optional redemption dates. Distributions are payable from
the date of original issuance and are payable quarterly if, as,
and when the trusts have funds available for payment.
-
Represents Yen-denominated TOPrS issued by Merrill Lynch Yen TOPrS Trust I.
In addition, $52 million of preferred securities of other subsidiaries were outstanding at year-end 2000 and 1999.