THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC.
IncomeNotes[SM]
With Maturities of Nine Months or More from Date of Issue
Registration No. 333-104455
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Pricing Supplement No. 17
(To Prospectus dated April 24, 2003,
and Prospectus Supplement dated June 19, 2003)
Trade Date: November 3, 2003
Issue Date: November 6, 2003
The date of this Pricing Supplement is November 3, 2003
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Interest
Maturity Price to Discounts & Payment
CUSIP# Interest Rate Date Public Commissions Reallowance Dealer Frequency
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07387EBZ9 3.70% 11/15/2008 100.00% 1.00% 0.150% 99.25% Semi
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07387ECA3 5.00% 11/15/2013 100.00% 1.50% 0.200% 98.90% Semi
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07387ECB1 5.65% 11/15/2023 100.00% 2.50% 0.350% 98.00% Semi
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Subject to Redemption
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First
Interest Aggregate
First Interest Payment Survivor's Principal
Payment Date Amount Option Yes/No Date and Terms of Redemption Amount Net Proceeds
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5/15/2004 $19.43 Yes No N/A $3,398,000 $3,364,020
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5/15/2004 $26.25 Yes No N/A $2,120,000 $2,088,200
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5/15/2004 $29.66 Yes Yes Commencing 11/15/2008 and on the interest $ 937,000 $ 913,575
payment dates thereafter until Maturity,
the Notes may be called in whole at par at
the option of the Company on ten calendar
days notice.
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At August 31, 2003:
o the Company had outstanding (on an unconsolidated basis) approximately
$35.2 billion of debt and other obligations, including approximately $32.1
billion of unsecured senior debt and $2.8 billion of unsecured
inter-company debt; and
o subsidiaries of the Company had outstanding (after elimination of
inter-company items) approximately $170.4 billion of debt and other
obligations (including $46.7 billion related to securities sold under
repurchase agreements, $65.6 billion related to payables to customers,
$28.9 billion related to financial instruments sold, but not yet
purchased, and $29.2 billion of other liabilities, including $16.7 billion
of debt).
* * *
The applicable pricing supplement, the prospectus and the accompanying
prospectus supplement in electronic format may be made available on the Internet
sites of, or through other online services maintained by, the Company and/or one
or more of the agents and/or dealers participating in an offering of notes, or
by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may be able to view
offering terms online and, depending upon the particular agent or dealer,
prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online.
Other than the applicable pricing supplement, the prospectus and the
accompanying prospectus supplement in electronic format, the information on our
or any agent's or dealer's web site and any information contained in any other
web site maintained by any agent or dealer is not part of the pricing
supplement, the prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or the
registration statement of which they form a part; has not been approved or
endorsed by us or by any agent or dealer in its capacity as an agent or dealer,
except, in each case, with respect to the respective web site maintained by such
entity; and should not be relied upon by investors.
* * *
The distribution of IncomeNotes will conform to the requirements set forth in
Rule 2720 of the NASD Conduct Rules.