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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
     
(Mark One)    
X
  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006
 
OR
 
    
 
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                        to                       
Commission file number 1-7182
MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
 
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
     
               Delaware
  13-2740599
 
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization) 
  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
4 World Financial Center,
New York, New York
 
10080
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)
(212) 449-1000
 
Registrant’s telephone number, Including Area Code:
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
YES     X             NO          
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large Accelerated Filer     X Accelerated Filer           Non-Accelerated Filer         
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
YES                  NO     X
APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
883,809,515 shares of Common Stock and 2,663,196 Exchangeable Shares as of the close of business on July 28, 2006. The Exchangeable Shares, which were issued by Merrill Lynch & Co., Canada Ltd. in connection with the merger with Midland Walwyn Inc., are exchangeable at any time into Common Stock on a one-for-one basis and entitle holders to dividend, voting, and other rights equivalent to Common Stock.


 

MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 2006
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 EX-3: AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
 EX-10.2: STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT
 EX-12: STATEMENT RE: COMPUTATION OF RATIOS
 EX-15: LETTER RE: UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 EX-31.1: CERTIFICATION
 EX-31.2: CERTIFICATION
 EX-32.1: CERTIFICATION
 EX-32.2: CERTIFICATION
 EX-99.1: RECONCILIATION OF "NON-GAAP" MEASURES

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Available Information
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“ML & Co.” or “Merrill Lynch”) files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements and other information that issuers (including Merrill Lynch) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s internet site is www.sec.gov.
ML & Co.’s internet address is www.ml.com, and the investor relations section of our website can be accessed directly at www.ir.ml.com. ML & Co. makes available, free of charge, our proxy statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These reports are available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Also posted on our website are corporate governance materials including Merrill Lynch’s Guidelines for Business Conduct, Code of Ethics for Financial Professionals, Director Independence Standards, Corporate Governance Guidelines and charters for the committees of our Board of Directors. In addition, our website includes information on purchases and sales of our equity securities by our executive officers and directors, as well as disclosures relating to certain non-GAAP financial measures (as defined in the SEC’s Regulation G) that we may make public orally, telephonically, by webcast, by broadcast or by similar means from time to time.
We will post on our website amendments to our Guidelines for Business Conduct and Code of Ethics and any waivers that are required to be disclosed by the rules of either the SEC or the New York Stock Exchange. The information on Merrill Lynch’s website is not incorporated by reference into this Report. Shareholders may obtain printed copies of these documents, free of charge, upon written request to Judith A. Witterschein, Corporate Secretary, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., 222 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10038 or by email at corporate secretary@ml.com.

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1.  Financial Statements
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited)
                             
    For the Three Months Ended    
         
    June 30,   July 1,   Percent
    2006   2005   Inc. (Dec.)
(in millions, except per share amounts)            
Net Revenues
                       
 
Asset management and portfolio service fees
  $ 1,773     $ 1,431       23.9 %
 
Commissions
    1,586       1,247       27.2  
 
Principal transactions
    1,182       1,006       17.5  
 
Investment banking
    1,162       920       26.3  
 
Revenues from consolidated investments
    186       84       121.4  
 
Other
    1,110       664       67.2  
                   
   
Subtotal
    6,999       5,352       30.8  
                   
 
Interest and dividend revenues
    9,690       5,974       62.2  
 
Less interest expense
    8,531       5,007       70.4  
                   
   
Net interest profit
    1,159       967       19.9  
                   
 
Total Net Revenues
    8,158       6,319       29.1  
                   
Non-Interest Expenses
                       
 
Compensation and benefits
    3,980       3,148       26.4  
 
Communications and technology
    429       395       8.6  
 
Brokerage, clearing, and exchange fees
    253       216       17.1  
 
Occupancy and related depreciation
    249       227       9.7  
 
Professional fees
    196       183       7.1  
 
Advertising and market development
    191       160       19.4  
 
Expenses of consolidated investments
    145       35       314.3  
 
Office supplies and postage
    57       51       11.8  
 
Other
    309       309       -  
                   
 
Total Non-Interest Expenses
    5,809       4,724       23.0  
                   
Earnings Before Income Taxes
    2,349       1,595       47.3  
Income tax expense
    716       460       55.7  
                   
Net Earnings
  $ 1,633     $ 1,135       43.9  
Preferred Stock Dividends
    45       17       164.7  
                   
Net Earnings Applicable to Common Stockholders
  $ 1,588     $ 1,118       42.0  
                   
Earnings Per Common Share
                       
   
Basic
  $ 1.79     $ 1.25          
                   
   
Diluted
  $ 1.63     $ 1.14          
                   
Dividend Paid Per Common Share
  $ 0.25     $ 0.20          
                   
Average Shares Used in Computing
Earnings Per Common Share
                       
   
Basic
    885.4       897.5          
                   
   
Diluted
    973.3       978.5          
                   
 
 
 See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited)
                             
    For the Six Months Ended    
         
    June 30,   July 1,   Percent
    2006   2005   Inc. (Dec.)
(in millions, except per share amounts)            
Net Revenues
                       
 
Asset management and portfolio service fees
  $ 3,452     $ 2,866       20.4 %
 
Commissions
    3,188       2,588       23.2  
 
Principal transactions
    3,175       1,951       62.7  
 
Investment banking
    2,127       1,733       22.7  
 
Revenues from consolidated investments
    290       211       37.4  
 
Other
    1,664       1,034       60.9  
                   
   
Subtotal
    13,896       10,383       33.8  
                   
 
Interest and dividend revenues
    18,354       11,505       59.5  
 
Less interest expense
    16,130       9,337       72.8  
                   
   
Net interest profit
    2,224       2,168       2.6  
                   
 
Total Net Revenues
    16,120       12,551       28.4  
                   
Non-Interest Expenses
                       
 
Compensation and benefits
    9,730       6,244       55.8  
 
Communications and technology
    882       791       11.5  
 
Brokerage, clearing, and exchange fees
    501       435       15.2  
 
Occupancy and related depreciation
    490       460       6.5  
 
Professional fees
    396       361       9.7  
 
Advertising and market development
    335       286       17.1  
 
Expenses of consolidated investments
    192       120       60.0  
 
Office supplies and postage
    114       103       10.7  
 
Other
    538       487       10.5  
                   
 
Total Non-Interest Expenses
    13,178       9,287       41.9  
                   
Earnings Before Income Taxes
    2,942       3,264       (9.9 )
Income tax expense
    834       917       (9.1 )
                   
Net Earnings
  $ 2,108     $ 2,347       (10.2 )
Preferred Stock Dividends
    88       24       266.7  
                   
Net Earnings Applicable to Common Stockholders
  $ 2,020     $ 2,323       (13.0 )
                   
Earnings Per Common Share
                       
   
Basic
  $ 2.28     $ 2.57          
                   
   
Diluted
  $ 2.07     $ 2.36          
                   
Dividend Paid Per Common Share
  $ 0.50     $ 0.36          
                   
Average Shares Used in Computing
Earnings Per Common Share
                       
   
Basic
    884.6       902.7          
                   
   
Diluted
    977.2       985.9          
                   
 
 
 See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
                   
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
(dollars in millions)   2006   2005
         
ASSETS
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 22,450     $ 14,586  
Cash and securities segregated for regulatory purposes or deposited with clearing organizations
    18,307       11,949  
Securities financing transactions
               
 
Receivables under resale agreements
    210,268       163,021  
 
Receivables under securities borrowed transactions
    111,580       92,484  
             
      321,848       255,505  
             
Trading assets, at fair value (includes securities pledged as collateral that can be sold
or repledged of $50,594 in 2006 and $38,678 in 2005)
               
 
Equities and convertible debentures
    35,395       32,933  
 
Mortgages, mortgage-backed, and asset-backed
    31,601       29,233  
 
Corporate debt and preferred stock
    30,883       27,436  
 
Contractual agreements
    30,818       26,216  
 
Non-U.S. governments and agencies
    17,782       15,157  
 
U.S. Government and agencies
    11,747       8,936  
 
Municipals and money markets
    6,083       5,694  
 
Commodities and related contracts
    2,621       3,105  
             
      166,930       148,710  
             
Investment securities
    66,647       69,273  
Securities received as collateral
    20,721       16,808  
Other receivables
               
 
Customers (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $47 in 2006 and $46 in 2005)
    44,890       40,451  
 
Brokers and dealers
    13,844       12,127  
 
Interest and other
    23,279       15,619  
             
      82,013       68,197  
             
Loans, notes, and mortgages (net of allowances for loan losses of $463 in 2006 and $406 in 2005)
    70,442       66,041  
Separate accounts assets
    15,876       16,185  
Equipment and facilities (net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $5,137
in 2006 and $4,865 in 2005)
    2,546       2,313  
Goodwill and other intangible assets
    6,936       6,035  
Other assets
    4,472       5,413  
             
Total Assets
  $ 799,188     $ 681,015  
             

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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
                   
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
(dollars in millions, except per share amount)   2006   2005
         
LIABILITIES
               
Securities financing transactions
               
 
Payables under repurchase agreements
  $ 254,014     $ 198,152  
 
Payables under securities loaned transactions
    23,299       19,335  
             
      277,313       217,487  
             
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
    13,402       3,902  
Deposits
    79,442       80,016  
Trading liabilities, at fair value
               
 
Contractual agreements
    33,183       28,755  
 
Equities and convertible debentures
    24,692       19,119  
 
Non-U.S. governments and agencies
    20,707       19,217  
 
U.S. Government and agencies
    11,296       12,478  
 
Corporate debt and preferred stock
    6,736       6,203  
 
Commodities and related contracts
    1,725       2,029  
 
Municipals, money markets and other
    1,398       1,132  
             
      99,737       88,933  
             
Obligation to return securities received as collateral
    20,721       16,808  
Other payables
               
 
Customers
    47,079       35,619  
 
Brokers and dealers
    26,110       19,528  
 
Interest and other
    37,033       28,501  
             
      110,222       83,648  
             
 
Liabilities of insurance subsidiaries
    2,852       2,935  
Separate accounts liabilities
    15,876       16,185  
Long-term borrowings
    139,990       132,409  
Long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships
    3,092       3,092  
             
Total Liabilities
    762,647       645,415  
             
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
               
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
               
Preferred Stockholders’ Equity (liquidation preference of $30,000 per share;
issued: 2006 - 105,000 shares; 2005 - 93,000 shares)
    3,147       2,773  
 
Less: Treasury stock, at cost (2005 - 3,315 shares)
          100  
             
Total Preferred Stockholders’ Equity
    3,147       2,673  
Common Stockholders’ Equity
               
 
Shares exchangeable into common stock
    39       41  
 
Common stock (par value $1.331/3 per share; authorized: 3,000,000,000 shares;
issued: 2006 - 1,192,313,740 shares; 2005 - 1,148,714,008 shares)
    1,589       1,531  
 
Paid-in capital
    17,270       13,320  
 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (net of tax)
    (1,062 )     (844 )
 
Retained earnings
    28,383       26,824  
             
      46,219       40,872  
 
Less: Treasury stock, at cost (2006 - 297,531,184 shares; 2005 - 233,112,271 shares)
    12,825       7,945  
             
Total Common Stockholders’ Equity
    33,394       32,927  
             
Total Stockholders’ Equity
    36,541       35,600  
             
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
  $ 799,188     $ 681,015  
             
 
 See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
                     
    For the
    Six Months Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005
(dollars in millions)        
Cash flows from operating activities:
               
Net earnings
  $ 2,108     $ 2,347  
Noncash items included in earnings:
               
 
Depreciation and amortization
    243       242  
 
Stock-based compensation plan expense
    2,462       517  
 
Deferred taxes
    (586 )     256  
 
Policyholder reserves
    62       65  
 
Undistributed earnings from equity investments
    (189 )     (168 )
 
Other
    631       465  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
               
 
Trading assets
    (18,321 )     6,877  
 
Cash and securities segregated for regulatory purposes or deposited with clearing organizations
    (5,303 )     3,108  
 
Receivables under resale agreements
    (47,247 )     (14,769 )
 
Receivables under securities borrowed transactions
    (19,096 )     14,526  
 
Customer receivables
    (4,430 )     (1,522 )
 
Brokers and dealers receivables
    (1,718 )     190  
 
Proceeds from loans, notes, and mortgages held for sale
    10,152       8,982  
 
Other changes in loans, notes, and mortgages held for sale
    (15,212 )     (9,510 )
 
Trading liabilities
    6,078       (3,332 )
 
Payables under repurchase agreements
    55,862       (10,697 )
 
Payables under securities loaned transactions
    3,964       (1,478 )
 
Customer payables
    11,460       4,996  
 
Brokers and dealers payables
    6,582       (715 )
 
Other, net
    465       (4,081 )
             
   
Cash used for operating activities
    (12,033 )     (3,701 )
             
Cash flows from investing activities:
               
Proceeds from (payments for):
               
 
Maturities of available-for-sale securities
    7,969       13,816  
 
Sales of available-for-sale securities
    9,721       19,632  
 
Purchases of available-for-sale securities
    (14,500 )     (32,984 )
 
Maturities of held-to-maturity securities
    2       13  
 
Loans, notes, and mortgages held for investment, net
    650       (6,013 )
 
Other investments and other assets
    (904 )     105  
 
Equipment and facilities, net
    (476 )     (94 )
             
   
Cash provided by (used for) investing activities
    2,462       (5,525 )
             
Cash flows from financing activities:
               
Proceeds from (payments for):
               
 
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
    9,500       2,859  
 
Issuance and resale of long-term borrowings
    29,409       16,430  
 
Settlement and repurchases of long-term borrowings
    (22,521 )     (14,925 )
 
Deposits
    (574 )     (277 )
 
Derivative and other financing transactions
    4,959       2,968  
 
Issuance of common stock
    945       426  
 
Issuance of preferred stock
    360       1,110  
 
Common stock repurchases
    (5,008 )     (2,131 )
 
Other stock transactions
    572       91  
 
Dividends paid on common and preferred stock
    (549 )     (364 )
 
Excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation
    342       -  
             
   
Cash provided by financing activities
    17,435       6,187  
             
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
    7,864       (3,039 )
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
    14,586       20,790  
             
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
  $ 22,450     $ 17,751  
             
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
               
Cash paid for:
               
 
Income taxes
  $ 1,569     $ 655  
 
Interest
    15,564       8,803  
 
 See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
June 30, 2006
 
Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
For a complete discussion of Merrill Lynch’s accounting policies, refer to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2005 (“2005 Annual Report”).
Basis of Presentation
The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“ML & Co.”) and subsidiaries (collectively, “Merrill Lynch”), whose subsidiaries are generally controlled through a majority voting interest but may be controlled by means of a significant minority ownership, by contract, lease or otherwise. In certain cases, Merrill Lynch subsidiaries (i.e., Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”)) may also be consolidated based on a risks and rewards approach as required by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) revised Interpretation No. 46 (“FIN 46R”). Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the three- and six-month periods are unaudited; however, in the opinion of Merrill Lynch management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair statement of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been included.
These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2005 Annual Report. The December 30, 2005 unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was derived from the audited 2005 Consolidated Financial Statements. The nature of Merrill Lynch’s business is such that the results of any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. In presenting the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, management makes estimates that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Estimates, by their nature, are based on judgment and available information. Therefore, actual results could differ from those estimates and could have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and it is possible that such changes could occur in the near term. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period financial statements to conform to the current period presentation. During the second quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch reclassified cash flows from loans held for sale to operating activities, whereas in prior periods, these loans were classified as investing activities. Merrill Lynch believes that classifying cash flows from loans held for sale as operating activities correctly presents the cash flows associated with these loans as they have been acquired primarily for resale. All prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.
Merrill Lynch offers a broad array of products and services to its diverse client base of individuals, small to mid-size businesses, employee benefit plans, corporations, financial institutions, and governments around the world. These products and services are offered from a number of locations around the world. In some cases, the same or similar products and services may be offered to both individual and institutional clients, utilizing the same infrastructure. In other cases, a single infrastructure may be used to support multiple products and services offered to clients. When Merrill Lynch analyzes its profitability, it does not focus on the profitability of a single product or service. Instead, Merrill Lynch looks at the profitability of businesses offering an array of products and services to various types of clients. The profitability of the products and services offered to individuals, small to mid-size businesses, and employee benefit plans is analyzed separately from the profitability of products and services offered to corporations, financial institutions, and governments,

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regardless of whether there is commonality in products and services infrastructure. As such, we do not separately disclose the costs associated with the products and services sold or our general and administrative costs, in total or by product.
When pricing its various products and services, Merrill Lynch considers multiple factors, including prices being offered in the market for similar products and services, the competitiveness of its pricing compared to competitors, the profitability of its businesses and its overall profitability, as well as the profitability, creditworthiness, and importance of the overall client relationships.
Expenses which are incurred to support products and services and infrastructures shared by businesses are allocated to the businesses based on various methodologies which may include headcount, square footage, and certain other criteria. Similarly, certain revenues may be shared based upon agreed methodologies. When looking at the profitability of various businesses, Merrill Lynch considers all expenses incurred, including overhead and the costs of shared services, as all are considered integral to the operation of the businesses.
New Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (“FIN 48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in a company’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Interpretation also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. FIN 48 will be effective for Merrill Lynch beginning in the first quarter of 2007. Merrill Lynch is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the Interpretation.
In April 2006, the FASB issued a FASB Staff Position FIN 46(R)-6, Determining the Variability to be Considered in Applying FIN 46R (“ the FSP”). The FSP requires that the variability to be included when applying FIN 46R be based on a “by-design” approach and should consider what risks the variable interest entity was designed to create. The FSP is effective beginning in the third quarter of 2006 for all new entities with which Merrill Lynch becomes involved, and to all entities previously required to be analyzed under FIN 46R when a reconsideration event occurs as defined under paragraph 7 of the Interpretation. Merrill Lynch does not expect the adoption of the FSP to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In March 2006, the FASB issued Statement No. 156, Accounting for Servicing of Financial Assets (“SFAS No. 156”). SFAS No. 156 amends Statement No. 140, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, to require all separately recognized servicing assets and servicing liabilities to be initially measured at fair value, if practicable. SFAS No. 156 also permits servicers to subsequently measure each separate class of servicing assets and liabilities at fair value rather than at the lower of cost or market. For those companies that elect to measure their servicing assets and liabilities at fair value, SFAS No. 156 requires the difference between the carrying value and fair value at the date of adoption to be recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the election is made. Merrill Lynch will adopt SFAS No. 156 beginning in the first quarter of 2007. Merrill Lynch is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 156 but does not expect the standard to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In February 2006, the FASB issued Statement No. 155, Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments an amendment of FASB Statements No. 133 and 140 (“SFAS No. 155”). SFAS No. 155 clarifies the bifurcation requirements for certain financial instruments and permits interests in hybrid financial instruments that contain an embedded derivative that would otherwise require bifurcation to

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be accounted for as a single financial instrument at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings. This election is permitted on an instrument-by-instrument basis for all hybrid financial instruments held, obtained, or issued as of the adoption date. Merrill Lynch will adopt SFAS No. 155 beginning in the first quarter of 2007. At adoption, any difference between the total carrying amount of the individual components of the existing bifurcated hybrid financial instruments and the fair value of the combined hybrid financial instruments will be recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Merrill Lynch is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 155.
During the first quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch adopted the provisions of Statement No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, a revision of SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (“SFAS No. 123R”). Under SFAS No. 123R, compensation expenses for share-based awards that do not require future service are recorded immediately, and share-based awards that require future service continue to be amortized into expense over the relevant service period. Merrill Lynch adopted SFAS No. 123R under the modified prospective method whereby the provisions of SFAS No. 123R are generally applied only to share-based awards granted or modified subsequent to adoption. Thus, for Merrill Lynch, SFAS No. 123R required the immediate expensing of share-based awards granted or modified in 2006 to retirement-eligible employees, including awards that are subject to non-compete provisions.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Merrill Lynch had recognized expense for share-based compensation over the vesting period stipulated in the grant for all employees. This included those who had satisfied retirement eligibility criteria but were subject to a non-compete agreement that applied from the date of retirement through each applicable vesting period. Previously, Merrill Lynch had accelerated any unrecognized compensation cost for such awards if a retirement-eligible employee left Merrill Lynch. However, because SFAS No. 123R applies only to awards granted or modified in 2006, expenses for share-based awards granted prior to 2006 to employees who were retirement-eligible with respect to those awards must continue to be amortized over the stated vesting period.
In addition, beginning with performance year 2006, for which Merrill Lynch expects to grant stock awards in early 2007, Merrill Lynch will accrue the expense for future awards granted to retirement-eligible employees over the award performance year instead of recognizing the entire expense related to the award on the grant date. Compensation expense for all future stock awards granted to employees not eligible for retirement with respect to those awards will be recognized over the applicable vesting period.
SFAS No. 123R also requires expected forfeitures of share-based compensation awards for non-retirement-eligible employees to be included in determining compensation expense. Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, any benefits of employee forfeitures of such awards were recorded as a reduction of compensation expense when the employee left Merrill Lynch and forfeited the award. In the first quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch recorded a benefit based on expected forfeitures which was not material to the results of operations for the quarter.
The adoption of SFAS No. 123R resulted in a first quarter charge to compensation expense of approximately $550 million on a pre-tax basis and $370 million on an after-tax basis.
The adoption of SFAS No. 123R, combined with other business and competitive considerations, prompted Merrill Lynch to undertake a comprehensive review of the company’s stock-based incentive compensation awards, including vesting schedules and retirement eligibility requirements, examining their impact to both Merrill Lynch and its employees. Upon the completion of this review, the Management Development and Compensation Committee of Merrill Lynch’s Board of Directors determined that to fulfill the objective of retaining high quality personnel, future stock grants should

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contain more stringent retirement provisions. These provisions include a combination of increased age and length of service requirements. While the stock awards of employees who retire continue to vest, retired employees are subject to continued compliance with the strict non-compete provisions of those awards. To facilitate transition to the more stringent future requirements, the terms of most outstanding stock awards previously granted to employees, including certain executive officers, were modified, effective March 31, 2006, to permit employees to be immediately eligible for retirement with respect to those earlier awards. While Merrill Lynch modified the retirement-related provisions of the previous stock awards, the vesting and non-compete provisions for those awards remain in force.
Since the provisions of SFAS No. 123R apply to awards modified in 2006, these modifications required Merrill Lynch to record additional one-time compensation expense in the first quarter of 2006 for the remaining unamortized amount of all awards to employees who had not previously been retirement-eligible under the original provisions of those awards.
The one-time, non-cash charge associated with the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, and the policy modifications to previous awards resulted in a net charge to compensation expense in the first quarter of 2006 of approximately $1.8 billion pre-tax, and $1.2 billion after-tax, or a net impact of $1.34 and $1.21 on basic and diluted earnings per share, respectively. Policy modifications to previously granted awards amounted to $1.2 billion of the pre-tax charge and impacted approximately 6,300 employees.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Merrill Lynch presented the cash flows related to income tax deductions in excess of the compensation expense recognized on share-based compensation as operating cash flows in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. SFAS No. 123R requires cash flows resulting from tax deductions in excess of the grant-date fair value of share-based awards to be included in cash flows from financing activities. The excess tax benefits of $283 million related to total share-based compensation included in cash flows from financing activities in the first quarter of 2006 would have been included in cash flows from operating activities if Merrill Lynch had not adopted SFAS No. 123R.
As a result of adopting SFAS No. 123R, approximately $600 million of liabilities associated with the Financial Advisor Capital Accumulation Award Plan (“FACAAP”) were reclassified to stockholders’ equity. In addition, as a result of adopting SFAS No. 123R, the unamortized portion of employee stock grants, which was previously reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, has been reclassified to Paid-in Capital. Refer to Note 12 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
In June 2005, the FASB ratified the consensus reached by the Emerging Issues Task Force on Issue 04-5, Determining Whether a General Partner, or the General Partners as a Group, Controls a Limited Partnership or Similar Entity When the Limited Partners Have Certain Rights (“EITF 04-5”). EITF 04-5 presumes that a general partner controls a limited partnership, and should therefore consolidate a limited partnership, unless the limited partners have the substantive ability to remove the general partner without cause based on a simple majority vote or can otherwise dissolve the limited partnership, or unless the limited partners have substantive participating rights over decision making. The guidance in EITF 04-5 was effective beginning in the third quarter of 2005 for all new limited partnership agreements and any limited partnership agreements that were modified. For those partnership agreements that existed at the date EITF 04-5 was issued, the guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2006. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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66

 
Note 2.  Segment Information
 
Merrill Lynch’s operations are organized into three business segments: Global Markets and Investment Banking (“GMI”), Global Private Client (“GPC”), and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (“MLIM”). Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. For information on each segment’s business activities, refer to Note 3 to the 2005 Annual Report.
The six month comparisons in the results by business segment table below include the impact of the $1.8 billion, pre-tax, one-time compensation expenses incurred in the first quarter of 2006. These one-time compensation expenses were recorded as follows: $1.4 billion to GMI, $281 million to GPC and $109 million to MLIM; refer to Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on one-time compensation expenses.
Results by business segment are as follows:
                                         
(dollars in millions)        
 
    Corporate Items    
    (including    
    intersegment    
    GMI   GPC   MLIM   eliminations)   Total
     
Three Months Ended June 30, 2006
                                       
Non-interest revenues
  $ 3,920     $ 2,500     $ 618     $ (39 )(1)   $ 6,999  
Net interest profit(2)
    660       545       12       (58 )(3)     1,159  
                               
Net revenues
    4,580       3,045       630       (97 )     8,158  
Non-interest expenses
    3,087       2,344       390       (12 )(1)     5,809  
                               
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  $ 1,493     $ 701     $ 240     $ (85 )   $ 2,349  
                               
Quarter-end total assets
  $ 705,854     $ 77,139     $ 8,711     $ 7,484     $ 799,188  
                               
 
Three Months Ended July 1, 2005
                                       
Non-interest revenues
  $ 2,759     $ 2,190     $ 403     $ (1)   $ 5,352  
Net interest profit(2)
    680       378       2       (93 )(3)     967  
                               
Net revenues
    3,439       2,568       405       (93 )     6,319  
Non-interest expenses
    2,341       2,111       284       (12 )(1)     4,724  
                               
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  $ 1,098     $ 457     $ 121     $ (81 )   $ 1,595  
                               
Quarter-end total assets
  $ 540,230     $ 70,250     $ 9,366     $ 6,294     $ 626,140  
                               
 
Six Months Ended June 30, 2006
                                       
Non-interest revenues
  $ 7,780     $ 4,919     $ 1,174     $ 23 (1)   $ 13,896  
Net interest profit(2)
    1,353       1,065       26       (220 )(3)     2,224  
                               
Net revenues
    9,133       5,984       1,200       (197 )     16,120  
Non-interest expenses
    7,428       4,918       847       (15 )(1)     13,178  
                               
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  $ 1,705     $ 1,066     $ 353     $ (182 )   $ 2,942  
                               
 
Six Months Ended July 1, 2005
                                       
Non-interest revenues
  $ 5,141     $ 4,422     $ 821     $ (1 )(1)   $ 10,383  
Net interest profit(2)
    1,615       749       (3 )     (193 )(3)     2,168  
                               
Net revenues
    6,756       5,171       818       (194 )     12,551  
Non-interest expenses
    4,534       4,204       570       (21 )(1)     9,287  
                               
Pre-tax earnings (loss)
  $ 2,222     $ 967     $ 248     $ (173 )   $ 3,264  
                               
 
(1)  Primarily represents the elimination of intersegment revenues and expenses.
(2)  Management views interest income net of interest expense in evaluating results.
(3)  Represents acquisition financing costs and other corporate interest, including the impact of Trust Originated Preferred Securities (“TOPrSSM”).

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Note 3.  Securities Financing Transactions
 
Merrill Lynch enters into secured borrowing and lending transactions in order to meet customers’ needs and earn residual interest rate spreads, obtain securities for settlement and finance trading inventory positions.
Under these transactions, Merrill Lynch either receives or provides collateral, including U.S. Government and agencies, asset-backed, corporate debt, equity, and non-U.S. governments and agencies securities. Merrill Lynch receives collateral in connection with resale agreements, securities borrowed transactions, customer margin loans, and other loans. Under many agreements, Merrill Lynch is permitted to sell or repledge the securities received (e.g., use the securities to secure repurchase agreements, enter into securities lending transactions, or deliver to counterparties to cover short positions). At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, the fair value of securities received as collateral where Merrill Lynch is permitted to sell or repledge the securities was $575 billion and $538 billion, respectively, and the fair value of the portion that has been sold or repledged was $461 billion and $402 billion, respectively. Merrill Lynch may use securities received as collateral for resale agreements to satisfy regulatory requirements such as Rule 15c3-3 of the SEC. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, the fair value of collateral used for this purpose was $19.3 billion, and $15.5 billion, respectively.
Merrill Lynch pledges firm-owned assets to collateralize repurchase agreements and other secured financings. Pledged securities that can be sold or repledged by the secured party are parenthetically disclosed in trading assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The carrying value and classification of securities owned by Merrill Lynch that have been pledged to counterparties where those counterparties do not have the right to sell or repledge at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005 are as follows:
                   
(dollars in millions)
 
    June 30, 2006   Dec. 30, 2005
     
Trading asset category
               
 
Mortgages, mortgage-backed, and asset-backed
  $ 14,520     $ 14,457  
 
Corporate debt and preferred stock
    12,179       10,394  
 
U.S. Government and agencies
    8,145       6,711  
 
Non-U.S. governments and agencies
    3,474       3,353  
 
Equities and convertible debentures
    3,262       4,019  
 
Municipals and money markets
    1,044       100  
             
Total
  $ 42,624     $ 39,034  
 

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Note 4.  Investment Securities
 
Investment securities at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005 are presented below:
                     
(dollars in millions)        
 
    June 30, 2006   Dec. 30, 2005
     
Investment securities
               
 
Available-for-sale(1)
  $ 50,799     $ 54,471  
 
Trading
    6,855       5,666  
 
Held-to-maturity
    280       271  
 
Non-qualifying(2)
               
   
Equity investments
    10,537       9,795  
   
Investments of insurance subsidiaries(3)
    1,142       1,174  
   
Deferred compensation hedges(4)
    1,600       1,457  
   
Investments in TOPrSSM partnerships and other investments
    788       738  
             
 
Total
  $ 72,001     $ 73,572  
 
(1)  At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, includes $5.4 billion and $4.3 billion, respectively, of investment securities reported in cash and securities segregated for regulatory purposes or deposited with clearing organizations.
(2)  Non-qualifying for SFAS No. 115 purposes.
(3)  Primarily represents insurance policy loans.
(4)  Represents investments which economically hedge deferred compensation liabilities.
 
Note 5.  Securitization Transactions and Transactions with Special Purpose Entities (“SPEs”)
 
Securitizations
In the normal course of business, Merrill Lynch securitizes: commercial and residential mortgage and home equity loans; municipal, government, and corporate bonds; and other types of financial assets. SPEs, frequently referred to as Variable Interest Entities, or VIEs, are often used when entering into or facilitating securitization transactions. Merrill Lynch’s involvement with SPEs used to securitize financial assets includes: structuring and/or establishing SPEs; selling assets to SPEs; managing or servicing assets held by SPEs; underwriting, distributing, and making loans to SPEs; making markets in securities issued by SPEs; engaging in derivative transactions with SPEs; owning notes or certificates issued by SPEs; and/or providing liquidity facilities and other guarantees to SPEs.
Merrill Lynch securitized assets of approximately $63.9 billion and $45.9 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005, Merrill Lynch received $64.3 billion and $46.3 billion, respectively, of proceeds, and other cash inflows, from securitization transactions, and recognized net securitization gains of $259.9 million and $263.7 million, respectively, in Merrill Lynch’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

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For the first six months of 2006 and 2005, cash inflows from securitizations related to the following asset types:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    Six Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005
     
Asset category
               
 
Residential mortgage loans
  $ 43,767     $ 30,810  
 
Municipal bonds
    9,770       8,637  
 
Corporate and government bonds
    1,698       1,374  
 
Commercial loans and other
    9,106       5,517  
             
    $ 64,341     $ 46,338  
 
Retained interests in securitized assets were approximately $5.2 billion and $4.0 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, which related primarily to residential mortgage loan and municipal bond securitization transactions. The majority of the retained interest balance consists of mortgage-backed securities that have observable market prices. These retained interests include mortgage-backed securities that Merrill Lynch has committed to purchase and expects to sell to investors in the normal course of its underwriting activity.
The following table presents information on retained interests, excluding the offsetting benefit of financial instruments used to hedge risks, held by Merrill Lynch as of June 30, 2006 arising from Merrill Lynch’s residential mortgage loan, municipal bond and other securitization transactions. The sensitivities of the current fair value of the retained interests to immediate 10% and 20% adverse changes in assumptions and parameters are also shown.
                             
(dollars in millions)            
 
    Residential   Municipal    
    Mortgage Loans   Bonds   Other
 
Retained interest amount
  $ 4,445     $ 669     $ 70  
Weighted average credit losses (rate per annum)
    0.8%       0.0%       0.6%  
 
Range
    0.0 – 9.4%       0.0%       0.0 – 8.0%  
   
Impact on fair value of 10% adverse change
  $ (68)     $     $ (2)  
   
Impact on fair value of 20% adverse change
  $ (114)     $     $ (3)  
Weighted average discount rate
    8.1%       4.3%       10.3%  
 
Range
    0.0 – 63.0%       0.5 – 10.0%       0.0 – 23.2%  
   
Impact on fair value of 10% adverse change
  $ (137)     $ (52)     $ (7)  
   
Impact on fair value of 20% adverse change
  $ (262)     $ (88)     $ (14)  
Weighted average life (in years)
    3.6       1.5       4.5  
 
Range
    0.0 – 27.1       0.4 – 3.0       1.5 – 16.6  
Weighted average prepayment speed (CPR)
    16.5%       11.0% (1)     15.0%  
 
Range
    0.0 – 70.0%       2.0 – 23.9% (1)     15.0 – 44.0%  
   
Impact on fair value of 10% adverse change
  $ (82)     $     $ (1)  
   
Impact on fair value of 20% adverse change
  $ (133)     $     $ (2)  
 
CPR = Constant Prepayment Rate
(1)  Relates to select securitization transactions where assets are prepayable.
The preceding sensitivity analysis is hypothetical and should be used with caution. In particular, the effect of a variation in a particular assumption on the fair value of the retained interest is calculated independent of changes in any other assumption; in practice, changes in one factor may result in changes in another, which might magnify or counteract the sensitivities. Further, changes in fair value based on a 10% or 20% variation in an assumption or parameter generally cannot be extrapolated

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because the relationship of the change in the assumption to the change in fair value may not be linear. Also, the sensitivity analysis does not include the offsetting benefit of financial instruments that Merrill Lynch utilizes to hedge risks, including credit, interest rate, and prepayment risk, that are inherent in the retained interests. These hedging strategies are structured to take into consideration the hypothetical stress scenarios above such that they would be effective in principally offsetting Merrill Lynch’s exposure to loss in the event these scenarios occur.
The weighted average assumptions and parameters used initially to value retained interests relating to securitizations that were still held by Merrill Lynch as of June 30, 2006 are as follows:
                         
 
    Residential   Municipal    
    Mortgage Loans   Bonds   Other
 
Credit losses (rate per annum)
    0.8 %     0.0 %     0.3%  
Weighted average discount rate
    8.1 %     3.9 %     10.4%  
Weighted average life (in years)
    3.6       3.5       3.0  
Prepayment speed assumption (CPR)
    15.6 %     9.0 %     9.1%  
 
CPR = Constant Prepayment Rate
For residential mortgage loan and other securitizations, the investors and the securitization trust generally have no recourse to Merrill Lynch’s other assets for failure of mortgage holders to pay when due.
For municipal bond securitization SPEs, in the normal course of dealer market-making activities, Merrill Lynch acts as liquidity provider. Specifically, the holders of beneficial interests issued by municipal bond securitization SPEs have the right to tender their interests for purchase by Merrill Lynch on specified dates at a specified price. Beneficial interests that are tendered are then sold by Merrill Lynch to investors through a best efforts remarketing where Merrill Lynch is the remarketing agent. If the beneficial interests are not successfully remarketed, the holders of beneficial interests are paid from funds drawn under a standby liquidity letter of credit issued by Merrill Lynch.
In addition to standby letters of credit, in certain municipal bond securitizations, Merrill Lynch also provides default protection or credit enhancement to investors in securities issued by certain municipal bond securitization SPEs. Interest and principal payments on beneficial interests issued by these SPEs are secured by a guarantee issued by Merrill Lynch. In the event that the issuer of the underlying municipal bond defaults on any payment of principal and/or interest when due, the payments on the bonds will be made to beneficial interest holders from an irrevocable guarantee by Merrill Lynch.
The maximum commitment under these liquidity and default guarantees totaled $30.9 billion and $29.9 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. The fair value of the guarantees approximated $34 million and $14 million at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively, which is reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Of these arrangements, $6.6 billion and $6.9 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively, represent agreements where the guarantee is provided to the SPE by a third-party financial intermediary and Merrill Lynch enters into a reimbursement agreement with the financial intermediary. In these arrangements, if the financial intermediary incurs losses, Merrill Lynch has up to one year to fund those losses. Additional information regarding these commitments is provided in Note 10 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and in Note 12 of the 2005 Annual Report.

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The following table summarizes principal amounts outstanding and delinquencies of securitized financial assets as of June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005:
                         
(dollars in millions)            
 
    Residential   Municipal    
    Mortgage Loans   Bonds   Other
 
June 30, 2006
                       
Principal Amount Outstanding
  $ 104,845     $ 15,486     $ 10,005  
Delinquencies
    502       -       11  
 
December 30, 2005
                       
Principal Amount Outstanding
  $ 82,468     $ 19,745     $ 10,416  
Delinquencies
    688       -       -  
 
Net credit losses associated with securitized financial assets for the six months ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005 approximated $45 million and $3 million, respectively.
Variable Interest Entities
In January 2003, the FASB issued FIN 46, which provided additional guidance on the application of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51, Consolidated Financial Statements, for enterprises that have interests in entities that meet the definition of a VIE, and on December 24, 2003, the FASB issued FIN 46R. FIN 46R requires that an entity shall consolidate a VIE if that enterprise has a variable interest that will absorb a majority of the VIE’s expected losses, receive a majority of the VIE’s expected residual returns, or both.
QSPEs are a type of VIE that holds financial instruments and distributes cash flows to investors based on preset terms. QSPEs are commonly used in mortgage and other securitization transactions. In accordance with Statement No. 140, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, and FIN 46R, Merrill Lynch does not consolidate QSPEs. Information regarding QSPEs can be found in the Securitization section of this Note and the Guarantees section in Note 10 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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The following tables summarize Merrill Lynch’s involvement with VIEs as of June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. The table below does not include information on QSPEs.
Where an entity is a significant variable interest holder, FIN 46R requires that entity to disclose its maximum exposure to loss as a result of its interest in the VIE. It should be noted that this measure does not reflect Merrill Lynch’s estimate of the actual losses that could result from adverse changes because it does not reflect the economic hedges Merrill Lynch enters into to reduce its exposure.
                                                         
(dollars in millions)
 
    Significant    
        Variable   Other Involvement
    Primary Beneficiary   Interest Holder   with VIEs
     
    Total   Net   Recourse   Total       Total    
    Asset   Asset   to Merrill   Asset   Maximum   Asset   Maximum
Description   Size(4)   Size(5)   Lynch(6)   Size(4)   Exposure   Size(4)   Exposure
 
June 30, 2006
                                                       
Loan and Real Estate VIEs
  $ 5,369     $ 5,121     $ -     $ 186     $ 186     $ -     $ -  
Tax Planning VIEs(1)(2)
    30,871       9,407       6,125       657       27       -       -  
Guaranteed and Other Funds
    2,022       1,530       535       2,984       2,973       -       -  
Credit Linked Note and Other VIEs(3)
    155       55       -       -       -       9,909       695  
 
December 30, 2005
                                                       
Loan and Real Estate VIEs
  $ 5,144     $ 5,140     $ -     $ 116     $ 63     $ -     $ -  
Tax Planning VIEs(1)(2)
    29,617       8,365       5,823       5,416       2,297       -       -  
Guaranteed and Other Funds
    1,802       1,349       464       2,981       2,973       -       -  
Credit Linked Note and Other VIEs(3)
    130       30       -       -       -       8,835       780  
 
(1)  Recourse to Merrill Lynch associated with Tax Planning VIEs primarily relates to transactions where the investors in the debt issued by the VIEs have recourse to both the assets of the VIEs and to Merrill Lynch, as well as certain indemnifications made by Merrill Lynch to the investors in the VIEs.
(2)  The maximum exposure for Tax Planning VIEs reflects the fair value of investments in the VIEs and derivatives entered into with the VIEs, as well as the maximum exposure to loss associated with indemnifications made by Merrill Lynch to investors in the VIEs.
(3)  The maximum exposure for Credit-Linked Note and Other VIEs is the fair value of the derivatives entered into with the VIEs if they are in an asset position as of June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.
(4)  This column reflects the total size of the assets held in the VIE.
(5)  This column reflects the size of the assets held in the VIE after accounting for intercompany eliminations and any balance sheet netting of assets and liabilities as permitted by FASB Interpretation No. 39.
(6)  This column reflects the extent, if any, to which investors have recourse to Merrill Lynch beyond the assets held in the VIE.

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Note 6.  Loans, Notes, Mortgages and Related Commitments to Extend Credit
 
Loans, Notes, Mortgages and related commitments to extend credit at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, are presented below. This disclosure includes commitments to extend credit that may result in loans held for investment and loans held for sale.
                                   
(dollars in millions)
 
    Loans   Commitments(1)
     
    June 30,   Dec. 30,   June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005   2006(2)(3)   2005(3)
 
Consumer and small- and middle-market business:
                               
 
Mortgages
  $ 17,073     $ 18,172     $ 7,539     $ 6,376  
 
Small- and middle-market business
    3,851       4,994       2,406       3,062  
 
Other
    2,936       2,558       77       75  
Commercial:
                               
 
Secured
    41,067       36,571       44,190       34,583  
 
Unsecured investment grade
    4,481       3,283       21,680       22,061  
 
Unsecured non-investment grade
    1,497       869       1,571       980  
                         
      70,905       66,447       77,463       67,137  
 
Allowance for loan losses
    (463 )     (406 )     -       -  
 
Reserve for lending-related commitments
    -       -       (310 )     (281 )
                         
Total, net
  $ 70,442     $ 66,041     $ 77,153     $ 66,856  
 
(1)  Commitments are outstanding as of the date the commitment letter is issued and are comprised of closed and contingent commitments. Closed commitments represent the unfunded portion of existing commitments available for draw down. Contingent commitments are contingent on the borrower fulfilling certain conditions or upon a particular event, such as an acquisition. A portion of these contingent commitments may be syndicated among other lenders or replaced with capital markets funding.
(2)  See Note 10 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for a maturity profile of these commitments.
(3)  In addition to the loan origination commitments included in the table above, at June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch entered into agreements to purchase $222 million of loans that, upon settlement date, are likely to be classified in loans held for investment and loans held for sale. Similar loan purchase commitments totaled $96 million at December 30, 2005. See Note 10 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
Activity in the allowance for loan losses is presented below:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    Six Months Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005
 
Allowance for loan losses at beginning of period
  $ 406     $ 283  
Provision for loan losses
    74       84  
 
Charge-offs
    (26 )     (45 )
 
Recoveries
    7       6  
             
Net charge-offs
    (19 )     (39 )
Other
    2       -  
             
Allowance for loan losses at end of period
  $ 463     $ 328  
 
Consumer and small- and middle-market business loans, which are substantially secured, consisted of approximately 297,000 individual loans at June 30, 2006, and included residential mortgages, home

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equity loans, small- and middle-market business loans, and other loans to individuals for household, family, or other personal expenditures. Commercial loans, which at June 30, 2006 consisted of approximately 12,000 separate loans, include corporate and institutional loans, commercial mortgages, asset-based loans, and other loans to businesses. The principal balance of nonaccrual loans was $217 million at June 30, 2006 and $256 million at December 30, 2005. The investment grade and non-investment grade categorization is determined using the credit rating agency equivalent of internal credit ratings. Non-investment grade counterparties are those rated lower than BBB. In some cases, Merrill Lynch enters into credit default swaps to mitigate credit exposure related to funded and unfunded commercial loans. The notional value of these swaps totaled $9.2 billion and $7.9 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. For information on credit risk management see Note 6 of the 2005 Annual Report.
The above amounts include $17.3 billion and $12.3 billion of loans held for sale at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. Loans held for sale are loans that management expects to sell prior to maturity. At June 30, 2006, such loans consisted of $5.0 billion of consumer loans, primarily residential mortgages and automobile loans, and $12.3 billion of commercial loans, approximately 23% of which are to investment grade counterparties. At December 30, 2005, such loans consisted of $3.4 billion of consumer loans, primarily automobile loans and residential mortgages, and $8.9 billion of commercial loans, approximately 22% of which are to investment grade counterparties.
For further information on loans, notes and mortgages, see Notes 1 and 8 of the 2005 Annual Report.
 
Note 7.  Commercial Paper, Short- and Long-Term Borrowings, and Deposits
 
ML & Co. is the primary issuer of all debt instruments. For local tax or regulatory reasons, debt is also issued by certain subsidiaries.
On May 16, 2006, ML & Co. issued $2.0 billion of subordinated debt. ML & Co. pays interest on this subordinated debt at an annual rate of 6.05%. The subordinated debt matures on May 16, 2016 and is junior in right of payment to all of ML & Co.’s senior indebtedness.
Total borrowings at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, which is comprised of commercial paper and other short-term borrowings, long-term borrowings and long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships, consisted of the following:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Senior debt issued by ML & Co. 
  $ 121,625     $ 111,533  
Senior debt issued by subsidiaries — guaranteed by ML & Co. 
    16,907       13,036  
Subordinated debt issued by ML & Co. 
    1,970       -  
Subordinated debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships
    3,092       3,092  
Other subsidiary financing — not guaranteed by ML & Co. 
    1,676       1,391  
Other subsidiary financing — non-recourse
    11,214       10,351  
             
 
Total
  $ 156,484     $ 139,403  
 
These borrowing activities may create exposure to market risk, most notably interest rate, equity, and currency risk. Refer to Note 1 of the 2005 Annual Report, Derivatives section, for additional information on the use of derivatives to hedge these risks and the accounting for derivatives embedded in these instruments. Other subsidiary financing — non-recourse is primarily attributable to

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consolidated entities that are VIEs. Additional information regarding VIEs is provided in Note 5 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Borrowings and Deposits at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, are presented below:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
               
 
Commercial paper
  $ 12,827     $ 3,420  
 
Other
    575       482  
             
 
Total
  $ 13,402     $ 3,902  
             
Long-term borrowings(1)
               
 
Fixed-rate obligations(2)(4)
  $ 47,263     $ 54,104  
 
Variable-rate obligations(3)(4)
    93,579       79,071  
 
Zero-coupon contingent convertible debt (LYONs®)
    2,240       2,326  
             
 
Total
  $ 143,082     $ 135,501  
             
Deposits
               
 
U.S. 
  $ 59,819     $ 61,784  
 
Non U.S. 
    19,623       18,232  
             
 
Total
  $ 79,442     $ 80,016  
             
 
(1)  Includes long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships.
(2)  Fixed-rate obligations are generally swapped to floating rates.
(3)  Variable interest rates are generally based on rates such as LIBOR, the U.S. Treasury Bill Rate, or the Federal Funds Rate.
(4)  Included are various equity-linked or other indexed instruments.
Long-term borrowings, including adjustments related to fair value hedges and various equity-linked or other indexed instruments, and long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships at June 30, 2006, mature as follows:
                 
(dollars in millions)        
 
Less than 1 year
  $ 24,628       17 %
1  – 2 years
    28,174       20  
2+ – 3 years
    17,169       12  
3+ – 4 years
    21,041       15  
4+ – 5 years
    14,783       10  
Greater than 5 years
    37,287       26  
             
Total
  $ 143,082       100 %
 
Certain long-term borrowing agreements contain provisions whereby the borrowings are redeemable at the option of the holder at specified dates prior to maturity. These borrowings are reflected in the above table as maturing at their put dates, rather than their contractual maturities. Management believes, however, that a portion of such borrowings will remain outstanding beyond their earliest redemption date.
A limited number of notes whose coupon or repayment terms are linked to the performance of equity, other indices, or baskets of securities may be accelerated based on the value of a referenced index or security, in which case Merrill Lynch may be required to immediately settle the obligation for cash or other securities. Refer to Note 1 of the 2005 Annual Report, Embedded Derivatives section for additional information.

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Except for the $2.2 billion of LYONs® that were outstanding at June 30, 2006, senior debt obligations issued by ML & Co. and senior debt issued by subsidiaries and guaranteed by ML & Co. do not contain provisions that could, upon an adverse change in ML & Co.’s credit rating, financial ratios, earnings, cash flows, or stock price, trigger a requirement for an early payment, additional collateral support, changes in terms, acceleration of maturity, or the creation of an additional financial obligation.
The fair values of long-term borrowings and related hedges approximated the carrying amounts at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005.
The effective weighted-average interest rates for borrowings, at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005 were:
                 
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
    4.62 %     3.46 %
Long-term borrowings, contractual rate
    4.01       3.70  
Long-term debt issued to TOPrSsm partnerships
    7.31       7.31  
 
See Note 9 of the 2005 Annual Report for additional information on Borrowings.
Other
Merrill Lynch also obtains standby letters of credit from issuing banks to satisfy various counterparty collateral requirements, in lieu of depositing cash or securities collateral. Such standby letters of credit aggregated $3.3 billion and $1.1 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.
 
Note 8.  Comprehensive Income
 
The components of comprehensive income are as follows:
                                   
(dollars in millions)                
 
    Three Months   Six Months
    Ended   Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,   June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005   2006   2005
 
Net Earnings
  $ 1,633     $ 1,135     $ 2,108     $ 2,347  
                         
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
                               
 
Foreign currency translation adjustment
    (42 )     (146 )     (44 )     (205 )
 
Net unrealized gain (loss) on investment securities available-
for-sale
    (107 )     61       (175 )     19  
 
Deferred gain (loss) on cash flow hedges
    1       2       -       (20 )
 
Minimum pension liability
    1       (1 )     1       (1 )
                         
Total other comprehensive loss, net of tax
    (147 )     (84 )     (218 )     (207 )
                         
Comprehensive income
  $ 1,486     $ 1,051     $ 1,890     $ 2,140  
 

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Note 9.  Stockholders’ Equity and Earnings Per Share
 
The following table presents the computations of basic and diluted EPS:
                                   
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts)                
 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,   June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005   2006   2005
 
Net earnings
  $ 1,633     $ 1,135     $ 2,108     $ 2,347  
Preferred stock dividends
    (45 )     (17 )     (88 )     (24 )
                         
Net earnings applicable to common shareholders — for basic EPS
  $ 1,588     $ 1,118     $ 2,020     $ 2,323  
Interest expense on LYONs®(1)
    -       -       1       1  
                         
Net earnings applicable to common shareholders — for diluted EPS
  $ 1,588     $ 1,118     $ 2,021     $ 2,324  
 
(shares in thousands)
                               
Weighted-average basic shares outstanding(2)
    885,373       897,524       884,555       902,669  
                         
Effect of dilutive instruments
                               
 
Employee stock options(3)
    40,088       38,363       42,577       41,306  
 
FACAAP shares(3)
    21,460       21,438       21,262       21,363  
 
Restricted shares and units(3)
    25,979       18,617       27,708       17,691  
 
Convertible LYONs®(1)
    415       2,551       1,090       2,854  
 
ESPP shares(3)
    9       11       13       6  
                         
Dilutive potential common shares
    87,951       80,980       92,650       83,220  
                         
Diluted Shares(4)
    973,324       978,504       977,205       985,889  
 
Basic EPS
  $ 1.79     $ 1.25     $ 2.28     $ 2.57  
Diluted EPS
    1.63       1.14       2.07       2.36  
 
(1)  See Note 9 of the 2005 Annual Report for further information on LYONs®.
(2)  Includes shares exchangeable into common stock.
(3)  See Note 14 of the 2005 Annual Report for a description of these instruments.
(4)  Excludes 33 million instruments for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2006, and 43 million instruments for the three and six month periods ended July 1, 2005 that were considered anti-dilutive and thus were not included in the above calculations.
The Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional $6 billion of Merrill Lynch’s outstanding common shares under a program announced on February 26, 2006. During the second quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch repurchased 41.4 million common shares at an average repurchase price of $73.26 per share.
On February 28, 2006, Merrill Lynch issued $360 million face value of floating rate, non-cumulative, perpetual preferred stock.
On January 18, 2006, the Board of Directors declared an additional 25% increase in the regular quarterly dividend to 25 cents per common share.

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Note 10.  Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees
 
Litigation
Merrill Lynch has been named as a defendant in various legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions, and other litigation arising in connection with its activities as a global diversified financial services institution. The general decline of equity securities prices between 2000 and 2003 resulted in increased legal actions against many firms, including Merrill Lynch.
Some of the legal actions include claims for substantial compensatory and/or punitive damages or claims for indeterminate amounts of damages. In some cases, the issuers who would otherwise be the primary defendants in such cases are bankrupt or otherwise in financial distress. Merrill Lynch is also involved in investigations and/or proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory agencies. The number of these investigations has also increased in recent years with regard to many firms, including Merrill Lynch.
Merrill Lynch believes it has strong defenses to, and where appropriate, will vigorously contest, many of these matters. Given the number of these matters, it is likely that some may result in adverse judgments, penalties, injunctions, fines, or other relief. Merrill Lynch may explore potential settlements before a case is taken through trial because of the uncertainty and risks inherent in the litigation process. In accordance with SFAS No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, Merrill Lynch will accrue a liability when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. In many lawsuits and arbitrations, including almost all of the class action lawsuits, it is not possible to determine whether a liability has been incurred or to estimate the ultimate or minimum amount of that liability until the case is close to resolution, in which case no accrual is made until that time. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of such matters, particularly in cases in which claimants seek substantial or indeterminate damages, Merrill Lynch cannot predict what the eventual loss or range of loss related to such matters will be. Merrill Lynch continues to assess these cases and believes, based on information available to it, that the resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of Merrill Lynch as set forth in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, but may be material to Merrill Lynch’s operating results or cash flows for any particular period and may impact ML & Co.’s credit ratings.
Tax Matters
Merrill Lynch is under examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax authorities in major countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom, and states in which Merrill Lynch has significant business operations, such as New York. The tax years under examination vary by jurisdiction. An IRS examination covering the years 2001-2003 is expected to be completed in 2006, subject to the resolution of the Japanese issue discussed below. There are carryback claims from the years of 2001 and 2002 of approximately $250 million to $300 million, which are now under Joint Committee review. A tax benefit would be recorded to the extent that Merrill Lynch is successful in obtaining the tax benefit from these carryback claims. IRS audits have also commenced for the 2004 and 2005 tax years.
In the second quarter of 2005, Merrill Lynch paid a tax assessment from the Tokyo Regional Tax Bureau for the years 1998-2002. The assessment reflected the Japanese tax authority’s view that certain income on which Merrill Lynch previously paid income tax to other international jurisdictions, primarily the United States, should have been allocated to Japan. Merrill Lynch has begun the process of obtaining clarification from international authorities on the appropriate allocation of income among multiple jurisdictions to prevent double taxation.

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Merrill Lynch regularly assesses the likelihood of additional assessments in each of the tax jurisdictions resulting from these examinations. Tax reserves have been established, which Merrill Lynch believes to be adequate in relation to the potential for additional assessments. However, there is a reasonable possibility that additional amounts may be incurred. The estimated additional possible amounts are no more than $150 million. Merrill Lynch will adjust the level of reserves when there is more information available, or when an event occurs requiring a change to the reserves. The reassessment of tax reserves could have a material impact on Merrill Lynch’s effective tax rate in the period in which it occurs.
Commitments
At June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch’s commitments had the following expirations:
                                         
(dollars in millions)                    
 
    Commitment expiration
     
    Less than     1 – 3     3+ – 5     Over 5  
    Total   1 Year   Years   Years   Years
 
Commitments to extend credit(1)
  $ 77,463     $ 39,141     $ 11,036     $ 19,423     $ 7,863  
Purchasing and other commitments
    7,748       5,548       675       576       949  
Operating leases
    3,243       561       1,016       815       851  
Commitments to enter into resale agreements
    12,169       12,169       -       -       -  
                               
Total
  $ 100,623     $ 57,419     $ 12,727     $ 20,814     $ 9,663  
 
(1)  See Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Lending Commitments
Merrill Lynch primarily enters into commitments to extend credit, predominantly at variable interest rates, in connection with corporate finance, corporate and institutional transactions and asset-based lending transactions. Clients may also be extended loans or lines of credit collateralized by first and second mortgages on real estate, certain liquid assets of small businesses, or securities. These commitments usually have a fixed expiration date and are contingent on certain contractual conditions that may require payment of a fee by the counterparty. Once commitments are drawn upon, Merrill Lynch may require the counterparty to post collateral depending upon creditworthiness and general market conditions. See Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
The contractual amounts of these commitments represent the amounts at risk should the contract be fully drawn upon, the client defaults, and the value of the existing collateral becomes worthless. The total amount of outstanding commitments may not represent future cash requirements, as commitments may expire without being drawn upon.
Purchasing and Other Commitments
Merrill Lynch had commitments to purchase partnership interests, primarily related to private equity and principal investing activities, of $1,048 million and $734 million at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. Merrill Lynch also has entered into agreements with providers of market data, communications, systems consulting, and other office-related services. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, minimum fee commitments over the remaining life of these agreements aggregated $310 million and $517 million, respectively. Merrill Lynch entered into commitments to purchase loans of $5.5 billion ($5.3 billion of which may be included in trading assets and $221 million of which may be included in loans, notes, and mortgages) at June 30, 2006. Such

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commitments totaled $3.3 billion at December 30, 2005. In addition, Merrill Lynch entered into institutional and margin-lending transactions, some of which are on a committed basis, but most of which are not. Merrill Lynch’s binding margin lending commitments totaled $434 million at June 30, 2006 and $381 million at December 30, 2005. Other purchasing commitments amounted to $468 million and $856 million at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.
On July 24, 2006, Merrill Lynch, along with a consortium of additional investors, announced the execution of an agreement to acquire HCA Inc. HCA Inc. is a holding company whose affiliates own and operate hospitals and related health care entities.
MLIM
On February 15, 2006, Merrill Lynch announced that it had signed a definitive agreement under which it would combine its MLIM investment management business with BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) in exchange for a 49.8% interest in the combined firm, including a 45% voting interest. Merrill Lynch expects to recognize a gain upon the closing of this transaction which, based upon the price at the time of the announcement, is estimated to be over $1 billion. This transaction is expected to close around the end of the third quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. The actual gain will be contingent upon BlackRock’s share price at closing, as well as closing adjustments. Merrill Lynch plans to account for its investment in BlackRock under the equity method of accounting.
Leases
As disclosed in Note 12 of the 2005 Annual Report, Merrill Lynch has entered into various noncancellable long-term lease agreements for premises that expire through 2024. Merrill Lynch has also entered into various noncancellable short-term lease agreements, which are primarily commitments of less than one year under equipment leases.
Guarantees
The derivatives in the following table meet the FASB issued Interpretation No. 45, Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others — an interpretation of FASB Statements No. 5, 57, and 107 and rescission of FASB Interpretation No. 34 (“FIN 45”), definition of guarantees and include certain written options and credit default swaps that contingently require Merrill Lynch to make payments based on changes in an underlying. Because the maximum exposure to loss could be unlimited for certain derivatives (e.g., interest rate caps) and the maximum exposure to loss is not considered when assessing the risk of contracts, the notional value of these contracts has been included to provide information about the magnitude of Merrill Lynch’s involvement with these types of transactions. Merrill Lynch records all derivative instruments at fair value on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The liquidity facilities and default facilities in the following table relate primarily to municipal bond securitization SPEs and Merrill Lynch-sponsored asset-backed commercial paper conduits. Merrill Lynch acts as liquidity provider to municipal bond securitization SPEs. As of June 30, 2006, the value of the assets held by the SPE plus any additional collateral pledged to Merrill Lynch exceeds the amount of beneficial interests issued, which provides additional support to Merrill Lynch in the event that the standby facility is drawn. As of June 30, 2006, the maximum payout if the standby facilities are drawn was $26.0 billion and the value of the municipal bond assets to which Merrill Lynch has recourse in the event of a draw was $29.6 billion. In certain instances, Merrill Lynch also provides default protection in addition to liquidity facilities. If the default protection is drawn, Merrill Lynch may claim the underlying assets held by the SPEs. As of June 30, 2006, the maximum payout if an issuer defaults was $4.9 billion, and the value of the assets to which Merrill

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Lynch has recourse, in the event that an issuer of a municipal bond held by the SPE defaults on any payment of principal and/or interest when due, was $6.2 billion. In addition, Merrill Lynch provides a $3.0 billion liquidity facility and $60 million credit facility to a Merrill Lynch-sponsored asset-backed commercial paper conduit. The maximum exposure to loss for these two facilities combined is $3.1 billion and assumes a total loss on a portfolio of highly rated assets. In June 2006, Merrill Lynch sponsored a second asset backed commercial paper conduit where Merrill Lynch provides a $5 billion liquidity facility and a $400 million standby letter of credit to a conduit that holds asset backed loans. The combined maximum exposure is zero and no letters of credit were issued pursuant to the commitment as of June 30, 2006. For additional information on these facilities, see Note 12 of the 2005 Annual Report and Note 5 to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
In addition, Merrill Lynch makes guarantees to counterparties in the form of standby letters of credit. Merrill Lynch holds marketable securities of $570 million as collateral to secure these guarantees.
Further, in conjunction with certain principal-protected mutual funds, Merrill Lynch guarantees the return of the initial principal investment at the termination date of the fund. At June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch’s maximum potential exposure to loss with respect to these guarantees is $634 million assuming that the funds are invested exclusively in other general investments (i.e., the funds hold no risk-free assets), and that those other general investments suffer a total loss. As such, this measure significantly overstates Merrill Lynch’s exposure or expected loss at June 30, 2006. These transactions met the FASB issued Statement No. 149, Amendment of Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“SFAS No. 149”) definition of derivatives and, as such, were carried as a liability with a fair value of $7 million at June 30, 2006.
Merrill Lynch also provides indemnifications related to the U.S. tax treatment of certain foreign tax planning transactions. The maximum exposure to loss associated with these transactions at June 30, 2006 is $165 million; however, Merrill Lynch believes that the likelihood of loss with respect to these arrangements is remote.
These guarantees and their expiration are summarized at June 30, 2006 as follows:
                                                 
(dollars in millions)                        
 
    Maximum    
    Payout/   Less than   1 – 3   3+ – 5   Over   Carrying
    Notional   1 Year   Years   Years   5 Years   Value
 
Derivative contracts(1)
  $ 1,397,508     $ 330,612     $ 378,340     $ 240,228     $ 448,328     $ 37,779  
 
Liquidity facilities with SPEs(2)
    29,094       28,651       333       110       -       33  
 
Liquidity and default facilities with SPEs(3)
    10,359       9,013       1,100       -       246       3  
 
Residual value guarantees(4)
    1,069       66       169       330       504       25  
 
Standby letters of credit and other guarantees(5)(6)(7)
    3,918       1,547       584       1,475       312       19  
                                                 
 
(1)  As noted above, the notional value of derivative contracts is provided rather than the maximum payout amount, although the notional value should not be considered as a reliable indicator of Merrill Lynch’s exposure to these contracts.
(2)  Amounts relate primarily to facilities provided to municipal bond securitization SPEs. Includes $6.6 billion of guarantees provided to SPEs by third-party financial institutions where Merrill Lynch has agreed to reimburse the financial institution if losses occur, and has up to one year to fund losses.
(3)  Amounts relate to liquidity facilities and credit default protection provided to municipal bond securitization SPEs and asset-backed commercial paper conduits sponsored by Merrill Lynch.
(4)  Includes residual value guarantees associated with the Hopewell campus and aircraft leases of $322 million.

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(5)  Includes $173 million of reimbursement agreements with the Mortgage 100SM program.
(6)  Includes guarantees related to principal-protected mutual funds.
(7)  Includes certain indemnifications related to foreign tax planning strategies.
See Note 12 of the 2005 Annual Report for additional information on guarantees.
 
Note 11.  Employee Benefit Plans
 
Merrill Lynch provides pension and other postretirement benefits to its employees worldwide through defined contribution pension, defined benefit pension, and other postretirement plans. These plans vary based on the country and local practices. Merrill Lynch reserves the right to amend or terminate these plans at any time. Refer to Note 13 of the 2005 Annual Report for a complete discussion of employee benefit plans.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Pension cost for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005, for Merrill Lynch’s defined benefit pension plans, included the following components:
                                                 
(dollars in millions)                        
 
    Three Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005
     
    U.S.   Non-U.S.       U.S.   Non-U.S.    
    Plans   Plans   Total   Plans   Plans   Total
 
Service cost
  $ -     $ 7     $ 7     $ -     $ 5     $ 5  
Interest cost
    24       15       39       24       14       38  
Expected return on plan assets
    (28 )     (15 )     (43 )     (24 )     (12 )     (36 )
Amortization of unrecognized items and other
    -       5       5       -       4       4  
                                     
Total defined benefit pension cost
  $ (4 )   $ 12     $ 8     $ -     $ 11     $ 11  
 
                                                 
(dollars in millions)                        
 
    Six Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005
     
    U.S.   Non-U.S.       U.S.   Non-U.S.    
    Plans   Plans   Total   Plans   Plans   Total
 
Service cost
  $ -     $ 14     $ 14     $ -     $ 11     $ 11  
Interest cost
    48       31       79       48       29       77  
Expected return on plan assets
    (56 )     (30 )     (86 )     (48 )     (25 )     (73 )
Amortization of unrecognized items and other
    -       9       9       -       8       8  
                                     
Total defined benefit pension cost
  $ (8 )   $ 24     $ 16     $ -     $ 23     $ 23  
 
Merrill Lynch disclosed in its 2005 Annual Report that it expected to pay $3 million of benefit payments to participants in the U.S. non-qualified pension plans and Merrill Lynch expected to contribute $103 million to its non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans in 2006. Merrill Lynch periodically updates these estimates, and currently expects to contribute $7 million to its U.S. non-qualified pension plans and $65 million to its non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans in 2006. The overall decrease in total estimated contributions can primarily be attributed to changes in funding requirements relating to the U.K. pension plan.

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Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions
Other postretirement benefit cost for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005, included the following components:
                                 
(dollars in millions)                
 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005   June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005
 
Service cost
  $ 2     $ 4     $ 4     $ 9  
Interest cost
    4       8       8       16  
Other
    (2 )     3       (3 )     5  
                         
Total other postretirement benefits cost(1)
  $ 4     $ 15     $ 9     $ 30  
 
(1)  The decrease in postretirement benefits cost can primarily be attributed to amendments to the U.S. postretirement plan.
Approximately 87% of the postretirement benefit cost components for the period relate to the U.S. postretirement plan.
 
Note 12. Employee Incentive Plans
 
Merrill Lynch adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123R in the first quarter of 2006. See Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies — New Accounting Pronouncements, to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
To align the interests of employees with those of stockholders, Merrill Lynch sponsors several employee compensation plans that provide eligible employees with shares of ML & Co. common stock or options to purchase such stock. The total pre-tax compensation cost and related tax benefits recognized in earnings for share-based compensation plans for the three months ended June 30, 2006 was $321 million and $129 million, respectively. The total pre-tax compensation cost and related tax benefits recognized in earnings for share-based compensation plans for the six months ended June 30, 2006 was $2.5 billion and $846 million, respectively, which includes approximately $1.8 billion associated with one-time, non-cash compensation expenses further described in Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. For the three months ended July 1, 2005, the total pre-tax compensation cost and related tax benefits recognized in earnings for stock-based compensation plans was $270 million and $96 million, respectively. For the six months ended July 1, 2005, the total pre-tax compensation cost and related tax benefits recognized in earnings for stock-based compensation plans was $520 million and $179 million, respectively.
As of June 30, 2006, there was $2.1 billion of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.3 years.
Below is a description of our share-based incentive plans.
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plans (“LTIC Plans”), Employee Stock Compensation Plan (“ESCP”) and Equity Capital Accumulation Plan (“ECAP”)
LTIC Plans, ESCP and ECAP provide for grants of equity and equity-related instruments to certain employees. LTIC Plans consist of the Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, a shareholder approved plan used for grants to executive officers, and the Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan

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for Managers and Producers, a broad-based plan which was approved by the Board of Directors, but has not been shareholder approved. LTIC Plans provide for the issuance of Restricted Shares, Restricted Units, and Non-qualified Stock Options, as well as Incentive Stock Options, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Performance Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and other securities of Merrill Lynch. ESCP, a broad-based plan approved by shareholders in 2003, provides for the issuance of Restricted Shares, Restricted Units, Non-qualified Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. ECAP, a shareholder-approved plan, provides for the issuance of Restricted Shares and Performance Shares. All plans under LTIC, ESCP and ECAP may be satisfied using either treasury or newly issued shares. As of June 30, 2006, no instruments other than Restricted Shares, Restricted Units, Non-qualified Stock Options, Performance Options, Participation Units and Stock Appreciation Rights had been granted.
Restricted Shares and Units
Restricted Shares are shares of ML & Co. common stock carrying voting and dividend rights. A Restricted Unit is deemed equivalent in fair market value to one share of common stock. Substantially all awards are settled in shares of common stock. Recipients of Restricted Unit awards receive cash payments equivalent to dividends. Under these plans, such shares and units are restricted from sale, transfer, or assignment until the end of the restricted period. Such shares and units are subject to forfeiture during the vesting period, for grants under LTIC Plans, or the restricted period for grants under ECAP. Restricted Share and Restricted Unit grants made prior to 2003 generally cliff vest in three years. Restricted Share and Restricted Unit grants made in 2003 through 2005 generally cliff vest in four years. Restricted Shares and Restricted Units granted in January 2006 generally vest ratably over four years.
In January 2006, Participation Units were granted from the Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan under Merrill Lynch’s Managing Partners Incentive Program. The awards granted under this program are fully at risk, and the potential payout will vary depending on Merrill Lynch’s financial performance against pre-determined return on average common stockholders’ equity (“ROE”) targets. One-third of the Participation Units shall convert into Restricted Shares on each of January 31, 2007, January 31, 2008 and January 31, 2009 (each a “Conversion Date”), based on ROE determined for the most recently completed fiscal year. Participation Units converted on the Conversion Date will cease to be outstanding immediately following conversion. If the minimum target is not met, the Participation Units will expire without being converted.
The activity for Restricted Shares and Units (including Restricted Units and Participation Units) under these plans during the six months ended June 30, 2006 follows:
                                                 
 
    LTIC Plans   ECAP   ESCP   Total
     
        Restricted
    Restricted       Restricted   Restricted   Restricted   Shares and
    Shares   Units   Shares   Shares   Units   Units
 
Authorized for issuance at:
                                               
June 30, 2006
    660,000,000       N/A       104,800,000       75,000,000       N/A       N/A  
July l, 2005
    660,000,000       N/A       104,800,000       75,000,000       N/A       N/A  
                                     
Available for issuance at:
                                               
June 30, 2006
    64,470,541       N/A       10,831,281       39,312,483       N/A       N/A  
July 1, 2005
    65,837,103       N/A       10,832,121       56,862,843       N/A       N/A  
                                     
Outstanding, December 30, 2005
    28,967,539       4,720,546       20,856       15,683,787       2,157,894       51,550,622  
                                     
Granted — 2006
    1,401,356       3,537,944       840       15,746,146       2,899,131       23,585,417  
Delivered
    (564,526 )     (285,436 )     -       -       -       (849,962 )
Forfeited
    (746,929 )     (88,600 )     -       (673,032 )     (126,409 )     (1,634,970 )
                                     
Outstanding, June 30, 2006
    29,057,440       7,884,454       21,696       30,756,901       4,930,616       72,651,107  
 
N/A = Not Applicable

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SFAS No. 123R requires the immediate expensing of share-based awards granted or modified in 2006 to retirement-eligible employees, including awards that are subject to non-compete provisions. The above activity contains awards with or without a future service requirement, as follows:
                                 
 
    No Future Service Required   Future Service Required
     
        Weighted Avg       Weighted Avg
    Shares/ Units   Grant Price   Shares/ Units   Grant Price
 
Outstanding, December 30, 2005
    38,877,644       51.00       12,672,978       54.01  
                         
Granted — 2006
    7,429,380       71.57       16,156,037       71.58  
Delivered
    (849,962 )     48.78       -       -  
Forfeited
    (1,221,155 )     57.35       (413,815 )     61.78  
Service Criteria Satisfied(1)
    20,211,184       64.71       (20,211,184 )     64.71  
                         
Outstanding, June 30, 2006
    64,447,091       57.58       8,204,016       61.85  
 
(1)  Represents those awards where employees attained retirement-eligibility during 2006, subsequent to the grant date.
The total fair value of Restricted Shares and Units granted to retirement-eligible employees or for which service criteria were satisfied during the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 was $18 million and $2.1 billion respectively. The total fair value of Restricted Shares and Units vested during the six months ended July 1, 2005 was $680 million. No Restricted Shares and Units vested during the three months ended July 1, 2005.
The weighted-average fair value per share or unit granted for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 follows:
                   
 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006   June 30, 2006
 
LTIC Plans
               
 
Restricted Shares
    $76.76       $72.34  
 
Restricted Units
    77.35       71.37  
ECAP Restricted Shares
    N/A       71.49  
ESCP Plans
               
 
Restricted Shares
    N/A       71.54  
 
Restricted Units
    77.35       71.67  
 
N/A = Not Applicable
Non-Qualified Stock Options
Non-qualified Stock Options granted under LTIC Plans in 1996 through 2000 generally became exercisable over five years; options granted in 2001 and 2002 became exercisable after approximately six months. Option and Stock Appreciation Right grants made after 2002 generally become exercisable over four years. The exercise price of these grants is equal to 100% of the fair market value (as defined in LTIC Plans) of a share of ML & Co. common stock on the date of grant. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights expire ten years after their grant date.

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The activity for Options and Stock Appreciation Rights under LTIC Plans for the six months ended June 30, 2006 follows:
                           
 
    Weighted-Average
    Quantity   Weighted-Average   Remaining Life
    Outstanding   Exercise Price   (in years)
 
Outstanding, December 30, 2005
    176,713,075       $49.10       4.44  
 
Granted
    333,598       71.43       4.01  
 
Exercised
    (25,879,934 )     36.53       3.26  
 
Forfeited
    (218,906 )     48.12       7.04  
 
Outstanding, June 30, 2006
    150,947,833       51.31       4.48  
 
Exercisable, June 30, 2006
    140,445,057       51.46       4.31  
 
All Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of June 30, 2006 are fully vested or expected to vest.
The weighted-average fair value of options granted in the three months ended July 1, 2005 was $17.98 per option. No options were granted in the three months ended June 30, 2006. The weighted-average fair value of options granted in the six months ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005 was $17.86 and $17.99, respectively. The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant based on a Black-Scholes option pricing model using the following weighted-average assumptions. Expected volatilities are based on historical volatility of ML & Co. common stock. The expected life of options granted is equal to the contractual life of the options. The risk-free rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The dividend yield is based on the current dividend rate at the time of grant.
                                 
 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
     
    June 30, 2006(1)   July 1, 2005   June 30, 2006   July 1, 2005
 
Risk-free interest rate
    N/A       4.0 %     4.3 %     3.8 %
Expected life
    N/A       5.0 yrs       4.4 yrs       4.6 yrs  
Expected volatility
    N/A       34.95 %     29.49 %     35.43 %
Dividend yield
    N/A       1.44 %     1.44 %     1.14 %
 
N/A = Not Applicable
(1)  No options were granted during the second quarter of 2006.
Merrill Lynch received approximately $238 million and $919 million in cash from the exercise of stock options during the three and six months ended June 30, 2006. The net tax benefit realized from the exercise of these options was $52 million and $231 million, respectively.
The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the quarters ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005 was $233 million and $52 million, respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005 was $985 million and $413 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2006, the total intrinsic value of options outstanding and exercisable was $2.8 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively.

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Financial Advisor Capital Accumulation Award Plans (“FACAAP”)
Under FACAAP, eligible employees in GPC are granted awards generally based upon their prior year’s performance. Payment for an award is contingent upon continued employment for a period of time and is subject to forfeiture during that period. Awards granted in 2003 and thereafter are generally payable eight years from the date of grant in a fixed number of shares of ML & Co. common stock. For outstanding awards granted prior to 2003, payment is generally made ten years from the date of grant in a fixed number of shares of ML & Co. common stock unless the fair market value of such shares is less than a specified minimum value, in which case the minimum value is paid in cash. Eligible participants may defer awards beyond the scheduled payment date. Only shares of common stock held as treasury stock may be issued under FACAAP. FACAAP, which was approved by the Board of Directors, has not been shareholder approved.
At June 30, 2006, shares subject to outstanding awards totaled 35,684,312 while 15,247,382 shares were available for issuance through future awards. The weighted-average fair value of awards granted under FACAAP during the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 was $77.35 and $73.82 respectively.
 
Note 13.  Regulatory Requirements
 
Effective January 1, 2005, Merrill Lynch became a consolidated supervised entity (“CSE”) as defined by the SEC. As a CSE, Merrill Lynch is subject to group-wide supervision, which requires Merrill Lynch to compute allowable capital and risk allowances on a consolidated basis. As of June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch is in compliance with applicable CSE standards.
Certain U.S. and non-U.S. subsidiaries are subject to various securities, banking, and insurance regulations and capital adequacy requirements promulgated by the regulatory and exchange authorities of the countries in which they operate. These regulatory restrictions may impose regulatory capital requirements and limit the amounts that these subsidiaries can pay in dividends or advance to Merrill Lynch. Merrill Lynch’s principal regulated subsidiaries are discussed below.
Securities Regulation
As a registered broker-dealer and futures commission merchant, MLPF&S is subject to the net capital requirements of Rule 15c3-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“the Rule”). Under the alternative method permitted by the Rule, the minimum required net capital, as defined, shall be the greater of 2% of aggregate debit items (“ADI”) arising from customer transactions or $500 million. At June 30, 2006, MLPF&S’s regulatory net capital of $2,579 million was approximately 15.3% of ADI, and its regulatory net capital in excess of the minimum required was $2,072 million.
MLPF&S is also subject to the capital requirements of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which requires that minimum net capital should not be less than 8% of the total customer risk margin requirement plus 4% of the total non-customer risk margin requirement. MLPF&S substantially exceeds both standards.
Merrill Lynch International (“MLI”), a U.K. regulated investment firm, is subject to capital requirements of the U.K. Financial Services Authority (“FSA”). Financial resources, as defined, must exceed the total financial resources requirement of the FSA. At June 30, 2006, MLI’s financial resources were $11,689 million, exceeding the minimum requirement by $1,655 million.

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Merrill Lynch Government Securities Inc. (“MLGSI”), a primary dealer in U.S. Government securities, is subject to the capital adequacy requirements of the Government Securities Act of 1986. This rule requires dealers to maintain liquid capital in excess of market and credit risk, as defined, by 20% (a 1.2-to-1 capital-to-risk standard). At June 30, 2006, MLGSI’s liquid capital of $1,461 million was 217% of its total market and credit risk, and liquid capital in excess of the minimum required was $654 million.
Merrill Lynch Japan Securities Co. Ltd. (“MLJS”), a Japan-based regulated broker-dealer, is subject to capital requirements of the Japanese Financial Services Agency (“JFSA”). Net capital, as defined, must exceed 120% of the total risk equivalents requirement of the JFSA. At June 30, 2006, MLJS’s net capital was $1,360 million, exceeding the minimum requirement by $768 million.
Banking Regulation
Merrill Lynch Bank USA (“MLBUSA”) is a Utah-chartered industrial bank, regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the State of Utah Department of Financial Institutions. Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust Co. (“MLB&T”) is a New Jersey-chartered state bank regulated by the FDIC and the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Both MLBUSA and MLB&T are required to maintain capital levels that at least equal minimum capital levels specified in federal banking laws and regulations. Failure to meet the minimum levels will result in certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary, actions by the regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the banks. The following table illustrates the actual capital ratios and capital amounts for MLBUSA and MLB&T as of June 30, 2006.
                                         
(dollars in millions)                    
 
    MLBUSA   MLB&T
    Well    
    Capitalized   Actual   Actual   Actual   Actual
    Minimum   Ratio   Amount   Ratio   Amount
 
Tier 1 leverage (to average assets)
    5 %     10.39 %   $ 6,101       8.32 %   $ 853  
Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)
    6 %     9.55       6,101       24.05       853  
Total capital (to risk-weighted assets)
    10 %     10.61       6,776       24.19       859  
 
Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Bank Limited (“MLCMBL”), an Ireland-based regulated bank, is required to meet minimum regulatory capital requirements under the European Union (“EU”) banking law as implemented in Ireland by the Financial Regulator. At June 30, 2006, MLCMBL’s capital ratio was above the minimum requirement at 10.2% and its financial resources, as defined, were $3,487 million, exceeding the minimum requirement by $472 million.
Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited (“MLIB”), a U.K.-based regulated bank, is required to meet minimum regulatory capital requirements under the EU banking law as implemented in the U.K. MLIB’s consolidated capital ratio (including its subsidiary Merrill Lynch Bank (Suisse) S.A.), is above the minimum capital requirements established by the FSA. At June 30, 2006, MLIB’s consolidated capital ratio was 11.3% and its consolidated financial resources were $3,948 million, exceeding the minimum requirement by $350 million.
Prior to April 28, 2006, MLCMBL and MLIB were subsidiaries of Merrill Lynch International Finance Corporation (“MLIFC”) and were subject to capital requirements imposed by the State of New York Banking Department. Pursuant to an internal corporate reorganization, MLIFC is no longer a direct or indirect parent company of MLCMBL or MLIB, and therefore is no longer subject to such capital requirements.

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On July 28, 2006, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales approved the transfer to MLCMBL of substantially all the business of MLIB. It is anticipated that the asset transfer will be completed at the end of the third quarter 2006, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals, court recognition of the English court order in Singapore and execution of business transfer agreements in jurisdictions where the English court order is not recognized. On the asset transfer date, MLCMBL will be renamed Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited, with the existing UK entity being renamed mlib (historic) Limited.
In July 2006, Merrill Lynch Trust Company, FSB (“MLTC-FSB”) received approval from the Office of Thrift Supervision (“OTS”) to become a full service thrift institution as the first step in an internal reorganization of certain banking businesses of Merrill Lynch. The reorganization is expected to provide Merrill Lynch with a more efficient platform to deliver banking products and services to clients and to provide a more effective avenue for future growth. As the second step in the internal reorganization, during the third quarter of 2006, MLB&T is expected to be merged with MLTC-FSB, and MLTC-FSB will be renamed Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust Co., FSB (“MLBT-FSB”). The new entity will be regulated by the OTS and its deposits insured by the FDIC.

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.:
We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and subsidiaries (“Merrill Lynch”) as of June 30, 2006, and the related condensed consolidated statements of earnings for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of Merrill Lynch’s management.
We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.
Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
As discussed in Note 1 to the condensed consolidated financial statements, in 2006 Merrill Lynch changed its method of accounting for share-based payments to conform to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment.
We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of Merrill Lynch as of December 30, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, changes in stockholders’ equity, comprehensive income and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated February 27, 2006, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 30, 2005 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
New York, New York
August 4, 2006

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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this report may be considered forward-looking, including those about management expectations, strategic objectives, growth opportunities, business prospects, anticipated financial results, the impact of off balance sheet arrangements, significant contractual obligations, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory investigations and proceedings, and other similar matters. These forward-looking statements represent only Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.’s (“ML & Co.” and, together with its subsidiaries, “Merrill Lynch”) beliefs regarding future performance, which is inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors, many of which are beyond Merrill Lynch’s control, which affect its operations, performance, business strategy and results and could cause its actual results and experience to differ materially from the expectations and objectives expressed in any forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, actions and initiatives taken by both current and potential competitors, general economic conditions, the effects of current, pending and future legislation, regulation and regulatory actions, and the other risks and uncertainties detailed in this report. See Risk Factors that Could Affect Our Business in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2005 (“2005 Annual Report”). Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. Merrill Lynch does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the dates they are made. The reader should, however, consult further disclosures Merrill Lynch may make in future filings of its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
 
Overview
 
Introduction
Merrill Lynch was formed in 1914 and became a publicly traded company on June 23, 1971. In 1973, Merrill Lynch created the holding company, ML & Co., a Delaware corporation that, through its subsidiaries, provides broker-dealer, investment banking, financing, wealth management, advisory, asset management, insurance, lending, and related products and services on a global basis.
Merrill Lynch’s activities are conducted through three business segments:
•  Global Markets and Investment Banking Group (“GMI”), Merrill Lynch’s institutional business segment provides equity, debt and commodities trading, capital market services, investment banking and advisory services to corporations, financial institutions, and governments around the world. GMI’s Global Markets division facilitates client transactions and is a market maker in securities, derivatives, currencies, commodities and other financial instruments to satisfy client demands, and in connection with proprietary trading activities. Global Markets also provides clients with financing, securities clearing, settlement, and custody services and also engages in principal investments and private equity investing for the account of Merrill Lynch. GMI’s Investment Banking division provides a wide range of origination and strategic advisory services for issuer clients, including underwriting and placement of public and private equity, debt and related securities, as well as lending and other financing activities for clients globally. These services also include advising clients on strategic issues, valuation, mergers, acquisitions and restructurings. GMI’s growth strategy entails a program of significant investments in personnel and technology to gain further scale in certain asset classes and geographies.

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•  Global Private Client (“GPC”), Merrill Lynch’s full-service retail wealth management segment, provides brokerage and investment advisory services, offering a broad range of both proprietary and third-party wealth management products and services globally to individuals, small-to mid-size businesses, investment advisors and employee benefit plans. The largest portion of this business is offered through the Advisory Division, where services are delivered by Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors (“FAs”) through a global network of branch offices. GPC’s offerings include commission and fee-based investment accounts; banking, cash management, and credit services, including consumer and small business lending and credit cards; trust and generational planning; retirement services; and insurance products. GPC’s growth priorities include the hiring of additional FAs, client segmentation, annuitization of revenues through fee-based products, diversification of revenues through adding products and services, investments in technology to enhance productivity and efficiency, and disciplined expansion into additional geographic areas globally.
 
•  Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (“MLIM”), Merrill Lynch’s asset management segment, offers a wide range of investment management capabilities to retail and institutional investors through proprietary and third-party distribution channels globally. Asset management capabilities include equity, fixed income, money market, index, enhanced index and alternative investments (including hedge funds, private equity and property), which are offered through vehicles such as mutual funds, privately managed accounts, and both retail and institutional separate accounts. MLIM’s growth priorities include driving strong relative long-term investment performance and broadening the distribution of its products through multiple channels, while maintaining discipline on expenses. MLIM is committed to increasing sales in both the proprietary and non-proprietary channels in the United States, as well as non-U.S. regions. On February 15, 2006, Merrill Lynch entered into an agreement with BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), to combine the MLIM business with BlackRock. This transaction is expected to close around the end of the third quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
 
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
 
The following is a summary of Merrill Lynch’s critical accounting policies. For a full description of these and other accounting policies see Note 1 of the 2005 Annual Report and Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Use of Estimates
In presenting the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, management makes estimates regarding:
•  Valuations of assets and liabilities requiring fair value estimates including:
  •  Trading inventory and investment securities;
  •  Private equity investments;
  •  Loans and allowance for loan losses;
•  The outcome of litigation;
•  The realization of deferred tax assets and tax reserves;
•  Assumptions and cash flow projections used in determining whether variable interest entities (“VIEs”) should be consolidated and the determination of the qualifying status of special purpose entities (“QSPEs”);
•  The carrying amount of goodwill and other intangible assets;
•  Valuation of employee stock options;
•  Insurance reserves and recovery of insurance deferred acquisition costs;

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•  Interim compensation and benefits accruals, particularly cash and stock incentive awards and FA compensation; and
•  Other matters that affect the reported amounts and disclosure of contingencies in the financial statements.
Estimates, by their nature, are based on judgment and available information. Therefore, actual results could differ from those estimates and could have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and it is possible that such changes could occur in the near term. For more information regarding the specific methodologies used in determining estimates, refer to Use of Estimates in Note 1 of the 2005 Annual Report.
The following is a summary of Merrill Lynch’s critical accounting policies and estimates.
Valuation of Financial Instruments
Proper valuation of financial instruments is a critical component of Merrill Lynch’s financial statement preparation. Fair values for exchange-traded securities and certain exchange-traded derivatives, principally futures and certain options, are based on quoted market prices. Fair values for over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivative financial instruments, principally forwards, options, and swaps, represent amounts estimated to be received from or paid to a third party in settlement of these instruments. These derivatives are valued using pricing models based on the net present value of estimated future cash flows, and directly observed prices from exchange-traded derivatives, other OTC trades, or external pricing services, while taking into account the counterparty’s credit ratings, or Merrill Lynch’s own credit ratings as appropriate.
New and/or complex instruments may have immature or limited markets. As a result, the pricing models used for valuation often incorporate significant estimates and assumptions, which may impact the level of precision in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. For long-dated and illiquid contracts, extrapolation methods are applied to observed market data in order to estimate inputs and assumptions that are not directly observable. This enables Merrill Lynch to mark-to-market all positions consistently when only a subset of prices is directly observable. Values for OTC derivatives are verified using observed information about the costs of hedging the risk and other trades in the market. As the markets for these products develop, Merrill Lynch continually refines its pricing models based on experience to correlate more closely to the market risk of these instruments. Obtaining the fair value for OTC derivative contracts requires the use of management judgment and estimates. At the inception of the contract, unrealized gains for these instruments are not recognized unless significant inputs to the valuation model are observable in the market.
Merrill Lynch holds investments that may have quoted market prices but that are subject to restrictions (e.g., consent of the issuer or other investors to sell) that may limit Merrill Lynch’s ability to realize the quoted market price. Accordingly, Merrill Lynch estimates the fair value of these securities based on management’s best estimate, which incorporates pricing models based on projected cash flows, earnings multiples, comparisons based on similar market transactions and/or review of underlying financial conditions and other market factors.
Valuation adjustments are an integral component of the mark-to-market process and may be taken where either the sheer size of the trade or other specific features of the trade or particular market (such as counterparty credit quality, concentration or market liquidity) requires adjustment to the values derived by the pricing models.
Because valuation may involve significant estimation where readily observable prices are not available, a categorization of Merrill Lynch’s financial instruments based on liquidity of the instrument and the amount of estimation required in determining its value as recorded in the Condensed Consolidated

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Financial Statements is provided below. In preparing the categorization, certain estimates have been made regarding the allocation of netting adjustments permitted under FASB Interpretation No. 39, Offsetting of Amounts Related to Certain Contracts, and other adjustments.
Assets and liabilities recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets can be broadly categorized as follows:
Category 1.  Highly liquid cash and derivative instruments, primarily carried at fair value, for which quoted market prices are readily available (for example, exchange-traded equity securities, certain listed options, and U.S. Government securities).
 
Category 2.  Liquid instruments, primarily carried at fair value, including:
  a)  Cash instruments for which quoted prices are available but which trade less frequently such that there may not be complete pricing transparency for these instruments across all market cycles (for example, corporate and municipal bonds and certain physical commodities);
 
  b)  Derivative instruments that are valued using a model, where inputs to the model are directly observable in the market (for example, U.S. dollar interest rate swaps); and
 
  c)  Instruments that are priced with reference to financial instruments whose parameters can be directly observed (for example, certain mortgage loans).
Category 3.  Less liquid instruments that are valued using management’s best estimate of fair value and instruments which are valued using a model, where either the inputs to the model and/or the models themselves require significant judgment by management. Areas where these valuation methodologies are primarily applied include private equity investments, long-dated or complex derivatives such as certain foreign exchange options and credit default swaps, distressed debt and commodity derivatives, such as long-dated options on gas and power and weather derivatives. In applying these models, management considers such factors as projected cash flows, market comparables, slope to the yield curve, volatility, and various market inputs.

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At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, certain assets and liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets can be categorized using the above classification scheme as follows:
                                 
(dollars in millions)
 
June 30, 2006   Category 1   Category 2   Category 3   Total
 
Assets
                               
Trading assets, excluding contractual agreements
  $ 64,995     $ 68,723     $ 2,394     $ 136,112  
Contractual agreements
    6,628       19,216       4,974       30,818  
Investment securities
    5,883       49,432       11,332       66,647  
 
 
Liabilities
                               
Trading liabilities, excluding contractual agreements
  $ 50,570     $ 15,954     $ 30     $ 66,554  
Contractual agreements
    5,271       20,472       7,440       33,183  
 
 
December 30, 2005
                               
 
 
Assets
                               
Trading assets, excluding contractual agreements
  $ 56,556     $ 63,344     $ 2,594     $ 122,494  
Contractual agreements
    5,008       18,177       3,031       26,216  
Investment securities
    6,115       54,805       8,353       69,273  
 
 
Liabilities
                               
Trading liabilities, excluding contractual agreements
  $ 48,688     $ 11,248     $ 242     $ 60,178  
Contractual agreements
    4,623       17,490       6,642       28,755  
 
In addition, other trading-related assets recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, include $321.8 billion and $255.5 billion, respectively, of receivables under resale agreements and receivables under securities borrowed transactions. Trading-related liabilities recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, include $277.3 billion and $217.5 billion, respectively, of payables under repurchase agreements and payables under securities loaned transactions. These securities financing transactions are recorded at their contractual amounts, which approximate fair value, and for which little or no estimation is required by management.
Litigation
Merrill Lynch has been named as a defendant in various legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions, and other litigation arising in connection with its activities as a global diversified financial services institution. Merrill Lynch is also involved in investigations and/or proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory agencies. In accordance with SFAS No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, Merrill Lynch will accrue a liability when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. In many lawsuits and arbitrations, including class action lawsuits, it is not possible to determine whether a liability has been incurred or to estimate the ultimate or minimum amount of that liability until the case is close to resolution, in which case no accrual is made until that time. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of such matters, particularly in cases in which claimants seek substantial or indeterminate damages, Merrill Lynch cannot predict what the eventual loss or range of loss related to such matters will be. See Note 12 and Other Information (Unaudited) — Legal Proceedings of the 2005 Annual Report for further information.
Variable Interest Entities
In the normal course of business, Merrill Lynch enters into a variety of transactions with VIEs. The applicable accounting guidance requires Merrill Lynch to perform a qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of each new VIE at inception to determine whether it must consolidate the VIE. In

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performing this analysis, Merrill Lynch makes assumptions regarding future performance of assets held by the VIE, taking into account estimates of credit risk, estimates of the fair value of assets, timing of cash flows, and other significant factors. Although a VIE’s actual results may differ from projected outcomes, a revised consolidation analysis is generally not required subsequent to the initial assessment. If a VIE meets the conditions to be considered a QSPE, it is typically not required to be consolidated by Merrill Lynch. A QSPE’s activities must be significantly limited. A servicer of the assets held by a QSPE may have discretion in restructuring or working out assets held by the QSPE as long as the discretion is significantly limited and the parameters of that discretion are fully described in the legal documents that established the QSPE. Determining whether the activities of a QSPE and its servicer meet these conditions requires the use of judgment by management.
Income Taxes
Merrill Lynch is under examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax authorities in major countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom, and states in which Merrill Lynch has significant business operations, such as New York. The tax years under examination vary by jurisdiction. An IRS examination covering the years 2001–2003 is expected to be completed in 2006, subject to the resolution of the Japanese issue discussed below. There are carryback claims from the years 2001 and 2002 of approximately $250 million to $300 million, which are now under Joint Committee review. A tax benefit would be recorded to the extent that Merrill Lynch is successful in obtaining the tax benefit from these carryback claims. IRS audits have also commenced for the 2004 and 2005 tax years.
In the second quarter of 2005, Merrill Lynch paid a tax assessment from the Tokyo Regional Tax Bureau for the years 1998–2002. The assessment reflected the Japanese tax authority’s view that certain income on which Merrill Lynch previously paid income tax to other international jurisdictions, primarily the United States, should have been allocated to Japan. Merrill Lynch has begun the process of obtaining clarification from international authorities on the appropriate allocation of income among multiple jurisdictions to prevent double taxation.
Merrill Lynch regularly assesses the likelihood of additional assessments in each of the tax jurisdictions resulting from these examinations. Tax reserves have been established, which Merrill Lynch believes to be adequate in relation to the potential for additional assessments. However, there is a reasonable possibility that additional amounts may be incurred. The estimated additional possible amounts are no more than $150 million. Merrill Lynch will adjust the level of reserves when there is more information available, or when an event occurs requiring a change to the reserves. The reassessment of tax reserves could have a material impact on Merrill Lynch’s effective tax rate in the period in which it occurs.

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Business Environment(1)
 
Following a generally strong first quarter global market conditions initially remained robust, but became less favorable midway through the second quarter. Market sentiment became cautious amid signs of inflation, high oil prices and fears that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates more than expected. During the second quarter, both debt and equity markets conditions weakened as concerns grew over the tightening of monetary policy world-wide. The yield curve remained relatively flat, and for much of June became inverted as long-term Treasury yields dropped slightly below those of shorter term Treasury notes. Long-term interest rates, as measured by the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond, ended the quarter at 5.15%, up from 4.86% at the end of the first quarter. The U.S. Federal Reserve System’s Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds rate twice during the quarter to 5.25%, up from 4.75%.
Major U.S. equity indices generally declined from where they ended the first quarter, with particular weakness in May. The Nasdaq Composite declined 7.2% over the quarter and 1.5% on a year-to-date basis, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 1.9% for the quarter but was up 1.8% compared to where it started the year. The exception was the Dow Jones Industrial Average which rose 0.4% for the quarter and was up 4.0% since the start of the year.
International equity indices experienced similar declines during the second quarter as a result of indications that authorities in Europe and Asia would continue raising interest rates. The FTSE 100 Index declined 2.2% in the quarter but was up 3.8% year-to-date, while the Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index declined 3.7% sequentially, but rose 0.9% year-to-date. In Japan, the Nikkei Stock Exchange Index fell 9.1% in the quarter and 3.8% year-to-date. After a particularly strong first quarter, emerging market indices also declined in the second quarter. Brazil’s Bovespa Index declined 3.5% in the second quarter, but was up 9.5% from the start of the year, while India’s Sensex Index declined 5.9% sequentially, but was up 12.9% year-to-date.
Second quarter global debt and equity underwriting volumes of $1.7 trillion were down 6% compared to the first quarter, but were essentially unchanged from the year-ago quarter. Global debt underwriting volumes of $1.5 trillion were down 9% compared to the first quarter and 5% compared to the year-ago quarter, while global equity underwriting volumes of $196 billion were up 14% compared to the first quarter and 73% compared to the year-ago quarter. Global debt and equity underwriting fees for the second quarter were $9.8 billion, up 2% sequentially and 23% from the second quarter of 2005.
Merger and acquisition (“M&A”) activity maintained the strong momentum experienced in the first quarter as the value of global announced deals rose to $1 trillion, up 9% from the first quarter and 36% from the year-ago quarter. In the United States, the value of announced deals increased to $371 billion, up 17% from the first quarter and 12% from the year-ago quarter. Globally, completed M&A activity totaled $640 billion in the second quarter, down 9% from the first quarter, but up 16% from the year-ago quarter. In the United States, completed deal volume totaled $235 billion, down 24% sequentially, but up 21% from the 2005 second quarter.
Merrill Lynch continually evaluates its businesses for profitability, performance, and client service to ensure alignment with its long-term strategic objectives under varying market and competitive conditions. The strategy of maintaining long-term client relationships, closely monitoring costs and risks, diversifying revenue sources, and growing fee-based and recurring revenues all continue as objectives to mitigate the effects of a volatile market environment on Merrill Lynch’s business as a whole.
 
(1)  Debt and equity underwriting and merger and acquisition statistics were obtained from Dealogic.

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Results of Operations
 
                                     
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts)
 
    For the Three Months   For the Six Months
    Ended   Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,   June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005   2006   2005
 
Net Revenues
                               
   
Asset management and portfolio service fees
  $ 1,773     $ 1,431     $ 3,452     $ 2,866  
   
Commissions
    1,586       1,247       3,188       2,588  
   
Principal transactions
    1,182       1,006       3,175       1,951  
   
Investment banking
    1,162       920       2,127       1,733  
   
Revenues from consolidated investments
    186       84       290       211  
   
Other
    1,110       664       1,664       1,034  
                         
 
Subtotal
    6,999       5,352       13,896       10,383  
Interest and dividend revenues
    9,690       5,974       18,354       11,505  
Less interest expense
    8,531       5,007       16,130       9,337  
                         
 
Net interest profit
    1,159       967       2,224       2,168  
                         
Total Net Revenues
    8,158       6,319       16,120       12,551  
                         
Non-interest expenses:
                               
   
Compensation and benefits
    3,980       3,148       9,730       6,244  
   
Communications and technology
    429       395       882       791  
   
Brokerage, clearing, and exchange fees
    253       216       501       435  
   
Occupancy and related depreciation
    249       227       490       460  
   
Professional fees
    196       183       396       361  
   
Advertising and market development
    191       160       335       286  
   
Expenses of consolidated investments
    145       35       192       120  
   
Office supplies and postage
    57       51       114       103  
   
Other
    309       309       538       487  
                         
Total non-interest expenses
    5,809       4,724       13,178       9,287  
                         
Earnings before income taxes
  $ 2,349     $ 1,595     $ 2,942     $ 3,264  
                         
Net earnings
  $ 1,633     $ 1,135     $ 2,108     $ 2,347  
                         
Earnings per common share:
                               
 
Basic
  $ 1.79     $ 1.25     $ 2.28     $ 2.57  
 
Diluted
    1.63       1.14       2.07       2.36  
                         
Annualized return on average common stockholders’ equity
    18.6 %     14.3 %     11.9 %     14.9 %
                         
Pre-tax profit margin
    28.8 %     25.2 %     18.3 %     26.0 %
 
Compensation and benefits as a percentage of net revenues
    48.8 %     49.8 %     60.4 %     49.7 %
Non-compensation expenses as a percentage of net revenues
    22.4 %     24.9 %     21.4 %     24.2 %
Book value per common share
  $ 37.18     $ 33.63     $ 37.18     $ 33.63  
 
Quarterly Results of Operations
Merrill Lynch’s second quarter 2006 net earnings were $1.6 billion, on record net revenues of $8.2 billion, up 44% and 29%, respectively, from the second quarter of 2005. Earnings per common share were $1.79 basic and $1.63 diluted for the 2006 second quarter, both up 43% from the year-ago quarter. Pre-tax earnings were $2.3 billion, an increase of 47% from the prior-year period, and the pre-tax profit margin was 28.8%, up from 25.2% in the year-ago quarter.

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Asset management and portfolio services fees primarily consist of (i) fees earned from the management and administration of retail mutual funds and separately managed accounts for retail investors, as well as institutional funds such as pension assets, (ii) performance fees earned on certain separately managed accounts and institutional money management arrangements, (iii) servicing fees related to these accounts and (iv) annual account fees and certain other account-related fees. Asset management and portfolio service fees were $1.8 billion, up 24% from the second quarter of 2005. The increase in asset management fees reflects the impact of net inflows of higher-yielding assets as well as higher average equity market values. The increase in portfolio service fees reflects the impact of net inflows into asset-priced accounts.
Commissions revenues primarily arise from agency transactions in listed and OTC equity securities and commodities, insurance products and options. Commissions revenues also include distribution fees for promoting and distributing mutual funds (“12b-1 fees”), as well as contingent deferred sales charges earned when a shareholder redeems shares prior to the required holding period. Commissions revenues were $1.6 billion, up 27% from the 2005 second quarter, due primarily to an increase in global transaction volumes, particularly in listed equities and mutual funds.
Principal transactions revenues include realized gains and losses from the purchase and sale of securities, such as equity securities, fixed income securities, including government bonds and municipal securities, in which Merrill Lynch acts as principal, as well as unrealized gains and losses on trading assets and liabilities, including commodities, derivatives, and loans. Principal transactions revenues were $1.2 billion, 17% higher than the year-ago quarter, due primarily to increased revenues in the trading of equity products.
Net interest profit is a function of (i) the level and mix of total assets and liabilities, including trading assets owned, deposits, financing and lending transactions, and trading strategies associated with the institutional securities business, and (ii) the prevailing level, term structure and volatility of interest rates. Net interest profit was $1.2 billion, up 20% from the 2005 second quarter, due primarily to the impact of rising short-term interest rates on deposit spreads earned, partially offset by the higher interest expenses. Net interest profit is an integral component of trading activity. In assessing the profitability of its client facilitation and trading activities, Merrill Lynch views principal transactions and net interest profit in the aggregate as net trading revenues. Changes in the composition of trading inventories and hedge positions can cause the mix of principal transactions and net interest profit to fluctuate.
Investment banking revenues include (i) origination revenues representing fees earned from the underwriting of debt, equity and equity-linked securities, as well as loan syndication and commitment fees and (ii) strategic advisory services revenues including merger and acquisition and other investment banking advisory fees. Investment banking revenues were $1.2 billion, up 26% from the year-ago quarter, driven primarily by increased equity origination and merger and acquisition advisory revenues, partially offset by a slight decline in debt origination revenues.
Revenues from consolidated investments include revenues from consolidated investments which are less than 100% owned. Revenues from consolidated investments were $186 million, up from $84 million in the 2005 second quarter, reflecting higher investment gains and additional investments.
Other revenues include realized investment gains and losses, equity income from unconsolidated subsidiaries, distributions on cost method investments, fair value adjustments on private equity investments that are held for capital appreciation and/or current income, gains related to the sale of mortgages, write-downs of certain available-for-sale securities, and translation gains and losses on foreign denominated assets and liabilities. Other revenues were $1.1 billion, 67% higher than the 2005 second quarter, due principally to revenues from private equity investments. The increase in private equity revenues was driven primarily by gains from several private equity investments that resulted from fair value adjustments associated with initial public offerings, the recapitalization of an underlying company, and the application of valuation methodologies. Revenues recorded in other

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revenues associated with gains from private equity investments were almost three times the amount recorded during the second quarter of 2005.
Compensation and benefits expenses were $4.0 billion in the second quarter of 2006, or 48.8% of net revenues, down from 49.8% in the year-ago quarter.
Non-compensation expenses were $1.8 billion in the second quarter of 2006, up 16% from the year-ago quarter. The ratio of total non-compensation expenses to total net revenues was 22.4% during the second quarter of 2006, down from 24.9% in the year-ago quarter. Communications and technology costs were $429 million, up 9% from the second quarter of 2005 due primarily to higher market information and communications costs and system consulting costs related to investments for growth. Brokerage, clearing and exchange fees were $253 million, up 17% from the 2005 second quarter, due primarily to higher transaction volumes. Occupancy costs and related depreciation of $249 million increased 10% from the year-ago quarter, principally due to higher office rental expenses. Professional fees were $196 million, up 7% from the prior-year quarter due to higher legal and other professional fees. Advertising and market development expenses were $191 million, up 19% from the year-ago quarter due primarily to higher travel expenses associated with increased activity levels and increased advertising costs. Expenses of consolidated investments were $145 million, up from $35 million in the 2005 second quarter, principally due to increased minority interest expenses associated with the related increase in revenues from consolidated investments. Other expenses were $309 million, essentially unchanged from the year-ago quarter.
Year-to-date Results of Operations
For the first six months of 2006, net earnings were $2.1 billion, on record net revenues of $16.1 billion that grew 28% from the first half of 2005. Net earnings for the first six months of 2006 included $1.2 billion, after-tax, or $1.21 per diluted share, of one-time non-cash compensation expenses ($1.8 billion pre-tax) incurred in the first quarter 2006, arising from modifications to the retirement eligibility requirements for existing stock-based employee compensation awards and the adoption of SFAS No. 123 as revised in 2004 (“SFAS No. 123R”); (together, “one-time compensation expenses”). Refer to Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further detail on the one-time compensation expenses.
Excluding the one-time compensation expenses, net earnings of $3.3 billion for the first six months of 2006 were up 40% from the prior-year period, and pre-tax earnings would have been $4.7 billion, up 44% from the first six months of 2005. On the same basis the pre-tax profit margin would have been 29.2%, up 3.2 percentage points from the first half of 2005, and the annualized return on average common equity was 19.0%, up 4.1 percentage points from the 14.9% in the first six months of 2005. Also on the same basis, earnings per common share would have been $3.63 basic and $3.28 diluted, up 41% and 39%, respectively, from the prior-year period. Management believes that, while the results excluding the one-time compensation expenses are considered “non-GAAP” measures, they depict the operating performance of the company more clearly and enable more meaningful period-to-period comparisons. See Exhibit 99.1 for a reconciliation of “non-GAAP” measures.
Merrill Lynch’s second quarter 2006 effective tax rate was 30.5%, bringing the year-to-date effective tax rate to 28.3%. Excluding the one-time compensation expenses, the effective tax rate for the first six months of 2006 was 30.1%, up from 28.1% for the prior-year period.

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Business Segments
 
The following discussion provides details of net revenues by segment. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Merrill Lynch reports its results in three business segments: GMI, GPC, and MLIM. GMI provides full service global markets and origination capabilities, products and services to corporate, institutional, and government clients around the world, and in connection with proprietary trading activities. GPC provides wealth management products and services globally to individuals, small- to mid-size businesses, and employee benefit plans. MLIM manages financial assets for individual, institutional and corporate clients.
Certain MLIM and GMI products are distributed through GPC distribution channels, and, to a lesser extent, certain MLIM products are distributed through GMI. Revenues and expenses associated with these inter-segment activities are recognized in each segment and eliminated at the corporate level. In addition, revenue and expense sharing agreements for joint activities between segments are in place, and the results of each segment reflect the agreed-upon apportionment of revenues and expenses associated with these activities. The following segment results represent the information that is relied upon by management in its decision-making processes. These results exclude items reported in the Corporate segment. Business segment results are reclassified to reflect reallocations of revenues and expenses that result from changes in Merrill Lynch’s business strategy and organizational structure. See Note 2 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
 
Global Markets and Investment Banking
 
GMI’s Results of Operations
                                                     
(dollars in millions)
 
    For the Three Months Ended   For the Six Months Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.   June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.
    2006   2005   (Dec.)   2006   2005   (Dec.)
 
Global Markets
                                               
   
Debt
  $ 1,725     $ 1,606       7 %   $ 3,816     $ 3,268       17 %
   
Equity
    1,877       1,022       84       3,450       1,993       73  
                                     
Total Global Markets net revenues
    3,602       2,628       37       7,266       5,261       38  
                                     
Investment Banking
                                               
   
Origination Debt
    367       374       (2 )     762       656       16  
   
Equity
    315       223       41       552       465       19  
   
Strategic Advisory Services
    296       214       38       553       374       48  
                                     
Total Investment Banking net revenues
    978       811       21       1,867       1,495       25  
                                     
 
Total net revenues
    4,580       3,439       33       9,133       6,756       35  
Non-interest expenses before one-time compensation expenses
    3,087       2,341       32       6,059       4,534       34  
One-time compensation expenses
    -       -       -       1,369       -       N/M  
                                     
Pre-tax earnings
  $ 1,493     $ 1,098       36     $ 1,705     $ 2,222       (23 )
                                     
Pre-tax profit margin
    32.6 %     31.9 %             18.7 %     32.9 %        
 
N/ M = Not Meaningful
Despite challenging market conditions during the second quarter of 2006, each of GMI’s major business lines — Debt Markets, Equity Markets and Investment Banking — recorded increased net

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revenues compared with the second quarter of 2005. GMI’s record net revenues of $4.6 billion were up 33% from the year-ago quarter. Pre-tax earnings were $1.5 billion, 36% higher from the prior-year period, driven by strong revenue growth and operating leverage. The pre-tax profit margin was 32.6%, up from 31.9% in the year-ago quarter.
For the first six months of 2006, GMI’s net revenues were a record at $9.1 billion, an increase of 35% from the first half of 2005. Pre-tax earnings of $1.7 billion and the pre-tax profit margin of 18.7% included $1.4 billion in one-time compensation expenses incurred in the first quarter of 2006. Excluding these one-time compensation expenses, pre-tax earnings for the first six months of 2006 were $3.1 billion, up 38% from the year-ago period, and the pre-tax profit margin was 33.7%, up from 32.9% in the prior year period. Refer to Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Exhibit 99.1 for further detail on the one-time compensation expenses.
From a geographic perspective, Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) and the United States were the largest dollar contributors to growth over the prior year quarter, whereas the Pacific Rim and Canada had the strongest growth on a percentage basis compared to the prior year quarter.
A detailed discussion of GMI’s net revenues follows:
Global Markets
In the second quarter of 2006, Global Markets net revenues were $3.6 billion, up 37% from the year-ago period. For the first half of 2006, Global Markets net revenues were $7.3 billion, up 38% from the prior-year period.
Debt Markets
Debt Markets net revenues include principal transactions and net interest profit (which management believes should be viewed in aggregate to assess trading results), commissions, revenues from principal investments, fair value adjustments on private equity investments made by non-broker-dealer subsidiaries that are held for capital appreciation and/or current income, and other revenues. In the second quarter of 2006, Debt Markets net revenues were $1.7 billion, up 7% from the second quarter of 2005, driven primarily by revenues in the principal investing and secured finance business and increased revenues from foreign exchange. These increases were partially offset by lower net revenues in trading interest rate products and commodities.
Year-to-date Debt Markets net revenues were $3.8 billion, up 17% from the year-ago period, driven principally by the increased net revenues in the principal investing and secured finance business and the trading of credit products.
Equity Markets
Equity Markets net revenues include commissions, principal transactions and net interest profit (which management believes should be viewed in aggregate to assess trading results), revenues from equity method investments, fair value adjustments on private equity investments that are held for capital appreciation and/or current income, and other revenues. During the second quarter of 2006, Equity Markets net revenues were $1.9 billion, an increase of 84% over the year-ago quarter with strong performances in every major revenue category, including a nearly threefold increase in revenues from private equity investments. The increase in private equity revenues was driven primarily by gains from several private equity investments that resulted from fair value adjustments associated with initial public offerings, the recapitalization of an underlying company, and the application of valuation methodologies.

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Year-to-date Equity Markets net revenues were $3.5 billion, up 73% from the year-ago period, driven primarily by private equity-related gains, increased equity-linked and cash trading revenues, and higher equity financing net revenues.
Investment Banking
Investment Banking net revenues of $978 million were 21% higher than the 2005 second quarter, driven by increases in equity origination mandates and merger and acquisition advisory services, partly offset by a slight decline in debt origination revenues. For the first half of 2006, Investment Banking net revenues were $1.9 billion, up 25% from the prior-year period.
Origination
Origination revenues represent fees earned from the underwriting of debt, equity and equity-linked securities as well as loan syndication fees.
Origination revenues in the second quarter of 2006 were $682 million, up 14% from the year-ago quarter on higher equity origination revenues, which increased 41% from a year ago, as a result of a more robust environment, including a higher volume of convertible deals, as well as the benefits of continued investments in the business. The increase was partially offset by a 2% decline in debt origination revenues.
Year-to-date origination revenues increased 17% to $1.3 billion from the year-ago period, as a result of a more robust environment and benefits of continued investment in the business. Equity and debt origination revenues were up 19% and 16%, respectively, compared with the first six months of 2005.
Strategic Advisory Services
Strategic advisory services revenues, which include merger and acquisition and other advisory fees, were $296 million in the second quarter of 2006, up 38% from the year-ago quarter as overall deal volume as well as Merrill Lynch’s share of global completed merger and acquisition volume increased. Year-to-date strategic advisory services revenues increased 48% from the year-ago period, to $553 million on higher activity.
For additional information on GMI’s segment results, refer to Note 2 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Global Private Client
 
GPC’s Results of Operations
                                                   
(dollars in millions)
 
    For the Three Months Ended   For the Six Months Ended
     
    June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.   June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.
    2006   2005   (Dec.)   2006   2005   (Dec.)
 
Fee-based revenues
  $ 1,533     $ 1,286       19 %   $ 2,991     $ 2,557       17 %
Transactional and origination revenues
    902       786       15       1,801       1,643       10  
Net interest profit and related hedges(1)
    554       420       32       1,081       821       32  
Other revenues
    56       76       (26 )     111       150       (26 )
                                     
 
Total net revenues
    3,045       2,568       19       5,984       5,171       16  
Non-interest expenses before one-time compensation expenses
    2,344       2,111       11       4,637       4,204       10  
One-time compensation expenses
    -       -       -       281       -       N/M  
                                     
Pre-tax earnings
  $ 701     $ 457       53     $ 1,066     $ 967       10  
                                     
Pre-tax profit margin
    23.0 %     17.8 %             17.8 %     18.7 %        
 
N/ M = Not Meaningful
(1)  Includes interest component of non-qualifying derivatives which are included in other revenues on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings.
GPC’s second quarter 2006 net revenues were $3.0 billion, up 19% from the year-ago quarter. The increase was primarily driven by record fee-based revenues, including record fees from annuitized-revenue products, record net interest profit as spreads on deposits increased with interest rates, and also higher transactional and origination revenues. GPC’s second quarter 2006 pre-tax earnings were a record $701 million, up 53% from the 2005 second quarter, and the pre-tax profit margin was also a record 23.0%, up by more than five percentage points from the prior-year period.
Total client assets in GPC accounts increased 11% from the year-ago quarter, to $1.5 trillion. Second quarter net inflows of client assets into annuitized-revenue products were $10 billion, bringing the year-to-date total to $23 billion. Total net new money for the second quarter and first six months of 2006 was $7 billion and $25 billion, respectively.
Financial Advisor headcount reached 15,520 at the end of the second quarter of 2006, a net increase of 1,100 since the second quarter of 2005, reflecting low turnover rates, recruiting efforts and the acquisition of Advest.
From a geographic viewpoint, GPC’s non-U.S. revenue growth was stronger than in the U.S. during the first half of 2006. Additionally, GPC continues to invest in the business internationally as evidenced by the private banking joint venture launched during the second quarter of 2006 with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (“MUFG”) in Japan, bringing GPC’s private banking platform to MUFG’s large high-net-worth client base.
For the first six months of 2006, GPC’s net revenues increased 16% to $6.0 billion, driven by growth in nearly every major revenue category. Year-to-date pre-tax earnings of $1.1 billion and the pre-tax profit margin of 17.8% included $281 million in one-time compensation expenses incurred in the first quarter of 2006. Excluding these one-time compensation expenses, GPC’s year-to-date pre-tax earnings were $1.3 billion, up 39% from the year-ago period, and the pre-tax margin was 22.5%.

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Refer to Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Exhibit 99.1 for further detail on the one-time compensation expenses.
A detailed discussion of GPC’s revenues follows:
Fee-based revenues
Fee-based revenues are comprised of portfolio service fees which are primarily derived from accounts that charge an annual fee based on net asset value, such as Merrill Lynch Consults® (a separately managed account product) and Unlimited AdvantageSM (a fee based brokerage account), as well as fees from insurance products, taxable and tax-exempt money market funds, and alternative investment products. Also included in fee-based revenues are fixed annual account fees and other account-related fees, and commissions related to distribution fees on mutual funds.
GPC generated $1.5 billion of fee-based revenues in the 2006 second quarter, up 19% from the year-ago quarter. On a year-to-date basis, fee-based revenues increased 17% from the year-ago period to $3.0 billion. This increase reflected growth in client assets due to higher market valuations and net inflows into annuitized products. This asset growth resulted in higher portfolio service fees and increased distribution fees related to mutual fund sales.
The value of client assets in GPC accounts at June 30, 2006 and July 1, 2005 follows.
                   
(dollars in billions)
 
    June 30,   July 1,
    2006   2005
 
Assets in GPC accounts
               
 
U.S. 
  $ 1,370     $ 1,234  
 
Non-U.S. 
    124       115  
             
 
Total
  $ 1,494     $ 1,349  
             
 
Transactional and origination revenues
Transactional and origination revenues include certain commission revenues, such as those that arise from agency transactions in listed and OTC equity securities, mutual funds, and insurance products. Also included are principal transactions revenues which primarily represent bid-offer revenues on government bonds and municipal securities, as well as new issue revenues which include selling concessions on newly issued debt and equity securities, including shares of closed-end funds.
Transactional and origination revenues were $902 million in the second quarter of 2006, 15% higher than the year-ago quarter. This increase is due principally to higher origination revenues driven by a few particularly large transactions in addition to a moderate increase in transactional revenues. Year-to-date transactional and origination revenues were $1.8 billion, up 10% from the year-ago period.
Net interest profit and related hedges
Net interest profit (interest revenues less interest expenses) and related hedges includes GPC’s allocation of the interest spread earned in Merrill Lynch’s banks for deposits, as well as interest earned on margin, small- and middle-market business and other loans, corporate funding allocations, and the interest component of non-qualifying derivatives.
GPC’s net interest profit and related hedges were $554 million in the second quarter of 2006, up 32% from the 2005 second quarter. This increase primarily reflects higher margins on deposits resulting from rising short-term interest rates. On a year-to-date basis, GPC’s net interest profit was $1.1 billion, 32% higher than the year-ago period.

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Other revenues
GPC’s other revenues were $56 million in the second quarter of 2006, down 26% from $76 million in the year-ago period, due largely to lower mortgage-related revenues. For the first six months of 2006, other revenues were also down 26%, totaling $111 million.
For additional information on GPC’s segment results, refer to Note 2 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
Merrill Lynch Investment Managers
 
MLIM’s Results of Operations
                                                   
(dollars in millions)
 
    For the Three       For the Six    
    Months Ended       Months Ended    
                 
    June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.   June 30,   July 1,   % Inc.
    2006   2005   (Dec.)   2006   2005   (Dec.)
 
Asset management fees
  $ 522     $ 367       42 %   $ 1,014     $ 737       38 %
Commissions
    29       25       16       61       53       15  
Other revenues
    79       13       508       125       28       346  
                                     
 
Total net revenues
    630       405       56       1,200       818       47  
Non-interest expenses before one-time compensation expenses
    390       284       37       738       570       29  
One-time compensation expenses
    -       -       -       109       -       N/M  
                                     
Pre-tax earnings
  $ 240     $ 121       98     $ 353     $ 248       42  
                                     
Pre-tax profit margin
    38.1 %     29.9 %             29.4 %     30.3 %        
 
N/ M = Not Meaningful
MLIM’s second quarter 2006 net revenues were $630 million, up 56% from the 2005 second quarter. This increase was driven principally by net inflows and higher average long-term asset values. MLIM’s pre-tax earnings for the 2006 second quarter were $240 million, up 98% from the 2005 second quarter, and the pre-tax margin was 38.1%, compared with 29.9% in the prior-year period. The increase in pre-tax earnings and pre-tax margin can be attributed to strong operating leverage which was enhanced by net benefits related to the pending merger with BlackRock. These net benefits pertain to certain projects which have been curtailed and employee attrition not replaced in advance of the BlackRock transaction.
For the first six months of 2006, MLIM’s net revenues were up 47% over the first half of 2005, to $1.2 billion. Pre-tax earnings of $353 million and the pre-tax profit margin of 29.4% included $109 million in one-time compensation expenses recognized during the first quarter of 2006. Excluding the one-time compensation expenses, the pre-tax earnings for the first half of 2006 were $462 million, up 86% from the year-ago period, and the pre-tax margin was 38.5%, up from 30.3% due primarily to strong operating leverage. Refer to Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Exhibit 99.1 for further detail on the one-time compensation expenses.
On February 15, 2006, Merrill Lynch announced that it had signed a definitive agreement under which it would combine its MLIM investment management business with BlackRock in exchange for a 49.8% interest in the combined firm, including a 45% voting interest. Merrill Lynch expects to recognize a gain upon the closing of this transaction which, based upon the price at the time of the announcement, is estimated to be over $1 billion. This transaction is expected to close around the end of the third quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. The actual gain will be

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contingent upon BlackRock’s share price at closing, as well as closing adjustments. Merrill Lynch plans to account for its investment in BlackRock under the equity method of accounting.
A detailed discussion of MLIM’s revenues follows:
Asset management fees
Asset management fees primarily consist of fees earned from the management and administration of retail mutual funds and separately managed accounts for retail investors, as well as institutional funds such as pension assets. Asset management fees also include performance fees, which are generated in some cases by separately managed accounts and institutional money management arrangements.
Asset management fees were $522 million, up 42% from the second quarter of 2005 due to higher average equity market values and an improvement in the fee profile of assets under management and new money inflows. Year-to-date asset management fees were $1.0 billion, up 38% from the year-ago period. At the end of the second quarter of 2006, firmwide assets under management totaled $589 billion, with $583 billion managed by MLIM and $6 billion managed by GPC. Compared with the 2005 second quarter, assets under management increased 23%, due principally to positive market movement and net new money inflows. Net inflows for the quarter were $8 billion, primarily driven by the EMEA-Pacific retail business.
An analysis of changes in firmwide assets under management from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 is as follows:
                                         
(dollars in billions)
 
    Net Changes Due To    
         
    July 1,   New   Asset       June 30,
    2005(1)   Money   Appreciation   Other(2)   2006(1)
 
Assets under management
  $ 478     $ 46     $ 34     $ 31     $ 589  
 
(1)  Includes $5 billion and $6 billion of assets managed by GPC as of July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006, respectively.
(2)  Includes $18 billion of new assets from the acquisition of the pension business of Royal Philips Electronics, the impact of foreign exchange movements, reinvested dividends and other changes.
Commissions
Commissions for MLIM principally consist of distribution fees and contingent deferred sales charges (“CDSC”) related to mutual funds. The distribution fees represent revenues earned for promoting and distributing mutual funds, and the CDSC represents fees earned when a shareholder redeems shares prior to the specified holding period. Commissions revenues were $29 million in the second quarter of 2006, up 16% from the year-ago quarter on increased activity levels. Year-to-date commissions were $61 million, up 15% from the prior-year period.
Other revenues
Other revenues primarily include net interest profit, investment gains and losses and revenues from consolidated investments. Other revenues, totaled $79 million for the second quarter of 2006, up from $13 million a year ago reflecting increased investment gains from consolidated investments. Other revenues for the first six months of 2006 were $125 million, compared to $28 million for the first six months of 2005.
For additional information on MLIM’s segment results, refer to Note 2 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
Management continually monitors and evaluates the size and composition of the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The following table summarizes the June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005 period-end, and first six months of 2006 and full-year 2005 average balance sheets:
                                   
(dollars in billions)
 
    2006       2005
    June 30,   Six Month   Dec. 30,   Full Year
    2006   Average(1)   2005   Average(1)
 
Assets
                               
Trading-Related
                               
Securities financing assets
  $ 342.6     $ 336.9     $ 272.3     $ 268.3  
Trading assets
    166.9       187.1       148.7       182.9  
Other trading-related receivables
    61.1       60.9       54.3       60.9  
                         
      570.6       584.9       475.3       512.1  
                         
Non-Trading-Related
                               
Cash
    40.8       35.7       26.5       38.7  
Investment securities
    66.6       68.2       69.3       71.2  
Loans, notes, and mortgages, net
    70.4       68.7       66.0       60.6  
Other non-trading assets
    50.8       45.0       43.9       47.8  
                         
      228.6       217.6       205.7       218.3  
                         
 
Total assets
  $ 799.2     $ 802.5     $ 681.0     $ 730.4  
                         
 
Liabilities
                               
Trading-Related
                               
Securities financing liabilities
  $ 298.0     $ 315.4     $ 234.3     $ 272.7  
Trading liabilities
    99.7       117.1       88.9       105.7  
Other trading-related payables
    75.5       71.0       56.9       63.8  
                         
      473.2       503.5       380.1       442.2  
                         
Non-Trading-Related
                               
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
    13.4       9.3       3.9       6.5  
Deposits
    79.4       81.3       80.0       79.2  
Long-term borrowings
    140.0       130.0       132.4       122.4  
Long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships
    3.1       3.1       3.1       3.1  
Other non-trading liabilities
    53.6       38.4       45.9       43.8  
                         
      289.5       262.1       265.3       255.0  
                         
 
Total liabilities
    762.7       765.6       645.4       697.2  
                         
Total stockholders’ equity
    36.5       36.9       35.6       33.2  
                         
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
  $ 799.2     $ 802.5     $ 681.0     $ 730.4  
                         
 
(1)  Averages represent management’s daily balance sheet estimates, which may not fully reflect netting and other adjustments included in period-end balances. Balances for certain assets and liabilities are not revised on a daily basis.

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Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
 
As a part of its normal operations, Merrill Lynch enters into various off balance sheet arrangements that may require future payments. The table below outlines the significant off balance sheet arrangements, as well as the future expiration as of June 30, 2006:
                                         
(dollars in millions)
 
    Expiration
     
        Less    
        than   1 - 3   3+- 5   Over
    Total   1 Year   Years   Years   5 Years
 
Liquidity facilities with SPEs(1)
  $ 29,094     $ 28,651     $ 333     $ 110     $ -  
Liquidity and default facilities with SPEs(2)
    10,359       9,013       1,100       -       246  
Residual value guarantees(3)
    1,069       66       169       330       504  
Standby letters of credit and other guarantees (4)(5)(6)
    3,918       1,547       584       1,475       312  
 
(1)  Amounts relate primarily to facilities provided to municipal bond securitization SPEs and an asset-backed commercial paper conduit sponsored by Merrill Lynch.
(2)  Amounts relate to liquidity facilities and credit default protection provided to municipal bond securitization SPEs and asset-backed commercial paper conduits sponsored by Merrill Lynch.
(3)  Includes residual value guarantees associated with the Hopewell campus and aircraft leases of $322 million.
(4)  Includes $173 million of reimbursement agreements with the Mortgage 100 sm program.
(5)  Includes guarantees related to principal-protected mutual funds.
(6)  Includes certain indemnifications related to foreign tax planning strategies.
Refer to Note 10 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
 
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
 
Contractual Obligations
In the normal course of business, Merrill Lynch enters into various contractual obligations that may require future cash payments. The accompanying table summarizes Merrill Lynch’s contractual obligations by remaining maturity at June 30, 2006. Excluded from this table are obligations recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets that are: (i) generally short-term in nature, including securities financing transactions, trading liabilities, commercial paper and other short-term borrowings and other payables; (ii) deposits; (iii) obligations that are related to Merrill Lynch’s insurance subsidiaries, including liabilities of insurance subsidiaries, which are subject to significant variability; and (iv) separate accounts liabilities, which fund separate accounts assets.
                                         
(dollars in millions)
 
    Expiration
     
        Less    
        than   1 - 3   3+- 5   Over
    Total   1 Year   Years   Years   5 Years
 
Long-term borrowings(1)
  $ 143,082     $ 24,628     $ 45,343     $ 35,824     $ 37,287  
Purchasing and other commitments
    7,748       5,548       675       576       949  
Operating lease commitments
    3,243       561       1,016       815       851  
 
(1)  Includes long-term debt issued to TOPrS sm partnerships.

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Commitments
At June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch commitments had the following expirations:
                                         
(dollars in millions)
 
    Expiration
     
        Less than   1 - 3   3+ - 5   Over 5
    Total   1 Year   Years   Years   Years
 
Commitments to extend credit
  $ 77,463     $ 39,141     $ 11,036     $ 19,423     $ 7,863  
Commitments to enter into resale agreements
    12,169       12,169       -       -       -  
 
 
Capital and Funding
 
The primary objectives of Merrill Lynch’s capital structure and funding policies are to support the successful execution of Merrill Lynch’s business strategies while ensuring:
  sufficient equity capital to support existing businesses and future growth plans and
 
  liquidity across market cycles and through periods of financial stress.
These objectives and Merrill Lynch’s capital and funding policies are discussed more fully in the 2005 Annual Report.
Capital
At June 30, 2006, equity capital, as defined by Merrill Lynch, was comprised of $33.4 billion of common equity, $3.1 billion of preferred stock, and $2.5 billion of long-term debt issued to TOPrSsm partnerships (net of related investments). Equity capital is Merrill Lynch’s view of capital available to support its businesses and differs from stockholders’ equity as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, which does not include long-term debt issued to TOPrSsm partnerships, net of related investments.
Merrill Lynch regularly reviews overall equity capital needs to ensure that its equity capital base can support the estimated risks and needs of its businesses, the regulatory and legal capital requirements of its subsidiaries, and standards pursuant to the Consolidated Supervised Entity rules. Merrill Lynch determines the appropriateness of its equity capital composition, taking into account that its preferred stock and TOPrSsm are perpetual. In the event that capital is generated beyond estimated needs, Merrill Lynch returns capital to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.
Merrill Lynch continued to grow its equity capital base in the first half of 2006 primarily through net earnings, additional preferred stock issuances, and the net effect of employee stock transactions, including the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, partially offset by common stock repurchases and dividends. Equity capital of $39.1 billion at June 30, 2006 was 2% higher than at December 30, 2005.
On February 28, 2006, Merrill Lynch issued $360 million face value of floating rate, non-cumulative, perpetual preferred stock.
The Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional $6 billion of Merrill Lynch’s outstanding common shares under a program announced on February 26, 2006. During the second quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch repurchased 41.4 million common shares at an average repurchase price of $73.26 per share.

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On January 18, 2006, the Board of Directors declared an additional 25% increase in the regular quarterly dividend to 25 cents per common share.
Major components of the changes in equity capital for the first six months of 2006 are as follows:
           
(dollars in millions)
 
Balance at December 30, 2005
  $ 38,144  
 
Net earnings
    2,108  
 
Issuance of preferred stock
    360  
 
Common and preferred stock dividends
    (549 )
 
Common stock repurchases
    (5,008 )
 
Net effect of employee stock transactions and other(1)
    4,030  
       
Balance at June 30, 2006
  $ 39,085  
 
(1)  Includes effect of Accumulated other comprehensive loss, the reclassification of FACAAP liabilities to equity associated with the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, and other items.
Balance Sheet Leverage
Asset-to-equity leverage ratios are commonly used to assess a company’s capital adequacy. When assessing its capital adequacy, Merrill Lynch considers the risk profiles of the assets, the impact of hedging, off-balance sheet exposures, operational risk and other considerations. As leverage ratios are not risk sensitive, Merrill Lynch does not rely on them as a measure of capital adequacy.
Merrill Lynch believes that a leverage ratio adjusted to exclude certain assets considered to have low risk profiles and assets in customer accounts financed primarily by customer liabilities provides a more meaningful measure of balance sheet leverage in the securities industry than an unadjusted ratio. Adjusted assets are calculated by reducing total assets by (1) securities financing transactions and securities received as collateral less trading liabilities net of contractual agreements and (2) segregated cash and securities and separate account assets.

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The following table provides calculations of Merrill Lynch’s leverage ratios at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005:
                   
(dollars in millions)
 
    June 30, 2006   Dec. 30, 2005
 
Total assets
  $ 799,188     $ 681,015  
Less:
               
 
Receivables under resale agreements
    210,268       163,021  
 
Receivables under securities borrowed transactions
    111,580       92,484  
 
Securities received as collateral
    20,721       16,808  
Add:
               
 
Trading liabilities, at fair value, excluding contractual agreements
    66,554       60,178  
             
Sub-total
    523,173       468,880  
Less:
               
 
Segregated cash and securities balances
    18,307       11,949  
 
Separate account assets
    15,876       16,185  
             
Adjusted assets
    488,990       440,746  
Less:
               
 
Goodwill and other intangible assets
    6,936       6,035  
             
Tangible adjusted assets
  $ 482,054     $ 434,711  
Stockholders’ equity
  $ 36,541     $ 35,600  
Add:
               
 
Long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships, net of related investments(1)
    2,544       2,544  
             
Equity capital
  $ 39,085     $ 38,144  
Tangible equity capital(2)
  $ 32,149     $ 32,109  
Leverage ratio(3)
    20.4 x     17.9 x
Adjusted leverage ratio(4)
    12.5 x     11.6 x
Tangible adjusted leverage ratio(5)
    15.0 x     13.5 x
 
(1)  Due to the perpetual nature of TOPrSSM and other considerations, Merrill Lynch views the long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships (net of related investments) as a component of equity capital. However, the Long-term debt issued to TOPrSSM partnerships is reported as a liability for accounting purposes. TOPrSSM related investments were $548 million at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005.
(2)  Equity capital less goodwill and other intangible assets.
(3)  Total assets divided by equity capital.
(4)  Adjusted assets divided by equity capital.
(5)  Tangible adjusted assets divided by tangible equity capital.
Funding
Liquidity Risk Management
Merrill Lynch seeks to assure liquidity across market cycles and through periods of financial stress. Merrill Lynch’s primary liquidity objective is to ensure that all unsecured debt obligations maturing within one year can be repaid without issuing new unsecured debt or requiring liquidation of business assets. Toward this goal, Merrill Lynch has established a set of liquidity practices that are outlined below. In addition, Merrill Lynch maintains a contingency funding plan that outlines actions that would be taken in the event of a funding disruption.
Maintain sufficient long-term capital: Merrill Lynch regularly reviews its mix of assets, liabilities and commitments to ensure the maintenance of adequate long-term capital sources to meet long-term capital requirements. Merrill Lynch’s long-term capital sources include equity capital, long-term debt

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obligations and certain deposit liabilities in banking subsidiaries which are considered by management to be long-term or stable in nature.
At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, total long-term capital was as follows:
                   
(dollars in billions)
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Equity capital
  $ 39.1     $ 38.1  
Long-term debt obligations(1)
    104.1       99.3  
Deposit liabilities(2)
    66.6       69.9  
             
 
Total long-term capital
  $ 209.8     $ 207.3  
 
(1)  Total long-term borrowings (excluding long term debt issued to TOPrS sm partnerships) less (1) the current portion and (2) other subsidiary financing — non-recourse. Borrowings that mature in more than one year, but contain provisions whereby the holder has the option to redeem the obligations within one year, are reflected as current portion of long-term borrowings and are not included in long-term capital. Management believes, however, that a portion of such borrowings will remain outstanding beyond their earliest redemption date.
(2)  Includes $56.0 billion and $10.6 billion of deposits in U.S. and non-U.S.  banking subsidiaries, respectively, at June 30, 2006, and $60.2 billion and $9.7 billion of deposits, respectively, at December 30, 2005 that are considered by management to be long-term.
The following items are generally financed with long-term capital:
  The portion of assets that cannot be self-funded in the secured financing markets, considering stressed market conditions, including long-term, illiquid assets such as certain loans, goodwill and other intangible assets and fixed assets;
 
  Subsidiaries’ regulatory capital;
 
  Collateral on derivative contracts that may be required in the event of changes in Merrill Lynch’s ratings or movements in underlying instruments; and
 
  Portions of commitments to extend credit based on management’s estimate of the probability of drawdown.
At June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch’s long-term capital sources of $209.8 billion exceeded Merrill Lynch’s estimated long-term capital requirements.
In assessing the appropriateness of its long-term capital, Merrill Lynch seeks to: (1) ensure sufficient matching of its assets based on factors such as holding period, contractual maturity and regulatory restrictions and (2) limit the amount of liabilities maturing in any particular period. Merrill Lynch also considers circumstances that might cause contingent funding obligations, including early repayment of debt.
On May 16, 2006, ML & Co. issued $2.0 billion of subordinated debt. ML & Co. pays interest on this subordinated debt at an annual rate of 6.05%. The subordinated debt matures on May 16, 2016 and is junior in right of payment to all of ML & Co.’s senior indebtedness.

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The following chart presents Merrill Lynch’s long-term borrowings maturity profile as of June 30, 2006 (quarterly for two years and annually thereafter):
(GRAPH)
Note: Extendibles are debt instruments with an extendible maturity date. Unless debt holders instruct Merrill Lynch to redeem their debt with at least a one-year notification period, the maturity date of these instruments is automatically extended. Extendibles are included in long-term borrowings if the earliest maturity date is at least one year away. Based on past experience, the majority of Merrill Lynch’s extendibles are expected to remain outstanding beyond their earliest maturity date.
Major components of the change in long-term borrowings, including long-term debt issued to TOPrSsm partnerships, during the first six months of 2006 are as follows:
         
(dollars in billions)    
 
Balance at December 30, 2005
  $ 135.5  
Issuance and resale
    29.4  
Settlement and repurchase
    (22.5 )
Other(1)
    0.7  
       
Balance at June 30, 2006(2)
  $ 143.1  
 
(1)  Relates to foreign exchange and other movements.
(2)  See Note 7 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the long-term borrowings maturity schedule.
Maintain sufficient funding to repay short-term obligations: The main alternative funding sources to unsecured borrowings are repurchase agreements, securities loaned, other secured borrowings, which require pledging unencumbered securities held for trading or investment purposes, or collateral and proceeds from maturing loans and other assets. Nonetheless, a key funding assumption is accessibility to a repurchase market for highly rated government, agency and certain other securities.

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Merrill Lynch maintains a liquidity portfolio of U.S. Government and agency obligations and other instruments of high credit quality, funded predominantly with long term capital sources. The carrying value of this portfolio, net of related hedges, was $15.0 billion and $18.0 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively. ML & Co. also maintained cash and cash equivalents, investments in short-term money market mutual funds, and certain highly liquid unencumbered securities of $7.1 billion and $7.4 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.
Merrill Lynch monitors the extent to which other unencumbered assets are available to ML & Co. as a source of funds, considering that some subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to upstream unencumbered assets to ML & Co. As of June 30, 2006 unencumbered assets, including amounts that may be restricted, were in excess of $150.1 billion, including the carrying value of the liquidity portfolio and cash balances. Of this amount, $40.1 billion, including the liquidity portfolio and cash, was available to ML & Co. at June 30, 2006, free of regulatory restrictions.
For liquidity planning purposes, Merrill Lynch considers as short-term debt obligations: (i) commercial paper and other short-term borrowings and (ii) the current portion of long-term borrowings. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, these short-term debt obligations are as follows:
                   
(dollars in billions)
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Commercial paper and other short-term borrowings
  $ 13.4     $ 3.9  
Current portion of long-term borrowings
    24.6       22.8  
             
 
Total short-term obligations
  $ 38.0     $ 26.7  
 
At June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch’s liquidity portfolio, cash balances, maturing short-term assets and other unencumbered assets, some of which may be held in regulated entities but which management believes may be reasonably upstreamed to ML & Co., free of regulatory restrictions, were more than the amount that would be required to repay Merrill Lynch’s short-term obligations and other contingent cash outflows.
In addition to the sources of funding available to meet short-term obligations described above, Merrill Lynch maintains credit facilities that are available to cover immediate funding needs. Merrill Lynch maintains a committed, multi-currency, unsecured bank credit facility that totaled $4.5 billion at June 30, 2006 and $4.0 billion at December 30, 2005. This 364-day facility permits borrowings by ML & Co. and select subsidiaries and expires in June 2007. The facility includes a one year term-out feature that allows ML & Co., at its option, to extend borrowings under the facility for a further year beyond the expiration date in June 2007. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, there were no borrowings outstanding under this credit facility, although Merrill Lynch borrows regularly from this facility.
Merrill Lynch also maintains two committed, secured credit facilities which totaled $7.0 billion at June 30, 2006 and $5.5 billion at December 30, 2005. The facilities expire in December 2006 and May 2007 respectively. Both facilities include a one year term-out option that allows ML & Co. to extend borrowings under the facilities for a further year beyond their respective expiration dates. The secured facilities permit borrowings by ML & Co. and select subsidiaries, secured by a broad range of collateral. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005 there were no borrowings outstanding under either facility.
In addition, Merrill Lynch maintains a committed, secured credit facility with a financial institution that totaled $6.25 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005. The secured facility may be

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collateralized by government obligations eligible for pledging. The facility expires in 2014, but may be terminated with at least nine months notice by either party. At June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, there were no borrowings outstanding under this facility.
Concentrate unsecured financing at ML & Co.: ML & Co. is the primary issuer of all unsecured, non-deposit financing instruments that are used primarily to fund assets in subsidiaries, some of which are regulated. The benefits of this strategy are greater control, reduced financing costs, wider name recognition by creditors, and greater flexibility to meet variable funding requirements of subsidiaries. Where regulations, time zone differences, or other business considerations make this impractical, some subsidiaries enter into their own financing arrangements.
Diversify unsecured funding sources: Merrill Lynch strives to continually expand and globally diversify its funding programs, its markets, and its investor and creditor base to minimize reliance on any one investor base or region. Merrill Lynch diversifies its borrowings by maintaining various limits, including a limit on the amount of commercial paper held by a single investor. Merrill Lynch benefits by distributing a significant portion of its debt issuances through its own sales force to a large, diversified global client base. Merrill Lynch also makes markets buying and selling its debt instruments.
Total borrowings outstanding at June 30, 2006 were issued in the following currencies:
                 
(USD equivalent in millions)        
 
USD
  $ 96,685       62 %
EUR
    31,204       20  
JPY
    10,602       7  
GBP
    8,990       5  
AUD
    3,192       2  
CAD
    2,752       2  
Other
    3,059       2  
             
Total
  $ 156,484       100 %
 
Adhere to prudent governance processes: In order to ensure that both daily and strategic funding activities are appropriate and subject to senior management review and control, liquidity management is reviewed in Asset/Liability Committee meetings with Treasury management and is presented to Merrill Lynch’s Risk Oversight Committee (“ROC”), ML & Co. executive management and the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Merrill Lynch also manages the growth and composition of its assets and sets limits on the level of unsecured funding at any time.
Credit Ratings
The cost and availability of unsecured funding are also impacted by credit ratings. In addition, credit ratings are important when competing in certain markets and when seeking to engage in long-term transactions including OTC derivatives. Factors that influence Merrill Lynch’s credit ratings include the credit rating agencies’ assessment of the general operating environment, relative positions in the markets in which Merrill Lynch competes, reputation, level and volatility of earnings, corporate governance, risk management policies, liquidity and capital management.
The senior debt and preferred stock ratings of ML & Co. and the ratings of preferred securities issued by subsidiaries on August 2, 2006 were as follows. Rating agencies express outlooks from time to time on these ratings. Each of these agencies describes its current outlook as stable, except for

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Standard & Poor’s whose outlook on ML & Co. was raised to positive from stable on January 23, 2006.
                 
 
    Preferred
Rating Agency   Senior Debt Ratings   Stock Ratings
 
Dominion Bond Rating Service Ltd. 
    AA (low)       Not Rated  
Fitch Ratings
    AA-       A+  
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. 
    Aa3       A2  
Rating & Investment Information, Inc. (Japan)
    AA       A+  
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services
    A+       A-  
 
In connection with certain OTC derivatives transactions and other trading agreements, Merrill Lynch could be required to provide additional collateral to certain counterparties in the event of a downgrade of the senior debt ratings of ML & Co. At June 30, 2006, the amount of additional collateral that would be required for such derivatives transactions and trading agreements was approximately $456 million in the event of a one-notch downgrade and approximately $1,024 million in the event of a two-notch downgrade of ML & Co.’s long term senior debt credit rating. Merrill Lynch considers additional collateral on derivative contracts that may be required in the event of changes in ML & Co.’s ratings as part of its liquidity management practices.
 
Risk Management
 
Risk-taking is integral to many of the core businesses in which Merrill Lynch operates. In the course of conducting its business operations, Merrill Lynch is exposed to a variety of risks including market, credit, liquidity, operational and other risks that are material and require comprehensive controls and ongoing oversight. Senior managers of Merrill Lynch’s core businesses are responsible and accountable for management of the risks associated with their business activities. In addition, there are independent control groups that manage market risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and operational risk, among other functions, which fall under the management responsibility of the Chief Financial Officer. Along with other control units these disciplines work to ensure risks are properly identified, measured, monitored, and managed throughout Merrill Lynch. For a full discussion of Merrill Lynch’s risk management framework, see the 2005 Annual Report.
Market Risk
Market risk is defined as the potential change in value of financial instruments caused by fluctuations in interest rates, exchange rates, equity and commodity prices, credit spread, and/or other risks. The Market Risk Framework defines and communicates Merrill Lynch’s market risk tolerance and broad overall limits across the firm by defining and constraining exposure to specific asset classes, market risk factors and Value at Risk (“VaR”). VaR is a statistical measure of the potential loss in the fair value of a portfolio due to adverse movements in underlying risk factors.
The Market Risk Management Group is responsible for approving the products and markets in which Merrill Lynch’s major business units and functions will transact and take risk. Moreover, it is responsible for identifying the risks to which these business units will be exposed in these approved products and markets. Market Risk Management uses a variety of quantitative methods to assess the risk of Merrill Lynch’s positions and portfolios. In particular, Market Risk Management quantifies the sensitivities of Merrill Lynch’s current portfolios to changes in market variables. These sensitivities are then utilized in the context of historical data to estimate earnings and loss distributions that Merrill Lynch’s current portfolios would have incurred throughout the historical period. From these distributions, Market Risk Management derives a number of useful risk statistics, including VaR.

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The VaR disclosed in the accompanying table is an estimate of the amount that Merrill Lynch’s current trading portfolios could lose with a specified degree of confidence, over a given time interval. The VaR for Merrill Lynch’s overall portfolios is less than the sum of the VaRs for individual risk categories because movements in different risk categories occur at different times and, historically, extreme movements have not occurred in all risk categories simultaneously. The difference between the sum of the VaRs for individual risk categories and the VaR calculated for all risk categories is shown in the following table and may be viewed as a measure of the diversification within Merrill Lynch’s portfolios. Market Risk Management believes that the tabulated risk measures provide broad guidance as to the amount Merrill Lynch could lose in future periods, and Market Risk Management works continually to improve its measurement and the methodology of the firm’s VaR. However, the calculation of VaR requires numerous assumptions and thus VaR should not be viewed as a precise measure of risk. In addition, VaR is not intended to capture worst case scenario losses.
To complement VaR and in recognition of its inherent limitations, Merrill Lynch uses a number of additional risk measurement methods and tools as part of its overall market risk management process. These include stress testing and event risk analysis, which examine portfolio behavior under significant adverse market conditions, including scenarios that would result in material losses for the firm.
To calculate VaR, Market Risk Management aggregates sensitivities to market risk factors and combines them with a database of historical market factor movements to simulate a series of profits and losses. The level of loss that is exceeded in that series 5% of the time is used as the estimate for the 95% confidence level VaR. The overall total VaR amounts are presented across major risk categories, which include exposure to volatility risk found in certain products, such as options.
The table that follows presents Merrill Lynch’s average and ending VaR for trading instruments for the first and second quarters of 2006 and the full-year 2005. Additionally, high and low VaR for the second quarter of 2006 is presented independently for each risk category and overall. Because high and low VaR numbers for these risk categories may have occurred on different days, high and low numbers for diversification benefit would not be meaningful. In the second quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch made a refinement to the modeling of leveraged loans in the trading account, which lowered the trading VaR. Prior periods have been restated to reflect this refinement.
                                                                   
 
    Daily   Daily   Daily
    June 30,   March 31,   Dec. 30,   High   Low   Average   Average   Average
    2006   2006   2005   2Q06   2Q06   2Q06   1Q06   2005
 
Trading Value-at-Risk(1)
                                                               
 
Interest rate and credit spread
  $ 56     $ 35     $ 37     $ 56     $ 33     $ 44     $ 42     $ 37  
 
Equity
    19       21       16       39       11       25       11       12  
 
Commodity
    11       5       6       13       6       9       6       8  
 
Currency
    4       4       2       9       2       4       4       3  
                                                 
      90       65       61                       82       63       60  
Diversification benefit
    (37 )     (25 )     (23 )                     (34 )     (23 )     (25 )
                                                 
Overall(2)
  $ 53     $ 40     $ 38     $ 65     $ 37     $ 48     $ 40     $ 35  
 
(1)  Based on a 95% confidence level and a one-day holding period.
(2)  Overall VaR using a 95% confidence level and a one-week holding period was $92 million at June 30, 2006, $76 million at March 31, 2006 and $63 million at December 30, 2005.

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At June 30, 2006, trading VaR was higher than the first quarter of 2006 due to increases in credit spread exposures, and, to a lesser extent, higher commodity exposures. If market conditions are favorable, Merrill Lynch may increase its risk taking in a number of its businesses, including certain proprietary trading activities and principal investments. These activities provide revenue opportunities while also increasing the loss potential under certain market conditions. Risk levels are monitored on a daily basis to ensure they remain within corporate risk guidelines and tolerance levels.
Non-Trading Market Risk
Non-trading market risk includes the risks associated with certain non-trading activities, including investment securities, securities financing transactions and equity investments. Also included are the risks related to treasury funding activities. Risks related to lending activities are covered in the Credit Risk section.
The primary market risk of non-trading investment securities, and non-trading repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements is expressed as sensitivity to changes in the general level of credit spreads which are defined as the differences in the yields on debt instruments from relevant LIBOR/ Swap rates. Non-trading investment securities include securities available-for-sale and held-to-maturity as well as investments of insurance subsidiaries. At the end of the second quarter of 2006, the total credit spread sensitivity of these instruments is a pre-tax loss of $22 million in fair market value for an increase of one basis point, which is one one-hundredth of a percent, in credit spreads, compared to a pre-tax loss of $20 million at the end of the first quarter of 2006 and $19 million at year-end 2005. This change in fair market value is a measurement of economic risk which may differ significantly in magnitude and timing from the actual profit or loss that would be realized under generally accepted accounting principles.
The interest rate risk associated with the foregoing non-trading positions, together with treasury funding activities is expressed as sensitivity to changes in the general level of interest rates. Treasury funding activities include LYONs®, TOPrSsm and other long-term debt together with interest rate hedges. At the end of the second quarter of 2006, the net interest rate sensitivity of these positions is a pre-tax loss in fair market value of $2 million for a parallel one basis point increase in interest rates across all yield curves, unchanged from the end of the first quarter of 2006, and compared to $1 million at year-end 2005. This change in fair market value is a measurement of economic risk which may differ significantly in magnitude and timing from the actual profit or loss that would be realized under generally accepted accounting principles.
Other non-trading equity investments include direct private equity interests, private equity fund investments, hedge fund interests, and certain direct and indirect real estate investments. These investments are broadly sensitive to general price levels in the equity or commercial real estate markets as well as to specific business, financial and credit factors which influence the performance and valuation of each investment uniquely. Refer to Note 5 of the 2005 Annual Report for additional information on these investments.
Credit Risk
Commercial Lending
Commercial lending conducted by Merrill Lynch consists primarily of corporate and institutional lending, asset-based finance, commercial finance, and commercial real estate related activities. In evaluating certain potential commercial lending transactions, Merrill Lynch utilizes a risk adjusted return on capital model in addition to other methodologies.

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The following table presents a distribution of commercial loans and closed commitments for June 30, 2006, gross of allowances for loan losses and reserves, without considering the impact of purchased credit protection. Closed commitments represent the unfunded portion of existing commitments available for draw down and do not include contingent commitments extended but not yet closed. As of June 30, 2006, Merrill Lynch’s largest commercial lending industry concentration was to financial institutions including banks, insurance companies, finance companies, investment managers and other diversified financial institutions. Commercial borrowers were predominantly domiciled in the United States or had principal operations tied to the United States or its economy. The majority of all outstanding commercial loan balances had a remaining maturity of less than three years. Additional detail on Merrill Lynch’s commercial lending related activities can be found in Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. The following table depicts Merrill Lynch’s commercial lending balances by credit quality, industry and country at June 30, 2006.
                                 
(dollars in millions)                
 
    Loans   Closed Commitments
         
By Credit Quality(1)   Secured   Unsecured   Secured   Unsecured
 
Investment grade
  $ 18,163     $ 4,481     $ 16,748     $ 21,539  
Non-investment grade
    22,904       1,497       9,707       1,366  
                         
Total
  $ 41,067     $ 5,978     $ 26,455     $ 22,905  
 
(1)  Based on credit rating agency equivalent of internal credit ratings.
                                 
 
    Loans   Closed Commitments
         
By Industry   Secured   Unsecured   Secured   Unsecured
 
Financial Institutions
    38 %     12 %     41 %     30 %
Consumer Goods and Services
    27       49       27       15  
Real Estate
    13       8       5       4  
Technology/ Media/ Telecommunications
    4       11       3       18  
Energy/ Utilities
    2       7       5       17  
Industrial/ Manufacturing Goods and Services
    5       5       4       10  
All Other
    11       8       15       6  
                         
Total
    100 %     100 %     100 %     100 %
 
                                 
 
    Loans   Closed Commitments
         
By Country   Secured   Unsecured   Secured   Unsecured
 
United States
    61 %     70 %     80 %     76 %
United Kingdom
    14       4       10       5  
Germany
    2       -       1       8  
Japan
    4       5       -       -  
Canada
    3       1       2       3  
All Other
    16       20       7       8  
                         
Total
    100 %     100 %     100 %     100 %
 
Residential Mortgage Lending
Merrill Lynch originates and purchases residential mortgage loans, certain of which include features that may result in additional credit risk when compared to more traditional types of mortgages. The potential additional credit risk arising from these mortgages is addressed through adherence to underwriting guidelines. Credit risk is closely monitored in order to ensure that reserves are sufficient and valuations are appropriate. For additional information on residential mortgage lending, see the 2005 Annual Report.

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Derivatives
Merrill Lynch enters into International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. master agreements or their equivalent (“master netting agreements”) with substantially all of its derivative counterparties as soon as possible. Agreements are negotiated bilaterally and can require complex terms. While every effort is taken to execute such agreements, it is possible that a counterparty may be unwilling to sign such an agreement and, as a result, would subject Merrill Lynch to additional credit risk. Master netting agreements provide protection in bankruptcy in certain circumstances and, in some cases, enable receivables and payables with the same counterparty to be offset for risk management purposes. However, the enforceability of master netting agreements under bankruptcy laws in certain countries or in certain industries is not free from doubt, and receivables and payables with counterparties in these countries or industries are accordingly recorded on a gross basis.
In addition, to reduce the risk of loss, Merrill Lynch requires collateral, principally cash and U.S. Government and agency securities, on certain derivative transactions. From an economic standpoint, Merrill Lynch evaluates risk exposures net of related collateral. The following is a summary of counterparty credit ratings for the replacement cost (net of $14.4 billion of collateral, of which $7.1 billion represented cash collateral) of OTC trading derivatives in a gain position by maturity at June 30, 2006.
                                                 
(dollars in millions)                        
 
    Years to Maturity   Cross-    
        Maturity    
Credit Rating(1)   0-3   3+- 5   5+- 7   Over 7   Netting(2)   Total
 
AAA
  $ 1,434     $ 423     $ 190     $ 1,290     $ (185 )   $ 3,152  
AA
    3,420       929       960       3,346       (2,646 )     6,009  
A
    2,991       1,139       1,146       2,953       (4,797 )     3,432  
BBB
    1,743       452       466       1,662       (519 )     3,804  
Other
    2,120       531       268       405       (187 )     3,137  
                                     
Total
  $ 11,708     $ 3,474     $ 3,030     $ 9,656     $ (8,334 )   $ 19,534  
 
(1)  Represents credit rating agency equivalent of internal credit ratings.
(2)  Represents netting of payable balances with receivable balances for the same counterparty across maturity band categories. Receivable and payable balances with the same counterparty in the same maturity category, however, are net within the maturity category.
In addition to obtaining collateral, Merrill Lynch attempts to mitigate its default risk on derivatives whenever possible by entering into transactions with provisions that enable Merrill Lynch to terminate or reset the terms of its derivative contracts.
 
Non-Investment Grade Holdings and Highly Leveraged Transactions
 
Non-investment grade holdings and highly leveraged transactions involve risks related to the creditworthiness of the issuers or counterparties and the liquidity of the market for such investments. Merrill Lynch recognizes these risks and, whenever possible, employs strategies to mitigate exposures. The specific components and overall level of non-investment grade and highly leveraged positions may vary significantly from period to period as a result of inventory turnover, investment sales, and asset redeployment.
In the normal course of business, Merrill Lynch underwrites, trades, and holds non-investment grade cash instruments in connection with its investment banking, market-making, and derivative structuring

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activities. Non-investment grade holdings are defined as debt and preferred equity securities rated lower than BBB or equivalent ratings by recognized credit rating agencies, sovereign debt in emerging markets, amounts due under derivative contracts from non-investment grade counterparties, and other instruments that, in the opinion of management, are non-investment grade.
In addition to the amounts included in the following table, derivatives may also expose Merrill Lynch to credit risk related to the underlying security where a derivative contract can either replicate ownership of the underlying security (e.g., long total return swaps) or potentially force ownership of the underlying security (e.g., short put options). Derivatives may also subject Merrill Lynch to credit spread or issuer default risk, in that changes in credit spreads or in the credit quality of the underlying securities may adversely affect the derivatives’ fair values. Merrill Lynch seeks to manage these risks by engaging in various hedging strategies to reduce its exposure associated with non-investment grade positions, such as purchasing an option to sell the related security or entering into other offsetting derivative contracts.
Merrill Lynch provides financing and advisory services to, and invests in, companies entering into leveraged transactions, which may include leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and mergers and acquisitions. On a selected basis, Merrill Lynch provides extensions of credit to leveraged companies, in the form of senior and subordinated debt, as well as bridge financing. In addition, Merrill Lynch syndicates loans for non-investment grade companies or in connection with highly leveraged transactions and may retain a portion of these loans.
Merrill Lynch holds direct equity investments in leveraged companies and interests in partnerships that invest in leveraged transactions. Merrill Lynch has also committed to participate in limited partnerships that invest in leveraged transactions. Future commitments to participate in limited partnerships and other direct equity investments will continue to be made on a selective basis.
 
Trading Exposures
 
The following table summarizes Merrill Lynch’s trading exposure to non-investment grade or highly leveraged issuers or counterparties:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Trading assets:
               
 
Cash instruments
  $ 20,397     $ 15,578  
 
Derivatives
    5,838       6,750  
Trading liabilities — cash instruments
    (3,304 )     (3,400 )
Collateral on derivative assets
    (2,701 )     (3,123 )
             
Net trading asset exposure
  $ 20,230     $ 15,805  
 
Included in the preceding table are debt and equity securities and bank loans of companies in various stages of bankruptcy proceedings or in default. At June 30, 2006, the carrying value of such debt and equity securities totaled $694 million, of which 48% resulted from Merrill Lynch’s market-making activities in such securities. This compared with $900 million at December 30, 2005, of which 61% related to market-making activities. Also included are distressed bank loans totaling $297 million and $290 million at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.

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Non-Trading Exposures
 
The following table summarizes Merrill Lynch’s non-trading exposures to non-investment grade or highly leveraged corporate issuers or counterparties:
                   
(dollars in millions)        
 
    June 30,   Dec. 30,
    2006   2005
 
Investment securities
  $ 500     $ 554  
Other investments(1):
               
 
Partnership interests
    3,245       2,371  
 
Other equity investments(2)
    2,646       2,086  
Other assets
    -       76  
 
(1)  Includes a total of $665 million and $556 million in investments held by employee partnerships at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively, for which a portion of the market risk of the investments rests with the participating employees.
(2)  Includes investments in 169 and 167 enterprises at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively.
In addition, Merrill Lynch had commitments to non-investment grade or highly leveraged corporate issuers or counterparties of $1.7 billion and $1.2 billion at June 30, 2006 and December 30, 2005, respectively, which primarily relate to commitments to invest in partnerships.
 
Recent Developments
 
New Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (“FIN 48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in a company’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Interpretation also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. FIN 48 will be effective for Merrill Lynch beginning in the first quarter of 2007. Merrill Lynch is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the Interpretation.
In April 2006, the FASB issued a FASB Staff Position FIN 46(R)-6, Determining the Variability to be Considered in Applying FIN 46R (“ the FSP”). The FSP requires that the variability to be included when applying FIN 46R be based on a “by-design” approach and consider what risks the variable interest entity was designed to create. The FSP is effective beginning in the third quarter of 2006 for all new entities with which Merrill Lynch becomes involved, and to all entities previously required to be analyzed under FIN 46R when a reconsideration event occurs as defined under paragraph 7 of the Interpretation. Merrill Lynch does not expect the adoption of the FSP to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In March 2006, the FASB issued Statement No. 156, Accounting for Servicing of Financial Assets (“SFAS No. 156”). SFAS No. 156 amends Statement No. 140, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, to require all separately recognized servicing assets and servicing liabilities to be initially measured at fair value, if practicable. SFAS No. 156 also permits servicers to subsequently measure each separate class of servicing assets

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and liabilities at fair value rather than at the lower of cost or market. For those companies that elect to measure their servicing assets and liabilities at fair value, SFAS No. 156 requires the difference between the carrying value and fair value at the date of adoption to be recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the election is made. Merrill Lynch will adopt SFAS No. 156 beginning in the first quarter of 2007. Merrill Lynch is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 156 but does not expect the standard to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
In February 2006, the FASB issued Statement No. 155, Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments an amendment of FASB Statements No. 133 and 140(“SFAS No. 155”). SFAS No. 155 clarifies the bifurcation requirements for certain financial instruments and permits interests in hybrid financial instruments that contain an embedded derivative that would otherwise require bifurcation to be accounted for as a single financial instrument at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings. This election is permitted on an instrument-by-instrument basis for all hybrid financial instruments held, obtained, or issued as of the adoption date. Merrill Lynch will adopt SFAS No. 155 beginning in the first quarter of 2007. At adoption, any difference between the total carrying amount of the individual components of the existing bifurcated hybrid financial instruments and the fair value of the combined hybrid financial instruments will be recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Merrill Lynch is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 155.
During the first quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch adopted the provisions of Statement No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, a revision of SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (“SFAS No. 123R”). Under SFAS No. 123R, compensation expenses for share-based awards that do not require future service are recorded immediately, and share-based awards that require future service continue to be amortized into expense over the relevant service period. Merrill Lynch adopted SFAS No. 123R under the modified prospective method whereby the provisions of SFAS No. 123R are generally applied only to share-based awards granted or modified subsequent to adoption. Thus, for Merrill Lynch, SFAS No. 123R required the immediate expensing of share-based awards granted or modified in 2006 to retirement-eligible employees, including awards that are subject to non-compete provisions.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Merrill Lynch had recognized expense for share-based compensation over the vesting period stipulated in the grant for all employees. This included those who had satisfied retirement eligibility criteria but were subject to a non-compete agreement that applied from the date of retirement through each applicable vesting period. Previously, Merrill Lynch had accelerated any unrecognized compensation cost for such awards if a retirement-eligible employee left Merrill Lynch. However, because SFAS No. 123R applies only to awards granted or modified in 2006, expenses for share-based awards granted prior to 2006 to employees who were retirement-eligible with respect to those awards must continue to be amortized over the stated vesting period.
In addition, beginning with performance year 2006, for which Merrill Lynch expects to grant stock awards in early 2007, Merrill Lynch will accrue the expense for future awards granted to retirement-eligible employees over the award performance year instead of recognizing the entire expense related to the award on the grant date. Compensation expense for all future stock awards granted to employees not eligible for retirement with respect to those awards will be recognized over the applicable vesting period.
SFAS No. 123R also requires expected forfeitures of share-based compensation awards for non-retirement-eligible employees to be included in determining compensation expense. Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, any benefits of employee forfeitures of such awards were recorded as a reduction of compensation expense when the employee left Merrill Lynch and forfeited the award. In

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the first quarter of 2006, Merrill Lynch recorded a benefit based on expected forfeitures which was not material to the results of operations for the quarter.
The adoption of SFAS No. 123R resulted in a first quarter charge to compensation expense of approximately $550 million on a pre-tax basis and $370 million on an after-tax basis.
The adoption of SFAS No. 123R, combined with other business and competitive considerations, prompted Merrill Lynch to undertake a comprehensive review of the company’s stock-based incentive compensation awards, including vesting schedules and retirement eligibility requirements, examining their impact to both Merrill Lynch and its employees. Upon the completion of this review, the Management Development and Compensation Committee of Merrill Lynch’s Board of Directors determined that to fulfill the objective of retaining high quality personnel, future stock grants should contain more stringent retirement provisions. These provisions include a combination of increased age and length of service requirements. While the stock awards of employees who retire continue to vest, retired employees are subject to continued compliance with the strict non-compete provisions of those awards. To facilitate transition to the more stringent future requirements, the terms of most outstanding stock awards previously granted to employees, including certain executive officers, were modified, effective March 31, 2006, to permit employees to be immediately eligible for retirement with respect to those earlier awards. While Merrill Lynch modified the retirement-related provisions of the previous stock awards, the vesting and non-compete provisions for those awards remain in force.
Since the provisions of SFAS No. 123R apply to awards modified in 2006, these modifications required Merrill Lynch to record additional one-time compensation expense in the first quarter of 2006 for the remaining unamortized amount of all awards to employees who had not previously been retirement-eligible under the original provisions of those awards.
The one-time, non-cash charge associated with the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, and the policy modifications to previous awards resulted in a net charge to compensation expense in the first quarter of 2006 of approximately $1.8 billion pre-tax, and $1.2 billion after-tax, or a net impact of $1.34 and $1.21 on basic and diluted earnings per share, respectively. Policy modifications to previously granted awards amounted to $1.2 billion of the pre-tax charge and impacted approximately 6,300 employees.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Merrill Lynch presented the cash flows related to income tax deductions in excess of the compensation expense recognized on share-based compensation as operating cash flows in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. SFAS No. 123R requires cash flows resulting from tax deductions in excess of the grant-date fair value of share-based awards to be included in cash flows from financing activities. The excess tax benefits of $283 million related to total share-based compensation included in cash flows from financing activities in the first quarter of 2006 would have been included in cash flows from operating activities if Merrill Lynch had not adopted SFAS No. 123R.
As a result of adopting SFAS No. 123R, approximately $600 million of liabilities associated with the Financial Advisor Capital Accumulation Award Plan (“FACAAP”) were reclassified to stockholders’ equity. In addition, as a result of adopting SFAS No. 123R, the unamortized portion of employee stock grants, which was previously reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, has been reclassified to Paid-in Capital. Refer to Note 12 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

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In June 2005, the FASB ratified the consensus reached by the Emerging Issues Task Force on Issue 04-5, Determining Whether a General Partner, or the General Partners as a Group, Controls a Limited Partnership or Similar Entity When the Limited Partners Have Certain Rights (“EITF 04-5”). EITF 04-5 presumes that a general partner controls a limited partnership, and should therefore consolidate a limited partnership, unless the limited partners have the substantive ability to remove the general partner without cause based on a simple majority vote or can otherwise dissolve the limited partnership, or unless the limited partners have substantive participating rights over decision making. The guidance in EITF 04-5 was effective beginning in the third quarter of 2005 for all new limited partnership agreements and any limited partnership agreements that were modified. For those partnership agreements that existed at the date EITF 04-5 was issued, the guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2006. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Statistical Data
 
                                             
    2nd Qtr.   3rd Qtr.   4th Qtr.   1st Qtr.   2nd Qtr.
    2005   2005   2005   2006   2006
 
Client Assets (dollars in billions)
                                       
Private Client:
                                       
   
U.S. 
  $ 1,234     $ 1,271     $ 1,341     $ 1,381     $ 1,370  
   
Non-U.S. 
    115       113       117       121       124  
                               
Total Private Client Assets
    1,349       1,384       1,458       1,502       1,494  
MLIM direct sales(1)
    236       272       291       316       326  
                               
Total Client Assets
  $ 1,585     $ 1,656     $ 1,749     $ 1,818     $ 1,820  
                               
Assets Under Management(2)
  $ 478     $ 524     $ 544     $ 581     $ 589  
Retail
    218       231       245       272       275  
Institutional
    215       246       250       259       266  
Retail Separate Accounts
    45       47       49       50       48  
U.S. 
    311       322       333       347       346  
Non-U.S. 
    167       202       211       234       243  
Equity
    249       285       299       330       333  
Retail Money Market
    46       45       45       48       46  
Institutional Liquidity Funds
    68       74       77       78       83  
Fixed Income
    115       120       123       125       127  
 
Net New Money (dollars in billions)
                                       
All Private Client Accounts(3)
  $ 7     $ 11     $ 17     $ 18     $ 7  
Annuitized-Revenue Products(3)(4)
  $ 8     $ 10     $ 10     $ 13     $ 10  
Assets Under Management
  $ (2 )   $ 12     $ 11     $ 15     $ 8  
 
Full-Time Employees:(5)
                                       
   
U.S. 
    40,900       41,900       43,200       43,400       43,600  
   
Non-U.S. 
    10,900       11,200       11,400       12,100       12,400  
                               
   
Total
    51,800       53,100       54,600       55,500       56,000  
                               
Private Client Financial Advisors:(6)
    14,420       14,690       15,160       15,350       15,520  
 
Balance Sheet (dollars in millions, except per share amounts)
                                       
Total assets
  $ 626,140     $ 670,593     $ 681,015     $ 732,240     $ 799,188  
Total stockholders’ equity
  $ 33,041     $ 33,630     $ 35,600     $ 37,825     $ 36,541  
Book value per common share
  $ 33.63     $ 34.66     $ 35.82     $ 37.19     $ 37.18  
Share Information (in thousands)
                                       
Weighted-average shares outstanding:
                                       
 
Basic
    897,524       881,409       876,230       883,737       885,373  
 
Diluted
    978,504       968,493       970,673       981,085       973,324  
Common shares outstanding at period end
    930,867       921,699       919,201       933,443       898,124  
 
Note:  Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.
(1) Reflects funds managed by MLIM not sold through Private Client channels.
(2)  Includes $5 billion of accounts managed by GPC at the end of 2Q05, 3Q05, 4Q05 and 1Q06, and $6 billion at the end of 2Q06.
(3)  GPC net new money excludes flows associated with the Institutional Advisory Division which serves certain small- and middle-market companies, as well as net outflows in the Amvescap retirement business and the Advest acquisition prior to its system conversion in early March.
(4)  Includes both net new client assets into annuitized-revenue products, as well as existing client assets transferred into annuitized-revenue products.
(5)  Excludes 100 full-time employees on salary continuation severance at the end of 2Q05, 3Q05, and 200 at the end of 4Q05, 1Q06; and 300 at the end of 2Q06.
(6)  Includes 140 Financial Advisors associated with the Mitsubishi UFJ joint venture at the end of 2Q06.

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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
The information under the caption Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Risk Management” above in this Report is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
ML & Co.’s Disclosure Committee assists with the monitoring and evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures. ML & Co.’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Disclosure Committee have evaluated the effectiveness of ML & Co.’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as of the end of the period covered by this Report. Based on that evaluation, ML & Co.’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that ML & Co.’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
In addition, no change in ML & Co.’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) occurred during the second fiscal quarter of 2006 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, ML & Co.’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.  Legal Proceedings
The following information supplements the discussions in Part I, Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” in ML & Co.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2005 and ML & Co’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006:
Enron Litigation
United States v. Brown, et al.: On August 1, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the conviction of four former Merrill Lynch employees for conspiracy and wire fraud related to Enron’s alleged misrepresentations of its financial condition. The court affirmed the conviction of one of those former employees for perjury and obstruction of a Grand Jury investigation.
Newby v. Enron Corp. et al.: On July 5, 2006, the district court issued an order certifying the case as a class action. On July 19, 2006, Merrill Lynch and other defendants appealed that order to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Merrill Lynch’s appeal, which plaintiff opposes, challenges the district court’s rulings on 1) the standards for determining whether conduct amounts to a primary violation of the federal securities laws (which is actionable) or aiding and abetting (which is not actionable), 2) defendants’ potential liability for the conduct of others who allegedly caused losses to Enron’s investors, and 3) whether the so-called fraud-on-the-market theory, which is important to class certification, applies to the allegations against Merrill Lynch. On July 31, 2006, the district court denied plaintiff’s August 3, 2005 motion for partial summary judgment against Merrill Lynch. On August 2, 2006, plaintiff and certain defendants, including Merrill Lynch, requested that the start of the trial be postponed from October 16, 2006 to April 9, 2007.
Research
In re Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Shareholders Litigation: In July 2006, this matter was settled for an amount that did not have a material impact on ML & Co.’s financial condition or results of operations. The settlement is subject to documentation and court approval.
IPO Allocation Litigation
In re Initial Public Offering Antitrust Litigation: On June 19, 2006, the Supreme Court requested the government to submit its views on whether the defendants’ petition for certiorari should be granted. The petition seeks review of an appellate court decision reversing the district court’s dismissal of the action. The government has not yet submitted its views to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to grant the petition for certiorari.
IPO Underwriting Fee Litigation
In re Public Offering Fee Antitrust Litigation and In re Issuer Plaintiff Initial Public Offering Fee Antitrust Litigation: On May 1, 2006, plaintiff filed an appeal of the district court’s decision declining to certify a class with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. On August 1, 2006, the court of appeals agreed to hear the appeal.

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Short Sales
Electronic Trading Group, LLC v. Banc of America Securities LLC, et al: Plaintiffs have advised the defendants that they intend to file an amended complaint on or before September 5, 2006. The defendants, including Merrill Lynch, will then have until November 8, 2006, to move to dismiss the amended complaint.
Avenius v. Banc of America Securities LLC, et al: On June 22, 2006, 37 purchasers of securities of Nova Star Financial filed an action against eleven financial services firms, including Merrill Lynch, in the California Superior Court in San Francisco. The case alleges that the defendants improperly depressed the price of Nova Star Financial shares by facilitating short sales that did not comply with regulatory requirements. The case was removed to federal court on July 21. Merrill Lynch intends to vigorously defend itself against these charges.
SwissAir
On July 24, 2006, Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Bank AG (“MLCMB AG”) filed its defense to the claims of the Liquidator of SAirGroup (“SwissAir”) in the commercial court of Zurich. The first hearing that considers the merits of the claims is likely to take place in late 2006 or early 2007.
Other
Merrill Lynch has been named as a defendant in various other legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions, and other litigation arising in connection with its activities as a global diversified financial services institution. The general decline of equity securities prices between 2000 and 2003 resulted in increased legal actions against many firms, including Merrill Lynch.
Some of the legal actions include claims for substantial compensatory and/or pun