Table of Contents

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Pricing Supplement dated July 1, 2005

PRICING SUPPLEMENT


(To prospectus supplement and prospectus dated February 25, 2005)

Pricing Supplement Number:

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)

Registration No. 333-122639

 

LOGO

1,000,000 Units

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

Medium-Term Notes, Series C

Strategic Return Notes®

Linked to the Industrial 15 Index

due August     , 2010

(the “Notes”)

$10 original public offering price per unit

 


 

The Notes:

Ÿ   The Notes are designed for investors who are willing to forego interest payments on the Notes in exchange for the ability to participate in changes in the level of the Industrial 15 Index (index symbol “IXD”) over the term of the Notes.

Ÿ   There will be no payments prior to the maturity date unless exchanged at your option for a cash payment during a specified period in July of each year from 2006 through 2009 as described in this pricing supplement.

Ÿ   We have applied to have the Notes listed on the American Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “LDB”. If approval is granted, the Notes will be listed on the American Stock Exchange at the time of such approval. We make no representation, however, that the Notes will be listed or, if listed, will remain listed for the entire term of the Notes.

 

 

Ÿ   The Notes will be senior unsecured debt securities of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. and part of a series entitled “Medium-Term Notes, Series C.” The Notes will have the CUSIP No.                 .

Ÿ   The settlement date for the Notes is expected to be August     , 2005.

 

Payment on the maturity date or upon exchange:

Ÿ   The amount you receive on the maturity date or upon exchange will be based on the percentage change in the level of the Index, which includes a reduction of an annual index adjustment factor of 1.5%, over the term of the Notes.

Ÿ   The level of the Industrial 15 Index must increase by approximately 1% in order for you to receive at least the $10 original public offering price per unit on the maturity date or upon exchange. If the level of the Industrial 15 Index has declined or has not increased sufficiently, you will receive less, and possibly significantly less, than the $10 original public offering price per unit.

 

Information included in this pricing supplement supercedes information in the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus to the extent that it is different from that information.

 

Investing in the Notes involves risks that are described in the “ Risk Factors” section of this pricing supplement beginning on page PS-8 and the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 


 

       Per unit

       Total

Public offering price(1)      $10.00        $  
Underwriting fee      $.20                $          
Proceeds, before expenses, to Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.       $9.90 *              $          

 

  (1)   The public offering price and the underwriting discount for any single transaction to purchase between 100,000 to 299,999 units will be $9.95 per unit and $.15 per unit, respectively, for any single transaction to purchase between 300,000 to 499,999 units will be $9.90 per unit and $.10 per unit, respectively, and for any single transaction to purchase 500,000 units or more will be $9.85 per unit and $.05 per unit respectively.
  *   $.10 per unit of the underwriting fee will be paid to the underwriter by a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. For a description of this payment, please see the section entitled “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this pricing supplement or the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 


Merrill Lynch & Co.


 

The date of this pricing supplement is July     , 2005.

 

“Strategic Return Notes” is a registered mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Pricing Supplement

     Page

SUMMARY INFORMATION—Q&A

   PS-3

RISK FACTORS

   PS-8

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

   PS-11

THE INDEX

   PS-16

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

   PS-21

ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

   PS-24

USE OF PROCEEDS AND HEDGING

   PS-25

SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

   PS-25

EXPERTS

   PS-26

INDEX OF CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS

   PS-27

ANNEX A

   A-1
Prospectus Supplement
     Page

RISK FACTORS

   S-3

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

   S-4

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

   S-21

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

   S-28

VALIDITY OF THE NOTES

   S-29

 

Prospectus

 

    Page

MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC

    2

USE OF PROCEEDS

    2

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

    3

THE SECURITIES

    3

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

    4

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT WARRANTS

  15

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENCY WARRANTS

  17

DESCRIPTION OF INDEX WARRANTS

  18

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

  24

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

  29

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK WARRANTS

  33

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

  35

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK WARRANTS

  38

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

  41

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

  42

INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION WE FILE WITH THE SEC

  42

EXPERTS

  43

 

PS-2


Table of Contents

SUMMARY INFORMATION—Q&A

 

This summary includes questions and answers that highlight selected information from this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus to help you understand the Strategic Return Notes® Linked to the Industrial 15 Index due August     , 2010 (the “Notes”). You should carefully read this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus to fully understand the terms of the Notes, the Industrial 15 Index (the “Index”) and the tax and other considerations that are important to you in making a decision about whether to invest in the Notes. You should carefully review the “Risk Factors” section in this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus supplement, which highlights certain risks associated with an investment in the Notes, to determine whether an investment in the Notes is appropriate for you.

 

References in this pricing supplement to “ML&Co.”, “we”, “us” and “our” are to Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., and references to “MLPF&S” are to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

 

What are the Notes?

 

The Notes will be part of a series of senior debt securities issued by ML&Co. entitled “Medium- Term Notes, Series C” and will not be secured by collateral. The Notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The Notes will mature on August     , 2010, unless exchanged by you as described in this pricing supplement. We will not make any payments on the Notes until the maturity date or upon exchange.

 

Each unit will represent a single Note with a $10 original public offering price. You may transfer the Notes only in whole units. You will not have the right to receive physical certificates evidencing your ownership except under limited circumstances. Instead, we will issue the Notes in the form of a global certificate, which will be held by The Depository Trust Company, also known as DTC, or its nominee. Direct and indirect participants in DTC will record your ownership of the Notes. You should refer to the section entitled “Description of Debt Securities—Depositary” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Are there any risks associated with my investment?

 

Yes, an investment in the Notes is subject to risks, including the risk of loss. Please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

Who publishes the Index and what does the Index measure?

 

The Index is calculated and disseminated by the American Stock Exchange (the “AMEX”) under the index symbol “IXD”. The Index is an index which reflects the price changes and dividends of the top fifteen dividend yielding stocks (the “Underlying Stocks”) from a group of certain stocks in the Standard & Poor’s Industrial Index (the “S&P Industrial Index”) less an annual index adjustment factor of 1.5% applied daily (the “Index Adjustment Factor”). The Index has been calculated and disseminated since June 26, 2001. The Index is reconstituted on June 26th of each year, the anniversary of the date the Index was first calculated and disseminated or, under certain circumstances, on a day shortly after the anniversary date, as described in this pricing supplement. The Index was reconstituted on June 27, 2005. For more specific information about the Index and its reconstitution, and the Index Adjustment Factor, please see the section entitled “The Index” in this pricing supplement.

 

The Notes are debt obligations of ML&Co. An investment in the Notes does not entitle you to any dividends, voting rights or any other ownership interest in the Underlying Stocks.

 

How has the Index performed historically?

 

The value of the Index was set to 100 on June 26, 2001, the date the Index was initially calculated. We have included a table and a graph showing the month-end closing levels of the Index from June 2001 through June 2005 in the section entitled “The Index—Historical Data on the Index” in this pricing supplement.

 

PS-3


Table of Contents

We have provided this information to help you evaluate the behavior of the Index in various economic environments; however, this information is not necessarily indicative of how the Index will perform in the future.

 

What will I receive on the maturity date of the Notes?

 

On the maturity date, if you have not previously exchanged your Notes, you will receive a cash payment per unit equal to the Redemption Amount.

 

The “Redemption Amount” to which you will be entitled will depend on the percentage change in the level of the Index over the term of the Notes and will equal:

 

$9.90 ×       (   Ending Value

  )
      Starting Value  

 

Because the quotient of the Ending Value and the Starting Value will be multiplied by $9.90, the level of the Index will need to increase by approximately 1% in order for you to receive a Redemption Amount equal to or greater than the $10 original public offering price per unit. If the Ending Value does not exceed the Starting Value by more than approximately 1%, you will receive less, and possibly significantly less, than the $10 original public offering price per unit.

 

The “Starting Value” will equal the closing level of the Index on the date the Notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “Pricing Date”). We will disclose the Starting Value to you in the final pricing supplement delivered in connection with sales of the Notes.

 

For purposes of determining the Redemption Amount, the “Ending Value” means the average of the levels of the Index at the close of the market on five index business days shortly before the maturity date of the Notes. We may calculate the Ending Value by reference to fewer than five or even a single day’s closing level if, during the period shortly before the maturity date of the Notes, there is a disruption in the trading of an Underlying Stock or certain futures or options contracts relating to an Underlying Stock.

 

For more specific information about the Redemption Amount, please see the section entitled “Description of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

 

 

 

PS-4


Table of Contents

Examples

 

Set forth below are two examples of Redemption Amount calculations:

 

Example 1—The hypothetical Ending Value is below the hypothetical Starting Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value: 119.35

Hypothetical Ending Value: 71.61

         Redemption Amount (per Unit) = $9.90 ×

  (   71.61

  )   = $ 5.94
    119.35    

 

Example 2—The hypothetical Ending Value is above the hypothetical Starting Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value: 119.35

Hypothetical Ending Value: 167.09

         Redemption Amount (per Unit) = $9.90 ×

  (   167.09

  )   = $ 13.86
    119.35    

 

 

Will I receive interest payments on the Notes?

 

You will not receive any interest payments on the Notes, but you will receive the Exchange Amount following the exercise of your exchange option or the Redemption Amount on the maturity date. We have designed the Notes for investors who are willing to forego interest payments on the Notes, such as fixed or floating interest rates paid on traditional interest bearing debt securities, in exchange for the ability to participate in changes in the level of the Index over the term of the Notes.

 

How does the exchange feature work?

 

You may elect to exchange all or a portion of your Notes during a specified period in the month of July of each year from 2006 through 2009 by giving notice to the depositary or trustee of the Notes, as the case may be, as described in this pricing supplement. Upon exchange, you will receive a cash payment per unit (the “Exchange Amount”) equal to the Redemption Amount, calculated as if the exchange date were the stated maturity date, except that the Ending Value will be equal to the closing level of the Index on the exchange date. The Exchange Amount will be paid three banking business days following the exchange date. If you elect to exchange your Notes, you will receive only the Exchange Amount and you will not receive the Redemption Amount on the maturity date. The Exchange Amount you receive may be greater than or less than the Redemption Amount on the maturity date depending upon the performance of the Index during the period from the exchange date until the maturity date.

 

For more specific information about the exchange feature, please see the section entitled “Description of the Notes—Exchange of the Notes Prior to the Maturity Date” in this pricing supplement.

 

What are the costs associated with an investment in the Notes?

 

Your return will reflect the deduction of the following costs over the term of the Notes:

 

Index Adjustment Factor. The level of the Index will reflect a 1.5% annual reduction that will be applied and accrue daily on the basis of a 365-day year to the benefit of MLPF&S as calculation agent. As a result of the cumulative effect on this deduction, the levels of the Index used to calculate the Redemption Amount during the five index business days shortly before the stated maturity date will be approximately 7.23% less than the level of the Index had the Index Adjustment Factor not been applied.

 

Sales Charge. Because the quotient of the Ending Value and the Starting Value will be multiplied by $9.90 in order to determine the Redemption Amount or Exchange Amount, the level of the Index must increase by approximately 1% or more from the Starting Value for you to receive an

 

PS-5


Table of Contents

amount equal to or greater than the $10 original offering price per unit. This is analogous to paying a sales charge of approximately 1% per unit of the Notes.

 

What about taxes?

 

The United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes are complex and uncertain. By purchasing a Note, you and ML&Co. agree, in the absence of an administrative determination, judicial ruling or other authoritative guidance to the contrary, to characterize a Note for all tax purposes as a pre-paid cash-settled forward contract linked to the level of the Index. Under this characterization of the Notes, you should be required to recognize gain or loss to the extent that you receive cash on the maturity date or upon a sale or exchange of a Note prior to the maturity date. You should review the discussion under the section entitled “United States Federal Income Taxation” in this pricing supplement.

 

Will the Notes be listed on a securities exchange?

 

We have applied to have the Notes listed on the AMEX under the trading symbol “LDB”. If approval of this application is granted, the Notes will be listed on the AMEX at the time of such approval. We make no representation, however, that the Notes will be listed on the AMEX or, if listed, will remain listed for the entire term of the Notes. In any event, you should be aware that the listing of the Notes on the AMEX will not necessarily ensure that a liquid trading market will be available for the Notes. You should review the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this pricing supplement.

 

What price can I expect to receive if I sell the Notes prior to the stated maturity date?

 

In determining the economic terms of the Notes, and consequently the potential return on the Notes, a number of factors are taken into account. Among these factors are certain costs associated with creating, hedging and offering the Notes. In structuring the economic terms of the Notes, we seek to provide investors with what we believe to be commercially reasonable terms and to provide MLPF&S with compensation for its services in developing the Notes.

 

If you sell your Notes prior to the stated maturity date, you will receive a price determined by market conditions for the Notes. This price may be influenced by many factors, such as interest rates, volatility and the current levels of the Index. In addition, the price, if any, at which you could sell your Notes in a secondary market transaction is expected to be affected by the factors that we considered in setting the economic terms of the Notes, namely the underwriting discount paid in respect of the Notes and other costs associated with the Notes, including compensation for developing and hedging the product. Depending on the impact of these factors, you may receive significantly less than the $10 original public offering price per unit of your Notes if sold before the stated maturity date.

 

In a situation where there had been no movement in the level of the Index and no changes in the market conditions from those existing on the date of this pricing supplement, the price, if any, at which you could sell your Notes in a secondary market transaction is expected to be lower than the $10 original public offering price per unit. This is due to, among other things, our costs of developing, hedging and distributing the Notes. Any potential purchasers for your Notes in the secondary market are unlikely to consider these factors.

 

What is the role of MLPF&S?

 

Our subsidiary MLPF&S is the underwriter for the offering and sale of the Notes. After the initial offering, MLPF&S intends to buy and sell Notes to create a secondary market for holders of the Notes, and may stabilize or maintain the market price of the Notes during their initial distribution. However, MLPF&S will not be obligated to engage in any of these market activities or continue them once it has started.

 

MLPF&S will also be our agent for purposes of calculating, among other things, the Ending Value, Redemption Amount and Exchange Amounts. Under certain circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between MLPF&S as our subsidiary and its responsibilities as calculation agent.

 

 

PS-6


Table of Contents

What is ML&Co.?

 

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. is a holding company with various subsidiaries and affiliated companies that provide investment, financing, insurance and related services on a global basis.

 

For information about ML&Co., see the section entitled “Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.” in the accompanying prospectus. You should also read other documents ML&Co. has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which you can find by referring to the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

PS-7


Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

 

Your investment in the Notes will involve risks. You should carefully consider the following discussion of risks before deciding whether an investment in the Notes is suitable for you.

 

Your investment may result in a loss

 

We will not repay you a fixed amount of principal on the Notes on the maturity date or upon exchange. The payment on the Notes you receive will depend on the change in the level of the Index. Because the level of the Index is subject to market fluctuations, the payment on the Notes you receive may be more or less than the $10 original public offering price per unit of the Notes. In addition, because the quotient of the Ending Value and the Starting Value will be multiplied by $9.90, the level of the Index will need to increase by more than approximately 1% in order for you to receive a Redemption Amount equal to or greater than the $10 original public offering price per unit. If the level of the Index declines or does not increase sufficiently, you will receive less, and possibly significantly less than the $10 original public offering price per unit. The level of the Index will also reflect the deduction of the 1.5% Index Adjustment Factor.

 

The level of the Index is expected to affect the trading value of the Notes

 

We expect that the trading value of the Notes will depend substantially on the amount, if any, by which the level of the Index exceeds or does not exceed the Starting Value. However, if you choose to sell your Notes when the level of the Index exceeds the Starting Value, you may receive substantially less than the amount that would be payable on the maturity date based on this level because of the expectation that the level of the Index will continue to fluctuate until the Ending Value is determined. Additionally, because the trading value and perhaps final return on your Notes is dependent on factors in addition to the level of the Index, such as our credit rating, an increase in the level of the Index will not reduce the other investment risks related to the Notes.

 

Changes in our credit ratings may affect the trading value of the Notes

 

Our credit ratings are an assessment of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings may affect the trading value of the Notes. However, because the return on your Notes is dependent upon factors in addition to our ability to pay our obligations under the Notes, such as the percentage increase in the level of the Index over the term of the Notes, an improvement in our credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the Notes.

 

Your yield may be lower than the yield on other debt securities of comparable maturity

 

The yield that you will receive on your Notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. Your yield may be less than the yield you would earn if you bought a traditional interest bearing debt security of ML&Co. with the same stated maturity date. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you take into account factors that affect the time value of money. Unlike traditional interest bearing debt securities, the Notes do not guarantee the return of a principal amount on the maturity date.

 

Your return will not reflect the return of owning the Underlying Stocks

 

While the Index reflects the payment of dividends on the Underlying Stocks as described in more detail below, the yield to the maturity date of the Notes will not produce the same yield as that of other investments with the same term which are based solely on the performance of the Underlying Stocks. At the end of each quarterly period, the dividends paid on the Underlying Stocks will be incorporated into the Index and those amounts will then be subject to the change in the level of the Index. The level of the Index will also reflect the

 

PS-8


Table of Contents

deductions and charges described above under “—Your investment may result in a loss”, which will result in the return on an investment in the Notes being less than the return on a similar investment in the Underlying Stocks. The trading value of the Notes and final return on the Notes may also differ from the results of the Index for the reasons described above under “—Changes in our credit ratings may affect the trading value of the Notes”.

 

There may be an uncertain trading market for the Notes and the market price you may receive or be quoted for your Notes on a date prior to the stated maturity date will be affected by this and other important factors including our costs of developing, hedging and distributing the Notes

 

We have applied to have the Notes listed on the AMEX under the trading symbol “LDB”. If approval of this application is granted, the Notes will be listed on the AMEX at the time of such approval. We make no representation, however, that the Notes will be listed on the AMEX, or if listed, will remain listed for the entire term of the Notes. In any event, you should be aware that the listing of the Notes on the AMEX does not ensure that a trading market will develop for the Notes. While there have been a number of issuances of series of Strategic Return Notes, trading volumes have varied historically from one series to another and it is therefore impossible to predict how the Notes will trade. If a trading market does develop, there can be no assurance that there will be liquidity in the trading market. The development of a trading market for the Notes will depend on our financial performance and other factors, including changes in the level of the Index.

 

If the trading market for the Notes is limited, there may be a limited number of buyers for your Notes which may affect the price you receive if you do not wish to hold your investment until the stated maturity date.

 

If a market-maker (which prior to the listing of the Notes, or to the extent the listing is not approved, may be MLPF&S) makes a market in the Notes, the price it quotes would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors. In addition, the price at which you could sell your Notes in a secondary market transaction is expected to be affected by the factors that we considered in setting the economic terms of the Notes, namely the underwriting discount paid in respect of the Notes and other costs associated with the Notes, including compensation for developing and hedging the product. This quoted price could be higher or lower than the original public offering price. MLPF&S is not obligated to make a market in the Notes.

 

Assuming there is no change in the level of the Index and no change in market conditions or any other relevant factors, the price at which a purchaser (which may include MLPF&S) might be willing to purchase your Notes in a secondary market transaction is expected to be lower than the $10 original public offering price per unit. This is due to, among other things, the fact that the $10 original public offering price per unit included, and secondary market prices are likely to exclude, underwriting discount paid with respect to, and the developing and hedging costs associated with, the Notes.

 

Amounts payable on the Notes may be limited by state law

 

New York State law governs the 1983 Indenture under which the Notes will be issued. New York has usury laws that limit the amount of interest that can be charged and paid on loans, which includes debt securities like the Notes. Under present New York law, the maximum rate of interest is 25% per annum on a simple interest basis. This limit may not apply to debt securities in which $2,500,000 or more has been invested.

 

While we believe that New York law would be given effect by a state or federal court sitting outside of New York, many other states also have laws that regulate the amount of interest that may be charged to and paid by a borrower. We will promise, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, to the extent permitted by law, not to voluntarily claim the benefits of any laws concerning usurious rates of interest.

 

Purchases and sales by us and our affiliates may affect your return

 

We and our affiliates may from time to time buy or sell the Underlying Stocks or futures or option contracts on the Underlying Stocks or the Index for our own accounts for business reasons and expect to enter

 

PS-9


Table of Contents

into these transactions in connection with hedging our obligations under the Notes. These transactions could affect the price of the Underlying Stocks and, in turn, the level of the Index in a manner that would be adverse to your investment in the Notes. Any purchases by us, our affiliates or others on our behalf on or before the Pricing Date may temporarily increase the prices of the Underlying Stocks. Temporary increases in the market prices of the Underlying Stocks may also occur as a result of the purchasing activities of other market participants. Consequently, the prices of the Underlying Stocks may decline subsequent to the Pricing Date reducing the level of the Index and therefore the trading value of the Notes.

 

Potential conflicts

 

Our subsidiary MLPF&S is our agent for the purposes of calculating the Ending Value, Redemption Amount and Exchange Amounts. Under certain circumstances, MLPF&S as our subsidiary and its responsibilities as calculation agent for the Notes could give rise to conflicts of interest. These conflicts could occur, for instance, in connection with its determination as to whether the level of the Index can be calculated on a particular trading day, or in connection with judgments that it would be required to make in the event of a discontinuance or unavailability of the Index. See the sections entitled “Description of the Notes—Adjustments to the Index; Market Disruption Events” and “—Discontinuance of the Index” in this pricing supplement. MLPF&S is required to carry out its duties as calculation agent in good faith and using its reasonable judgment. However, because we control MLPF&S, potential conflicts of interest could arise. MLPF&S, the underwriter, will pay an additional amount on each anniversary of the Pricing Date in 2006 through 2009 to brokers whose clients purchased their units in the initial distribution and continue to hold the Notes. In addition, MLPF&S may from time to time pay additional amounts to brokers whose clients purchased Notes in the secondary market and continue to hold the Notes. As a result of these payments, your broker will receive a financial benefit each year you retain your investment in the Notes. Please see the section entitled “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement.

 

We expect to enter into arrangements to hedge the market risks associated with our obligation to pay the Redemption Amount or Exchange Amount, as applicable. We may seek competitive terms in entering into the hedging arrangements for the Notes, but are not required to do so, and we may enter into such hedging arrangements with one of our subsidiaries or affiliated companies. Such hedging activity is expected to result in a profit to those engaging in the hedging activity, which could be more or less than initially expected, but which could also result in a loss for the hedging counterparty.

 

ML&Co. or its affiliates may presently or from time to time engage in business with one or more of the companies included in the Index including extending loans to, or making equity investments in, those companies or providing advisory services to those companies, including merger and acquisition advisory services. In the course of business, ML&Co. or its affiliates may acquire non-public information relating to those companies and, in addition, one or more affiliates of ML&Co. may publish research reports about those companies. ML&Co. does not make any representation to any purchasers of the Notes regarding any matters whatsoever relating to the companies included in the Index. Any prospective purchaser of the Notes should undertake an independent investigation of the companies included in the Index as in its judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision regarding an investment in the Notes. The composition of the Index does not reflect any investment recommendations of ML&Co. or its affiliates.

 

Tax consequences are uncertain

 

You should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Notes, aspects of which are uncertain. See the section entitled “United States Federal Income Taxation” in this pricing supplement.

 

PS-10


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

 

ML&Co. will issue the Notes as part of a series of senior debt securities entitled “Medium-Term Notes, Series C” under the 1983 Indenture, which is more fully described in the accompanying prospectus. Unless exchanged by you, the Notes will mature on August     , 2010. Information included in this pricing supplement supercedes information in the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus to the extent that it is different from that information. The CUSIP number for the Notes is                 .

 

While on the maturity date or upon exchange a holder of a Note will receive an amount equal to the Redemption Amount or the Exchange Amount, as the case may be, there will be no other payment of interest, periodic or otherwise. See the section entitled “—Payment on the Maturity Date” and “—Exchange of the Notes Prior to the Maturity Date” in this pricing supplement.

 

The Notes may be exchanged by you prior to the maturity date, but are not subject to repayment by ML&Co. prior to the maturity date. If an Event of Default occurs with respect to the Notes, holders of the Notes may accelerate the maturity of the Notes, as described under “—Events of Default and Acceleration” in this pricing supplement and “Description of Debt Securities—Events of Default” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

ML&Co. will issue the Notes in denominations of whole units each with a $10 original public offering price per unit. You may transfer the Notes only in whole units. You will not have the right to receive physical certificates evidencing your ownership except under limited circumstances. Instead, we will issue the Notes in the form of a global certificate, which will be held by The Depository Trust Company, also known as DTC, or its nominee. Direct and indirect participants in DTC will record your ownership of the Notes. You should refer to the section entitled “Description of Debt Securities—Depositary” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

The Notes will not have the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

Payment on the Maturity Date

 

Unless you have exchanged your Notes prior to the maturity date, on the maturity date you will be entitled to receive a cash payment per unit equal to the Redemption Amount, as provided below.

 

Determination of the Redemption Amount

 

The “Redemption Amount” per unit will be determined by the calculation agent and will equal:

 

$9.90   ×   (   Ending Value

  )
      Starting Value  

 

The “Starting Value” will equal the closing level of the Index on the date the Notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “Pricing Date”). We will disclose the Starting Value to you in the final pricing supplement delivered in connection with sales of the Notes.

 

For the purpose of determining the Redemption Amount, the “Ending Value” will be determined by the calculation agent and will equal the average of the closing levels of the Index determined on each of the first five Calculation Days during the Calculation Period. If there are fewer than five Calculation Days during the Calculation Period, then the Ending Value will equal the average of the closing levels of the Index on those Calculation Days. If there is only one Calculation Day during the Calculation Period, then the Ending Value will equal the closing level of the Index on that Calculation Day. If no Calculation Days occur during the Calculation Period, then the Ending Value will equal the closing level of the Index determined on the last scheduled Index Business Day in the Calculation Period, regardless of the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event (as described below under “—Adjustments to the Index; Market Disruption Events”) on that scheduled Index Business Day.

 

PS-11


Table of Contents

The “Calculation Period” means the period from and including the seventh scheduled Index Business Day before the maturity date to and including the second scheduled Index Business Day before the maturity date.

 

A “Calculation Day” means any Index Business Day during the Calculation Period on which a Market Disruption Event has not occurred.

 

An “Index Business Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the American Stock Exchange (the “AMEX”) and The Nasdaq Stock Market are open for trading and the Index or any successor index is calculated and published.

 

All determinations made by the calculation agent, absent a determination of a manifest error, will be conclusive for all purposes and binding on ML&Co. and the holders and beneficial owners of the Notes.

 

Exchange of the Notes Prior to the Maturity Date

 

You may elect to exchange all or a portion of the Notes you own during any Business Day that occurs in an Exchange Notice Period by giving notice as described below. An “Exchange Notice Period” means the period from and including the first calendar day of the month of July to and including 12:00 noon in The City of New York on the fifteenth calendar day during the month of July in the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. If the fifteenth calendar day of the applicable month of July is not a Banking Business Day, then the Exchange Notice Period will be extended to 12:00 noon in The City of New York on the next succeeding Banking Business Day. The amount of the cash payment you receive upon exchange (the “Exchange Amount”) will be equal to the Redemption Amount, calculated as if the Exchange Date were the stated maturity date, except that the Ending Value will be equal to the closing level of the Index on the Exchange Date. An “Exchange Date” will be the third Index Business Day following the end of the applicable Exchange Notice Period. If a Market Disruption Event occurs on the third Index Business Day following an Exchange Notice Period, the Exchange Date for that year will be the next succeeding Index Business Day on which a Market Disruption Event does not occur. The Exchange Amount will be paid three Banking Business Days after the Exchange Date.

 

The Notes will be issued in registered global form and will remain on deposit with the depositary as described in the section entitled “Description of Debt Securities—Depositary” in the accompanying prospectus. Therefore, you must exercise the option to exchange your Notes through the depositary. To make your exchange election effective, you must make certain that your notice is delivered to the depositary during the applicable Exchange Notice Period. To ensure that the depositary will receive timely notice of your election to exchange all or a portion of your Notes, you must instruct the direct or indirect participant through which you hold an interest in the Notes to notify the depositary of your election to exchange your Notes prior to 12:00 noon in The City of New York on the last Index Business Day of the applicable Exchange Notice Period, in accordance with the then applicable operating procedures of the depositary. Different firms have different deadlines for accepting instructions from their customers. You should consult the direct or indirect participant through which you hold an interest in the Notes to ascertain the deadline for ensuring that timely notice will be delivered to the depositary.

 

If at any time the global securities are exchanged for Notes in definitive form, from and after that time, notice of your election to exchange must be delivered to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as trustee under the 1983 Indenture, through the procedures required by the trustee by 12:00 noon in The City of New York on the last day of the applicable Exchange Notice Period.

 

A “Banking Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is not a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

PS-12


Table of Contents

Hypothetical Returns

 

The following tables illustrate for a hypothetical Starting Value and a range of hypothetical Ending Values:

 

  Ÿ   the total amount payable on the maturity date of the Notes, and the total amount payable on an investment in the Underlying Stocks;

 

  Ÿ   the total rate of return to holders of the Notes, and the total rate of return on an investment in the Underlying Stocks; and

 

  Ÿ   the pretax annualized rate of return to holders of the Notes, and the pretax annualized rate of return on an investment in the Underlying Stocks.

 

The tables below assume an initial investment of $10 in the Notes and an initial investment of $10 in the Underlying Stocks.

 

Hypothetical Returns Related to Strategic Return Notes
Based on the Index


      Hypothetical Returns Related to an Investment
in the Underlying Stocks


Hypothetical
Ending
Value of
the Index


  Total amount
payable on
the maturity
date per unit(1)


 

Total rate of

return on

the Notes


 

Pretax

annualized

rate of

return on

the Notes(2)


      Hypothetical
Ending
Value of an
Investment
in the
Underlying
Stocks(3)


 

Total

amount
payable on the

maturity date
per unit


  Total
rate of
return on
the Underlying
Stocks


  Pretax
annualized
rate of
return on
the Underlying
Stocks(2)


  20.00     1.66   –83.40%   –32.86%         21.56     1.81   –81.94%   –31.44%
  40.00     3.32   –66.80%   –20.87%         43.12     3.61   –63.87%   –19.35%
  60.00     4.98   –50.20%   –13.46%         64.68     5.42   –45.81%   –11.88%
  80.00     6.64   –33.60%     –8.02%         86.23     7.23   –27.75%     –6.39%
100.00     8.29   –17.10%     –3.71%       107.79     9.03     –9.68%     –2.03%
    119.35(4)     9.90     –1.00%     –0.20%       128.65   10.78       7.79%       1.51%
120.00     9.95     –0.50%     –0.10%       129.35   10.84       8.38%       1.62%
120.60   10.00       0.00%       0.00%       130.00   10.89       8.92%       1.72%
140.00   11.61     16.10%       3.01%       150.91   12.64     26.44%       4.75%
160.00   13.27     32.70%       5.74%       172.47   14.45     44.51%       7.50%
180.00   14.93     49.30%       8.17%       194.03   16.26     62.57%       9.95%
200.00   16.59     65.90%     10.38%       215.59   18.06     80.63%     12.18%

(1) The amounts specified in this column reflect the 1% sales charge that will be paid to MLPF&S.
(2)  The annualized rates of return specified in this column are calculated on a semiannual bond equivalent basis and assume an investment term from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2010, a term expected to be equal to that of the Notes.
(3)  An investment in the Underlying Stocks is assumed to be equivalent to an investment in the Index, including the method and timing of reinvesting dividends, except that the Index will be reduced daily by the pro rata portion of the annual Index Adjustment Factor of 1.5%. The hypothetical investment in the Underlying Stocks presented in this column does not take into account transaction costs and taxes.
(4)  This is the hypothetical Starting Value as of June 30, 2005.

 

The above figures are for purposes of illustration only. The actual amount received by you and the resulting total and pretax annualized rates of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, the actual Ending Value and term of your investment.

 

PS-13


Table of Contents

Adjustments to the Index; Market Disruption Events

 

If at any time the AMEX makes a material change in the formula for or the method of calculating the Index or in any other way materially modifies the Index so that the Index does not, in the opinion of the calculation agent, fairly represent the level of the Index had those changes or modifications not been made, then, from and after that time, the calculation agent will, at the close of business in New York, New York, on each date that the closing level of the Index is to be calculated, make those adjustments as, in the good faith judgment of the calculation agent, may be necessary in order to arrive at a calculation of a level of an index comparable to the Index as if those changes or modifications had not been made, and calculate the closing level with reference to the Index, as so adjusted. Accordingly, if the method of calculating the Index is modified so that the level of the Index is a fraction or a multiple of what it would have been if it had not been modified, e.g., due to a split, then the calculation agent will adjust the Index in order to arrive at a level of the Index as if it had not been modified, e.g., as if a split had not occurred.

 

Market Disruption Event” means either of the following events as determined by the calculation agent:

 

  (A)  the suspension of or material limitation on trading for more than two hours of trading, or during the one-half hour period preceding the close of trading, on the applicable exchange (without taking into account any extended or after-hours trading session), in one or more of the Underlying Stocks; or

 

  (B)  the suspension of or material limitation on trading for more than two hours of trading, or during the one-half hour period preceding the close of trading, on the applicable exchange (without taking into account any extended or after-hours trading session), whether by reason of movements in price otherwise exceeding levels permitted by the applicable exchange or otherwise, in option contracts or futures contracts related to one or more of the Underlying Stocks, the Index, or any successor index to the Index, which are traded on any major United States exchange.

 

For the purpose of determining whether a Market Disruption Event has occurred:

 

  (1)  a limitation on the hours in a trading day and/or number of days of trading will not constitute a Market Disruption Event if it results from an announced change in the regular business hours of the applicable exchange;

 

  (2)  a suspension in trading in a futures or option contract on an Underlying Stock, the Index, or any successor index to the Index, by a major securities market by reason of (a) a price change violating limits set by that securities market, (b) an imbalance of orders relating to those contracts or (c) a disparity in bid and ask quotes relating to those contracts will constitute a suspension of or material limitation on trading in futures or option contracts related to that stock or index;

 

  (3)  a suspension of or material limitation on trading on the applicable exchange will not include any time when that exchange is closed for trading under ordinary circumstances; and

 

  (4)  for the purpose of clause (A) above, any limitations on trading during significant market fluctuations under NYSE Rule 80B, or any applicable rule or regulation enacted or promulgated by the NYSE or any other self regulatory organization or the Securities and Exchange Commission of similar scope as determined by the calculation agent, will be considered “material”.

 

As a result of terrorist attacks, the financial markets were closed from September 11, 2001 through September 14, 2001 and levels of the Index are not available for those dates. Those market closures would have constituted Market Disruption Events. The occurrence of a Market Disruption Event could affect the calculation of the payment on the maturity date or upon exchange you will receive. See “—Payment on the Maturity Date” and “—Exchange of the Notes Prior to the Maturity Date” in this pricing supplement.

 

PS-14


Table of Contents

Discontinuance of the Index

 

If the AMEX discontinues publication of the Index and the AMEX or another entity publishes a successor or substitute index that the calculation agent determines, in its sole discretion, to be comparable to the Index (a “successor index”), then, upon the calculation agent’s notification of that determination to the trustee and ML&Co., the calculation agent will substitute the successor index as calculated by the AMEX or any other entity for the Index and calculate the Ending Value as described above under “—Payment at Maturity” or “—Exchange of the Notes Prior to the Maturity Date”, as applicable. Upon any selection by the calculation agent of a successor index, ML&Co. will cause notice to be given to holders of the Notes.

 

In the event that the AMEX discontinues publication of the Index and:

 

  Ÿ   the calculation agent does not select a successor index; or

 

  Ÿ   the successor index is not published on any of the Calculation Days,

 

the calculation agent will compute a substitute level for the Index in accordance with the procedures last used to calculate the Index before any discontinuance. If a successor index is selected or the calculation agent calculates a level as a substitute for the Index as described below, the successor index or level will be used as a substitute for the Index for all purposes, including the purpose of determining whether a Market Disruption Event exists.

 

If the AMEX discontinues publication of the Index before the Calculation Period and the calculation agent determines that no successor index is available at that time, then on each Business Day until the earlier to occur of:

 

  Ÿ   the determination of the Ending Value; or

 

  Ÿ   a determination by the calculation agent that a successor index is available,

 

the calculation agent will determine the value that would be used in computing the Redemption Amount as described in the preceding paragraph as if that day were a Calculation Day. The calculation agent will cause notice of each value to be published not less often than once each month in The Wall Street Journal or another newspaper of general circulation and arrange for information with respect to these values to be made available by telephone.

 

Notwithstanding these alternative arrangements, discontinuance of the publication of the Index may adversely affect trading in the Notes.

 

A “Business Day” means any day on which the NYSE, the AMEX and the Nasdaq are open for trading.

 

Events of Default and Acceleration

 

In case an Event of Default with respect to any Notes has occurred and is continuing, the amount payable to a holder of a Note upon any acceleration permitted by the Notes, with respect to each $10 original public offering price per unit, will be equal to the Redemption Amount, if any, calculated as though the date of acceleration were the stated maturity date of the Notes. If a bankruptcy proceeding is commenced in respect of ML&Co., the claim of the holder of a Note may be limited, under Section 502(b)(2) of Title 11 of the United States Code, to the $10 original public offering price per unit plus an additional amount of contingent interest calculated as though the date of the commencement of the proceeding were the stated maturity date of the Notes.

 

In case of default in payment of the Notes, whether at their stated maturity date or upon exchange or acceleration, from and after that date the Notes will bear interest, payable upon demand of their holders, at the rate of     % per year, to the extent that payment of interest is legally enforceable on the unpaid amount due and payable on that date in accordance with the terms of the Notes to the date payment of that amount has been made or duly provided for.

 

PS-15


Table of Contents

THE INDEX

 

The level of the Index is calculated and disseminated by the AMEX under the symbol “IXD”. On any Business Day, the level of the Index equals (i) the sum of the products of the current market price for each of the Underlying Stocks and the applicable share multiplier (the sum equals the “Industrial 15 Portfolio Value”), plus (ii) an amount reflecting Current Quarter Dividends (as defined below), and less (iii) a pro rata portion of the annual Index Adjustment Factor. The Index Adjustment Factor is 1.5% per annum and reduces the level of the Index each day by the pro rata amount. As of June 30, 2005, the index divisor for the Index was 1.06205607. The AMEX generally calculates and disseminates the level of the Index based on the most recently reported prices of the Underlying Stocks (as reported by the exchange or trading system on which the Underlying Stocks are listed or traded), at approximately 15-second intervals during the AMEX’s business hours and at the end of each Index Business Day via the Consolidated Tape Association’s Network B.

 

Initial Determination of Industrial 15 Portfolio

 

At any time the “Industrial 15 Portfolio” consists of the then current Underlying Stocks. The Underlying Stocks and their respective Dividend Yields (as defined below) are shown below. The Underlying Stocks have been determined by the AMEX to be the fifteen Qualifying Stocks in the S&P Industrial Index having the highest Dividend Yield on June 23, 2005. A “Qualifying Stock” is any stock from the S&P Industrial Index that is in the top 75% of the stocks, as measured by market capitalization, after the elimination of (i) stocks included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and (ii) stocks that do not have an S&P Common Stock Ranking of A or A+. We have included a brief description of each of the companies included in the Index (the “Industrial 15 Companies”) and historical stock price information for the Underlying Stocks in Annex A to this pricing supplement. “Dividend Yield” for each common stock is determined by annualizing the last quarterly or semi-annual ordinary cash dividend for which the ex-dividend date has occurred, excluding any extraordinary dividend, and dividing the result by the last available sale price for each stock on its primary exchange on the date that Dividend Yield is to be determined.

 

Company


   Dividend
Yield
(1)


    

Share

Multiplier(2)


Abbott Laboratories

   2.24%      0.17071

Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.

   2.14%      0.18264

Avon Products, Inc.

   1.74%      0.22670

Brown-Forman Corporation

   1.62%      0.13915

The Clorox Company 

   2.01%      0.15131

Colgate-Palmolive Company

   2.32%      0.16676

ConAgra Foods, Inc.

   4.71%      0.36047

Emerson Electric Co. 

   2.65%      0.13237

Genuine Parts

   3.04%      0.20407

Johnson Controls, Inc. 

   1.78%      0.15082

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

   2.88%      0.13357

Paychex, Inc.

   1.60%      0.27951

PepsiCo Inc.

   1.93%      0.15407

Rohm and Haas Company

   2.50%      0.18425

Sysco Corporation

   1.66%      0.23393

(1) As of June 30, 2005, as obtained from Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(2) As of June 30, 2005, as obtained from the AMEX.

 

The Dividend Yield on the Underlying Stocks as of June 30, 2005 was 2.23%. The Share Multipliers are recalculated by the AMEX on June 26th of each year, or in certain circumstances on a day shortly thereafter as described below, which is the anniversary of the date the Index was originally calculated and disseminated. Each Share Multiplier is calculated to equate to the number of shares of that Underlying Stock, or portion thereof, based upon the closing market price of that stock on the Anniversary Date (as defined below), which would

 

PS-16


Table of Contents

represent approximately an equal percentage of the Index as of the Anniversary Date. Each Share Multiplier remains constant until adjusted for certain corporate events, quarterly dividend adjustments and annual reconstitutions as described below. The last adjustment to the Share Multipliers took place on June 30, 2005.

 

Annual Industrial 15 Portfolio Reconstitution

 

As of the close of business on each Anniversary Date through the Anniversary Date in 2010, the Industrial 15 Portfolio shall be reconstituted to include the fifteen Qualifying Stocks in the S&P Industrial Index having the highest Dividend Yield (the “New Stocks”) on the second scheduled Index Business Day prior to the applicable Anniversary Date (the “Annual Determination Date”). The Index was reconstituted on June 27, 2005. “Anniversary Date” shall mean June 26th of each year, which is the anniversary of the date the Index was originally calculated and disseminated; provided, however, that if the date is not an Index Business Day or a Market Disruption Event occurs on that date, then the Anniversary Date for that year shall mean the immediately succeeding Index Business Day on which a Market Disruption Event does not occur. The AMEX will only add a stock having characteristics as of the applicable Annual Determination Date that will permit the Index to remain within the criteria specified in the rules of the AMEX and within the applicable rules of the SEC. The criteria and rules will apply only on an Annual Determination Date to exclude a proposed New Stock. If a proposed New Stock does not meet these criteria or rules, the AMEX will replace it with the Qualifying Stock with the next highest Dividend Yield which meets the rules and criteria. These criteria currently provide, among other things, (1) that each component stock must have a minimum market value of at least $75 million, except that up to 10% of the component securities in the Index may have a market value of $50 million; (2) that each component stock must have an average monthly trading volume in the preceding six months of not less than 1,000,000 shares, except that up to 10% of the Underlying Stocks may have an average monthly trading volume of 500,000 shares or more in the last six months; (3) 90% of the Index’s numerical index value and at least 80% of the total number of component stocks will meet the then current criteria for standardized option trading set forth in the rules of the AMEX and (4) all component stocks will either be listed on the AMEX, the NYSE, or traded through the facilities of the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System and reported as National Market System Securities.

 

The “Share Multiplier” for each New Stock will be determined by the AMEX and will equal the number of shares of each New Stock, based upon the closing market price of that New Stock on the Anniversary Date, so that each New Stock represents approximately an equal percentage of a value equal to the Index in effect at the close of business on the applicable Anniversary Date. As an example, if the Index in effect at the close of business on an Anniversary Date equaled 150, then each of the fifteen New Stocks would be allocated a portion of the value of the Index equal to 10 and if, the closing market price of a New Stock on the Anniversary Date was 20, the applicable Share Multiplier would be 0.5. If the Index equaled 60, then each of the fifteen New Stocks would be allocated a portion of the value of the Index equal to 4 and if the closing market price of a New Stock on the Anniversary Date was 20, the applicable Share Multiplier would be 0.2.

 

S&P Industrial Index

 

The S&P Industrial Index is a subset of the S&P 500 Index made up of the companies in the S&P 500 Index that are considered industrial companies. The S&P 500 Index is published by Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The level of the S&P 500 Index is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. Companies included in the S&P 500 Index are assigned to differing sectors based upon the company’s principal business activities.

 

Dividends

 

As described above, the level of the Index will include an amount reflecting Current Quarter Dividends. “Current Quarter Dividends” for any day will be determined by the AMEX and will equal the sum of the

 

PS-17


Table of Contents

products for each Underlying Stock of the cash dividend paid by an issuer on one share of stock during the Current Quarter multiplied by the Share Multiplier applicable to that stock on the ex-dividend date. “Current Quarter” shall mean the calendar quarter containing the day for which the applicable Current Quarter Dividends are being determined. As of June 30, 2005, Current Quarter Dividends, as obtained from the AMEX, amounted to $0.00. This amount, along with any other Current Quarter Dividends accumulated through and including June 30, 2005, will be allocated to the Underlying Stocks prior to the opening of trading on July 1, 2005.

 

As of the first day of the start of each calendar quarter, the AMEX will allocate the Current Quarter Dividends as of the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter to each then outstanding Underlying Stock. The amount of the Current Quarter Dividends allocated to each Underlying Stock will equal the percentage of the value of each Underlying Stock contained in the Industrial 15 Portfolio relative to the value of the entire Industrial 15 Portfolio based on the closing market price on the last Index Business Day in the immediately preceding calendar quarter. The Share Multiplier of each outstanding Underlying Stock will be increased to reflect the number of shares, or portion of a share, that the amount of the Current Quarter Dividend allocated to such Underlying Stock can purchase of each such Underlying Stock based on the closing market price on the last Index Business Day in the immediately preceding calendar quarter.

 

Adjustments to the Share Multiplier and Industrial 15 Portfolio

 

The Share Multiplier for any Underlying Stock and the Industrial 15 Portfolio will be adjusted as follows:

 

1.    If an Underlying Stock is subject to a stock split or reverse stock split, then once the split has become effective, the Share Multiplier for that Underlying Stock will be adjusted to equal the product of the number of shares of that Underlying Stock issued in the split and the prior multiplier.

 

2.    If an Underlying Stock is subject to a stock dividend, issuance of additional shares of the Underlying Stock , that is given equally to all holders of shares of the issuer of that Underlying Stock, then once the dividend has become effective and that Underlying Stock is trading ex-dividend, the Share Multiplier will be adjusted so that the new Share Multiplier shall equal the former Share Multiplier plus the product of the number of shares of that Underlying Stock issued with respect to one such share of that Underlying Stock and the prior multiplier.

 

3.    If an Industrial 15 Company is being liquidated or is subject to a proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, that Underlying Stock will continue to be included in the Industrial 15 Portfolio so long as a market price for that Underlying Stock is available. If a market price is no longer available for an Underlying Stock for whatever reason, including the liquidation of the issuer of the Underlying Stock or the subjection of the issuer of the Underlying Stock to a proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, then the value of that Underlying Stock will equal zero in connection with calculating the Industrial 15 Portfolio Value for so long as no market price is available, and no attempt will be made to immediately find a replacement stock or increase the value of the Industrial 15 Portfolio to compensate for the deletion of that Underlying Stock. If a market price is no longer available for an Underlying Stock as described above, the Industrial 15 Portfolio Value will be computed based on the remaining Underlying Stocks for which market prices are available and no new stock will be added to the Industrial 15 Portfolio until the annual reconstitution of the Industrial 15 Portfolio. As a result, there may be periods during which the Industrial 15 Portfolio contains fewer than fifteen Underlying Stocks.

 

4.    If an Industrial 15 Company has been subject to a merger or consolidation and is not the surviving entity or is nationalized, then a value for that Underlying Stock will be determined at the time the issuer is merged or consolidated or nationalized and will equal the last available market price for that Underlying Stock and that value will be constant until the Industrial 15 Portfolio is reconstituted. At that time, no adjustment will be made to the Share Multiplier of the relevant Underlying Stock.

 

PS-18


Table of Contents

5.    If an Industrial 15 Company issues to all of its shareholders equity securities that are publicly traded of an issuer other than the Industrial 15 Company, or a tracking stock is issued by an Industrial 15 Company to all of its shareholders, then the new equity securities will be added to the Industrial 15 Portfolio as a new Underlying Stock. The Share Multiplier for the new Underlying Stock will equal the product of the original Share Multiplier with respect to the Underlying Stock for which the new Underlying Stock is being issued (the “Original Industrial 15 Stock”) and the number of shares of the new Underlying Stock issued with respect to one share of the Original Industrial 15 Stock.

 

No adjustments of any Share Multiplier of an Underlying Stock will be required unless the adjustment would require a change of at least 1% in the Share Multiplier then in effect. The Share Multiplier resulting from any of the adjustments specified above will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth with five hundred-thousandths being rounded upward.

 

The AMEX expects that no adjustments to the Share Multiplier of any Underlying Stock or to the Industrial 15 Portfolio will be made other than those specified above; however, the AMEX may at its discretion make adjustments to maintain the value of the Index if certain events would otherwise alter the value of the Index despite no change in the market prices of the Underlying Stocks.

 

PS-19


Table of Contents

Historical Data on the Index

 

The Index was originally calculated and disseminated on June 26, 2001 with an initial value of 100. The following chart sets forth the actual month-end closing levels of the Index from June 2001 through June 2005. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during this period is not any indication that the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the term of the Notes. All historical data presented in the following chart were calculated by the AMEX.

 

     2001

   2002

   2003

   2004

   2005

January

        107.83    95.54    116.26    122.06

February

        111.40    92.21    116.70    122.69

March

        112.00    92.69    114.33    122.62

April

        108.60    99.17    116.70    120.82

May

        111.24    103.88    116.88    121.31

June

   100.67    105.76    102.31    118.56    119.35

July

   102.48    102.32    103.94    113.20     

August

   104.12    103.32    105.33    115.83     

September

   96.35      94.44    103.15    115.60     

October

   98.19      99.71    108.99    115.93     

November

   105.85    105.97    112.22    119.80     

December

   106.46    100.95    117.29    124.26     

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Index presented in the table above. Past movements of the Index are not necessarily indicative of the future Index levels.

 

LOGO

 

 

PS-20


Table of Contents

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

 

Set forth in full below is the opinion of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, counsel to ML&Co. (“Tax Counsel”). As the law applicable to the U.S. federal income taxation of instruments such as the Notes is technical and complex, the discussion below necessarily represents only a general summary. The following discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings and decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change (including changes in effective dates) or possible differing interpretations. The discussion below supplements the discussion set forth under the section entitled “United States Federal Income Taxation” that is contained in the accompanying prospectus supplement and supercedes that discussion to the extent that it contains information that is inconsistent with that which is contained in the accompanying prospectus supplement. The discussion below deals only with Notes held as capital assets and does not purport to deal with persons in special tax situations, such as financial institutions, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt entities (except to the extent specifically discussed below), dealers in securities or currencies, persons holding Notes as a hedge against currency risks, as a position in a “straddle” or as part of a “hedging”, “conversion” or “integrated” transaction for tax purposes, or persons whose functional currency is not the United States dollar. It also does not deal with holders other than original purchasers. If a partnership holds the Notes, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Thus, persons who are partners in a partnership holding the Notes should consult their own tax advisors. Moreover, all persons considering the purchase of the Notes should consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations as well as any consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Notes arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

 

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Note that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation or a partnership (including an entity treated as a corporation or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (unless, in the case of a partnership, Treasury regulations are adopted that provide otherwise), (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, (iv) a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (v) any other person whose income or gain in respect of a Note is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. Certain trusts not described in clause (iv) above in existence on August 20, 1996, that elect to be treated as United States persons will also be U.S. Holders for purposes of the following discussion. As used herein, the term “non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Note that is not a U.S. Holder.

 

General

 

There are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions addressing or involving the characterization and treatment, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of the Notes or securities with terms substantially the same as the Notes. Accordingly, the proper U.S. federal income tax characterization and treatment of the Notes is uncertain. Pursuant to the terms of the Notes, ML&Co. and every holder of a Note agree (in the absence of an administrative determination, judicial ruling or other authoritative guidance to the contrary) to characterize each Note for all tax purposes as a pre-paid cash-settled forward contract linked to the level of the Index. In the opinion of Tax Counsel, this characterization and tax treatment of the Notes, although not the only reasonable characterization and tax treatment, is based on reasonable interpretations of law currently in effect and, even if successfully challenged by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), will not result in the imposition of penalties. The treatment of the Notes described above is not, however, binding on the IRS or the courts. No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the Notes or instruments similar to the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no ruling is being requested from the IRS with respect to the Notes.

 

Due to the absence of authorities that directly address instruments that are similar to the Notes, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes are not certain, and

 

PS-21


Table of Contents

no assurance can be given that the IRS or the courts will agree with the characterization described above. Accordingly, prospective purchasers are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes (including alternative characterizations of the Notes) and with respect to any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction. Unless otherwise stated, the following discussion is based on the assumption that the treatment described above is accepted for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Tax Treatment of the Notes

 

Assuming the characterization of the Notes as set forth above, Tax Counsel believes that the following U.S. federal income tax consequences should result.

 

Tax Basis.    A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in a Note will equal the amount paid by the U.S. Holder to acquire the Note.

 

Payment on the Maturity Date.    Upon the receipt of cash on the maturity date of the Notes, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss. The amount of that gain or loss will be the extent to which the amount of the cash received differs from the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Note. It is uncertain whether any gain or loss would be treated as ordinary income or loss or capital gain or loss. Absent a future clarification in current law (by an administrative determination, judicial ruling or otherwise), where required, ML&Co. intends to report any gain or loss to the IRS in a manner consistent with the treatment of that gain or loss as capital gain or loss. If that gain or loss is treated as capital gain or loss, then any gain or loss will generally be long-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be, if the U.S. Holder has held the Note for more than one year as of the maturity date. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

 

Sale or Exchange of the Notes.    Upon a sale or exchange of a Note prior to the maturity date of the Notes, a U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on that sale or exchange and that U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Note so sold or exchanged. Capital gain or loss will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder has held the Note for more than one year at the time of the sale or exchange. As discussed above, the deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

 

Possible Alternative Tax Treatments of an Investment in the Notes

 

Due to the absence of authorities that directly address the proper characterization of the Notes, no assurance can be given that the IRS will accept, or that a court will uphold, the characterization and tax treatment of the Notes described above. In particular, the IRS could seek to analyze the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning the Notes under Treasury regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments (the “CPDI Regulations”).

 

If the IRS were successful in asserting that the CPDI Regulations applied to the Notes, the timing and character of income, gain or loss recognized with respect to the Notes would significantly differ from the timing and character of income, gain or loss described above. Among other things, a U.S. Holder would be required to accrue original issue discount on the Notes every year at a “comparable yield” for us, determined at the time of issuance of the Notes. Furthermore, any gain realized on the maturity date or upon a sale or exchange of the Notes prior to the maturity date would generally be treated as ordinary income, and any loss would be generally treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s prior accruals of original issue discount and capital loss thereafter.

 

In addition to the potential applicability of the CPDI Regulations to the Notes, other alternative U.S. federal income tax characterizations or treatments of the Notes may also be possible, and if applied could also affect the timing and the character of the income or loss with respect to the Notes. Accordingly, prospective purchasers are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes.

 

 

PS-22


Table of Contents

Constructive Ownership Law

 

Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), treats a taxpayer owning certain types of derivative positions in property as having “constructive ownership” of that property, with the result that all or a portion of any long-term capital gain recognized by that taxpayer with respect to the derivative position will be recharacterized as ordinary income. In its current form, Section 1260 of the Code does not apply to the Notes. If Section 1260 of the Code were to apply to the Notes in the future, however, the effect on a U.S. Holder of a Note would be to treat all or a portion of any long-term capital gain recognized by that U.S. Holder on the sale, exchange or maturity of a Note as ordinary income. In addition, Section 1260 of the Code would impose an interest charge on any gain that was recharacterized. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of Section 1260 of the Code, if any, to the purchase, ownership and disposition of a Note.

 

Unrelated Business Taxable Income

 

Section 511 of the Code generally imposes a tax, at regular corporate or trust income tax rates, on the “unrelated business taxable income” of certain tax-exempt organizations, including qualified pension and profit sharing plan trusts and individual retirement accounts. As discussed above, the U.S. federal income tax characterization of the Notes is uncertain. Nevertheless, in general, if the Notes are held for investment purposes, the amount of income or gain, if any, realized on the maturity date or upon a sale or exchange of a Note prior to the maturity date, or any income that would accrue to a holder of a Note if the Notes were characterized as contingent payment debt instruments (as discussed above), will not constitute unrelated business taxable income. However, if a Note constitutes debt-financed property (as defined in Section 514(b) of the Code) by reason of indebtedness incurred by a holder of a Note to purchase the Note, all or a portion of any income or gain realized with respect to such Note may be classified as unrelated business taxable income pursuant to Section 514 of the Code. Moreover, prospective investors in the Notes should be aware that whether or not any income or gain realized with respect to a Note which is owned by an organization that is generally exempt from U.S. federal income taxation pursuant to Section 501(a) of the Code constitutes unrelated business taxable income will depend upon the specific facts and circumstances applicable to such organization. Accordingly, any potential investors in the Notes that are generally exempt from U.S. federal income taxation pursuant to Section 501(a) of the Code are urged to consult with their own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them of investing in the Notes.

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

Based on the treatment of each Note as a pre-paid cash-settled forward contract linked to the level of the Index, in the case of a non-U.S. Holder, a payment made with respect to a Note on the maturity date or upon a sale or exchange will not be subject to United States withholding tax, provided that the non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification requirements and that the payment is not effectively connected with a United States trade or business of the non-U.S. Holder. Any capital gain realized on the maturity date or upon the sale or exchange of a Note by a non-U.S. Holder will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if (i) that gain is not effectively connected with a United States trade or business of the non-U.S. Holder and (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. Holder, the individual is not present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the maturity date, sale or exchange, or the gain is not attributable to a fixed place of business maintained by the individual in the United States, and the individual does not have a “tax home” (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) in the United States.

 

As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization of the Notes, by reason of a change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments with respect to the Notes to become subject to withholding tax, ML&Co. will withhold tax at the applicable statutory rate. Prospective non-U.S. Holders of the Notes should consult their own tax advisors in this regard.

 

PS-23


Table of Contents

Backup Withholding

 

A beneficial owner of a Note may be subject to backup withholding at the applicable statutory rate of U.S. federal income tax on certain amounts paid to the beneficial owner unless the beneficial owner provides proof of an applicable exemption or a correct taxpayer identification number, and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

 

Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a beneficial owner would be allowed as a refund or a credit against the beneficial owner’s U.S. federal income tax provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

 

Each fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit plan (a “plan”) subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), should consider the fiduciary standards of ERISA in the context of the plan’s particular circumstances before authorizing an investment in the Notes. Accordingly, among other factors, the fiduciary should consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification requirements of ERISA and would be consistent with the documents and instruments governing the plan, and whether the investment would involve a prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

 

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit plans, as well as individual retirement accounts and Keogh plans subject to Section 4975 of the Code (also “plans”) from engaging in certain transactions involving “plan assets” with persons who are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Code (“parties in interest”) with respect to the plan or account. A violation of these prohibited transaction rules may result in civil penalties or other liabilities under ERISA and/or an excise tax under Section 4975 of the Code for those persons, unless exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption. Certain employee benefit plans and arrangements including those that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA) and foreign plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) (“non-ERISA arrangements”) are not subject to the requirements of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to similar provisions under applicable federal, state, local, foreign or other regulations, rules or laws (“similar laws”).

 

The acquisition of the Notes by a plan with respect to which we, MLPF&S or certain of our affiliates is or becomes a party in interest may constitute or result in a prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless those Notes are acquired pursuant to and in accordance with an applicable exemption. The U.S. Department of Labor has issued five prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs”, that may provide exemptive relief if required for direct or indirect prohibited transactions that may arise from the purchase or holding of the Notes. These exemptions are:

 

  (1)  PTCE 84-14, an exemption for certain transactions determined or effected by independent qualified professional asset managers;

 

  (2)  PTCE 90-1, an exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts;

 

  (3)  PTCE 91-38, an exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds;

 

  (4)  PTCE 95-60, an exemption for transactions involving certain insurance company general accounts; and

 

  (5)  PTCE 96-23, an exemption for plan asset transactions managed by in-house asset managers.

 

PS-24


Table of Contents

The Notes may not be purchased or held by (1) any plan, (2) any entity whose underlying assets include “plan assets” by reason of any plan’s investment in the entity (a “plan asset entity”) or (3) any person investing “plan assets” of any plan, unless in each case the purchaser or holder is eligible for the exemptive relief available under one or more of the PTCEs listed above or another applicable similar exemption. Any purchaser or holder of the Notes or any interest in the Notes will be deemed to have represented by its purchase and holding of the Notes that it either (1) is not a plan or a plan asset entity and is not purchasing those Notes on behalf of or with “plan assets” of any plan or plan asset entity or (2) with respect to the purchase or holding, is eligible for the exemptive relief available under any of the PTCEs listed above or another applicable exemption. In addition, any purchaser or holder of the Notes or any interest in the Notes which is a non-ERISA arrangement will be deemed to have represented by its purchase and holding of the Notes that its purchase and holding will not violate the provisions of any similar law.

 

Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the Notes on behalf of or with “plan assets” of any plan, plan asset entity or non-ERISA arrangement consult with their counsel regarding the availability of exemptive relief under any of the PTCEs listed above or any other applicable exemption, or the potential consequences of any purchase or holding under similar laws, as applicable.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS AND HEDGING

 

The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes will be used as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the accompanying prospectus and to hedge market risks of ML&Co. associated with its obligation to pay the Redemption Amount or Exchange Amount.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

MLPF&S has advised ML&Co. that it proposes initially to offer all or part of the Notes directly to the public on a fixed prices basis at the offering price set forth on the cover of this pricing supplement. After the initial public offering, the public offering prices may be changed. The obligations of MLPF&S are subject to certain conditions and it is committed to take and pay for all of the Notes if any are taken.

 

ML&Co. has entered into an arrangement with one of its subsidiaries to hedge the market risks associated with ML&Co.’s obligation to pay the Redemption Amount, Exchange Amount or Early Redemption Amount, as applicable. In connection with this arrangement, this subsidiary will pay MLPF&S $.10 per unit as part of its underwriting fee.

 

The Notes are ineligible assets in MLPF&S’ asset-based brokerage service Unlimited Advantage, which means that purchasers will not pay Unlimited Advantage annual asset-based fees on the Notes but will pay commissions on any secondary market purchases and sales of the Notes.

 

In addition to the compensation paid at the time of the original sale of the Notes, MLPF&S will pay an additional amount on each anniversary of the Pricing Date from 2006 through 2009 to brokers whose clients purchased the units in the initial distribution and who continue to hold their Notes. This additional amount will equal 1% per unit based on the Redemption Amount of the Notes calculated as if the applicable anniversary of the Pricing Date was the stated maturity date. Also, MLPF&S may from time to time pay additional amounts to brokers whose clients purchased Notes in the secondary market and continue to hold those Notes.

 

PS-25


Table of Contents

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements, the related financial statement schedule, and management’s report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated in the accompanying prospectus supplement by reference from Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

With respect to the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial information for the three-month periods ended April 1, 2005 and March 26, 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference, Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, have applied limited procedures in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) for a review of such information. However, as stated in their report included in Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 1, 2005 and incorporated by reference herein, they did not audit and they do not express an opinion on that interim financial information. Accordingly, the degree of reliance on their report on such information should be restricted in light of the limited nature of the review procedures applied. Deloitte & Touche LLP are not subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 for their report on the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial information because that report is not a “report” or a “part” of the registration statement prepared or certified by an accountant within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.

 

PS-26


Table of Contents

INDEX OF CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS

 

     Page

Anniversary Date

   PS-17

Annual Determination Date

   PS-17

Banking Business Day

   PS-12

Calculation Day

   PS-12

Calculation Period

   PS-12

Current Quarter

   PS-18

Current Quarter Dividends

   PS-17

Dividend Yield

   PS-16

Ending Value

   PS-4

Exchange Amount

   PS-5

Exchange Date

   PS-12

Exchange Notice Period

   PS-12

Index

   PS-3

Index Adjustment Factor

   PS-3

Index Business Day

   PS-12

Industrial 15 Companies

   PS-16

Industrial 15 Portfolio

   PS-16

Industrial 15 Portfolio Value

   PS-16

Market Disruption Event

   PS-14

New Stocks

   PS-17

Notes

   PS-1

Original Industrial 15 Stock

   PS-19

Pricing Date

   PS-4

Qualifying Stock

   PS-16

Redemption Amount

   PS-4

Share Multiplier

   PS-17

Starting Value

   PS-4

successor index

   PS-15

Underlying Stocks

   PS-3

 

PS-27


Table of Contents

ANNEX A

 

This annex contains tables which provide a brief synopsis of the business of each of the Underlying Stocks as well as the split-adjusted month-end closing market prices for each Underlying Stock in each month from January 2000 through June 2005 (or from the first month-end for which that data is available). The historical prices of the Underlying Stocks are not indicative of the future performance of the Underlying Stocks or the Index. The following information, with respect to the business of each company issuing an Underlying Stock, has been derived from publicly available documents published by that company. Because the common stock of each of those companies is registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, those companies are required to file periodically financial and other information specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For more information about those companies, information provided to or filed with the SEC by those companies can be inspected at the SEC’s public reference facilities or accessed through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

ABBOTT LABORATORIES

 

Abbott Laboratories is a health care company that discovers, develops, manufactures and sells health care products. Abbott’s principal businesses are pharmaceutical products, nutritionals, and medical products, including diagnostics and cardiovascular devices.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   30.52   January   41.96   January   53.97   January   35.66   January   40.29   January   45.02
February   30.63   February   45.82   February   52.89   February   33.32   February   40.03   February   45.99
March   32.91   March   44.14   March   49.20   March   35.18   March   38.44   March   46.62
April   35.95   April   43.38   April   50.46   April   38.00   April   41.17   April   49.16
May   38.06   May   48.62   May   44.43   May   41.67   May   41.21   May   48.24
June   41.68   June   44.91   June   35.22   June   40.93   June   40.76   June   49.01
July   38.93   July   50.13   July   38.73   July   36.71   July   39.35        
August   40.92   August   46.49   August   37.44   August   37.69   August   41.69        
September   44.49   September   48.50   September   37.79   September   39.80   September   42.36        
October   49.40   October   49.55   October   39.16   October   39.86   October   42.63        
November   51.50   November   51.44   November   40.95   November   41.34   November   41.96        
December   45.31   December   52.15   December   37.41   December   43.59   December   46.65        

 

ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMPANIES, INC.

 

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (the “Company”) is the holding company parent of Anheuser-Busch, Incorporated (“ABI”). In addition to ABI, a large brewer of beer, the Company is also the parent corporation to a number of subsidiaries that conduct various other business operations. The Company’s operations include the following principle business segments: domestic beer, international beer, packaging and entertainment.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   33.75   January   43.36   January   47.27   January   47.47   January   50.72   January   49.18
February   32.06   February   43.70   February   50.85   February   46.50   February   53.22   February   47.45
March   31.13   March   45.93   March   52.20   March   46.61   March   51.00   March   47.39
April   35.28   April   39.99   April   53.00   April   49.88   April   51.24   April   46.87
May   38.75   May   44.00   May   51.61   May   52.63   May   53.27   May   46.85
June   37.34   June   41.20   June   50.00   June   51.05   June   54.00   June   45.75
July   40.25   July   43.31   July   51.71   July   51.82   July   51.90        
August   39.41   August   43.04   August   53.16   August   51.54   August   52.80        
September   42.31   September   41.88   September   50.60   September   49.34   September   49.95        
October   45.75   October   41.66   October   52.76   October   49.26   October   49.95        
November   47.44   November   43.10   November   49.12   November   51.82   November   50.09        
December   45.50   December   45.21   December   48.40   December   52.68   December   50.73        

 

A-1


Table of Contents

AVON PRODUCTS, INC.

 

Avon Products, Inc. is a global manufacturer and marketer of beauty and related products. Avon’s products fall into three product categories: Beauty, which consists of cosmetics, fragrances, skin care and toiletries; Beauty Plus, which consists of fashion jewelry, watches, apparel and accessories; and Beyond Beauty, which consists of home products, gift and decorative products, candles and toys.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

 

Closing

Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   15.91   January   21.15   January   24.60   January   25.00   January   31.66   January   42.22
February   13.53   February   21.23   February   25.85   February   26.00   February   35.30   February   42.77
March   14.53   March   20.00   March   27.16   March   28.53   March   37.94   March   42.94
April   20.75   April   21.16   April   27.93   April   29.09   April   42.00   April   40.08
May   20.66   May   21.88   May   26.48   May   30.47   May   44.33   May   39.74
June   22.25   June   23.14   June   26.12   June   31.10   June   46.14   June   37.85
July   19.84   July   23.20   July   23.13   July   31.20   July   43.01        
August   19.59   August   23.07   August   24.37   August   32.05   August   44.18        
September   20.44   September   23.13   September   23.05   September   32.28   September   43.68        
October   24.25   October   23.42   October   24.25   October   33.98   October   39.55        
November   20.81   November   23.87   November   25.68   November   34.25   November   37.54        
December   23.94   December   23.25   December   26.94   December   33.75   December   38.70        

 

BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION

 

Brown-Forman Corporation manufactures, bottles, imports, exports, and markets a wide variety of alcoholic beverage brands. The corporation also manufactures and markets new and used oak barrels.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

 

Closing

Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   27.97   January   33.10   January   32.75   January   31.07   January   46.71   January   48.23
February   23.81   February   31.75   February   33.98   February   34.78   February   48.86   February   50.90
March   27.22   March   30.98   March   36.38   March   38.45   March   47.66   March   54.75
April   27.28   April   30.40   April   39.31   April   38.27   April   46.86   April   55.50
May   29.03   May   32.75   May   39.36   May   39.43   May   48.05   May   59.62
June   26.88   June   31.97   June   34.50   June   39.31   June   48.27   June   60.46
July   25.00   July   34.17   July   33.89   July   38.95   July   46.51        
August   26.50   August   32.25   August   35.22   August   39.52   August   47.49        
September   27.38   September   31.59   September   33.48   September   39.56   September   45.80        
October   30.44   October   29.72   October   36.15   October   42.19   October   44.90        
November   32.38   November   30.45   November   33.05   November   45.87   November   48.02        
December   33.25   December   31.30   December   32.68   December   46.73   December   48.68        

 

A-2


Table of Contents

THE CLOROX COMPANY

 

The Clorox Company is engaged primarily in the production and marketing of non-durable consumer products sold primarily through grocery and other retail stores. Clorox’s product line includes household cleaning products, home care products, water filtration products, food storage products and various other consumer products. Clorox manufactures and markets its products in several continents worldwide.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   47.75   January   33.75   January   40.78   January   38.22   January   48.88   January   59.42
February   40.44   February   35.96   February   43.79   February   42.31   February   49.06   February   60.04
March   32.50   March   31.45   March   43.63   March   46.17   March   48.91   March   62.99
April   36.75   April   31.83   April   44.25   April   45.22   April   51.78   April   63.30
May   39.63   May   34.64   May   45.80   May   44.66   May   52.36   May   58.41
June   44.81   June   33.85   June   41.35   June   42.65   June   53.78   June   55.72
July   41.31   July   37.38   July   38.50   July   43.39   July   49.77        
August   36.19   August   37.25   August   43.06   August   42.85   August   52.84        
September   39.56   September   37.00   September   40.18   September   45.87   September   53.30        
October   44.63   October   35.70   October   44.93   October   45.30   October   54.60        
November   44.69   November   39.52   November   43.84   November   46.92   November   55.12        
December   35.50   December   39.55   December   41.25   December   48.56   December   58.93        

 

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

 

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a consumer products company whose products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories. Colgate-Palmolive Company manufactures and markets an array of products including toothpaste, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants and shave products.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

 

Closing

Price


 

2003


 

Closing

Price


  2004

 

Closing

Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   59.25   January   60.08   January   57.15   January   50.91   January   51.27   January   52.54
February   52.19   February   59.05   February   55.98   February   50.31   February   55.45   February   52.92
March   56.38   March   55.26   March   57.15   March   54.44   March   55.10   March   52.17
April   57.13   April   55.85   April   53.01   April   57.17   April   57.88   April   49.79
May   52.63   May   56.64   May   54.20   May   59.62   May   57.20   May   49.97
June   59.88   June   58.99   June   50.05   June   57.95   June   58.45   June   49.91
July   55.69   July   54.20   July   51.35   July   54.60   July   53.20        
August   50.94   August   54.15   August   54.55   August   55.28   August   54.00        
September   47.20   September   58.25   September   53.95   September   55.89   September   45.18        
October   58.76   October   57.52   October   54.98   October   53.19   October   44.62        
November   58.75   November   58.36   November   51.39   November   52.50   November   45.99        
December   64.55   December   57.75   December   52.43   December   50.05   December   51.16        

 

A-3

 

 


Table of Contents

CONAGRA FOODS, INC.

 

ConAgra Foods, Inc. operates in several different areas of the food business and produces a wide variety of products including packaged foods, food ingredients and agricultural products. Products produced by ConAgra include shelf-stable products such as canned goods and cooking oils, in addition to frozen food products, and refrigerated food products.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   21.38   January   23.40   January   24.80   January   24.53   January   25.94   January   29.50
February   16.38   February   19.68   February   23.41   February   23.07   February   27.19   February   27.32
March   18.13   March   18.24   March   24.25   March   20.08   March   26.94   March   27.02
April   18.88   April   20.81   April   24.50   April   21.00   April   28.89   April   26.75
May   23.06   May   20.85   May   24.61   May   24.27   May   28.12   May   26.15
June   19.06   June   19.81   June   27.65   June   23.60   June   27.08   June   23.16
July   20.44   July   21.49   July   25.11   July   22.53   July   26.00        
August   18.31   August   22.95   August   26.29   August   22.00   August   26.20        
September   20.06   September   22.45   September   24.85   September   21.24   September   25.71        
October   21.38   October   22.90   October   24.25   October   23.84   October   26.40        
November   25.44   November   22.97   November   24.37   November   24.50   November   27.05        
December   26.00   December   23.77   December   25.01   December   26.39   December   29.45        

 

EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.

 

Emerson Electric Co. is principally engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of a range of electrical, electromechanical and electronic products and systems. Emerson offers product lines that include various products and systems involving industrial automation, electronics and telecommunications, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, appliances and tools.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


 

2001


  Closing
Price


  2002

 

Closing

Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

 

Closing

Price


  2005

 

Closing

Price


January   55.06   January   76.00   January   57.94   January   46.93   January   63.90   January   67.24
February   45.56   February   66.90   February   57.59   February   47.07   February   62.48   February   66.32
March   52.88   March   62.00   March   57.39   March   45.35   March   59.92   March   64.93
April   54.88   April   66.65   April   53.39   April   50.70   April   60.22   April   62.67
May   59.00   May   67.71   May   57.85   May   52.30   May   59.70   May   66.47
June   60.38   June   60.50   June   53.51   June   51.10   June   63.55   June   62.63
July   61.06   July   57.36   July   50.95   July   53.70   July   60.70        
August   66.19   August   53.60   August   48.78   August   55.76   August   62.25        
September   67.00   September   47.06   September   43.94   September   52.65   September   61.89        
October   73.44   October   49.02   October   48.18   October   56.75   October   64.05        
November   72.88   November   54.06   November   52.15   November   61.04   November   66.82        
December   78.81   December   57.10   December   50.85   December   64.75   December   70.10        

 

A-4


Table of Contents

GENUINE PARTS COMPANY

 

Genuine Parts Company is a service organization engaged in the distribution of automotive replacement parts, industrial replacement parts, office products and electrical/electronic materials, and conducts its business throughout the United States, in Canada and in Mexico from approximately 1,800 locations.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   24.13   January   25.36   January   35.52   January   29.50   January   32.96   January   42.33
February   22.56   February   26.96   February   36.53   February   28.80   February   34.73   February   43.28
March   23.88   March   25.91   March   36.77   March   30.51   March   32.72   March   43.49
April   26.25   April   27.00   April   34.51   April   31.97   April   35.80   April   42.90
May   23.88   May   28.57   May   36.55   May   32.87   May   37.64   May   49.96
June   20.00   June   31.50   June   34.87   June   32.01   June   39.68   June   41.09
July   20.06   July   32.92   July   30.71   July   30.94   July   37.73        
August   20.56   August   30.76   August   33.25   August   32.02   August   37.91        
September   19.06   September   31.86   September   30.64   September   31.98   September   38.38        
October   21.31   October   32.50   October   29.54   October   31.82   October   39.89        
November   19.19   November   33.70   November   31.79   November   31.48   November   43.41        
December   26.19   December   36.70   December   30.80   December   33.20   December   44.06        

 

JOHNSON CONTROLS, INC.

 

Johnson Controls, Inc. provides building control systems and services including comfort, energy and security management for the non-residential buildings market. In addition, Johnson provides for the integration of management, operation and control of building systems such as temperature, ventilation, humidity, fire safety and security. Johnson also supplies various automotive interior products, including seating, instrument panels, overhead components, floor consoles and door systems, electronics and batteries.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   27.63   January   32.49   January   42.03   January   40.39   January   58.85   January   59.16
February   26.69   February   33.24   February   44.38   February   38.98   February   58.32   February   59.10
March   27.03   March   31.23   March   44.16   March   36.22   March   59.15   March   55.76
April   31.66   April   36.20   April   43.13   April   41.12   April   54.86   April   54.87
May   28.47   May   35.20   May   44.03   May   41.63   May   53.92   May   56.66
June   25.66   June   36.24   June   40.81   June   42.80   June   53.38   June   56.33
July   25.97   July   40.30   July   40.51   July   48.31   July   56.45        
August   26.72   August   36.63   August   43.15   August   49.50   August   56.30        
September   26.59   September   32.62   September   38.41   September   47.30   September   56.81        
October   29.81   October   36.16   October   39.00   October   53.77   October   57.35        
November   27.56   November   39.76   November   41.45   November   54.72   November   61.40        
December   26.00   December   40.38   December   40.09   December   58.06   December   63.44        

 

A-5


Table of Contents

KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION

 

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a global health and hygiene company focused on building its personal care, consumer tissue and business-to-business operations. The corporation is principally engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of a wide range of health and hygiene products around the world. Most of these products are made from natural or synthetic fibers using advanced technologies in fibers, nonfibers and absorbency.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   60.90   January   63.66   January   59.29   January   45.54   January   58.07   January   65.51
February   50.82   February   70.30   February   61.55   February   45.06   February   63.59   February   65.98
March   55.06   March   66.69   March   63.56   March   44.70   March   62.04   March   65.73
April   57.09   April   58.40   April   64.02   April   48.93   April   64.35   April   62.45
May   59.48   May   59.43   May   63.83   May   51.06   May   64.79   May   64.33
June   56.41   June   54.96   June   60.96   June   51.26   June   64.77   June   62.59
July   56.47   July   59.79   July   60.02   July   47.59   July   62.99        
August   57.52   August   61.01   August   58.83   August   50.25   August   65.58        
September   54.87   September   60.96   September   55.69   September   50.46   September   63.50        
October   64.89   October   54.58   October   50.63   October   51.92   October   58.67        
November   68.76   November   57.19   November   49.47   November   53.31   November   62.54        
December   69.50   December   58.79   December   46.67   December   58.10   December   65.81        

 

PAYCHEX, INC.

 

Paychex, Inc. is a provider of payroll and integrated human resource and employee benefit outsourcing solutions for small-to medium-sized businesses. Paychex offers payroll, payroll-related, and human resource products that include payroll processing, tax filing and payments, employee pay, retirement services administration, employee benefits administration, regulatory compliance (new hire reporting and garnishment processing), workers’ compensation insurance, and human resource administrative services

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   29.38   January   45.13   January   36.70   January   25.18   January   37.48   January   30.49
February   33.38   February   39.94   February   36.95   February   26.22   February   32.17   February   31.93
March   34.92   March   37.06   March   39.70   March   27.47   March   35.60   March   32.82
April   35.08   April   34.56   April   37.33   April   31.14   April   37.28   April   30.60
May   35.00   May   38.43   May   34.65   May   30.52   May   37.51   May   28.88
June   42.00   June   40.00   June   31.29   June   29.31   June   33.88   June   32.54
July   45.75   July   39.30   July   26.31   July   32.53   July   30.71        
August   44.63   August   37.07   August   23.40   August   36.00   August   29.67        
September   52.50   September   31.51   September   24.27   September   33.93   September   30.15        
October   56.69   October   32.06   October   28.82   October   38.92   October   32.79        
November   58.13   November   35.01   November   29.20   November   38.47   November   33.16        
December   48.63   December   34.85   December   27.90   December   37.20   December   34.08        

 

A-6


Table of Contents

PEPSICO INC.

 

PepsiCo, Inc. is a global snack and beverage company that manufactures, markets and sells a variety of salty, convenient, sweet and grain-based snacks, carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and foods. The trademarks owned by PepsiCo., Inc. include, among others, Aquafina, Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Quaker, 7UP, Tostitos and Tropicana.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   34.13   January   44.07   January   50.09   January   40.48   January   47.26   January   53.70
February   32.25   February   46.08   February   50.50   February   38.32   February   51.90   February   53.86
March   34.56   March   43.95   March   51.50   March   40.00   March   53.85   March   53.03
April   36.69   April   43.81   April   51.90   April   43.28   April   54.49   April   55.64
May   40.69   May   44.76   May   51.98   May   44.20   May   53.37   May   56.26
June   44.44   June   44.20   June   48.20   June   44.50   June   53.88   June   53.93
July   45.81   July   46.63   July   42.94   July   46.07   July   50.00        
August   42.63   August   47.00   August   39.55   August   44.54   August   50.00        
September   46.00   September   48.50   September   36.95   September   45.83   September   48.65        
October   48.44   October   48.71   October   44.10   October   47.82   October   49.58        
November   45.38   November   48.63   November   42.48   November   48.12   November   49.91        
December   49.56   December   48.69   December   42.22   December   46.62   December   52.20        

 

ROHM AND HAAS COMPANY

 

Rohm and Haas Company manufactures and markets a variety of specialty chemicals and materials. These chemicals are used in paint and coatings, electronic materials, household products, adhesives, plastics and salt. Rohm and Haas and its subsidiaries operate manufacturing facilities worldwide.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

  Closing
Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   42.25   January   35.90   January   36.78   January   30.85   January   39.27   January   44.24
February   40.38   February   36.75   February   38.41   February   28.54   February   39.75   February   48.17
March   44.63   March   30.81   March   42.27   March   29.78   March   39.84   March   48.00
April   35.63   April   34.37   April   37.11   April   33.11   April   38.78   April   43.66
May   34.13   May   33.20   May   37.68   May   32.43   May   38.54   May   46.65
June   34.50   June   32.90   June   40.49   June   31.03   June   41.58   June   46.34
July   26.00   July   34.34   July   37.50   July   35.37   July   39.20        
August   28.94   August   35.91   August   36.39   August   36.33   August   40.53        
September   29.06   September   32.76   September   31.00   September   33.45   September   42.97        
October   30.06   October   32.47   October   33.27   October   39.30   October   42.39        
November   29.75   November   35.50   November   35.39   November   40.15   November   44.09        
December   36.31   December   34.63   December   32.48   December   42.71   December   44.23        

 

 

A-7


Table of Contents

SYSCO CORPORATION

 

Sysco Corporation, acting through its subsidiaries and divisions, is the largest North American distributor of food and related products primarily to the foodservice or “food-prepared-away-from-home” industry. The corporation provides its products and services to approximately 400,000 customers, including restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other foodservice customers.

 

2000

  Closing
Price


  2001

  Closing
Price


  2002

  Closing
Price


  2003

 

Closing

Price


  2004

  Closing
Price


  2005

  Closing
Price


January   17.78   January   26.92   January   29.62   January   29.37   January   37.93   January   34.97
February   16.41   February   27.26   February   29.57   February   27.12   February   39.65   February   34.42
March   17.84   March   26.51   March   29.82   March   25.44   March   39.05   March   35.80
April   18.81   April   28.12   April   29.01   April   28.73   April   38.25   April   34.60
May   20.97   May   29.73   May   27.85   May   30.94   May   37.50   May   37.16
June   21.06   June   27.15   June   27.22   June   30.04   June   35.87   June   36.19
July   19.69   July   26.84   July   26.05   July   30.13   July   34.45        
August   21.16   August   28.02   August   28.36   August   31.46   August   32.14        
September   23.16   September   25.54   September   28.39   September   32.71   September   29.92        
October   26.09   October   24.11   October   31.68   October   33.66   October   32.27        
November   27.63   November   24.59   November   29.42   November   36.32   November   34.75        
December   30.00   December   26.22   December   29.79   December   37.23   December   38.17        

 

A-8


Table of Contents

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

 

1,000,000 Units

 

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

 

Medium-Term Notes, Series C

 

Strategic Return Notes®

Linked to the Industrial 15 Index

due August     , 2010

(the “Notes”)

$10 original public offering price per unit

 

 

 

 

P R I C I N G  S U P P L E M E N T

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch & Co.

 

 

 

July     , 2005

 

 

“Strategic Return Notes” is a registered mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.