John F. Stacconi

Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. is a global investment banking, securities trading and brokerage firm located in New York City with additional offices in Dallas, Boston and San Francisco. The firm is a subsidiary Bear Sterns Cos., Inc. (NYSE: BSC). Their equity research team consists of senior analysts located throughout the world. In addition to domestic coverage, they have research teams focusing on Latin America, Asia and Europe. The analysts use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. The Bear Stearns fixed-income research department provides coverage of every sector of the fixed-income universe. The financial analytics and structured transactions group (F.A.S.T) provides investment research, fixed-income portfolio management and analytical systems, trading technology and general financial expertise. The group also provides a broad range of services to financial institutions including asset-liability management, balance sheet restructuring, receivables-based financing analysis, security and portfolio analysis, peer analysis, and historical and real-time market-based information.

Jefferies Group LLC operates as an investment banking firm. It offers underwriting, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and recapitalization, and other advisory services. The firm also offers research and execution services in equity, fixed income and foreign exchange markets. The company was founded by Boyd L. Jefferies on October 2, 1962 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Bear, Stearns Securities Corp. provides investment banking, securities trading and brokerage services. The company offers securities lending, clearing and other services to investment advisors, broker-dealers and fund managers. It also performs futures trading execution and clearing services on exchanges in the United States, Europe and the Pacific Rim. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY.

Part of Nomura Holdings, Inc., Nomura International, Inc. is an American company that provides securities brokerage services.