Merrill Lynch Company And Industry Background
Merrill Lynch - Company And Industry Background
Background
Merrill Lynch is one of the world's leading financial management and advisory companies, with offices in 38 countries and total client assets of approximately $1.5 trillion. As an investment bank, Merrill Lynch is a leading global underwriter of debt and equity securities and strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Through Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, the firm is one of the world's largest managers of financial assets. (Merrill Lynch, 2002)
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. is a holding company that, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides investment, financing, advisory, insurance and related products and services on a global basis, including securities brokerage, trading and underwriting; investment banking, strategic services, including mergers and acquisitions and other corporate finance advisory activities; asset management; origination, brokerage, dealer and related activities in swaps, options, forwards and exchange-traded futures; other derivatives and foreign exchange products; securities clearance and settlement services; equity, debt, foreign exchange, commodities and economic research; banking, trust and lending services, including mortgage lending and related services; insurance sales and underwriting services, and investment advisory and related recordkeeping services. Merrill Lynch provides these products and services to a wide array of clients, including individual investors, small businesses, corporations, governments, governmental agencies and financial institutions.
Merrill Lynch's business has three business segments, the Corporate and Institutional Client Group (CICG), the Private Client Group (PCG) and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM). Merrill Lynch provides financial services worldwide through various subsidiaries and affiliates that frequently participate in the facilitation and consummation of a single transaction. This organizational structure is designed to enhance the delivery of services to Merrill Lynch's diverse global client base and position it for worldwide growth. Merrill Lynch has organized its operations outside the United States into five regions, Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Japan; Asia Pacific/Australia; Canada, and Latin America. (Multex, 2002).
Business Segments
Corporate and Institutional Client Group
The CICG businesses provide comprehensive investment banking, financing and related products and services to corporations, institutional clients and sovereign governments throughout the world. These activities are conducted through a network of subsidiaries, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S), Merrill Lynch International (MLI) and a number of other subsidiaries located in and outside the United States. CICG's activities predominately involve providing investment banking and other strategic mergers and acquisition advisory services; underwriting; trading, both as a broker and as a dealer, in equity securities, including common stock, preferred...