SEC Form 4
FORM 4

[ ] Check this box if no longer
subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form
5 obligations may continue.
See Instruction 1(b).
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Salerno, Frederic     V.
(Last)                      (First)                      (Middle)
c/o Verizon Communications
400 Westchester Avenue, 2nd flr.
(Street)
White Plains, NY     10604
(City)                      (State)                      (Zip)
U.S.A.
2. Issuer Name and Ticker
    or Trading Symbol

The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.   BSC
3. I.R.S. Identification
    Number of Reporting
    Person, if an entity
    (voluntary)
4. Statement for
    (Month/Year)

    March 26, 2003

5. If Amendment,
    Date of Original
    (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

           X          Director                           10% Owner
                        Officer                             Other

Officer/Other
Description                              
7. Individual or Joint/Group
    Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X   Individual Filing
      Joint/Group Filing
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security
    (Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date
    (Month/Day/Year)
 3. Transaction
    Code
    and
    Voluntary
    Code
    (Instr. 8)

Code  |  V    
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed (D) Of
    (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)



        Amount      |         A/D         |         Price          
5. Amount of
    Securities
    Beneficially
    Owned at
    End ofMonth

    (Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Owner-
    ship
    Form:
    Direct(D)
    or
    Indirect (I)

    (Instr. 4)
7. Nature of
     Indirect
     Beneficial
     Ownership

    (Instr. 4)







Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

(over)
SEC 1474 (3-99)
Salerno, Frederic V. - March 2003
Form 4 (continued)
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
    (Instr. 3)
2. Conver-
    sion or
    Exercise
    Price of
    Deri-
    vative
    Security
3. Transaction
    Date

    (Month/
    Day/
    Year)
 4. Transaction
    Code
    and
    Voluntary (V)
    Code
    (Instr.8)


Code | V    
5. Number of Derivative
    Securities Acquired (A)
    or Disposed (D) Of

    (Instr. 3,4 and 5)
6. Date Exercisable(DE) and
    Expiration Date(ED)
    (Month/Day/Year)





  (DE)     |     (ED)  
7. Title and Amount of
    Underlying Securities
    (Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price
    of
    Derivative
    Security
    (Instr.5)
 9. Number of
    Derivative
    Securities
    Beneficially
    Owned
    at End of
    Month
    (Instr.4) 		10.
Owner-
ship
Form of
Deriv-
ative
Security:
Direct
(D)
or
Indirect
(I) 		11. Nature of
      Indirect
      Beneficial
      Ownership
      (Instr.4)
Non-Employee Director Restricted Stock Units
 $0.0000 03/26/2003
A (1) |     
    (A) 637
09/26/2003 | 09/26/2003
 Common Stock - 637
637
D
Non-Employee Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)
 $66.7000 03/26/2003
   A |     
    (A) 1,911
09/26/2003 | 03/27/2013
 Common Stock - 1,911
1,911
D











Explanation of Responses :


** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
        See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note:   File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient,
            See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not
required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number. 		By: Frederic V. Salerno
________________________________         __________________
** Signature of Reporting Person                         Date

Power of Attorney

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SEC 1474 (3-99)
Salerno, Frederic V. - March 2003
Form 4 (continued)
FOOTNOTE Descriptions for The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. BSC

Form 4 - March 2003

Frederic V. Salerno
c/o Verizon Communications
400 Westchester Avenue, 2nd flr.
White Plains, NY 10604
Explanation of responses:

(1)   Grant of Restricted Stock Units to Non-Employee Directors as of March 26, 2003, pursuant to the Issuer's Non-Employee Director Stock Option and Stock Unit Plan; exempt under Rule 16b-3.
Page 3