In Brief: 1st Union Issue Has Multiple Put Option

First Union Corp. recently came to market with a 30-year $300 million issue of subordinated notes, featuring a multiple put option.

The noncallable notes can be redeemed in the 10th or 20th year of maturity.

The issue was priced at par to yield 6.824%. The price is 31 basis points above the 10-year treasury, but if the notes are not put in year 10, the coupon steps up 75 basis points, said CS First Boston, the lead underwriter.

"This issue is not that onerous, so that the investor will say 'I'll never put them,' or that unattractive that the issuer will say 'Holy cow, I hope the investors put the issue or I'll be paying a lot in yield," a trader said.

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