Company Website: http://www.bankofamerica.com
NEW YORK -- (Business Wire)

Bank of America announced today that it and Barclays Bank PLC have entered into an agreement with Equity Residential and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. pursuant to which Bank of America and Barclays will sell their remaining 26.5 percent interest in Archstone, a privately-held owner, operator and developer of multifamily apartment properties, for a purchase price of $1.58 billion to Lehman pursuant to Lehman’s exercise of its right of first offer. Bank of America and Barclays will pay an $80 million break-up fee to Equity Residential if the sale to Lehman closes. Upon consummation of this transaction, which is anticipated to occur in the second quarter of 2012, Bank of America and Barclays will have sold a 53.0 percent controlling interest in Archstone in two steps for a total purchase price of $2.905 billion. Archstone has net debt and third-party preferred securities of approximately $10.5 billion.

Pursuant to the agreement, the parties have released each other from all claims relating to Archstone.

Advisors

Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Barclays served as sell-side financial advisors on these transactions. Kaye Scholer and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton served as legal advisors to Bank of America, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe served as legal advisors to Barclays on the transactions.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 57 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,250 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp, which are registered broker-dealer and members of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, locally registered entities. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed.

For more Bank of America news, visit the Bank of America newsroom.

www.bankofamerica.com

Contacts:

Reporters May Contact:
John Yiannacopoulos, Bank of America, 1.646.855.2314
john.yiannacopoulos@bankofamerica.com

Source: Bank of America