Patent ID: 8504453

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing an investment unit comprising: providing, by a computer, from an issuer to a purchaser a fixed income instrument as a part of the investment unit; providing, by a computer, from the issuer to the purchaser a forward purchase contract as a part of the investment unit, wherein the forward purchase contract requires a purchase of at least one share of common stock at a specified price and at a specified purchase date; providing, by a computer, from the issuer to a remarketing agent a remarketing agreement as a part of the investment unit, wherein the remarketing agreement provides for a remarketing of the fixed income instrument on one or more specified remarketing dates at a price with a yield computed by a computer based on predetermined market variables; and providing, by a computer, from the issuer to the remarketing agent an option to call the fixed income instrument from the purchaser on the specified remarketing date, wherein the call option is a part of the investment unit, wherein the purchaser satisfies the forward purchase contract by purchasing the at least one share of common stock by: on or before the remarketing date, substituting the fixed income instrument in the investment unit with pledged securities that pay a pre-determined price in satisfaction of the forward purchase contract; or submitting the fixed income instrument to the remarketing agent for remarketing to a second purchaser, whereby proceeds of a purchase to the second purchaser are used to purchase common stock from the issuer by the purchaser.