The Retail HOLDRS Trust issues depositary receipts called Retail HOLDRS, representing an undivided beneficial ownership in the common stock of a group of specified companies that, among other things, sell retail merchandise to consumers through traditional retail stores, the Internet, mail order catalogs and other outlets. The Bank of New York is the trustee. The Retail HOLDRS Trust was formed under a depositary trust agreement dated March 12, 2001. The 19 issuers of the underlying securities represented by Retail HOLDRS, as of August 1, 2005, were Albertson's, Inc., Amazon.com, Inc., Best Buy Co., Inc., Costco Wholesales Corporation, CVS Corporation, Federated Department Stores, Inc., The Gap, Inc., The Home Depot, Inc., The Kroger Co., Kohl's Corporation, Lowe's Companies, Inc., Limited Brands Inc, The May Department Stores Company (Delaware), RadioShack Corporation, Safeway Inc., Target Corporation, The TJX Companies, Inc., Walgreen Co. and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.