Bank of America Corporation · Charlotte, NC United States ·(NYSE: BAC)

Welcome to the machine. One of the largest banks in the US by assets (along with Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase), Bank of America boasts the country's most extensive branch network, with more than 6,100 locations covering some 30 states from coast to coast. Its core services include consumer and small business banking, credit cards, and asset management. In early 2009 Bank of America paid some $29.1 billion in stock for Merrill Lynch, which was crippled by the ongoing credit crisis. The acquisition of the once-mighty investment bank known as "The Bull," which has an extensive retail brokerage network, beefs up Bank of America's wealth management, investment banking, and international business. To read the full description, subscribe now.