Caught in the I.B. Pipeline

Caught in the industrial bank pipe line, joining Wal-Mart are Home Depot and Marlin Leasing.

Key features of industrial loan corporations, which are federally insured and chartered in seven states:

*Number in the United States: 61

*States that allow them and the number of ILCs based in each: California, 15; Colorado, 4; Hawaii, 1; Indiana, 1; Minnesota, 2; Nevada, 5, and Utah, 33.

*Total assets: $141 billion

*Total deposits: $98 billion

*Number that have failed: 21 (17 in California, two in Colorado, one each in Hawaii and West Virginia)

*Companies that have applications pending with the FDIC to own an industrial loan corporation: Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; DaimlerChrysler AG; Home Depot; Ceridian Corp.; CapitalSource Inc.; Marlin Business Services Corp., and Cargill Financial Services.