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                                                                   EXHIBIT 12.01


                 LEHMAN BROTHERS HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
             COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND
             TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
                              (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<Table>
<Caption>
                                                                                                                          For the
                                                                                                                         Six Months
                                                                  For the Twelve Months Ended November 30                  Ended
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------       May 31
                                                          1997         1998         1999         2000         2001          2002
                                                         -------      -------      -------      -------      -------      -------
                                                                                                        
Pre-tax earnings from continuing operations              $   937      $ 1,052      $ 1,631      $ 2,579      $ 1,748      $   876

Add: Fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest)       13,043       15,813       13,681       18,778       15,724        5,347
                                                         -------      -------      -------      -------      -------      -------

Pre-tax earnings before fixed charges                     13,980       16,865       15,312       21,357       17,472        6,223
                                                         =======      =======      =======      =======      =======      =======

Fixed charges:
       Interest                                           13,010       15,781       13,649       18,740       15,656        5,304
       Other (a)                                              41           47           71           57           78           51
                                                         -------      -------      -------      -------      -------      -------

       Total fixed charges                                13,051       15,828       13,720       18,797       15,734        5,355
                                                         -------      -------      -------      -------      -------      -------

Preferred stock dividend requirements                        109          124          174          195          192           95
                                                         -------      -------      -------      -------      -------      -------

Total combined fixed charges and preferred stock
dividends                                                $13,160      $15,952      $13,894      $18,992      $15,926      $ 5,450
                                                         =======      =======      =======      =======      =======      =======


RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                          1.07         1.07         1.12         1.14         1.11         1.16

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED
  CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK
  DIVIDENDS                                                 1.06         1.06         1.10         1.12         1.10         1.14
</Table>

(a)   Other fixed charges consist of the interest factor in rentals and
      capitalized interest.