FWP 1 formfwp.htm ML SPX 12M STARS
 
Subject to Completion
Preliminary Term Sheet dated April 6, 2017
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement No. 333-203433
(To Prospectus dated January 8, 2016,
Prospectus Supplement dated January 8, 2016 and
Product Supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1 dated
April 5, 2017)

Units
$10 principal amount per unit
CUSIP No
 
Pricing Date*
Settlement Date*
Maturity Date*
 
April  , 2017
May  , 2017
May  , 2018
*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”)
 
           
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities® Linked to the S&P 500® Index
§  Automatically callable if the closing level of the Index on any Observation Date, occurring approximately six, nine, and twelve months after the pricing date, is at or above the Starting Value
§  In the event of an automatic call, the amount payable per unit will be:
§    [$10.30 to $10.50] if called on the first Observation Date
§    [$10.45 to $10.75] if called on the second Observation Date
§    [$10.60 to $11.00] if called on the final Observation Date
§  If not called on the first or second Observation Dates, a maturity of approximately one year and one week
§  If not called, 1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Index, with up to 100% of your principal at risk
§  All payments are subject to the credit risk of Royal Bank of Canada
§  No periodic interest payments
§  In addition to the underwriting discount set forth below, the notes include a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit. See “Structuring the Notes”
§  Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing
§  The notes are unsecured debt securities and are not savings accounts or insured deposits of a bank. The notes are not insured or guaranteed by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other governmental agency of Canada or the United States
      
 
The notes are being issued by Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.
The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is expected to be between $9.5381 and $9.8381 per unit, which is less than the public offering price listed below. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-11 of this term sheet for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Note Prospectus (as defined below) is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Per Unit
  
Total
Public offering price(1)
$10.000
  
$            
Underwriting discount(1)
$0.125
  
$            
Proceeds, before expenses, to RBC
$9.875
  
$            
(1)
For any purchase of 500,000 units or more in a single transaction by an individual investor or in combined transactions with the investor’s household in this offering, the public offering price and the underwriting discount will be $9.975 per unit and $0.100 per unit, respectively. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution” below.

The notes:
Are Not FDIC Insured
Are Not Bank Guaranteed
May Lose Value
 
Merrill Lynch & Co.
April     , 2017
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Summary
The Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities® Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of RBC. The notes will be automatically called at the applicable Call Amount if the closing level of the Market Measure, which is the S&P 500® Index (the “Index”), on any Observation Date is equal to or greater than the Starting Value. If your notes are not called, you will lose all or a portion of the principal amount of your notes. Payments on the notes, including the amount you receive at maturity or upon an automatic call, will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Index, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.
The economic terms of the notes (including the Call Amounts and Call Premiums) are based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate we would pay to borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements.  Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities.  This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging related charge described below, will reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes will be greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.
On the cover page of this term sheet, we have provided the initial estimated value range for the notes.  This initial estimated value range was determined based on our and our affiliates’ pricing models, which take into consideration our internal funding rate and the market prices for the hedging arrangements related to the notes.  The initial estimated value of the notes calculated on the pricing date will be set forth in the final term sheet made available to investors in the notes.   The notes are subject to an automatic call, and the initial estimated value is based on an assumed tenor of the notes. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-11.
 
 
Terms of the Notes
 
Issuer:
  
Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”)
 
Principal Amount:
  
$10.00 per unit
 
Term:
  
Approximately one year and one week, if not called on the first or second Observation Dates.
 
Market Measure:
  
The S&P 500® Index (Bloomberg symbol: “SPX”), a price return index.
 
Starting Value:
  
The closing level of the Market Measure on the pricing date.
 
Ending Value:
  
The Observation Level of the Market Measure on the final Observation Date.
 
Observation Level:
  
The closing level of the Market Measure on any Observation Date.
 
Observation Dates:
  
October  , 2017, January  , 2018 and May  , 2018 (the final Observation Date), approximately six, nine, and twelve months after the pricing date.
The Observation Dates are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page PS-18 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.
 
Call Level:
  
100% of the Starting Value
 
Call Amounts (per Unit) and Call Premiums:
  
[$10.30 to $10.50], representing a Call Premium of [3.00% to 5.00%] of the principal amount, if called on the first Observation Date;
[$10.45 to $10.75], representing a Call Premium of [4.50% to 7.50%] of the principal amount, if called on the second Observation Date; and
[$10.60 to $11.00], representing a Call Premium of [6.00% to 10.00%] of the principal amount, if called on the final Observation Date.
The actual Call Amounts and Call Premiums will be determined on the pricing date.
 
Call Settlement Dates:
  
Approximately the fifth business day following the applicable Observation Date, subject to postponement as described beginning on page PS-18 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1; provided however, that the Call Settlement Date related to the final Observation Date will be the maturity date.
 
Threshold Value:
  
100% of the Starting Value.
 
Fees and
Charges:
  
The underwriting discount of $0.125 per unit listed on the cover page and the hedging related charge of $0.05 per unit described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-11.
 
Calculation Agent:
  
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”).
Payment Determination
Automatic Call Provision:
 
Redemption Amount Determination:
If the notes are not called you will receive the Redemption Amount per unit on the maturity date, determined as follows:
Because the Threshold Value for the notes is equal to the Starting Value, you will lose all or a portion of your investment if the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-2
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:
§
Product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1 dated April 5, 2017:
§
Series G MTN prospectus supplement dated January 8, 2016:
§
Prospectus dated January 8, 2016:
These documents (together, the “Note Prospectus”) have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated above or obtained from MLPF&S by calling 1-800-294-1322. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, for information about us and this offering.  Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to RBC.
Investor Considerations
You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:
§
You anticipate that the closing level of the Index on any of the Observation Dates will be equal to or greater than the Starting Value and, in that case, you accept an early exit from your investment.
§
You accept that the return on the notes will be limited to the return represented by the applicable Call Premium even if the percentage change in the level of the Index is significantly greater than the applicable Call Premium.
§
If the notes are not called, you accept that your investment will result in a loss, which could be significant, if the Ending Value is below the Threshold Value.
§
You are willing to forgo the interest payments that are paid on conventional interest bearing debt securities.
§
You are willing to forgo dividends or other benefits of owning the stocks included in the Index.
§
You are willing to accept a limited or no market for sales prior to maturity, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our  actual and perceived creditworthiness, our internal funding rate and fees and charges on the notes.
§
You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Call Amounts and the Redemption Amount.
The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:
§
You wish to make an investment that cannot be automatically called prior to maturity.
§
You believe that the level of the Index will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.
§
You anticipate that the Observation Level will be less than the Call Level on each Observation Date.
§
You seek an uncapped return on your investment
§
You seek principal repayment or preservation of capital.
§
You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment.
§
You want to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Index.
§
You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market.
§
You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes.
 
We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-3
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Examples of Hypothetical Payments
The following examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. They illustrate the calculation of the Call Amount or Redemption Amount, as applicable, based on the hypothetical terms set forth below. The actual amount you receive and the resulting return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value, Call Level, Observation Levels, Call Premiums, and the term of your investment. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes. These examples are based on:
1)
a Starting Value of 100.00;
2)
a Threshold Value of 100.00;
3)
a Call Level of 100.00;
4)
an expected term of the notes of approximately one year and one week, if the notes are not called on the first or second Observation Dates;
5)
a Call Premium of 4.00% of the principal amount if the notes are called on the first Observation Date, 6.00% if called on the second Observation Date, and 8.00% if called on the final Observation Date (the midpoint of the applicable Call Premium ranges); and
6)
Observation Dates occurring approximately six, nine, and twelve months after the pricing date.
The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent a likely actual Starting Value of the Market Measure. For recent actual levels of the Market Measure, see “The Index” section below. The Index is a price return index and as such the level of the Index will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the stocks included in the Index, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in those stocks directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-4
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Notes Are Called on an Observation Date
The notes will be called at $10.00 plus the applicable Call Premium on one of the Observation Dates if the Observation Level is equal to or greater than the Call Level.
Example 1 – The Observation Level on the first Observation Date is 110.00. Therefore, the notes will be called at $10.00 plus the Call Premium of $0.40 = $10.40 per unit. After the notes are called, they will no longer remain outstanding and there will not be any further payments on the notes.
Example 2 – The Observation Level on the first Observation Date is below the Call Level, but the Observation Level on the second Observation Date is 105.00. Therefore, the notes will be called at $10.00 plus the Call Premium of $0.60 = $10.60 per unit. After the notes are called, they will no longer remain outstanding and there will not be any further payments on the notes.
Example 3 – The Observation Levels on the first and second Observation Dates are below the Call Level, but the Observation Level on the third and final Observation Date is 105.00. Therefore, the notes will be called at $10.00 plus the Call Premium of $0.80 = $10.80 per unit.
Notes Are Not Called on Any Observation Date
Example 4 – The notes are not called on any Observation Date and the Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value. The Redemption Amount will be less, and possibly significantly less, than the principal amount. For example, if the Ending Value is 85.00, the Redemption Amount per unit will be:
Summary of the Hypothetical Examples
Notes Are Called on an Observation Date
 
Notes Are Not
Called on Any
Observation Date
 
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Starting Value
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Call Level
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Threshold Value
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Observation Level on the First Observation Date
110.00
90.00
90.00
88.00
Observation Level on the Second Observation Date
N/A
105.00
83.00
78.00
Observation Level on the Final Observation Date
N/A
N/A
105.00
85.00
Return of the Index
10.00%
5.00%
5.00%
-15.00%
Return of the Notes
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
-15.00%
Call Amount /
Redemption Amount per Unit
$10.40
$10.60
$10.80
$8.50
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-5
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Risk Factors
There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security.  An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1, page S-1 of the MTN prospectus supplement, and page 1 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.
§
If the notes are not called, your investment will result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal.
§
Your return on the notes may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity.
§
Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment.
§
Your investment return is limited to the return represented by the applicable Call Premium and may be less than a comparable investment directly in the stocks included in the Index.
§
The initial estimated value of the notes is an estimate only, determined as of a particular point in time by reference to our and our affiliates’ pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, including our credit spreads, our internal funding rate on the pricing date, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on interest rates and volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of the notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect.
§
The public offering price you pay for the notes will exceed the initial estimated value. If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than the initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the level of the Index, our internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and the hedging related charge, all as further described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-11. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways.
§
The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, MLPF&S or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your notes at any time after issuance will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including the performance of the Index, our creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
§
A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. Neither we nor MLPF&S is obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market.
§
Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S and our respective affiliates (including trades in shares of companies included in the Index), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you.
§
The Index sponsor may adjust the Index in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests.
§
You will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive securities or dividends or other distributions by the issuers of those securities.
§
While we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates may from time to time own securities of companies included in the Index, except to the extent that the common stock of Bank of America Corporation (the parent company of MLPF&S) is included in the Index, we, MLPF&S and our respective affiliates do not control any company included in the Index, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company.
§
There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent, which is MLPF&S.  We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent.
§
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes.  See “Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page PS-31 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1. For a discussion of the Canadian federal income tax consequences of investing in the notes, see “Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the prospectus dated January 8, 2016.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-6
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
The Index
All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make up, method of calculation, and changes in its components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (the “Index sponsor”). The Index sponsor, which owns the copyright and all other rights to the Index, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Index. The consequences of the Index sponsor discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section entitled “Description of the Notes—Discontinuance of an Index” beginning on page PS-21 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1. None of us, the calculation agent, or MLPF&S accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Index or any successor index.
The Index is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The calculation of the level of the Index is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943.
The Index sponsor chooses companies for inclusion in the Index with the aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of its Stock Guide Database of over 10,000 companies, which the Index sponsor uses as an assumed model for the composition of the total market. Relevant criteria employed by the Index sponsor include the viability of the particular company, the extent to which that company represents the industry group to which it is assigned, the extent to which the market price of that company’s common stock generally is responsive to changes in the affairs of the respective industry and the market value and trading activity of the common stock of that company. Eleven main groups of companies constitute the Index, with the approximate percentage of the market capitalization of the Index included in each group as of March 31, 2017 indicated in parentheses: Consumer Discretionary (12.3%); Consumer Staples (9.3%); Energy (6.6%); Financials (14.4%); Health Care (13.9%); Industrials (10.1%); Information Technology (22.1%); Materials (2.8%); Real Estate (2.9%); Telecommunication Services (2.4%); and Utilities (3.2%). The Index sponsor may from time to time, in its sole discretion, add companies to, or delete companies from, the Index to achieve the objectives stated above.
The Index sponsor calculates the Index by reference to the prices of the constituent stocks of the Index without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the Index constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on those stocks.
Computation of the Index
While the Index sponsor currently employs the following methodology to calculate the Index, no assurance can be given that the Index sponsor will not modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect the Redemption Amount.
Historically, the market value of any component stock of the Index was calculated as the product of the market price per share and the number of then outstanding shares of such component stock. In March 2005, the Index sponsor began shifting the Index halfway from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before moving the Index to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005. The Index sponsor’s criteria for selecting stocks for the Index did not change with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each company’s weight in the Index.
Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the Index reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a company’s outstanding shares.  Float adjustment excludes shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly traded companies or government agencies.
In September 2012, all shareholdings representing more than 5% of a stock’s outstanding shares, other than holdings by “block owners,” were removed from the float for purposes of calculating the Index.  Generally, these “control holders” will include officers and directors, private equity, venture capital and special equity firms, other publicly traded companies that hold shares for control, strategic partners, holders of restricted shares, ESOPs, employee and family trusts, foundations associated with the company, holders of unlisted share classes of stock, government entities at all levels (other than government retirement/pension funds) and any individual person who controls a 5% or greater stake in a company as reported in regulatory filings.  However, holdings by block owners, such as depositary banks, pension funds, mutual funds and ETF providers, 401(k) plans of the company, government retirement/pension funds, investment funds of insurance companies, asset managers and investment funds, independent foundations and savings and investment plans, will ordinarily be considered part of the float.
Treasury stock, stock options, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. Shares held in a trust to allow investors in countries outside the country of domicile, such as depositary shares and Canadian exchangeable shares are normally part of the float unless those shares form a control block.  If a company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class are treated as a control block.
For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated by dividing the available float shares by the total shares outstanding.  As of September 21, 2012, available float shares are defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held by control holders.  This calculation is subject to a 5% minimum threshold for control blocks.  For example, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares, and no other control group holds 5% of the company’s shares, the Index sponsor would assign that company an IWF of 1.00, as no control group meets the 5% threshold.  However, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares and another control group holds 20% of the company’s shares, the Index sponsor would assign an IWF of 0.77, reflecting the fact that 23% of the company’s outstanding shares are considered to be held for control.  For companies with multiple classes of stock,
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-7
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
the Index sponsor calculates the weighted average IWF for each stock using the proportion of the total company market capitalization of each share class as weights.
The Index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The level of the Index reflects the total market value of all 500 component stocks relative to the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent the results of this calculation in order to make the level easier to work with and track over time. The actual total market value of the component stocks during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943 has been set to an indexed level of 10. This is often indicated by the notation 1941- 43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the Index is computed by dividing the total market value of the component stocks by the “index divisor.” By itself, the index divisor is an arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the Index, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the Index. The index divisor keeps the Index comparable over time and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the Index, which is index maintenance.
Index Maintenance
Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, share changes, stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price adjustments due to company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the companies in the Index, and do not require index divisor adjustments.
To prevent the level of the Index from changing due to corporate actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of the Index require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level of the Index remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the Index. Index divisor adjustments are made after the close of trading and after the calculation of the Index closing level.
Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, tender offers, Dutch auctions, or exchange offers are made as soon as reasonably possible. Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions of publicly held companies that trade on a major exchange are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same headline index, and regardless of the size of the change. All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, at-the-market offerings, or other recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Fridays for implementation after the close of trading on the following Friday. Changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, and are usually announced two to five days prior.
If a change in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more causes a company’s IWF to change by five percentage points or more, the IWF is updated at the same time as the share change. IWF changes resulting from partial tender offers are considered on a case-by-case basis.
The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the Index in the period from January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2017.  We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P.  We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. On March 31, 2017, the closing level of the Index was 2,362.72.
Historical Performance of the Index
 
This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.
Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the Index.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-8
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
License Agreement
S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”).  These trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. “Standard & Poor’s®,” “S&P 500®” and “S&P®” are trademarks of S&P. These trademarks have been sublicensed for certain purposes by us.  The Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates and has been licensed for use by us.
The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”).  S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the Index to track general market performance.  S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to us with respect to the Index is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its third party licensors.  The Index is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to us or the notes.  S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take our needs or the needs of holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index.  S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash.  S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes.  There is no assurance that investment products based on the Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns.  S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its subsidiaries are not investment advisors.  Inclusion of a security or futures contract within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security or futures contract, nor is it considered to be investment advice.   Notwithstanding the foregoing, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the notes currently being issued by us, but which may be similar to and competitive with the notes.  In addition, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the Index.  It is possible that this trading activity will affect the value of the notes.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO.  S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN.  S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, HOLDERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO.  WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.  THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND US, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-9
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Supplement to the Plan of Distribution
 Under our distribution agreement with MLPF&S, MLPF&S will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount.
We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than three business days following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than three business days from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than three business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.
MLPF&S may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, and these will include MLPF&S’s trading commissions and mark-ups. MLPF&S may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, it is not obligated to engage in any such transactions. At MLPF&S’s discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Index and the remaining term of the notes. However, neither we nor any of our affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.
The value of the notes shown on your account statement will be based on MLPF&S’s estimate of the value of the notes if MLPF&S or another of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. That estimate will be based upon the price that MLPF&S may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.
The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding RBC or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.
An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:
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the investor’s spouse (including a domestic partner), siblings, parents, grandparents, spouse’s parents, children and grandchildren, but excluding accounts held by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews or any other family relationship not directly above or below the individual investor;
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a family investment vehicle, including foundations, limited partnerships and personal holding companies, but only if the beneficial owners of the vehicle consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; and
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a trust where the grantors and/or beneficiaries of the trust consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; provided that, purchases of the notes by a trust generally cannot be aggregated together with any purchases made by a trustee’s personal account.
Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”), and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).

Please contact your Merrill Lynch financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-10
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Structuring the Notes
The notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Index.  As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing.  In addition, because market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under these notes at a rate that is more favorable to us than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security. That rate, which we refer to in this term sheet as our internal funding rate, is generally lower by an amount that we do not expect to exceed 0.50% per annum (equivalent to $0.05 per unit). This generally relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the economic terms of the notes, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked notes, typically results in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than their public offering price.
Payments on the notes, including the amount you receive at maturity or upon an automatic call, will be calculated based on the $10 per unit principal amount and will depend on the performance of the Index. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with MLPF&S or one of its affiliates.  The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by seeking bids from market participants, including MLPF&S and its affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Index, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements.  The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.
MLPF&S has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging related charge of approximately $0.05 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to MLPF&S from these transactions.  Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by MLPF&S or any third party hedge providers.
For further information, see “Risk Factors—General Risks Relating to the Notes” beginning on page PS-7 and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-16 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-11
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the S&P 500® Index, due May  , 2018
Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences
For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the notes, please see the section entitled “Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the prospectus dated January 8, 2016.

Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
You should consider the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including the following:
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There is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the notes.
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You agree with us (in the absence of a statutory, regulatory, administrative, or judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize and treat the notes for all tax purposes as pre-paid derivative contracts in respect of the Index.
§
Under this characterization and tax treatment of the notes, a U.S. holder (as defined beginning on page 27 of the prospectus) generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, redemption or maturity of the notes. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the notes for more than one year.
§
No assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service or any court will agree with this characterization and tax treatment.
You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws.  You should review carefully the discussion under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page PS-31 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.

Where You Can Find More Information
We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates.  Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC, for more complete information about us and this offering.  You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you these documents if you so request by calling MLPF&S toll-free at 1-800-294-1322.

Market-Linked Investments Classification
MLPF&S classifies certain market-linked investments (the “Market-Linked Investments”) into categories, each with different investment characteristics. The following description is meant solely for informational purposes and is not intended to represent any particular Enhanced Return Market-Linked Investment or guarantee any performance.
Enhanced Return Market-Linked Investments are short- to medium-term investments that offer you a way to enhance exposure to a particular market view without taking on a similarly enhanced level of market downside risk. They can be especially effective in a flat to moderately positive market (or, in the case of bearish investments, a flat to moderately negative market). In exchange for the potential to receive better-than market returns on the linked asset, you must generally accept market downside risk and capped upside potential.  As these investments are not market downside protected, and do not assure full repayment of principal at maturity, you need to be prepared for the possibility that you may lose all or part of your investment.
“Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®” is a registered service mark of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S.
 
 
Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
TS-12