424B2 1 dp66357_424b2-str102.htm FORM 424B2

Preliminary Pricing Supplement STR-102

(To Prospectus dated April 27, 2016,

Prospectus Supplement dated July 31, 2015 and

Product Supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1

dated August 4, 2015)

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Pricing Supplement

dated June 7, 2016

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-206013

 


Units
$10 principal amount per unit

CUSIP No.
 


Pricing Date*
Settlement Date*
Maturity Date*

June  , 2016
July  , 2016
July  , 2017
* 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 NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM

 

§  Automatically callable if the Observation 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:

 

§  [$11.250 to $11.450] if called on the first Observation Date

 

§  [$11.875 to $12.175] if called on the second Observation Date

 

§  [$12.500 to $12.900] if called on the final Observation Date

 

§  If not called prior to the final Observation Date, a maturity of approximately one year and one week

 

§  If not called, 1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Index beyond a 10% decline, with up to 90% of your principal at risk

 

§  All payments are subject to the credit risk of Deutsche Bank AG

 

§  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 being issued by Deutsche Bank AG (“Deutsche Bank”) through its London Branch. There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-7 of this term sheet and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1, page PS-5 of the prospectus supplement and page 13 of the prospectus.

 

The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is expected to be between $9.60 and $9.80 per unit, which is less than the public offering price listed below. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-7 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-12 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.

 

By acquiring the notes, you will be bound by and deemed irrevocably to consent to the imposition of any Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority. See “Consent to Potential Imposition of Resolution Measures” on page TS-3 of this term sheet.

 

_________________________

 

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 Deutsche Bank   $  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.

June     , 2016

 

 
 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

Summary

 

The Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities® Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July , 2017 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured obligations. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally and pari passu with the claims of all our other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, subject to any statutory priority regime of the jurisdiction of our incorporation (or, in the case of notes issued by Deutsche Bank AG through a branch, of the law of the jurisdiction where the branch is established). Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of Deutsche Bank and to any Resolution Measure (as described herein) imposed by the competent resolution authority. The notes will be automatically called at the applicable Call Amount if the Observation Level of the Market Measure, which is the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM (the “Index”), is equal to or greater than the Call Level on the relevant Observation Date. If your notes are not automatically called and the Ending Value is greater than or equal to the Threshold Value, at maturity, you will receive the principal amount; if the Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value, you will lose a portion, which could be significant, 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.

 

On the cover page of this term sheet, we have provided the initial estimated value range for the notes. Our initial estimated value of the notes was determined based on our valuation of two theoretical components of the notes: (i) a theoretical bond component and (ii) a theoretical derivative component. The value of the bond component of the notes is calculated based on an internal funding rate, which is determined primarily based on the rates at which our conventional debt securities of comparable maturity may trade, adjusted to account for our funding needs and objectives for the period matching the term of the notes. The value of the derivative component is calculated based on our internal pricing models using relevant parameter inputs.

 

The economic terms of the notes (including the Call Premiums and the Call Amounts) are based on the internal funding rate and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements. The internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities on equivalent terms. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes (which includes 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. 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. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-12.

 

Terms of the Notes Payment Determination
   
Issuer: Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch

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:

 

 

You will receive per unit:

 

In this case, you will receive a Redemption Amount that is less, and possibly significantly less, than the principal amount.

 

Principal Amount: $10.00 per unit
Term: Approximately one year and one week, if not called prior to the final Observation Date.
Market Measure: The NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM (Bloomberg symbol: “GDM”), 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 the applicable Observation Date.
Observation Dates:

January , 2017, April , 2017 and July , 2017 (the final Observation Date), approximately six, nine, and twelve months after the pricing date, respectively.

 

The Observation Dates are subject to postponement if a Market Disruption Event occurs, as described beginning on page PS-20 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.

 

Call Level: 100% of the Starting Value
Call Amounts  and Call Premiums (per Unit):

[$11.250 to $11.450], representing a Call Premium of [$1.250 to $1.450] and a return of [12.50% to 14.50%] of the principal amount, if called on the first Observation Date;

 

[$11.875 to $12.175], representing a Call Premium of [$1.875 to $2.175] and a return of [18.75% to 21.75%] of the principal amount, if called on the second Observation Date; and

 

[$12.500 to $12.900], representing a Call Premium of [$2.500 to $2.900] and a return of [25.00% to 29.00%] 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-20 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: 90% of the Starting Value, rounded to two decimal places.
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-12.
Calculation Agent: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) and Deutsche Bank, acting jointly.

 

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-2

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:

 

§Product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1 dated August 4, 2015:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000095010315006216/dp58443_424b2-starsequity.htm

 

§Prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2015:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000095010315006048/crt-dp58161_424b2.pdf

 

§Prospectus dated April 27, 2016:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000119312516559607/d181910d424b21.pdf

 

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. When you read the accompanying product supplement and prospectus supplement, please note that all references in such supplements to the prospectus dated July 31, 2015, or to any sections therein, should refer instead to the accompanying prospectus dated April 27, 2016 or to the corresponding sections of such prospectus, as applicable, unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires. 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 Deutsche Bank.

 

Consent to Potential Imposition of Resolution Measures

 

Under the German Recovery and Resolution Act, which became effective on January 1, 2015, the notes may be subject to any Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority under relevant German and/or European laws or regulations if we become, or are deemed by the competent supervisory authority to have become, “non-viable” (as defined under the then applicable law) and are unable to continue our regulated banking activities without a Resolution Measure becoming applicable to us. A “Resolution Measure” may include: (i) a write down, including to zero, of any payment on the notes; (ii) a conversion of the notes into ordinary shares of (a) the Issuer, (b) any group entity or (c) any bridge bank or other instruments of ownership of such entities qualifying as common equity tier 1 capital; and/or (iii) any other resolution measure, including, but not limited to, any transfer of the notes to another entity, the amendment, modification or variation of the terms and conditions of the notes or the cancellation of the notes. By acquiring the notes, you will be deemed irrevocably to agree:

 

·to be bound by, to acknowledge and to accept any Resolution Measure and any amendment, modification or variation of the terms and conditions of the notes to give effect to any Resolution Measure;

 

·that you would have no claim or other right against us arising out of any Resolution Measure; and

 

·that the imposition of any Resolution Measure will not constitute a default or an event of default under the notes, under the senior indenture or for the purposes of, but only to the fullest extent permitted by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as set forth in the accompanying prospectus dated April 27, 2016.

 

Please read “Risk Factors” in this term sheet and see the accompanying prospectus, including the risk factors beginning on page 13 of such prospectus, for further information.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-3

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

Investor Considerations

 

You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:   The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:
     

§  You anticipate that the Observation Level of the Index on an Observation Date will be equal to or greater than the Call Level 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 return represented by 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, the 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 Amount or the Redemption Amount, as applicable.

 

§  You are willing to consent to be bound by any Resolution Measure imposed by the competent resolution authority.

 

§  You wish to make an investment that cannot be automatically called prior to maturity.

 

§  You anticipate that the Observation Level of the Index will be less than the Call Level on each Observation Date, including the final Observation Date.

 

§  You seek an uncapped return on your investment.

 

§  You seek 100% 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.

 

§  You are unwilling to consent to be bound by any Resolution Measure imposed by the competent resolution authority.

 

 

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-4

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

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 you will receive on the applicable Call Settlement Date or, if not called, the calculation of the Redemption Amount, based on the hypothetical terms set forth below. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value, Call Level, Observation Levels, Call Amounts, Call Premiums, Ending Value, whether the notes are called on an Observation Date and whether you hold the notes to maturity. 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 90.00;

 

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 prior to the final Observation Date;

 

5)a Call Premium of $1.350 if the notes are called on the first Observation Date, $2.025 if called on the second Observation Date, and $2.700 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 Ending Value 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-5

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

Notes Are Called on an Observation Date

 

The notes will be called at $10.000 plus the applicable Call Premium if the Observation Level on one of the Observation Dates 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 $10.000 plus the Call Premium of $1.350 = $11.350 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 $10.000 plus the Call Premium of $2.025 = $12.025 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 $10.000 plus the Call Premium of $2.700 = $12.700 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 97.00, which is greater than the Threshold Value. Therefore, the Redemption Amount per unit will be $10.000.

 

Example 5 - 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 70.00, 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 Example 5
Starting Value 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Call Level 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Threshold Value 90.00 90.00 90.00 90.00 90.00
Observation Level on the First Observation Date 110.00 90.00 90.00 93.00 88.00
Observation Level on the Second Observation Date N/A 105.00 83.00 85.00 78.00
Observation Level on the Final Observation Date N/A N/A 105.00 97.00 70.00
Return of the Index 10.00% 5.00% 5.00% -3.00% -30.00%
Return of the Notes(1) 13.50% 20.25% 27.00% 0.00% -20.00%

Call Amount /

Redemption Amount per Unit

$11.350 $12.025 $12.700 $10.000 $8.000
   
(1)Represents the total return over the period during which the notes were outstanding before the Call Settlement Date or the Maturity Date, as applicable.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-6

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

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 PS-5 of the prospectus supplement and page 13 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 automatically called, your investment may 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 any 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.

 

§The notes may be written down to zero, be converted into ordinary shares or other instruments of ownership or become subject to other Resolution Measures. You may lose some or all of your investment if any such measure becomes applicable to us. In a German insolvency proceeding or in the event of the imposition of Resolution Measures with respect to the Issuer, the Structured Debt Securities (as defined in the accompanying prospectus) are expected to be among the unsecured unsubordinated obligations that would bear losses after the Non-Structured Debt Securities (as defined in the accompanying prospectus). We expect the notes offered herein to be classified as Structured Debt Securities, but the competent regulatory authority or court may classify the notes differently. The imposition of any Resolution Measure does not constitute a default or an event of default under the notes, the senior indenture or for the purposes of, but only to the fullest extent permitted by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 or give you any other right to accelerate or terminate the notes. You may have limited or circumscribed rights to challenge any decision of the competent resolution authority to impose any Resolution Measure. Please see “Consent to Potential Imposition of Resolution Measures” in this term sheet and the risk factors beginning on page 13 of the accompanying prospectus for more information.

 

§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 an internal funding rate and our pricing models. The internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities of comparable maturity. As a result of this difference, the initial estimated value of the notes would likely be lower if it were based on the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities of comparable maturity. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes (which includes the hedging related charge described below), reduces the economic terms of the notes to you.

 

§Our internal pricing models consider relevant parameter inputs such as expected interest and dividend rates and mid-market levels of price and volatility of the assets underlying the notes or any futures, options or swaps related to such underlying assets. Our pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. Because our pricing models may differ from other financial institutions’ valuation models, and because funding rates taken into account by other financial institutions (including those with similar creditworthiness) may vary materially from the internal funding rate used by us, our initial estimated value of the notes may not be comparable to the initial estimated values of similar notes of other financial institutions.

 

§The public offering price you pay for the notes will exceed the initial estimated value. The difference is due to the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes (which includes the hedging related charge described below), all as further described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-12. These factors are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, including changes in the level of the Index, will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways.

 

§The initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date does not represent the price at which we, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates would be willing to purchase your notes in the secondary market at any time. Assuming no changes in market conditions or our creditworthiness and other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which we, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates would be willing to purchase the notes from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, would generally be lower than both the public offering price and the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date. MLPF&S has advised us that any repurchases by them or their affiliates will be made at prices determined by reference to their pricing models and at their discretion. These prices will include MLPF&S’s trading commissions and mark-ups and may differ materially from the initial estimated value of the notes determined by reference to our internal funding rate and pricing models.

 

§A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. None of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates 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.

 

§Your return on the notes and the value of the notes may be affected by exchange rate movements and factors affecting the international securities markets.

 

§Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S and our respective affiliates (including trading in securities 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. Our economic interests in determining the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date and the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates would be willing to purchase the notes from you in secondary market transactions, are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-7

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

§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 included in 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, 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 company.

 

§There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agents, one of which is us and one of which is MLPF&S. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agents.

 

§The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to you. See “Summary Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” beginning on page PS-29 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.

 

Additional Risk Factors

 

All of the securities included in the Index are concentrated in one industry.

 

All of the securities included in the Index are issued by companies in the gold and silver mining industry. As a result, the securities that will determine the performance of the notes are concentrated in one industry. Although an investment in the notes will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the securities included in the Index, the return on an investment in the notes will be subject to certain risks similar to those associated with direct equity investments in the gold and silver mining industry. Accordingly, by investing in the notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.

 

A small number of Index components with larger market capitalization may have a significant impact on the level of the Index and the Index is not necessarily representative of the gold and silver mining industry.

 

As of May 31, 2016, the top three and top six Index components constituted 24.09% and 40.07% of the total weight of the Index, respectively. Any reduction in the market prices of those securities with larger market capitalization is likely to have a substantial adverse impact on the level of the Index and the value of the notes.

 

While the Index includes only equity securities of companies generally considered to be involved in various segments of the gold and silver mining industry, the securities included in the Index may not follow the price movements of the entire gold and silver mining industry generally. If the securities included in the Index decline in value, the Index will decline in value even if security prices in the gold and silver mining industry generally increase in value.

 

There is no direct correlation between the value of the notes or the level of the Index, on the one hand, and gold and silver prices, on the other hand.

 

Although the price of gold or silver is one factor that may influence the performance of the securities underlying the Index, the notes are not linked to the gold or silver spot prices or to gold or silver futures. There is no direct linkage between the level of the Index and the prices of gold and silver. While gold and silver prices may be one factor that could affect the prices of the securities included in the Index and, consequently, the level of the Index, the notes and the Redemption Amount are not directly linked to the movement of gold and silver prices and may be affected by factors unrelated to those movements. Investing in the notes is not the same as investing in gold or silver, and you should not invest in the notes if you wish to invest in a product that is linked directly to the price of gold or silver.

 

NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) the sponsor and compiler of the Index, retains significant control and discretionary decision-making over the Index and is responsible for decisions regarding the interpretation of and amendments to the Index rules, which may have an adverse effect on the level of the Index, the market value of the notes and the Redemption Amount you will receive on the maturity date.

 

NYSE Arca is the compiler of the Index and, as such, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Index and for decisions regarding the interpretation of the rules governing the Index. NYSE Arca has the discretion to make operational adjustments to the Index and to the Index components, including discretion to exclude companies that otherwise meet the minimum criteria for inclusion in the Index. In addition, NYSE Arca retains the power to supplement, amend in whole or in part, revise or withdraw the Index rules at any time, any of which may lead to changes in the way the Index is compiled or calculated or adversely affect the Index in another way. Any of these adjustments to the Index or the Index rules may adversely affect the level of the Index, the market value of the notes and the Redemption Amount you will receive on the maturity date. The Index sponsor has no obligation to take the needs of any buyer, seller or holder of the notes into consideration at any time.

 

The performance of the securities underlying the Index may be influenced by gold and silver prices.

 

To the extent the price of gold or silver has an effect, if any, on the prices of the securities included in the Index, gold prices and silver prices are subject to volatile price movements over short periods of time, represent trading in commodities markets, which are substantially different from equities markets, and are affected by numerous factors. These include economic factors, including the structure of and confidence in the global monetary system, expectations of the future rate of inflation, the relative strength of, and confidence in, the U.S. dollar (the currency in which the prices of gold and silver are generally quoted), interest rates and gold and silver borrowing and lending rates, and global or regional economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial, or other events.

 

Gold prices and silver prices may also be affected by industry factors such as industrial and jewelry demand, lending, sales and purchases of gold and silver by the official sector, including central banks and other governmental agencies and multilateral institutions which hold gold and silver, levels of gold and silver production and production costs, and short-term changes in supply and demand because of trading activities in the gold and silver markets. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effects of all or any combination of these factors.

 

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-8

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

The Index

 

We have derived all information contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation and changes in its components, from publicly available information. We have not participated in the preparation of, or verified, such publicly available information. Such information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Index sponsor”). The Index was developed by the NYSE Amex (formerly the American Stock Exchange) and is calculated, maintained and published by the Index sponsor. The Index sponsor 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” on page PS-23 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1. None of us, the calculation agents, or MLPF&S accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Index or any successor index.

 

General

 

The Index is a modified market capitalization weighted index composed of publicly traded companies primarily involved in the mining of gold and silver. The Index includes common stocks, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) of selected companies that are involved in mining for gold and silver and that are listed for trading and electronically quoted on a major stock market that is accessible by foreign investors.

 

The Index is reported by Bloomberg under the ticker symbol “GDM.”

 

Eligibility for Inclusion

 

In order for a company to be eligible for inclusion in the Index, such company must derive at least 50% of its revenues from gold mining and related activities. There will be a 10% buffer built in so that companies already existing in the Index will only be removed from the Index and will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Index in the next review if their gold mining revenues fall below the 40% level. In addition, both streaming companies and royalty companies are eligible for inclusion in the Index. At the discretion of the Index sponsor, companies that have not yet commenced production are also eligible for inclusion in the Index, provided they do have tangible revenues that are related to either the mining of gold or silver ore. In addition, there are no restrictions imposed on eligibility based on how much a particular company has hedged in gold or silver production via futures, options, or forward contracts.

 

It should be noted that the Index will maintain an exposure to companies with a significant revenue exposure to silver mining in addition to gold mining. This can be defined as those companies that either:

 

1.have a revenue exposure to silver mining that is greater than 50%; or

 

2.have a greater revenue exposure to silver mining than gold mining and have a combined gold/silver mining revenue exposure of greater than 50%.

 

The Index sponsor will ensure, solely through the company selections in the Index rebalances, that the percentage of the Index weight that will consist of these “silver-tilted” companies will not exceed 20%.

 

Furthermore, the Index sponsor has not specified the exact exchanges whose securities are eligible for inclusion in the Index, but generally the exchanges in most developed markets and major emerging markets are regarded as appropriate and the Index sponsor will use its discretion to avoid those exchanges and markets that are considered “frontier” in nature or alternatively, have major restrictions to foreign ownership.

 

Selection of Constituents

 

Only companies with market capitalization greater than $750 million, an average daily trading volume of at least 50,000 shares over the past three months and an average daily value traded of at least $1 million over the past three months are eligible for inclusion in the Index. Only one listing is permitted per company and the listing representing the company’s ordinary shares is generally used. However, if an ADR, GDR or U.S. cross-listing is available for a given security and it satisfies the minimum liquidity requirements, that ADR, GDR or U.S. cross-listing will be used instead of the locally listed ordinary share. If multiple share classes are available for a particular listing line, the shares outstanding for each class will be added up and be attributed to the most liquid class.

 

The Index sponsor has the discretion to not include all companies that meet the minimum levels for inclusion. These include, but are not limited to, pending corporate actions, litigation or geo-political events that may affect a given security.

 

Index Calculation and Quarterly Review of Weighting of Constituents

 

The Index is calculated using a modified market capitalization weighting methodology. The Index is weighted based on the market capitalization of each of the component securities, modified to conform to the following asset diversification requirements, which are applied in conjunction with the scheduled quarterly adjustments to the Index:

 

(1)the weight of any single component security may not account for more than 20% of the total value of the Index;

 

(2)the component securities are split into two subgroups — large and small, which are ranked by their unadjusted market capitalization weight in the Index. Large securities are defined as having a starting Index weight greater than or equal to 5%. Small securities are defined as having a starting Index weight below 5%; and

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-9

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

(3)the final aggregate weight of those component securities which individually represent more than 4.5% of the total value of the Index may not account for more than 45% of the total Index value.

 

At the time of the quarterly rebalance, the weights for the components securities (taking into account expected component changes and share adjustments), are modified in accordance with the following procedures.

 

Diversification Rule 1: If any component security exceeds 20% of the total value of the Index, then all securities greater than 20% of the Index are reduced to represent 20% of the value of the Index. The aggregate amount by which all component securities are reduced is redistributed proportionately across the remaining securities that represent less than 20% of the Index’s value. After this redistribution, if any other security then exceeds 20%, the security is set to 20% of the Index’s value and the redistribution is repeated.

 

Diversification Rule 2: The components are sorted into two groups, large are components with a starting Index weight of 5% or greater and small are those that are under 5% (after any adjustments for Diversification Rule 1). If there are no components that classify as Large components after Diversification Rule 1 is run, then Diversification Rule 2 is not executed. Alternatively, if the starting aggregate weight of the Large components after Diversification Rule 1 is run is not greater than 45% of the starting Index weight, then Diversification Rule 2 is not executed.

 

If Diversification Rule 2 is indeed executed, then the large group and small group in aggregate will represent 45% and 55%, respectively, of the final Index weight. The weight of each of the large securities will be scaled down proportionately (with a floor of 5%) so that the aggregate weight of the large components will be reduced to represent 45% of the Index. If any large component security falls below a weight equal to the product of 5% and the proportion by which the securities were scaled down following this distribution, then the weight of the security is set equal to 5% and the components with weights greater than 5% will be reduced proportionately. The weight of each of the small components will be scaled up proportionately from the redistribution of the large components. If any small component security exceeds a weight equal to the product of 4.5% and the proportion by which the securities were scaled down following this distribution, then the weight of the security is set equal to 4.5%. The redistribution of weight to the remaining securities is repeated until the entire amount has been redistributed.

 

Index Maintenance

 

The Index is reviewed quarterly to ensure that at least 90% of the Index weight is accounted for by Index components that continue to meet the initial eligibility requirements. Components will be removed from the Index during the quarterly review if (i) the market capitalization falls below $450 million or (ii) the average daily volume for the previous three months is lower than 30,000 shares and the average daily value traded for the previous three months is lower than $600,000. In addition, the Index is reviewed quarterly so that the Index components continue to represent the universe of companies involved in the gold and silver mining industry. The Index sponsor may, at any time, change the number of securities composing the Index by adding or deleting one or more securities, or replacing one or more securities contained in the Index with one or more substitute securities of its choice, if in the Index sponsor’s discretion such addition, deletion or substitution is necessary or appropriate to maintain the quality and/or character of the Index. Changes to the Index compositions and/or the component share weights in the Index typically take effect after the close of trading on the third Friday of March, June, September and December. The share quantity of each component security in the Index portfolio remains fixed between quarterly reviews except in the event of certain types of corporate actions such as stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends, or similar events. The share quantities used in the calculation of the Index are not typically adjusted for shares issued or repurchased between quarterly reviews. However, in the event of a merger between two components, the share quantity of the surviving entity may be adjusted to account for any security issued in the acquisition. The Index sponsor may substitute securities or change the number of securities included in the Index, based on changing conditions in the industry or in the event of certain types of corporate actions, including mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and reorganizations. In the event of component or share quantity changes to the Index portfolio, the payment of dividends other than ordinary cash dividends, spin-offs, rights offerings, re-capitalization, or other corporate actions affecting a component security of the Index; the index divisor may be adjusted to ensure that there are no changes to the level of the Index as a result of non-market forces.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-10

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the Index in the period from January 1, 2008 through June 1, 2016. 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 June 1, 2016, the closing level of the Index was 631.84.

 

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.

 

License Agreement

 

NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM is a service mark of NYSE Group, Inc. or its affiliates (“NYSE”) and has been licensed for use by us (the “Licensee”) in connection with the notes. Neither the Licensee nor the notes are sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by NYSE. NYSE makes no representations or warranties regarding the Licensee or the notes or the ability of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM to track general stock market performance.

 

NYSE MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.  IN NO EVENT SHALL NYSE HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-11

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

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 has advised us that they or their affiliates 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 prices 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 estimated value of the notes at the time of repurchase. 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, the remaining term of the notes, and our creditworthiness. However, none of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective 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 estimated value of the notes at the time of repurchase.

 

MLPF&S has also advised us that, if you hold your notes in a MLPF&S account, 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. 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 Deutsche Bank 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:

 

·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;

 

·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

 

·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.

 

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. The internal funding rate we use in pricing the market-linked note is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities of comparable maturity. 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.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-12

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

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. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we expect 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, which may include us, MLPF&S and one of our respective 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 $0.075 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 us, MLPF&S or any other 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-18 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES STR-1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-13

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

Summary Tax Consequences

 

In the opinion of our special tax counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, which is based on prevailing market conditions, it is more likely than not that the notes will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid financial contracts that are not debt. Generally, if this treatment is respected, (i) you should not recognize taxable income or loss prior to the maturity or other taxable disposition of your notes and (ii) the gain or loss on your notes should be short-term capital gain or loss unless you have held the notes for more than one year, in which case the gain or loss should be long-term capital gain or loss. The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court might not agree with this treatment, however, in which case the timing and character of income or loss on your notes could be materially and adversely affected.

 

In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. The notice focuses in particular on whether beneficial owners of these instruments should be required to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; the relevance of factors such as the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; the degree, if any, to which income (including any mandated accruals) realized by non-U.S. persons should be subject to withholding tax; and whether these instruments are or should be subject to the “constructive ownership” regime, which very generally can operate to recharacterize certain long-term capital gain as ordinary income and impose a notional interest charge. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

 

Withholding under legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA” might (if the notes were recharacterized as debt instruments) apply to amounts treated as interest paid with respect to the notes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” under a recent IRS notice, withholding under FATCA will not apply to payments of gross proceeds (other than any amount treated as interest) of a taxable disposition, including upon an automatic call or at maturity, of the notes. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the potential application of FATCA to the notes.

 

Non-U.S. holders should note that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” recently promulgated Treasury regulations imposing a withholding tax on certain “dividend equivalents” under certain “equity linked instruments” will not apply to the notes.

 

You should review carefully the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.” The preceding discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our special tax counsel regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the notes.

 

Under current law, the United Kingdom will not impose withholding tax on payments made with respect to the notes.

 

For a discussion of certain German tax considerations relating to the notes, you should refer to the section in the accompanying prospectus supplement entitled “Taxation by Germany of Non-Resident Holders.”

 

You should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the notes (including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by the 2007 notice), as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

 

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®TS-14

Strategic Accelerated Redemption Securities®
Linked to the NYSE Arca Gold Miners IndexSM, due July  , 2017

 

 

 

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 has advised us that it 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-15