Preliminary Pricing Supplement No. U825
To the Underlying Supplement dated November 19, 2012,
Product Supplement No. U-I dated March 23, 2012,
Prospectus Supplement dated March 23, 2012 and
Prospectus dated March 23, 2012
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-180300-03
March 28, 2013
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Financial
Products
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$
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18 Month 6.00% - 6.50% per annum Callable Yield Notes due October 29, 2014 Linked to the Performance of the Russell 2000® Index and the iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund
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General
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The securities are designed for investors who are mildly bearish, neutral or mildly bullish on the Underlyings. Investors should be willing to lose some or all of their investment if a Knock-In Event occurs with respect to any Underlying. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.
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Interest will be paid monthly in arrears at a rate expected to be between 6.00% and 6.50% per annum (to be determined on the Trade Date), subject to Early Redemption. Interest will be calculated on a 30/360 basis.
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The Issuer may redeem the securities, in whole but not in part, on any Early Redemption Date scheduled to occur on or after July 29, 2013. No interest will accrue or be payable following an Early Redemption.
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Senior unsecured obligations of Credit Suisse AG, acting through its Nassau Branch, maturing October 29, 2014.†
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Minimum purchase of $1,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
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The securities are expected to price on or about April 24, 2013 (the “Trade Date”) and are expected to settle on or about April 29, 2013 (the “Settlement Date”). Delivery of the securities in book-entry form only will be made through The Depository Trust Company.
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Key Terms
Issuer:
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Credit Suisse AG (“Credit Suisse”), acting through its Nassau Branch
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Underlyings:
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Each Underlying is identified in the table below, together with its Bloomberg ticker symbol, Initial Level and Knock-In Level:
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Russell 2000® Index (“RTY”)
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RTY <Index>
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iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund (“FXI”)
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FXI UP <Equity>
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Interest Rate:
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Expected to be between 6.00% and 6.50% per annum (to be determined on the Trade Date). Interest will be calculated on a 30/360 basis.
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Interest Payment Dates:
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Unless redeemed earlier, interest will be paid monthly in arrears on May 29, 2013, June 28, 2013, July 29, 2013, August 29, 2013, September 30, 2013, October 29, 2013, November 29, 2013, December 30, 2013, January 29, 2014, February 28, 2014, March 31, 2014, April 29, 2014, May 29, 2014, June 30, 2014, July 29, 2014, August 29, 2014, September 29, 2014 and the Maturity Date, subject to the modified following business day convention. No interest will accrue or be payable following an Early Redemption.
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Redemption Amount:
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At maturity, the Redemption Amount you will be entitled to receive will depend on the individual performance of each Underlying and whether a Knock-In Event occurs. Subject to Early Redemption, the Redemption Amount will be determined as follows:
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If a Knock-In Event occurs, the Redemption Amount will equal the principal amount of the securities you hold multiplied by the sum of one plus the Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying. In this case, the maximum Redemption Amount will equal the principal amount of the securities. Therefore, unless the Final Level of each of the Underlyings is greater than or equal to its Initial Level, the Redemption Amount will be less than the principal amount of the securities and you could lose your entire investment.
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If a Knock-In Event does not occur, the Redemption Amount will equal the principal amount of the securities you hold.
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Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.
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Early Redemption:
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Prior to the Maturity Date, the Issuer may redeem the securities in whole, but not in part, on any Early Redemption Date scheduled to occur on or after July 29, 2013 upon notice on or before the relevant Early Redemption Notice Date at 100% of the principal amount of the securities, together with any accrued but unpaid interest payable.
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Early Redemption Dates:
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July 29, 2013, October 29, 2013, January 29, 2014, April 29, 2014 and July 29, 2014, subject to the modified following business day convention.
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Early Redemption Notice Dates:
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Notice of Early Redemption will be provided prior to the relevant Early Redemption Date on or before July 24, 2013, October 24, 2013, January 24, 2014, April 24, 2014 or July 24, 2014, as applicable.
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Knock-In Event:
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A Knock-In Event will occur if, on any trading day during the Observation Period, the closing level of any Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level.
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Knock-In Level:
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The Knock-In Level for each Underlying will be approximately 70.0% of the Initial Level of such Underlying (to be determined on the Trade Date).
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Lowest Performing Underlying:
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The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return.
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Underlying Return:
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For each Underlying, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows:
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Final Level—Initial Level
Initial Level
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; subject to a maximum of zero
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Initial Level:*
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For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Trade Date.
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Final Level:
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For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Valuation Date.
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Observation Period:
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The period from but excluding the Trade Date to and including the Valuation Date.
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Valuation Date:†
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October 24, 2014
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Maturity Date:†
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October 29, 2014
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Listing:
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The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.
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CUSIP:
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22546T4S7
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* In the event that the closing level of any Underlying is not available on the Trade Date, the Initial Level for such Underlying will be determined on the immediately following trading day on which a closing level is available.
† The Valuation Date for any Underlying is subject to postponement if such date is not an underlying business day for such Underlying or as a result of a market disruption event in respect to such Underlying and the Maturity Date is subject to postponement if such date is not a business day or if the Valuation Date for any Underlying is postponed, in each case as described in the accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities-Market disruption events.”
Investing in the securities involves a number of risks. See “Selected Risk Considerations” in this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-3 of the accompanying product supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this pricing supplement or the accompanying underlying supplement, the product supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Price to Public(1)
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Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(2)
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Proceeds to Issuer
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Per security
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$1,000.00
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$
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$
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Total
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$
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$
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$
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(1) Certain fiduciary accounts may pay a purchase price of at least $985.00 per $1,000 principal amount of securities, and CSSU will forgo any fees with respect to such sales.
(2) We or one of our affiliates may pay varying discounts and commissions of between $0.00 and $15.00 per $1,000 principal amount of securities. In addition, an affiliate of ours may pay fees to some broker-dealers of up to $9.00 per $1,000 principal amount of securities. For more detailed information, please see ‘‘Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)’’ on the last page of this pricing supplement.
The agent for this offering, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“CSSU”), is our affiliate. For more information, see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on the last page of this pricing supplement.
The securities are not deposit liabilities and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, Switzerland or any other jurisdiction.
Credit Suisse
April. . , 2013
You may revoke your offer to purchase the securities at any time prior to the time at which we accept such offer on the date the securities are priced. We reserve the right to change the terms of, or reject any offer to purchase the securities prior to their issuance. In the event of any changes to the terms of the securities, we will notify you and you will be asked to accept such changes in connection with your purchase. You may also choose to reject such changes in which case we may reject your offer to purchase.
Additional Terms Specific to the Securities
You should read this pricing supplement together with the underlying supplement dated November 19, 2012, the product supplement dated March 23, 2012, the prospectus supplement dated March 23, 2012 and the prospectus dated March 23, 2012, relating to our Medium-Term Notes of which these securities are a part. You may access these documents on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):
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Underlying supplement dated November 19, 2012:
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Product supplement No. U-I dated March 23, 2012:
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Prospectus supplement and Prospectus dated March 23, 2012:
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Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 1053092. As used in this pricing supplement, the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to Credit Suisse.
This pricing supplement, together with the documents listed above, contains the terms of the securities and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, fact sheets, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, brochures or other educational materials of ours. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” in the product supplement and “Selected Risk Considerations” in this pricing supplement, as the securities involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. You should consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors before deciding to invest in the securities.
Hypothetical Redemption Amounts and Total Payments on the Securities
The tables and examples below illustrate, for a $1,000 investment in the securities, hypothetical Redemption Amounts payable at maturity for a range of Underlying Returns for the Lowest Performing Underlying and, in the case of the tables, total payments over the term of the securities (which include both payments at maturity and the total interest paid on the securities), both in the event a Knock-In Event does not occur and in the event a Knock-In Event does occur. The tables and examples assume that (i) the securities are not redeemed prior to maturity, (ii) the Interest Rate applicable to the securities is 6.25% per annum (the midpoint of the expected range set forth on the cover of this pricing supplement), (iii) the term of the securities is exactly 18 months and (iv) the Knock-In Level for each Underlying is 70.0% of the Initial Level for such Underlying. The examples are intended to illustrate hypothetical calculations of only the Redemption Amount and do not illustrate the calculation or payment of any individual interest payment. The Redemption Amounts and total payment amounts set forth below are provided for illustration purposes only. The actual Redemption Amounts and total payments applicable to a purchaser of the securities will depend on several variables, including, but not limited to (a) whether on any trading day during the Observation Period the closing level of any Underlying is equal to or less than its respective Knock-In Level and (b) the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying determined on the Valuation Date. It is not possible to predict whether a Knock-In Event will occur, and in the event that there is a Knock-In Event, whether and by how much the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying will decrease in comparison to its Initial Level. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. The numbers appearing in the following tables and examples have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Table 1: A Knock-In Event DOES NOT occur.
Percentage Change
from the Initial Level
to the Final Level for
the Lowest
Performing
Underlying
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Underlying
Return of the
Lowest
Performing
Underlying
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Redemption Amount per
$1,000 Principal Amount of
Securities
(Knock-In Event
does not occur)
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Total Interest
Payment per $1,000
Principal Amount of
Securities
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Total Payment per
$1,000 Principal
Amount of Securities
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50%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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40%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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30%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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20%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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10%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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0%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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-10%
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-10%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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-20%
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-20%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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-29.99%
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-29.99%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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Table 2: A Knock-In Event DOES occur.
Percentage
Change from the
Initial Level to the
Final Level for the
Lowest Performing
Underlying
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Underlying
Return of the
Lowest
Performing
Underlying
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Redemption Amount per
$1,000 Principal Amount of
Securities
(Knock-In Event occurs)
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Total Interest
Payment per $1,000 Principal Amount
of Securities
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Total Payment
per $1,000 Principal
Amount of Securities
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50%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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40%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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30%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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20%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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10%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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0%
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0%
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$1,000
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$93.75
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$1,093.75
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-10%
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-10%
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$900
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$93.75
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$993.75
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-20%
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-20%
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$800
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$93.75
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$893.75
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-30%
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-30%
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$700
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$93.75
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$793.75
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-40%
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-40%
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$600
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$93.75
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$693.75
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-50%
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-50%
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$500
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$93.75
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$593.75
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-60%
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-60%
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$400
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$93.75
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$493.75
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-70%
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-70%
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$300
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$93.75
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$393.75
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-80%
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-80%
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$200
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$93.75
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$293.75
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-90%
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-90%
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$100
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$93.75
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$193.75
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-100%
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-100%
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$0
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$93.75
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$93.75
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Example 1: A Knock-In Event occurs because on a trading day during the Observation Period, the closing level of one Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level; and the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level.
Underlying
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Lowest closing level of the Underlying
during the Observation Period
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Final Level
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RTY
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100% of Initial Level
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110% of Initial Level
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FXI
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70% of Initial Level
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70% of Initial Level
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Since the closing level of FXI on a trading day during the Observation Period is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, a Knock-In Event occurs. FXI is also the Lowest Performing Underlying.
Therefore, the Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying will equal:
Final Level of FXI ― Initial Level of FXI
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; subject to a maximum of 0.00
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Initial Level of FXI
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= -0.30
Redemption Amount
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=
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principal amount of the securities ×
(1 + Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying)
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=
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$1,000 x (1 – 0.30)
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=
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$700
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Example 2: A Knock-In Event occurs because on a trading day during the Observation Period, the closing level of one Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level; the closing level of the Lowest Performing Underlying on any trading day during the Observation Period is never equal to or less than its Knock-In Level; and the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level.
. Underlying
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Lowest closing level of the Underlying
. during the Observation Period
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Final Level
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RTY
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70% of Initial Level
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110% of Initial Level
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FXI
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80% of Initial Level
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80% of Initial Level
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Since the closing level of RTY on a trading day during the Observation Period is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, a Knock-In Event occurs. FXI is the Lowest Performing Underlying, even though its closing level on any trading day during the Observation Period is never equal to or less than its Knock-In Level.
Therefore, the Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying will equal:
Final Level of FXI ― Initial Level of FXI
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; subject to a maximum of 0.00
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Initial Level of FXI
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= -0.20
Redemption Amount
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=
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principal amount of the securities ×
(1 + Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying)
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=
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$1,000 x (1 – 0.20)
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=
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$800
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Example 3: A Knock-In Event occurs because on a trading day during the Observation Period, the closing level of one Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level; and the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is greater than its Initial Level.
Underlying
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Lowest closing level of the Underlying
during the Observation Period
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Final Level
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RTY
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70% of Initial Level
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110% of Initial Level
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FXI
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95% of Initial Level
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120% of Initial Level
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Since the closing level of RTY on a trading day during the Observation Period is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, a Knock-In Event occurs. RTY is also the Lowest Performing Underlying.
Therefore, the Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying will equal:
Final Level of RTY ― Initial Level of RTY
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; subject to a maximum of 0.00
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Initial Level of RTY
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= 0.10
BUT 0.10 is greater than the maximum of 0.00, so the Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying is 0.00.
Redemption Amount
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=
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principal amount of the securities ×
(1 + Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying)
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=
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$1,000 x (1 + 0.00)
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=
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$1,000
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Example 4: A Knock-In Event does not occur.
Underlying
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Lowest closing level of the Underlying
during the Observation Period
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Final Level
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RTY
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80% of Initial Level
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110% of Initial Level
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FXI
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90% of Initial Level
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110% of Initial Level
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Since the closing level of each Underlying on any trading day during the Observation Period was never equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, a Knock-In Event does not occur.
Therefore, the Redemption Amount equals $1,000.
Selected Risk Considerations
An investment in the securities involves significant risks. Investing in the securities is not equivalent to investing directly in the Underlyings. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the accompanying product supplement.
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YOU MAY RECEIVE LESS THAN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AT MATURITY — You may receive less at maturity than you originally invested in the securities, or you may receive nothing, excluding any accrued or unpaid interest. If a Knock-In Event occurs and the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level, you will be fully exposed to any depreciation in the Lowest Performing Underlying. In this case, the Redemption Amount you will be entitled to receive will be less than the principal amount of the securities and you could lose your entire investment. It is not possible to predict whether a Knock-In Event will occur, and in the event that there is a Knock-In Event, whether and by how much the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying will decrease in comparison to its Initial Level. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.
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THE SECURITIES WILL NOT PAY MORE THAN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, PLUS ACCRUED AND UNPAID INTEREST, AT MATURITY OR UPON EARLY REDEMPTION — The securities will not pay more than the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, at maturity or upon early redemption. If the Final Level of each Underlying is greater than its respective Initial Level (regardless of whether a Knock-In Event has occurred), you will not participate in the appreciation of any Underlying. Assuming the securities are held to maturity and the term of the securities is exactly 18 months, the maximum amount payable with respect to the securities is expected to be between $1,090.00 and $1,097.50 (to be determined on the Trade Date) for each $1,000 principal amount of the securities.
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THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE CREDIT RISK OF CREDIT SUISSE — Although the return on the securities will be based on the performance of the Underlyings, the payment of any amount due on the securities, including any applicable interest payments, early redemption payment or payment at maturity, is subject to the credit risk of Credit Suisse. Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the securities and, therefore, investors are subject to our credit risk. In addition, any decline in our credit ratings, any adverse changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness or any increase in our credit spreads is likely to adversely affect the value of the securities prior to maturity.
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THE REDEMPTION AMOUNT PAYABLE AT MATURITY WILL BE LESS THAN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES EVEN IF A KNOCK-IN EVENT OCCURS WITH RESPECT TO ONLY ONE UNDERLYING AND THE FINAL LEVEL OF ONLY ONE UNDERLYING IS LESS THAN ITS INITIAL LEVEL — Even if on a trading day during the Observation Period the closing level of only one Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, a Knock-In Event will have occurred. In this case, the Redemption Amount payable at maturity will be less than the principal amount of the securities if, in addition to the occurrence of a Knock-In Event, the Final Level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level. This will be true even if on any trading day during the Observation Period the closing level of the Lowest Performing Underlying was never equal to or less than its Knock-In Level.
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THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO A POTENTIAL EARLY REDEMPTION, WHICH WOULD LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO ACCRUE INTEREST OVER THE FULL TERM OF THE SECURITIES —The securities are subject to a potential early redemption. Prior to maturity, the securities may be redeemed on any Early Redemption Date scheduled to occur on or after July 29, 2013, upon notice on or before the relevant Early Redemption Notice Date. If the securities are redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, you will be entitled to receive the principal amount of your securities and any accrued but unpaid interest payable on such interest Payment Date. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to continue to accrue and be paid interest from the date of Early Redemption to the scheduled Maturity Date. If the securities are redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, you may be unable to invest in other securities with a similar level of risk that yield as much interest as the securities.
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SINCE THE SECURITIES ARE LINKED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF MORE THAN ONE UNDERLYING, YOU WILL BE FULLY EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE LEVEL OF EACH UNDERLYING — Since the securities are linked to the performance of more than one Underlying, the securities will be linked to the individual performance of each Underlying. Because the securities are not linked to a basket, in which case the risk is mitigated and diversified among all of the components of a basket, you will be exposed to the risk of fluctuations in the levels of the Underlyings to the same degree for each Underlying. For example, in the case of securities linked to a basket, the return would depend on the weighted aggregate performance of the basket components as reflected by the basket return. Thus, the depreciation of any basket component could be mitigated by the appreciation of another basket component, to the extent of the weightings of such components in the basket. However, in the case of securities linked to the lowest performing Underlying, the individual performance of each Underlying is not combined to calculate your return and the depreciation of any Underlying is not mitigated by the appreciation of any other Underlying. Instead, if a Knock-In Event occurs, the Redemption Amount payable at maturity will depend on the lowest performing of the Underlyings to which the securities are linked.
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THE SECURITIES ARE LINKED TO THE RUSSELL 2000® INDEX AND ARE SUBJECT TO THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SMALL-CAPITALIZATION COMPANIES — The Russell 2000® Index is composed of equity securities issued by companies with relatively small market capitalization.. These equity securities often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than the equity securities of large-capitalization companies, and are more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of large-capitalization companies. In addition, small-capitalization companies are typically less established and less stable financially than large-capitalization companies. These companies may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Such companies tend to have smaller revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products. Therefore, the Russell 2000® Index may be more volatile than it would be if it were composed of equity securities issued by large-capitalization companies.
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THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ISHARES® FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEX FUND MAY NOT CORRELATE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRACKED INDEX — The iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund, the “Reference Fund”, will generally invest in all of the equity securities included in the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, the “Tracked Index” for the Reference Fund. There may, however, be instances where BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), the Reference Fund’s investment advisor, may choose to overweight another stock in the Tracked Index, purchase securities not included in the Tracked Index that BFA believes are appropriate to substitute for a security included in the Tracked Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques. In addition, the performance of the Reference Fund will reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of the Tracked Index. Finally, because the shares of the Reference Fund are traded on the NYSE Arca and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of the Reference Fund may differ from the net asset value per share of the Reference Fund. For these reasons, the. performance of the Reference Fund may not correlate with the performance of the Tracked Index. For additional information about the variation between the performance of the Reference Fund and the performance of the Tracked Index, see the information set forth under “The Reference Funds—The iShares® Funds—The iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement.
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NON-U.S. SECURITIES MARKETS RISKS — The equity securities held by the Reference Fund are issued by foreign companies in foreign securities markets. These stocks may be more volatile than domestic stocks and may be subject to different political, market, economic, exchange rate, regulatory and other risks which may have a negative impact on the performance of the securities.
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EMERGING MARKETS RISK — The Reference Fund and the Tracked Index are exposed to the political and economic risks of emerging market countries. In recent years, some emerging markets have undergone significant political, economic and social upheaval. Such far-reaching changes have resulted in constitutional and social tensions and, in some cases, instability and reaction against market reforms has occurred. With respect to any emerging market nation, there is the possibility of
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nationalization, expropriation or confiscation, political changes, government regulation and social instability. There can be no assurance that future political changes will not adversely affect the economic conditions of an emerging market nation. Political or economic instability could have an adverse effect on the performance of the securities.
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CURRENCY EXCHANGE RISK — The securities, which are denominated in U.S. dollars, are subject to currency exchange risk through their exposure to the performance of the Reference Fund, which measures the performance of certain foreign stocks. Currency markets may be highly volatile, particularly in relation to emerging or developing nations’ currencies and, in certain market conditions, also in relation to developed nations’ currencies. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time. Foreign currency rate risks include, but are not limited to, convertibility risk and market volatility and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. These factors may adversely affect the values of the component equity securities held by the Reference Fund, the level of the Reference Fund and the value of the securities.
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CERTAIN BUILT-IN COSTS ARE LIKELY TO ADVERSELY AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES PRIOR TO MATURITY — While the payment at maturity described in this pricing supplement is based on the full principal amount of your securities, the original issue price of the securities includes the agent’s commission and the cost of hedging our obligations under the securities through one or more of our affiliates. As a result, the price, if any, at which Credit Suisse (or its affiliates), will be willing to purchase securities from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, will likely be lower than the original issue price, and any sale prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you. The securities are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your securities to maturity.
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LACK OF LIQUIDITY — The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Credit Suisse (or its affiliates) intends to offer to purchase the securities in the secondary market but is not required to do so. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the securities when you wish to do so. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the securities, the price at which you may be able to trade your securities is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which Credit Suisse (or its affiliates) is willing to buy the securities. If you have to sell your securities prior to maturity, you may not be able to do so or you may have to sell them at a substantial loss.
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POTENTIAL CONFLICTS — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the securities, including acting as calculation agent and hedging our obligations under the securities. In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of ours are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the securities.
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MANY ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — In addition to the levels of the Underlyings on any trading day during the Observation Period, the value of the securities will be affected by a number of economic and market factors that may either offset or magnify each other, including:
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the expected volatility of the Underlyings;
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the time to maturity of the securities;
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the Early Redemption feature, which is likely to limit the value of the securities;
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interest and yield rates in the market generally;
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investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;
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the occurrence of certain events to the shares of the Reference Fund that may or may not require an anti-dilution adjustment;
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geopolitical conditions and a variety of economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the components comprising the Underlyings, or markets generally and which may affect the levels of the Underlyings; and
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the exchange rate and the volatility of the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of the equity securities held by the Reference Fund and any other currency relevant to the value of the Reference Fund; and
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our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.
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Some or all of these factors may influence the price that you will receive if you choose to sell your securities prior to maturity. The impact of any of the factors set forth above may enhance or offset some or all of any change resulting from another factor or factors.
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NO OWNERSHIP RIGHTS RELATING TO THE UNDERLYINGS — Your return on the securities will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the shares of the Reference Fund or the assets that comprise the Underlyings. The return on your investment, which is based on the percentage change in the Underlyings, is not the same as the total return you would receive based on the purchase of the shares of the Reference Fund or the assets that comprise the Underlyings.
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NO DIVIDEND PAYMENTS OR VOTING RIGHTS — As a holder of the securities, you will not have voting rights or rights to receive cash dividends or other distributions or other rights with respect to the Reference Fund and the assets that comprise the Underlyings.
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ANTI-DILUTION PROTECTION IS LIMITED — The calculation agent will make anti-dilution adjustments for certain events affecting the shares of the Reference Fund. However, the calculation agent will not make an adjustment in response to all events that could affect the shares of the Reference Fund. If an event occurs that does not require the calculation agent to make an adjustment, or if an adjustment is made but such adjustment does not fully reflect the economics of such event, the value of the securities may be materially and adversely affected. For additional information, see “Description of the Securities—Adjustments—For a reference fund” in the accompanying product supplement.
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Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging
We intend to use the proceeds of this offering for our general corporate purposes, which may include the refinancing of existing debt outside Switzerland. Some or all of the proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities may be used in connection with hedging our obligations under the securities through one or more of our affiliates. Such hedging or trading activities on or prior to the Trade Date and during the term of the securities (including on the Valuation Date) could adversely affect the value of the Underlyings and, as a result, could decrease the amount you may receive on the securities at maturity. For further information, see “Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying product supplement.
Historical Information
The following graphs set forth the historical performance of the Underlyings based on their closing levels from January 1, 2008 through March 22, 2013. The closing level of the Russell 2000® Index on March 22, 2013 was 946.27. The closing level of one share of the iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund on March 22, 2013 was $36.94. We obtained the historical information below from Bloomberg, without independent verification.
You should not take the historical levels of the Underlyings as an indication of future performance of the Underlyings or the securities. The levels of any of the Underlyings may decrease so that a Knock-In Event occurs and at maturity you will receive a Redemption Amount equal to less than the principal amount of the securities. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. We cannot give you any assurance that the closing levels of the Underlyings will remain above their respective Knock-In Levels during the Observation Period. If on any trading day during the Observation Period, the closing level of any Underlying is equal to or less than its Knock-In Level, and the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level, you will lose money on your investment.
For additional information on the Russell 2000® and the iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund, see the information set forth under “The Reference Indices—The Russell 2000® Index” and “The Reference Funds—The iShares® Funds—The iShares® FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion summarizes material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the securities that may be relevant to holders of the securities that acquire their securities from us as part of the original issuance of the securities.. This discussion applies only to holders that hold their securities as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).. Further, this discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your individual circumstances or if you are subject to special rules, such as if you are:
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a financial institution,
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a tax-exempt organization,
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certain U.S. expatriates,
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a dealer or trader in securities or foreign currencies,
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a person (including traders in securities) using a mark-to-market method of accounting,
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a person who holds the securities as a hedge or as part of a straddle with another position, constructive sale, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction, or
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an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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The discussion is based upon the Code, law, regulations, rulings and decisions, in each case, as available and in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.. Tax consequences under state, local and foreign laws are not addressed herein.. No ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has been or will be sought as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the securities, and the following discussion is not binding on the IRS.
You should consult your tax advisor as to the specific tax consequences to you of owning and disposing of the securities, including the application of federal, state, local and foreign income and other tax laws based on your particular facts and circumstances.
Characterization of the Securities
There are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions addressing the characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of securities with terms that are substantially the same as those of your securities.. Thus, the characterization of the securities is not certain.. Due to the terms of the securities and the uncertainty of the tax law with respect to characterization of the securities, our special tax counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, is unable to opine on the characterization of the securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes.. The possible alternative characterizations and risks to investors of such characterizations are discussed below.. Based on the advice of our special tax counsel, we intend to treat the securities, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as (1) a put option (the “Put Option”) that requires the holder to cash settle against the value of the reference underlying for an amount equal to the Deposit (as defined below) if the reference underlying declines to a defined floor level and ends up equal to or less than the initial level and (2) a deposit with us of cash, in an amount equal to the amount paid for a security (the “Deposit”) to secure the holder’s potential obligation to cash settle against the value of the reference underlying.. In the absence of an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary, we and, by acceptance of the securities, you agree to treat the securities as consisting of a Deposit and a Put Option with respect to the reference underlying for all U.S. federal income tax purposes.. The balance of this discussion assumes that the securities will be so treated.
Alternative Characterizations of the Securities
You should be aware that the characterization of the securities as described above is not certain, nor is it binding on the IRS or the courts.. Thus, it is possible that the IRS would seek to characterize your securities in a manner that results in tax consequences to you that are different from those described below.. For example, the IRS might assert that securities with a term of more than one year constitute debt instruments that are “contingent payment debt instruments” that are subject to special tax rules under the applicable Treasury regulations governing the
recognition of income over the term of your securities.. If the securities were to be treated as contingent payment debt instruments, you would be required to include in income on an economic accrual basis over the term of the securities an amount of interest that is based upon the yield at which we would issue a non-contingent fixed-rate debt instrument with other terms and conditions similar to your securities, or the comparable yield.. The characterization of securities as contingent payment debt instruments under these rules is likely to be adverse.. However, if the securities had a term of one year or less, the rules for short-term debt obligations would apply rather than the rules for contingent payment debt instruments.. Under Treasury regulations, a short-term debt obligation is treated as issued at a discount equal to the difference between all payments on the obligation and the obligation’s issue price.. The obligation’s issue price will reflect any discount or concession made in connection with the acquisition of the obligation.. A cash method U.S. Holder that does not elect to accrue the discount in income currently should include the payments attributable to interest on the security as income upon receipt.. Under these rules, any contingent payment would be taxable upon receipt by a cash basis taxpayer as ordinary interest income.. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the possible tax consequences of characterization of the securities as contingent payment debt instruments or short-term debt obligations.
It is also possible that the IRS would seek to characterize a security as a notional principal contract (an “NPC”).. In general, payments on an NPC are accrued ratably (as ordinary income or deduction, as the case may be) over the period to which they relate income regardless of an investor’s usual method of tax accounting.. Payments made to terminate an NPC (other than perhaps a final scheduled payment) are capital in nature.. Deductions for NPC payments may be limited in certain cases.. Certain payments under an NPC may be treated as U.S. source income.. The IRS could also seek to characterize your securities as Code section 1256 contracts in the event that they are listed on a securities exchange.. In such case, the securities would be marked-to-market at the end of the year and 40% of any gain or loss would be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, and the remaining 60% of any gain or loss would be treated as long-term capital gain or loss.. Alternatively, in the event that the securities have a term of more than one year and reference an equity interest in a “pass-thru entity” within the meaning of Code section 1260 (which includes shares in, among others, an exchange-traded fund, a regulated investment company, a real estate investment trust, a partnership or a trust), the IRS might assert that the securities constitute a “constructive ownership transaction.”. If the securities were treated as a constructive ownership transaction, under Code section 1260, all or a portion of your gain, if any, from the securities would be recharacterized as ordinary income, and you would be required to pay additional tax calculated by reference to interest on the tax on such recharacterized income.. We are not responsible for any adverse consequences that you may experience as a result of any alternative characterization of the securities for U.S. federal income tax or other tax purposes.
You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of your securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
U.S. Holders
For purposes of this discussion, the term “U.S. Holder,” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, means a beneficial owner of securities that is (1) a citizen or resident of the United States, (2) a corporation (or an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (3) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (4) a trust, if (a) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) such trust has in effect a valid election to be treated as a domestic trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.. If a partnership (or an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of such partnership and a partner in such partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.. If you are a partnership, or a partner of a partnership, holding securities, you should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you from the partnership's purchase, ownership, and disposition of the securities.
Payment of Coupons
In accordance with the agreed-upon tax treatment described above, we will treat each coupon (a “Coupon”) as comprised of a component that is stated interest on the security, which should be treated as interest on the Deposit of 0.3858%, and the balance of the Coupon should be treated as a payment of put premium received by you in respect of the Put Option to us (the “Put Premium”).. The Put Premium component of each Coupon will be
treated as an installment payment of the Put Premium for the Put Option.. Any Put Premium (including installment payments) paid prior to redemption of the securities should be treated as short-term capital gain when received.
We will treat the Deposit as a debt obligation issued by us.. Consistent with this treatment, if the securities have a contingent Coupon and a term of more than one year, we will treat the rate of interest on the Deposit as an objective rate and the Deposit as a variable rate debt instrument.. In such case, U.S. Holders should include the interest component of each Coupon in income as received or accrued, based on their method of accounting.. If the securities have a non-contingent Coupon and a term of more than one year, U.S. Holders should include the interest component of each Coupon in income as received or accrued, based on their method of accounting.. If the security has a contingent Coupon and a term of one year or less, we will treat the Deposit as a short-term debt obligation.. Under Treasury regulations, a short-term debt obligation is treated as issued at a discount equal to the difference between all payments on the obligation and the obligation’s issue price.. A cash method U.S. Holder that does not elect to accrue the discount in income currently should include the payments attributable to interest on the security as income upon receipt.. Under these rules, any contingent payment would be taxable upon receipt by a cash basis taxpayer as ordinary interest income.. If the security has a non-contingent Coupon and a term of one year or less, U.S. Holders should include the interest component of each Coupon in income as received or accrued, based on their method of accounting.
You should consult your tax advisor regarding the possible tax consequences of characterization of the Deposit as a variable rate debt instrument or a short-term debt obligation.
Payment at Redemption or Maturity of the Securities
If the redemption amount is paid in cash, a U.S. Holder should be deemed to receive all or a portion of the Deposit and any accrued but unpaid Coupons.. Any Coupons deemed to be received will be taxed as described above.. Ordinarily, there should be no gain or loss on the Deposit, and the remainder of this discussion assumes that this will be the case.
If the amount received at redemption or maturity (excluding any Coupon paid at such time) is paid in cash and is less than the amount of the Deposit, the Put Option should be deemed exercised at the time of redemption or maturity, as the case may be.. In such a case, the difference between the Deposit and the amount received, less accrued but unpaid interest on the Deposit to which the U.S. Holder is entitled (taxed as described above), is deemed to have been paid to settle the Put Option.. Any loss on the Put Option, calculated as (a) the Deposit, less (b) the amount received at redemption or maturity (excluding any Coupon paid at such time and less accrued but unpaid interest on the Deposit to which the U.S. Holder is entitled) plus the Put Premium (excluding any Put Premium that has been included in income), should be short-term capital loss.
If the amount received at redemption or maturity is paid in cash and the amount of cash paid at redemption is equal to the Deposit (excluding any Coupon paid at such time), the Put Option should be deemed to have expired unexercised and an amount equal to any accrued but unpaid Put Premium should be treated as short-term capital gain.. The interest portion of any Coupon should be taxed as described above.
If at redemption or maturity the amount due is paid in physical shares or units of the underlying, the U.S. Holder should not recognize any gain or loss with respect to the Put Option (other than with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares or units, as described below).. The U.S. Holder should have an adjusted tax basis in all physical shares or units received (including for this purpose any fractional shares or units) equal to the Deposit less the total Put Premium received.. The U.S. Holder’s holding period for any reference shares or units received should start on the day after the delivery of the reference shares or units.. The U.S. Holder should generally recognize short-term capital gain or loss with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares or units in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of such cash received and the U.S. Holder’s basis in the fractional shares or units, which should be equal to the U.S. Holder’s basis in all of the reference shares or units (including the fractional shares or units), multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the fractional shares or units and the denominator of which is all of the physical shares or units (including fractional shares or units).
Sale or Exchange of the Securities
Upon a sale or exchange of a security, a U.S. Holder should allocate the sale proceeds received between the Deposit and the Put Option on the basis of their respective fair market values on the date of sale.. The U.S. Holder should generally recognize gain or loss with respect to the Deposit in an amount equal to the difference
between the amount of the sale proceeds allocable to the Deposit (less accrued but unpaid interest on the Deposit which will be taxed as described above under “Payment at Redemption or Maturity of the Securities”) and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Deposit (which generally will equal the issue price of the security).. Generally, there should be no gain or loss with respect to the Deposit.
A U.S. Holder should generally recognize gain or loss with respect to the Put Option in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of the sale proceeds allocable to the Put Option and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Put Option.. If the value of the total sale proceeds received (minus accrued but unpaid interest with respect to the Deposit) exceeds the Deposit, then the U.S. Holder should recognize short-term capital gain equal to the amount of remaining sale proceeds allocable to the Put Option.. If the value of the Deposit exceeds the total sale proceeds received (minus accrued but unpaid interest with respect to the Deposit), then the U.S. Holder should be treated as having paid the buyer an amount equal to the amount of such excess in exchange for the buyer’s assumption of the U.S. Holder’s rights and obligations under the Put Option (such excess being referred to as “Deemed Payment”).. In such a case, the U.S. Holder should recognize short-term capital loss in an amount equal to the Deemed Payment made by the U.S. Holder to the buyer with respect to the assumption of the Put Option.
Medicare Tax
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates, and trusts must pay a 3.8% tax (the “Medicare Tax”) on the lesser of the U.S. person’s (1) “net investment income” or “undistributed net investment income” in the case of an estate or trust and (2) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over a certain specified threshold for the taxable year.. “Net investment income” generally includes income from interest, dividends, and net gains from the disposition of property (such as the securities) unless such income or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that is a passive activity with respect to the taxpayer or a trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities).. Net investment income may be reduced by allowable deductions properly allocable to such gross income or net gain.. Any interest earned or deemed earned on the securities and any gain on sale or other taxable disposition of the securities will be subject to the Medicare Tax.. If you are an individual, estate, or trust, you are urged to consult with your tax advisor regarding application of Medicare Tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the securities.
Securities Held Through Foreign Entities
Under the “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act” (“FATCA” or the “Act”) and recently finalized regulations, a 30% withholding tax is imposed on “withholdable payments” and certain “passthru payments” made to “foreign financial institutions” (as defined in the regulations or an applicable intergovernmental agreement) (and their more than 50% affiliates) unless the payee foreign financial institution agrees, among other things, to disclose the identity of any U.S. individual with an account at the institution (or the institution’s affiliates) and to annually report certain information about such account.. The term “withholdable payments” generally includes (1) payments of fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits, and income (“FDAP”), in each case, from sources within the United States, and (2) gross proceeds from the sale of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the United States.. “Passthru payments” means any withholdable payment and any foreign passthru payment.. FATCA also requires withholding agents making withholdable payments to certain foreign entities that do not disclose the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of any substantial U.S. owners (or certify that they do not have any substantial United States owners) to withhold tax at a rate of 30%.. We will treat payments on the securities as withholdable payments for these purposes.
Withholding under FATCA will apply to all withholdable payments and certain passthru payments without regard to whether the beneficial owner of the payment is a U.S. person, or would otherwise be entitled to an exemption from the imposition of withholding tax pursuant to an applicable tax treaty with the United States or pursuant to U.S. domestic law.. Unless a foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner of a payment, it will be subject to refund or credit in accordance with the same procedures and limitations applicable to other taxes withheld on FDAP payments provided that the beneficial owner of the payment furnishes such information as the IRS determines is necessary to determine whether such beneficial owner is a United States owned foreign entity and the identity of any substantial United States owners of such entity.
Pursuant to the recently finalized regulations described above and subject to the exceptions described below, FATCA’s withholding regime generally will apply to (i) withholdable payments (other than gross proceeds of the type described above) made after December 31, 2013 (other than certain payments made with respect to a “preexisting obligation,” as defined in the regulations); (ii) payments of gross proceeds of the type described above with respect to a sale or disposition occurring after December 31, 2016; and (iii) foreign passthru payments made after the later of December 31, 2016, or six months after the date that final regulations defining the term ”foreign passthru payment” are published.. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of FATCA discussed above generally will not apply to (a) any obligation (other than an instrument that is treated as equity for U.S. tax purposes or that lacks a stated expiration or term) that is outstanding on January 1, 2014 (a “grandfathered obligation”); (b) any obligation that produces withholdable payments solely because the obligation is treated as giving rise to a dividend equivalent pursuant to Code section 871(m) and the regulations thereunder that is outstanding at any point prior to six months after the date on which obligations of its type are first treated as giving rise to dividend equivalents; and (c) any agreement requiring a secured party to make payments with respect to collateral securing one or more grandfathered obligations (even if the collateral is not itself a grandfathered obligation).. Thus, if you hold your securities through a foreign financial institution or foreign entity, a portion of any of your payments made after December 31, 2013, may be subject to 30% withholding.
Non-U.S. Holders Generally
The U.S. withholding tax consequences of any Coupon payment in respect of the securities is uncertain.. Given the uncertainty, we will withhold U.S. income tax at a rate of 30% on any Coupon payment.. It may be possible for a holder of the securities that is not a U.S. Holder (a “Non-U.S. Holder”) to take the position that some or all of a Coupon payment is exempt from the 30% U.S. withholding tax or subject to a reduced withholding tax rate under an applicable tax treaty.. Any Non-U.S. Holder taking the position that a Coupon payment is exempt from the 30% withholding tax or eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax may seek a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by us by filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Payment of the redemption amount by us in respect to the securities (except to the extent of the Coupons) to a Non-U.S. Holder that has no connection with the United States other than holding its securities will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that such Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification requirements.. Any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of the securities by a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless (1) such gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of such Non-U.S. Holder or (2) in the case of an individual, such individual is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met.. Any effectively connected gains described in clause (1) above realized by a Non-U.S. Holder that is, or is taxable as, a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Non-U.S. Holders that are subject to U.S. federal income taxation on a net income basis with respect to their investment in the securities should refer to the discussion above relating to U.S. Holders.
Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments
The Act and recently proposed and temporary regulations treat a “dividend equivalent” payment as a dividend from sources within the United States.. Under the Act, unless reduced by an applicable tax treaty with the United States, such payments generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax.. A “dividend equivalent” payment is (i) a substitute dividend payment made pursuant to a securities lending or a sale-repurchase transaction that (directly or indirectly) is contingent upon, or determined by reference to, the payment of a dividend from sources within the United States, (ii) a payment made pursuant to a “specified notional principal contract” that (directly or indirectly) is contingent upon, or determined by reference to, the payment of a dividend from sources within the United States, and (iii) any other payment determined by the IRS to be substantially similar to a payment described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii).. Proposed regulations provide criteria for determining whether a notional principal contract will be a specified notional principal contract, effective for payments made after December 31, 2013.
Proposed regulations address whether a payment is a dividend equivalent.. The proposed regulations provide that an equity-linked instrument that provides for a payment that is a substantially similar payment is treated as a notional principal contract for these purposes.. An equity-linked instrument is a financial instrument or combination of financial instruments that references one or more underlying securities to determine its value, including a
futures contract, forward contract, option, or other contractual arrangement.. The proposed regulations consider any payment, including the payment of the purchase price or an adjustment to the purchase price, to be a substantially similar payment (and, therefore, a dividend equivalent payment) if made pursuant to an equity-linked instrument that is contingent upon or determined by reference to a dividend (including payments pursuant to a redemption of stock that gives rise to a dividend) from sources within the United States.. The rules for equity-linked instruments under the proposed regulations will be effective for payments made after the rules are finalized.. Where the securities reference an interest in a fixed basket of securities or a “customized index,” each security or component of such basket or customized index is treated as an underlying security in a separate notional principal contract for purposes of determining whether such notional principal contract is a specified notional principal contract or an amount received is a substantially similar payment.
We will treat any portion of a payment or deemed payment on the securities that is substantially similar to a dividend as a dividend equivalent payment, which will be subject to U.S. withholding tax unless reduced by an applicable tax treaty and a properly executed IRS Form W-8 (or other qualifying documentation) is provided.. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding whether payments or deemed payments on the securities constitute dividend equivalent payments.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Holders
The securities may be subject to U.S. federal estate tax if an individual Non-U.S. Holder holds the securities at the time of his or her death.. The gross estate of a Non-U.S. Holder domiciled outside the United States includes only property situated in the United States.. Individual Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal estate tax consequences of holding the securities at death.
IRS Notice and Proposed Legislation on Certain Financial Transactions
In Notice 2008-2, the IRS and the Treasury Department stated they are considering issuing new regulations or other guidance on whether holders of an instrument such as the securities should be required to accrue income during the term of the instrument.. The IRS and Treasury Department also requested taxpayer comments on (1) the appropriate method for accruing income or expense (e.g., a mark-to-market methodology or a method resembling the noncontingent bond method), (2) whether income and gain on such an instrument should be ordinary or capital, and (3) whether foreign holders should be subject to withholding tax on any deemed income accrual.. Additionally, unofficial statements made by IRS officials have indicated that they will soon be addressing the treatment of prepaid forward contracts in proposed regulations.
Accordingly, it is possible that regulations or other guidance may be issued that require holders of the securities to recognize income in respect of the securities prior to receipt of any payments thereunder or sale thereof. Any regulations or other guidance that may be issued could result in income and gain (either at maturity or upon sale) in respect of the securities being treated as ordinary income. It is also possible that a Non-U.S. Holder of the securities could be subject to U.S. withholding tax in respect of the securities under such regulations or other guidance.. It is not possible to determine whether such regulations or other guidance will apply to your securities (possibly on a retroactive basis). You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding Notice 2008-2 and its possible impact on you.
More recently, on January 24, 2013, the House Ways and Means Committee released in draft form certain proposed legislation relating to financial instruments.. If enacted as proposed, the effect of that legislation generally would be to require instruments such as the securities acquired after December 31, 2013, to be marked to market on an annual basis with all gains and losses to be treated as ordinary, subject to certain exceptions.. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the draft legislation and its possible impact on you.
Information Reporting Regarding Specified Foreign Financial Assets
The Act and temporary and proposed regulations generally require individual U.S. Holders (“specified individuals”) and “specified domestic entities” with an interest in any “specified foreign financial asset” to file an annual report on IRS Form 8938 with information relating to the asset, including the maximum value thereof, for any taxable year in which the aggregate value of all such assets is greater than $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year or $75,000 at any time during the taxable year.. Certain individuals are permitted to have an interest in a higher aggregate value of such assets before being required to file a report.. The proposed regulations relating to specified domestic entities apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2011.. Under the proposed
regulations, “specified domestic entities” are domestic entities that are formed or used for the purposes of holding, directly or indirectly, specified foreign financial assets.. Generally, specified domestic entities are certain closely held corporations and partnerships that meet passive income or passive asset tests and, with certain exceptions, domestic trusts that have a specified individual as a current beneficiary and exceed the reporting threshold.. Specified foreign financial assets include any depository or custodial account held at a foreign financial institution; any debt or equity interest in a foreign financial institution if such interest is not regularly traded on an established securities market; and, if not held at a financial institution, (1) any stock or security issued by a non-U.S. person, (2) any financial instrument or contract held for investment where the issuer or counterparty is a non-U.S. person, and (3) any interest in an entity which is a non-U.S. person.
Depending on the aggregate value of your investment in specified foreign financial assets, you may be obligated to file an IRS Form 8938 under this provision if you are an individual U.S. Holder.. Pursuant to a recent IRS Notice, reporting by domestic entities of interests in specified foreign financial assets will not be required before the date specified by final regulations, which will not be earlier than taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012.. Penalties apply to any failure to file IRS Form 8938.. Additionally, in the event a U.S. Holder (either a specified individual or specified domestic entity) does not file such form, the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes of such U.S. Holder for the related tax year may not close before the date which is three years after the date such information is filed. You should consult your tax advisor as to the possible application to you of this information reporting requirement and related statute of limitations tolling provision.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
A holder of the securities (whether a U.S. Holder or a Non-U.S. Holder) may be subject to backup withholding with respect to certain amounts paid to such holder unless it provides a correct taxpayer identification number, complies with certain certification procedures establishing that it is not a U.S. Holder or establishes proof of another applicable exemption, and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.. Backup withholding is not an additional tax.. You can claim a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability for amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules, and amounts in excess of your liability are refundable if you provide the required information to the IRS in a timely fashion.. A holder of the securities may also be subject to information reporting to the IRS with respect to certain amounts paid to such holder unless it (1) is a Non-U.S. Holder and provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8 (or other qualifying documentation) or (2) otherwise establishes a basis for exemption.
Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in a distribution agreement dated May 7, 2007, as amended, which we refer to as the distribution agreement, we have agreed to sell the securities to CSSU. The distribution agreement provides that CSSU is obligated to purchase all of the securities if any are purchased
CSSU proposes to offer the securities at the offering price set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement and may receive varying underwriting discounts and commissions of between $0.00 and $15.00 per $1,000 principal amount of securities and will forgo fees for sales to fiduciary accounts. CSSU may re-allow some or all of the discount on the principal amount per security on sales of such securities by other brokers or dealers. If all of the securities are not sold at the initial offering price, CSSU may change the public offering price and other selling terms.
In addition, Credit Suisse International, an affiliate of Credit Suisse, may pay fees to some broker-dealers of up to $9.00 per $1,000 principal amount of securities in connection with the distribution of the securities. An affiliate of Credit Suisse has paid or may pay in the future a fixed amount to broker-dealers in connection with the costs of implementing systems to support these securities.
We expect to deliver the securities against payment for the securities on the Settlement Date indicated herein, which may be a date that is greater than three business days following the Trade Date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to a trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the Settlement Date is more than three business days after the Trade Date, purchasers who wish to transact in the securities more than three business days prior to the Settlement Date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
The agent for this offering, CSSU, is our affiliate. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5121, CSSU may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the customer. A portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the securities will be used by CSSU or one of its affiliates in connection with hedging our obligations under the securities. For further information, please refer to “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying product supplement.
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