The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to completion dated August 17, 2015.
Preliminary Pricing Supplement No. K553 Product Supplement No. I dated May 4, 2015, Prospectus Supplement dated May 4, 2015 and Prospectus dated May 4, 2015 |
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) Registration Statement Nos. 333-202913 and 333-180300-03 August 17, 2015 | ||
$ 4.00% per annum Contingent Coupon Buffered Accelerated Return Equity Securities due August 26, 2021 Linked to the Performance of the United States Oil Fund, LP and the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund | |||
General
• | The securities are designed for investors who seek a leveraged return linked to the performance of the United States Oil Fund, LP and the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund. If the Lowest Performing Underlying declines by more than 30%, investors should be willing to be exposed on a leveraged basis to the decline in such Underlying and lose up to their entire investment, excluding contingent coupon payments on the securities, if any. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
• | If a Coupon Barrier Event does not occur on an Observation Date, we will pay a contingent coupon at a Contingent Coupon Rate that is expected to be 4.00% per annum (to be determined on the Trade Date) on the immediately following Contingent Coupon Payment Date. If a Coupon Barrier Event occurs, no contingent coupon will be paid on the immediately following Contingent Coupon Payment Date. Contingent coupons will be calculated on a 30/360 basis from and including the Settlement Date to and excluding the Maturity Date. |
• | Senior unsecured obligations of Credit Suisse AG, acting through its London branch, maturing August 26, 2021.† |
• | Minimum purchase of $1,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. |
• | The securities are expected to price on or about August 21, 2015 (the “Trade Date”) and are expected to settle on or about August 26, 2015 (the “Settlement Date”). Delivery of the securities in book-entry form only will be made through The Depository Trust Company. |
Key Terms
Issuer: | Credit Suisse AG (“Credit Suisse”), acting through its London branch | |||
Underlyings: | The securities are linked to the performance of the United States Oil Fund, LP and the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund. For more information on the Underlyings, see “The Reference Funds—The United States Oil Fund, LP” and “The Reference Funds—The S&P SPDR® Funds—The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement. Each Underlying is identified in the table below, together with its Bloomberg ticker symbol, Initial Level and Coupon Barrier Level: | |||
Underlying |
Ticker |
Initial Level* |
Coupon Barrier Level | |
United States Oil Fund, LP | USO UP <Equity> | |||
Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund | XLE UP <Equity> | |||
Contingent Coupon Rate: | The Contingent Coupon Rate is expected to be 4.00% per annum (to be determined on the Trade Date). If a Coupon Barrier Event occurs, no contingent coupon will be paid on the immediately following Contingent Coupon Payment Date. Contingent coupons will be calculated on a 30/360 basis from and including the Settlement Date to and excluding the Maturity Date. | |||
Coupon Barrier Event: | A Coupon Barrier Event will occur if on an Observation Date the closing level of any Underlying is less than its Coupon Barrier Level. | |||
Coupon Barrier Level: | For each Underlying, the Coupon Barrier Level will be approximately 70% of the Initial Level of such Underlying (to be determined on the Trade Date). |
(“Key Terms” continued on next page)
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.
Price to Public(1) | Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(2) | Proceeds to Issuer | |
Per security | $1,000.00 | $ | $ |
Total | $ | $ | $ |
(1) Certain fiduciary accounts may pay a purchase price of at least $992.00 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 up to $8.00 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.
Credit Suisse currently estimates the value of each $1,000 principal amount of the securities on the Trade Date will be between $950.00 and $980.00 (as determined by reference to our pricing models and the rate we are currently paying to borrow funds through issuance of the securities (our “internal funding rate”)). This range of estimated values reflects terms that are not yet fixed. A single estimated value reflecting final terms will be determined on the Trade Date. See “Selected Risk Considerations” in 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
August , 2015
(continued from previous page)
Contingent Coupon Payment Dates:† | Unless a Coupon Barrier Event occurs, contingent coupons will be paid quarterly in arrears on November 27, 2015, February 26, 2016, May 26, 2016, August 26, 2016, November 28, 2016, February 27, 2017, May 26, 2017, August 28, 2017, November 27, 2017, February 26, 2018, May 29, 2018, August 27, 2018, November 26, 2018, February 26, 2019, May 28, 2019, August 26, 2019, November 26, 2019, February 26, 2020, May 26, 2020, August 26, 2020, November 27, 2020, February 26, 2021, May 26, 2021 and the Maturity Date. If any Contingent Coupon Payment Date is not a business day, the contingent coupon will be payable on the first following business day, unless that business day falls in the next calendar month, in which case payment will be made on the first preceding business day. The amount of any contingent coupon will not be adjusted in respect of any postponement of a Contingent Coupon Payment Date and no interest or other payment will be payable hereon because of any such postponement of a Contingent Coupon Payment Date. Contingent coupons, if any, will be payable to the holders of record at the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the applicable Contingent Coupon Payment Date, provided that the contingent coupon payable on the Maturity Date will be payable to the person to whom the Redemption Amount is payable. | |||||
Redemption Amount: | At maturity you will be entitled to receive a Redemption Amount in cash that 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, calculated as set forth below. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. | |||||
Underlying Return: | For each Underlying, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows: | |||||
• | If the Final Level is equal to or greater than the Initial Level, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows: | |||||
Upside Participation Rate × | Final Level – Initial Level Initial Level |
|||||
• | If the Final Level is less than the Initial Level by not more than the Buffer Amount, the Underlying Return will equal zero. | |||||
• | If the Final Level is less than the Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows: | |||||
Downside Participation Rate × | [ | Final Level – Initial Level Initial Level |
+ Buffer Amount ] | |||
If the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than the Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount, you will be exposed on a leveraged basis to the decline in such Underlying and will receive less than the principal amount of your securities at maturity. You could lose your entire investment, excluding contingent coupon payments on the securities, if any. | ||||||
Upside Participation Rate: | Expected to be 155% (to be determined on the Trade Date). | |||||
Buffer Amount: | 30% | |||||
Downside Participation Rate: | Expected to be the quotient of 100% and 70%, which is approximately 142.857% (to be determined on the Trade Date). | |||||
Lowest Performing Underlying: | The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return. | |||||
Initial Level:* | For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Trade Date. | |||||
Final Level: | For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Valuation Date. | |||||
Observation Dates:† | November 23, 2015, February 23, 2016, May 23, 2016, August 23, 2016, November 22, 2016, February 22, 2017, May 23, 2017, August 23, 2017, November 21, 2017, February 21, 2018, May 23, 2018, August 22, 2018, November 20, 2018, February 21, 2019, May 22, 2019, August 21, 2019, November 21, 2019, February 21, 2020, May 20, 2020, August 21, 2020, November 23, 2020, February 23, 2021, May 21, 2021 and the Valuation Date. | |||||
Valuation Date:† | August 23, 2021 | |||||
Maturity Date:† | August 26, 2021 | |||||
Listing: | The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. | |||||
CUSIP: | 22546VK88 | |||||
* In the event that the closing level for 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.
† Subject to postponement as set forth in the accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities—Postponement of calculation dates.”
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 May 4, 2015, the product supplement dated May 4, 2015, the prospectus supplement dated May 4, 2015 and the prospectus dated May 4, 2015, 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):
• | Underlying supplement dated May 4, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000095010315003505/dp55844_424b2-underlying.htm |
• | Product supplement No. I dated May 4, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000095010315003534/dp55815_424b2-psno1.htm
• | Prospectus supplement and Prospectus dated May 4, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000104746915004333/a2224570z424b2.htm
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. We may, without the consent of the registered holder of the securities and the owner of any beneficial interest in the securities, amend the securities to conform to its terms as set forth in this pricing supplement and the documents listed above, and the trustee is authorized to enter into any such amendment without any such consent. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Selected Risk Considerations” in this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” in the product supplement, “Foreign Currency Risks” in the accompanying prospectus, and any risk factors we describe in the combined Annual Report on Form 20-F of Credit Suisse Group AG and us incorporated by reference therein, and any additional risk factors we describe in future filings we make with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 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.
1
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 hypothetical range of Underlying Returns of the Lowest Performing Underlying and, in the case of Table 2, total contingent coupon payments over the term of the securities, which will depend on the number of Coupon Barrier Events that have occurred over the term of the securities. The tables and examples below assume that (i) the Contingent Coupon Rate is 4.00% per annum, (ii) the term of the securities is exactly 6 years, (iii) the Coupon Barrier Level for each Underlying is 70% of the Initial Level of such Underlying, (iv) the Upside Participation Rate is 155% and (iv) the Downside Participation Rate is the quotient of 100% and 70%. The actual Contingent Coupon Rate, Coupon Barrier Levels, Upside Participation Rate and Downside Participation Rate will be determined on the Trade Date. The examples are intended to illustrate hypothetical calculations of only the Redemption Amount and do not illustrate the calculation or payment of any individual contingent coupon payment.
The hypothetical Redemption Amounts and total contingent coupon payments set forth below are for illustrative purposes only. The actual Redemption Amount and total contingent coupon payments applicable to a purchaser of the securities will depend on the number of Coupon Barrier Events that have occurred over the term of the securities and on the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying. It is not possible to predict how many Coupon Barrier Events will occur, if any, or the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying.
You should consider carefully whether the securities are suitable to your investment goals. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. The numbers appearing in the tables and examples below have been rounded for ease of analysis.
TABLE 1: Hypothetical Redemption Amounts
Percentage
Change |
Underlying Return of the Lowest Performing Underlying |
Redemption Amount (excluding contingent coupon payments, if any) |
Total Contingent Coupon Payments |
100.00% | 155.00% | $2,550.00 |
(See table below)
|
90.00% | 139.50% | $2,395.00 | |
80.00% | 124.00% | $2,240.00 | |
70.00% | 108.50% | $2,085.00 | |
60.00% | 93.00% | $1,930.00 | |
50.00% | 77.50% | $1,775.00 | |
40.00% | 62.00% | $1,620.00 | |
30.00% | 46.50% | $1,465.00 | |
20.00% | 31.00% | $1,310.00 | |
10.00% | 15.50% | $1,155.00 | |
0.00% | 0.00% | $1,000.00 | |
−10.00% | 0.00% | $1,000.00 | |
−20.00% | 0.00% | $1,000.00 | |
−30.00% | 0.00% | $1,000.00 | |
−40.00% | −14.29% | $857.14 | |
−50.00% | −28.57% | $714.29 | |
−60.00% | −42.86% | $571.43 | |
−70.00% | −57.14% | $428.57 | |
−80.00% | −71.43% | $285.71 | |
−90.00% | −85.71% | $142.86 | |
−100.00% | −100.00% | $0.00 |
2
TABLE 2: The expected total contingent coupon payments will depend on how many Coupon Barrier Events occur.
Number of Coupon Barrier Events |
Total Contingent Coupon Payments |
A Coupon Barrier Event does not occur | $240.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 1 Observation Date | $230.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 2 Observation Dates | $220.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 3 Observation Dates | $210.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 4 Observation Dates | $200.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 5 Observation Dates | $190.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 6 Observation Dates | $180.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 7 Observation Dates | $170.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 8 Observation Dates | $160.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 9 Observation Dates | $150.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 10 Observation Dates | $140.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 11 Observation Dates | $130.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 12 Observation Dates | $120.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 13 Observation Dates | $110.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 14 Observation Dates | $100.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 15 Observation Dates | $90.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 16 Observation Dates | $80.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 17 Observation Dates | $70.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 18 Observation Dates | $60.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 19 Observation Dates | $50.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 20 Observation Dates | $40.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 21 Observation Date | $30.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 22 Observation Dates | $20.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 23 Observation Dates | $10.00 |
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 24 Observation Dates | $0.00 |
The total payment on the securities will be equal to the Redemption Amount applicable to an investor plus the total contingent coupon payments on the securities.
The following examples illustrate how the Redemption Amount is calculated.
Example 1:
Underlying |
Final Level |
USO | 120% of Initial Level |
XLE | 110% of Initial Level |
Example 1 assumes the level of the Lowest Performing Underlying increases by 10% from its Initial Level to its Final Level. The determination of the Redemption Amount when the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is equal to or greater than its Initial Level is as follows:
Underlying Return | = | Upside Participation Rate × [(Final Level - Initial Level) / Initial Level] |
= | 155% × 10% | |
= | 15.50% | |
Redemption Amount | = | $1,000 × (1 + Underlying Return) |
= | $1,000 × 1.155 | |
= | $1,155 |
In this example, at maturity you would be entitled to receive a Redemption Amount equal to $1,155 per $1,000 principal amount of securities based on a leveraged return linked to the appreciation in the level of the Lowest Performing Underlying.
3
Example 2:
Underlying |
Final Level |
USO | 90% of Initial Level |
XLE | 105% of Initial Level |
Example 2 assumes the level of the Lowest Performing Underlying decreases by 10% from its Initial Level to its Final Level. Because the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level by not more than the Buffer Amount of 30%, at maturity you would be entitled to receive a Redemption Amount equal to $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of securities.
Example 3:
Underlying |
Final Level |
USO | 90% of Initial Level |
XLE | 60% of Initial Level |
Example 3 assumes the level of the Lowest Performing Underlying decreases by 40% from its Initial Level to its Final Level. The determination of the Redemption Amount when the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount of 30% is as follows:
Underlying Return | = | Downside Participation Rate × ([(Final Level - Initial Level) / Initial Level] + Buffer Amount) |
= | [100% / 70%] × [−40% + 30%] | |
= | [100% / 70%] × −10% | |
= | −14.29% | |
Redemption Amount | = | $1,000 × (1 + Underlying Return) |
= | $1,000 × 0.85714 | |
= | $857.14 |
In this example, at maturity you would be entitled to receive a Redemption Amount equal to $857.14 per $1,000 principal amount of securities because the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount and you will be exposed on a leveraged basis to any depreciation in the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying beyond the Buffer Amount.
4
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.
• | YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES MAY RESULT IN A LOSS — The securities do not guarantee the return of any of your investment. If the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than the Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount of 30%, you will be fully exposed to such negative performance on a leveraged basis. In such case, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows: (i) the Downside Participation Rate (expected to be the quotient of 100% and 70%), multiplied by (ii) the sum of (a) the percentage decline in the Lowest Performing Underlying from its Initial Level to its Final Level, and (b) the Buffer Amount. You could lose your entire investment. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
• | THE SECURITIES DO NOT PROVIDE FOR REGULAR FIXED INTEREST PAYMENTS — Unlike conventional debt securities, the securities do not provide for regular fixed interest payments. The number of contingent coupon payments you receive over the term of the securities, if any, will depend on the performance of the Underlyings during the term of the securities and the number of Coupon Barrier Events that occur. If a Coupon Barrier Event occurs on an Observation Date, you will not receive a contingent coupon payment on the Contingent Coupon Payment Date immediately following such Observation Date. Accordingly, if a Coupon Barrier Event occurs on every Observation Date, you will not receive any contingent coupon payments during the term of the securities. Thus, the securities are not a suitable investment for investors who require regular fixed income payments, since the number of contingent coupon payments are variable and may be zero. |
In addition, if rates generally increase over the term of the securities, it is more likely that the contingent coupon, if any, could be less than the yield one might receive based on market rates at that time. This would have the further effect of decreasing the value of your securities both nominally in terms of below-market coupon payments and in real value terms. Furthermore, it is possible that you will not receive some or all of the contingent coupon payments over the term of the securities, and still lose your principal amount. Even if you do receive some or all of your principal amount at maturity, you will not be compensated for the time value of money. These securities are not short-term investments, so you should carefully consider these risks before investing.
• | THE HIGHER POTENTIAL YIELD OFFERED BY THE SECURITIES IS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER RISK THAT THE SECURITIES WILL NOT PAY A CONTINGENT COUPON ON ONE OR MORE OF THE CONTINGENT COUPON PAYMENT DATES OR THAT YOU MIGHT LOSE SOME OR ALL OF YOUR INVESTMENT AT MATURITY — The securities offer contingent coupon payments with the potential to result in a higher yield than the yield on our conventional debt securities of the same maturity. You should understand that, in exchange for this potentially higher yield, you will be exposed to significantly greater risks than investors in our conventional debt securities. These risks include (i) the risk that the number of contingent coupon payments you receive over the term of the securities, if any, will result in a below-market yield that is lower, and perhaps significantly lower, than the yield on our conventional debt securities of the same maturity and (ii) the risk that you might lose some or all of your principal amount at maturity if the Final Level of the Lowest Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Level by more than the Buffer Amount. The volatility of the Underlyings is an important factor affecting these risks. Greater expected volatility of the Underlyings as of the Trade Date may contribute to the higher yield potential, but would also represent a greater expected likelihood that you will receive only a few or no contingent coupon payments over the term of the securities and lose some or all of your principal at maturity. |
• | THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE CREDIT RISK OF CREDIT SUISSE — Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the securities and, therefore, if we were to default on our obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the securities. 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. |
5
• | YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO RISKS RELATING TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNDERLYINGS — The securities are linked to the individual performance of each Underlying. As such, the securities will perform poorly if only one of the Underlyings performs poorly. Each additional Underlying to which the securities are linked increases the risk that the securities will perform poorly. By investing in the securities, you assume the risk that the performance of at least one of the Underlyings will be negative, regardless of the performance of any other Underlying. |
It is impossible to predict the relationship between the Underlyings. If the performances of the Underlyings exhibit no relationship to each other, it is more likely that one of the Underlyings will cause the securities to perform poorly. However, if the performances of the equity securities included in each Underlying are related such that the performances of the Underlyings are correlated, then there is less likelihood that only one Underlying will cause the securities to perform poorly. Furthermore, to the extent that each Underlying represents a different market segment or market sector, the risk of one Underlying performing poorly is greater. As a result, you are not only taking market risk on each Underlying, you are also taking a risk relating to the relationship among the Underlyings. |
• | THERE ARE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNDERLYINGS — Although shares of the Underlyings are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and a number of similar products have been traded on various national securities exchanges for varying periods of time, there is no assurance that an active trading market will continue for the shares of the Underlyings or that there will be liquidity in the trading market. Each Underlying is subject to management risk, which is the risk that a fund's investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. Pursuant to each Underlying's investment strategy or otherwise, its investment advisor may add, delete or substitute the assets held by such Underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the price of the shares of each Underlying and consequently the value of the securities. For additional information about the United States Oil Fund, LP and the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, see “The Reference Funds—The United States Oil Fund, LP” and “The Reference Funds—The S&P SPDR® Funds—The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement. |
• | THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENERGY SELECT SECTOR SPDR® fUND MAY NOT CORRELATE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRACKED INDEX — The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund will generally invest in all of the equity securities included in the Energy Select Sector Index, the “Tracked Index” for the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund. There may, however, be instances where SSgA Funds Management, Inc., the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund’s investment advisor, may choose to overweight another stock in the Tracked Index, purchase securities not included in the Tracked Index that SSgA Funds Management, Inc. 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 Energy Select Sector SPDR® 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 Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund are traded on the NYSE Arca and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund may differ from the net asset value per share of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund. For these reasons, the performance of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund may not correlate with the performance of the Tracked Index. For additional information about the variation between the performance of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund and the performance of the Tracked Index, see the information set forth under “The Reference Funds—The S&P SPDR® Funds—The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement. |
• | The Stocks Included in THE ENERGY SELECT SECTOR SPDR® fUND are Concentrated in One Particular Sector — All of the stocks included in the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund are issued by companies in the energy sector. As a result, the stocks that will determine the performance of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund are concentrated in the energy sector. Although an investment in the securities will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the stocks held by the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the return on an investment in the securities will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in companies in the energy sector. Accordingly, by investing in the securities, you will not benefit from |
6
the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in a broader range of sectors.
• | THE PERFORMANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OIL FUND, LP MAY NOT FULLY REPLICATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PRICE OF WTI LIGHT, SWEET CRUDE OIL — United States Commodity Funds, LLC, the general partner of the United States Oil Fund, LP, is responsible for investing the assets of the United States Oil Fund, LP in accordance with the objectives and policies of the United States Oil Fund, LP. The assets of the United States Oil Fund, LP consist primarily of investments in futures contracts for light, sweet crude oil, other types of crude oil, heating oil, gasoline, natural gas, and other petroleum-based fuels that are traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, ICE Futures or other U.S. and foreign exchanges (collectively, “oil futures contracts”) and other oil interests such as cash-settled options on oil futures contracts, forward contracts for oil, and over-the-counter transactions that are based on the price of oil, other petroleum-based fuels, oil futures contracts and indices based on the foregoing (collectively, “other oil interests” and together with oil futures contracts, “oil interests”). The United States Oil Fund, LP seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a mix of oil futures contracts and other oil interests such that changes in the net asset value of the United States Oil Fund, LP will closely track the changes in the price of a specified oil futures contract (the “benchmark oil futures contract”). The United States Oil Fund, LP’s general partner believes that the benchmark oil futures contract historically has exhibited a close correlation with the spot price of light, sweet crude oil. There is no assurance that the general partner of the United States Oil Fund, LP will successfully implement its investment strategy and there is a risk that changes in the price of United States Oil Fund, LP units will not closely track changes in the spot price of WTI light, sweet crude oil. This could happen if the price of the units does not correlate closely with the United States Oil Fund, LP’s net asset value; changes in the United States Oil Fund, LP’s net asset value do not closely correlate with changes in the price of the benchmark oil futures contract; or changes in the price of the benchmark oil futures contract do not closely correlate with changes in the cash or spot price of light, sweet crude oil. |
• | RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES WITH CONCENTRATION IN ENERGY COMMODITIES — Market prices
of the commodities and commodity futures contracts comprising the United States Oil Fund, LP tend to be highly volatile. Commodity
market prices are not related to the value of a future income or earnings stream, as tends to be the case with fixed income and
equity investments, but are subject to rapid fluctuations based on numerous factors, including changes in supply and demand relationships,
governmental programs and policies, national and international monetary, trade, political and economic events, changes in interest
and exchange rates, speculation and trading activities in commodities and related contracts, drought, floods, weather, and agricultural,
trade, fiscal and exchange control policies, embargoes and tariffs. The markets for many commodities are also highly cyclical. The United States Oil Fund, LP invests in exchange-traded futures contracts for light, sweet crude oil, other types of crude oil, heating oil, gasoline, natural gas and other petroleum-based fuels. The shares of the United States Oil Fund, LP may be subject to increased price volatility as they are linked to a single industry, market or sector and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that industry, market or sector. The prices of these exchange-traded futures contracts are subject to the risks and hazards inherent in this industry, which can cause prices to widely fluctuate. The exploration for, and production of, crude oil is an uncertain process with many risks. The cost of drilling, completing and operating wells for natural gas is uncertain, and a number of factors can delay or prevent drilling operations or production, including fire, explosions, blow-outs, pipe failure, abnormally pressured formations, environmental hazards and mechanical difficulties or shortages or delays in the delivery of drilling rigs and other equipment. Crude oil operations also are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that materially affect production, handling, storage, transportation and disposal of crude oil and natural gas, by-products of crude oil and natural gas and other substances produced or used in connection with crude oil and natural gas operations. Sudden disruptions in the supplies of energy commodities, such as those caused by war, natural events, accidents or acts of terrorism, may cause prices of energy commodities futures contracts to become extremely volatile and unpredictable. Also, sudden and dramatic changes in the futures market may occur, for example, upon a cessation of hostilities that may exist in countries producing energy commodities, the introduction of new or previously withheld supplies into the market or the introduction of substitute products or commodities. |
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In particular, supplies of crude oil may increase
or decrease depending on, among other factors, production decisions by the Organization of Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries
(“OPEC”) and other crude oil producers. Crude oil prices are determined with significant influence by OPEC, which has
the capacity to influence oil prices worldwide because its members possess a significant portion of the world’s oil supply.
Crude oil prices are generally more volatile and subject to dislocation than prices of other commodities.
Demand for refined petroleum products by consumers, as well as the agricultural, manufacturing and transportation industries, affects
the price of energy commodities. Demand for energy commodities such as crude oil is generally linked to economic activity, and
will tend to reflect general economic conditions. Additionally, demand for energy commodities may be reduced as a result of increases
in energy efficiency, substitution and energy conservation.
These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity linked instruments than on traditional fixed income and
equity securities. These variables may create additional investment risks that cause the value of the securities to be more volatile
than the values of traditional securities. These and other factors may affect the price of the shares of the United States Oil
Fund, LP, and thus the value of your securities, in unpredictable or unanticipated ways. The high volatility and cyclical nature
of commodity markets may render such an investment inappropriate as the focus of an investment portfolio.
• | THE SECURITIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO REGULATION BY THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION — The proceeds to be received by us from the sale of the securities will not be used to purchase or sell any commodities futures contracts or options on futures contracts for your benefit. An investment in the securities thus does not constitute either an investment in futures contracts, options on futures contracts or in a collective investment vehicle that trades in these futures contracts (i.e., the securities will not constitute a direct or indirect investment by you in the futures contracts), and you will not benefit from the regulatory protections of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, commonly referred to as the “CFTC.” The Issuer is not registered with the CFTC as a futures commission merchant and you will not benefit from the CFTC’s or any other non-U.S. regulatory authority’s regulatory protections afforded to persons who trade in futures contracts on a regulated futures exchange through a registered futures commission merchant. Unlike an investment in the securities, an investment in a collective investment vehicle that invests in futures contracts on behalf of its participants may be subject to regulation as a commodity pool and its operator may be required to be registered with and regulated by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator, or qualify for an exemption from the registration requirement. Because the securities will not be interests in a commodity pool, the securities will not be regulated by the CFTC as a commodity pool, we will not be registered with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator, and you will not benefit from the CFTC’s or any non-U.S. regulatory authority’s regulatory protections afforded to persons who invest in regulated commodity pools. |
• | THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE SECURITIES ON THE TRADE DATE MAY BE LESS THAN THE PRICE TO PUBLIC — The initial
estimated value of your securities on the Trade Date (as determined by reference to our pricing models and our internal funding
rate) may be significantly less than the original Price to Public. The Price to Public of the securities includes the agent’s
discounts or commissions as well as transaction costs such as expenses incurred to create, document and market the securities and
the cost of hedging our risks as issuer of the securities through one or more of our affiliates (which includes a projected profit).
These costs will be effectively borne by you as an investor in the securities. These amounts will be retained by Credit Suisse
or our affiliates in connection with our structuring and offering of the securities (except to the extent discounts or commissions
are reallowed to other broker-dealers or any costs are paid to third parties). On the Trade Date, we value the components of the securities in accordance with our pricing models. These include a fixed income component valued using our internal funding rate, and individual option components valued using mid-market pricing. Our option valuation models are proprietary. They take into account factors such as interest rates, volatility and time to maturity of the securities, and they rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. |
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Because Credit Suisse’s pricing models may differ from other issuers’ valuation models, and because funding rates taken into account by other issuers may vary materially from the rates used by Credit Suisse (even among issuers with similar creditworthiness), our estimated value at any time may not be comparable to estimated values of similar securities of other issuers.
• | EFFECT OF INTEREST RATE USED IN STRUCTURING THE SECURITIES — The internal funding rate we use in structuring notes such as these securities is typically lower than the interest rate that is reflected in the yield on our conventional debt securities of similar maturity in the secondary market (our “secondary market credit spreads”). If on the Trade Date our internal funding rate is lower than our secondary market credit spreads, we expect that the economic terms of the securities will generally be less favorable to you than they would have been if our secondary market credit spread had been used in structuring the securities. We will also use our internal funding rate to determine the price of the securities if we post a bid to repurchase your securities in secondary market transactions. See “—Secondary Market Prices” below. |
• | SECONDARY MARKET PRICES — If Credit Suisse (or an affiliate) bids for your securities in secondary
market transactions, which we are not obligated to do, the secondary market price (and the value used for account statements or
otherwise) may be higher or lower than the Price to Public and the estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date. The estimated
value of the securities on the cover of this pricing supplement does not represent a minimum price at which we would be willing
to buy the securities in the secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The secondary market price of your securities at any
time cannot be predicted and will reflect the then-current estimated value determined by reference to our pricing models and other
factors. These other factors include our internal funding rate, customary bid and ask spreads and other transaction costs, changes
in market conditions and any deterioration or improvement in our creditworthiness. In circumstances where our internal funding
rate is lower than our secondary market credit spreads, our secondary market bid for your securities could be more favorable than
what other dealers might bid because, assuming all else equal, we use the lower internal funding rate to price the securities and
other dealers might use the higher secondary market credit spread to price them. Furthermore,
assuming no change in market conditions from the Trade Date, the secondary market price of your securities will be lower than the
Price to Public because it will not include the agent’s discounts or commissions and hedging and other transaction costs.
If you sell your securities to a dealer in a secondary market transaction, the dealer may impose an additional discount or commission,
and as a result the price you receive on your securities may be lower than the price at which we may repurchase the securities
from such dealer. We (or an affiliate) may initially post a bid to repurchase the securities from you at a price that will exceed the then-current estimated value of the securities. That higher price reflects our projected profit and costs that were included in the Price to Public, and that higher price may also be initially used for account statements or otherwise. We (or our affiliate) may offer to pay this higher price, for your benefit, but the amount of any excess over the then-current estimated value will be temporary and is expected to decline over a period of approximately 90 days. The securities are not designed to be short-term trading instruments and any sale prior to maturity could result in a substantial loss to you. You should be willing and able to hold your securities to maturity. |
• | CREDIT SUISSE IS SUBJECT TO SWISS REGULATION — As a Swiss bank, Credit Suisse is subject to regulation by governmental agencies, supervisory authorities and self-regulatory organizations in Switzerland. Such regulation is increasingly more extensive and complex and subjects Credit Suisse to risks. For example, pursuant to Swiss banking laws, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) may open resolution proceedings if there are justified concerns that Credit Suisse is over-indebted, has serious liquidity problems or no longer fulfills capital adequacy requirements. FINMA has broad powers and discretion in the case of resolution proceedings, which include the power to convert debt instruments and other liabilities of Credit Suisse into equity and/or cancel such liabilities in whole or in part. If one or more of these measures were imposed, such measures may adversely affect the terms and market value of the securities and/or the ability of Credit Suisse to make payments thereunder and you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the securities. |
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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. |
• | 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 as agent of the issuer for the offering of the securities, hedging our obligations under the securities and determining their estimated value. In performing these duties, the economic interests of us and our affiliates are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the securities. Further, hedging activities may adversely affect any payment on or the value of the securities. Any profit in connection with such hedging activities will be in addition to any other compensation that we and our affiliates receive for the sale of the securities, which creates an additional incentive to sell the securities to you. |
• | UNPREDICTABLE ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — In addition to the levels of any Underlying, the value of the securities may be influenced by factors such as: |
o | the expected and actual volatility of the Underlyings; |
o | the expected and actual correlation, if any, between the Underlyings; |
o | the time to maturity of the securities; |
o | the dividend rate on the equity securities included in the Underlyings; |
o | interest and yield rates in the market generally; |
o | supply and demand trends for crude oil; |
o | investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation; |
o | geopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the components included in the Underlyings or markets generally and which may affect the levels of the Underlyings; and |
o | our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings. |
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.
• | 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 Underlyings 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 Underlyings or the assets that comprise the Underlyings. |
• | 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 shares of the Underlyings. |
• | ANTI-DILUTION PROTECTION IS LIMITED — The Calculation Agent will make anti-dilution adjustments for certain events affecting the shares of the Underlyings. However, an adjustment will |
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not be required in response to all events that could affect the shares of the Underlyings. 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.
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 any Observation 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 additional information, see “Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying product supplement.
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Historical Information
The following graphs set forth the historical performance of the Underlyings based on the closing level of each Underlying from January 4, 2010 through August 13, 2015. The closing level of one share of the United States Oil Fund, LP on August 13, 2015 was $14.09. The closing level of one share of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund on August 13, 2015 was $69.49. 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. Any historical trend in the levels of the Underlyings during any period set forth below is not an indication that the levels of the Underlyings are more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the securities.
For additional information on the United States Oil Fund, LP and the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, see “The Reference Funds—The United States Oil Fund, LP” and “The Reference Funds—The S&P SPDR® Funds—The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund” in the accompanying underlying supplement.
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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:
· | a financial institution, |
· | a mutual fund, |
· | a tax-exempt organization, |
· | a grantor trust, |
· | certain U.S. expatriates, |
· | an insurance company, |
· | a dealer or trader in securities or foreign currencies, |
· | a person (including traders in securities) using a mark-to-market method of accounting, |
· | 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 |
· | an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
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 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 the 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 the 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, but believes that it is reasonable to treat the securities as prepaid financial contracts with respect to the Underlyings that are eligible for open transaction treatment in part. In the absence of an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary, we intend to treat the securities and, by acceptance of the securities, you agree to treat the securities for all tax purposes in accordance with such characterization. The possible alternative characterizations and risks to investors of such characterizations are discussed below. In light of the fact that we agree to treat the securities as prepaid financial contracts, 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 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 might successfully
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assert that one or more of the Underlyings is a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") and that the constructive ownership transaction rules of Code section 1260 apply. See "Constructive Ownership Transaction and Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules" below. The IRS might also seek to characterize your securities as options, and thus 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. If the underlying shares are a non-U.S. company, including ADSs, the IRS could also characterize your security as an option on a PFIC. If the securities have a term of one year or less, it is also possible that the IRS would assert that the securities constitute short-term debt obligations. 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 securities have a term of more than one year, the IRS might assert that the securities 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 (the comparable yield). The characterization of the securities as contingent payment debt instruments under these rules is likely to be adverse. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the possible tax consequences of characterization of the securities as debt instruments. 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.
In accordance with the agreed-upon tax treatment described above, a U.S. Holder will treat any coupon payment received in respect of a security as ordinary income includible in such U.S. Holder’s income in accordance with the U.S. Holder’s method of accounting. Treatment of receipt of the redemption amount is subject to the discussion below under “Constructive Ownership Transaction and Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.” If the securities provides for the payment of the redemption amount in cash based on the return of the Underlyings, upon receipt of the redemption amount of the securities from us, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount of cash received from us and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the securities at that time. For securities with a term of more than one year, such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder has held the securities for more than one year at maturity. For securities with a term of one year or less, such gain or loss will be short-term capital gain or loss. If the securities provides for the payment of the redemption amount in physical shares or units of the Underlyings, the U.S. Holder should not recognize any gain or loss with respect to the securities (other than with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares or units, as described below). A U.S. Holder will have a tax basis in all physical shares or units received (including for this purpose any fractional shares or units) equal to its tax basis in the securities (generally its cost). A U.S. Holder’s holding period for any physical shares or units received will start on the day after the
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delivery of the physical shares or units. A 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 physical 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).
Upon the sale or other taxable disposition of a security, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or other taxable disposition and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the security (generally its cost). For securities with a term of more than one year (and subject to the discussion below under “Constructive Ownership Transaction and Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”), such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder has held the security for more than one year at the time of disposition. For securities with a term of one year or less, such gain or loss will be short-term capital gain or loss. It is possible that a portion of the amount realized from the sale or taxable disposition of the securities prior to the payment date attributable to an expected coupon could be treated as ordinary income. You should consult your tax advisor regarding this possibility and the consequences of such treatment to you.
Constructive Ownership Transaction and Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
All or a portion of gain arising from certain “constructive ownership transactions” may be recharacterized as ordinary income, and certain interest charges may be imposed with respect to any such recharacterized income. These rules by their terms may apply to any gain derived from the securities if the securities reference an equity interest in a “pass-thru entity” within the meaning of Code section 1260, which includes shares in an exchange traded fund or a PFIC. If the term of the securities is one year or greater and the underlying includes an equity interest in a non-U.S. company, including ADSs, the IRS might assert that one or more underlying is a PFIC and that the constructive ownership transaction rules of Code section 1260 apply.
If the securities are treated as a constructive ownership transaction, any gain therefrom that otherwise would be long-term capital gain in excess of the “net underlying long-term capital gain” will be treated as ordinary income, and an interest charge will apply as if such income had accrued for tax purposes at a constant yield over the term of the securities. There is a presumption that all of the gain realized that otherwise would have been long-term capital gain is subject to recharacterization as ordinary income and an interest charge, unless the contrary is demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence. Accordingly, any gain a U.S. Holder realizes from the sale, exchange or redemption of its securities in excess of the amount of long-term capital gain that it can establish that it would have realized had it (1) invested in the underlying (rather than the securities) on the issue date of the securities, and (2) sold the underlying on the date of sale, exchange or redemption of the securities, could be recharacterized as ordinary income and subject to an interest charge, as described above.
Code section 1260 also provides that the U.S. Department of the Treasury is to issue regulations that would exclude from the scope of Code section 1260 certain forward contracts that do not convey “substantially all of the economic return” with respect to the applicable reference asset, which in the case of the securities would be all or a portion of the underlying. However, no such regulations have been issued despite the fact that Code section 1260 was enacted in 1999, and there can be no assurance that any regulations that may be issued would apply to securities that are issued before such regulations. Thus, although we believe that the securities should not be considered to convey substantially all the economic return with respect to the underlying, in the absence of regulations, there can be no assurance that the securities would not be so considered or that Code section 1260 would not otherwise apply to the securities.
Additionally, if the securities provide for the payment of the redemption amount in physical shares or units of the underlying and such physical shares or units constitute an ownership interest in a PFIC, U.S. Holders generally would be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences if physical shares or units are received. If the physical shares or units received were to constitute an ownership interest in a PFIC, a U.S. Holder would be required to (1) allocate the amount of any “excess distribution” in respect of the PFIC (including any gain realized from the disposition of an interest in the PFIC) ratably to each day in its holding period for the physical shares or units (which, as noted above, would begin on the day after delivery of the physical shares or units), (2) pay tax on the excess distribution at the maximum tax rate in effect for each taxable year to which the excess distribution is allocable, and (3) pay additional tax equal to interest accruing (at the rate charged for underpayments of U.S. federal tax) on the tax determined under (2) above, accruing from (a) the beginning of the due date (without regard to extensions) for the filing of tax returns for the taxable years to which the excess distribution is allocated
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under (1) above, to (b) the due date for the taxable year in which the excess distribution occurred. Also, if the physical shares or units received were treated as an ownership interest in a PFIC, an individual U.S. Holder would not get a step-up in tax basis to the fair market value upon the holder’s death. A U.S. Holder would also be required to file IRS Form 8621 for each year in which the U.S. Holder (i) recognizes gain on the direct or indirect disposition of the physical shares, (ii) receives certain direct or indirect distributions from us, or (iii) makes any of certain reportable elections (including a mark-to-market election). In addition, each U.S. Holder who is a shareholder of a PFIC is required to file an annual report containing such information as the IRS may require. This requirement is in addition to other reporting requirements applicable to ownership in a PFIC. Additionally, in the event a U.S. Holder 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 form is filed.
You should consult with your tax advisors regarding the possible application of the constructive ownership transaction and PFIC rules to the securities.
Medicare Tax
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 the Medicare Tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the securities.
Securities Held Through Foreign Entities
Under certain provisions of the “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act,” generally referred to as “FATCA,” 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. To avoid becoming subject to the 30% withholding tax on payments to them, we and other foreign financial institutions may be required to report information to the IRS regarding the holders of the securities and, in the case of holders who (i) fail to provide the relevant information, (ii) are foreign financial institutions who have not agreed to comply with these information reporting requirements, or (iii) hold the securities directly or indirectly through such non-compliant foreign financial institutions, we may be required to withhold on a portion of payments under the securities. 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%. If payments on the securities are determined to be from sources within the United States, we will treat such payments 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
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the identity of any substantial United States owners of such entity.
Pursuant to the recently finalized regulations described above and IRS Notice 2013-43, 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 June 30, 2014 (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 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 July 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 may be subject to 30% withholding.
Non-U.S. Holders Generally
The U.S. federal income tax treatment of the coupon payments is unclear. Except as provided under “Securities Held Through Foreign Entities” and “Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments,” we currently do not intend to withhold any tax on any coupon payments made to a holder of the securities that is not a U.S. Holder (a “Non-U.S. Holder”) and that has no connection with the United States other than holding its securities, provided that such Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification requirements. However, it is possible that the IRS could assert that such payments are subject to U.S. withholding tax, or that we or another withholding agent may otherwise determine that withholding is required, in which case we or the other withholding agent may withhold up to 30% on such payments (subject to reduction or elimination of such withholding tax pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty). We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of such withholding.
Except as provided under “Securities Held Through Foreign Entities” and “Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments,” 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.
A Non-U.S. Holder who owns directly, indirectly or constructively, shares of any of the underlying that are considered to be a “United States real property interest” as defined in Treasury Regulations section 1.897-1(c) (a “USRPI”), or other interests having a return based on the appreciation in the value of, or in the gross or net proceeds or profits generated by, such underlying, may be subject to tax on the sale or exchange of the securities if such Non-U.S. Holder owns more than 5% of the shares of such underlying when considering the shares or interests of such underlying that are directly, indirectly or constructively owned by such Non-U.S. Holder. Ownership of the securities may also impact the taxation of such other shares or interests.
Each Non-US Holder, in connection with acquiring the securities, is deemed to represent that it does not own, and will not own, more than 5% of the of the shares of each of the underlying that is considered to be a USRPI, either directly, indirectly or constructively. We and any withholding agent will rely on the accuracy of this representation.
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For purposes of this discussion, any interest other than solely as a creditor within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.897-1(d) shall be treated as ownership of shares of the underlying.
Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors on the impact of other shares or interests in the underlying, the impact of ownership of the securities on such other shares or interests, and the consequences of making the representation in the preceding paragraph.
Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments
The Code and regulations thereunder treat a “dividend equivalent” payment as a dividend from sources within the United States. 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” (a “specified NPC”) 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). For payments made before January 1, 2016, the regulations provide that a specified NPC is any NPC if (a) in connection with entering into the contract, any long party to the contract transfers the underlying security to any short party to the contract, (b) in connection with the termination of the contract, any short party to the contract transfers the underlying security to any long party to the contract, (c) the underlying security is not readily tradable on an established securities market, or (d) in connection with entering into the contract, the underlying security is posted as collateral by any short party to the contract with any long party to the contract.
Proposed regulations provide that a dividend equivalent is (i) any payment of a substitute dividend made pursuant to a securities lending or sale-repurchase transaction that references the payment of a dividend from an underlying security, (ii) any payment made pursuant to a specified NPC that references the payment of a dividend from an underlying security, (iii) any payment made pursuant to a “specified equity-linked instrument” (a “specified ELI”) that references the payment of a dividend from an underlying security, or (iv) any other substantially similar payment. An underlying security is any interest in an entity taxable as a domestic corporation if a payment with respect to that interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. An ELI is a financial instrument (other than a securities lending or sale-repurchase transaction or an NPC) or combination of financial instruments that references one or more underlying securities to determine its value, including a futures contract, forward contract, option, debt instrument, or other contractual arrangement. For payments made after December 31, 2015, a specified NPC is any NPC that has a delta of 0.70 or greater with respect to an underlying security at the time of acquisition. For payments made after December 31, 2015, a specified ELI is any ELI issued on or after 90 days after the date the proposed regulations are finalized that has a delta of 0.70 or greater with respect to an underlying security at the time of acquisition. The delta of an NPC or ELI is the ratio of the change in the fair market value of the contract to the change in the fair market value of the property referenced by the contract. If an NPC or ELI references more than one underlying security, a separate delta must be determined with respect to each underlying security without taking into account any other underlying security or other property or liability. If an NPC (or ELI) references more than one underlying security, the NPC (or ELI) is a specified NPC (or specified ELI) only with respect to underlying securities for which the NPC (or ELI) has a delta of 0.70 or greater at the time that the long party acquires the NPC (or ELI). The proposed regulations provide an exception for qualified indices that satisfy certain criteria; however, it is not entirely clear how the proposed regulations will apply to securities that are linked to certain indices or baskets. The proposed regulations provide that a payment includes a dividend equivalent payment whether there is an explicit or implicit reference to a dividend with respect to the underlying security.
We will treat any portion of a payment or deemed payment on the securities (including, if appropriate, the payment of the purchase price) 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. If withholding applies, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. The proposed regulations are extremely complex. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them of these proposed regulations and whether payments or deemed payments on the securities constitute dividend equivalent payments.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Holders
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A security may be subject to U.S. federal estate tax if an individual Non-U.S. Holder holds the security 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.
Members of Congress have from time-to-time proposed legislation relating to financial instruments, including legislation that would require holders to annually mark to market affected financial instruments (potentially including the securities). These or other potential changes in law could adversely affect the tax treatment of the securities and may be applied with retroactive effect. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding how any such potential changes in law could affect you.
Information Reporting Regarding Specified Foreign Financial Assets
The Code and regulations thereunder 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. Specified foreign financial assets include, with some limited exceptions, any financial account maintained at a foreign financial institution and any debt or equity interest in a foreign financial institution, including a financial institution organized under the laws of a U.S. possession, and any of the following that are held for investment and not held in an account maintained by a financial institution: (1) any stock or security issued by person other than a U.S. person (including a person organized in a U.S. possession), (2) any financial instrument or contract that has an issuer or counterparty that is other than a U.S. person (including a person organized in a U.S. possession), and (3) any interest in a foreign entity. Additionally, for tax years beginning after December 12, 2014, the regulations provide that specified foreign financial assets include certain retirement and pension accounts and non-retirement savings accounts.
Proposed regulations relating to specified domestic entities apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2011, but have not yet been adopted as final regulations. 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. Pursuant to an 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.
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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. Penalties apply to any failure to file IRS Form 8938. 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.
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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 up to $8.00 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.
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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