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 15, 2017.
Preliminary Pricing Supplement No. J723 To Product Supplement No. JPM-III dated June 30, 2017, Prospectus Supplement dated June 30, 2017 and Prospectus dated June 30, 2017 |
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) Registration Statement No. 333-218604-02 August 15, 2017 |
Credit Suisse AG
Structured Investments |
Credit Suisse
Return Enhanced Notes due September
5, 2018 |
General
· | The notes are designed for investors who seek a leveraged return at maturity linked to the performance of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF up to a Maximum Return on the notes, which is expected to be 21.80% (to be determined on the Pricing Date). Investors should be willing to forgo interest and dividend payments and, if the Final Level is less than the Initial Level, be willing to lose up to 100% of their investment. If the Final Level is greater than or equal to the Initial Level, at maturity investors will receive the principal amount of their notes and will have the opportunity to participate in the appreciation, if any, of the Underlying, multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor, subject to the Maximum Return. Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
· | Senior unsecured obligations of Credit Suisse AG, acting through its London branch, maturing September 5, 2018. |
· | Minimum purchase of $10,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. |
· | The notes are expected to price on or about August 18, 2017 (the “Pricing Date”) and are expected to settle on or about August 23, 2017 (the “Settlement Date”). Delivery of the notes 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 |
Underlying: | The notes are linked to the performance of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF. For additional information about the Underlying, see the information set forth under “The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF” herein. |
Upside Leverage Factor: | 1.5 |
Payment at Maturity: | · If the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level, you will be entitled to receive a cash payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount of notes that provides you with a return equal to the Underlying Return multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor, subject to the Maximum Return on the notes, which is expected to be 21.80% (to be determined on the Pricing Date). If the Underlying Return is equal to or greater than 14.53%, you will receive the Maximum Return on the notes of 21.80%, which entitles you to a maximum payment at maturity of $1,218.00 for every $1,000 principal amount of notes that you hold. Accordingly, if the Underlying Return is positive, your payment per $1,000 principal amount of notes will equal $1,000 plus the product of $1,000 and the lesser of (i) the Maximum Return and (ii) the product of (a) the Underlying Return and (b) the Upside Leverage Factor. |
· If the Final Level is equal to the Initial Level, you will be entitled to receive a cash payment at maturity of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of notes. | |
· If the Final Level is less than the Initial Level, you will lose an amount equal to 1% of the principal amount of your notes for every 1% that the Final Level is less than the Initial Level and your final payment per $1,000 principal amount of notes will be calculated as follows: | |
$1,000 + (1,000 × Underlying Return) | |
Your investment will be fully exposed to any decline in the Underlying. You will lose some or all of your investment at maturity if the Final Level declines from the Initial Level. | |
Maximum Return: | Expected to be 21.80% (to be determined on the Pricing Date). |
Underlying Return: | The performance of the Underlying from the Initial Level to the Final Level, calculated as follows: |
Final Level – Initial Level Initial Level | |
The Underlying Return may be positive or negative. | |
Initial Level: | The closing level of the Underlying on the Pricing Date. In the event that the closing level of the Underlying is not available on the Pricing Date, the Initial Level will be the closing level of the Underlying on the immediately following trading day on which a closing level is available. |
Final Level: | The arithmetic average of the closing levels of the Underlying on each of the five Valuation Dates. |
Valuation Dates: | August 24, 2018, August 27, 2018, August 28, 2018, August 29, 2018 and August 30, 2018 (each a “Valuation Date” and August 30, 2018, the “Final Valuation Date”), subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Notes—Postponement of calculation dates.” |
Maturity Date: | September 5, 2018, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Notes—Postponement of calculation dates.” |
Listing: | The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
CUSIP: | 22550BFH1 |
Investing in the notes involves a number of risks. See “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page 4 of this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-3 of any accompanying product supplement.
Neither the Notes and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this pricing supplement or any accompanying product supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Price to Public(1) | Fees(2) | Proceeds to Issuer | |
Per note | $1,000.00 | $ | $ |
Total | $ | $ | $ |
(1) Certain fiduciary accounts will pay a purchase price of $990.00 per note, and the placement agents with respect to sales made to such accounts will forgo any fees.
(2) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, which we refer to as JPMS LLC, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. will act as placement agents for the notes. The placement agents will forgo fees for sales to fiduciary accounts. The total fees represent the amount that the placement agents receive from sales to accounts other than such fiduciary accounts. The placement agents will receive a fee from Credit Suisse or one of our affiliates that will not exceed $10.00 per $1,000 principal amount of the notes.
Credit Suisse currently estimates the value of each $1,000 principal amount of the notes on the Pricing Date will be between $970.00 and $990.00 (as determined by reference to our pricing models and the rate we are currently paying to borrow funds through issuance of the notes (our “internal funding rate”)), which is less than the Price to Public listed above. This range of estimated values reflects terms that are not yet fixed. A single estimated value reflecting final terms will be determined on the Pricing Date. See “Selected Risk Considerations” in this pricing supplement.
The notes 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.
J.P. Morgan
Placement Agent
August , 2017
You may revoke your offer to purchase the notes at any time prior to the time at which we accept such offer on the date the notes are priced. We reserve the right to change the terms of, or reject any offer to purchase the notes prior to their issuance. In the event of any changes to the terms of the notes, 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 Notes
You should read this pricing supplement together with the product supplement dated June 30, 2017, the prospectus supplement dated June 30, 2017 and the prospectus dated June 30, 2017, relating to our Medium-Term Notes of which these notes 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):
• | Product Supplement No. JPM-III dated June 30, 2017: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000095010317006322/dp77792_424b2-jpm3.htm
• | Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus dated June 30, 2017: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000104746917004364/a2232566z424b2.htm
In the event the terms of the notes described in this pricing supplement differ from, or are inconsistent with, the terms described in the product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus, the terms described in this pricing supplement will control.
Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 1053092. As used in this pricing supplement, “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to Credit Suisse.
This pricing supplement, together with the documents listed above, contains the terms of the notes 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 notes and the owner of any beneficial interest in the notes, amend the notes 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 any accompanying 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 notes 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 notes.
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Hypothetical Payments at Maturity for Each $1,000 Principal Amount of Notes
The following table and examples illustrate the hypothetical Payments at Maturity for a $1,000 principal amount of notes for a hypothetical range of performance of the Underlying, assuming an Upside Leverage Factor of 1.5 and a Maximum Return of 21.80%. The actual Upside Leverage Factor and Maximum Return will be determined on the Pricing Date. The hypothetical results set forth below are for illustrative purposes only. The actual payment at maturity applicable to a purchaser of the notes will be based on the arithmetic average of the closing levels of the Underlying on the Valuation Dates. Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. The numbers appearing in the following table and examples have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Underlying Return | Return on the Notes | Payment at Maturity |
100.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
90.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
80.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
70.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
60.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
50.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
40.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
30.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
20.00% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
14.53% | 21.80% | $1,218.00 |
10.00% | 15.00% | $1,150.00 |
0.00% | 0.00% | $1,000.00 |
−10.00% | −10.00% | $900.00 |
−20.00% | −20.00% | $800.00 |
−30.00% | −30.00% | $700.00 |
−40.00% | −40.00% | $600.00 |
−50.00% | −50.00% | $500.00 |
−60.00% | −60.00% | $400.00 |
−70.00% | −70.00% | $300.00 |
−80.00% | −80.00% | $200.00 |
−90.00% | −90.00% | $100.00 |
−100.00% | −100.00% | $0.00 |
2
Hypothetical Examples of Amounts Payable at Maturity
The following examples illustrate how the payment at maturity is calculated.
Example 1: The level of the Underlying increases by 50% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level and the Underlying Return of 50% multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor exceeds the Maximum Return of 21.80%, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,218.00 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, the maximum payment on the notes.
Example 2: The level of the Underlying increases by 5% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level and the Underlying Return of 5% multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor does not exceed the Maximum Return of 21.80%, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,075 per $1,000 principal amount of notes calculated as follows:
Payment at maturity | = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × Underlying Return × Upside Leverage Factor) |
= | $1,000 + ($1,000 × 5% × 1.5) | |
= | $1,075 | |
Example 3: The level of the Underlying decreases by 20% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level is less than the Initial Level, the Underlying Return is negative and the investor receives a payment at maturity of $800 per $1,000 principal amount of notes calculated as follows:
Payment at maturity | = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × Underlying Return) |
= | $1,000 + ($1,000 × -20%) | |
= | $800 | |
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Selected Purchase Considerations
· | LIMITED APPRECIATION POTENTIAL — The notes provide the opportunity to enhance returns by multiplying a positive Underlying Return by 1.5, up to the Maximum Return on the notes, which will be set on the Pricing Date and will not be less than 21.80%. Accordingly, the maximum amount payable at maturity is expected to be $1,218.00 for every $1,000 principal amount of notes. Because the notes are our senior unsecured obligations, payment of any amount on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
Selected Risk Considerations
An investment in the notes involves significant risks. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Underlying or in any futures contracts or exchange-traded or over-the-counter instruments based on, or other instruments linked to the Underlying. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of any accompanying product supplement.
· | YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE NOTES MAY RESULT IN A LOSS — The notes do not guarantee any return of your principal amount. You could lose up to $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of notes. The return on the notes at maturity is linked to the performance of the Underlying and will depend on whether, and the extent to which, the Underlying Return is positive or negative. If the Final Level is less than the Initial Level, you will lose 1% of your principal for each 1% decline in the Final Level as compared to the Initial Level. Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
· | REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY PAYMENT YOU RECEIVE ON THE NOTES, YOUR ACTUAL YIELD MAY BE DIFFERENT IN REAL VALUE TERMS — Inflation may cause the real value of any payment you receive on the notes to be less at maturity than it is at the time you invest. An investment in the notes also represents a forgone opportunity to invest in an alternative asset that generates a higher real return. You should carefully consider whether an investment that may result in a return that is lower than the return on alternative investments is appropriate for you. |
· | THE NOTES DO NOT PAY INTEREST — We will not pay interest on the notes. You may receive less at maturity than you could have earned on ordinary interest-bearing debt securities with similar maturities, including other of our debt securities, since the Payment at Maturity is based on the performance of the Underlying. Because the payment due at maturity may be less than the amount originally invested in the notes, the return on the notes (the effective yield to maturity) may be negative. Even if it is positive, the return payable on the notes may not be enough to compensate you for any loss in value due to inflation and other factors relating to the value of money over time. |
· | THE NOTES ARE SUBJECT TO THE CREDIT RISK OF CREDIT SUISSE — Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes and, therefore, if we were to default on our obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the notes. 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 notes prior to maturity. |
· | YOUR MAXIMUM GAIN ON THE NOTES IS LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM RETURN —If the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level, for each $1,000 principal amount of notes, you will receive at maturity $1,000 plus an additional amount that will not exceed a predetermined percentage of the principal amount, regardless of the appreciation in the Underlying, which may be significant. We refer to this percentage as the Maximum Return, which will be set on the Pricing Date and will not be less than 21.80%. Accordingly, the maximum amount payable at maturity is expected to be $1,218.00 for every $1,000 principal amount of notes. Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
· | THE AVERAGING CONVENTION USED TO CALCULATE THE FINAL LEVEL COULD LIMIT RETURNS — Your investment in the notes may not perform as well as an investment in an instrument that measures the point-to-point performance of the Underlying from the Pricing Date to the Final Valuation Date. Your ability to participate in the appreciation of the Underlying, if any, may be limited by the 5-day-end-of-term averaging used to calculate the Final Level, especially if there is a significant increase in the closing level of the Underlying on the Final Valuation Date. Accordingly, you may not receive the benefit of the full appreciation of the Underlying, if any, between the Pricing Date and the Final Valuation Date. |
· | THE PROBABILITY THAT THE FINAL LEVEL WILL BE LESS THAN THE INITIAL LEVEL WILL DEPEND ON THE VOLATILITY OF THE UNDERLYING — “Volatility” refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the level of the Underlying. The greater the expected volatility with respect to the |
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Underlying on the Pricing Date, the higher the expectation as of the Pricing Date that the Final Level could be less than the Initial Level, indicating a higher expected risk of loss on the notes. The terms of the notes are set, in part, based on expectations about the volatility of the Underlying as of the Pricing Date. The volatility of the Underlying can change significantly over the term of the notes. The level of the Underlying could fall sharply, which could result in a significant loss of principal. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of the Underlying and the potential to lose a significant amount of your principal at maturity.
· | THERE ARE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNDERLYING — Although shares of the Underlying 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 Underlying or that there will be liquidity in the trading market. The Underlying is subject to management risk, which is the risk that the Underlying’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. Pursuant to the Underlying's investment strategy or otherwise, its investment advisor may add, delete or substitute the assets held by the Underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the price of the shares of the Underlying and consequently the value of the notes. For additional information on the Underlying, see “The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF” herein. |
· | THE PERFORMANCE AND MARKET VALUE OF THE UNDERLYING, PARTICULARLY DURING PERIODS OF MARKET VOLATILITY, MAY NOT CORRELATE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRACKED INDEX — The Underlying will generally invest in all of the equity securities included in the S&P Banks Select Industry Index, the “Tracked Index,” but may not fully replicate the Tracked Index. There may be instances where the investment advisor for the Underlying may choose to overweight a stock in the Tracked Index, purchase securities not included in the Tracked Index that such investment advisor 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 Underlying will reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of the Tracked Index. Finally, because the shares of the Underlying are traded on a national securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of the Underlying may differ from the net asset value per share of the Underlying. |
During periods of market volatility, securities held by the Underlying may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share of the Underlying and the liquidity of the Underlying may be adversely affected. This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares in the Underlying. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the Underlying. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the Underlying may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of the Underlying. For these reasons, the performance of the Underlying may not correlate with the performance of the Tracked Index. For additional information on the Underlying, see “The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF” herein.
· | The Stocks Included in THE UNDERLYING are Concentrated in One Particular Sector — All of the stocks included in the Underlying are issued by companies in a single sector. As a result, the stocks that will determine the performance of the Underlying are concentrated in a single sector. Although an investment in the notes will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the stocks held by the Underlying, the return on an investment in the notes will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in companies in a single sector. Accordingly, by investing in the notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in a broader range of sectors. |
· | THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES ON THE PRICING DATE MAY BE LESS THAN THE PRICE TO PUBLIC — The initial estimated value of your notes on the Pricing 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 notes includes any discounts or commissions as well as transaction costs such as expenses incurred to create, document and market the notes and the cost of hedging our risks as issuer of the notes 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 notes. These amounts will be retained by Credit Suisse or our affiliates in connection with our structuring and offering of the notes (except to the extent discounts or commissions are reallowed to other broker-dealers or any costs are paid to third |
5
parties).
On the Pricing Date, we value the components of the notes 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. As such, the payout on
the notes can be replicated using a combination of these components and the value of these components, as determined by us using
our pricing models, will impact the terms of the notes at issuance. Our option valuation models are proprietary. Our pricing models
take into account factors such as interest rates, volatility and time to maturity of the notes, and they rely in part on certain
assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect.
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 notes of other issuers.
· | EFFECT OF INTEREST RATE USED IN STRUCTURING THE NOTES — The internal funding rate we use in structuring notes such as these notes 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 Pricing Date our internal funding rate is lower than our secondary market credit spreads, we expect that the economic terms of the notes will generally be less favorable to you than they would have been if our secondary market credit spread had been used in structuring the notes. We will also use our internal funding rate to determine the price of the notes if we post a bid to repurchase your notes in secondary market transactions. See “—Secondary Market Prices” below. |
· | SECONDARY MARKET PRICES — If Credit Suisse (or an affiliate) bids for your notes 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 notes on the Pricing Date. The estimated value of
the notes on the cover of this pricing supplement does not represent a minimum price at which we would be willing to buy the notes
in the secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The secondary market price of your notes 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 notes 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 notes and other dealers might use the higher secondary
market credit spread to price them. Furthermore, assuming no change in market conditions from the Pricing Date, the secondary market
price of your notes will be lower than the Price to Public because it will not include any discounts or commissions and hedging
and other transaction costs. If you sell your notes 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 notes may be lower than the price at which we may repurchase
the notes from such dealer. We (or an affiliate) may initially post a bid to repurchase the notes from you at a price that will exceed the then-current estimated value of the notes. 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 three months. The notes 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 notes to maturity. |
· | POTENTIAL CONFLICTS — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the notes, including acting as calculation agent, hedging our obligations under the notes 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 notes. Further, hedging activities may adversely affect any payment on or the value of the notes. Any profit in connection with such |
6
hedging activities will be in addition to any other compensation that we and our affiliates receive for the sale of the notes, which creates an additional incentive to sell the notes to you.
· | 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 notes and/or the ability of Credit Suisse to make payments thereunder and you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the notes. |
· | LACK OF LIQUIDITY — The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Credit Suisse (or its affiliates) intends to offer to purchase the notes 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 notes when you wish to do so. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the notes, the price at which you may be able to trade your notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which Credit Suisse (or its affiliates) is willing to buy the notes. If you have to sell your notes prior to maturity, you may not be able to do so, or you may have to sell them at a substantial loss. |
· | UNPREDICTABLE ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE NOTES — The payout on the notes can be replicated using a combination of the components described in “The estimated value of the notes on the Pricing Date may be less than the Price to Public.” Therefore, in addition to the level of the Underlying, the terms of the notes at issuance and the value of the notes prior to maturity may be influenced by factors that impact the value of fixed income securities and options in general such as: |
o | the expected and actual volatility of the Underlying; |
o | the time to maturity of the notes; |
o | the dividend rate on the equity securities included in the Underlying; |
o | interest and yield rates in the market generally; |
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 Underlying or markets generally and which may affect the level of the Underlying; 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 notes 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 UNDERLYING — Your return on the notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned shares of the Underlying or the assets that comprise the Underlying. The return on your investment is not the same as the total return based on the purchase of shares of the Underlying or the assets that comprise the Underlying. |
• | NO DIVIDEND PAYMENTS OR VOTING RIGHTS — As a holder of the notes, 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 Underlying or the assets that comprise the Underlying. |
• | ANTI-DILUTION PROTECTION IS LIMITED — The calculation agent will make anti-dilution adjustments for certain events affecting the Underlying. However, an adjustment will not be required in response to all events that could affect the Underlying. If an event occurs that does not require the calculation agent to |
7
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 notes may be materially and adversely affected. See “Description of the Notes—Adjustments—For a reference fund” in the relevant product supplement.
• | THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE NOTES ARE NOT CERTAIN — There are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions addressing the characterization, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of instruments with terms that are substantially the same as those of the notes. 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 notes, and the tax treatment described under “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” is not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are not certain. |
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 notes may be used in connection with hedging our obligations under the notes through one or more of our affiliates. Such hedging or trading activities on or prior to the Pricing Date and during the term of the notes (including on any calculation date, as defined in any accompanying product supplement) could adversely affect the value of the Underlying and, as a result, could decrease the amount you may receive on the notes at maturity. For additional information, see “Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in any accompanying product supplement.
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The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF
We have derived all information contained herein regarding the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF from publicly available information. Such information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, SSgA Funds Management, Inc., which maintains and manages the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF and acts as investment advisor to the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF. We have not conducted any independent review or due diligence of any publicly available information with respect to the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF.
The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF is an exchange-traded fund that seeks investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the S&P Banks Select Industry Index, which represents the banks segment of the S&P® Total Market Index.
The SPDR® Series Trust is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF. Information filed by the SPDR® Series Trust with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act and the Investment Company Act can be found by reference to its SEC file numbers: 333-57793 and 811-08839. Shares of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF are listed on the NYSE Arca under ticker symbol “KBE.” Information from outside sources is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered part of, this pricing supplement or any accompanying product supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus.
Historical Information
The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Underlying based on the closing levels of the Underlying from January 3, 2012 through August 11, 2017. The closing level of the Underlying on August 11, 2017 was $41.85. We obtained the historical information below from Bloomberg, without independent verification. The price source for determining the Final Level will be the Bloomberg page “KBE UP <Equity>” or any successor page.
The historical levels of the Underlying should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing level of the Underlying on any of the Valuation Dates. We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Underlying will result in the return of any of your initial investment.
For additional information about the Underlying, see “The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF” herein.
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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 Notes that may be relevant to holders of the Notes that acquire their Notes from us as part of the original issuance of the Notes. This discussion applies only to holders that hold their Notes 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 Notes as a hedge or as part of a straddle with another position, constructive sale, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction, |
· | a person whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, 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 Notes, 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 Notes, including the application of federal, state, local and foreign income and other tax laws based on your particular facts and circumstances.
Characterization of the Notes
There are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions addressing the characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of the Notes or instruments with terms that are substantially the same as those of your Notes. Thus, the characterization of the Notes is not certain. Our special tax counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, has advised that the Notes should be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as prepaid financial contracts, with respect to the underlying, that are eligible for open transaction treatment. In the absence of an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary, we intend to treat the Notes and, by acceptance of the Notes, you agree to treat the Notes for all tax purposes in accordance with such characterization and the balance of this discussion assumes that the Notes will be so treated.
You should be aware that the characterization of the Notes 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 Notes in a manner that results in tax consequences to you that are different from those described below. For example, the IRS might assert that the Notes are debt instruments, which may result in adverse tax consequences. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the possible tax consequences of characterization of the Notes as debt instruments. Generally, the Notes are not, and we do not expect that the Notes will be, listed on a securities exchange. In the event the Notes are listed on a securities exchange and the IRS seeks to characterize your Notes as options, the Notes would be characterized as Code section 1256 contracts. In such case, the Notes would be marked-to-market at the end of the year and 40% of any gain or loss would be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, and the remaining 60% of any gain or loss would be treated as long-term capital gain or loss. Alternatively, the IRS might assert that the Notes constitute a “constructive ownership transaction,” in which case, under Code section
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1260, all or a portion of your gain, if any, from the Notes would be recharacterized as ordinary income, and you would be required to pay additional tax calculated by reference to interest on the tax on such recharacterized income. See “Constructive Ownership Transaction Rules” below. We are not responsible for any adverse consequences that you may experience as a result of any alternative characterization of the Notes 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 Notes 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 Notes.
In accordance with the agreed-upon tax treatment described above, if the security provides for the payment of the redemption amount in cash based on the return of the underlying, upon receipt of the redemption amount of the security from us (and subject to the discussion below under “Constructive Ownership Transaction Rules”), 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 security at that time. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss in the case of a U.S. Holder that has held the security for more than one year at maturity (excluding the look back observation period, if applicable) and short-term capital gain or loss otherwise.
If the security provides for the payment of the redemption amount in physical shares or units of the underlying (and subject to the discussion below under “Constructive Ownership Transaction Rules”), the U.S. Holder should not recognize any gain or loss with respect to the security (other than with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares or units, as described below). A U.S. Holder should 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 security. A U.S. Holder’s holding period for any physical shares or units received should start on the day after the 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 number of fractional shares or units and the denominator of which is the number of 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. Subject to the discussion below under “Constructive Ownership Transaction Rules,” such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss in the case of a U.S. Holder that has held the security for more than one year (excluding the look back observation period, if applicable) at the time of disposition and short-term capital gain or loss otherwise.
Constructive Ownership Transaction 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 Notes if the Notes reference an equity interest in a “pass-thru entity” within the meaning of Code section 1260, which includes shares in an exchange traded
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fund and certain other entities. If the term of the Notes is one year or greater and the underlying includes an equity interest in an exchange traded fund, the IRS might assert that the constructive ownership transaction rules of Code section 1260 apply.
If the Notes 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 Notes. 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 Notes) on the issue date of the Notes, and (2) sold the underlying on the date of sale, exchange or redemption of the Notes, 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 Notes 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 Notes 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 Notes would not be so considered or that Code section 1260 would not otherwise apply to the Notes.
You should consult with your tax advisor regarding the possible application of the constructive ownership transaction rules to the Notes.
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. Holder’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 Notes) 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 Notes and any gain on sale or other taxable disposition of the Notes will be subject to the Medicare Tax. If you are an individual, estate, or trust, you should consult with your tax advisor regarding application of the Medicare Tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the Notes.
Securities Held Through Foreign Entities
Under certain provisions of the “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act,” generally referred to as “FATCA,” and regulations thereunder, 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 it, a financial institution may be required to report information to the IRS regarding the holders of the Notes. 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 Notes directly or indirectly through such non-compliant foreign financial institutions, a payor may be required to withhold on a portion of payments under the Notes. FATCA also requires withholding agents making withholdable
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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 U.S. owners) to withhold tax at a rate of 30%. If payments on the Notes are determined to be from sources within the United States, such payments will be treated 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 U.S.-owned foreign entity and the identity of any substantial U.S. owners of such entity. If such withholding applies, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.
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 and 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, 2018, and (iii) foreign passthru payments made after the later of December 31, 2018, 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) with respect to foreign passthru payments, 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 executed on or prior to the date that is six months after the date on which final regulations defining foreign passthru payments are published (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 executed on or prior to the date that is 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 Notes through a foreign financial institution or foreign entity, a portion of any of your payments may be subject to 30% withholding.
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 exceeds $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 a 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, the regulations provide that specified foreign financial assets include certain retirement and pension accounts and non-retirement savings accounts.
Pursuant to the regulations and subject to certain exceptions, “specified domestic entities” are domestic corporations, domestic partnerships, or certain trusts that are formed or used for the purposes of holding, directly or indirectly, specified foreign financial assets. Generally, specified domestic entities are certain corporations and partnerships, which are closely held by a specified individual and that meet passive income or passive asset tests, and, with certain exceptions, domestic trusts that have one or more specified individuals or specified domestic entities as a current beneficiary.
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 or a specified domestic entity. Penalties apply to any failure to file IRS Form 8938. In the event a U.S. Holder (either a specified individual or
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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 the related statute of limitations tolling provision.
Non-U.S. Holders Generally
Except as provided under “Securities Held Through Foreign Entities” and “Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments,” payments made to a holder of the Notes 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 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 Notes 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 Notes should refer to the discussion above relating to U.S. Holders.
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 at a rate of 30%. A “dividend equivalent” payment is defined under the Code as (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).
Regulations provide that a dividend equivalent is any payment that references the payment or deemed payment of (i) a dividend from an underlying security pursuant to a securities lending or sale-repurchase transaction, (ii) a dividend from an underlying security pursuant to a specified NPC, (iii) a dividend from an underlying security pursuant to a specified equity-linked instrument (a “specified ELI”), and (iv) any other substantially similar payment. The 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. An underlying security is any interest in an entity if a payment with respect to that interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend pursuant to Treasury regulation section 1.861-3. An NPC is a notional principal contract as defined in Treasury regulation section 1.446-3(c). An equity-linked instrument (“ELI”) is a financial instrument (other than a securities lending or sale-repurchase transaction or an NPC) that references the value of one or more underlying securities, including a futures contract, forward contract, option, debt instrument, or other contractual arrangement. A “section 871(m) transaction” is any securities lending or sale-repurchase transaction, specified NPC, or specified ELI.
Pursuant to the regulations and Notice 2017-42, for any payment made on or after January 1, 2017 with respect to any transaction issued on or after January 1, 2017, any NPC or ELI that has a delta of one with respect to an underlying security when the NPC or ELI is issued is a specified NPC or specified ELI, respectively. For any payment made on or after January 1, 2019 with respect to any transaction issued on or after January 1, 2019, (a) a “simple” NPC or “simple” ELI that has a delta of 0.8 or greater with respect to an underlying security when the NPC or ELI is issued is a specified NPC or specified ELI, respectively, and (b) a “complex” NPC or “complex” ELI that meets a substantial equivalence test with respect to an underlying security at the time of issuance is a specified NPC or specified ELI, respectively.
Certain events could cause previously issued securities to be deemed to be issued as new securities for purposes of the effective dates provided in the regulations. For example, it is possible that the IRS could assert that a reconstitution or rebalancing of the underlying is a significant modification of the Notes due to an exercise of
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discretion with respect to such reconstitution or rebalancing and, therefore, a deemed issuance of the Notes upon the occurrence of such event. It is also possible that U.S. withholding tax could apply to the Notes under these rules if a Non-U.S. Holder enters, or has entered, into certain other transactions in respect of the underlying equity or the Notes. A Non-U.S. Holder that enters, or has entered, into other transactions in respect of the underlying or the Notes should consult its own tax advisor regarding the application of Code section 871(m) to its securities in the context of its other transactions.
Withholding on payments will be based on actual dividends or, if otherwise notified by us in accordance with applicable regulations, on estimated dividends used in pricing the security. If an adjustment is made for the actual dividends, then the true-up payment (in addition to the estimated dividend) is added to the per-share dividend amount. If a transaction is a section 871(m) transaction, information regarding the amount of each dividend equivalent, the delta of the potential 871(m) transaction, the amount of any tax withheld and deposited, the estimated dividend amount and any other information necessary to apply the regulations will be provided, communicated, or made available to Non-U.S. Holders in a manner permitted by the applicable regulations.
In accordance with the regulations, U.S. tax will be withheld on any portion of a payment or deemed payment (including, if appropriate, the payment of the purchase price) that is a dividend equivalent with respect to any security issued (or deemed issued) on or after January 1, 2017 and prior to January 1, 2019 that has a delta of one unless reduced by an applicable tax treaty and a properly executed IRS Form W-8 (or other qualifying documentation) is provided. Based on the terms of the Notes and representations provided by us, our counsel is of the opinion that a security (exclusive of any other transactions that may be combined with the security as discussed herein) should not be a “delta-one transaction” with respect to a specified ELI or specified NPC within the meaning of the regulations and, as a result, we do not intend to treat the security as a section 871(m) transaction. If withholding applies, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. These 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 regulations and whether payments or deemed payments on the Notes constitute dividend equivalent payments.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Holders
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 Notes at death.
Potential Changes to the Tax Rules for Financial Instruments
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 Notes). These or other potential changes in law could adversely affect the tax treatment of the Notes 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.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
A holder of the Notes (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 Notes 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. If such withholding applies, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
Under the terms of distributor accession confirmations with JPMS LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., each dated as of June 18, 2008, JPMS LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. will act as placement agents for the notes. The placement agents will receive a fee from Credit Suisse or one of our affiliates that will not exceed $10.00 per $1,000 principal amount of notes and will forgo fees for sales to fiduciary accounts. For additional information, see “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” in any accompanying product supplement.
We expect to deliver the notes against payment for the notes on the Settlement Date indicated herein, which may be a date that is greater than three business days following the Pricing 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 Pricing Date, purchasers who wish to transact in the notes more than three business days prior to the Settlement Date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
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