424B2 1 dp83222_424b2-u2439.htm FORM 424B2

Pricing Supplement No. U2439
To Product Supplement No. I–A 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
November 21, 2017

Financial

Products

$3,940,000 

10.25% per annum Contingent Coupon Callable Yield Notes due November 27, 2019 

Linked to the Performance of the Common Stock of Bank of America Corporation 

•The securities do not guarantee any return of principal at maturity and do not provide for the regular payment of interest.

•Subject to Early Redemption, if a Coupon Barrier Event does not occur on an Observation Date, we will pay a contingent coupon on the immediately following Contingent Coupon Payment Date at a Contingent Coupon Rate of 10.25% per annum. If a Coupon Barrier Event has occurred, no contingent coupon will be paid in arrears 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 earlier of the Early Redemption Date and the Maturity Date, as applicable.

•We may redeem the securities, in whole but not in part, on any Contingent Coupon Payment Date scheduled to occur on or after February 27, 2018 but prior to the Maturity Date. No further payments will be made following an Early Redemption.

•Investors should be willing to (i) forgo dividends and the potential to participate in any appreciation of the Underlying, (ii) accept the risks of owning equities in general and the common stock of Bank of America Corporation in particular and (iii) lose some or all of their investment if a Knock-In Event has occurred.

•Senior unsecured obligations of Credit Suisse maturing November 27, 2019. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.

•Minimum purchase of $1,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

•The securities priced on November 21, 2017 (the “Trade Date”) and are expected to settle on November 27, 2017 (the “Settlement Date”). Delivery of the securities in book-entry form only will be made through The Depository Trust Company.

•The securities will not be listed on any exchange.

 

Investing in the securities involves a number of risks. See “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page 6 of this pricing supplement and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-3 of any 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 any accompanying 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 $17.50 $982.50
Total $3,940,000 $68,950 $3,871,050

(1) Certain fiduciary accounts may pay a purchase price of at least $982.50 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 will pay discounts and commissions of $17.50 per $1,000 principal amount of securities. For more detailed information, please see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in 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)” in this pricing supplement.

 

Credit Suisse currently estimates the value of each $1,000 principal amount of the securities on the Trade Date is $977.80 (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”)). 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

 

November 21, 2017

 

 

 

 

Key Terms

 

Issuer: Credit Suisse AG (“Credit Suisse”), acting through its London branch
Underlying: The securities are linked to the performance of the Underlying set forth in the table below (the issuer of the Underlying, the “Reference Share Issuer”). The Underlying, the ticker symbol, the Initial Level, the Knock-In Level and the Coupon Barrier Level are set forth in the table below. For additional information on the Underlying, see “The Underlying” herein.
 

Underlying

Ticker

Initial Level

Knock-In Level

Coupon Barrier Level

  The common stock of Bank of America Corporation BAC UN <Equity> $26.73 $20.0475 (75% of Initial Level) $20.0475 (75% of Initial Level)
Contingent Coupon Rate: Subject to Early Redemption, the Contingent Coupon Rate is 10.25% per annum. If a Coupon Barrier Event has occurred, 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 earlier of the Early Redemption Date and the Maturity Date, as applicable.
 
 
 
Coupon Barrier Event: A Coupon Barrier Event will occur if, on any Observation Date, the closing level of the Underlying on such Observation Date is less than the Coupon Barrier Level.
Contingent Coupon Payment Dates: Subject to Early Redemption, unless a Coupon Barrier Event has occurred, contingent coupons will be paid on February 27, 2018, May 29, 2018, August 27, 2018, November 27, 2018, February 27, 2019, May 28, 2019, August 27, 2019 and the Maturity Date, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities—Postponement of calculation dates.” 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. No contingent coupons will be payable following an Early Redemption. Contingent coupons, if any, will be payable on the applicable Contingent Coupon Payment Date to the holder 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 Early Redemption Date or Maturity Date, as applicable, will be payable to the person to whom the Early Redemption Amount or the Redemption Amount, as applicable, is payable.
Redemption Amount: Subject to Early Redemption, at maturity, the Redemption Amount you will receive will depend on the performance of the Underlying and whether a Knock-In Event has occurred. For each $1,000 principal amount of securities, the Redemption Amount will be determined as follows:
  • If a Knock-In Event has not occurred, the Redemption Amount will equal $1,000. Therefore, you will not participate in any appreciation of the Underlying.
  • If a Knock-In Event has occurred, the Redemption Amount will equal $1,000 multiplied by the sum of one plus the Underlying Return. In this case, the Redemption Amount will be less than $750 per $1,000 principal amount of securities. You could lose your entire investment.
  Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.
Early Redemption: The Issuer may redeem the securities in whole, but not in part, on any Contingent Coupon Payment Date scheduled to occur on or after February 27, 2018 but prior to the Maturity Date, upon notice to the trustee on or before the immediately preceding Observation Date at 100% of the principal amount of the securities (the “Early Redemption Amount”), together with the contingent coupon, if any, payable on that Contingent Coupon Payment Date. No further payments will be made in respect of the securities. Payment will be made in respect of such Early Redemption on the Contingent Coupon Payment Date immediately following the relevant Observation Date (the “Early Redemption Date”). Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.
             

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Knock-In Event: A Knock-In Event will occur if the Final Level is less than the Knock-In Level.
Underlying Return: The lesser of (i) zero and (ii) an amount calculated as follows:
  Final Level − Initial Level
Initial Level		  
Initial Level: The closing level of the Underlying on the Trade Date, as set forth in the table above.
Final Level: The closing level of the Underlying on the Valuation Date.
Observation Dates: February 22, 2018, May 23, 2018, August 22, 2018, November 21, 2018, February 22, 2019, May 22, 2019, August 22, 2019  and the Valuation Date, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities—Postponement of calculation dates.”
Valuation Date: November 22, 2019, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities—Postponement of calculation dates.”
Maturity Date: November 27, 2019, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Securities—Postponement of calculation dates.” If the Maturity Date is not a business day, the Redemption Amount 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.
CUSIP: 22550BQ55

 

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Additional Terms Specific to the Securities

 

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 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):

 

•Product Supplement No. I−A dated June 30, 2017:

 

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000095010317006315/dp77780_424b2-ia.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 securities described in this pricing supplement differ from, or are inconsistent with, the terms described in any product supplement, the 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 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 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 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.

 

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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 and, in the case of Table 2, total contingent coupons payable 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 10.25% per annum, (ii) the securities are not redeemed prior to maturity, (iii) the term of the securities is exactly two years and (iv) the Knock-In Level is 75% of the Initial Level. The actual Contingent Coupon Rate and Knock-In Level are set forth in “Key Terms” herein. 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.

 

The hypothetical Redemption Amounts and total contingent coupons set forth below are for illustrative purposes only. The Redemption Amount and total contingent coupons applicable to a purchaser of the securities, if any, will depend on the number of Coupon Barrier Events that have occurred over the term of the securities, whether a Knock-In Event has occurred and on the Final Level. It is not possible to predict how many Coupon Barrier Events will occur, if any, or whether a Knock-In Event will occur and, in the event that there is a Knock-In Event, by how much the level of the Underlying has decreased from the Initial Level to the Final Level. You will not participate in any appreciation in the 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
from the Initial Level
to the Final Level

Underlying Return

Redemption Amount (excluding contingent coupons, if any)

Total Contingent Coupons

100% 0% $1,000 (See table below)
90% 0% $1,000
80% 0% $1,000
70% 0% $1,000
60% 0% $1,000
50% 0% $1,000
40% 0% $1,000
30% 0% $1,000
20% 0% $1,000
10% 0% $1,000
0% 0% $1,000
−10% −10% $1,000
−20% −20% $1,000
−25% −25% $1,000
−26% −26% $740
−30% −30% $700
−40% −40% $600
−50% −50% $500
−60% −60% $400
−70% −70% $300
−80% −80% $200
−90% −90% $100
−100% −100% $0

 

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Table 2: The expected total contingent coupons will depend on how many Coupon Barrier Events occur.

 

Number of Coupon Barrier Events

Total Contingent Coupons

A Coupon Barrier Event does not occur on any Observation Date $205
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 1 Observation Date $179.38
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 2 Observation Dates $153.75
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 3 Observation Dates $128.13
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 4 Observation Dates $102.50
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 5 Observation Dates $76.88
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 6 Observation Dates $51.25
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 7 Observation Dates $25.63
A Coupon Barrier Event occurs on 8 Observation Dates $0

 

The total payment on the securities will be equal to the Redemption Amount applicable to an investor plus the total contingent coupons payable, if any.

 

The following examples illustrate how the Redemption Amount (excluding contingent coupons) is calculated.

 

Example 1: The Final Level of the Underlying represents an increase of 20% from the Initial Level and a Knock-In Event has not occurred. Since a Knock-In Event has not occurred, the Redemption Amount is equal to the principal amount and the investor will receive at maturity a payment in cash equal to $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of securities.

 

Example 2: The Final Level of the Underlying represents a decrease of 10% from the Initial Level and a Knock-In Event has not occurred. Since a Knock-In Event has not occurred, the Redemption Amount is equal to the principal amount even though the Final Level is less than the Initial Level and the investor will receive at maturity a payment in cash equal to $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of securities.

 

Example 3: The Final Level of the Underlying represents a decrease of 60% from the Initial Level and a Knock-In Event has occurred. Since a Knock-In Event has occurred, the investor will receive at maturity a payment in cash equal to $400 per $1,000 principal amount of securities, calculated as follows:

 

Underlying Return = the lesser of (i) zero and (ii) (Final Level - Initial Level) / Initial Level
  = the lesser of (i) zero and (ii) −60%
  = −60%
Redemption Amount = $1,000 × (1 + Underlying Return)
  = $1,000 × 0.40
  = $400

 

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Selected Risk Considerations

 

An investment in the securities involves significant risks. Investing in the securities is not equivalent to investing directly in the Underlying. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of any accompanying product supplement.

 

•YOU MAY RECEIVE LESS THAN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AT MATURITY — If the securities are not redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, you may receive less at maturity than you originally invested in the securities, or you may receive nothing, excluding contingent coupons, if any. If a Knock-In Event occurs, you will be fully exposed to any depreciation in the Underlying. In this case, the Redemption Amount you will receive will be less than the principal amount of the securities, and you could lose your entire investment. It is not possible to predict whether a Knock-In Event will occur, and in the event that there is a Knock-In Event, by how much the level of the Underlying has decreased from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due.

 

•REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY PAYMENT YOU RECEIVE ON THE SECURITIES, YOUR ACTUAL YIELD MAY BE DIFFERENT IN REAL VALUE TERMS — Inflation may cause the real value of any payment you receive on the securities to be less at maturity than it is at the time you invest. An investment in the securities 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 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 coupons you receive over the term of the securities, if any, will depend on the performance of the Underlying 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 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 coupons 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 coupons is 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 coupons and in real value terms. Furthermore, it is possible that you will not receive some or all of the contingent coupons 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.

 

•MORE FAVORABLE TERMS TO YOU ARE GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN UNDERLYING WITH GREATER EXPECTED VOLATILITY AND THEREFORE CAN INDICATE A GREATER RISK OF LOSS — “Volatility” refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the level of the Underlying. The greater the expected volatility with respect to the Underlying on the Trade Date, the higher the expectation as of the Trade Date that the level of the Underlying could be less than (i) the Coupon Barrier Level on any Observation Date or (ii) the Knock-In Level on the Valuation Date, indicating a higher expected risk of loss on the securities. This greater expected risk will generally be reflected in a higher Contingent Coupon Rate than the yield payable on our conventional debt securities with a similar maturity, or in more favorable terms (such as a lower Coupon Barrier Level or Knock-In Level) than for similar securities linked to the performance of an Underlying with a lower expected volatility as of the Trade Date. You should therefore understand that a relatively higher Contingent Coupon Rate may indicate an increased risk of loss. Further, a relatively lower Coupon Barrier Level or Knock-In Level may not necessarily indicate that you will receive a contingent coupon on any Contingent Coupon Payment Date or that the securities have a greater likelihood of a return of principal at maturity. The volatility of the Underlying can change significantly over the term of the securities. The level of the Underlying for your securities 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.

 

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•AT MATURITY OR UPON EARLY REDEMPTION, THE SECURITIES WILL NOT PAY MORE THAN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT PLUS THE FINAL CONTINGENT COUPON, IF ANY — At maturity or upon Early Redemption, the securities will not pay more than the principal amount plus the final contingent coupon, if any, regardless of the performance of the Underlying. Even if the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level, you will not participate in the appreciation of the Underlying. The maximum amount payable with respect to the securities (excluding any contingent coupons) is $1,000 for each $1,000 principal amount of the securities.

 

•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.

 

•THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO A POTENTIAL EARLY REDEMPTION, WHICH EXPOSES YOU TO REINVESTMENT RISK — Market events could affect our decision to redeem the securities. For example, it is more likely that Credit Suisse will redeem the securities prior to the Maturity Date at a time when Credit Suisse believes it will be likely to pay contingent coupons over the term of the securities and could issue a comparable debt security with a lower contingent coupon rate. If we redeem the securities prior to maturity, you may be unable to invest in other securities with a similar level of risk that offer the same contingent coupon rate as the securities.

 

•AN EARLY REDEMPTION WOULD LIMIT YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE PAID CONTINGENT COUPONS OVER THE FULL TERM OF THE SECURITIES — The securities are subject to a potential Early Redemption on any Contingent Coupon Payment Date scheduled to occur on or after February 27, 2018 but prior to the Maturity Date, upon notice to the trustee on or before the immediately preceding Observation Date. If the securities are redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, you will receive a cash payment equal to the principal amount of your securities and the contingent coupon payable, if any, on that Contingent Coupon Payment Date, and no further payments will be made in respect of the securities. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to continue to be paid contingent coupons from the date of Early Redemption to the scheduled Maturity Date.

 

•NO AFFILIATION WITH THE REFERENCE SHARE ISSUER — We are not affiliated with the Reference Share Issuer. You should make your own investigation into the Underlying and the Reference Share Issuer. In connection with the offering of the securities, neither we nor our affiliates have participated in the preparation of any publicly available documents or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Reference Share Issuer.

 

•HEDGING AND TRADING ACTIVITY — We or any of our affiliates may carry out hedging activities related to the securities, including in the Underlying or instruments related to the Underlying. We or our affiliates may also trade in the Underlying or instruments related to the Underlying from time to time. Any of these hedging or trading activities as of the Trade Date and during the term of the securities could adversely affect our payment to you at maturity.

 

•THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE SECURITIES ON THE TRADE DATE IS 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) is less than the original Price to Public. The Price to Public of the securities includes any 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).

 

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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. As such, the payout on the securities 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 securities 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 securities, 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 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 any 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 three months.

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.

 

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•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.

 

•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 be unable 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. We and/or our affiliates may also currently or from time to time engage in business with the Reference Share Issuer, including extending loans to, or making equity investments in, the Reference Share Issuer or providing advisory services to the Reference Share Issuer. In addition, one or more of our affiliates may publish research reports or otherwise express opinions with respect to the Reference Share Issuer and these reports may or may not recommend that investors buy or hold shares of the Underlying. As a prospective purchaser of the securities, you should undertake an independent investigation of the Reference Share Issuer that in your judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision with respect to an investment in the securities.

 

•UNPREDICTABLE ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — The payout on the securities can be replicated using a combination of the components described in “The estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date is less than the Price to Public.” Therefore, in addition to the level of the Underlying, the terms of the securities at issuance and the value of the securities prior to maturity may be influenced by factors that impact the value of fixed income securities and options in general such as:

 

othe expected and actual volatility of the Underlying;

 

othe time to maturity of the securities;

 

othe dividend rate on the Underlying;

 

ointerest and yield rates in the market generally;

 

oinvestors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;

 

oevents affecting companies engaged in the national commercial banks industry;

 

ogeopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the Reference Share Issuer or markets generally and which may affect the level of the Underlying; and

 

oour creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.

 

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Some or all of these factors may influence the price that you will receive if you choose to sell your securities prior to maturity. The impact of any of the factors set forth above may enhance or offset some or all of any change resulting from another factor or factors.

 

•NO OWNERSHIP RIGHTS IN THE UNDERLYING — Your return on the securities will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned shares of the Underlying. The return on your investment is not the same as the total return based on a purchase of shares of the Underlying.

 

•NO DIVIDEND PAYMENTS OR VOTING RIGHTS — As a holder of the securities, you will not have any ownership interest or rights in the Underlying, such as voting rights or dividend payments. In addition, the issuer of the Underlying will not have any obligation to consider your interests as a holder of the securities in taking any corporate action that might affect the value of the Underlying and therefore, the value of the securities.

 

•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 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. See “Description of the Securities—Adjustments” in the relevant product supplement.

 

•The U.S. federal tax consequences of an InVestment In the securItIes are unclear—There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal tax treatment of the securities, and we do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). Consequently, significant aspects of the tax treatment of the securities are uncertain, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment of the securities as described in “United States Federal Tax Considerations” below. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment, the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the securities, including the timing and character of income recognized by U.S. investors and the withholding tax consequences to non-U.S. investors, might be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, future legislation, Treasury regulations or IRS guidance could adversely affect the U.S. federal tax treatment of the securities, possibly retroactively.

 

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 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 securities at maturity. For additional information, see “Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in any accompanying product supplement.

 

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The Underlying

 

Companies with securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) are required to periodically file certain financial and other information specified by the SEC. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the Reference Share Issuer pursuant to the Exchange Act can be located by reference to the SEC file number provided below.

 

According to its publicly available filings with the SEC, Bank of America Corporation is a financial institution serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations and governments with a range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The common stock of Bank of America Corporation, par value $0.01 per share, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America Corporation’s SEC file number is 001-06523 and can be accessed through www.sec.gov.

 

This pricing supplement relates only to the securities offered hereby and does not relate to the Underlying or other securities of the Reference Share Issuer. We have derived all disclosures contained in this pricing supplement regarding the Underlying and the Reference Share Issuer from the publicly available documents described in the preceding paragraph. In connection with the offering of the securities, neither we nor our affiliates have participated in the preparation of such documents or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Reference Share Issuer.

 

Historical Information

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Underlying based on the closing level of the common stock of Bank of America Corporation from January 3, 2012 through November 21, 2017. We obtained the historical information below from Bloomberg, without independent verification.

 

You should not take the historical levels of the Underlying as an indication of future performance of the Underlying or the securities. Any historical trend in the level of the Underlying during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the Underlying is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the securities.

 

For additional information on the Underlying, see the information set forth under “The Underlying” herein.

 

The closing level of the common stock of Bank of America Corporation on November 21, 2017 was $26.73.

 

 

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United States Federal Tax Considerations

 

Due to the lack of any controlling legal authority, there is substantial uncertainty regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities. In the opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, it is reasonable under current law to treat the securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid financial contracts with associated coupons that will be treated as gross income to you at the time received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of tax accounting. However, our counsel has advised us that it is unable to conclude affirmatively that this treatment is more likely than not to be upheld, and that alternative treatments are possible that could materially affect the timing and character of income or loss you recognize on the securities.

 

Assuming this treatment of the securities is respected and subject to the discussion in “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement, the following U.S. federal income tax consequences should result:

 

·Any coupons paid on the securities should be taxable as ordinary income to you at the time received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

·Upon a sale or exchange of a security (including retirement at maturity), you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and your tax basis in the security. For this purpose, the amount realized does not include any coupon paid on retirement and may not include sale proceeds attributable to an accrued coupon, which may be treated as a coupon payment. Such gain or loss should be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the security for more than one year.

 

We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the securities, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment described herein. In particular, the IRS could treat the securities as contingent payment debt instruments, in which case the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the securities, including the timing and character of income recognized, might be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. In addition, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly with retroactive effect. You should consult your tax advisor regarding possible alternative tax treatments of the securities and potential changes in applicable law.

 

Non-U.S. Holders. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of the coupons is unclear. Except as provided under “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Securities Held Through Foreign Entities” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Non-U.S. Holders Generally—Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments,” we currently do not intend to treat coupons paid to a Non-U.S. Holder (as defined in the accompanying product supplement) of the securities as subject to U.S. federal withholding tax, provided that the 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 at a rate of up to 30% on such payments.

 

Moreover, as discussed under “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations – Non-U.S. Holders Generally – Substitute Dividend and Dividend Equivalent Payments” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on “dividend equivalents” paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities. Treasury regulations under Section 871(m) exclude from their scope financial instruments issued in 2017 that do not have a “delta” of one with respect to any U.S. equity. Based on the terms of the securities and representations provided by us, our counsel is of the opinion that the securities should not be treated as transactions that have a “delta” of one within the meaning of the regulations with respect to any U.S. equity and, therefore, should not be subject to withholding tax under Section 871(m).

 

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A determination that the securities are not subject to Section 871(m) is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. Moreover, Section 871(m) is complex and its application may depend on your particular circumstances, including whether you enter into other transactions with respect to a U.S. equity to which the securities relate. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the securities.

 

We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to U.S. federal withholding taxes.

 

You should read the section entitled “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement. The preceding discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP regarding the material U.S. federal tax consequences of owning and disposing of the securities.

 

You should also consult your tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of an investment in the securities and any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

 

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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 will offer the securities at the offering price set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement, will receive discounts and commissions of $17.50 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 two 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 two business days, unless the parties to a trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the Settlement Date is more than two business days after the Trade Date, purchasers who wish to transact in the securities more than two 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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Validity of the Securities

 

In the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as United States counsel to Credit Suisse, when the securities offered by this pricing supplement have been executed and issued by Credit Suisse and authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and delivered against payment therefor, such securities will be valid and binding obligations of Credit Suisse, enforceable against Credit Suisse in accordance with their terms, subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights and (iii) concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date of this pricing supplement and is limited to the laws of the State of New York, except that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the application of state securities or Blue Sky laws to the securities. Insofar as this opinion involves matters governed by Swiss law, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has relied, without independent inquiry or investigation, on the opinion of Homburger AG, dated July 31, 2017 and filed by Credit Suisse as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 6-K on July 31, 2017. The opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is subject to the same assumptions, qualifications and limitations with respect to such matters as are contained in the opinion of Homburger AG. In addition, the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is subject to customary assumptions about the establishment of the terms of the securities, the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and its authentication of the securities, and the validity, binding nature and enforceability of the indenture with respect to the trustee, all as stated in the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP dated July 31, 2017, which was filed by Credit Suisse as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 6-K on July 31, 2017. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP expresses no opinion as to waivers of objections to venue, the subject matter or personal jurisdiction of a United States federal court or the effectiveness of service of process other than in accordance with applicable law. In addition, such counsel notes that the enforceability in the United States of Section 10.08(c) of the indenture is subject to the limitations set forth in the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976.

 

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Credit Suisse