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 notes, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. Subject to completion dated January 26, 2022.
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Preliminary Pricing Supplement No. J1381 To Product Supplement No. JPM-I dated November 9, 2020, Prospectus Supplement dated June 18, 2020 and Prospectus dated June 18, 2020 |
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) January 26, 2022 |
| Structured Investments |
Credit Suisse Capped Knock-Out Notes due January 31, 2024 Linked to the Performance of the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF |
| • | The notes are designed for investors who seek a leveraged return at maturity linked to the performance of the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF up to a Maximum Return on the notes, which is expected to be 25.20% (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 Knock-Out Level, which is expected to be 90% of the Initial Level (to be determined on the Pricing Date), be willing to lose up to 100% of their investment. If a Knock-Out Event has not occurred, 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 January 31, 2024. |
| • | Minimum purchase of $10,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. |
| • | The offering price for the notes is expected to be determined on or about January 26, 2022 (the “Pricing Date”) and the notes are expected to settle on or about January 31, 2022 (the “Settlement Date”). Delivery of the notes in book-entry form only will be made through The Depository Trust Company. |
| • | The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
Key Terms
| Issuer: | Credit Suisse AG (“Credit Suisse”), acting through its London branch |
| Underlying: | The notes are linked to the performance of the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF. For additional information about the Underlying, see the information set forth under “The Underlying” herein. |
| Payment at Maturity: | At maturity, you will receive a cash payment that will reflect the performance of the Underlying, as follows: |
| · If a Knock-Out Event has not occurred, your payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount of notes will equal $1,000 plus the product of $1,000 and: | |
| · if the Underlying Return is equal to or less than zero, zero; | |
| · if the Underlying Return is greater than zero, the lesser of (a) the Maximum Return and (b) the Underlying Return multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor. | |
| · If a Knock-Out Event has occurred, your payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount of notes will equal $1,000 plus the product of $1,000 and the Underlying Return. If a Knock-Out Event has occurred, you will lose some or all of your investment at maturity. | |
| Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. | |
| Maximum Return: | Expected to be 25.20% (to be determined on the Pricing Date). |
| Knock-Out Event: | A Knock-Out Event occurs if the Final Level is less than the Knock-Out Level. |
| Knock-Out Level: | Expected to be 90% of the Initial Level (to be determined on the Pricing Date). |
| Underlying Return: | Final Level – Initial Level |
| Initial Level | |
| Upside Leverage Factor: | Expected to be 200% (to be determined on the Pricing Date). |
| 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: | January 22, 2024, January 23, 2024, January 24, 2024, January 25, 2024 and January 26, 2024 (each, a “Valuation Date,” and January 26, 2024, the “Final Valuation Date”), subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Notes—Postponement of calculation dates,” or if any Valuation Date is postponed because it is not a trading day. |
| Maturity Date: | January 31, 2024, subject to postponement as set forth in any accompanying product supplement under “Description of the Notes—Postponement of calculation dates,” or if the Final Valuation Date is postponed for any reason. 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. |
| Events of Default: |
With respect to these notes, the first bullet of the first sentence of “Description of Debt Securities—Events of Default” in the accompanying prospectus is amended to read in its entirety as follows: · a default in payment of the principal or any premium on any debt security of that series when due, and such default continues for 30 days; |
| CUSIP: | 22553PGP8 |
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 Securities 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) | Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(2) | Proceeds to Issuer | |
| Per note | $1,000 | $ | $ |
| Total | $ | $ | $ |
(1) Certain fiduciary accounts will pay a purchase price of $985 per note, and the placement agents with respect to sales made to such accounts will forgo any discounts and commissions.
(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 discounts and commissions for sales to fiduciary accounts. The total discounts and commissions represent the amount that the placement agents receive from sales to accounts other than such fiduciary accounts. The placement agents will receive discounts and commissions from Credit Suisse or one of our affiliates that will not exceed $15 per $1,000 principal amount of notes. For more information, see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in this pricing supplement.
Credit Suisse currently estimates the value of each $1,000 principal amount of notes on the Pricing Date will be between $940 and $980 (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
January , 2022
Additional Terms Specific to the Notes
You should read this pricing supplement together with the product supplement dated November 9, 2020, the prospectus supplement dated June 18, 2020 and the prospectus dated June 18, 2020, 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–I dated November 9, 2020: |
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000095010320021824/dp140374_424b2-jpmi.htm
| · | Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus dated June 18, 2020: |
| https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000110465920074474/tm2019510-8_424b2.htm |
In the event the terms of the notes 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 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.
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.
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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 a Maximum Return of 25.20%, a Knock-Out Level of 90% and an Upside Leverage Factor of 200%. The actual Maximum Return, Knock-Out Level and Upside Leverage Factor 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 Final Level and on whether a Knock-Out Event occurs. 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 |
| 100% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 90% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 80% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 70% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 60% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 50% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 40% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 30% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 20% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 12.60% | 25.20% | $1,252 |
| 10% | 20% | $1,200 |
| 5% | 10% | $1,100 |
| 0% | 0% | $1,000 |
| -10% | 0% | $1,000 |
| -11% | -11% | $890 |
| -20% | -20% | $800 |
| -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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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 60% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level and the Underlying Return of 60% multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor exceeds the Maximum Return of 25.20%, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,252 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, the maximum payment on the notes.
Example 2: The level of the Underlying increases by 10% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level is greater than the Initial Level and the Underlying Return of 10% multiplied by the Upside Leverage Factor does not exceed the Maximum Return of 25.20%, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,200 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 × 10% × 200%) | |
| = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × 20%) | |
| = | $1,200 |
Example 3: The level of the Underlying decreases by 5% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level has decreased from the Initial Level by 5%, a Knock-Out Event has not occurred and because the Underlying Return of -5% is less than zero, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, calculated as follows:
| Payment at maturity | = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × 0) |
| = | $1,000 |
Example 4: The level of the Underlying decreases by 60% from the Initial Level to the Final Level. Because the Final Level has decreased from the Initial Level by 60%, a Knock-Out Event has occurred and the investor receives a payment at maturity of $400 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, calculated as follows:
| Payment at maturity | = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × Underlying Return) |
| = | $1,000 + ($1,000 × -60%) | |
| = | $400 |
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Selected Risk Considerations
An investment in the notes involves significant risks. This section describes material risks relating to an investment in the notes. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of any accompanying product supplement.
Risks Relating to the Notes Generally
| • | 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. If a Knock-Out Event occurs, you will lose 1% of your principal for each 1% decline in the level of the Underlying from the Initial Level to the Final 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. |
| • | 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. Accordingly, the maximum amount payable at maturity per $1,000 principal amount of notes will be $1,000 plus $1,000 multiplied by the Maximum Return. Any payment on the notes is subject to our ability to pay our obligations as they become due. |
| • | LIMITED APPRECIATION POTENTIAL — The notes provide the opportunity to receive a return at maturity up to the Maximum Return on the notes, which will be set on the Pricing Date. Accordingly, the maximum amount payable at maturity per $1,000 principal amount of notes is expected to be $1,000 plus $1,000 multiplied by the Maximum Return. 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. |
| • | 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 KNOCK-OUT 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 Underlying on the Pricing Date, the higher the expectation as of the Pricing Date that the Final Level could be less than the Knock-Out 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 |
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| 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. |
| • | THE U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE NOTES ARE UNCLEAR — There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal tax treatment of the notes, 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 notes are uncertain, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment of the notes as prepaid financial contracts that are treated as “open transactions.” If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment of the notes, the tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the notes, 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. Even if the treatment of the notes described herein is respected, there is a substantial risk that a note will be treated as a “constructive ownership transaction,” with potentially adverse consequences described below under “United States Federal Tax Considerations.” Moreover, future legislation, Treasury regulations or IRS guidance could adversely affect the U.S. federal tax treatment of the notes, possibly retroactively. |
Risks Relating to the Underlying
| • | 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 Underlying” herein. |
| • | THE PERFORMANCE AND MARKET VALUE OF THE UNDERLYING, PARTICULARLY DURING PERIODS OF MARKET VOLATILITY, MAY NOT CORRELATE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS TRACKED INDEX — The Underlying will generally invest in all of the equity securities included in the index tracked by the Underlying (the “Tracked Index”), but may not fully replicate the Tracked Index. There may be instances where the Underlying’s investment advisor may choose to overweight another stock in the Underlying’s Tracked Index, purchase securities not included in the Tracked Index that the 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 of 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 all the foregoing reasons, the performance of the Underlying may not correlate with the performance of the Tracked Index. For additional information on the Underlying, see “The Underlying” herein. |
| • | FOREIGN SECURITIES MARKETS RISK — Some or all of the assets included in the Underlying are issued by foreign companies and trade in foreign securities markets. Investments in the notes therefore involve risks associated with the securities markets in those countries, including risks of volatility in those markets, government intervention in those markets and cross shareholdings in companies in certain countries. Also, foreign companies are generally subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements and securities trading rules different from those applicable to U.S. reporting |
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companies. The equity securities included in the Underlying may be more volatile than domestic equity securities and may be subject to different political, market, economic, exchange rate, regulatory and other risks, including changes in foreign governments, economic and fiscal policies, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions. Moreover, the economies of foreign countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the economy of the United States in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency. These factors may adversely affect the values of the equity securities included in the Underlying, and therefore the performance of the Underlying and the value of the notes.
| • | CURRENCY EXCHANGE RISK — Because the prices of the equity securities included in the Underlying are converted into U.S. dollars for purposes of calculating the level of the Underlying, investors will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which the equity securities included in the Underlying trade. Currency exchange rates may be highly volatile, particularly in relation to emerging or developing nations’ currencies and, in certain market conditions, also in relation to developed nations’ currencies. Significant changes in currency exchange rates, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur within very short periods of time. Currency exchange rate risks include, but are not limited to, convertibility risk, market volatility and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. These factors may adversely affect the values of the equity securities included in the Underlying, the level of the Underlying and the value of the notes. |
| • | 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 you would receive based on a 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 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 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 Securities—Adjustments” in the relevant product supplement. |
| • | GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ACTION, INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE ACTS AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS, COULD RESULT IN MATERIAL CHANGES TO THE UNDERLYING AND COULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR RETURN ON THE NOTES — Government regulatory action, including legislative acts and executive orders, could materially affect the Underlying. For example, in response to recent executive orders, stocks of companies that are determined to be linked to the People’s Republic of China military, intelligence and security apparatus may be delisted from a U.S. exchange, removed as a component in indices or exchange traded funds, or transactions in, or holdings of, securities with exposure to such stocks may otherwise become prohibited under U.S. law. If government regulatory action results in such consequences, there may be a material and negative effect on the notes. |
Risks Relating to the Issuer
| • | 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. |
| • | 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- |
6
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.
Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest
| • | HEDGING AND TRADING ACTIVITY — We, any dealer or any of our or their respective affiliates may carry out hedging activities related to the notes, including in the Underlying or instruments related to the Underlying. We, any dealer or our or their respective affiliates may also trade in the Underlying or instruments related to the Underlying from time to time. Any of these hedging or trading activities on or prior to the Pricing Date and during the term of the notes could adversely affect our payment to you at 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 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. |
Risks Relating to the Estimated Value and Secondary Market Prices of the Notes
| • | 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: |
| • | the expected and actual volatility of the Underlying; |
| • | the time to maturity of the notes; |
| • | the dividend rate on the equity securities included in the Underlying; |
| • | interest and yield rates in the market generally; |
| • | investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation; |
| • | geopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events that affect the components included in the Underlying or markets generally and which may affect the level of the Underlying; and |
| • | 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.
| • | 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 |
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| 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 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 proprietary pricing models dependent on inputs such as volatility, correlation, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors, including assumptions about future market events and/or environments. These inputs may be market-observable or may be based on assumptions made by us in our discretionary judgment. 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 securities of other issuers.
| • | EFFECT OF INTEREST RATE USED IN STRUCTURING THE notes — The internal funding rate we use in structuring securities 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, the related inputs and other factors, including our internal funding rate, customary
bid and ask spreads and other transaction costs, changes in market conditions and deterioration or improvement in our creditworthiness.
In circumstances where our internal funding rate is higher than our secondary market credit spreads, our secondary market bid for your
notes could be less favorable than what other dealers might bid because, assuming all else equal, we use the higher internal funding rate
to price the notes and other dealers might use the lower 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, which may include discounts and commissions 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. |
| • | 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 |
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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.
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Supplemental Use of Proceeds and Hedging
We intend to use the proceeds of this offering for our general corporate purposes, which may include the refinancing of existing debt outside Switzerland. Some or all of the proceeds we receive from the sale of the 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 Underlying
The iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF
We have derived all information contained herein regarding the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF from publicly available information. Such information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, BlackRock Fund Advisors, which maintains and manages the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF and acts as investment advisor to the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF. We have not conducted any independent review or due diligence of any publicly available information with respect to the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF.
The iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI EAFE® Index, which is composed of large- and mid-capitalization developed market equities, excluding the U.S. and Canada.
The iShares® Trust is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF. Information filed by the iShares® Trust with the SEC under the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act can be found by reference to its SEC file numbers: 333-92935 and 811-09729. Shares of the iShares® MSCI EAFE® ETF are listed on the NYSE Arca under ticker symbol “EFA.” Information from outside sources is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered part of, this pricing supplement, any accompanying product supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus.
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Historical Information
The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Underlying based on the closing levels of the Underlying from January 3, 2017 through January 25, 2022. We obtained the historical information below from Bloomberg, without independent verification. The price source for determining the Final Level will be the Bloomberg page “EFA 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. The graph below may have been adjusted to reflect certain corporate actions such as stock splits and reverse stock splits.
For additional information about the Underlying, see “The Underlying” herein.
The closing level of the Underlying on January 25, 2022 was $75.12.
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United States Federal Tax Considerations
This discussion supplements and, to the extent inconsistent therewith, supersedes the discussion in the accompanying product supplement under “United States Federal Tax Considerations.”
There are no statutory, judicial or administrative authorities that address the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes or instruments that are similar to the notes. In the opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, a note should be treated as a prepaid financial contract that is an “open transaction” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, there is uncertainty regarding this treatment. Moreover, our counsel’s opinion is based on market conditions as of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement and is subject to confirmation on the Pricing Date.
Assuming this treatment of the notes is respected and subject to the discussion in “United States Federal Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement, the following U.S. federal income tax consequences should result:
| · | You should not recognize taxable income over the term of the notes prior to maturity, other than pursuant to a sale or other disposition. |
| · | Upon a sale or other disposition (including retirement) of a note, you should recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and your tax basis in the note. Subject to the discussion below concerning the potential application of the “constructive ownership” rules under Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), such gain or loss should be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the note for more than one year. |
Even if the treatment of the notes as described herein is respected, there is a substantial risk that your purchase of a note will be treated as entry into a “constructive ownership transaction,” within the meaning of Section 1260 of the Code. In that case, all or a portion of any long-term capital gain you would otherwise recognize in respect of your notes would be recharacterized as ordinary income to the extent such gain exceeded the “net underlying long-term capital gain.” Any long-term capital gain recharacterized as ordinary income under Section 1260 would be treated as accruing at a constant rate over the period you held your notes, and you would be subject to an interest charge in respect of the deemed tax liability on the income treated as accruing in prior tax years. Due to the lack of governing authority under Section 1260, our counsel is not able to opine as to whether or how Section 1260 applies to the notes. You should read the section entitled “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—Possible Application of Section 1260 of the Code” in the accompanying product supplement for additional information and consult your tax advisor regarding the potential application of the “constructive ownership” rule.
We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the notes, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment described herein. In particular, the IRS could treat the notes as contingent payment debt instruments, in which case the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the notes, including the timing and character of income recognized, could 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 notes, possibly with retroactive effect. You should consult your tax advisor regarding possible alternative tax treatments of the notes and potential changes in applicable law.
Non-U.S. Holders. Subject to the discussions in the next paragraph and in “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders” and “United States Federal Tax Considerations—FATCA” in the accompanying product supplement, if you are a Non-U.S. Holder (as defined in the accompanying product supplement) of the notes, you generally should not be subject to U.S. federal withholding or income tax in respect of any amount paid to you with respect to the notes, provided that (i) income in respect of the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and (ii) you comply with the applicable certification requirements.
As discussed under “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Dividend Equivalents under Section 871(m) of the Code” 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), as modified by an IRS notice, exclude
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from their scope financial instruments issued prior to January 1, 2023 that do not have a “delta” of one with respect to any U.S. equity. Based on the terms of the notes and representations provided by us as of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement, our counsel is of the opinion that the notes 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). However, the final determination regarding the treatment of the notes under Section 871(m) will be made as of the Pricing Date for the notes and it is possible that the notes will be subject to withholding tax under Section 871(m) based on circumstances on that date.
A determination that the notes 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 your other transactions. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the notes.
If withholding tax applies to the notes, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.
You should read the section entitled “United States Federal 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 notes.
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 notes 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
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 discounts and commissions from Credit Suisse or one of our affiliates that will not exceed $15 per $1,000 principal amount of notes and will forgo discounts and commissions 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 two 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 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 Pricing Date, purchasers who wish to transact in the notes more than two business days prior to the Settlement Date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
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Credit Suisse