December 14, 2015
Via EDGAR
Ms. Era Anagnosti
Legal Branch Chief
Office of Financial Services
Division of Corporation Finance
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: Credit Suisse Group AG
Registration Statement on Form F-4
Filed October 30, 2015
File No. 333-207696
Dear Ms. Anagnosti:
Credit Suisse Group AG (the Group or Credit Suisse) is writing in response to the letter from the staff (the Staff) of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) dated November 18, 2015 containing the Staffs comments with respect to the Groups Registration Statement on Form F-4, filed with the Commission on October 30, 2015 (the Form F-4). In connection with this letter, Credit Suisse is concurrently filing Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 (the Amended Registration Statement) to the Form F-4. For ease of reference, the Group has repeated the Staffs comments in italicized text prior to its responses.
General
1. We note that the issuer of the notes has the ability to voluntarily substitute the guarantor for itself for all purposes under any series of Exchange Notes and the applicable indenture, at any time and without consent of the holders or the Trustee. Refer to the Issuer Substitution disclosure on page 50. We also note that the parent guarantor is a holding company and has no significant assets other than the partnership interests, stock,
and other equity interests in its subsidiaries. Please provide us with a detailed legal analysis explaining why the parent guarantor should not be identified a co-issuer of the Exchange Notes at this time.
Response to Comment 1
We have complied with the Staffs comment by explicitly amending the disclosure to make clear that the parent guarantor is a co-issuer of the Exchange Notes for U.S. federal securities law purposes. Please see the prospectus cover, the section Prospectus SummaryCredit Suisse Group Funding (Guernsey) Limited on page 1 and the section Description of the Exchange Notes The Guarantees on page 47 of the Amended Registration Statement.
Where You Can Find More Information; Documents Incorporated by Reference, page iv
2. We note that the financial statements that have been incorporated by reference appear to be missing the footnote disclosure required by Rule 3-10(b)(4) of Regulation S-X. Please ensure that your future periodic reports are in compliance with the applicable requirements of Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X.
Response to Comment 2
We will comply with the Staffs comment by ensuring that our future periodic reports are in compliance with the applicable requirements of Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X, including the footnote disclosure required by Rule 3-10(b)(4).
* * * * *
The Group acknowledges that it is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in its filings with the Commission, that Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to Staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filings, and that it may not assert Staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.
The Group hopes that its responses adequately address each of the Staffs comments. If the Staff has any questions concerning this letter or requires further information, please do not hesitate to contact Gina Orlins, Treasury-Americas Treasurer and Head of Long-Term Funding & Capital, in New York at 212-325-2453, Sandra Galvis, Treasury-Legal, in New York at 212-325-9803, Christopher Harris, Head of External Reporting, in Zurich at 011-41-44-333-8395, or David Mathers, Chief Financial Officer, in Zurich at 011-41-44-333-6607.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Michael J. Volkovitsch |
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Michael J. Volkovitsch |
cc: |
Tidjane Thiam |
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Member of the Executive Board |
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Chief Executive Officer |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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David Mathers |
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Member of the Executive Board |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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John Tiner |
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Chairman of the Audit Committee |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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Romeo Cerutti |
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Member of the Executive Board |
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General Counsel |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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Christopher Harris |
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Head of External Reporting |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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David Wong |
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Treasurer |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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Gina Orlins |
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Treasury-Americas Treasurer and Head of Long-Term Funding & Capital |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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Sandra Galvis |
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Treasury Legal |
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Credit Suisse Group AG |
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