Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-202354
Pricing Supplement No. 89
(To Prospectus dated May 1, 2015, Series L
Prospectus Supplement dated May 4, 2015 and
Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated July 30, 2015)
Dated November 6, 2015
$6,140,000
Digital Return Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index, due February 11, 2019
| · | The notes are unsecured senior notes issued by Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”). The notes do not guarantee a full return of your principal at maturity, and you could lose up to 100% of the principal amount. |
| · | All payments on the notes occur at maturity. Any payment due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to our credit risk. |
| · | The notes will mature on February 11, 2019. The notes will not pay interest. |
| · | Payment on the notes will depend on the individual performance of the S&P 500® Index (the “SPX”) and the Russell 2000® Index (the “RTY”) (each, an “Underlying,” and collectively, the “Underlyings”). |
| · | If the Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than its Threshold Value, at maturity you will receive the principal amount plus a Digital Payment. However, if the Ending Value of either Underlying is less than or equal to its Threshold Value, you will be subject to 1-1 downside exposure to any decrease in the level of the Least Performing Underlying from its Starting Value. In that case, the Redemption Amount (each as defined below) will be less than or equal to 80% of the principal amount and could be zero. |
| · | The “Threshold Value” with respect to each Underlying is 80% of its Starting Value. |
| · | The “Digital Payment” per note is $300 (30% over the principal amount). |
| · | The “Least Performing Underlying” will be the Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return (as defined below). |
| · | The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
| · | The notes will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000. |
| · | The CUSIP number of the notes is 06048WRX0. |
| · | The initial estimated value of the notes is less than the public offering price. As of November 6, 2015 (the “pricing date”), the initial estimated value of the notes is $955 per $1,000 in principal amount. See “Summary” beginning on page PS-3 of this pricing supplement, “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-6 of this pricing supplement and “Structuring the Notes” on page PS-18 of this pricing supplement for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy. |
| · | The notes: |
| Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value |
| Per Note | Total | ||
| Public Offering Price | $1,000.00 | $6,140,000 | |
| Underwriting Discount | $20.00 | $ 122,800 | |
| Proceeds (before expenses) | $980.00 | $6,017,200 | |
| * We or one of our affiliates will pay a fee of $20.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of the notes. For additional information relating to the plan of distribution, see “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution; Role of MLPF&S and Conflicts of Interest” below. | |||
The notes are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. The notes are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency and involve investment risks. Potential purchasers of the notes should consider the information in “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-6 of this pricing supplement, page PS-5 of the accompanying product supplement, page S-5 of the accompanying prospectus supplement, and page 9 of the accompanying prospectus. You may lose some or all of your principal amount in the notes.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement, or the accompanying prospectus supplement or prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
We will deliver the notes in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company on November 12, 2015 against payment in immediately available funds.
BofA Merrill Lynch
Selling Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PS-2 |
The Digital Return Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index, due February 11, 2019 (the “notes”) are our senior debt securities. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured senior debt, and any payment due on the notes, including any repayment of the principal amount, will be subject to our credit risk. The notes will mature on February 11, 2019.
If the Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than its Threshold Value, at maturity you will receive the principal amount plus a Digital Payment. However, if the Ending Value of either Underlying is less than or equal to its Threshold Value, you will be subject to 1-1 downside exposure to any decrease in the level of the Least Performing Underlying from its Starting Value. In that case, the Redemption Amount will be less than or equal to 80% of the principal amount and could be zero.
Any payment on the notes depends on our credit risk and on the performance of each of the Underlyings. The economic terms of the notes (including the Digital Payment) are based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate we would pay to borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements we enter into. Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging related charges described below, reduced the economic terms of the notes to you and the initial estimated value of the notes. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes is greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.
The initial estimated value of the notes is set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-6 and “Structuring the Notes” on page PS-18.
| Issuer: | Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”) |
| Term: | Approximately three years and three months |
| Pricing Date: | November 6, 2015 |
| Issue Date: | November 12, 2015 |
| Calculation Day: | February 6, 2019, subject to postponement as set forth in the section “Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events Relating to Calculation Days” of the accompanying product supplement. |
| Maturity Date: | February 11, 2019 |
| Underlyings: | Each of the S&P 500® Index (Bloomberg ticker: “SPX”) and the Russell 2000® Index (Bloomberg ticker: “RTY”), each, a price return index. |
| Starting Value: |
SPX: 2,099.20 RTY: 1,199.747 |
| Threshold Value: |
SPX: 1,679.36 (80% of its Starting Value) RTY: 959.798 (80% of its Starting Value) |
| Ending Value: | With respect to each Underlying, its closing level on the calculation day. |
| Digital Payment: | $300 per $1,000 in principal amount of the notes (30% over the principal amount). |
PS-3 |
| Redemption Amount: | At maturity, you will receive the Redemption Amount, denominated in U.S. dollars, calculated as follows: |
You
will receive:  | ||
| Least Performing Underlying: | The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return. | |
| Underlying Return: | With respect to each Underlying, |
(Ending Value – Starting Value) Starting Value |
| Calculation Agent: | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a subsidiary of BAC. | |
| Selling Agent: | MLPF&S | |
You should read carefully the entire pricing supplement, product supplement, prospectus supplement, and prospectus to understand fully the terms of the notes, as well as the tax and other considerations important to you in making a decision about whether to invest in the notes. In particular, you should review carefully the section in this pricing supplement entitled “Risk Factors,” which highlights a number of risks of an investment in the notes, to determine whether an investment in the notes is appropriate for you. If information in this pricing supplement is inconsistent with the product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus, this pricing supplement will supersede those documents. You are urged to consult with your own attorneys and business and tax advisors before making a decision to purchase any of the notes.
The information in this “Summary” section is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed explanation set forth elsewhere in this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. You should rely only on the information contained in this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Neither we nor the selling agent is making an offer to sell these notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement, and prospectus is accurate only as of the date on their respective front covers.
The above documents may be accessed at the following links:
| · | Product supplement EQUITY-1 dated July 30, 2015: |
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000119312515270670/d54840d424b5.htm
| · | Series L MTN prospectus supplement dated May 4, 2015 and prospectus dated May 1, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000119312515167979/d865347d424b3.htm
Capitalized terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings set forth in the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this pricing supplement to “BAC,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to BAC.
PS-4 |
Hypothetical Payments on the Notes
The following table is for purposes of illustration only. It is based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. It illustrates the calculation of the Redemption Amount and total rate of return based on a hypothetical Starting Value of 100 and a hypothetical Threshold Value of 80 for the Least Performing Underlying, the Digital Payment of $300 per note, and a range of hypothetical Ending Values of the Least Performing Underlying. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Values, Threshold Values and Ending Values of the Underlyings, and whether you hold the notes to maturity. The numbers appearing in the table below have been rounded for ease of analysis, and do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.
For recent actual levels of the Underlyings, see “The Underlyings” section below. Each Underlying is a price return index and as such its Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the securities included in that Underlying, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in those stocks directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.
|
Ending
Value of the |
Percentage
Change |
Redemption
Amount |
Total
Rate of Return |
| 0.00 | -100.00% | $0.00 | -100.00% |
| 50.00 | -50.00% | $500.00 | -50.00% |
| 60.00 | -40.00% | $600.00 | -40.00% |
| 70.00 | -30.00% | $700.00 | -30.00% |
| 80.00(1) | -20.00% | $800.00 | -20.00% |
| 85.00 | -15.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 90.00 | -10.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 95.00 | -5.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 100.00(2) | 0.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 105.00 | 5.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 110.00 | 10.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 120.00 | 20.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 130.00 | 30.00% | $1,300.00(3) | 30.00% |
| 140.00 | 40.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 150.00 | 50.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
| 160.00 | 60.00% | $1,300.00 | 30.00% |
(1) This is the hypothetical Threshold Value of the Least Performing Underlying.
(2) The hypothetical Starting Value of 100 used in the table above has been chosen for illustrative purposes only. The actual Starting Value of the SPX is 2,099.20, which was the closing level of the SPX on the pricing date. The actual Starting Value of the RTY is 1,199.747, which was the closing level of the RTY on the pricing date.
(3) The Redemption Amount per note cannot exceed the principal amount plus the Digital Payment.
PS-5 |
Your investment in the notes entails significant risks, many of which differ from those of a conventional debt security. Your decision to purchase the notes should be made only after carefully considering the risks of an investment in the notes, including those discussed below, with your advisors in light of your particular circumstances. The notes are not an appropriate investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about significant elements of the notes or financial matters in general.
General Risks Relating to the Notes
Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal. There is no fixed principal repayment amount on the notes at maturity. If the Ending Value of either Underlying is less than or equal to its Threshold Value, you will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% that the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Starting Value. In that case, you will lose 20% to 100% of your principal.
The notes do not bear interest. Unlike a conventional debt security, no interest payments will be paid over the term of the notes, regardless of the extent to which the Ending Value of either Underlying exceeds its Threshold Value or Starting Value. Payments on the notes will be limited only to the payment at maturity.
Your investment return will be limited to the return represented by the Digital Payment, and may be less than a comparable investment directly in an Underlying. The appreciation potential of the notes is limited to the Digital Payment. You will not receive a payment at maturity per note greater than the principal amount plus the Digital Payment, regardless of the appreciation of either Underlying. In contrast, a direct investment in an Underlying or the securities included in an Underlying would allow you to receive the full benefit of any appreciation in the level of an Underlying (or prices of those underlying securities).
Your return on the notes may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. Any return that you receive on the notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you would earn if you purchased a conventional debt security with the same maturity date. As a result, your investment in the notes may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors, such as inflation, that affect the time value of money.
Any payment on the notes is subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. The notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. As a result, your receipt of the Redemption Amount at maturity is dependent upon our ability to repay our obligations on the maturity date, regardless of the Ending Value of either Underlying as compared to its Threshold Value or Starting Value. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition will be on the maturity date. If we become unable to meet our financial obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amounts payable under the terms of the notes.
In addition, our credit ratings are an assessment by ratings agencies of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, our perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated decreases in our credit ratings or increases in the spread between the yield on our securities and the yield on U.S. Treasury securities (the “credit spread”) prior to the maturity date may adversely affect the market value of the notes. However, because your return on the notes depends upon factors in addition to our ability to pay our obligations, such as the levels of the Underlyings, an improvement in our credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the notes.
The public offering price you pay for the notes exceeds their initial estimated value. The initial estimated value of the notes that is provided in this pricing supplement is an estimate only, determined as of the pricing date by reference to our and our affiliates’ pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, including our credit spreads, our internal funding rate, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on interest rates, dividends and volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of the notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect.
The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, MLPF&S or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your notes at any time after the date of this pricing supplement will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including our creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than their initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things,
PS-6 |
changes in the levels of the Underlyings, our internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and the hedging related charges, all as further described in "Structuring the Notes" on page PS-18. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways.
We cannot assure you that a trading market for your notes will ever develop or be maintained. We will not list the notes on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the notes will trade in any secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid.
The development of a trading market for the notes will depend on our financial performance and other factors, including changes in the levels of the Underlyings. The number of potential buyers of your notes in any secondary market may be limited. We anticipate that MLPF&S will act as a market-maker for the notes, but neither we nor MLPF&S is required to do so. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market. MLPF&S may discontinue its market-making activities as to the notes at any time. To the extent that MLPF&S engages in any market-making activities, it may bid for or offer the notes. Any price at which MLPF&S may bid for, offer, purchase, or sell any notes may differ from the values determined by pricing models that it may use, whether as a result of dealer discounts, mark-ups, or other transaction costs. These bids, offers, or completed transactions may affect the prices, if any, at which the notes might otherwise trade in the market.
In addition, if at any time MLPF&S were to cease acting as a market-maker as to the notes, it is likely that there would be significantly less liquidity in the secondary market. In such a case, the price at which the notes could be sold likely would be lower than if an active market existed.
The Redemption Amount will not reflect changes in the levels of the Underlyings other than on the calculation day. Changes in the levels of the Underlyings during the term of the notes other than on the calculation day will not be reflected in the calculation of the Redemption Amount. To calculate the Redemption Amount, the calculation agent will compare only the Ending Value of each Underlying to its Starting Value or Threshold Value, as applicable. No other levels of the Underlyings will be taken into account. As a result, even if the level of each Underlying has increased at certain times during the term of the notes, you will receive a Redemption Amount that is less than the principal amount if the Ending Value of either Underlying is less than its Threshold Value.
Because the notes are linked to the lesser performing (and not the average performance) of the two Underlyings, you may lose some or all of your principal amount even if the Ending Value of one Underlying is always greater than its Threshold Value. Your notes are linked to the lesser performing of two Underlyings, and a change in the level of one Underlying may not correlate with changes in the level of the other Underlying. The notes are not linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings, where the depreciation in the level of one Underlying could be offset to some extent by the appreciation in the level of the other Underlying. In the case of the notes that we are offering, the individual performance of each Underlying would not be combined, and the depreciation in the level of one Underlying would not be offset by any appreciation in the level of the other Underlying. Even if the Ending Value of one Underlying is above its Threshold Value, you will lose at least 20% of your principal if the Ending Value of the other Underlying is at or below its Threshold Value.
The publisher of an Underlying may adjust that Underlying in a way that affects its levels, and the publisher has no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher of an Underlying can add, delete, or substitute the components included in that Underlying or make other methodological changes that could change its level. A new security included in an Underlying may perform significantly better or worse than the replaced security, and the performance will impact the level of that Underlying. Additionally, the publisher of an Underlying may alter, discontinue, or suspend calculation or dissemination of that Underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your notes. The publisher of either Underlying will have no obligation to consider your interests in calculating or revising the applicable Underlying.
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the notes or securities similar to the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes are not certain. Under the terms of the notes, you will have agreed with us to treat the notes as single financial contracts, as described under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—General.” If the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) were successful in asserting an alternative characterization for the notes, the timing and character of gain or loss with respect to the notes may differ. No ruling will be requested from the IRS with respect to the notes and no assurance can be given that the IRS will agree with the statements made in the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary.” You are urged to
PS-7 |
consult with your own tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the notes.
* * *
Investors in the notes should review the additional risk factors set forth beginning on page PS-5 of the accompanying product supplement prior to making an investment decision.
PS-8 |
General
The notes are part of a series of medium-term notes entitled “Medium-Term Notes, Series L” issued under the Senior Indenture, as amended and supplemented from time to time. The Senior Indenture is more fully described in the prospectus supplement and prospectus. The following description of the notes supplements the description of the general terms and provisions of the notes and debt securities set forth under the headings “Description of the Notes” in the prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities” in the prospectus. These documents should be read in connection with this pricing supplement.
The notes will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000. You may transfer the notes only in whole multiples of $1,000.
Prior to maturity, the notes are not repayable at our option or at your option.
If the scheduled maturity date is not a business day, the payment will be postponed to the next business day, and no interest will be payable as a result of that postponement.
Redemption Amount
At maturity, subject to our credit risk as issuer of the notes, you will receive the Redemption Amount per note that you hold, denominated in U.S. dollars. The Redemption Amount will be calculated as follows:
| · | If the Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than its Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount will equal: |
Principal Amount + Digital Payment
| · | If the Ending Value of either Underlying is less than or equal to its Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount will equal: |
In this case, the Redemption Amount will be less than or equal to 80% of the principal amount of the notes, and you may lose up to 100% of your principal.
Determining the Starting Value and the Ending Value of Each Underlying
The “Starting Value” of the SPX is 2,099.20, which was the closing level of the SPX on the pricing date. The “Starting Value” of the RTY is 1,199.747, which was the closing level of the RTY on the pricing date.
With respect to each Underlying, the “Ending Value” will be its closing level on the calculation day.
The calculation day is subject to postponement as set forth in the product supplement, in the section “Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events Relating to Calculation Days.”
Events of Default and Acceleration
If an event of default, as defined in the Senior Indenture, with respect to the notes occurs and is continuing, the amount payable to a holder of the notes upon any acceleration permitted under the Senior Indenture will be equal to the amount described under the captions “—Redemption Amount,” calculated as though the date of acceleration were the maturity date of the notes and as though the calculation day were the fifth trading day prior to the date of acceleration. In case of a default in the payment of the notes, the notes will not bear a default interest rate.
PS-9 |
All disclosures contained in this pricing supplement regarding the Underlyings, including, without limitation, their make-up, method of calculation, and changes in their components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by each of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”), the sponsor of the SPX, and Russell Investments (“Russell”), the sponsor of the RTY. We refer to SPDJI and Russell as the “Underlying Sponsors.” The Underlying Sponsors, which license the copyright and all other rights to the Underlyings, have no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Underlyings. The consequences of either Underlying Sponsor discontinuing publication of the applicable Underlying are discussed in “Description of the Notes—Discontinuance of an Index” in the accompanying product supplement. None of us, the calculation agent, or MLPF&S accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of either Underlying or any successor index.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the future performance of the Underlyings.
You should make your own investigation into the Underlyings.
The S&P 500® Index
The SPX is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The calculation of the level of the SPX is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943.
The Underlying Sponsor chooses companies for inclusion in the SPX with the aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of its Stock Guide Database of over 10,000 companies, which the Underlying Sponsor uses as an assumed model for the composition of the total market. Relevant criteria employed by the Underlying Sponsor include the viability of the particular company, the extent to which that company represents the industry group to which it is assigned, the extent to which the market price of that company’s common stock generally is responsive to changes in the affairs of the respective industry and the market value and trading activity of the common stock of that company. Ten main groups of companies constitute the SPX, with the approximate percentage of the market capitalization of the SPX included in each group as of October 30, 2015 indicated in parentheses: Information Technology (20.8%); Financials (16.2%); Health Care (14.6%); Consumer Discretionary (13.2%); Industrials (10.2%); Consumer Staples (9.7%); Energy (7.1%); Utilities (2.9%); Materials (2.9%); and Telecommunication Services (2.4%). The Underlying Sponsor may from time to time, in its sole discretion, add companies to, or delete companies from, the SPX to achieve the objectives stated above.
The Underlying Sponsor calculates the SPX by reference to the prices of the constituent stocks of the SPX without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the SPX constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on those stocks.
Computation of the SPX
While the Underlying Sponsor currently employs the following methodology to calculate the SPX, no assurance can be given that the Underlying Sponsor will not modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect the Redemption Amount.
Historically, the market value of any component stock of the SPX was calculated as the product of the market price per share and the number of then outstanding shares of such component stock. In March 2005, the Underlying Sponsor began shifting the SPX halfway from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before moving the SPX to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005. The Underlying Sponsor’s criteria for selecting stocks for the SPX did not change with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each company’s weight in the SPX.
Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the SPX reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a company’s outstanding shares. Float adjustment excludes shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly traded companies or government agencies.
In September 2012, all shareholdings representing more than 5% of a stock’s outstanding shares, other than holdings by “block owners,” were removed from the float for purposes of calculating the SPX. Generally, these “control holders” will include officers and directors, private equity, venture capital and special equity firms, other publicly traded companies that hold shares for control, strategic partners, holders of restricted shares, ESOPs, employee and family trusts, foundations associated with the company, holders of unlisted share classes of stock, government entities at all levels (other than government retirement/pension funds) and any individual person who controls a 5% or greater stake in a company as reported in regulatory filings. However, holdings by block owners, such as depositary banks,
PS-10 |
pension funds, mutual funds and ETF providers, 401(k) plans of the company, government retirement/pension funds, investment funds of insurance companies, asset managers and investment funds, independent foundations and savings and investment plans, will ordinarily be considered part of the float.
Treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. Shares held in a trust to allow investors in countries outside the country of domicile, such as depositary shares and Canadian exchangeable shares are normally part of the float unless those shares form a control block. If a company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class are treated as a control block.
For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated by dividing the available float shares by the total shares outstanding. As of September 21, 2012, available float shares are defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held by control holders. This calculation is subject to a 5% minimum threshold for control blocks. For example, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares, and no other control group holds 5% of the company’s shares, the Underlying Sponsor would assign that company an IWF of 1.00, as no control group meets the 5% threshold. However, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares and another control group holds 20% of the company’s shares, the Underlying Sponsor would assign an IWF of 0.77, reflecting the fact that 23% of the company’s outstanding shares are considered to be held for control. For companies with multiple classes of stock, the Underlying Sponsor calculates the weighted average IWF for each stock using the proportion of the total company market capitalization of each share class as weights.
The SPX is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The level of the SPX reflects the total market value of all 500 component stocks relative to the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent the results of this calculation in order to make the level easier to work with and track over time. The actual total market value of the component stocks during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943 has been set to an indexed level of 10. This is often indicated by the notation 1941- 43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the SPX is computed by dividing the total market value of the component stocks by the “index divisor.” By itself, the index divisor is an arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the SPX, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the SPX. The index divisor keeps the SPX comparable over time and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the SPX, which is index maintenance.
Index Maintenance
Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, share changes, stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price adjustments due to company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the companies in the SPX, and do not require index divisor adjustments.
To prevent the level of the SPX from changing due to corporate actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of the SPX require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level of the SPX remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the SPX. Index divisor adjustments are made after the close of trading and after the calculation of the SPX closing level.
Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, tender offers, Dutch auctions, or exchange offers are made as soon as reasonably possible. All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, at-the-market offerings, or other recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Wednesdays for implementation after the close of trading on the following Wednesday. Changes of less than 5.00% due to a company's acquisition of another company in the SPX are made as soon as reasonably possible. All other changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, and are usually announced two to five days prior.
Changes in IWFs of more than five percentage points caused by corporate actions (such as merger and acquisition activity, restructurings, or spinoffs) will be made as soon as reasonably possible. Other changes in IWFs will be made annually when IWFs are reviewed.
PS-11 |
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the SPX in the period from January 1, 2008 through the pricing date. This historical data on the SPX is not necessarily indicative of its future performance or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the SPX during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the SPX is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes. The horizontal line in the graph represents the Threshold Value of 1,679.36, which is 80% of the Starting Value of 2,099.20 (the closing level of the SPX on the pricing date).
Historical Performance of the SPX
Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the SPX.
License Agreement
S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). These trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. “Standard & Poor’s®,” “S&P 500®” and “S&P®” are trademarks of S&P. These trademarks have been sublicensed for certain purposes by our subsidiary, MLPF&S. The SPX is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates and has been licensed for use by MLPF&S.
The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the SPX to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to MLPF&S with respect to the SPX is the licensing of the SPX and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its third party licensors. The SPX is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to us, MLPF&S, or the notes. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take our needs or the needs of MLPF&S or holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the SPX. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the SPX will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its subsidiaries are not investment advisors. Inclusion of a security or futures contract within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security or futures contract, nor is it considered to be investment advice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the notes currently being issued by us, but which may be similar to and competitive with the notes. In addition, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the SPX. It is possible that this trading activity will affect the value of the notes.
PS-12 |
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE SPX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, MLPF&S, HOLDERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE SPX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND MLPF&S, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
PS-13 |
The Russell 2000® Index
Russell began dissemination of the RTY on January 1, 1984 and calculates and publishes the RTY. The RTY was set to 135 as of the close of business on December 31, 1986. The RTY is designed to track the performance of the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. As a subset of the Russell 3000® Index, the RTY consists of the smallest 2,000 companies included in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies, representing approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. The RTY is determined, comprised, and calculated by Russell without regard to the notes.
Selection of Stocks Comprising the RTY
All companies eligible for inclusion in the RTY must be classified as a U.S. company under Russell’s country-assignment methodology. If a company is incorporated, has a stated headquarters location, and trades in the same country (American Depositary Receipts and American Depositary Shares are not eligible), then the company is assigned to its country of incorporation. If any of the three factors are not the same, Russell defines three Home Country Indicators (“HCIs”): country of incorporation, country of headquarters, and country of the most liquid exchange (as defined by a two-year average daily dollar trading volume) (“ADDTV”). Using the HCIs, Russell compares the primary location of the company’s assets with the three HCIs. If the primary location of its assets matches any of the HCIs, then the company is assigned to the primary location of its assets. If there is insufficient information to determine the country in which the company’s assets are primarily located, Russell will use the primary country from which the company’s revenues are primarily derived for the comparison with the three HCIs in a similar manner. Russell uses the average of two years of assets or revenues data to reduce potential turnover. If conclusive country details cannot be derived from assets or revenues data, Russell will assign the company to the country of its headquarters, which is defined as the address of the company’s principal executive offices, unless that country is a Benefit Driven Incorporation “BDI” country, in which case the company will be assigned to the country of its most liquid stock exchange. BDI countries include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos Islands. For any companies incorporated or headquartered in a U.S. territory, including countries such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. HCI is assigned.
All securities eligible for inclusion in the RTY must trade on a major U.S. exchange. Bulletin board, pink-sheets, and over-the-counter (“OTC”) traded securities are not eligible for inclusion. Stocks must trade at or above $1.00 on their primary exchange on the last trading day in May to be eligible for inclusion during annual reconstitution. However, in order to reduce unnecessary turnover, if an existing member’s closing price is less than $1.00 on the last day of May, it will be considered eligible if the average of the daily closing prices (from its primary exchange) during the month of May is equal to or greater than $1.00. Initial public offerings are added each quarter and must have a closing price at or above $1.00 on the last day of their eligibility period in order to qualify for index inclusion. If a stock, new or existing, does not have a closing price at or above $1.00 (on its primary exchange) on the last trading day in May, but does have a closing price at or above $1.00 on another major U.S. exchange, that stock will be eligible for inclusion.
An important criteria used to determine the list of securities eligible for the RTY is total market capitalization, which is defined as the market price as of the last trading day in May for those securities being considered at annual reconstitution times the total number of shares outstanding. Where applicable, common stock, non-restricted exchangeable shares and partnership units/membership interests are used to determine market capitalization. Any other form of shares such as preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, redeemable shares, participating preferred stock, warrants and rights, or trust receipts, are excluded from the calculation. If multiple share classes of common stock exist, they are combined. In cases where the common stock share classes act independently of each other (e.g., tracking stocks), each class is considered for inclusion separately. If multiple share classes exist, Russell will determine a primary trading vehicle, and the price of that primary trading vehicle (usually the most liquid) is used to calculate market capitalization.
Companies with a total market capitalization of less than $30 million are not eligible for the RTY. Similarly, companies with only 5% or less of their shares available in the marketplace are not eligible for the RTY. Royalty trusts, limited liability companies, closed-end investment companies (business development companies are eligible), blank check companies, special purpose acquisition companies, and limited partnerships are also ineligible for inclusion.
Annual reconstitution is a process by which the RTY is completely rebuilt. Based on closing levels of the company’s common stock on its primary exchange on the last trading day of May of each year, Russell reconstitutes the composition of the RTY using the then existing market capitalizations of eligible companies. Reconstitution of the RTY occurs on the last Friday in June or, when the last Friday in June is the 28th, 29th, or 30th, reconstitution occurs on the prior Friday. In addition, Russell adds initial
PS-14 |
public offerings to the RTY on a quarterly basis based on market capitalization guidelines established during the most recent reconstitution. After membership is determined, a security’s shares are adjusted to include only those shares available to the public. This is often referred to as “free float.” The purpose of the adjustment is to exclude from market calculations the capitalization that is not available for purchase and is not part of the investable opportunity set.
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the RTY in the period from January 1, 2008 through the pricing date. This historical data on the RTY is not necessarily indicative of its future performance or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the RTY during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the RTY is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes. The horizontal line in the graph represents the Threshold Value of 959.798, which is 80% of the Starting Value of 1,199.747 (the closing level of the RTY on the pricing date).
Historical Performance of the RTY
Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the RTY.
License Agreement
“Russell 2000®” and “Russell 3000®” are trademarks of Russell and have been licensed for use by our subsidiary, MLPF&S. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Russell, and Russell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes.
Russell and MLPF&S have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to MLPF&S and its affiliates, including us, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by Russell in connection with some securities, including the notes. The license agreement provides that the following language must be stated in this term sheet:
“The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Russell. Russell makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the RTY to track general stock market performance or a segment of the same. Russell’s publication of the RTY in no way suggests or implies an opinion by Russell as to the advisability of investment in any or all of the securities upon which the RTY is based. Russell’s only relationship to MLPF&S and to us is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Russell and of the RTY, which is determined, composed, and calculated by Russell without regard to MLPF&S, us, or the notes. Russell is not responsible for and has not reviewed the notes nor any associated literature or publications and Russell makes no representation or warranty express or implied as to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. Russell reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter, amend, terminate, or in any way change the RTY. Russell has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the notes.
RUSSELL DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND RUSSELL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY
PS-15 |
ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. RUSSELL MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY MLPF&S, US, HOLDERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. RUSSELL MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL RUSSELL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
PS-16 |
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION—CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
MLPF&S, a broker-dealer subsidiary of BAC, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and will participate as selling agent in the distribution of the notes. Accordingly, the offering of the notes will conform to the requirements of FINRA Rule 5121. MLPF&S may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the account holder.
MLPF&S will sell the notes to other broker-dealers that will participate in the offering and that are not affiliated with us, at a purchase price equal to 98.00% of the principal amount. Each of those broker-dealers may sell the notes to one or more additional broker-dealers. MLPF&S has informed us that these discounts may vary from dealer to dealer and that not all dealers will purchase or repurchase the notes at the same discount.
MLPF&S and any of our other broker-dealer affiliates, may use this pricing supplement, and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus for offers and sales in secondary market transactions and market-making transactions in the notes. However, they are not obligated to engage in such secondary market transactions and/or market-making transactions. The selling agent may act as principal or agent in these transactions, and any such sales will be made at prices related to prevailing market conditions at the time of the sale.
At MLPF&S’s discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Underlyings and the remaining term of the notes. However, neither we nor any of our affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we or any of our affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.
Any price that MLPF&S may pay to repurchase the notes will depend upon then prevailing market conditions, our creditworthiness and transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.
PS-17 |
The notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Underlyings. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing. In addition, because market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under these notes at a rate that is more favorable to us than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security. This generally relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the economic terms of the notes, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked notes, resulted in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than their public offering price.
In order to meet our payment obligations on the notes, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with MLPF&S or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined based upon terms provided by MLP&S and its affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatilities of the Underlyings, the tenor of the notes and the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.
MLPF&S has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include hedging related charges, reflecting the costs associated with, and our affiliates’ profit earned from, these hedging arrangements. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, actual profits or losses from these hedging transactions may be more or less than any expected amounts.
For further information, see “Risk Factors—General Risks Relating to the Notes” beginning on page PS-6 above and “Use of Proceeds” on page PS-14 of product supplement EQUITY-1.
In the opinion of McGuireWoods LLP, as counsel to BAC, when the trustee has made an appropriate entry on Schedule 1 to the Master Registered Global Senior Note, dated May 1, 2015 (the “Master Note”) identifying the notes offered hereby as supplemental obligations thereunder in accordance with the instructions of BAC and the notes have been delivered against payment therefor as contemplated in this pricing supplement and the related prospectus supplement and prospectus, all in accordance with the provisions of the indenture governing the notes, such notes will be legal, valid and binding obligations of BAC, subject to the effect of applicable bankruptcy, insolvency (including laws relating to preferences, fraudulent transfers and equitable subordination), reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and to general principles of equity. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). In addition, this opinion is subject to the assumption that the trustee’s certificate of authentication of the Master Note has been manually signed by one of the trustee’s authorized officers and to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture governing the notes, the validity, binding nature and enforceability of the indenture governing the notes with respect to the trustee, the legal capacity of natural persons, the genuineness of signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to McGuireWoods LLP as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to McGuireWoods LLP as copies thereof, the authenticity of the originals of such copies and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of McGuireWoods LLP dated February 27, 2015, which has been filed as an exhibit to BAC’s Registration Statement relating to the notes filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015.
PS-18 |
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX SUMMARY
The following summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the notes is based upon the advice of Morrison & Foerster LLP, our tax counsel. The following discussion supplements, and to the extent inconsistent supersedes, the discussions under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus and under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and is not exhaustive of all possible tax considerations. This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), regulations promulgated under the Code by the U.S. Treasury Department (“Treasury”) (including proposed and temporary regulations), rulings, current administrative interpretations and official pronouncements of the IRS, and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below. This summary does not include any description of the tax laws of any state or local governments, or of any foreign government, that may be applicable to a particular holder.
This summary is directed solely to U.S. Holders and Non-U.S. Holders that, except as otherwise specifically noted, will purchase the notes upon original issuance and will hold the notes as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, which generally means property held for investment, and that are not excluded from the discussion under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.
You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws.
General
Although there is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the notes, we intend to treat the notes for all tax purposes as single financial contracts with respect to the Underlyings and under the terms of the notes, we and every investor in the notes agree, in the absence of an administrative determination or judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat the notes in accordance with such characterization. This discussion assumes that the notes constitute single financial contracts with respect to the Underlyings for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the notes did not constitute single financial contracts, the tax consequences described below would be materially different.
This characterization of the notes is not binding on the IRS or the courts. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the notes or any similar instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no ruling is being requested from the IRS with respect to their proper characterization and treatment. Due to the absence of authorities on point, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes are not certain, and no assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with the characterization and tax treatment described in this supplement. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative characterizations.
Unless otherwise stated, the following discussion is based on the characterization described above. The discussion in this section assumes that there is a significant possibility of a significant loss of principal on an investment in the notes.
We will not attempt to ascertain whether the issuer of any component stocks included in an Underlying would be treated as a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code, or a United States real property holding corporation, within the meaning of Section 897(c) of the Code. If the issuer of one or more stocks included in an Underlying were so treated, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could possibly apply to a holder of the notes. You should refer to information filed with the SEC by the issuers of the component stocks included in each Underlying and consult your tax advisor regarding the possible consequences to you, if any, if any issuer of the component stocks included in an Underlying is or becomes a PFIC or is or becomes a United States real property holding corporation.
U.S. Holders
Upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of the notes prior to maturity, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between
PS-19 |
the amount realized and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the notes. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the notes will equal the amount paid by that holder to acquire them. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder held the notes for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Alternative Tax Treatments. Due to the absence of authorities that directly address the proper tax treatment of the notes, prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding all possible alternative tax treatments of an investment in the notes. In particular, the IRS could seek to subject the notes to the Treasury regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments. If the IRS were successful in that regard, the timing and character of income on the notes would be affected significantly. Among other things, a U.S. Holder would be required to accrue original issue discount every year at a “comparable yield” determined at the time of issuance. In addition, any gain realized by a U.S. Holder at maturity or upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of the notes generally would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized at maturity would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s prior accruals of original issue discount, and as capital loss thereafter.
The IRS released Notice 2008-2 (the “Notice”), which sought comments from the public on the taxation of financial instruments currently taxed as “prepaid forward contracts.” This Notice addresses instruments such as the notes. According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering whether a holder of an instrument such as the notes should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis, regardless of whether any payments are made prior to maturity. It is not possible to determine what guidance the IRS and Treasury will ultimately issue, if any. Any such future guidance may affect the amount, timing and character of income, gain, or loss in respect of the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.
The IRS and Treasury are also considering additional issues, including whether additional gain or loss from such instruments should be treated as ordinary or capital, whether foreign holders of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on any deemed income accruals, whether Section 1260 of the Code, concerning certain “constructive ownership transactions,” generally applies or should generally apply to such instruments, and whether any of these determinations depend on the nature of the underlying asset.
In addition, proposed Treasury regulations require the accrual of income on a current basis for contingent payments made under certain notional principal contracts. The preamble to the regulations states that the “wait and see” method of accounting does not properly reflect the economic accrual of income on those contracts, and requires current accrual of income for some contracts already in existence. While the proposed regulations do not apply to prepaid forward contracts, the preamble to the proposed regulations expresses the view that similar timing issues exist in the case of prepaid forward contracts. If the IRS or Treasury publishes future guidance requiring current economic accrual for contingent payments on prepaid forward contracts, it is possible that you could be required to accrue income over the term of the notes.
Because of the absence of authority regarding the appropriate tax characterization of the notes, it is also possible that the IRS could seek to characterize the notes in a manner that results in tax consequences that are different from those described above. For example, the IRS could possibly assert that any gain or loss that a holder may recognize at maturity or upon the sale, exchange or redemption of the notes should be treated as ordinary gain or loss.
Because each Underlying is an index that periodically rebalances, it is possible that the notes could be treated as a series of single financial contracts, each of which matures on the next rebalancing date. If the notes were properly characterized in such a manner, a U.S. Holder would be treated as disposing of the notes on each rebalancing date in return for new notes that mature on the next rebalancing date, and a U.S. Holder would accordingly likely recognize capital gain or loss on each rebalancing date equal to the difference between the holder’s tax basis in the notes (which would be adjusted to take into account any prior recognition of gain or loss) and the fair market value of the notes on such date.
Non-U.S. Holders
Except as discussed below, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax for amounts paid in respect of the notes provided that the Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification requirements and that the payment is not effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-U.S. Holder of a U.S. trade or business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale, exchange, or redemption of the notes or their settlement at maturity may be subject to U.S. federal income tax if that Non-U.S. Holder is a non-resident alien individual and is present in the U.S. for 183
PS-20 |
days or more during the taxable year of the settlement at maturity, sale, exchange, or redemption and certain other conditions are satisfied.
If a Non-U.S. Holder of the notes is engaged in the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. and if gain realized on the settlement at maturity, or upon sale, exchange, or redemption of the notes, is effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business (and, if certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the U.S.), the Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such gain on a net income basis in the same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder. Such Non-U.S. Holders should read the material under the heading “—U.S. Holders,” for a description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes. In addition, if such Non-U.S. Holder is a foreign corporation, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate provided by any applicable tax treaty) of a portion of its earnings and profits for the taxable year that are effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the U.S., subject to certain adjustments.
A “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the U.S. and such payments generally would be subject to a 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty) U.S. withholding tax if paid to a Non-U.S. Holder. Under Treasury regulations, certain payments (including deemed payments) that are contingent upon or determined by reference to actual or estimated U.S. source dividends with respect to certain equity-linked instruments, whether explicitly stated or implicitly taken into account in computing one or more of the terms of such instruments, may be treated as dividend equivalents. However, this withholding on “dividend equivalent” payments, if any, will not apply to equity-linked instruments issued before January 1, 2016. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.
As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization, by reason of change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments as to the notes to become subject to withholding tax, we will withhold tax at the applicable statutory rate. As discussed above, the IRS has indicated in the Notice that it is considering whether income in respect of instruments such as the notes should be subject to withholding tax. Prospective Non-U.S. Holders of the notes should consult their own tax advisors in this regard.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax. Under current law, while the matter is not entirely clear, individual Non-U.S. Holders, and entities whose property is potentially includible in those individuals’ gross estates for U.S. federal estate tax purposes (for example, a trust funded by such an individual and with respect to which the individual has retained certain interests or powers), should note that, absent an applicable treaty benefit, a note is likely to be treated as U.S. situs property, subject to U.S. federal estate tax. These individuals and entities should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal estate tax consequences of investing in a note.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Please see the discussion under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting rules to payments made on the notes.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The IRS has announced that withholding under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (as discussed in the prospectus supplement) on payments of gross proceeds from a sale or redemption of the notes will only apply to payments made after December 31, 2018.
PS-21 |