FWP 1 dfwp.htm FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS Free Writing Prospectus

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration No. 333-158663

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Term Sheet dated August 4, 2009

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The LIRNs are being offered by Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”). The LIRNs will have the terms specified in this term sheet as supplemented by the documents indicated herein under “Additional Terms” (together the “Note Prospectus”). Investing in the LIRNs involves a number of risks. There are important differences between the LIRNs and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-5 of this term sheet and beginning on page S-10 of product supplement LIRN-2. LIRNs:

 

Are Not FDIC Insured    Are Not Bank Guaranteed    May Lose Value

In connection with this offering, each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) and its broker-dealer affiliate First Republic Securities Company, LLC (“First Republic”) is acting in its capacity as a principal for your account.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Note Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

    

Per Unit

    

Total

Public offering price (1)

   $10.00      $

Selling discount (1)

   $0.20      $

Proceeds, before expenses, to Bank of America Corporation

   $9.80      $

 

  (1) The public offering price and selling discount for any purchase of 500,000 or more units in a single transaction by an individual investor will be $9.95 per unit and $0.15 per unit, respectively.

*Depending on the date the LIRNs are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”), which may be in August or September 2009, the settlement date may occur in August or September 2009 and the maturity date may occur in August or September 2011. Any reference in this term sheet to the month in which the pricing date, settlement date, or maturity date will occur is subject to change as specified above.

 

                Merrill Lynch & Co.    Banc of America Investment Services, Inc.

August     , 2009

 

                         Units

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes®

Linked to the Financial Select Sector Index,

due August     , 2011

$10 principal amount per unit

Term Sheet No.

  

Expected Pricing Date*

Settlement Date*

Maturity Date*

CUSIP No.

 

August     , 2009

September     , 2009

August     , 2011

•      2-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the level of the Financial Select Sector Index (the “Index”), subject to a cap of 32% to 36%

•      A maturity of approximately 24 months

•      1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the level of the Index in excess of a Threshold Value with up to 85% of the principal amount at risk

•      Payment of the Redemption Amount at maturity is subject to the credit risk of Bank of America Corporation

•      No periodic interest payments

•      No listing on any securities exchange

•      This debt is not guaranteed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program

    


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Summary

The Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Financial Select Sector Index, due August     , 2011 (the “LIRNs”) are our senior unsecured debt securities and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The LIRNs will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt, and any payments due on the LIRNs, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of BAC. The LIRNs provide a leveraged return for investors, subject to a cap, if the level of the Financial Select Sector Index (the “Index”) increases moderately from the Starting Value of the Index, determined on the pricing date, to the Ending Value of the Index, determined during the Maturity Valuation Period. Investors must be willing to forgo interest payments on the LIRNs and be willing to accept a return that is capped or a repayment that is less, and potentially significantly less, than the Original Offering Price of the LIRNs.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement LIRN-2. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to BAC.

 

Terms of the LIRNs

 

Issuer:   Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”)
Original Offering Price:     $10.00 per unit
Term:   Approximately 24 months
Market Measure:   Financial Select Sector Index (Bloomberg symbol: “IXM”)
Starting Value:   The closing level of the Index on the pricing date. The Starting Value will be determined on the pricing date and will be set forth in the final term sheet made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.
Ending Value:   The average of the closing levels of the Index on each scheduled calculation day during the Maturity Valuation Period. If it is determined that a scheduled calculation day is not a Market Measure Business Day, or if a Market Disruption Event occurs on a scheduled calculation day, the Ending Value will be determined as more fully described in product supplement LIRN-2.
Threshold Value:   85% of the Starting Value, rounded to two decimal places.
Capped Value:   $13.20 to $13.60 per unit of the LIRNs, which represents a return of 32.00% to 36.00% over the Original Offering Price. The actual Capped Value of the LIRNs will be determined on the pricing date and set forth in the final term sheet made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.
Participation Rate:   200%
Downside Leverage Factor:   100%
Maturity Valuation Period:   Five scheduled calculation days shortly before the maturity date, determined on the pricing date and set forth in the final term sheet that will be made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.
Calculation Agent:   MLPF&S, a subsidiary of BAC

Determining the Redemption

Amount for the LIRNs

On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit (the “Redemption Amount”) calculated as follows:

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Hypothetical Payout Profile

 

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This graph reflects the hypothetical returns on the LIRNs, based on the Participation Rate of 200%, a Threshold Value equal to 85% of the Starting Value, and a hypothetical Capped Value of $13.40 (a 34.00% return), the midpoint of the Capped Value range of $13.20 to $13.60. The green line reflects the hypothetical returns on the LIRNs, while the dotted gray line reflects the hypothetical returns of a direct investment in the stocks included in the Index, excluding dividends.

 

This graph has been prepared for purposes of illustration only. Your actual return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Ending Value, Capped Value, Threshold Value, and the term of your investment.

Hypothetical Redemption Amounts

Examples

Set forth below are four examples of Redemption Amount calculations (rounded to two decimal places) payable at maturity, based upon the Participation Rate of 200%, the Downside Leverage Factor of 100%, a hypothetical Starting Value of 125.50 (the closing level of the Index on July 28, 2009), a hypothetical Threshold Value of 106.68 (rounded to two decimal places), and a hypothetical Capped Value of $13.40 (per unit), the midpoint of the range of $13.20 to $13.60.

Example 1 — The hypothetical Ending Value is 70% of the hypothetical Starting Value and is less than the hypothetical Threshold Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value:

   125.50   

Hypothetical Ending Value:

   87.85   

Hypothetical Threshold Value:

   106.68   

 

$10 –

  [   $10 ×   (   106.68 - 87.85

 

  )   x 100%   ]   = $8.50
       

 

125.50

       

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $8.50

Example 2 — The hypothetical Ending Value is 95% of the hypothetical Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places) and is greater than the hypothetical Threshold Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value:

   125.50   

Hypothetical Ending Value:

   119.23   

Hypothetical Threshold Value:

   106.68   

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $10.00

If the Ending Value is less than or equal to the Starting Value but is greater than or equal to the Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount (per unit) will equal the $10.00 Original Offering Price.

Example 3 — The hypothetical Ending Value is 104% of the hypothetical Starting Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value:

   125.50   

Hypothetical Ending Value:

   130.52   

 

$10 +

  [   $10 × 200% x   (   130.52 - 125.50

 

  )   ]   = $10.80
       

 

125.50

     

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $10.80

Example 4 — The hypothetical Ending Value is 150% of the hypothetical Starting Value:

 

Hypothetical Starting Value:

   125.50   

Hypothetical Ending Value:

   188.25   

 

 

$10 +

  [   $10 × 200% x   (   188.25 - 125.50

 

  )   ]   = $20.00
       

 

125.50

     

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $13.40 (The Redemption Amount cannot be greater than the Capped Value.)

 

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The following table illustrates, for a hypothetical Starting Value of 125.50 (the closing level of the Index on July 28, 2009), a Threshold Value of 85% of the hypothetical Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places), and a range of hypothetical Ending Values of the Index:

 

  §  

the percentage change from the hypothetical Starting Value to the hypothetical Ending Value;

  §  

the hypothetical Redemption Amount per unit of the LIRNs (rounded to two decimal places);

  §  

the total rate of return to holders of the LIRNs;

  §  

the pretax annualized rate of return to holders of the LIRNs; and

  §  

the pretax annualized rate of return of a hypothetical direct investment in the stocks included in the Index, which includes an assumed aggregate dividend yield of 3.75% per annum, as more fully described below.

The table below is based on the Participation Rate of 200%, the Downside Leverage Factor of 100%, and a hypothetical Capped Value of $13.40 (per unit), the midpoint of the Capped Value range of $13.20 to $13.60.

 

Hypothetical
Ending Value

 

Percentage Change From
the Hypothetical Starting
Value to the Hypothetical
Ending Value

 

Hypothetical

Redemption
Amount per Unit

 

Total Rate
of Return on
the LIRNs

 

Pretax Annualized
Rate of Return
on the LIRNs(1)

 

Pretax Annualized Rate
of Return of the Stocks
Included in the Index(1)(2)

  62.75   -50.00%      6.50   -35.00%    -20.42%    -26.93% 
  75.30   -40.00%      7.50   -25.00%    -13.88%    -19.45% 
  87.85   -30.00%      8.50   -15.00%      -7.97%    -12.80% 
100.40   -20.00%      9.50     -5.00%      -2.55%      -6.80% 
    106.68(3)   -15.00%    10.00     0.00%     0.00%     -3.99% 
120.48     -4.00%    10.00     0.00%     0.00%     1.78%
122.99     -2.00%    10.00     0.00%     0.00%     2.78%
    125.50(4)     0.00%   10.00     0.00%     0.00%     3.77%
128.01     2.00%   10.40     4.00%     1.97%     4.74%
130.52     4.00%   10.80     8.00%     3.89%     5.69%
138.05   10.00%   12.00   20.00%     9.33%     8.49%
150.60   20.00%       13.40(5)   34.00%   15.18%   12.91%
163.15   30.00%   13.40   34.00%   15.18%   17.07%
175.70   40.00%   13.40   34.00%   15.18%   21.00%
188.25   50.00%   13.40   34.00%   15.18%   24.73%

 

(1) The annualized rates of return specified in this column are calculated on a semi-annual bond equivalent basis and assume an investment term from August 4, 2009 to August 4, 2011, a term expected to be similar to that of the LIRNs.

 

(2) This rate of return assumes:

 

  (a) a percentage change in the aggregate price of the stocks included in the Index that equals the percentage change in the level of the Index from the hypothetical Starting Value to the relevant hypothetical Ending Value;

 

  (b) a constant dividend yield of 3.75% per annum, paid quarterly from the date of initial delivery of the LIRNs, applied to the level of the Index at the end of each quarter, assuming this level increases or decreases linearly from the hypothetical Starting Value to the relevant hypothetical Ending Value; and

 

  (c) no transaction fees or expenses.

 

(3) This is the hypothetical Threshold Value. The actual Threshold Value will be determined on the pricing date and will be set forth in the final term sheet made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.

 

(4) This is the hypothetical Starting Value, which was the closing level of the Index on July 28, 2009. The actual Starting Value will be determined on the pricing date and will be set forth in the final term sheet made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.

 

(5) The Redemption Amount per unit of the LIRNs cannot exceed the hypothetical Capped Value of $13.40 (the midpoint of the range of $13.20 to $13.60). The actual Capped Value will be determined on the pricing date and will be set forth in the final term sheet made available in connection with sales of the LIRNs.

The above figures are for purposes of illustration only. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total and pretax annualized rates of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Ending Value, Capped Value, Threshold Value, and the term of your investment.

 

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Risk Factors

There are important differences between the LIRNs and a conventional debt security. An investment in the LIRNs involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the LIRNs in the “Risk Factors” sections included in product supplement LIRN-2 and the MTN prospectus supplement identified below under “Additional Terms.” We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the LIRNs.

 

  §  

Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal.

 

  §  

Your yield may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.

 

  §  

Your return, if any, is limited to the return represented by the Capped Value.

 

  §  

Your investment return, if any, may be less than a comparable investment directly in the stocks included in the Index.

 

  §  

You must rely on your own evaluation of the merits of an investment linked to the Index.

 

  §  

In seeking to provide you with what we believe to be commercially reasonable terms for the LIRNs, while providing the selling agents with compensation for their services, we have considered the costs of developing, hedging, and distributing the LIRNs.

 

  §  

A trading market is not expected to develop for the LIRNs.

 

  §  

The Redemption Amount will not be affected by all developments relating to the Index.

 

  §  

You will have no rights as a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive any of those securities or dividends or other distributions by the issuers of those securities.

 

  §  

While we or our affiliates may from time to time own shares of companies included in the Index, except to the extent that our common stock is included in the Index, we do not control any company included in the Index, and are not responsible for any disclosure by any other company.

 

  §  

If you attempt to sell the LIRNs prior to maturity, their market value, if any, will be affected by various factors that interrelate in complex ways, and their market value may be less than their Original Offering Price.

 

  §  

Payments on the LIRNs are subject to our credit risk, and changes in our credit ratings are expected to affect the value of the LIRNs.

 

  §  

Purchases and sales by us and our affiliates of stocks included in the Index may affect your return.

 

  §  

Our trading and hedging activities may create conflicts of interest with you.

 

  §  

Our hedging activities may affect your return on the LIRNs and their market value.

 

  §  

Our business activities relating to the companies represented by the Index may create conflicts of interest with you.

 

  §  

There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent.

 

  §  

The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the LIRNs are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the LIRNs. See “Summary Tax Consequences” and “Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in product supplement LIRN-2.

Additional Risk Factors

MLPF&S, acting as the Index Compilation Agent, determines the composition of the Select Sector Indices after consultation with Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). The stocks included in each Select Sector Index, including the Index, are selected by MLPF&S (the “Index Compilation Agent”). The Index Compilation Agent, after consultation with S&P, assigns a company’s stock to a particular Select Sector Index on the basis of the company’s sales and earnings composition and the sensitivity of the company’s stock price and business results to the common factors that affect other companies in each Select Sector Index. S&P has sole control over the removal of stocks from the S&P 500® Index and the selection of replacement stocks to be added to the S&P 500® Index. However, S&P plays only a consulting role in the Select Sector Index assignment of the S&P 500® Index component stocks, which is the sole responsibility of the Index Compilation Agent. The Index Compilation Agent will compile the Select Sector Indices without regard to the LIRNs. The Index Compilation Agent has no obligation to take the interests of the holders of the LIRNs into consideration in compiling the Select Sector Indices, including when compiling the Index.

S&P may cause an adjustment to the S&P 500® Index in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests. S&P is responsible for calculating and maintaining the S&P 500® Index, from which the stocks included in the Index are selected. S&P can add, delete, or substitute the stocks included in the S&P 500® Index or make other methodological changes that could change the level of the S&P 500® Index and therefore the composition and level of the Index. Changing the companies included in the Index may affect the level of the Index, as a newly added company may perform significantly better or worse than the company or companies it replaces. Additionally, S&P may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the S&P 500® Index, any of which could adversely affect the value of the LIRNs. S&P has no obligation to consider your interests in calculating or revising the S&P 500® Index.

NYSE Euronext may discontinue the calculation or dissemination of the Index or adjust the methodology for calculating the Index in a way that affects its level, and NYSE Euronext has no obligation to consider your interests. NYSE Euronext is responsible for calculating and disseminating the Index. NYSE Euronext may make methodological changes that could change the level of the Index. Additionally, NYSE Euronext may discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the Index, which could adversely affect the value of the LIRNs. NYSE Euronext has no obligation to consider your interests in taking any of the foregoing actions.

 

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The stocks included in the Index, including our common stock, are concentrated in one sector. All of the stocks included in the Index, including our common stock, are issued by companies in the financial services sector. As a result, the stocks that will determine the performance of the LIRNs are concentrated in one sector. Although an investment in the LIRNs will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the stocks underlying the Index, the return on an investment in the LIRNs will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in companies in the financial services sector. Accordingly, by investing in the LIRNs, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.

The current financial crisis has adversely impacted the stock prices of many companies in the financial services sector, and may continue to do so during the term of the LIRNs. The ongoing financial crisis in the United States has resulted, and may continue to result, in significant losses among companies that operate in the financial services sector. These recent events in the financial sector and deterioration in the credit markets generally have also resulted, and may continue to result, in a high degree of volatility in the stock prices of financial institutions, and substantial fluctuations in the profitability and ongoing viability of these companies. Further, companies in the financial services sector have been subject to unprecedented government actions and regulation, which may limit the scope of their operations and, in turn, result in a decrease in value of these companies. Any of these factors may have an adverse impact on the performance of the Index. As a result, the level of the Index may be adversely affected by economic, political, or regulatory events affecting the financial services sector or one of the sub-sectors of the financial services sector. This in turn could adversely impact the market value of the LIRNs and decrease the Redemption Amount.

Investor Considerations

 

You may wish to consider an investment in the LIRNs if:

 

§  

You anticipate that the level of the Index will increase moderately from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

 

§  

You accept that your investment may result in a loss, which could be significant, if the level of the Index decreases from the Starting Value to an Ending Value that is less than the Threshold Value.

 

§  

You accept that the return on the LIRNs will not exceed the return represented by the Capped Value.

 

§  

You are willing to forgo interest payments on the LIRNs, such as fixed or floating rate interest paid on traditional interest bearing debt securities.

 

§  

You seek exposure to the Index with no expectation of dividends or other benefits of owning the stocks included in the Index.

 

§  

You are willing to accept that a trading market is not expected to develop for the LIRNs. You understand that secondary market prices for the LIRNs, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness.

 

§  

You are willing to make an investment, the payments on which depend on our creditworthiness, as the issuer of the LIRNs.

The LIRNs may not be an appropriate investment for you if:

 

§  

You anticipate that the level of the Index will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value or that the level of the Index will not increase sufficiently over the term of the LIRNs to provide you with your desired return.

 

§  

You seek 100% principal protection or preservation of capital.

 

§  

You seek a return on your investment that will not be capped at a percentage that will be between 32.00% and 36.00% over the Original Offering Price.

 

§  

You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment.

 

§  

You want to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Index.

 

§  

You seek assurances that there will be a liquid market if and when you want to sell the LIRNs prior to maturity.

 

§  

You are unwilling or are unable to assume the credit risk associated with us, as the issuer of the LIRNs.


 

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Other Provisions

We may deliver the LIRNs against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than three business days following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the LIRNs occurs more than three business days from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade LIRNs more than three business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

If you place an order to purchase the LIRNs, you are consenting to each of MLPF&S and its broker-dealer affiliate First Republic acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

MLPF&S, First Republic, and Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. (“BAI”), each a broker-dealer subsidiary of BAC, are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”)) and will participate as selling agents in the distribution of the LIRNs. Accordingly, offerings of the LIRNs will conform to the requirements of NASD Rule 2720. Under our distribution agreement with the selling agents, MLPF&S will purchase the LIRNs from us on the issue date as principal at the purchase price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated selling discount. In the original offering of the LIRNs, the LIRNs will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units.

MLPF&S, First Republic, and BAI may use this Note Prospectus for offers and sales in secondary market transactions and market-making transactions in the LIRNs but are not obligated to engage in such secondary market transactions and/or market-making transactions. MLPF&S, First Republic, and BAI may act as principal or agent in these transactions, and any such sales will be made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of the sale.

 

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The Index

All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, the Select Sector Indices, and the S&P 500® Index, including, without limitation, their make up, method of their 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, S&P, NYSE Euronext, and MLPF&S, as described in this section and in the section “Additional Risk Factors” above. The consequences of any discontinuance of the Index are discussed in the section of product supplement LIRN-2 entitled “Description of LIRNs—Discontinuance of a Market Measure.” None of us, the calculation agent, nor MLPF&S accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance, or publication of the Index or any successor index.

The Select Sector Indices

The Index is one of the Select Sector Indices. The Select Sector Indices are sub-indices of the S&P 500® Index. Each stock in the S&P 500® Index is allocated to only one Select Sector Index, and the combined companies of the ten Select Sector Indices represent all of the companies in the S&P 500® Index. The industry indices are sub-categories within each Select Sector Index and represent a specific industry segment of the overall Select Sector Index. The ten Select Sector Indices seek to represent the S&P 500® Index sectors. The S&P 500® Index sectors, with the approximate percentage of the market capitalization of the S&P 500® Index included in each sector as of June 30, 2009 indicated in parentheses, are: Consumer Discretionary (9.0%); Consumer Staples (12.0%); Energy (12.4%); Financials (13.6%); Health Care (14.0%); Industrials (9.9%); Information Technology (18.3%); Materials (3.2%); Telecommunication Services (3.5%); and Utilities (4.1%). MLPF&S, acting as the Index Compilation Agent, determines the composition of the Select Sector Indices after consultation with S&P.

Each Select Sector Index was developed and is maintained in accordance with the following criteria:

 

   

Each of the component stocks in a Select Sector Index (the “Component Stocks”) is a constituent company of the S&P 500® Index.

 

   

The ten Select Sector Indices together will include all of the companies represented in the S&P 500® Index and each of the stocks in the S&P 500® Index will be allocated to one and only one of the Select Sector Indices.

 

   

The Index Compilation Agent assigns each constituent stock of the S&P 500® Index to a Select Sector Index. The Index Compilation Agent, after consultation with S&P, assigns a company’s stock to a particular Select Sector Index on the basis of that company’s sales and earnings composition and the sensitivity of the company’s stock price and business results to the common factors that affect other companies in each Select Sector Index.

 

   

Each Select Sector Index is calculated by NYSE Euronext using a modified “market capitalization” methodology. This design ensures that each of the component stocks within a Select Sector Index is represented in a proportion consistent with its percentage with respect to the total market capitalization of that Select Sector Index. However, under certain conditions, the number of shares of a component stock within the Select Sector Index may be adjusted to conform to Internal Revenue Code requirements.

Each Select Sector Index is calculated using the same methodology utilized by S&P in calculating the S&P 500® Index, using a base—weighted aggregate methodology. The daily calculation of each Select Sector Index is computed by dividing the total market value of the companies in the Select Sector Index by a number called the index divisor.

The Index Compilation Agent at any time may determine that a Component Stock which has been assigned to one Select Sector Index has undergone such a transformation in the composition of its business, and should be removed from that Select Sector Index and assigned to a different Select Sector Index. In the event that the Index Compilation Agent notifies NYSE Euronext that a Component Stock’s Select Sector Index assignment should be changed, NYSE Euronext will disseminate notice of the change following its standard procedure for announcing index changes and will implement the change in the affected Select Sector Indexes on a date no less than one week after the initial dissemination of information on the sector change to the maximum extent practicable. It is not anticipated that Component Stocks will change sectors frequently.

Component Stocks removed from and added to the S&P 500® Index will be deleted from and added to the appropriate Select Sector Index on the same schedule used by S&P for additions and deletions from the S&P 500® Index insofar as practicable.

The Index

The Index (Index symbol: “IXM”) is a modified market capitalization-based index. The Index is intended to track the movements of companies that are components of the S&P 500® Index and, as of July 31, 2009, includes the shares of common stock of 79 companies from the following industries: diversified financial services, insurance, commercial banks, capital markets, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), consumer finance, thrifts and mortgage finance, and real estate management and development. As of August 3, 2009, the total market capitalization of our common stock constituted approximately 10.7% of the aggregate market capitalization of the stocks included in the Index. The Index, which serves as a benchmark for The Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (Index fund symbol: “XLF”), was established with a value of 250.00 on June 30, 1998.

 

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The following graph sets forth the monthly historical performance of the Index in the period from January 2004 through June 2009. This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the LIRNs may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the LIRNs. On July 28, 2009, the closing level of the Index was 125.50.

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Before investing in the LIRNs, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels and trading pattern of the Index. The generally unsettled international environment and related uncertainties, including the risk of terrorism, may result in the Index and the financial markets generally exhibiting greater volatility than in earlier periods.

The S&P 500® Index

“Standard & Poor’s®”, “Standard & Poor’s 500TM”, “S&P 500®”, and “S&P®” are trademarks of S&P and have been licensed for use in this offering by our subsidiary, MLPF&S. The LIRNs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P, and S&P makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the LIRNs.

The S&P 500® Index is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The calculation of the value of the S&P 500® Index 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. As of June 30, 2009, 411 companies or 80.8% of the market capitalization of the S&P 500® Index traded on the New York Stock Exchange, 89 companies or 19.2% of the market capitalization of the S&P 500® Index traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market; and no companies traded on the NYSE Alternext U.S. stock exchange (formerly known as the American Stock Exchange). As of June 30, 2009, the aggregate market value of the companies included in the S&P 500® Index represented approximately 77% of the aggregate market value of stocks included in the Standard & Poor’s Stock Guide Database of domestic common stocks traded in the U.S., excluding American depositary receipts, limited partnerships and mutual funds.

S&P chooses companies for inclusion in the S&P 500® Index 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 S&P uses as an assumed model for the composition of the total market. Relevant criteria employed by S&P 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 comprise the S&P 500® Index, with the approximate percentage of the market capitalization of the S&P 500® Index included in each group as of June 30, 2009 indicated in parentheses: Consumer Discretionary (9.0%); Consumer Staples (12.0%); Energy (12.4%); Financials (13.6%); Health Care (14.0%); Industrials (9.9%); Information Technology (18.3%); Materials (3.2%); Telecommunication Services (3.5%); and Utilities (4.1%). S&P from time to time, in its sole discretion, may add companies to, or delete companies from, the S&P 500® Index to achieve the objectives stated above.

S&P calculates the S&P 500® Index by reference to the prices of the constituent stocks of the S&P 500® Index without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the LIRNs will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the S&P 500® Index constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on those stocks.

 

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Computation of the S&P 500® Index

While S&P currently employs the following methodology to calculate the S&P 500® Index, no assurance can be given that S&P will not modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect the payment on the LIRNs.

Historically, the market value of any component stock of the S&P 500® Index 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, S&P began shifting the S&P 500® Index halfway from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before moving the S&P 500® Index to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005. S&P’s criteria for selecting stocks for the S&P 500® Index did not change with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each company’s weight in the S&P 500® Index.

Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the S&P 500® Index reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a company’s outstanding shares. S&P defines three groups of shareholders whose holdings are subject to float adjustment:

 

   

holdings by other publicly traded corporations, venture capital firms, private equity firms, strategic partners, or leveraged buyout groups;

 

   

holdings by government entities, including all levels of government in the U.S. or foreign countries; and

 

   

holdings by current or former officers and directors of the company, founders of the company, or family trusts of officers, directors, or founders, as well as holdings of trusts, foundations, pension funds, employee stock ownership plans, or other investment vehicles associated with and controlled by the company.

However, treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. In cases where holdings in a group exceed 10% of the outstanding shares of a company, the holdings of that group are excluded from the float-adjusted count of shares to be used in the index calculation. Mutual funds, investment advisory firms, pension funds, or foundations not associated with the company and investment funds in insurance companies, shares of a U.S. company traded in Canada as “exchangeable shares,” shares that trust beneficiaries may buy or sell without difficulty or significant additional expense beyond typical brokerage fees, and, if a company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class if such shares are convertible by shareholders without undue delay and cost, are also part of the float.

For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated by dividing the available float shares, defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held in one or more of the three groups listed above where the group holdings exceed 10% of the outstanding shares, by the total shares outstanding. The float-adjusted index is then calculated by dividing the sum of the IWF multiplied by both the price and the total shares outstanding for each stock by the index divisor. For companies with multiple classes of stock, S&P calculates the weighted average IWF for each stock using the proportion of the total company market capitalization of each share class as weights.

The S&P 500® Index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The value of the S&P 500® Index 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 value 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 value of 10. This is often indicated by the notation 1941-43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the S&P 500® Index 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 S&P 500® Index, it serves as a link to the original base period value of the S&P 500® Index. The index divisor keeps the S&P 500® Index comparable over time and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the S&P 500® Index, which is index maintenance.

S&P 500® Index Maintenance

S&P 500® 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 S&P 500® Index, and do not require index divisor adjustments.

To prevent the value of the S&P 500® Index from changing due to corporate actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of the S&P 500® Index require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level of the S&P 500® Index remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the S&P 500® Index. S&P 500® Index divisor adjustments are made after the close of trading and after the calculation of the S&P 500® Index closing level.

Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, 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, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, subscription rights, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, or other recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Tuesdays for implementation after the close of trading on Wednesday. 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 days prior.

Changes in IWFs of more than ten 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, in September, when IWFs are reviewed.

License Agreement

S&P does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the S&P 500® Index or any data included in the S&P 500® Index. S&P shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions in the S&P 500® Index. S&P makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by MLPF&S, us, holders of the LIRNs or any other person or entity from the use of the S&P 500® Index or any data included in the S&P 500® Index in connection with the rights licensed under the license agreement described in this term sheet or for any other use. S&P makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the S&P 500® Index or any

 

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data included in the S&P 500® Index. Without limiting any of the above information, in no event shall S&P have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages, including lost profits, even if notified of the possibility of these damages.

S&P and MLPF&S have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to MLPF&S, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use the S&P 500® Index in connection with this offering. The license agreement provides that the following language must be stated in this term sheet:

“The LIRNs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P. S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the LIRNs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the LIRNs particularly or the ability of the S&P 500® Index to track general stock market performance. S&P’s only relationship to MLPF&S and to us (other than transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business) is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of S&P and of the S&P 500® Index which is determined, composed, and calculated by S&P without regard to MLPF&S, us or the LIRNs. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of MLPF&S, our needs or the needs of the holders of the LIRNs into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the S&P 500® Index. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of the sale of the LIRNs, prices at which the LIRNs are to initially be sold, or quantities of the LIRNs to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the LIRNs are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the LIRNs.”

 

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Summary Tax Consequences

You should consider the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the LIRNs, including the following:

 

   

You agree with us (in the absence of an administrative determination, or judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize and treat the LIRNs for all tax purposes as a single financial contract with respect to the Index that requires you to pay us at inception an amount equal to the purchase price of the LIRNs and that entitles you to receive at maturity an amount in cash based upon the performance of the Index.

 

   

Under this characterization and tax treatment of the LIRNs, upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale or exchange of the LIRNs prior to maturity, you generally will recognize capital gain or loss. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the LIRNs for more than one year.

Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations

Set forth below is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to an investment in the LIRNs. The following summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by the discussion under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in product supplement LIRN-2, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the LIRNs.

General. Although there is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the LIRNs, we intend to treat the LIRNs for all tax purposes as a single financial contract with respect to the Index that requires the investor to pay us at inception an amount equal to the purchase price of the LIRNs and that entitles the investor to receive at maturity an amount in cash based upon the performance of the Index. Under the terms of the LIRNs, we and every investor in the LIRNs agree, in the absence of an administrative determination or judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat the LIRNs as described in the preceding sentence. This discussion assumes that the LIRNs constitute a single financial contract with respect to the Index for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the LIRNs did not constitute a single financial contract, the tax consequences described below would be materially different. The discussion in this section also assumes that there is a significant possibility of a significant loss of principal on an investment in the LIRNs.

This characterization of the LIRNs is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or the courts. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the LIRNs 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 LIRNs 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 product supplement LIRN-2. 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 LIRNs, including possible alternative characterizations.

Settlement At Maturity or Sale or Exchange Prior to Maturity. Assuming that the LIRNs are properly characterized and treated as single financial contracts with respect to the Index for U.S. federal income tax purposes, upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale or exchange of the LIRNs prior to maturity, a U.S. Holder (as defined in product supplement LIRN-2) generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. Holder’s basis in the LIRNs. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder held the LIRNs for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Possible Future Tax Law Changes. On December 7, 2007, the IRS released Notice 2008-2 (“Notice”) seeking comments from the public on the taxation of financial instruments currently taxed as “prepaid forward contracts.” This Notice addresses instruments such as the LIRNs. According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering whether a holder of an instrument such as the LIRNs 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 LIRNs, 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 Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, 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. We urge you to consult your own tax advisors concerning the impact and the significance of the above considerations. We intend to continue treating the LIRNs for U.S. federal income tax purposes in the manner described herein unless and until such time as we determine, or the IRS or Treasury determines, that some other treatment is more appropriate.

You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the LIRNs, 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. See the discussion under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in product supplement LIRN-2.

 

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Additional Terms

You should read this term sheet, together with the documents listed below, which together contain the terms of the LIRNs and supersede all prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” in the sections indicated on the cover of this term sheet. The LIRNs involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the LIRNs.

You may access the following 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):

 

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Product supplement LIRN-2 dated April  21, 2009:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000095014409003415/g18702p2e424b5.htm

 

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Series L MTN prospectus supplement dated April 21, 2009 and prospectus dated April 20, 2009:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000095014409003387/g18667b5e424b5.htm

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC Website is 70858.

We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the product supplement, the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus in that registration statement, and the other documents relating to this offering that we have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the Note Prospectus if you so request by calling MLPF&S toll-free at 1-866-500-5408.

Structured Investments Classification

MLPF&S classifies certain structured investments (the “Structured Investments”), including the LIRNs, into four categories, each with different investment characteristics. The description below is intended to briefly describe the four categories of Structured Investments offered: Principal Protection, Enhanced Income, Market Participation, and Enhanced Participation. A Structured Investment may, however, combine characteristics that are relevant to one or more of the other categories. As such, a category should not be relied upon as a description of any particular Structured Investment.

Principal Protection: Principal Protected Structured Investments offer full or partial principal protection against decreases in the value of the underlying market measure (or increases in the value of an underlying market measure for bearish Structured Investments), while offering market exposure and the opportunity for a better return than may be available from comparable fixed income securities. Principal protection may not be achieved if the investment is sold prior to maturity.

Enhanced Income: Structured Investments offering enhanced income may offer an enhanced income stream through interim fixed or variable coupon payments. However, in exchange for receiving current income, investors may forfeit upside potential on the underlying asset. These investments generally do not include the principal protection feature.

Market Participation: Market Participation Structured Investments can offer investors exposure to specific market sectors, asset classes, and/or strategies that may not be readily available through traditional investment alternatives. Returns obtained from these investments are tied to the performance of the underlying asset. As such, subject to certain fees, the returns will generally reflect any increases or decreases in the value of such assets. These investments generally do not include the principal protection feature.

Enhanced Participation: Enhanced Participation Structured Investments may offer investors the potential to receive better than market returns on the performance of the underlying asset. Some structures may offer leverage in exchange for a capped or limited upside potential and also in exchange for downside risk. These investments generally do not include the principal protection feature.

The classification of Structured Investments is meant solely for informational purposes and is not intended to fully describe any particular Structured Investment nor guarantee any particular performance.

“Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes®” and “LIRNs®” are registered service marks of our subsidiary, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

 

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