424B2 1 d424b2.htm FINAL TERM SHEET NO. 240 Final Term Sheet No. 240

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

 

Amount

to be

Registered

 

Proposed
Maximum

Offering

Price Per

Unit

  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
 

Amount of
Registration
Fee(1)

Accelerated Return Notes® Linked to the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM, due March 25, 2011

  2,294,000   $10.00   $22,940,000   $1,635.62
 
 
(1) Calculated in accordance with Rule 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933.


Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration No. 333-158663

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The ARNs are being offered by Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”). The ARNs will have the terms specified in this term sheet as supplemented by the documents indicated below under “Additional Terms” (together, the “Note Prospectus”). Investing in the ARNs involves a number of risks. There are important differences between the ARNs and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factor” on page TS-5 of this term sheet and beginning on page S-9 of product supplement ARN-2. The ARNs:

 

 

Are Not FDIC Insured

 

 

 

Are Not Bank Guaranteed

 

 

 

May Lose Value

 

In connection with this offering, each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) and its broker-dealer affiliate First Republic Securities Company, LLC (“First Republic”) is acting in its capacity as 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      $ 22,940,000

Underwriting discount (1)

   $ 0.20      $ 458,800

Proceeds, before expenses, to Bank of America Corporation

   $ 9.80      $ 22,481,200

 

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

Merrill Lynch & Co.

January 21, 2010

 

2,294,000 Units

Accelerated Return Notes®

Linked to the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM,

due March 25, 2011

$10 principal amount per unit

Term Sheet No. 240

Pricing Date January 21, 2010

Settlement Date January 29, 2010

Maturity Date March 25, 2011

CUSIP No. 06052E871

Accelerated Return Notes®

• 3-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the level of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM, subject to a cap of 34%

• 1-to-1 downside exposure, with no downside limit

• A maturity of approximately 14 months

• 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

STRUCTURED INVESTMENTS

PRINCIPAL PROTECTION

ENHANCED INCOME

MARKET PARTICIPATION

ENHANCED PARTICIPATION

Bank Of America


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Summary

The Accelerated Return Notes® Linked to the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM, due March 25, 2011 (the “ARNs”) are our senior unsecured debt securities and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The ARNs will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt, and any payments due on the ARNs, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of BAC. The ARNs provide a leveraged return for investors, subject to a cap, if the level of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM (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 ARNs 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.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement ARN-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 ARNs

 

Issuer:   Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”)
Original Offering Price:   $10.00 per unit
Term:   Approximately 14 months
Market Measure:   Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM (Bloomberg symbol: “DJUSRE Index”)
Starting Value:   173.82
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 ARN-2.
Capped Value:   $13.40 per unit of the ARNs, which represents a return of 34% over the Original Offering Price.
Maturity Valuation Period:   March 16, 2011, March 17, 2011, March 18, 2011, March 21, 2011, and March 22, 2011
Calculation Agent:   MLPF&S, a subsidiary of BAC

Determining the Redemption Amount for the ARNs

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 ARNs, based on the Participation Rate of 300% and the Capped Value of $13.40 (a 34% return). The green line reflects the hypothetical returns on the ARNs, 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 Ending Value and the term of your investment.

Hypothetical Redemption Amounts

Examples

Set forth below are three examples of Redemption Amount calculations (rounded to two decimal places) payable at maturity, based upon the Participation Rate of 300%, the Starting Value of 173.82, and the Capped Value of $13.40 (per unit):

Example 1—The hypothetical Ending Value is 80% of the Starting Value:

 

Starting Value:    173.82   
Hypothetical Ending Value:    139.06   

 

$10 ×

   (     139.06  

 

   )   = $8.00
    

 

173.82

    

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $8.00

Example 2—The hypothetical Ending Value is 102% of the Starting Value:

 

Starting Value:    173.82   
Hypothetical Ending Value:    177.30   

 

$10 +

  [   $10 × 300% ×   (     177.30 – 173.82  

 

  )]   = $10.60
       

 

173.82  

   

Redemption Amount (per unit) = $10.60

Example 3—The hypothetical Ending Value is 150% of the Starting Value:

 

Starting Value:    173.82   
Hypothetical Ending Value:    260.73   

 

$10 +

  [   $10 × 300% ×   (     260.73 – 173.82  

 

  )]   = $25.00
       

 

173.82  

   

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 the Starting Value of 173.82 and a range of hypothetical Ending Values of the Index:

 

  §  

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

  §  

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

  §  

the total rate of return to holders of the ARNs;

  §  

the pretax annualized rate of return to holders of the ARNs; 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 4.40% per annum.

The table below is based on the Participation Rate of 300% and the Capped Value of $13.40 (per unit).

 

Hypothetical

Ending Value

 

Percentage Change from

the Starting

Value to the Hypothetical

Ending Value

 

Hypothetical

Redemption

Amount per Unit

 

Total Rate

of Return on

the ARNs

 

Pretax Annualized

Rate of Return

on the ARNs (1)

 

Pretax Annualized Rate

of Return of the

Stocks Included in

the Index (1)(2)

  86.91   -50.00%     $5.00   -50.00%   -51.82%   -47.42%
104.29   -40.00%     $6.00   -40.00%   -39.66%   -35.26%
121.67   -30.00%     $7.00   -30.00%   -28.60%   -24.20%
139.06   -20.00%     $8.00   -20.00%   -18.41%   -14.01%
156.44   -10.00%     $9.00   -10.00%     -8.91%     -4.51%
165.13     -5.00%     $9.50     -5.00%     -4.39%      0.01%
170.34     -2.00%     $9.80     -2.00%     -1.74%      2.66%
     173.82 (3)      0.00%   $10.00      0.00%      0.00%      4.40%
177.30      2.00%   $10.60      6.00%      5.11%      6.12%
180.77      4.00%   $11.20    12.00%    10.05%      7.82%
184.25      6.00%   $11.80    18.00%    14.85%      9.51%
187.73      8.00%   $12.40    24.00%    19.51%    11.17%
191.20    10.00%   $13.00    30.00%    24.04%    12.82%
208.58    20.00%        $13.40 (4)    34.00%    27.00%    20.82%
225.97     30.00%   $13.40    34.00%    27.00%    28.44%
243.35    40.00%   $13.40    34.00%    27.00%    35.74%
260.73    50.00%   $13.40    34.00%    27.00%    42.75%

 

(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 January 29, 2010 to March 25, 2011, the term of the ARNs.

 

(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 Starting Value to the relevant hypothetical Ending Value;

 

  (b) a constant dividend yield of 4.40% per annum, and assumes that dividends are not reinvested; and

 

  (c) no transaction fees or expenses.

 

(3) This is the Starting Value.

 

(4) The Redemption Amount per unit of the ARNs cannot exceed the Capped Value of $13.40.

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 Ending Value and the term of your investment.

 

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Risk Factors

There are important differences between the ARNs and a conventional debt security. An investment in the ARNs involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the ARNs in the “Risk Factors” sections included in product supplement ARN-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 ARNs.

 

  §  

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 investment 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 ARNs while providing the selling agents with compensation for their services, we have considered the costs of developing, hedging, and distributing the ARNs.

 

  §  

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

 

  §  

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

 

  §  

Dow Jones & Company, Inc. (“Dow Jones”) may adjust the Index in a way that affects its level, and Dow Jones has no obligation to consider your interests.

 

  §  

You will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive 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, we do not control any company included in the Index and are not responsible for any disclosure made by any other company.

 

  §  

If you attempt to sell the ARNs 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 ARNs are subject to our credit risk, and changes in our credit ratings are expected to affect the value of the ARNs.

 

  §  

Purchases and sales by us and our affiliates of shares of companies 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 ARNs 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 ARNs are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the ARNs. See “Summary Tax Consequences” and “Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in product supplement ARN-2.

Additional Risk Factor

The stocks included in the Index are concentrated in one industry.

All of the stocks included in the Index are issued by companies involved directly or indirectly in the U.S. real estate industry. As a result, the stocks that will determine the performance of the Index and hence, the value of the ARNs, are concentrated in one industry. Although an investment in the ARNs will not give you any ownership or other direct interests in these stocks, the return on an investment in the ARNs will be subject to certain risks associated with direct equity investments in the real estate industry.

 

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Investor Considerations

 

You may wish to consider an investment in the ARNs 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 will result in a loss, which could be significant, if the level of the Index decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

 

§  

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

 

§  

You are willing to forgo interest payments on the ARNs, 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 ARNs. You understand that secondary market prices for the ARNs, 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 ARNs.

The ARNs 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 ARNs to provide you with your desired return.

 

§  

You seek principal protection or preservation of capital.

 

§  

You seek a return on your investment that will not be capped at 13.40% 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 ARNs prior to maturity.

 

§  

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


 

Other Provisions

We will deliver the ARNs 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, purchasers who wish to trade ARNs 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 ARNs, 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 and First Republic, 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 ARNs. Accordingly, offerings of the ARNs will conform to the requirements of NASD Rule 2720. Under our distribution agreement with the selling agents, MLPF&S will purchase the ARNs from us on the issue date as principal at the purchase price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount. In the original offering of the ARNs, the ARNs will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units.

MLPF&S and First Republic may use this Note Prospectus for offers and sales in secondary market transactions and market-making transactions in the ARNs but are not obligated to engage in such secondary market transactions and/or market-making transactions. MLPF&S and First Republic 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, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation, and changes in its components have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of Dow Jones, and is subject to change by Dow Jones. Dow Jones has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Index. The consequences of Dow Jones discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section of product supplement ARN-2 entitled “Description of ARNs—Discontinuance of a Market Measure.” None of us, the calculation agent, or any of the selling agents accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance, or publication of the Index or any successor index.

“Dow Jones”, “Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM”, and “Dow Jones U.S. IndexSM” are service marks of Dow Jones and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by us. ARNs based on the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Dow Jones, and Dow Jones makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the ARNs.

The Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted real-time index that provides a broad measure of the performance of the real estate sector of the U.S. securities market. Component companies consist of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and other companies that invest directly or indirectly in real estate through development, management, or ownership, including property agencies. REIT prices are used as proxies for market valuations of U.S. commercial property such as hotels, office buildings, industrial sites, shopping centers, and apartment complexes, as well as markers for changing trends in leasing rates and movements in real estate valuations.

The Index is a subset of the Dow Jones U.S. IndexSM, a broad-based measure of the U.S. stock market, which aims to represent the top 95% of U.S. traded companies based on float-adjusted market capitalization, excluding the smallest and least-liquid stocks. The Dow Jones U.S. IndexSM is part of the Dow Jones Global Indexes, which is a benchmark family of indices that follows stocks from 50 countries as of December 31, 2009. It is a market capitalization-weighted index, adjusted for free-float shares and calculated on a price and total return basis.

Composition and Maintenance

Defining the Index Universe: Index component candidates must trade on a major U.S. stock exchange and must be common shares or other securities that have the characteristics of common equities. All classes of common shares, both fully and partially paid, are eligible. Fixed-dividend shares and securities such as convertible notes, warrants, rights, mutual funds, unit investment trusts, closed-end fund shares, and shares in limited partnerships are not eligible. Temporary issues arising from corporate actions, such as “when-issued” shares, are considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. REITs also are eligible. Multiple classes of shares are included if each issue, on its own merit, meets the other eligibility criteria. Securities that have had more than ten nontrading days during the past quarter are excluded.

Stock Selection: The Index universe is sorted by float-adjusted market capitalization and the stocks in the top 95% are selected as components of the Dow Jones U.S. IndexSM, skipping stocks that fall within the bottom 1% of the universe by free-float market capitalization. To be included in the Index, the issuer of each component security must be classified in the Real Estate supersector of industry classifications as maintained by the Industry Classification Benchmark (“ICB”).

Review Process: The Index is reviewed by Dow Jones on a quarterly basis. Shares outstanding totals for component stocks are updated during each quarterly review. If the number of outstanding shares for an Index component changes by more than 10% due to a corporate action, the shares total will be adjusted immediately after the close of trading on the date of such event. Whenever possible, Dow Jones will announce any such change at least two business days prior to its implementation. Changes in shares outstanding due to stock dividends, splits, and other corporate actions also are adjusted immediately after the close of trading on the day they become effective. Quarterly reviews are implemented during March, June, September, and December. Both component changes and share changes become effective at the opening on the first Monday after the third Friday of the review month. Changes to the Index are implemented after the official closing levels have been established. All adjustments are made before the start of the next trading day. Constituent changes that result from a periodic review will be announced at least two business days prior to the implementation date.

In addition to the scheduled quarterly reviews, the Index is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Changes in Index composition and related weight adjustments are necessary whenever there are extraordinary events such as delistings, bankruptcies, mergers, or takeovers involving index components. In these cases, each event will be taken into account as soon as it is effective. Whenever possible, the changes in the Index components will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date. In the event that a component no longer meets the eligibility requirements, it will be removed from the Index.

Background on the ICB

ICB, a joint classification system launched by FTSE Group and Dow Jones Indexes, is a detailed and comprehensive structure for sector and industry analysis, facilitating the comparison of companies across four levels of classification and national boundaries. The system allocates companies to the subsector whose definition most closely describes the nature of each company’s business. The nature of a company’s business is determined by its source of revenue or where it constitutes the majority of revenue. As of December 31, 2009, ICB classifies the component stocks into groups of 10 industries, 19 supersectors, 41 sectors, and 114 subsectors. The Real Estate supersector is composed of two sectors, the Real Estate Investment & Services sector and the Real Estate Investment Trusts sector, both of which contain subsectors. The Real Estate Investment & Services sector consists of the Real Estate Holding & Development subsector, which consists of companies that invest directly or indirectly in real estate through development, investment, or ownership, excluding REITs, and the Real Estate Services subsector, which includes companies that provide services to real estate companies but do not own properties themselves. The Real Estate Investment Trusts sector consists of the following subsectors: Industrial & Office REITs and Retail REITs.

 

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The following graph sets forth the monthly historical performance of the Index in the period from January 2004 through December 2009. This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the ARNs 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 ARNs. On the pricing date, the closing level of the Index was 173.82.

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Before investing in the ARNs, 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 financial markets generally exhibiting greater volatility than in earlier periods.

License Agreement

We have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with Dow Jones providing for the license to us and certain of our affiliated or subsidiary companies, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by Dow Jones (including the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM) in connection with certain securities, including the ARNs.

The license agreement between us and Dow Jones requires that the following language be stated in this term sheet:

The ARNs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Dow Jones. Dow Jones makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ARNs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ARNs particularly. Dow Jones’ only relationship to us is in the licensing of certain trademarks, trade names, and service marks of Dow Jones and of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM, which is determined, composed, and calculated by Dow Jones without regard to us or the ARNs. Dow Jones has no obligation to take our needs or the needs of holders of the ARNs into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate IndexSM. Dow Jones is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the ARNs to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the amount to be paid on the ARNs. Dow Jones has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the ARNs.

DOW JONES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE DOW JONES U.S. REAL ESTATE INDEXSM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND DOW JONES SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. DOW JONES MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, OWNERS OF ARNS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE DOW JONES U.S. REAL ESTATE INDEXSM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. DOW JONES 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 DOW JONES U.S. REAL ESTATE INDEXSM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DOW JONES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OR ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DOW JONES AND US.

 

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Summary Tax Consequences

You should consider the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the ARNs, 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 ARNs 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 ARNs 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 ARNs, upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale or exchange of the ARNs 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 ARNs 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 ARNs. 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 ARN-2, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the ARNs.

General.    Although there is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the ARNs, we intend to treat the ARNs 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 ARNs 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 ARNs, we and every investor in the ARNs agree, in the absence of an administrative determination or judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat the ARNs as described in the preceding sentence. This discussion assumes that the ARNs constitute a single financial contract with respect to the Index for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the ARNs 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 ARNs.

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

Settlement At Maturity or Sale or Exchange Prior to Maturity.    Assuming that the ARNs 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 ARNs prior to maturity, a U.S. Holder (as defined in product supplement ARN-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 ARNs. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder held the ARNs for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Possible Future Tax Law Changes.    From time to time, there may be legislative proposals or interpretive guidance addressing the tax treatment of financial instruments such as the ARNs. We cannot predict the likelihood of any such legislation or guidance being adopted, or the ultimate impact on the ARNs. For example, 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 ARNs. According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering whether a holder of an instrument such as the ARNs 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 ARNs, 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 ARNs 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 ARNs, 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 ARN-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 ARNs 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” in the sections indicated on the cover of this term sheet. The ARNs 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 ARNs.

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):

 

  §  

Product supplement ARN-2 dated April 21, 2009:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70858/000095014409003416/g18702p4e424b5.htm

 

  §  

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 ARNs, 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.

“Accelerated Return Notes®” and “ARNs®” are registered service marks of our subsidiary, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

 

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