Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-269296
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GS Finance Corp. $3,452,000 Autocallable Basket-Linked Notes due 2029 guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. |
The notes do not bear interest. The amount that you will be paid on your notes is based on the performance of a weighted basket comprised of the S&P 500® Index (40% weighting), the Russell 2000® Index (30% weighting), the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF (20% weighting) and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (10% weighting). The notes will mature on the stated maturity date (June 1, 2029), unless they are automatically called on the call observation date (May 27, 2025).
The return on your notes is linked, in part, to the performances of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (each, an ETF), and not to that of the MSCI EAFE Index or the MSCI Emerging Markets Index on which the respective ETFs are based.
The initial basket level is 100 and the closing level of the basket on the call observation date and on the determination date (May 24, 2029), as applicable, will equal the sum of the products, as calculated for each basket underlier, of: (i) its closing level on the call observation date or determination date, as applicable, divided by (ii) its initial level (5,304.72 with respect to the S&P 500® Index, 2,069.668 with respect to the Russell 2000® Index, $81.05 with respect to the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and $43.02 with respect to the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (which in each case is an intra-day level or the closing level of the basket underlier on that date)) multiplied by (iii) its initial weighted value.
Your notes will be automatically called on the call observation date if the closing level of the basket on such date is greater than or equal to the initial basket level, resulting in a payment on the call payment date (June 3, 2025) for each $1,000 face amount of your notes equal to $1,100.
If your notes are not automatically called on the call observation date, we will calculate the basket return, which is the percentage increase or decrease in the closing level of the basket on the determination date (the final basket level) from the initial basket level. At maturity, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, you will receive an amount in cash equal to:
Declines in one basket underlier may offset increases in the other basket underliers. Due to the unequal weighting of each basket underlier, the performances of the basket underliers with greater weights will have a significantly larger impact on the return on your notes than the performances of the basket underliers with lesser weights.
You should read the disclosure herein to better understand the terms and risks of your investment, including the credit risk of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. See page PS-14.
The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date is equal to approximately $974 per $1,000 face amount. For a discussion of the estimated value and the price at which Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC would initially buy or sell your notes, if it makes a market in the notes, see the following page.
Original issue date: |
May 30, 2024 |
Original issue price: |
100% of the face amount |
Underwriting discount: |
0.875% of the face amount* |
Net proceeds to the issuer: |
99.125% of the face amount |
* See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution; Conflicts of Interest” on page PS-33 for additional information regarding the fees comprising the underwriting discount.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Pricing Supplement No. 14,527 dated May 24, 2024.
The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes after the date of this pricing supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.
GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless GS Finance Corp. or its agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.
Estimated Value of Your Notes The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) and taking into account our credit spreads) is equal to approximately $974 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price. The value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise is equal to approximately the estimated value of your notes at the time of pricing, plus an additional amount (initially equal to $26 per $1,000 face amount). Prior to August 24, 2024, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) will equal approximately the sum of (a) the then-current estimated value of your notes (as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models) plus (b) any remaining additional amount (the additional amount will decline to zero on a straight-line basis from the time of pricing through August 23, 2024). On and after August 24, 2024, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market) will equal approximately the then-current estimated value of your notes determined by reference to such pricing models. |
About Your Prospectus
The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series F program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This prospectus includes this pricing supplement and the accompanying documents listed below. This pricing supplement constitutes a supplement to the documents listed below, does not set forth all of the terms of your notes and therefore should be read in conjunction with such documents: The information in this pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting information in the documents listed above. In addition, some of the terms or features described in the listed documents may not apply to your notes. We refer to the notes we are offering by this pricing supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Each of the offered notes has the terms described below. Please note that in this pricing supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. The notes will be issued under the senior debt indenture, dated as of October 10, 2008, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2015, each among us, as issuer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. This indenture, as so supplemented and as further supplemented thereafter, is referred to as the “GSFC 2008 indenture” in the accompanying prospectus supplement. The notes will be issued in book-entry form and represented by master note no. 3, dated March 22, 2021. |
PS-2
Terms AND CONDITIONS
CUSIP / ISIN: 40058AKK9 / US40058AKK96
Company (Issuer): GS Finance Corp.
Guarantor: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Basket underliers (each individually, a basket underlier): the S&P 500® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “SPX Index”), the Russell 2000® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “RTY Index”), the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF (current Bloomberg symbol: “EFA UP Equity”) and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (current Bloomberg symbol: “EEM UP Equity”), or, in each case, any successor basket underlier, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein
Basket indices (each individually, a basket index): the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index, or, in each case, any successor basket index, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein
Basket funds (each individually, a basket fund): the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, or, in each case, any successor basket fund, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein
Underlying index for the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF: the MSCI EAFE Index
Underlying index for the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF: the MSCI Emerging Markets Index
Face amount: $3,452,000 in the aggregate on the original issue date; the aggregate face amount may be increased if the company, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount on a date subsequent to the trade date.
Authorized denominations: $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof
Principal amount: Subject to redemption by the company as provided under “— Company’s redemption right (automatic call feature)” below, on the stated maturity date the company will pay, for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount, an amount in cash equal to the cash settlement amount.
Cash settlement amount:
Company’s redemption right (automatic call feature): if a redemption event occurs, then the outstanding face amount will be automatically redeemed in whole and the company will pay an amount in cash on the call payment date, for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount, equal to $1,100
Redemption event: a redemption event will occur if, as measured on the call observation date, the closing level of the basket is greater than or equal to the initial basket level
Initial basket level: 100
Closing level of the basket: on any trading day, the sum of the following: (i) the closing level of the S&P 500® Index level on such trading day divided by the initial S&P 500® Index level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the S&P 500® Index plus (ii) the closing level of the Russell 2000® Index level on such trading day divided by the initial Russell 2000® Index level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the Russell 2000® Index plus (iii) the closing level of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF level on such trading day divided by the initial iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF plus (iv) the closing level of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF level on such trading day divided by the initial iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
Final basket level: the closing level of the basket on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “— Consequences of a market disruption event or non-trading day” below
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Upside participation rate: 155%
Basket return: the quotient of (i) the final basket level minus the initial basket level divided by (ii) the initial basket level, expressed as a percentage
Trigger buffer level: 65% of the initial basket level
Initial weighted value: for each basket underlier, its initial weight in the basket set forth below multiplied by the initial basket level, all as set forth below:
Basket Underlier |
Initial Weight in the Basket |
Initial Weighted Value |
S&P 500® Index |
40% |
40 |
Russell 2000® Index |
30% |
30 |
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF |
20% |
20 |
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
10% |
10 |
Initial S&P 500® Index level: 5,304.72, which is an intra-day level or the closing level of the basket underlier on the trade date
Initial Russell 2000® Index level: 2,069.668, which is an intra-day level or the closing level of the basket underlier on the trade date
Initial iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF level: $81.05, which is an intra-day level or the closing level of the basket underlier on the trade date
Initial iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF level: $43.02, which is an intra-day level or the closing level of the basket underlier on the trade date
Trade date: May 24, 2024
Original issue date: May 30, 2024
Determination date: May 24, 2029, unless the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event with respect to a basket underlier occurs or is continuing on such day or such day is not a trading day with respect to a basket underlier. In that event, the determination date will be the first following trading day on which the calculation agent determines that, on or subsequent to such originally scheduled determination date, each basket underlier has had at least one trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing and the closing level of each of the basket underliers will be determined on or prior to the postponed determination date as set forth under “— Consequences of a market disruption event or a non-trading day” below. (In such case, the determination date may differ from the dates on which the levels of one or more basket underliers are determined for the purpose of the calculations to be performed on the determination date.) In no event, however, will the determination date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled stated maturity date or, if the originally scheduled stated maturity date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled stated maturity date. On such last possible determination date, if a market disruption event occurs or is continuing with respect to a basket underlier that has not yet had such a trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing or if such last possible day is not a trading day with respect to such basket underlier, that day will nevertheless be the determination date.
Stated maturity date: June 1, 2029, unless that day is not a business day, in which case the stated maturity date will be postponed to the next following business day. The stated maturity date will also be postponed if the determination date is postponed as described under “— Determination date” above. In such a case, the stated maturity date will be postponed by the same number of business day(s) from but excluding the originally scheduled determination date to and including the actual determination date.
Call observation date: May 27, 2025, unless the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event with respect to a basket underlier occurs or is continuing on such day or such day is not a trading day with respect to a basket underlier. In that event, the call observation date will be the first following trading day on which the calculation agent determines that, on or subsequent to the originally scheduled call observation date, each basket underlier has had at least one trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing and the closing level of each of the basket underliers will be determined on or prior to the postponed call observation date as set forth under “— Consequences of a market disruption event or a non-trading day” below. (In such case, the call observation date may differ from the dates on which the levels of one or more basket underliers are
PS-4
determined for the purpose of the calculations to be performed on the call observation date.) In no event, however, will the call observation date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled call payment date or, if the originally scheduled call payment date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled call payment date. On such last possible call observation date, if a market disruption event occurs or is continuing with respect to a basket underlier that has not yet had such a trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing or if such last possible day is not a trading day with respect to such basket underlier, that day will nevertheless be the call observation date.
Call payment date: June 3, 2025, or, if such day is not a business day, the next succeeding business day. If the call observation date is postponed as described under “— Call observation date” above, the call payment date will be postponed by the same number of business day(s) from but excluding the originally scheduled call observation date to and including the actual call observation date.
Closing level: on any trading day, (i) with respect to the S&P 500® Index, the official closing level of such basket underlier or any successor basket underlier published by the basket underlier sponsor on such trading day for such basket underlier, (ii) with respect to the Russell 2000® Index, the closing level of such basket underlier or any successor basket underlier reported by Bloomberg Financial Services, or any successor reporting service the company may select, on such trading day for that basket underlier (as of the trade date, whereas the basket underlier sponsor publishes the official closing level of the Russell 2000® Index to six decimal places, Bloomberg Financial Services reports the closing level to fewer decimal places) and (iii) with respect to the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, the closing sale price or last reported sale price, regular way, for such basket fund, on a per-share or other unit basis:
If the basket fund is not listed or traded as described above, then the closing level for such basket fund on any day will be the average, as determined by the calculation agent, of the bid prices for such basket fund obtained from as many dealers in such basket fund selected by the calculation agent as will make those bid prices available to the calculation agent. The number of dealers need not exceed three and may include the calculation agent or any of its or the company’s affiliates.
The closing level of such basket fund is subject to adjustment as described under “— Anti-dilution adjustments” below.
Trading day: (i) with respect to the S&P 500® Index or the Russell 2000® Index, a day on which the respective principal securities markets for all of its basket underlier stocks are open for trading, the basket underlier sponsor is open for business and such basket underlier is calculated and published by the basket underlier sponsor and (ii) with respect to the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF or the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, a day on which (a) the exchange on which the basket fund has its primary listing is open for trading and (b) the price of one share of the basket fund is quoted by the exchange on which the basket fund has its primary listing
Successor basket underlier: with respect to a basket underlier, any substitute basket underlier approved by the calculation agent as a successor basket underlier as provided under “— Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier” below
Basket underlier sponsor: with respect to a basket underlier, at any time, the person or entity, including any successor sponsor, that determines and publishes such basket underlier or underlying index as then in effect. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by any basket underlier sponsor or any affiliate thereof and no basket underlier sponsor or affiliate thereof makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes
Basket fund investment advisor: with respect to a basket fund, at any time, the person or entity, including any successor investment advisor, that serves as an investment advisor to the basket fund as then in effect
Basket underlier stocks: with respect to a basket underlier, at any time, the stocks that comprise such basket underlier as then in effect, after giving effect to any additions, deletions or substitutions
PS-5
Market disruption event: (i) With respect to a basket index on any given trading day, any of the following will be a market disruption event:
and, in the case of any of these events, the calculation agent determines in its sole discretion that such event could materially interfere with the ability of the company or any of its affiliates or a similarly situated person to unwind all or a material portion of a hedge that could be effected with respect to this note.
The following events will not be market disruption events:
For this purpose, an “absence of trading” in the primary securities market on which a basket underlier stock is traded, or on which option or futures contracts relating to such basket underlier or to a basket underlier stock are traded, will not include any time when that market is itself closed for trading under ordinary circumstances. In contrast, a suspension or limitation of trading in a basket underlier stock or in option or futures contracts, if available, relating to a basket index or to a basket underlier stock in the primary market for that stock or those contracts, by reason of:
will constitute a suspension or material limitation of trading in that stock or those contracts in that market.
(ii) With respect to a basket fund on any given trading day, any of the following will be a market disruption event:
and, in the case of any of these events, the calculation agent determines in its sole discretion that the event could materially interfere with the ability of the company or any of its affiliates or a similarly situated person to unwind all or a material portion of a hedge that could be effected with respect to this note.
The following events will not be market disruption events:
PS-6
For this purpose, an “absence of trading” in the primary securities market on which shares of such basket fund are traded, or on which option or futures contracts, if available, relating to such basket fund are traded, will not include any time when that market is itself closed for trading under ordinary circumstances. In contrast, a suspension or limitation of trading in shares of such basket fund or in option or futures contracts, if available, relating to such basket fund in the primary market for the basket fund or those contracts, by reason of:
will constitute a suspension or material limitation of trading in shares of such basket fund or those contracts in that market.
(iii) A market disruption event with respect to one basket underlier will not, by itself, constitute a market disruption event for any unaffected basket underlier.
Consequences of a market disruption event or a non-trading day: If a market disruption event with respect to any basket underlier occurs or is continuing on a day that would otherwise be the call observation date or the determination date, or such day is not a trading day, then the call observation date or the determination date, as applicable, will be postponed as described under “— Call observation date” or “— Determination date” above. As a result of any of the foregoing, the call payment date or stated maturity date for your notes may also be postponed, as described under “— Call payment date” or “ — Stated maturity date” above. If the call observation date or the determination date is postponed due to a market disruption event or non-trading day with respect to one or more of the basket underliers, the closing level of the basket for any postponed call observation date or the postponed determination date, as applicable, will be calculated based on (i) the closing level of each of the basket underliers that is not affected by the market disruption event or non-trading day, if any, on originally scheduled call observation date or the originally scheduled determination date, (ii) the closing level of each of the basket underliers that is affected by the market disruption event or non-trading day on the first trading day following the originally scheduled call observation date or originally scheduled determination date on which no market disruption event exists for that basket underlier, and (iii) the calculation agent’s assessment, in its sole discretion, of the closing level of each basket underlier on the last possible postponed call observation date or determination date, with respect to each basket underlier as to which a market disruption event or non-trading day continues through the last possible postponed call observation date or determination date. As a result, this could result in the closing level of differing basket underliers being determined on different calendar dates. For the avoidance of doubt, once the closing level for one or more basket underliers is determined for the call observation date or determination date, the occurrence of a later market disruption event or non-trading day will not alter such calculation.
Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier: (i) If, with respect to a basket index, the basket underlier sponsor discontinues publication of the basket index and such basket underlier sponsor or any other person or entity publishes a substitute basket underlier that the calculation agent determines is comparable to such basket index and approves as a successor basket underlier, or if the calculation agent designates a substitute basket underlier, then the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the call payment date or the stated maturity date by reference to such successor basket underlier.
If the calculation agent determines that the publication of a basket index is discontinued and there is no successor basket underlier, the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the call payment date or on the stated maturity date, as applicable, by a computation methodology that the calculation agent determines will as closely as reasonably possible replicate such basket index.
If the calculation agent determines that (a) the basket index, the basket underlier stocks comprising that basket index or the method of calculating that basket index is changed at any time in any respect — including any addition, deletion or substitution and any reweighting or rebalancing of the basket index or the basket underlier stocks and whether the change is made by the basket underlier sponsor under its existing policies or following a
PS-7
modification of those policies, is due to the publication of a successor basket underlier, is due to events affecting one or more of the basket underlier stocks or their issuers or is due to any other reason — and is not otherwise reflected in the level of the basket index by the basket underlier sponsor pursuant to the then-current basket index methodology of the basket index or (b) there has been a split or reverse split of the basket index, then the calculation agent will be permitted (but not required) to make such adjustments in such basket index or the method of its calculation as it believes are appropriate to ensure that the level of such basket index used to determine the amount payable on the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as applicable, is equitable.
(ii) If, with respect to a basket fund, such basket fund is delisted from the exchange on which the basket fund has its primary listing and the basket fund investment advisor or anyone else publishes a substitute basket underlier that the calculation agent determines is comparable to the basket fund and approves as a successor basket underlier, or if the calculation agent designates a substitute basket underlier, then the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the call payment date or the stated maturity date by reference to such successor basket underlier.
If the calculation agent determines that the basket fund is delisted or withdrawn from the exchange on which the basket fund has its primary listing and there is no successor basket underlier, the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the call payment date or on the stated maturity date, as applicable, by a computation methodology that the calculation agent determines will as closely as reasonably possible replicate the basket fund.
If the calculation agent determines that the basket fund, the basket underlier stocks comprising such basket fund or the method of calculating such basket fund is changed at any time in any respect — including any split or reverse split of the basket fund, a material change in the investment objective of the basket fund and any addition, deletion or substitution and any reweighting or rebalancing of the basket underlier stocks and whether the change is made by the basket fund investment advisor under its existing policies or following a modification of those policies, is due to the publication of a successor basket underlier, is due to events affecting one or more of the basket underlier stocks or their issuers or is due to any other reason — then the calculation agent will be permitted (but not required) to make such adjustments in the basket fund or the method of its calculation as it believes are appropriate to ensure that the level of the basket fund used to determine the amount payable on the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as applicable, is equitable.
(iii) All determinations and adjustments to be made by the calculation agent with respect to a basket underlier may be made by the calculation agent in its sole discretion. The calculation agent is not obligated to make any such adjustments.
Anti-dilution adjustments: The calculation agent will have discretion to adjust the closing level of a basket fund if certain events occur (including those described above under “— Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier”). In the event that any event other than a delisting or withdrawal from the relevant exchange occurs, the calculation agent shall determine whether and to what extent an adjustment should be made to the level of such basket fund or any other term. The calculation agent shall have no obligation to make an adjustment for any such event.
Calculation agent: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”)
Tax characterization: The holder, on behalf of itself and any other person having a beneficial interest in this note, hereby agrees with the company (in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize this note for all U.S. federal income tax purposes as a pre-paid derivative contract in respect of the basket underliers.
Overdue principal rate: the effective Federal Funds rate
PS-8
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES
The following examples are provided for purposes of illustration only. They should not be taken as an indication or prediction of future investment results and merely are intended to illustrate the impact that the various hypothetical closing levels of the basket on the call observation date and the various hypothetical basket closing levels or hypothetical closing levels of the basket underliers, as applicable, on the determination date could have on the amount of cash payable on the call payment date or on the stated maturity date, as the case may be, assuming all other variables remain constant.
The examples below are based on a range of basket levels and closing levels of the basket underliers that are entirely hypothetical; no one can predict what the level of the basket will be on any day throughout the life of your notes, and no one can predict what the closing level of the basket will be on the call observation date or on the determination date. The basket underliers have been highly volatile in the past — meaning that the levels of the basket underliers have changed considerably in relatively short periods — and their performances cannot be predicted for any future period.
The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming that they are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be. If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the examples below, such as interest rates, the volatility of the basket underliers, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, and the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor. In addition, the estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by GS&Co.) is less than the original issue price of your notes. For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes” on page PS-14 of this pricing supplement. The information in the examples also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.
Key Terms and Assumptions |
|
Face amount |
$1,000 |
Initial basket level |
100 |
Upside participation rate |
155% |
Trigger buffer level |
65% of the initial basket level |
Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs with respect to any basket underlier on any originally scheduled call observation date or the originally scheduled determination date |
|
No change in or affecting (i) any of the basket underlier stocks, (ii) the methods by which any basket underlier sponsor calculates a basket index or the underlying index or (iii) the policies of the basket fund investment advisor of the basket fund |
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Notes purchased on original issue date at the face amount and held to the call payment date or the stated maturity date |
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For these reasons, the actual performance of the basket over the life of your notes, as well as the amount payable on the call payment date or at maturity, if any, may bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical levels of each basket underlier shown elsewhere in this pricing supplement. For information about the historical levels of each basket underlier during recent periods, see “The Basket and the Basket Underliers — Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers” below. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the levels of the basket underliers between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.
PS-9
Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes. Because of the U.S. tax treatment applicable to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the basket underliers.
Hypothetical Payment on the Call Payment Date
The example below shows the hypothetical payment that we would pay on the call payment date with respect to each $1,000 face amount of the notes if the closing level of the basket is greater than or equal to the initial basket level on the call observation date.
If your notes are automatically called on the call observation date (i.e., on the call observation date the closing level of the basket is greater than or equal to the initial basket level), the amount in cash that we would deliver for each $1,000 face amount of your notes on the call payment date would be $1,100. If, for example, the closing level of the basket on the call observation date were determined to be 120% of the initial basket level, your notes would be automatically called and the amount in cash that we would deliver on your notes on the call payment date would be 110% of the face amount of your notes or $1,100 for each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes.
Hypothetical Payment at Maturity
If the notes are not automatically called on the call observation date (i.e., on the call observation date the closing level of the basket is less than the initial basket level), the amount in cash we would deliver for each $1,000 face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date will depend on the performance of the basket on the determination date, as shown in the table below. The table below assumes that the notes have not been automatically called on the call observation date and reflects hypothetical cash settlement amounts that you could receive on the stated maturity date. The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final basket levels and are expressed as percentages of the initial basket level. The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final basket level, and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent). Thus, a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.000% of the face amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final basket level and the assumptions noted above.
The Notes Have Not Been Automatically Called |
|
Hypothetical Final Basket Level (as Percentage of Initial Basket Level) |
Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount (as Percentage of Face Amount) |
200.000% |
255.000% |
175.000% |
216.250% |
150.000% |
177.500% |
125.000% |
138.750% |
100.000% |
100.000% |
90.000% |
100.000% |
80.000% |
100.000% |
65.000% |
100.000% |
64.999% |
64.999% |
50.000% |
50.000% |
25.000% |
25.000% |
0.000% |
0.000% |
If, for example, the notes have not been automatically called on the call observation date and the final basket level were determined to be 25.000% of the initial basket level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 25.000% of the face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes on the original issue date at the face amount and held them to the stated maturity date, you would lose approximately 75.000% of your investment (if you purchased your notes at a premium to face amount you would lose a correspondingly higher percentage of your investment).
PS-10
The following examples illustrate the hypothetical cash settlement amount at maturity for each note based on hypothetical final levels of the basket underliers, calculated based on the key terms and assumptions above. The percentages in Column A represent hypothetical final levels for each basket underlier, in each case expressed as a percentage of its initial level. The amounts in Column B represent the applicable initial weighted value for each basket underlier, and the amounts in Column C represent the products of the percentages in Column A times the corresponding amounts in Column B. The final basket level for each example is shown beneath each example, and will equal the sum of the products shown in Column C. The basket return for each example is shown beneath the final basket level for such example, and will equal the quotient of (i) the final basket level for such example minus the initial basket level divided by (ii) the initial basket level, expressed as a percentage. The values below have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Example 1: The final basket level is greater than the initial basket level.
|
Column A |
Column B |
Column C |
Basket Underlier |
Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level) |
Initial Weighted Value |
Column A x Column B |
S&P 500® Index |
150% |
40 |
60.00 |
Russell 2000® Index |
150% |
30 |
45.00 |
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF |
150% |
20 |
30.00 |
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
150% |
10 |
15.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final Basket Level: |
150.00 |
|
|
Basket Return: |
50.00% |
In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers are greater than the applicable initial levels, which results in the hypothetical final basket level being greater than the initial basket level of 100. Since the hypothetical final basket level was determined to be 150.00, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:
Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × 155% × 50.00%) = $1,775
Example 2: The final basket level is less than the initial basket level, but greater than the trigger buffer level. The cash settlement amount equals the $1,000 face amount.
|
Column A |
Column B |
Column C |
Basket Underlier |
Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level) |
Initial Weighted Value |
Column A x Column B |
S&P 500® Index |
95% |
40 |
38.00 |
Russell 2000® Index |
95% |
30 |
28.50 |
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF |
95% |
20 |
19.00 |
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
95% |
10 |
9.50 |
|
|
Final Basket Level: |
95.00 |
|
|
Basket Return: |
-5.00% |
In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers are less than the applicable initial levels, which results in the hypothetical final basket level being less than the initial basket level of 100. Since the hypothetical final basket level of 95 is greater than the trigger buffer level of 65% of the initial basket level but less than the initial basket level of 100, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal the face amount of the note, or $1,000.
PS-11
Example 3: The final basket level is less than the trigger buffer level. The cash settlement amount is less than the $1,000 face amount.
|
Column A |
Column B |
Column C |
Basket Underlier |
Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level) |
Initial Weighted Value |
Column A x Column B |
S&P 500® Index |
7% |
40 |
2.80 |
Russell 2000® Index |
100% |
30 |
30.00 |
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF |
105% |
20 |
21.00 |
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
105% |
10 |
10.50 |
|
|
Final Basket Level: |
64.30 |
|
|
Basket Return: |
-35.70% |
In this example, the hypothetical final level of the S&P 500® Index is less than its initial level, while the hypothetical final level of the Russell 2000® Index is equal to its initial level and the hypothetical final levels of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF are greater than their applicable initial levels.
Because the basket is unequally weighted, increases in the lower weighted basket underliers will be offset by a decrease in the more heavily weighted basket underlier. In this example, the large decline in the S&P 500® Index results in the hypothetical final basket level being less than the trigger buffer level of 65% of the initial basket level even though the Russell 2000® Index remained flat and the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF increased.
Since the hypothetical final basket level of 64.30 is less than the trigger buffer level of 65% of the initial basket level, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:
Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × 100.00% × (-35.70%)) = $643.00
Example 4: The final basket level is less than the trigger buffer level. The cash settlement amount is less than the $1,000 face amount.
|
Column A |
Column B |
Column C |
Basket Underlier |
Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level) |
Initial Weighted Value |
Column A x Column B |
S&P 500® Index |
50% |
40 |
20.00 |
Russell 2000® Index |
50% |
30 |
15.00 |
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF |
50% |
20 |
10.00 |
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
50% |
10 |
5.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final Basket Level: |
50.00 |
|
|
Basket Return: |
-50.00% |
In this example, the hypothetical final levels for all of the basket underliers are less than the applicable initial levels, which results in the hypothetical final basket level being less than the initial basket level of 100. Since the hypothetical final basket level of 50.00 is less than the trigger buffer level of 65% of the initial basket level, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:
Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × 100.00% × (-50.00%)) = $500.00
The amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on market prices for the basket underlier stocks that may not be achieved on the call observation date or the determination date, as the case may be, and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous. The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to sell your notes, may
PS-12
bear little relation to the hypothetical amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes. The hypothetical amounts on notes held to the stated maturity date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes. The return on your investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be affected by the amount you pay for your notes. If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above examples. Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page PS-16.
Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us (with one or more implicit option premiums paid over time). The discussion in this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement.
We cannot predict the actual closing level of the basket on the call observation date or the determination date or what the market value of your notes will be on any particular trading day, nor can we predict the relationship between the level of each basket underlier and the market value of your notes at any time prior to the stated maturity date. The actual amount that you will receive, if any, on the call payment date or at maturity and the rate of return on the offered notes will depend on whether the notes are automatically called and the actual basket return determined by the calculation agent as described above. Moreover, the assumptions on which the hypothetical returns are based may turn out to be inaccurate. Consequently, the amount of cash to be paid in respect of your notes, if any, on the call payment date or the stated maturity date may be very different from the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown in the examples above.
PS-13
ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES
An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus, in the accompanying prospectus supplement, under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Securities” in the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39 and under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999. You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39 and the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999. Your notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the basket underlier stocks, i.e., with respect to a basket underlier to which your notes are linked, the stocks comprising such basket underlier. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are appropriate given your particular circumstances.
Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales
The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes
The original issue price for your notes exceeds the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models and taking into account our credit spreads. Such estimated value on the trade date is set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”; after the trade date, the estimated value as determined by reference to these models will be affected by changes in market conditions, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and other relevant factors. The price at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell your notes (if GS&Co. makes a market, which it is not obligated to do), and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise, also exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models. As agreed by GS&Co. and the distribution participants, this excess (i.e., the additional amount described under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”) will decline to zero on a straight line basis over the period from the date hereof through the applicable date set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”. Thereafter, if GS&Co. buys or sells your notes it will do so at prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to such pricing models at that time. The price at which GS&Co. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes.
In estimating the value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as disclosed above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”, GS&Co.’s pricing models consider certain variables, including principally our credit spreads, interest rates (forecasted, current and historical rates), volatility, price-sensitivity analysis and the time to maturity of the notes. These pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market, if any, to others may differ, perhaps materially, from the estimated value of your notes determined by reference to our models due to, among other things, any differences in pricing models or assumptions used by others. See “— The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” below.
The difference between the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date and the original issue price is a result of certain factors, including principally the underwriting discount and commissions, the expenses incurred in creating, documenting and marketing the notes, and an estimate of the difference between the amounts we pay to GS&Co. and the amounts GS&Co. pays to us in connection with your notes. We pay to GS&Co. amounts based on what we would pay to holders of a non-structured note with a similar maturity. In return for such payment, GS&Co. pays to us the amounts we owe under your notes.
In addition to the factors discussed above, the value and quoted price of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted. If GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the price quoted by GS&Co. would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors, including any deterioration in our creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness or the creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. These changes may adversely affect the value of your notes, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. To the extent that GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the quoted price will reflect the estimated value determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models at that time, plus or minus its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes (and subject to the declining excess amount described above).
PS-14
Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions, or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount. This commission or discount will further reduce the proceeds you would receive for your notes in a secondary market sale.
There is no assurance that GS&Co. or any other party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price and, in this regard, GS&Co. is not obligated to make a market in the notes. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes — Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market” on page S-7 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999.
The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor
Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of the basket underliers, the payment of any amount due on the notes is subject to the credit risk of GS Finance Corp., as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. as guarantor of the notes. The notes are our unsecured obligations. Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Similarly, investors are dependent on the ability of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of the notes, to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore are also subject to its credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of its creditworthiness. See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes, Series F Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-5 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Guarantee by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.” on page 67 of the accompanying prospectus.
The Amount You Will Receive on the Call Payment Date or on the Stated Maturity Date is Not Linked to the Closing Level of the Basket at Any Time Other Than on the Call Observation Date or the Determination Date, as the Case May Be
The amount in cash you will receive on the call payment date, if any, will be paid only if the closing level of the basket on the call observation date is greater than or equal to the initial basket level. Therefore, the closing level of the basket on dates other than the call observation date will have no effect on any amount paid in respect of your notes on the call payment date. In addition, the cash settlement amount you will receive on the stated maturity date will be based on the closing level of the basket on the determination date. Therefore, for example, if the closing level of the basket dropped precipitously on the determination date, the cash settlement amount for the notes would be significantly less than it would otherwise have been had the cash settlement amount been linked to the closing level of the basket prior to such drop. Although the actual closing level of the basket on the call payment date, stated maturity date or at other times during the life of the notes may be higher than the closing level of the basket on the call observation date or the determination date, you will not benefit from the closing levels of the basket at any time other than on the call observation date or on the determination date.
You May Lose Your Entire Investment in the Notes
You can lose your entire investment in the notes. Assuming your notes are not automatically called on the call observation date, the cash settlement amount on your notes, if any, on the stated maturity date will be based on the performance of a weighted basket, comprised of the basket underliers, as measured from the initial basket level of 100 to the final basket level on the determination date. If the final basket level for your notes is less than the trigger buffer level, you will have a loss for each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes equal to the product of the basket return times $1,000. Thus, you may lose your entire investment in the notes, which would include any premium to face amount you paid when you purchased the notes.
Also, the market price of your notes prior to the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be, may be significantly lower than the purchase price you pay for your notes. Consequently, if you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, you may receive far less than the amount of your investment in the notes.
The Return on Your Notes May Change Significantly Despite Only a Small Change in the Basket Level
If the final basket level is less than the trigger buffer level, you will receive less than the face amount of your notes and you could lose all or a substantial portion of your investment in the notes. This means that while a decrease in the final basket level to the trigger buffer level will not result in a loss of principal on the notes, a decrease in the final basket level to less than the trigger buffer level will result in a loss of a significant portion of the face amount of the notes despite only a small change in the level of the basket.
The Amount You Will Receive on the Call Payment Date Will Be Capped
Regardless of the closing level of the basket on the call observation date, the amount in cash you may receive on the call payment date is capped. Even if the closing level of the basket on the call observation date exceeds the initial basket level, causing the notes to be automatically called, the amount in cash payable on the call payment
PS-15
date will be capped, and you will not benefit from any increase in the closing level of the basket above the initial basket level on the call observation date. If your notes are automatically called on the call observation date, the maximum payment you will receive for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will be $1,100.
Your Notes Are Subject to Automatic Redemption
We will automatically call and redeem all, but not part, of your notes on the call payment date if the closing level of the basket on the call observation date is greater than or equal to the initial basket level. Therefore, the term for your notes may be reduced. You may not be able to reinvest the proceeds from an investment in the notes at a comparable return for a similar level of risk in the event the notes are called prior to maturity. For the avoidance of doubt, if your notes are automatically called, no discounts, commissions or fees described herein will be rebated or reduced.
Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest
You will not receive any interest payments on your notes. As a result, even if the cash settlement amount payable for your notes on the call payment date or the stated maturity date, as applicable, exceeds the face amount of your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes may be less than you would have earned by investing in a non-indexed debt security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing market rate.
The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors
When we refer to the market value of your notes, we mean the value that you could receive for your notes if you chose to sell them in the open market before the stated maturity date. A number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, will influence the market value of your notes, including:
Without limiting the foregoing, the market value of your notes may be negatively impacted by increasing interest rates. Such adverse impact of increasing interest rates could be significantly enhanced in notes with longer-dated maturities, the market values of which are generally more sensitive to increasing interest rates.
These factors may influence the market value of your notes if you sell your notes before maturity, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. If you sell your notes prior to maturity, you may receive less than the face amount of your notes. You cannot predict the future performance of the basket underliers based on their historical performance.
The Lower Performance of One Basket Underlier May Offset an Increase in the Other Basket Underliers
Declines in the level of one basket underlier may offset increases in the levels of the other basket underliers. As a result, any return on the basket — and thus on your notes — may be reduced or eliminated, which will have the effect of reducing the amount payable in respect of your notes at maturity. In addition, because the basket underliers are not equally weighted, increases in the lower weighted basket underliers may be offset by even small decreases in the more heavily weighted basket underliers.
You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Shares of the Basket Fund or Any Basket Underlier Stock
Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any shares of the basket fund or any basket underlier stocks. Neither you nor any other holder or owner of your notes will have any rights with respect to the basket fund or the basket underlier stocks, including any voting rights, any rights to receive dividends or other distributions, any rights to make a claim against the basket fund or the basket underlier stocks or any other rights of a holder of any shares
PS-16
of the basket fund or the basket underlier stocks. Your notes will be paid in cash and you will have no right to receive delivery of any shares of the basket fund or any basket underlier stocks.
We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price
At our sole option, we may decide to sell an additional aggregate face amount of the notes subsequent to the date of this pricing supplement. The issue price of the notes in the subsequent sale may differ substantially (higher or lower) from the original issue price you paid as provided on the cover of this pricing supplement.
If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected
The amount in cash that you may be paid on your notes on the call payment date or the stated maturity date will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for the notes. If you purchase notes at a price that differs from the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to the call payment date or the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount. If you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount and hold them to the call payment date or the stated maturity date the return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount to face amount. In addition, the impact of the trigger buffer level on the return on your investment will depend upon the price you pay for your notes relative to face amount. For example, if you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount, the trigger buffer level, while still providing some protection for the return on the notes, will allow a greater percentage decrease in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at face amount or a discount to face amount.
Additional Risks Related to the Basket Funds
The Policies of the Basket Fund Investment Advisor For Any Basket Funds and of the Sponsor of the Underlying Index Tracked By Any Basket Fund Could Affect the Amount Payable on Your Notes and Their Market Value
The basket fund investment advisor of any basket fund may from time to time be called upon to make certain policy decisions or judgments with respect to such basket fund, including those concerning the calculation of the net asset value of such basket fund, additions, deletions or substitutions of securities held by such basket fund and the manner in which changes affecting the underlying index for such basket fund are reflected in such basket fund, that could affect the market price of the shares of that basket fund, and therefore, the amount payable on your notes. The amount payable on your notes and their market value could also be affected if the basket fund investment advisor changes its policies, for example, by changing the manner in which it calculates the net asset value of such basket fund, or if the basket fund investment advisor discontinues or suspends calculation or publication of the net asset value of such basket fund, in which case it may become difficult or inappropriate to determine the market value of your notes.
If events such as these occur, the calculation agent — which initially will be GS&Co., our affiliate — may determine the closing level of such basket funds on the call observation date and on the determination date — and thus the amount payable on the notes— in a manner it considers appropriate, in its sole discretion. We describe the discretion that the calculation agent will have in determining the closing levels of the basket underliers on the call observation date or the determination date and the amount payable on your notes more fully under “Terms and Conditions — Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier” herein.
In addition, the sponsor of the underlying index of any basket fund owns that underlying index and is responsible for the design and maintenance of that underlying index. The policies of a sponsor of any basket fund’s underlying index concerning the calculation of a particular underlying index, including decisions regarding the addition, deletion or substitution of the equity securities included in that underlying index, could affect the level of that underlying index and, consequently, could affect the market prices of shares of the related basket fund and, therefore, the amount payable on your notes and their market value.
There Is No Assurance That an Active Trading Market Will Continue For the Basket Funds or That There Will Be Liquidity in Any Such Trading Market; Further, the Basket Funds Are Subject to Management Risks, Securities Lending Risks and Custody Risks
Although the shares of the basket funds and a number of similar products have been listed for trading on securities exchanges for varying periods of time, there is no assurance that an active trading market will continue for the shares of any basket fund or that there will be liquidity in the trading market.
PS-17
In addition, each basket fund is subject to management risk, which is the risk that the basket fund investment advisor’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. No basket fund is actively managed and each basket fund may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to its underlying index. The basket fund investment advisor invests in securities included in, or representative of, its underlying index regardless of their investment merits. The basket fund investment advisor does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. In addition, each basket fund investment advisor may be permitted to engage in securities lending with respect to a portion of a basket fund’s total assets, which could subject the basket fund to the risk that the borrower of such loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.
In addition, the basket funds are subject to custody risk, which refers to the risks in the process of clearing and settling trades and to the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets make trades harder to complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that are not subject to independent evaluation. The less developed a country’s securities market is, the greater the likelihood of custody problems.
Further, each basket fund is subject to listing standards adopted by the securities exchange on which it is listed for trading. There can be no assurance that the basket funds will continue to meet the applicable listing requirements, or that the basket funds will not be delisted.
Each Basket Fund and Its Underlying Index Are Different and the Performance of Each Basket Fund May Not Correlate With the Performance of Its Underlying Index
Each basket fund may not hold all or substantially all of the equity securities included in its underlying index and may hold securities or assets not included in its underlying index. Therefore, while the performance of each basket fund is generally linked to the performance of its underlying index, the performance of each basket fund is also linked in part to shares of equity securities not included in its underlying index and to the performance of other assets, such as futures contracts, options and swaps, as well as cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds affiliated with its basket fund investment advisor.
Imperfect correlation between a basket fund’s portfolio securities and those in its underlying index, rounding of prices, changes to its underlying index and regulatory requirements may cause tracking error, which is the divergence of a basket fund’s performance from that of its underlying index.
In addition, the performance of each basket fund will reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of its underlying index and this may increase the tracking error of such basket fund. Also, corporate actions with respect to the sample of equity securities (such as mergers and spin-offs) may impact the performance differential between each basket fund and its underlying index. Finally, because the shares of each basket fund are traded on an exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of a basket fund may differ from the net asset value per share of that basket fund.
For all of the foregoing reasons, the performance of any basket fund may not correlate with the performance of its underlying index. Consequently, the cash settlement amount payable on your notes will not be the same as investing directly in each basket fund or in each underlying index or in any of the respective basket underlier stocks, and will not be the same as investing in a debt security with a payment at maturity linked to the performance of each underlying index.
An Investment in the Offered Notes Is Subject to Risks Associated with Foreign Securities
The value of your notes is linked, in part, to iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF, which is comprised of stocks from one or more foreign securities markets, and, in part, to the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, which holds stocks traded in the equity markets of emerging market countries. Investments linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Any foreign securities market may be less liquid, more volatile and affected by global or domestic market developments in a different way than are the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Both government intervention in a foreign securities market, either directly or indirectly, and cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in that market. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further, foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
The prices of securities in a foreign country are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that are unique to such foreign country's geographical region. These factors include: recent changes, or the possibility of future changes, in the applicable foreign government's economic and fiscal policies; the possible implementation of,
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or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities; fluctuations, or the possibility of fluctuations, in currency exchange rates; and the possibility of outbreaks of hostility, political instability, natural disaster or adverse public health developments. The United Kingdom ceased to be a member of the European Union on January 31, 2020 (an event commonly referred to as “Brexit”). The effects of Brexit are uncertain, and, among other things, Brexit has contributed, and may continue to contribute to volatility in the prices of securities of companies located in Europe (or elsewhere) and currency exchange rates, including the valuation of the euro and British pound in particular. Any one of these factors, or the combination of more than one of these factors, could negatively affect such foreign securities market and the price of securities therein. Further, geographical regions may react to global factors in different ways, which may cause the prices of securities in a foreign securities market to fluctuate in a way that differs from those of securities in the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Foreign economies may also differ from the U.S. economy in important respects, including growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency, which may have a positive or negative effect on foreign securities prices.
Because foreign exchanges may be open on days when the iShares® Emerging Markets ETF are not traded, the value of the securities underlying the iShares® Emerging Markets ETF may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell shares of such basket fund. This could result in premiums or discounts to such basket fund’s net asset value that may be greater than those experienced by a basket fund that does not hold foreign assets.
In addition, the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is comprised of stocks traded in the equity markets of emerging market countries. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times. It will also likely be more costly and difficult for the basket fund investment advisor to enforce the laws or regulations of a foreign country or trading facility, and it is possible that the foreign country or trading facility may not have laws or regulations which adequately protect the rights and interests of investors in the stocks included in the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.
Government Regulatory Action, Including Legislative Acts and Executive Orders, Could Result in Material Changes to the Composition of a Basket Underlier with Basket Underlier Stocks from One or More Foreign Securities Markets and Could Negatively Affect Your Investment in the Notes
Government regulatory action, including legislative acts and executive orders, could cause material changes to the composition of a basket underlier with basket underlier stocks from one or more foreign securities markets and could negatively affect your investment in the notes in a variety of ways, depending on the nature of such government regulatory action and the basket underlier stocks that are affected. For example, recent executive orders issued by the United States Government prohibit United States persons from purchasing or selling publicly traded securities of certain companies that are determined to operate or have operated in the defense and related materiel sector or the surveillance technology sector of the economy of the People’s Republic of China, or publicly traded securities that are derivative of, or that are designed to provide investment exposure to, those securities (including indexed notes). If the prohibitions in those executive orders (or prohibitions under other government regulatory action) become applicable to basket underlier stocks that are currently included in a basket underlier or that in the future are included in a basket underlier, such basket underlier stocks may be removed from a basket underlier. If government regulatory action results in the removal of basket underlier stocks that have (or historically have had) significant weight in a basket underlier, such removal could have a material and negative effect on the level of such basket underlier and, therefore, your investment in the notes. Similarly, if basket underlier stocks that are subject to those executive orders or subject to other government regulatory action are not removed from a basket underlier, the value of the notes could be materially and negatively affected, and transactions in, or holdings of, the notes may become prohibited under United States law. Any failure to remove such basket underlier stocks from a basket underlier could result in the loss of a significant portion or all of your investment in the notes, including if you attempt to divest the notes at a time when the value of the notes has declined.
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Your Investment in the Notes Will Be Subject to Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk
The iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF and the iShares® Emerging Markets ETF each holds assets that are denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies. The value of the assets held by a basket fund that are denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies will be adjusted to reflect their U.S. dollar value by converting the price of such assets from the non-U.S. dollar currency to U.S. dollars. Consequently, if the value of the U.S. dollar strengthens against the non-U.S. dollar currency in which an asset is denominated, the level of a basket fund may not increase even if the non-dollar value of the asset held by such basket fund increases.
Foreign currency exchange rates vary over time, and may vary considerably during the term of your notes. Changes in a particular exchange rate result from the interaction of many factors directly or indirectly affecting economic and political conditions. Of particular importance are:
All of these factors are, in turn, sensitive to the monetary, fiscal and trade policies pursued by the governments of the relevant foreign countries and the United States and other countries important to international trade and finance.
The market price of the notes and levels of the basket funds could also be adversely affected by delays in, or refusals to grant, any required governmental approval for conversions of a local currency and remittances abroad or other de facto restrictions on the repatriation of U.S. dollars.
Regulators in various countries are in the process of investigating the potential manipulation of published currency exchange rates. If such manipulation has occurred or is continuing, certain published exchange rates may have been, or may be in the future, artificially lower (or higher) than they would otherwise have been. Any such manipulation could have an adverse impact on any payments on, and the value of, your notes and the trading market for your notes. In addition, we cannot predict whether any changes or reforms affecting the determination or publication of exchange rates or the supervision of currency trading will be implemented in connection with these investigations. Any such changes or reforms could also adversely impact your notes.
Risks Related to Tax
The Tax Consequences of an Investment in Your Notes Are Uncertain
The tax consequences of an investment in your notes are uncertain, both as to the timing and character of any inclusion in income in respect of your notes.
The Internal Revenue Service announced on December 7, 2007 that it is considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as your notes, and any such guidance could adversely affect the tax treatment and the value of your notes. Among other things, the Internal Revenue Service may decide to require the holders to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and recognize ordinary income on payment at maturity, and could subject non-U.S. investors to withholding tax. Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes. We describe these developments in more detail under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences – United States Holders – Possible Change in Law” below. You should consult your tax advisor about this matter. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, GS Finance Corp. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” below unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. Please also consult your
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tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.
Your Notes May Be Subject to the Constructive Ownership Rules
There exists a risk that the constructive ownership rules of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code could apply to all or a portion of your notes. If all or a portion of your notes were subject to the constructive ownership rules, then all or a portion of any long-term capital gain that you realize upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes would be re-characterized as ordinary income (and you would be subject to an interest charge on deferred tax liability with respect to such re-characterized capital gain) to the extent that such capital gain exceeds the amount of “net underlying long-term capital gain” (as defined in Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code). Because the application of the constructive ownership rules is unclear you are strongly urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the possible application of the constructive ownership rules to your investment in the notes.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding May Apply to Payments on Your Notes, Including as a Result of the Failure of the Bank or Broker Through Which You Hold the Notes to Provide Information to Tax Authorities
Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of FATCA to payments made on your notes.
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THE BASKET AND THE BASKET UNDERLIERS
The Basket
The basket is comprised of four basket underliers with the following initial weights within the basket: the S&P 500® Index (40% weighting), the Russell 2000® Index (30% weighting), the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF (20% weighting) and the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (10% weighting).
S&P 500® Index
The S&P 500® Index includes a representative sample of 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy and is intended to provide a performance benchmark for the large-cap U.S. equity markets. For more details about the S&P 500® Index, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the basket underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers - S&P 500® Index” on page S-116 of the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39.
The S&P 500® Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Goldman”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes by Goldman. Goldman’s notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates and neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such notes.
Russell 2000® Index
The Russell 2000® Index measures the composite price performance of stocks of 2,000 companies incorporated in the U.S., its territories and certain “benefit-driven incorporation countries.” The Russell 2000® Index is designed to track the performance of the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. For more details about the Russell 2000® Index, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the basket underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — Russell 2000® Index” on page S-79 of the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39.
The Russell 2000® Index is a trademark of FTSE Russell (“Russell”) and has been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Russell, and Russell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes.
iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF
The shares of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF (the “basket underlier”) are issued by iShares® Trust (the “trust”), a registered investment company.
Where Information About the Basket Underlier Can Be Obtained
Information filed by the trust with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) electronically can be reviewed through a web site maintained by the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is sec.gov. Information filed with the SEC by the trust, including its reports to shareholders, can be located by referencing its CIK number referred to above.
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In addition, information regarding the basket underlier (including its fees, the top ten holdings and weights, sector weights and country weights) may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, press releases, newspaper articles, other publicly available documents, and the basket underlier’s website. We are not incorporating by reference the website, the sources listed above or any material they include in this pricing supplement.
We do not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any materials referred to above, including any filings made by the trust with the SEC.
We Obtained the Information About the Basket Underlier From the Trust’s Publicly Available Information
This pricing supplement relates only to your note and does not relate to the basket underlier. We have derived all information about the basket underlier in this pricing supplement from the publicly available information referred to in the preceding subsection. We have not participated in the preparation of any of those documents or made any “due diligence” investigation or inquiry with respect to the basket underlier in connection with the offering of your note. Furthermore, we do not know whether all events occurring before the date of this pricing supplement — including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents referred to above and the trading price of shares of the basket underlier — have been publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any events of this kind or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the basket underlier could affect the value you will receive at maturity and, therefore, the market value of your note.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the basket underlier.
We or any of our affiliates may currently or from time to time engage in business with the trust, including making loans to or equity investments in the trust or providing advisory services to the trust, including merger and acquisition advisory services. In the course of that business, we or any of our affiliates may acquire non-public information about the trust and, in addition, one or more of our affiliates may publish research reports about the basket underlier. As an investor in a note, you should undertake such independent investigation of the trust as in your judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision with respect to an investment in a note.
iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
The shares of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (the “basket underlier”) are issued by iShares, Inc. (the “company”).
Where Information About the Basket Underlier Can Be Obtained
Information filed by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) electronically can be reviewed through a web site maintained by the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is sec.gov. Information filed with the SEC by the company, including its reports to shareholders, can be located by referencing its CIK number referred to above.
In addition, information regarding the basket underlier (including its fees, the top ten holdings and weights, sector weights and country weights) may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, press releases, newspaper articles, other publicly available documents, and the basket underlier’s website. We are not incorporating by reference the website, the sources listed above or any material they include in this pricing supplement.
We do not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any materials referred to above, including any filings made by the company with the SEC.
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We Obtained the Information About the Basket Underlier From the Company’s Publicly Available Information
This pricing supplement relates only to your note and does not relate to the basket underlier. We have derived all information about the basket underlier in this pricing supplement from the publicly available information referred to in the preceding subsection. We have not participated in the preparation of any of those documents or made any “due diligence” investigation or inquiry with respect to the basket underlier in connection with the offering of your note. Furthermore, we do not know whether all events occurring before the date of this pricing supplement — including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents referred to above and the trading price of shares of the basket underlier — have been publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any events of this kind or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the basket underlier could affect the value you will receive at maturity and, therefore, the market value of your note.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the basket underlier.
We or any of our affiliates may currently or from time to time engage in business with the company, including making loans to or equity investments in the company or providing advisory services to the company, including merger and acquisition advisory services. In the course of that business, we or any of our affiliates may acquire non-public information about the company and, in addition, one or more of our affiliates may publish research reports about the basket underlier. As an investor in a note, you should undertake such independent investigation of the company as in your judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision with respect to an investment in a note.
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Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers
The respective closing level of the basket underliers have fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations. In particular, the basket underliers have recently experienced extreme and unusual volatility. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of any of the basket underliers during the period shown below is not an indication that the basket underliers are more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the life of your notes.
You should not take the historical levels of the basket or the basket underliers as an indication of the future performances of the basket underliers, including because of recent volatility described above. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of the basket, basket underliers or the basket underlier stocks will result in your receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the basket or the basket underliers. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the level of the basket underliers between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes and, given the recent volatility described above, you should pay particular attention to recent levels of the basket underliers. The actual performance of the basket and the basket underliers over the life of the offered notes, as well as the amount payable on your notes, may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.
The graphs below show the daily historical closing levels of each basket underlier from January 1, 2019 through May 24, 2024. As a result, the following graphs do not reflect the global financial crisis which began in 2008, which had a materially negative impact on the price of most equity securities and, as a result, the level of most equity indices and most equity ETFs. We obtained the levels in the graphs below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification. Although the official closing levels of the Russell 2000® Index are published to six decimal places by the underlier sponsor, Bloomberg Financial Services reports the levels of the Russell 2000® Index to fewer decimal places.
Historical Performance of the S&P 500® Index
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Historical Performance of the Russell 2000® Index
Historical Performance of the iShares® MSCI EAFE ETF
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Historical Performance of the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
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Historical Basket Levels
The following graph is based on the basket closing level for the period from January 1, 2019 through May 24, 2024 assuming that the basket closing level was 100 on January 1, 2019. We derived the basket closing levels based on the method to calculate the basket closing level as described in this pricing supplement and on actual closing levels of the relevant basket underliers on the relevant date. The basket closing level has been normalized such that its hypothetical level on January 1, 2019 was 100. As noted in this pricing supplement, the initial basket level will be set at 100 on the trade date. The basket closing level can increase or decrease due to changes in the levels of the basket underliers.
Historical Performance of the Basket
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Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences
The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus.
The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. In addition, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that the characterization of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes that will be required under the terms of the notes, as discussed below, is a reasonable interpretation of current law.
This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
Although this section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect, no statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in your notes are uncertain. Moreover, these laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.
You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and other tax consequences of your investment in the notes, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
United States Holders
This section applies to you only if you are a United States holder that holds your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are:
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Tax Treatment. You will be obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes — in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary — to characterize your notes for all tax purposes as pre-paid derivative contracts in respect of the basket underliers. Except as otherwise stated below, the discussion below assumes that the notes will be so treated.
Upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes, you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity and your tax basis in your notes. Your tax basis in your notes will generally be equal to the amount that you paid for the notes. Such capital gain or loss should generally be short-term capital gain or loss if you hold the notes for one year or less, and should be long-term capital gain or loss if you hold the notes for more than one year. Short-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at the marginal tax rates applicable to ordinary income.
In addition, the constructive ownership rules of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code could possibly apply to all or a portion of your notes. If all or a portion of your notes were subject to the constructive ownership rules, then all or a portion of any long-term capital gain that you realize upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes would be re-characterized as ordinary income (and you would be subject to an interest charge on deferred tax liability with respect to such re-characterized capital gain) to the extent that such capital gain exceeds the amount of “net underlying long-term capital gain” (as defined in Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code). Because the application of the constructive ownership rules is unclear you are strongly urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the possible application of the constructive ownership rules to your investment in the notes.
No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and alternative characterizations are possible. Accordingly, we urge you to consult your tax advisor in determining the tax consequences of an investment in your notes in your particular circumstances, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
Alternative Treatments. There is no judicial or administrative authority discussing how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service might assert that a treatment other than that described above is more appropriate. For example, the Internal Revenue Service could treat your notes as a single debt instrument subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments.
Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each accrual period would be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for the notes and applying rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment schedule. This method is applied by first determining the comparable yield — i.e., the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes — and then determining a payment schedule as of the applicable original issue date that would produce the comparable yield. These rules may have the effect of requiring you to include interest in income in respect of your notes prior to your receipt of cash attributable to that income.
If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, any gain you recognize upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes would be treated as ordinary interest income. Any loss you recognize at that time would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes, and, thereafter, as capital loss.
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If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, special rules would apply to persons who purchase a note at other than the adjusted issue price as determined for tax purposes.
It is also possible that your notes could be treated in the manner described above, except that any gain or loss that you recognize at maturity or upon redemption would be treated as ordinary gain or loss. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
It is possible that the Internal Revenue Service could seek to characterize your notes in a manner that results in tax consequences to you that are different from those described above. You should consult your tax advisor as to possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Possible Change in Law
In 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes.
In addition, on December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released a notice stating that the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are actively considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as the offered notes including whether the holders should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and whether gain or loss should be ordinary or capital. It is not possible to determine what guidance they will ultimately issue, if any. It is possible, however, that under such guidance, holders of the notes will ultimately be required to accrue income currently and this could be applied on a retroactive basis. The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are also considering other relevant issues, including whether foreign holders of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on any deemed income accruals, and whether the special “constructive ownership rules” of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code might be applied to such instruments. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, GS Finance Corp. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described above unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate.
It is impossible to predict what any such legislation or administrative or regulatory guidance might provide, and whether the effective date of any legislation or guidance will affect notes that were issued before the date that such legislation or guidance is issued. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative action may adversely affect the tax treatment of your notes.
Non-United States Holders
This section applies to you only if you are a non-United States holder. You are a non-United States holder if you are the beneficial owner of the notes and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
You will be subject to generally applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements as discussed in the accompanying prospectus under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting — Non-United States Holders” with respect to
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payments on your notes and, notwithstanding that we do not intend to treat the notes as debt for tax purposes, we intend to backup withhold on such payments with respect to your notes unless you comply with the requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding on debt instruments (in which case you will not be subject to such backup withholding) as set forth under “United States Taxation – Taxation of Debt Securities – Non-United States Holders” in the accompanying prospectus.
Furthermore, on December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released Notice 2008-2 soliciting comments from the public on various issues, including whether instruments such as your notes should be subject to withholding. It is therefore possible that rules will be issued in the future, possibly with retroactive effect, that would cause payments on your notes to be subject to withholding, even if you comply with certification requirements as to your foreign status.
As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization of the notes, by reason of a change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments with respect to the notes to become subject to withholding tax, we will withhold tax at the applicable statutory rate and we will not make payments of any additional amounts. Prospective non-United States holders of the notes should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
In addition, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under which amounts paid or deemed paid on certain financial instruments (“871(m) financial instruments”) that are treated as attributable to U.S.-source dividends could be treated, in whole or in part depending on the circumstances, as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty), which in the case of any amounts you receive upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes, could be collected via withholding. If these regulations were to apply to the notes, we may be required to withhold such taxes if any U.S.-source dividends are paid on the stocks included in the basket indices or on the basket funds during the term of the notes. We could also require you to make certifications (e.g., an applicable Internal Revenue Service Form W-8) prior to the maturity of the notes in order to avoid or minimize withholding obligations, and we could withhold accordingly (subject to your potential right to claim a refund from the Internal Revenue Service) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory. If withholding was required, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld. These regulations generally will apply to 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2027, but will also apply to certain 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) that have a delta (as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations) of one and are issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2017. In addition, these regulations will not apply to financial instruments that reference a “qualified index” (as defined in the regulations). We have determined that, as of the issue date of your notes, your notes will not be subject to withholding under these rules. In certain limited circumstances, however, you should be aware that it is possible for non-United States holders to be liable for tax under these rules with respect to a combination of transactions treated as having been entered into in connection with each other even when no withholding is required. You should consult your tax advisor concerning these regulations, subsequent official guidance and regarding any other possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt Securities—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to the FATCA withholding rules.
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Supplemental plan of distribution; conflicts of interest
See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” on page S-51 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999 and “Plan of Distribution — Conflicts of Interest” on page 127 of the accompanying prospectus; GS Finance Corp. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $20,000.
GS Finance Corp. will sell to GS&Co., and GS&Co. will purchase from GS Finance Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this pricing supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement, and to certain securities dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of 0.875% of the face amount. GS&Co. may pay a referral fee of 0.25% from the concession to another dealer in connection with its marketing efforts related to the offered notes. GS&Co. is an affiliate of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. GS&Co. will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder. We have been advised that GS&Co. will also pay a fee in connection with the distribution of the notes to iCapital Markets LLC, a broker-dealer in which an affiliate of GS Finance Corp. holds an indirect minority equity interest.
We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on May 30, 2024. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
We have been advised by GS&Co. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither GS&Co. nor any of our other affiliates that makes a market is obligated to do so and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.
The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system.
PS-33
VALIDITY OF THE NOTES AND GUARANTEE
In the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, as counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., when the notes offered by this pricing supplement have been executed and issued by GS Finance Corp., such notes have been authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and such notes have been delivered against payment as contemplated herein, (a) such notes will be valid and binding obligations of GS Finance Corp., enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above and (b) the guarantee with respect to such notes will be a valid and binding obligation of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and the genuineness of signatures and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of such counsel dated January 18, 2023, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.6 to the registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. on January 18, 2023.
PS-34
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999, the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999, the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is an offer to sell only the notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 8,999, the accompanying underlier supplement no. 39 the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.
$3,452,000
GS Finance Corp.
Autocallable Basket-Linked Notes due 2029
guaranteed by
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC