RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider and read carefully all of the risks and uncertainties described below, and the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as well as other information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus, including our financial statements, before making an investment decision. The risks described below and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only ones facing us. The occurrence of any of those risks or additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In any such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus and our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus also contain forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of specific factors, including the risks and uncertainties described below and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below.

Risks Relating to Our Continuing Relationship with AXA

AXA will be our principal shareholder following the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback and will retain significant rights with respect to our governance and certain corporate actions pursuant to the Shareholder Agreement.

Upon settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback, AXA will own 49.5% of our outstanding common stock, or 48.3% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full.

From the time of our IPO until the time of this offering, we have been treated as a “controlled company” for purposes of the NYSE listed company rules. Accordingly, we have not been subject to certain NYSE corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that our Board consists of a majority of directors who are “independent,” as defined under the NYSE listed company rules, and that our Compensation Committee and our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee each consist entirely of independent directors. Following the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback, and after a transition period, we will become subject to all of the applicable NYSE corporate governance requirements. The terms of the Shareholder Agreement require us to meet these requirements within 60 days of the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback because AXA will cease to own at least 50% of our outstanding common stock. During the transition period you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE. Following the transition period, three AXA directors will remain on our Board.

Following the transition period, AXA will no longer nominate a majority of our Board, and we will no longer be subject to certain AXA Group standards. However, pursuant to the Shareholder Agreement, AXA will continue to maintain significant influence over our governance. AXA will continue to have consent rights with respect to certain corporate and business activities that we may undertake, including during periods when AXA holds less than a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Specifically, the Shareholder Agreement provides that, until the date on which AXA ceases to beneficially own at least 30% of our outstanding common stock, AXA’s prior written consent is required before we may take certain corporate and business actions, whether directly or indirectly through a subsidiary, including, among others, the following:

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As a result of these consent rights, AXA will maintain significant control over our corporate and business activities following the completion of this offering and the Share Buyback. For additional discussion of AXA’s consent rights under the Shareholder Agreement, see “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Shareholder Agreement—Consent Rights” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Although AXA has announced that it intends to sell all of its interest in Holdings over time, AXA is under no obligation to do so and retains the sole discretion to determine the timing of any future sales of shares of our common stock. Neither AXA nor any affiliate of AXA has any obligation to provide any capital or credit support to us.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated by-laws also include a number of provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent a change in our management or control for so long as AXA owns specified percentages of our common stock. See “—Risks Relating to Our Common Stock and This Offering—Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws and Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company and may affect the trading price of our common stock.” These provisions not only could have a negative impact on the trading price of our common stock, but could also allow AXA to delay or prevent a corporate transaction of which the public stockholders approve.

Following the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback, AXA’s continuing significant interest in us may result in conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest may arise because AXA and its affiliates have continuing agreements and business relationships with us.

Conflicts of interest may arise between AXA and us. Affiliates of AXA engage in transactions with us. Further, AXA may, from time to time, acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us, and they may either directly, or through affiliates, also maintain business relationships with companies that may directly compete with us. In general, AXA or its affiliates could pursue business interests or exercise their voting power as stockholders in ways that are detrimental to us but beneficial to themselves or to other companies in which they invest or with whom they have a material relationship. Conflicts of interest could also arise with respect to business opportunities that could be advantageous to AXA, and they may pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business. As a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. Under the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, AXA has no obligation to offer us corporate opportunities. See “—Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we waive any interest or expectancy in corporate opportunities presented to AXA.” In addition, changes to IFRS could impact the way we conduct our business (including, for example, which products we offer), our competitive position, our hedging program and the way we manage capital. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Operations—Changes in accounting standards could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus. AXA and its affiliates other than us are among AB’s largest clients. AXA and its affiliates other than us represented 6% of AB’s total AUM as of December 31, 2018 and 2% of AB’s net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018. AB’s investment management agreements with AXA and its affiliates are terminable at any

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time or on short notice by either party and AXA and its affiliates are under no obligation to maintain any level of AUM with AB. If AXA and its affiliates were to terminate their investment management agreements with AB, it could have a materially adverse effect on AB’s business, results of operations or financial condition.

As a result of these relationships, the interests of AXA may not coincide with our interests or the interests of the other holders of our common stock. So long as AXA continues to control a significant amount of the outstanding shares of our common stock, AXA will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions, including potential mergers or acquisitions, asset sales and other significant corporate transactions.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we waive any interest or expectancy in corporate opportunities presented to AXA.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we, on our behalf and on behalf of our subsidiaries, renounce and waive any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, corporate opportunities that are from time to time presented to AXA, or their respective officers, directors, agents, stockholders, members, partners, affiliates or subsidiaries, even if the opportunity is one that we or our subsidiaries might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so. None of AXA or its agents, stockholders, members, partners, affiliates or subsidiaries will generally be liable to us or any of our subsidiaries for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a director or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such person pursues, acquires or participates in such corporate opportunity, directs such corporate opportunity to another person or fails to present such corporate opportunity, or information regarding such corporate opportunity, to us or our subsidiaries unless, in the case of any such person who is a director or officer, such corporate opportunity is expressly offered to such director or officer in writing solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer. To the fullest extent permitted by law, by becoming a stockholder in our company, stockholders are deemed to have notice of and consented to this provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This provision allows AXA to compete with us. Strong competition for investment opportunities could result in fewer such opportunities for us. We likely will not always be able to compete successfully with our competitors and competitive pressures or other factors may also result in significant price competition, particularly during industry downturns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

If AXA sells a significant interest in our company to a third party in a private transaction, you may become subject to the control of a presently unknown third party and may not realize any change of control premium on shares of our common stock.

AXA has the ability, should it choose to do so, to sell some or all of its shares of our common stock in a privately negotiated transaction. The ability of AXA to privately sell such shares of our common stock could prevent you from realizing any change of control premium on your shares of our common stock that may otherwise accrue to AXA upon its private sale of our common stock. Additionally, if AXA privately sells a significant equity interest in us to a third party, we may become subject to the control or significant influence of a presently unknown third party. Such third party may have conflicts of interest with the interests of other stockholders.

We may fail to replicate or replace functions, systems and infrastructure provided by AXA or certain of its affiliates (including through shared service contracts) or lose benefits from AXA’s global contracts, and AXA and its affiliates may fail to perform the services provided for in the Transitional Services Agreement.

Historically, we have received services from AXA and have provided services to AXA, including information technology services, services that support financial transactions and budgeting, risk management and compliance services, human resources services, insurance, operations and other support services, primarily through shared services contracts with various third-party service providers. AXA and its affiliates continue to provide or procure certain services to us pursuant to the Transitional Services Agreement. Certain contracts and

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services between us and AXA are not covered by the Transitional Services Agreement and continue pursuant to the terms of such contracts. Under the Transitional Services Agreement, AXA agrees to continue to provide us with certain services currently provided to us by or through AXA, either directly or on a pass-through basis, and we agree to continue to provide, or arrange to provide, AXA with certain services currently provided to them, either directly or on a pass-through basis. The Transitional Services Agreement will not continue indefinitely.

We are working to replicate or replace the services that we will continue to need in the operation of our business that are provided currently by AXA or its affiliates through shared service contracts they have with various third-party providers and that will continue to be provided under the Transitional Services Agreement for applicable transitional periods. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the services at the same or better levels or at the same or lower costs directly from third-party providers. As a result, when AXA or its affiliates cease providing these services to us, either as a result of the termination of the Transitional Services Agreement or individual services thereunder or a failure by AXA or its affiliates to perform their respective obligations under the Transitional Services Agreement, our costs of procuring these services or comparable replacement services may increase, and the cessation of such services may result in service interruptions and divert management attention from other aspects of our operations.

There is a risk that an increase in the costs associated with replicating and replacing the services provided to us under the Transitional Services Agreement and the diversion of management’s attention to these matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. We may fail to replicate the services we currently receive from AXA on a timely basis or at all. Additionally, we may not be able to operate effectively if the quality of replacement services is inferior to the services we are currently receiving. Furthermore, once we are no longer an affiliate of AXA, we will no longer receive certain group discounts and reduced fees that we are eligible to receive as an affiliate of AXA. The loss of these discounts and reduced fees could increase our expenses and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

In connection with preparing for the IPO and operating as a stand-alone public company following the IPO, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur one-time and recurring expenses. These expenses primarily relate to information technology, compliance, internal audit, finance, risk management, procurement, client service, human resources and other support services. We estimate that the aggregate amount of these one-time expenses will be between approximately $300 million and $350 million, of which $213 million and $93 million were incurred in 2018 and 2017, respectively. Furthermore, additional one-time expenses will be incurred when AXA ceases to own at least a majority of our outstanding common stock. We estimate that the aggregate amount of these additional one-time expenses will be between approximately $300 million and $350 million. These expenses, any recurring expenses, including under the Transitional Services Agreement, and any additional one-time expenses, including as a result of rebranding, we may incur may be material.

Costs associated with rebranding following the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback could be significant.

Prior to the IPO, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA, we marketed our products and services using the “AXA” brand name and logo together with the “Equitable” brand. Following the settlement of this offering and the Share Buyback, we expect to rebrand and cease use, pursuant to the Trademark License Agreement, of the “AXA” brand name and logo within 18 months, subject to such extensions as permitted under the Trademark License Agreement. We have benefited, and will continue to benefit for a limited time as set forth in the Trademark License Agreement, from trademarks licensed in connection with the AXA brand. We believe the association with AXA provides us with preferred status among our customers, vendors and other persons due to AXA’s globally recognized brand, reputation for high quality products and services and strong capital base and financial strength. Any rebranding we undertake could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers, which could result in reduced sales of our products. We cannot accurately predict the effect that any rebranding we undertake will have on our business, customers or employees. We expect to incur significant costs, including marketing expenses, in connection with any rebranding of our business. Any

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adverse effect on our ability to attract and retain customers and any costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Certain of our directors may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their AXA equity ownership or their current or former AXA positions.

A number of our directors have been, and are, AXA officers, directors or employees and, thus, have professional relationships with AXA’s executive officers, directors or employees. In addition, because of their current or former AXA positions, certain of our directors and executive officers own AXA common stock, American Depository Shares, deferred stock units, performance shares or options to acquire shares of AXA common stock, and, for some of these individuals, their individual holdings may be significant compared to their total assets. These relationships and financial interests may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest when these directors and officers are faced with decisions that could have different implications for AXA and us. For example, potential conflicts of interest could arise in connection with the resolution of any dispute that may arise between AXA and us regarding the terms of the agreements governing our relationship with AXA.

We have indemnification obligations in favor of AXA.

We and AXA have entered into certain agreements, including a Shareholder Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement, Transitional Services Agreement, Trademark License Agreement and a Tax Sharing Agreement (each as defined in “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus), that govern our and AXA’s obligations to each other following the IPO in respect of, among other things, taxes and transition services and their respective indemnification obligations. The amounts payable by us pursuant to such indemnification obligations could be significant.

We may be subject to ongoing regulation as a result of AXA’s ownership of us and for as long as we are an affiliate of AXA.

Regulators and lawmakers in non-U.S. jurisdictions are engaged in addressing the causes of the financial crisis and means of avoiding such crises in the future. For example, the Financial Stability Board has identified nine global systemically important insurers (“GSIIs”), which include AXA. While the precise implications of being designated a GSII are still developing, it could have far reaching regulatory and competitive implications for AXA and adversely impact AXA’s capital requirements, profitability, the fungibility of AXA’s capital and ability to provide capital/financial support for AXA companies, including potentially AXA Equitable Life, AXA’s ability to grow through future acquisitions, internal governance and could change the way AXA conducts its business and adversely impact AXA’s overall competitive position versus insurance groups that are not designated GSIIs. The multiplicity of different regulatory regimes, capital standards and reporting requirements could increase AXA’s operational complexity and costs. All of these possibilities, if they occurred, could affect the way we conduct our business (including, for example, which products we offer) and manage capital, and may require us to satisfy increased capital requirements, all of which in turn could materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

AXA is subject to Solvency II, the European directive which, together with its associated regulations and guidelines, establishes capital adequacy, risk management and regulatory reporting requirements for groups with a parent company established in the European Union. Among other things, as a member of a group subject to Solvency II, we may be required to hold more capital than the levels required under local law and incur costs necessary to comply with its requirements. In addition, because AXA is subject to Solvency II, it may impact the types of investments in, and the duration of, our General Account investment portfolio. It is possible that the requirements imposed on Solvency II groups, or the regulatory interpretation of those requirements, may change over time, increasing our capital requirements or costs.

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Risks Relating to Financial Reporting

Fulfilling our obligations incident to being a public company, including with respect to the requirements of and related rules under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act,” and the Dodd-Frank Act, is expensive and time-consuming, and any delays or difficulties in satisfying these obligations could have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations and our stock price.

We are subject to the reporting, accounting and corporate governance requirements under the listing standards of the NYSE, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act and the Exchange Act that apply to issuers of listed equity, which impose compliance requirements, costs and obligations upon us. The changes necessitated by publicly listing our equity require a significant commitment of additional resources and management oversight which has increased our operating costs. Further, to comply with the requirements of being a public company, we have undertaken and continue to undertake various actions, such as implementing new or enhanced internal controls and procedures and hiring additional accounting or internal audit staff.

The expenses associated with being a public company include increases in auditing, accounting and legal fees and expenses, investor relations’ expenses, increased directors’ fees, director and officer liability insurance costs, registrar and transfer agent fees, and listing fees, as well as other expenses. As a public company, we are required, among other things, to prepare and file periodic and current reports, and distribute other stockholder communications, in compliance with the federal securities laws and NYSE rules, define and expand the roles and the duties of our Board and its committees, and institute more comprehensive compliance and investor relations functions. Our ability to successfully implement our strategy and comply with the Exchange Act and the SEC’s rules thereunder requires us to be able to prepare timely and accurate financial statements. During the course of preparing for the IPO, we:

In addition, during the preparation of our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the six months ended June 30, 2018, management identified a misclassification error between interest credited and net derivative gains/losses, which resulted in misstatements in the consolidated statements of income (loss) and statements of cash flows that were not considered material. Accordingly, we (i) revised the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017, (ii) amended the restated annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 and (iii) amended the restated interim financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and for the six months ended June 30, 2017, in each case that were reported in the IPO Prospectus.

Further, in connection with preparing our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, management identified errors primarily related to the calculation of policyholders’ benefit reserves for our life and annuity products and the calculation of net derivative gains (losses) and DAC amortization for certain variable and interest sensitive life products. Accordingly, we (i) amended the restated interim financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and the six months ended June 30, 2017 from the previously reported interim financial statements, (ii) revised the interim financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 from the previously reported interim financial statements, (iii) revised the annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 from the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended

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March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, (iv) amended the restated annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 from the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 and (v) revised the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 from the IPO prospectus.

Lastly, in connection with preparing the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, management identified certain cash flows that were incorrectly classified in the Company’s historical consolidated statement of cash flows. The impact of these misclassifications was not considered material. Accordingly, the Company has revised its annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017, and the Company will revise its interim financial statements for the three, six and nine months ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, in its first, second and third quarter 2019 Form 10-Qs, respectively.

We cannot assure you that we will not discover additional misstatements in our previously issued financial statements in the future. Any delay in the implementation of, or disruption in the transition to, new or enhanced systems, procedures or controls, including any delay in the remediation of our existing material weaknesses, or if we are unable to comply with the demands that have been placed on us as a public company, including the requirements of the Exchange Act and the SEC’s rules thereunder, could cause our business, results of operations, financial condition or stock price to be materially and adversely impacted.

As a public company there is an increased burden on our accounting and internal audit staff because Holdings is an additional company subject to the reporting requirements of the U.S. federal securities laws in addition to our subsidiaries that were already subject to such requirements. These additional burdens increase the risk that we will not be able to timely file our or our subsidiaries periodic and other reports with the SEC. The failure to report our insurance subsidiaries’ financial condition or financial results accurately or report them within the timeframes required by the SEC could cause our insurance subsidiaries to halt sales of certain variable insurance products and delay or prevent us from launching new products or new product features. For instance, AXA Equitable Life failed to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 and required an extension of the due date under Rule 12b-25 for its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Products We Offer, Our Structure and Product Distribution—Our retirement and protection products contain numerous features and are subject to extensive regulation and failure to administer or meet any of the complex product requirements may adversely impact our business, results of operations or financial condition” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

During the course of preparing our U.S. GAAP financial statements for the IPO, our management has identified two material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of these material weaknesses is not effective, we may not be able to report our financial condition or results of operations accurately or on a timely basis, which could materially and adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a result, the price of our common stock.

As a public company, we are required to maintain and assess internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures and, after a transition period, publicly report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the rules of the SEC under the Exchange Act. Following a transition period, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to SEC rules under the Exchange Act.

During the course of preparing our U.S. GAAP financial statements for the IPO, our management has identified two material weaknesses in the design and operation of our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Until remedied, these material weaknesses could

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result in a misstatement of our consolidated financial statements or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to our annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.

Our management consequently concluded that we do not (1) maintain effective controls to timely validate that actuarial models are properly configured to capture all relevant product features and to provide reasonable assurance that timely reviews of assumptions and data have occurred, and, as a result, errors were identified in future policyholders’ benefits and deferred policy acquisition costs balances; and (2) maintain sufficient experienced personnel to prepare Holdings’ consolidated financial statements and to verify that consolidating and adjusting journal entries were completely and accurately recorded to the appropriate accounts or segments and, as a result, errors were identified in the consolidated financial statements, including in the presentation and disclosure between sections of the statement of cash flows. These material weaknesses resulted in misstatements in our previously issued annual and interim financial statements and resulted in:

In addition, during the preparation of our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the six months ended June 30, 2018, management identified a misclassification error between interest credited and net derivative gains/losses, which resulted in misstatements in the consolidated statements of income (loss) and statements of cash flows that were not considered material. Accordingly, we (i) revised the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 (ii) amended the restated annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 and (iii) amended the restated interim financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and for the six months ended June 30, 2017, in each case that were reported in the IPO prospectus.

Further, in connection with preparing our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, management identified errors primarily related to the calculation of policyholders’ benefit reserves for our life and annuity products and the calculation of net derivative gains (losses) and DAC amortization for certain variable and interest sensitive life products. Accordingly, we (i) amended the restated interim financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and the six months ended June 30, 2017 from the previously reported interim financial statements, (ii) revised the interim financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 from the previously reported interim financial statements, (iii) revised the annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 from the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, (iv) amended the restated annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 from the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 and (v) revised the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 from the IPO prospectus.

Lastly, in connection with preparing the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, management identified certain cash flows that were incorrectly classified in the Company’s historical consolidated statement of cash flows. The impact of these misclassifications was not considered material. Accordingly, the Company has revised its annual financial statements for the year ended December 31,

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2017, and the Company will revise its interim financial statements for the three, six and nine months ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, in its first, second and third quarter 2019 Form 10-Qs, respectively.

The changes necessary to correct the identified misstatements in our previously reported historical results have been appropriately reflected in our consolidated annual financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Until remedied, these material weaknesses could result in a misstatement of our consolidated financial statements or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to our annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.

Since identifying the material weakness related to our actuarial models, we have been, and are currently in the process of, remediating the material weakness by taking steps to validate all existing actuarial models and valuation systems as well as to improve controls and processes around our assumption and data process. These steps include verifying inputs and unique algorithms, ensuring alignment with documented accounting standards and verifying that assumptions used in our models are consistent with documented assumptions and data is reliable. The remediation efforts are being performed by our internal model risk team (which is separate from our modeling and valuation teams), as supported by third party firms. We will continue to enhance controls to ensure that our models, including assumptions and data, are re-validated on a fixed calendar schedule and that new model changes and product features are tested through our internal model risk team prior to adoption within our models and systems. Although we plan to complete this remediation process as quickly as possible, we cannot at this time estimate when the remediation will be completed.

Since identifying the material weakness related to our journal entry process, we have been, and are currently in the process of, remediating the material weakness by taking steps to strengthen the control function related to our financial closing process. These steps include recruiting additional personnel, retaining external expert resources, further automating entries where possible, enhancing the design of certain management review controls and providing training regarding internal control processes. We will continue to enhance controls to ensure that the financial closing process is effectively implemented. Although we plan to complete this remediation process as quickly as possible, we cannot at this time estimate when the remediation will be completed.

If we fail to remediate effectively these material weaknesses or if we identify additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to report our financial condition or financial results accurately or to report them within the timeframes required by the SEC. If this were the case, we could become subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Furthermore, failure to report our insurance subsidiaries’ financial condition or financial results accurately or report them within the timeframes required by the SEC could cause our insurance subsidiaries to curtail or cease sales of certain variable insurance products. In addition, if we are unable to determine that our internal control over financial reporting or our disclosure controls and procedures are effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, when required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, we may face reduced ability to obtain financing and restricted access to the capital markets, we may be required to curtail or cease sales of our products, and the price of our common stock may be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering

The market price of our common stock may be volatile and could decline after this offering.

Volatility in the market price of our common stock may prevent you from being able to sell your shares at or above the price you paid for your shares. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Among the factors that could affect our stock price are:

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In particular, we cannot assure you that you will be able to resell your shares at or above the public offering price. Stock markets have experienced extreme volatility in recent years that has been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, class action litigation has often been instituted against the affected company. Any litigation of this type brought against us could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

The completion of the Share Buyback is subject to conditions and there can be no assurance that the Share Buyback will occur.

The completion of this offering is not conditioned upon the closing of the Share Buyback. Accordingly, the possibility exists that this offering will be completed and the Share Buyback will not have been completed. In such circumstances, the shares of common stock that would otherwise have been repurchased by us in the Share Buyback would remain owned by AXA, which would increase AXA’s proportionate share of our outstanding common stock above what it would have been had the Share Buyback been completed. In addition, in such circumstance the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately following this offering would be higher than it would be if the Share Buyback were to have been completed. Finally, to the extent we seek to repurchase our common stock through other means, we might face higher repurchase costs.

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Future sales of shares by us or our existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market following this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

As of March 7, 2019, we have 521,051,204 outstanding shares of common stock. Of these outstanding shares, all of the shares sold in the IPO and the November Secondary Offering are, and all of the shares to be sold in this offering will be, immediately tradable without restriction under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act,” except for any shares held by “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or “Rule 144.”

In May 2018, November 2018 and March 2019, we filed registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register the shares of common stock to be issued under our equity compensation plans and, as a result, all shares of common stock acquired upon exercise of stock options granted under our plans are also freely tradable under the Securities Act, subject to the terms of the lock-up agreements, unless purchased by our affiliates. As of March 7, 2019, 5,901,536 shares of our common stock are available for future issuances under our equity incentive plans.

The remaining 243,162,500 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 7, 2019, after giving effect to this offering and the Share Buyback, are restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144, but will be eligible for resale subject, in certain cases, to applicable volume, manner of sale, holding period and other limitations of Rule 144 or pursuant to an exception from registration under Rule 701 under the Securities Act, or “Rule 701,” subject to the terms of the lock-up agreements described below.

In connection with this offering, we, the selling stockholder and all of our directors and executive officers will enter into lock-up agreements under which, subject to certain exceptions, we and they have agreed not to sell, transfer or dispose of or hedge, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common stock for a period of 60 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. Following the expiration of this 60-day lock-up period, approximately 243,162,500 shares of our common stock will be eligible for future sale, subject to the applicable volume, manner of sale, holding period and other limitations of Rule 144 or pursuant to an exception from registration under Rule 701. As resale restrictions end, the market price of our common stock could decline if AXA sells its shares or is perceived by the market as intending to sell them. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC may, in their sole discretion and at any time, release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements entered into in connection with this offering. Furthermore, subject to the expiration or waiver of the lock-up agreements, AXA has the right to require us to register shares of common stock for resale in some circumstances pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement we entered into with AXA.

In the future, we may issue additional shares of common stock or other equity or debt securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common stock in connection with a financing, strategic investment, litigation settlement or employee arrangement or otherwise. Any of these issuances could result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders and could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish misleading or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts that cover our common stock downgrade our stock or publish misleading or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price would

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likely decline. If one or more of the analysts ceases coverage of our common stock or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which could cause our common stock price or trading volume to decline.

Future offerings of debt or equity securities which would rank senior to our common stock may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

If, in the future, we decide to issue debt or equity securities that rank senior to our common stock, it is likely that such securities will be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility. Additionally, any convertible or exchangeable securities that we issue in the future may have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our common stock and may result in dilution to owners of our common stock. We and, indirectly, our stockholders, will bear the cost of issuing and servicing such securities. Because our decision to issue debt or equity securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings. Thus, holders of our common stock will bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market price of our common stock and diluting the value of their stock holdings in us.

Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws and Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company and may affect the trading price of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated by-laws include a number of provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent a change in our management or control over us that stockholders may consider favorable. For example, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws collectively:

These provisions may prevent our stockholders from receiving the benefit from any premium to the market price of our common stock offered by a bidder in a takeover context. Even in the absence of a takeover attempt, the existence of these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock if the provisions are viewed as discouraging takeover attempts in the future.

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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws may also make it difficult for stockholders to replace or remove our management. Furthermore, the existence of the foregoing provisions, as well as the significant amount of common stock that AXA will continue to own following this offering, could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. These provisions may facilitate management entrenchment that may delay, deter, render more difficult or prevent a change in our control, which may not be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes provisions limiting the personal liability of our directors for breaches of fiduciary duty under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions permitted under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the “DGCL,” relating to the liability of directors. These provisions eliminate a director’s personal liability to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL for monetary damages resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty, except in circumstances involving:

The principal effect of the limitation on liability provision is that a stockholder is unable to prosecute an action for monetary damages against a director unless the stockholder can demonstrate a basis for liability for which indemnification is not available under the DGCL. These provisions, however, should not limit or eliminate our rights or any stockholder’s rights to seek non-monetary relief, such as an injunction or rescission, in the event of a breach of a director’s fiduciary duty. These provisions do not alter a director’s liability under federal securities laws. The inclusion of this provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may discourage or deter stockholders or management from bringing a lawsuit against directors for a breach of their fiduciary duties, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise have benefited us and our stockholders.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain litigation that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or stockholders.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed to us or our stockholders by any of our directors, officers, other employees, agents or stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising out of or under the DGCL, or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (including, without limitation, any action asserting a claim arising out of or pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated by-laws) or (iv) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. By becoming a stockholder in our company, you will be deemed to have notice of and have consented to the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation related to choice of forum. The choice of forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees, agents or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and

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restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Our investment advisory agreements with clients, and our selling and distribution agreements with various financial intermediaries and consultants, are subject to termination or non-renewal on short notice. Future sales by AXA, including this offering and the Share Buyback, could result in an assignment of certain of our investment advisory agreements and the termination of the relevant contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

AB derives most of its revenues pursuant to written investment management agreements (or other arrangements) with institutional investors, mutual funds and private wealth clients. In addition, as part of our variable annuity products, AXA Equitable FMG enters into written investment management agreements (or other arrangements) with mutual funds.

Generally, these investment management agreements, including AB’s agreements with AXA and its subsidiaries (AB’s largest client), are terminable without penalty at any time or upon relatively short notice by either party. For example, an investment management contract with an SEC-registered investment company (a “RIC”) may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the RIC’s board of directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the RIC on not more than 60 days’ notice. The investment management agreements pursuant to which AB and AXA Equitable FMG manage RICs must be renewed and approved by the RICs’ boards of directors (including a majority of the independent directors) annually. A significant majority of the directors are independent. Consequently, there can be no assurance that the board of directors of each RIC will approve the investment management agreement each year, or will not condition its approval on revised terms that may be adverse to us.

Also, as required by the Investment Company Act, each investment advisory agreement with a RIC automatically terminates upon its assignment, although new investment advisory agreements may be approved by the RIC’s board of directors or trustees and stockholders. An “assignment” includes a sale of a control block of the voting stock of the investment adviser or its parent company. In the event of a future sale by AXA to a third party of a controlling interest in our common stock or if sales by AXA of our common stock, including this offering and the Share Buyback, were deemed to be an actual or constructive assignment, these termination provisions could be triggered, which may adversely affect AB’s and AXA Equitable FMG’s ability to realize the value of their respective investment advisory agreements. In addition, the actual or constructive transfer of our general partnership interest in AB would constitute an assignment.

The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Advisers Act”), may also require approval or consent of advisory contracts by clients in the event of an “assignment” of the contract (including a sale of a control block of the voting stock of the investment adviser or its parent company) or a change in control of the investment adviser. Were the sale of our common stock by AXA, including this offering and the Share Buyback, or another transaction to result in an assignment or change in control, the inability to obtain consent or approval from clients or stockholders of RICs or other clients could result in a material reduction in advisory fees.

AXA has announced its intention to sell all of its interest in the Company over time, subject to any lock-up periods and market conditions. This offering and the Share Buyback could result in an assignment for purposes of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act as described above because we expect AXA will cease to own at least 50% of our common stock following this offering and the Share Buyback. Prior to when such sales trigger an assignment as described above, we need to seek requisite consents or approvals for such assignment. As of December 31, 2018, we had obtained shareholder approvals for the 1290 Funds, certain EQAT and AXA Premier VIP Trusts with a record date of June 30, 2018 and the vast majority of AB’s funds. We are in the process of obtaining shareholder approvals for seventeen EQAT funds that commenced operations in the fourth quarter of 2018 and nine AB funds. We may not be successful in obtaining such consents or

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approvals which would result in terminations of the relevant contracts. Such terminations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Similarly, we enter into selling and distribution agreements with securities firms, brokers, banks and other financial intermediaries that are terminable by either party upon notice (generally 30 days) and do not obligate the financial intermediary to sell any specific amount of our products. These intermediaries generally offer their clients investment products that compete with our products. In addition, certain institutional investors rely on consultants to advise them about choosing an investment adviser and some of AB’s services may not be considered among the best choices by these consultants. As a result, investment consultants may advise their clients to move their assets invested with AB to other investment advisers, which could result in significant net outflows.

Finally, AB’s Private Wealth Services relies on referrals from financial planners, registered investment advisers and other professionals. We cannot be certain that we will continue to have access to, or receive referrals from, these third parties.

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