The Securities have complex features and investing in the Securities will involve risks not associated with an investment in conventional debt securities. Your decision to purchase the Securities should be made only after carefully considering the risks of an investment in the Securities, including those discussed below, with your advisors in light of your particular circumstances. The Securities are not an appropriate investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about significant elements of the Securities or financial matters in general. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the Securities in the Risk Factors sections beginning on page PS-5 of the accompanying product supplement, page S-5 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and page 7 of the accompanying prospectus.
Structure-related Risks
Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal. There is no fixed principal repayment amount on the Securities at maturity. If the Securities are not automatically called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of the Underlying is less than the Threshold Value, at maturity, you will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% that the Ending Value of the Underlying is less than the Threshold Value. In that case, you will lose some or a significant portion of your investment in the Securities.
Any positive investment return on the Securities is limited. You will not participate in any increase in the level of the Underlying. Any positive investment return is limited to the applicable Call Premium, if any, regardless of the extent to which the closing level of the Underlying on any Observation Date exceeds the Starting Value. In contrast, a direct investment in the securities included in the Underlying would allow you to receive the benefit of any appreciation in their values. Thus, any return on the Securities will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned those securities and received the dividends paid or distributions made on them. The return on the Securities may be less than a comparable investment directly in the securities included in or held by the Underlying. There is no guarantee that the Securities will be called for more than the principal amount, and it is possible you will not receive any positive return on the Securities.
The Securities do not bear interest. Unlike a conventional debt security, no interest payments will be paid over the term of the Securities, regardless of the extent to which the closing level of the Underlying exceeds its Starting Value or Threshold Value on any Observation Date.
The Call Premium or Redemption Amount, as applicable, will not reflect the levels of the Underlying other than on the Observation Dates. The levels of the Underlying during the term of the Securities other than on the Observation Dates will not affect payments on the Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should generally be aware of the performance of the Underlying while holding the Securities, as the performance of the Underlying may influence the market value of the Securities. The calculation agent will determine whether the Securities will be automatically called, and will calculate the Call Premium or the Redemption Amount, as applicable, by comparing only the Starting Value or Threshold Value, as applicable, to the closing level of the Underlying on the applicable Observation Date. No other levels of the Underlying will be taken into account. As a result, if the Securities are not automatically called, and the Ending Value of the Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, you will receive less than the principal amount at maturity even if the level of the Underlying was always above its Threshold Value prior to the Valuation Date.
The Securities are subject to a potential automatic call, which would limit your ability to receive further payment on the Securities. The Securities are subject to a potential automatic call. The Securities will be automatically called if, on any Observation Date, the closing level of the Underlying is greater than or equal to its Starting Value. If the Securities are automatically called prior to the Maturity Date, you will be entitled to receive the principal amount and the applicable Call Premium with respect to the applicable Observation Date. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to receive payment of any higher call premium that otherwise would be payable after the date of the automatic call. If the Securities are called prior to the Maturity Date, you may be unable to invest in other securities with a similar level of risk that could provide a return that is similar to the Securities.
Your return on the Securities may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. Any return that you receive on the Securities may be less than the return you would earn if you purchased a conventional debt security with the same Maturity Date. As a result, your investment in the Securities may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors, such as inflation, that affect the time value of money.
Any payment on the Securities is subject to our credit risk and the credit risk of the Guarantor, and actual or perceived changes in our or the Guarantor’s creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the Securities. The Securities are our senior unsecured debt securities. Any payment on the Securities will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The Securities are not guaranteed by any entity other than the Guarantor. As a result, your receipt of the payment on an automatic call or the Redemption Amount at maturity will be dependent upon our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to repay our respective obligations under the Securities on the applicable payment date regardless of the closing level of the Underlying as compared to the Starting Value or Threshold Value, as applicable.
In addition, our credit ratings and the credit ratings of the Guarantor are assessments by ratings agencies of our respective abilities to pay our obligations. Consequently, our or the Guarantor’s perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated decreases in our or the Guarantor’s credit ratings or increases in the spread between the yield on our respective securities and the yield on U.S. Treasury securities (the credit spread) prior to the Maturity Date of your Securities may adversely affect the market value of the Securities. However,
PS-8
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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because your return on the Securities depends upon factors in addition to our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to pay our respective obligations, such as the level of the Underlying, an improvement in our or the Guarantor’s credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the Securities.
We are a finance subsidiary and, as such, have no independent assets, operations or revenues. We are a finance subsidiary of the Guarantor, have no operations other than those related to the issuance, administration and repayment of our debt securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor, and are dependent upon the Guarantor and/or its other subsidiaries to meet our obligations under the Securities in the ordinary course. Therefore, our ability to make payments on the Securities may be limited.
Valuation- and Market-related Risks
The public offering price you pay for the Securities will exceed their initial estimated value. The range of initial estimated values of the Securities that is provided on the cover page of this preliminary pricing supplement, and the initial estimated value as of the Pricing Date that will be provided in the final pricing supplement, are each estimates only, determined as of a particular point in time by reference to our and our affiliates’ pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, including our credit spreads and those of the Guarantor, the Guarantor’s internal funding rate, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on interest rates, dividends and volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of the Securities. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. If you attempt to sell the Securities prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than their initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the level of the Underlying, changes in the Guarantor’s internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and the hedging related charges, all as further described in "Structuring the Securities" below. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the Securities, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the Securities in any secondary market and will affect the value of the Securities in complex and unpredictable ways.
The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, BAC, BofAS or any of our other affiliates or WFS or its affiliates would be willing to purchase your Securities in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your Securities at any time after issuance will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including the performance of the Underlying, our and BAC’s creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
We cannot assure you that a trading market for your Securities will ever develop or be maintained. We will not list the Securities on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the Securities will trade in any secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid.
The Securities are not designed to be short-term trading instruments, and if you attempt to sell the Securities prior to maturity, their market value, if any, will be affected by various factors that interrelate in complex ways, and their market value may be less than the principal amount. The following factors are expected to affect the value of the Securities: level of the Underlying at such time; volatility of the Underlying; economic and other conditions generally; interest rates; dividend yields; exchange rate movements and volatility; our and the Guarantor’s financial condition and creditworthiness; and time to maturity.
Conflict-related Risks
Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, may create conflicts of interest with you and may affect your return on the Securities and their market value. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, may buy or sell the securities held by or included in the Underlying, or futures or options contracts on the Underlying or those securities, or other listed or over-the-counter derivative instruments linked to the Underlying or those securities. While we, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, may from time to time own securities represented by the Underlying, except to the extent that BAC’s or Wells Fargo & Company’s (the parent company of WFS) common stock may be included in the Underlying, as applicable, we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, do not control any company included in the Underlying, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, or WFS and its affiliates, may execute such purchases or sales for our own or their own accounts, for business reasons, or in connection with hedging our obligations under the Securities. These transactions may present a conflict of interest between your interest in the Securities and the interests we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, may have in our or their proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our or their management. These transactions may adversely affect the level of the Underlying in a manner that could be adverse to your investment in the Securities. On or before the Pricing Date, any purchases or sales by us, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including BofAS or others on its behalf, and WFS and its affiliates (including for the purpose of hedging some or all of our anticipated exposure in connection with the Securities), may affect the level of the Underlying. Consequently, the level of the Underlying may change subsequent to the Pricing Date, which may adversely affect the market value of the Securities.
We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, also expect to engage in hedging activities that could affect the level of the Underlying on the Pricing Date. In addition, these hedging activities, including the unwinding of a hedge, may decrease the market value of your Securities prior to maturity, and may affect the amounts to be paid on the Securities. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and WFS and its affiliates, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short position in the Securities and may hold or resell the Securities. For example, BofAS may enter into these transactions in connection with any market making activities in which it engages. We cannot assure you that these activities will not adversely affect the level of the Underlying, the market value of your Securities prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the Securities.
PS-9
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
|
If WFS, BofAS or an affiliate of either selling agent participating as a dealer in the distribution of the Securities conducts hedging activities for us in connection with the Securities, such selling agent or participating dealer will expect to realize a projected profit from such hedging activities, and this projected profit will be in addition to any discount, concession or fee received in connection with the sale of the Securities to you. This additional projected profit may create a further incentive for the selling agents or participating dealers to sell the Securities to you.
There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent. One of our affiliates will be the calculation agent for the Securities and, as such, will make a variety of determinations relating to the Securities, including the amounts that will be paid on the Securities. Under some circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between its status as our affiliate and its responsibilities as calculation agent.
Underlying-related Risks
The publisher of the Underlying may adjust the Underlying in a way that affects its levels, and the publisher has no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher of the Underlying can add, delete, or substitute the components included in the Underlying or make other methodological changes that could change its level. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your Securities.
Tax-related Risks
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the Securities. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the Securities or securities similar to the Securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities are not certain. Under the terms of the Securities, you will have agreed with us to treat the Securities as single financial contracts, as described below under U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—General. If the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) were successful in asserting an alternative characterization for the Securities, the timing and character of gain or loss with respect to the Securities may differ. No ruling will be requested from the IRS with respect to the Securities and no assurance can be given that the IRS will agree with the statements made in the section entitled U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Securities.
PS-10
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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If the Securities are automatically called:
Assuming that the Securities are automatically called, the following table illustrates, for each hypothetical Observation Date on which the Securities are automatically called:
• the hypothetical payment per Security on the related Call Settlement Date, assuming that the Call Premiums are equal to their specified minimums; and
• the hypothetical pre-tax total rate of return.
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Hypothetical Observation Date on which Securities are automatically called
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Hypothetical payment per Security on related Call Settlement Date
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Hypothetical pre-tax total rate of return
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1st Observation Date
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$1,099.00
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9.90%
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2nd Observation Date
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$1,198.00
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19.80%
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3rd Observation Date
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$1,297.00
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29.70%
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If the Securities are not automatically called:
Assuming that the Securities are not automatically called, the following table illustrates, for a range of hypothetical Ending Values of the Underlying:
• the hypothetical percentage change from the hypothetical Starting Value to the hypothetical Ending Value, assuming a hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 and a hypothetical Threshold Value of 90.00. The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 and the hypothetical Threshold Value of 90.00 have been chosen for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the actual Starting Value or Threshold Value. The actual Starting Value and Threshold Value will be determined on the Pricing Date and will be set forth under Terms of the Securities above. For historical data regarding the actual closing levels of the Underlying, see the historical information provided herein;
• the hypothetical Redemption Amount per Security, assuming that the Call Premiums are equal to their specified minimums; and
• the hypothetical pre-tax total rate of return.
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Hypothetical
Ending Value
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Hypotheticalpercentage changefrom the hypothetical Starting Value to thehypothetical Ending Value
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HypotheticalRedemption Amount per Security
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Hypothetical pre-tax total rate of return
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95.00
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-5.00%
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$1,000.00
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0.00%
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90.00
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-10.00%
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$1,000.00
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0.00%
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85.00
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-15.00%
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$950.00
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-5.00%
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80.00
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-20.00%
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$900.00
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-10.00%
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75.00
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-25.00%
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$850.00
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-15.00%
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50.00
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-50.00%
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$600.00
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-40.00%
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25.00
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-75.00%
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$350.00
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-65.00%
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0.00
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-100.00%
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$100.00
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-90.00%
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The above figures are for purposes of illustration only and may have been rounded for ease of analysis. The actual payment per Security upon an automatic call or Redemption Amount and the resulting pre-tax rate of return will depend on (i) whether the Securities are automatically called; (ii) if the Securities are automatically called, the actual Call Premium and the actual Observation Date on which the Securities are called; and (iii) if the Securities are not automatically called, the actual Starting Value and Ending Value.
PS-11
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Hypothetical Payment Upon An Automatic Call
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Set forth below are two examples of calculations of the amount payable if the Securities are automatically called on an Observation Date. The Securities will be automatically called on an Observation Date if the closing level of the Underlying on such Observation Date is greater than or equal to the Starting Value. The following examples assume hypothetical Call Premiums based on the specified minimums for the Call Premiums and assume the hypothetical Starting Value and closing levels indicated in the examples. The terms used for purposes of these hypothetical examples do not represent the actual Starting Value. The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the actual Starting Value. The actual Starting Value will be determined on the Pricing Date and will be set forth under Terms of the Securities above. For historical data regarding the actual closing levels of the Underlying, see the historical information set forth herein. These examples are for purposes of illustration only and the values used in the examples may have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Example 1. The closing level of the Underlying on the first Observation Date is greater than the Starting Value, and the Securities are automatically called:
Hypothetical Starting Value:
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100.00
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Hypothetical closing level on first Observation Date:
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125.00
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Since the hypothetical closing level of the Underlying on the first Observation Date is greater than the hypothetical Starting Value, the Securities are automatically called and you will receive on the related Call Settlement Date the principal amount of your securities plus a Call Premium of 9.90% of the principal amount per Security. Even though the Underlying appreciated by 25.00% from its Starting Value to its closing level on the first Observation Date in this example, your return is limited to the Call Premium of 9.90% that is applicable to such Observation Date.
On the Call Settlement Date, you would receive $1,099.00 per Security.
Example 2. The Securities are not automatically called prior to the last Observation Date (the Valuation Date). The closing level of the Underlying on the Valuation Date is greater than the Starting Value, and the Securities are automatically called:
Hypothetical Starting Value:
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100.00
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Hypothetical closing level on Observation Dates prior to the Valuation Date:
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Various (all below Starting Value)
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Hypothetical closing level on Valuation Date:
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120.00
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Since the hypothetical closing level of the Underlying on each Observation Date prior to the last Observation Date (which is the Valuation Date) is less than the hypothetical Starting Value, the Securities are not called prior to the Valuation Date. Since the closing level of the Underlying on the Valuation Date is greater than the Starting Value, the Securities are automatically called and you will receive on the related Call Settlement Date (which is the Maturity Date) the principal amount of your Securities plus a Call Premium of 29.70% of the principal amount per Security.
On the Call Settlement Date (which is the Maturity Date), you would receive $1,297.00 per Security.
PS-12
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
|
Hypothetical Redemption Amount
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If the closing level of the Underlying is less than the Starting Value on each Observation Date, the Securities will not be automatically called, and at maturity you will receive a Redemption Amount that will be equal to or less than the principal amount per Security, depending on the Ending Value (i.e., the closing level of the Underlying on the Valuation Date). Set forth below are two examples of calculations of the Redemption Amount, assuming that the Securities have not been automatically called and assuming the hypothetical Starting Value, Threshold Value and Ending Values indicated in the examples. The terms used for purposes of these hypothetical examples do not represent the actual Starting Value or Threshold Value. The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the actual Starting Value. The actual Starting Value and Threshold Value will be determined on the Pricing Date and will be set forth under Terms of the Securities above. For historical data regarding the actual closing levels of the Underlying, see the historical information set forth herein. These examples are for purposes of illustration only and the values used in the examples may have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Example 1. Ending Value is less than the Starting Value but greater than the Threshold Value and the Redemption Amount is equal to the principal amount:
Hypothetical Starting Value:
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100.00
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Hypothetical Ending Value:
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95.00
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Hypothetical Threshold Value:
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90.00, which is 90.00% of the hypothetical Starting Value
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Since the hypothetical Ending Value is less than the hypothetical Starting Value, but not by more than 10.00%, you would be repaid the principal amount of your securities at maturity.
On the Maturity Date, you would receive $1,000.00 per Security.
Example 2. Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value and the Redemption Amount is less than the principal amount:
Hypothetical Starting Value:
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100.00
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Hypothetical Ending Value:
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50.00
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Hypothetical Threshold Value:
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90.00, which is 90.00% of the hypothetical Starting Value
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Since the hypothetical Ending Value is less than the hypothetical Starting Value by more than 10.00%, you would lose a portion of the principal amount of your Securities and would be paid a Redemption Amount equal to $600.00 per Security, calculated as follows:
On the Maturity Date, you would receive $600.00 per Security, resulting in a loss of 40.00%.
To the extent that the Starting Value, Threshold Value and Ending Value differ from the values assumed above, the results indicated above would be different.
PS-13
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Additional Terms of the Securities
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BofA Finance will issue the Securities as part of a series of senior unsecured debt securities entitled Medium-Term Notes, Series A, which is more fully described in the Series A MTN prospectus supplement. Information included in this pricing supplement supersedes information in the product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus to the extent that it is different from that information.
Certain Definitions
A Trading Day means a day, as determined by the calculation agent, on which (i) the Relevant Stock Exchanges with respect to each security underlying the Underlying are scheduled to be open for trading for their respective regular trading sessions and (ii) each Related Futures or Options Exchange is scheduled to be open for trading for its regular trading session.
The Relevant Stock Exchange for any security underlying the Underlying means the primary exchange or quotation system on which such security is traded, as determined by the calculation agent.
The Related Futures or Options Exchange for the Underlying means an exchange or quotation system where trading has a material effect (as determined by the calculation agent) on the overall market for futures or options contracts relating to the Underlying.
Market Disruption Events
A Market Disruption Event means any of the following events as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion:
(A)
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The occurrence or existence of a material suspension of or limitation imposed on trading by the Relevant Stock Exchanges or otherwise relating to securities which then comprise 20% or more of the level of the Underlying or any successor equity index at any time during the one-hour period that ends at the close of trading on that day, whether by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by those Relevant Stock Exchanges or otherwise.
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(B)
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The occurrence or existence of a material suspension of or limitation imposed on trading by any Related Futures or Options Exchange or otherwise in futures or options contracts relating to the Underlying or any successor equity index on any Related Futures or Options Exchange at any time during the one-hour period that ends at the close of trading on that day, whether by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the Related Futures or Options Exchange or otherwise.
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(C)
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The occurrence or existence of any event, other than an early closure, that materially disrupts or impairs the ability of market participants in general to effect transactions in, or obtain market values for, securities that then comprise 20% or more of the level of the Underlying or any successor equity index on their Relevant Stock Exchanges at any time during the one-hour period that ends at the close of trading on that day.
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(D)
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The occurrence or existence of any event, other than an early closure, that materially disrupts or impairs the ability of market participants in general to effect transactions in, or obtain market values for, futures or options contracts relating to the Underlying or any successor equity index on any Related Futures or Options Exchange at any time during the one-hour period that ends at the close of trading on that day.
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(E)
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The closure on any exchange business day of the Relevant Stock Exchanges on which securities that then comprise 20% or more of the level of the Underlying or any successor equity index are traded or any Related Futures or Options Exchange prior to its scheduled closing time unless the earlier closing time is announced by the Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange, as applicable, at least one hour prior to the earlier of (1) the actual closing time for the regular trading session on such Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange, as applicable, and (2) the submission deadline for orders to be entered into the Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange, as applicable, system for execution at such actual closing time on that day.
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(F)
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The Relevant Stock Exchange for any security underlying the Underlying or successor equity index or any Related Futures or Options Exchange fails to open for trading during its regular trading session.
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For purposes of determining whether a Market Disruption Event has occurred:
(1)
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the relevant percentage contribution of a security to the level of the Underlying or any successor equity index will be based on a comparison of (x) the portion of the level of the Underlying attributable to that security and (y) the overall level of the Underlying or successor equity index, in each case immediately before the occurrence of the Market Disruption Event;
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(2)
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the close of trading on any Trading Day for the Underlying or any successor equity index means the scheduled closing time of the Relevant Stock Exchanges with respect to the securities underlying the Underlying or successor equity index on such Trading Day; provided that, if the actual closing time of the regular trading session of any such Relevant Stock Exchange is earlier than its scheduled closing time on such Trading Day, then (x) for purposes of clauses (A) and (C) of the definition of Market Disruption Event above, with respect to any security underlying the Underlying or successor equity index for which such Relevant Stock Exchange is its Relevant Stock Exchange, the close of trading means such actual closing time and (y) for purposes of clauses (B) and (D) of the definition of Market Disruption Event above, with respect to any futures or options contract relating to the Underlying or successor equity index, the close of trading means the
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PS-14
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
|
|
latest actual closing time of the regular trading session of any of the Relevant Stock Exchanges, but in no event later than the scheduled closing time of the Relevant Stock Exchanges;
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(3)
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the scheduled closing time of any Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange on any Trading Day for the Underlying or any successor equity index means the scheduled weekday closing time of such Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange on such Trading Day, without regard to after hours or any other trading outside the regular trading session hours; and
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(4)
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an exchange business day means any Trading Day for the Underlying or any successor equity index on which each Relevant Stock Exchange for the securities underlying the Underlying or any successor equity index and each Related Futures or Options Exchange are open for trading during their respective regular trading sessions, notwithstanding any such Relevant Stock Exchange or Related Futures or Options Exchange closing prior to its scheduled closing time.
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If a Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing on any Observation Date, then such Observation Date will be postponed to the first succeeding Trading Day on which a Market Disruption Event has not occurred and is not continuing; however, if such first succeeding Trading Day has not occurred as of the eighth Trading Day after the originally scheduled Observation Date, that eighth Trading Day shall be deemed to be the Observation Date. If an Observation Date has been postponed eight Trading Days after the originally scheduled Observation Date and a Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing on such eighth Trading Day, the calculation agent will determine the closing level of the Underlying on such eighth Trading Day in accordance with the formula for and method of calculating the closing level of the Underlying last in effect prior to commencement of the Market Disruption Event, using the closing price (or, with respect to any relevant security, if a Market Disruption Event has occurred with respect to such security, its good faith estimate of the value of such security at the scheduled closing time of the Relevant Stock Exchange for such security or, if earlier, the actual closing time of the regular trading session of such Relevant Stock Exchange) on such date of each security included in the Underlying. As used herein, closing price means, with respect to any security on any date, the Relevant Stock Exchange traded or quoted price of such security as of the scheduled closing time of the Relevant Stock Exchange for such security or, if earlier, the actual closing time of the regular trading session of such Relevant Stock Exchange.
Adjustments to the Underlying
If at any time the method of calculating the Underlying or a successor equity index, or the closing level thereof, is changed in a material respect, or if the Underlying or a successor equity index is in any other way modified so that such index does not, in the opinion of the calculation agent, fairly represent the level of such index had those changes or modifications not been made, then the calculation agent will, at the close of business in New York, New York, on each date that the closing level of such index is to be calculated, make such calculations and adjustments as, in the good faith judgment of the calculation agent, may be necessary in order to arrive at a level of an index comparable to the Underlying or successor equity index as if those changes or modifications had not been made, and the calculation agent will calculate the closing level of the Underlying or successor equity index with reference to such index, as so adjusted. Accordingly, if the method of calculating the Underlying or successor equity index is modified so that the level of such index is a fraction or a multiple of what it would have been if it had not been modified (e.g., due to a split or reverse split in such equity index), then the calculation agent will adjust the Underlying or successor equity index in order to arrive at a level of such index as if it had not been modified (e.g., as if the split or reverse split had not occurred).
Discontinuance of the Underlying
If the sponsor or publisher of the Underlying (the index sponsor) discontinues publication of the Underlying, and such index sponsor or another entity publishes a successor or substitute equity index that the calculation agent determines, in its sole discretion, to be comparable to the Underlying (a successor equity index), then, upon the calculation agent’s notification of that determination to the trustee and BofA Finance, the calculation agent will substitute the successor equity index as calculated by the relevant index sponsor or other entity and calculate the closing level of the Underlying on any date of determination as described above. Upon any selection by the calculation agent of a successor equity index, BofA Finance will cause notice to be given to holders of the Securities.
In the event that the index sponsor discontinues publication of the Underlying prior to, and the discontinuance is continuing on, an Observation Date and the calculation agent determines that no successor equity index is available at such time, the calculation agent will calculate a substitute closing level for the Underlying in accordance with the formula for and method of calculating the Underlying last in effect prior to the discontinuance, but using only those securities that comprised the Underlying immediately prior to that discontinuance. If a successor equity index is selected or the calculation agent calculates a level as a substitute for the Underlying, the successor equity index or level will be used as a substitute for the Underlying for all purposes, including the purpose of determining whether a Market Disruption Event exists.
If on an Observation Date the index sponsor fails to calculate and announce the level of the Underlying, the calculation agent will calculate a substitute closing level of the Underlying in accordance with the formula for and method of calculating the Underlying last in effect prior to the failure, but using only those securities that comprised the Underlying immediately prior to that failure; provided that, if a Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing on such day, then the provisions set forth above under —Market Disruption Events shall apply in lieu of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding these alternative arrangements, discontinuance of the publication of, or the failure by the index sponsor to calculate and announce the level of, the Underlying may adversely affect the value of the Securities.
PS-15
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Events of Default and Acceleration
If an Event of Default, as defined in the senior indenture relating to the Securities and in the section entitled Description of Debt Securities—Events of Default and Rights of Acceleration beginning on page 22 of the accompanying prospectus, with respect to the Securities occurs and is continuing, the amount payable to a holder of the Securities upon any acceleration permitted under the senior indenture will be equal to the amount described under the caption Terms of the Securities—Redemption Amount above, calculated as though the date of acceleration were the Valuation Date of the Securities; provided that if the closing level of the Underlying on the date of acceleration is equal to or greater than the Starting Value, then the maturity payment amount will be calculated using a call premium that is prorated to the date of acceleration. In case of a default in the payment of the Securities, whether at their maturity or upon acceleration, the Securities will not bear a default interest rate.
PS-16
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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All disclosures contained in this pricing supplement regarding the Underlying, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation, and changes in its components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("SPDJI"), the sponsor of the Underlying. We refer to SPDJI as the Underlying sponsor. The Underlying sponsor, which licenses the copyright and all other rights to the Underlying, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Underlying. The consequences of the Underlying sponsor discontinuing publication of the Underlying are discussed in Additional Terms of the Securities—Discontinuance of the Underlying above. None of us, the Guarantor, the calculation agent, or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Underlying or any successor index. None of us, the Guarantor, BofAS or any of our other affiliates makes any representation to you as to the future performance of the Underlying. You should make your own investigation into the Underlying.
The S&P 500® Index
The SPX includes a representative sample of 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The SPX is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement. The calculation of the level of the SPX is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943.
The SPX includes companies from eleven main groups: Communication Services; Consumer Discretionary; Consumer Staples; Energy; Financials; Health Care; Industrials; Information Technology; Real Estate; Materials; and Utilities. SPDJI may from time to time, in its sole discretion, add companies to, or delete companies from, the SPX to achieve the objectives stated above.
Company additions to the SPX must have an unadjusted company market capitalization of $8.2 billion or more (an increase from the previous requirement of an unadjusted company market capitalization of $6.1 billion or more).
SPDJI calculates the SPX by reference to the prices of the constituent stocks of the SPX without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the Securities will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the SPX constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on those stocks.
Computation of the SPX
While SPDJI currently employs the following methodology to calculate the SPX, no assurance can be given that SPDJI will not modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect the payments on the Securities.
Historically, the market value of any component stock of the SPX was calculated as the product of the market price per share and the number of then outstanding shares of such component stock. In March 2005, SPDJI began shifting the SPX halfway from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before moving the SPX to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005. SPDJI’s criteria for selecting stocks for the SPX did not change with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each company’s weight in the SPX.
Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the SPX reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a company’s outstanding shares. Float adjustment excludes shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly traded companies or government agencies.
In September 2012, all shareholdings representing more than 5% of a stock’s outstanding shares, other than holdings by block owners, were removed from the float for purposes of calculating the SPX. Generally, these control holders will include officers and directors, private equity, venture capital and special equity firms, other publicly traded companies that hold shares for control, strategic partners, holders of restricted shares, ESOPs, employee and family trusts, foundations associated with the company, holders of unlisted share classes of stock, government entities at all levels (other than government retirement/pension funds) and any individual person who controls a 5% or greater stake in a company as reported in regulatory filings. However, holdings by block owners, such as depositary banks, pension funds, mutual funds and ETF providers, 401(k) plans of the company, government retirement/pension funds, investment funds of insurance companies, asset managers and investment funds, independent foundations and savings and investment plans, will ordinarily be considered part of the float.
Treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. Shares held in a trust to allow investors in countries outside the country of domicile, such as depositary shares and Canadian exchangeable shares are normally part of the float unless those shares form a control block. If a company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class are treated as a control block.
For each stock, an investable weight factor (IWF) is calculated by dividing the available float shares by the total shares outstanding. Available float shares are defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held by control holders. This calculation is subject to a 5% minimum threshold for control blocks. For example, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares, and no other control group holds 5% of the company’s shares, SPDJI would assign that company an IWF of 1.00, as no control group meets the 5% threshold. However, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares and another control group holds 20% of the company’s shares, SPDJI would assign an IWF of 0.77, reflecting the fact that 23% of the company’s outstanding shares are
PS-17
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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considered to be held for control. As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the SPX. Constituents of the SPX prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the SPX. If a constituent company of the SPX reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will remain in the SPX at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee in order to minimize turnover.
The SPX is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The level of the SPX reflects the total market value of all component stocks relative to the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent the results of this calculation in order to make the level easier to work with and track over time. The actual total market value of the component stocks during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943 has been set to an indexed level of 10. This is often indicated by the notation 1941- 43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the SPX is computed by dividing the total market value of the component stocks by the index divisor. By itself, the index divisor is an arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the SPX, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the SPX. The index divisor keeps the SPX comparable over time and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the SPX, which is index maintenance.
Index Maintenance
Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, share changes, stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price adjustments due to company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the companies in the SPX, and do not require index divisor adjustments.
To prevent the level of the SPX from changing due to corporate actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of the SPX require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level of the SPX remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the SPX. Index divisor adjustments are made after the close of trading and after the calculation of the SPX closing level.
Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, tender offers, Dutch auctions, or exchange offers are made as soon as reasonably possible. Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions of publicly held companies that trade on a major exchange are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same headline index, and regardless of the size of the change. All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, at-the-market offerings, or other recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Fridays for implementation after the close of trading on the following Friday. Changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, and are usually announced two to five days prior.
If a change in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more causes a company’s IWF to change by five percentage points or more, the IWF is updated at the same time as the share change. IWF changes resulting from partial tender offers are considered on a case by case basis.
PS-18
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Historical Performance of the SPX
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the SPX in the period from January 3, 2017 through June 28, 2022. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. The horizontal line in the graph represents the SPX’s hypothetical Threshold Value of 3,439.395, which is 90.00% of the SPX’s hypothetical Starting Value of 3,821.55, which was its closing level on June 28, 2022. The actual Starting Value and Threshold Value will be determined on the Pricing Date.
This historical data on the SPX is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the SPX or what the value of the Securities may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the SPX during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the SPX is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the Securities.
Before investing in the Securities, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the SPX.
PS-19
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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License Agreement
S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S&P) and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones). These trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Standard & Poor’s®, S&P 500® and S&P® are trademarks of S&P. These trademarks have been sublicensed for certain purposes by our affiliate, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S). The SPX is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates and has been licensed for use by MLPF&S.
The Securities are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders of the Securities or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Securities particularly or the ability of the SPX to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to MLPF&S with respect to the SPX is the licensing of the SPX and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its third party licensors. The SPX is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to us, MLPF&S, or the Securities. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take our needs, BAC’s needs or the needs of MLPF&S or holders of the Securities into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the SPX. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Securities or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Securities or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Securities are to be converted into cash. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Securities. There is no assurance that investment products based on the SPX will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its subsidiaries are not investment advisors. Inclusion of a security or futures contract within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security or futures contract, nor is it considered to be investment advice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the Securities currently being issued by us, but which may be similar to and competitive with the Securities. In addition, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the SPX. It is possible that this trading activity will affect the value of the Securities.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE SPX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, BAC, MLPF&S, HOLDERS OF THE SECURITIES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE SPX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND MLPF&S, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
PS-20
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution; Role of BofAS and Conflicts of Interest
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BofAS, a broker-dealer affiliate of ours, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) and will participate as selling agent in the distribution of the Securities. Accordingly, the offering of the Securities will conform to the requirements of FINRA Rule 5121. BofAS may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the account holder.
We expect to deliver the Securities against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than two business days following the Pricing Date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the Securities occurs more than two business days from the Pricing Date, purchasers who wish to trade the Securities more than two business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the Securities from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this pricing supplement, less the indicated underwriting discount. BofAS will sell the Securities to WFS at the public offering price of the Securities less a concession of up to $27.25 per Security. WFS will provide dealers, which may include Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) (the trade name of the retail brokerage business of WFS’s affiliates, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC), with a selling concession of up to $17.50 per Security. In addition to the concession allowed to WFA, WFS may pay up to $0.75 per Security to WFA as a distribution expense fee for each Security sold by WFA.
In addition, in respect of certain Securities sold in this offering, BofAS or its affiliates may pay a fee of up to $1.00 per Security to selected securities dealers in consideration for marketing and other services in connection with the distribution of the Securities to other securities dealers.
BofAS and any of our other broker-dealer affiliates and WFS and its broker-dealer affiliates may use this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus for offers and sales in secondary market transactions and market-making transactions in the Securities. However, they are not obligated to engage in such secondary market transactions and/or market-making transactions. These broker-dealer affiliates may act as principal or agent in these transactions, and any such sales will be made at prices related to prevailing market conditions at the time of the sale.
Any price that BofAS, WFS or their respective affiliates may pay to repurchase the Securities will depend upon then prevailing market conditions, the creditworthiness of us and the Guarantor, and transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the Securities.
WFS has advised us that if it, WFA or any of their affiliates makes a secondary market in the Securities at any time up to the Issue Date or during the three-month period following the Issue Date, the secondary market price offered by it, WFA or any of their affiliates will be increased by an amount reflecting a portion of the costs associated with selling, structuring and hedging the Securities that are included in the public offering price of the Securities. Because this portion of the costs is not fully deducted upon issuance, WFS has advised us that any secondary market price it, WFA or any of their affiliates offers during this period will be higher than it otherwise would be outside of this period, as any secondary market price offered outside of this period will reflect the full deduction of the costs as described above. WFS has advised us that the amount of this increase in the secondary market price will decline steadily to zero over this three-month period. If you hold the Securities through an account at WFS, WFA or any of their affiliates, WFS has advised us that it expects that this increase will also be reflected in the value indicated for the Securities on your brokerage account statement. If you hold your Securities through an account at a broker-dealer other than WFS, WFA or any of their affiliates, the value of the Securities on your brokerage account statement may be different than if you held your Securities at WFS, WFA or any of their affiliates.
PS-21
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Sales Outside of the United States
The Notes have not been approved for public sale in any jurisdiction outside of the United States. There has been no registration or filing as to the Notes with any regulatory, securities, banking, or local authority outside of the United States and no action has been taken by BofA Finance, BAC, the selling agents or any other affiliate of BAC, to offer the Notes in any jurisdiction other than the United States. As such, these Notes are made available to investors outside of the United States only in jurisdictions where it is lawful to make such offer or sale and only under circumstances that will result in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including private placement requirements.
Further, no offer or sale of the Notes is being made to residents of:
You are urged to carefully review the selling restrictions that may be applicable to your jurisdiction beginning on page S-68 of the accompanying prospectus supplement.
European Economic Area and United Kingdom
None of this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement is a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation (as defined below). This pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement have been prepared on the basis that any offer of Securities in any Member State of the European Economic Area (the EEA) or in the United Kingdom (each, a Relevant State) will only be made to a legal entity which is a qualified investor under the Prospectus Regulation (Qualified Investors). Accordingly any person making or intending to make an offer in that Relevant State of Securities which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement may only do so with respect to Qualified Investors. Neither BofA Finance nor BAC has authorized, nor does it authorize, the making of any offer of Securities other than to Qualified Investors. The expression Prospectus Regulation means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
PROHIBITION OF SALES TO EEA AND UNITED KINGDOM RETAIL INVESTORS The Securities are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA or in the United Kingdom. For these purposes: (a) a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended (MiFID II); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (the Insurance Distribution Directive), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; and (b) the expression offer includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the Securities. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014, as amended (the PRIIPs Regulation) for offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them
PS-22
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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available to retail investors in the EEA or in the United Kingdom has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA or in the United Kingdom may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.
United Kingdom
The communication of this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any other document or materials relating to the issue of the Securities offered hereby is not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the United Kingdom’s Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the FSMA). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters relating to investments and who fall within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the Financial Promotion Order)), or who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order, or who are any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). In the United Kingdom, the Securities offered hereby are only available to, and any investment or investment activity to which this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relates will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any of their contents.
Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of the Securities may only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to BofA Finance, as issuer, or BAC, as guarantor.
All applicable provisions of the FSMA must be complied with in respect to anything done by any person in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
PS-23
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Structuring the Securities
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The Securities are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Underlying. The related guarantee is BAC’s obligation. Any payments on the Securities, including payment of the Redemption Amount, depend on the credit risk of BofA Finance and BAC and on the performance of the Underlying. As is the case for all of our and BAC’s respective debt securities, including our market-linked securities, the economic terms of the Securities reflect our and BAC’s actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing. In addition, because market-linked securities result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us and BAC, BAC typically borrows the funds under these types of securities at a rate, which we refer to in this pricing supplement as BAC’s internal funding rate, that is more favorable to BAC than the rate that it might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security. This generally relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the economic terms of the Securities, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked securities, typically results in the initial estimated value of the Securities on the Pricing Date being less than their public offering price.
The initial estimated value range of the Securities is set forth on the cover page of this preliminary pricing supplement. The final pricing supplement will set forth the initial estimated value of the Securities as of the Pricing Date.
In order to meet our payment obligations on the Securities, at the time we issue the Securities, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of our other affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined based upon terms provided by BofAS and its affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our and BAC’s creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Underlying, the tenor of the Securities and the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the Securities and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.
BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include hedging related charges, reflecting the costs associated with, and our affiliates’ profit earned from, these hedging arrangements. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, actual profits or losses from these hedging transactions may be more or less than any expected amounts.
For further information, see Risk Factors beginning on page PS-8 above and Supplemental Use of Proceeds on page PS-19 of the accompanying product supplement.
PS-24
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary
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The following summary of the material U.S. federal income and estate tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the Securities supplements, and to the extent inconsistent supersedes, the discussions under U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations in the accompanying prospectus and under U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations in the accompanying prospectus supplement and is not exhaustive of all possible tax considerations. This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), regulations promulgated under the Code by the U.S. Treasury Department (Treasury) (including proposed and temporary regulations), rulings, current administrative interpretations and official pronouncements of the IRS, and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below. This summary does not include any description of the tax laws of any state or local governments, or of any foreign government, that may be applicable to a particular holder.
Although the Securities are issued by us, they will be treated as if they were issued by BAC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly throughout this tax discussion, references to we, our or us are generally to BAC unless the context requires otherwise.
This summary is directed solely to U.S. Holders and Non-U.S. Holders that, except as otherwise specifically noted, will purchase the Securities upon original issuance and will hold the Securities as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, which generally means property held for investment, and that are not excluded from the discussion under U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations in the accompanying prospectus.
You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning and disposing of the Securities, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws.
General
Although there is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the Securities, in the opinion of our counsel, Sidley Austin LLP, and based on certain factual representations received from us, the Securities should be treated as single financial contracts with respect to the Underlying and under the terms of the Securities, we and every investor in the Securities agree, in the absence of an administrative determination or judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat the Securities in accordance with such characterization. This discussion assumes that the Securities constitute single financial contracts with respect to the Underlying for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the Securities did not constitute single financial contracts, the tax consequences described below would be materially different.
This characterization of the Securities is not binding on the IRS or the courts. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the Securities or any similar instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no ruling is being requested from the IRS with respect to their proper characterization and treatment. Due to the absence of authorities on point, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities are not certain, and no assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with the characterization and tax treatment described in this pricing supplement. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities, including possible alternative characterizations.
Unless otherwise stated, the following discussion is based on the characterization described above. The discussion in this section assumes that there is a significant possibility of a significant loss of principal on an investment in the Securities.
We will not attempt to ascertain whether the issuer of a component stock included in the Underlying would be treated as a passive foreign investment company (PFIC), within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code, or a United States real property holding corporation, within the meaning of Section 897(c) of the Code. If the issuer of one or more stocks included in the Underlying were so treated, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could possibly apply to a holder of the Securities. You should refer to information filed with the SEC by the issuers of the component stocks included in the Underlying and consult your tax advisor regarding the possible consequences to you, if any, if any issuer of a component stock included in the Underlying is or becomes a PFIC or is or becomes a United States real property holding corporation.
U.S. Holders
Upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities prior to maturity, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Securities. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Securities will equal the amount paid by that holder to acquire them. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder held the Securities for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
PS-25
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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Alternative Tax Treatments. Due to the absence of authorities that directly address the proper tax treatment of the Securities, prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding all possible alternative tax treatments of an investment in the Securities. In particular, the IRS could seek to subject the Securities to the Treasury regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments. If the IRS were successful in that regard, the timing and character of income on the Securities would be affected significantly. Among other things, a U.S. Holder would be required to accrue original issue discount every year at a comparable yield determined at the time of issuance. In addition, any gain realized by a U.S. Holder at maturity or upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities generally would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized at maturity or upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities generally would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s prior accruals of original issue discount, and as capital loss thereafter.
The IRS released Notice 2008-2 (the Notice), which sought comments from the public on the taxation of financial instruments currently taxed as prepaid forward contracts. This Notice addresses instruments such as the Securities. According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering whether a holder of an instrument such as the Securities should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis, regardless of whether any payments are made prior to maturity. It is not possible to determine what guidance the IRS and Treasury will ultimately issue, if any. Any such future guidance may affect the amount, timing and character of income, gain, or loss in respect of the Securities, possibly with retroactive effect.
The IRS and Treasury are also considering additional issues, including whether additional gain or loss from such instruments should be treated as ordinary or capital, whether foreign holders of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on any deemed income accruals, whether Section 1260 of the Code, concerning certain constructive ownership transactions, generally applies or should generally apply to such instruments, and whether any of these determinations depend on the nature of the underlying asset.
In addition, proposed Treasury regulations require the accrual of income on a current basis for contingent payments made under certain notional principal contracts. The preamble to the regulations states that the wait and see method of accounting does not properly reflect the economic accrual of income on those contracts, and requires current accrual of income for some contracts already in existence. While the proposed regulations do not apply to prepaid forward contracts, the preamble to the proposed regulations expresses the view that similar timing issues exist in the case of prepaid forward contracts. If the IRS or Treasury publishes future guidance requiring current economic accrual for contingent payments on prepaid forward contracts, it is possible that you could be required to accrue income over the term of the Securities.
Because of the absence of authority regarding the appropriate tax characterization of the Securities, it is also possible that the IRS could seek to characterize the Securities in a manner that results in tax consequences that are different from those described above. For example, the IRS could possibly assert that any gain or loss that a holder may recognize at maturity or upon the sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities should be treated as ordinary gain or loss.
Because the Underlying is an index that periodically rebalances, it is possible that the Securities could be treated as a series of single financial contracts, each of which matures on the next rebalancing date. If the Securities were properly characterized in such a manner, a U.S. Holder would be treated as disposing of the Securities on each rebalancing date in return for new Securities that mature on the next rebalancing date, and a U.S. Holder would accordingly likely recognize capital gain or loss on each rebalancing date equal to the difference between the holder’s tax basis in the Securities (which would be adjusted to take into account any prior recognition of gain or loss) and the fair market value of the Securities on such date.
Non-U.S. Holders
Except as discussed below, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax for amounts paid in respect of the Securities provided that the Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification requirements and that the payment is not effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-U.S. Holder of a U.S. trade or business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities or their settlement at maturity may be subject to U.S. federal income tax if that Non-U.S. Holder is a non-resident alien individual and is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the sale, exchange, redemption, or settlement and certain other conditions are satisfied.
If a Non-U.S. Holder of the Securities is engaged in the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. and if gain realized on the settlement at maturity, or upon sale, exchange, or redemption of the Securities, is effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business (and, if certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the U.S.), the Non-U.S. Holder, although exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax, generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such gain on a net income basis in the same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder. Such Non-U.S. Holders should read the material under the heading —U.S. Holders, for a description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of the Securities. In addition, if such Non-U.S. Holder is a foreign corporation, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate provided by any applicable tax treaty) of a portion of its earnings and profits for the taxable year that are effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the U.S., subject to certain adjustments.
A dividend equivalent payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the United States and such payments generally would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a Non-U.S. Holder. Under Treasury regulations, payments (including deemed payments)
PS-26
Market Linked Securities—Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside
Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500® Index due August 4, 2025
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with respect to equity-linked instruments (ELIs) that are specified ELIs may be treated as dividend equivalents if such specified ELIs reference an interest in an underlying security, which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. However, IRS guidance provides that withholding on dividend equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2023. Based on our determination that the Securities are not delta-one instruments, Non-U.S. Holders should not be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the Securities. However, it is possible that the Securities could be treated as deemed reissued for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the Underlying or the Securities, and, following such occurrence, the Securities could be treated as subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. Holders that enter, or have entered, into other transactions in respect of the Underlying or the Securities should consult their tax advisors as to the application of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the Securities and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.
As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the Securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization, by reason of change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments as to the Securities to become subject to withholding tax, tax will be withheld at the applicable statutory rate.
As discussed above, the IRS has indicated in the Notice that it is considering whether income in respect of instruments such as the Securities should be subject to withholding tax. Prospective Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of such alternative characterizations.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax. Under current law, while the matter is not entirely clear, individual Non-U.S. Holders, and entities whose property is potentially includible in those individuals’ gross estates for U.S. federal estate tax purposes (for example, a trust funded by such an individual and with respect to which the individual has retained certain interests or powers), should note that, absent an applicable treaty benefit, a Security is likely to be treated as U.S. situs property subject to U.S. federal estate tax. These individuals and entities should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal estate tax consequences of investing in a Security.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Please see the discussion under U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — General — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting rules to payments made on the Securities.
PS-27