11/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/08/2024 11:54
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The Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the SPDR® Gold Shares, the SPDR® S&P Biotech ETF and the iShares® Silver Trust, due November 10, 2028 (the "Notes") priced on November 7, 2024 and will issue on November 13, 2024.
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Approximate 4 year term if not called prior to maturity.
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Payments on the Notes will depend on the individual performance of the SPDR® Gold Shares, the SPDR® S&P Biotech ETF and the iShares® Silver Trust (each an "Underlying").
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Contingent coupon rate of 11.00% per annum (0.9167% per month) payable monthly if the Observation Value of each Underlying on the applicable Observation Date is greater than or equal to 70.00% of its Starting Value, assuming the Notes have not been called.
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Beginning on November 13, 2025, callable monthly at our option for an amount equal to the principal amount plus the relevant Contingent Coupon Payment, if otherwise payable.
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Assuming the Notes are not called prior to maturity, if any Underlying declines by more than 40% from its Starting Value, at maturity your investment will be subject to 1:1 downside exposure to decreases in the value of the Least Performing Underlying, with up to 100% of the principal at risk; otherwise, at maturity, you will receive the principal amount. At maturity you will also receive a final Contingent Coupon Payment if the Observation Value of each Underlying on the final Observation Date is greater than or equal to 70.00% of its Starting Value.
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All payments on the Notes are subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance LLC ("BofA Finance" or the "Issuer"), as issuer of the Notes, and Bank of America Corporation ("BAC" or the "Guarantor"), as guarantor of the Notes.
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The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
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CUSIP No. 09711FNX1.
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Public offering price(1)
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Underwriting discount(1)(2)
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Proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance(2)
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Per Note
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$1,000.00
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$37.50
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$962.50
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Total
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$500,000.00
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$18,750.00
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$481,250.00
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(1)
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Certain dealers who purchase the Notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the Notes in these fee-based advisory accounts may be as low as $962.50 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
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(2)
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The underwriting discount per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes may be as high as $37.50, resulting in proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance of as low as $962.50 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes. The total underwriting discount and proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance specified above reflect the aggregate of the underwriting discounts per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
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Are Not FDIC Insured
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Are Not Bank Guaranteed
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May Lose Value
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Selling Agent
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Issuer:
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BofA Finance
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Guarantor:
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BAC
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Denominations:
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The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000.00 and whole multiples of $1,000.00 in excess thereof.
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Term:
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Approximately 4 years, unless previously called.
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Underlyings:
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The SPDR® Gold Shares (Bloomberg symbol: "GLD"), the SPDR® S&P Biotech ETF (Bloomberg symbol: "XBI") and the iShares® Silver Trust (Bloomberg symbol: "SLV").
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Pricing Date:
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November 7, 2024
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Issue Date:
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November 13, 2024
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Valuation Date:
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November 7, 2028, subject to postponement as described under "Description of the Notes-Certain Terms of the Notes-Events Relating to Observation Dates" in the accompanying product supplement.
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Maturity Date:
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November 10, 2028
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Starting Value:
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GLD: $249.65
XBI: $103.01
SLV: $29.11
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Observation Value:
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With respect to each Underlying, its Closing Market Price on the applicable Observation Date, multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
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Ending Value:
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With respect to each Underlying, its Observation Value on the Valuation Date.
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Price Multiplier:
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With respect to each Underlying, 1, subject to adjustment for certain events relating to that Underlying as described in "Description of the Notes - Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs" beginning on page PS-28 of the accompanying product supplement.
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Coupon Barrier:
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GLD: $174.76, which is 70.00% of its Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places).
XBI: $72.11, which is 70.00% of its Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places).
SLV: $20.38, which is 70.00% of its Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places).
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Threshold Value:
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GLD: $149.79, which is 60.00% of its Starting Value.
XBI: $61.81, which is 60.00% of its Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places).
SLV: $17.47, which is 60.00% of its Starting Value (rounded to two decimal places).
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Contingent Coupon Payment:
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If, on any monthly Observation Date, the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier, we will pay a Contingent Coupon Payment of $9.167 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes (equal to a rate of 0.9167% per month or 11.00% per annum) on the applicable Contingent Payment Date (including the Maturity Date).
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Optional Early Redemption:
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On any monthly Call Payment Date, we have the right to redeem all (but not less than all) of the Notes at the Early Redemption Amount. No further amounts will be payable following an Optional Early Redemption. We will give notice to the trustee at least five business days but not more than 60 calendar days before the applicable Call Payment Date.
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Early Redemption Amount:
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For each $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes, $1,000.00, plus the applicable Contingent Coupon Payment if the Observation Value of each Underlying on the corresponding Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier.
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-2
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Redemption Amount:
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If the Notes have not been called prior to maturity, the Redemption Amount per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes will be:
a) If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Threshold Value:
b) If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Threshold Value:
In this case, the Redemption Amount (excluding any final Contingent Coupon Payment) will be less than 60.00% of the principal amount and you could lose up to 100.00% of your investment in the Notes.
The Redemption Amount will also include a final Contingent Coupon Payment if the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier.
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Observation Dates:
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As set forth beginning on page PS-4
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Contingent Payment Dates:
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As set forth beginning on page PS-4
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Call Payment Dates:
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As set forth beginning on page PS-6. Each Call Payment Date is also a Contingent Payment Date.
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Calculation Agent:
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BofA Securities, Inc. ("BofAS"), an affiliate of BofA Finance.
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Selling Agent:
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BofAS
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CUSIP:
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09711FNX1
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Underlying Return:
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With respect to each Underlying,
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Least Performing Underlying:
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The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return.
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Events of Default and Acceleration:
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If an Event of Default, as defined in the senior indenture relating to the Notes and in the section entitled "Description of Debt Securities of BofA Finance LLC-Events of Default and Rights of Acceleration; Covenant Breaches" on page 54 of the accompanying prospectus, with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, the amount payable to a holder of the Notes upon any acceleration permitted under the senior indenture will be equal to the amount described under the caption "Redemption Amount" above, calculated as though the date of acceleration were the Maturity Date of the Notes and as though the Valuation Date were the third Trading Day prior to the date of acceleration. We will also determine whether a final Contingent Coupon Payment is payable based upon the prices of the Underlyings on the deemed Valuation Date; any such final Contingent Coupon Payment will be prorated by the calculation agent to reflect the length of the final contingent payment period. In case of a default in the payment of the Notes, whether at their maturity or upon acceleration, the Notes will not bear a default interest rate.
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-3
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Observation Dates*
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Contingent Payment Dates
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December 9, 2024
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December 12, 2024
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January 7, 2025
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January 10, 2025
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February 7, 2025
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February 12, 2025
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March 7, 2025
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March 12, 2025
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April 7, 2025
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April 10, 2025
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May 7, 2025
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May 12, 2025
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June 9, 2025
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June 12, 2025
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July 7, 2025
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July 10, 2025
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August 7, 2025
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August 12, 2025
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September 8, 2025
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September 11, 2025
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October 7, 2025
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October 10, 2025
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November 7, 2025
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November 13, 2025
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December 8, 2025
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December 11, 2025
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January 7, 2026
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January 12, 2026
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February 9, 2026
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February 12, 2026
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March 9, 2026
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March 12, 2026
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April 7, 2026
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April 10, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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May 12, 2026
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June 8, 2026
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June 11, 2026
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July 7, 2026
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July 10, 2026
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August 7, 2026
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August 12, 2026
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September 8, 2026
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September 11, 2026
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October 7, 2026
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October 13, 2026
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November 9, 2026
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November 13, 2026
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December 7, 2026
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December 10, 2026
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January 7, 2027
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January 12, 2027
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February 8, 2027
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February 11, 2027
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March 8, 2027
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March 11, 2027
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April 7, 2027
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April 12, 2027
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May 7, 2027
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May 12, 2027
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June 7, 2027
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June 10, 2027
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July 7, 2027
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July 12, 2027
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August 9, 2027
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August 12, 2027
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-4
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Observation Dates*
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Contingent Payment Dates
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September 7, 2027
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September 10, 2027
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October 7, 2027
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October 13, 2027
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November 8, 2027
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November 12, 2027
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December 7, 2027
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December 10, 2027
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January 7, 2028
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January 12, 2028
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February 7, 2028
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February 10, 2028
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March 7, 2028
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March 10, 2028
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April 7, 2028
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April 12, 2028
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May 8, 2028
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May 11, 2028
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June 7, 2028
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June 12, 2028
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July 7, 2028
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July 12, 2028
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August 7, 2028
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August 10, 2028
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September 7, 2028
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September 12, 2028
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October 9, 2028
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October 12, 2028
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November 7, 2028 (the "Valuation Date")
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November 10, 2028 (the "Maturity Date")
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-5
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Call Payment Dates
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November 13, 2025
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December 11, 2025
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January 12, 2026
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February 12, 2026
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March 12, 2026
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April 10, 2026
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May 12, 2026
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June 11, 2026
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July 10, 2026
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August 12, 2026
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September 11, 2026
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October 13, 2026
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November 13, 2026
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December 10, 2026
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January 12, 2027
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February 11, 2027
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March 11, 2027
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April 12, 2027
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May 12, 2027
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June 10, 2027
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July 12, 2027
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August 12, 2027
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September 10, 2027
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October 13, 2027
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November 12, 2027
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December 10, 2027
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January 12, 2028
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February 10, 2028
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March 10, 2028
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April 12, 2028
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May 11, 2028
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June 12, 2028
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July 12, 2028
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August 10, 2028
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September 12, 2028
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-6
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Call Payment Dates
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October 12, 2028
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-7
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-8
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Number of Contingent Coupon Payments
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Total Contingent Coupon Payments
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0
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$0.000
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2
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$18.334
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4
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$36.668
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6
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$55.002
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8
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$73.336
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10
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$91.670
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12
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$110.004
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14
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$128.338
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16
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$146.672
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18
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$165.006
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20
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$183.340
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22
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$201.674
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24
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$220.008
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26
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$238.342
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28
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$256.676
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30
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$275.010
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32
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$293.344
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34
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$311.678
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36
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$330.012
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38
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$348.346
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40
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$366.680
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42
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$385.014
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44
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$403.348
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46
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$421.682
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48
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$440.016
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-9
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Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying
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Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying
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Redemption Amount per Note (including any final Contingent Coupon Payment)
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Return on the Notes(1)
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160.00
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60.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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150.00
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50.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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140.00
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40.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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130.00
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30.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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120.00
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20.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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110.00
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10.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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105.00
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5.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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102.00
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2.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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100.00(2)
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0.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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90.00
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-10.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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80.00
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-20.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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70.00(3)
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-30.00%
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$1,009.167
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0.9167%
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69.99
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-30.01%
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$1,000.000
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0.0000%
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60.00(4)
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-40.00%
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$1,000.000
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0.0000%
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59.99
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-40.01%
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$599.900
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-40.0100%
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50.00
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-50.00%
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$500.000
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-50.0000%
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0.00
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-100.00%
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$0.000
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-100.0000%
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(1)
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The "Return on the Notes" is calculated based on the Redemption Amount and potential final Contingent Coupon Payment, not including any Contingent Coupon Payments paid prior to maturity.
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(2)
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The hypothetical Starting Value of 100 used in the table above has been chosen for illustrative purposes only. The actual Starting Value of each Underlying is set forth on page PS-2 above.
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(3)
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This is the hypothetical Coupon Barrier of the Least Performing Underlying.
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(4)
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This is the hypothetical Threshold Value of the Least Performing Underlying.
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-10
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Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal. There is no fixed principal repayment amount on the Notes at maturity. If the Notes are not called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of any Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, at maturity, your investment will be subject to 1:1 downside exposure to decreases in the value of the Least Performing Underlying and you will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% that the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Starting Value. In that case, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the Notes.
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Your return on the Notes is limited to the return represented by the Contingent Coupon Payments, if any, over the term of the Notes. Your return on the Notes is limited to the Contingent Coupon Payments paid over the term of the Notes, regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value or Ending Value of any Underlying exceeds its Coupon Barrier or Starting Value, as applicable. Similarly, the amount payable at maturity or upon an Optional Early Redemption will never exceed the sum of the principal amount and the applicable Contingent Coupon Payment, regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value or Ending Value of any Underlying exceeds its Starting Value. In contrast, a direct investment in the Underlyings or in the securities held by or included in the Underlying would allow you to receive the benefit of any appreciation in their values. Any return on the Notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned those securities and received the dividends paid or distributions made on them.
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The Notes are subject to Optional Early Redemption, which would limit your ability to receive the Contingent Coupon Payments over the full term of the Notes. On each Call Payment Date, at our option, we may call your Notes in whole, but not in part. If the Notes are called prior to the Maturity Date, you will be entitled to receive the Early Redemption Amount on the applicable Call Payment Date, and no further amounts will be payable on the Notes. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to continue to receive Contingent Coupon Payments after the date of the Optional Early Redemption. If the Notes 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 Notes. Even if we do not exercise our option to call your Notes, our ability to do so may adversely affect the market value of your Notes. It is our sole option whether to call your Notes prior to maturity on any such Call Payment Date and we may or may not exercise this option for any reason. Because of this Optional Early Redemption potential, the term of your Notes could be anywhere between twelve and forty-eight months.
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You may not receive any Contingent Coupon Payments. The Notes do not provide for any regular fixed coupon payments. Investors in the Notes will not necessarily receive any Contingent Coupon Payments on the Notes. If the Observation Value of any Underlying is less than its Coupon Barrier on an Observation Date, you will not receive the Contingent Coupon Payment applicable to that Observation Date. If the Observation Value of any Underlying is less than its Coupon Barrier on all the Observation Dates during the term of the Notes, you will not receive any Contingent Coupon Payments during the term of the Notes, and will not receive a positive return on the Notes.
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Your return on the Notes may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. Any return that you receive on the Notes 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 Notes may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors, such as inflation, that affect the time value of money. In addition, if interest rates increase during the term of the Notes, the Contingent Coupon Payment (if any) may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.
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The Contingent Coupon Payment, Early Redemption Amount or Redemption Amount, as applicable, will not reflect changes in the prices of the Underlyings other than on the Observation Dates. The prices of the Underlyings during the term of the Notes other than on the Observation Dates will not affect payments on the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should generally be aware of the performance of the Underlyings while holding the Notes, as the performance of the Underlyings may influence the market value of the Notes. The calculation agent will determine whether each Contingent Coupon Payment is payable and will calculate the Early Redemption Amount or the Redemption Amount, as applicable, by comparing only the Starting Value, the Coupon Barrier or the Threshold Value, as applicable, to the Observation Value or the Ending Value for each Underlying. No other prices of the Underlyings will be taken into account. As a result, if the Notes are not called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, you will receive less than the principal amount at maturity even if the price of each Underlying was always above its Threshold Value prior to the Valuation Date.
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Because the Notes are linked to the least performing (and not the average performance) of the Underlyings, you may not receive any return on the Notes and may lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the Notes even if the Observation Value or Ending Value of one Underlying is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier or Threshold Value, as applicable. Your Notes are linked to the least performing of the Underlyings, and a change in the price of one Underlying may not correlate with changes in the prices of the other Underlyings. The Notes are not linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings, where the depreciation in the
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-11
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price of one Underlying could be offset to some extent by the appreciation in the prices of the other Underlyings. In the case of the Notes, the individual performance of each Underlying would not be combined, and the depreciation in the price of one Underlying would not be offset by any appreciation in the prices of the other Underlyings. Even if the Observation Value of an Underlying is at or above its Coupon Barrier on an Observation Date, you will not receive the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to that Observation Date if the Observation Value of another Underlying is below its Coupon Barrier on that day. In addition, even if the Ending Value of an Underlying is at or above its Threshold Value, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the Notes if the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is below its Threshold Value.
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Any payments on the Notes are subject to our credit risk and the credit risk of the Guarantor, and any actual or perceived changes in our or the Guarantor's creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the Notes. The Notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. Any payment on the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The Notes are not guaranteed by any entity other than the Guarantor. As a result, your receipt of any payments on the Notes will be dependent upon our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to repay our respective obligations under the Notes on the applicable payment date, regardless of the performance of the Underlyings. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition or the financial condition of the Guarantor will be at any time after the pricing date of the Notes. If we and the Guarantor become unable to meet our respective financial obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amount(s) payable under the terms of the Notes.
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 may adversely affect the market value of the Notes. However, because your return on the Notes depends upon factors in addition to our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to pay our respective obligations, such as the values of the Underlyings, an improvement in our or the Guarantor's credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the Notes. |
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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 Notes in the ordinary course. Therefore, our ability to make payments on the Notes may be limited.
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The public offering price you are paying for the Notes exceeds their initial estimated value. The initial estimated value of the Notes that is provided on the cover page of this pricing supplement is an estimate only, determined as of the pricing date 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 Notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. If you attempt to sell the Notes 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 prices of the Underlyings, changes in the Guarantor's internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount, if any, and the hedging related charges, all as further described in "Structuring the Notes" below. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the Notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the Notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the Notes in complex and unpredictable ways.
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The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, BAC, BofAS or any of our other affiliates would be willing to purchase your Notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your Notes at any time after issuance will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including the performance of the Underlyings, our and BAC's creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
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We cannot assure you that a trading market for your Notes will ever develop or be maintained. We will not list the Notes on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the Notes will trade in any secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid.
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Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may create conflicts of interest with you and may affect your return on the Notes and their market value. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may buy or sell shares or units of the Underlyings or the securities or assets held by or included in the Underlyings, as applicable, or futures or options contracts or exchange traded instruments on the Underlyings or those securities, or other instruments whose value is derived from the Underlyings or those securities or assets. While we, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may from time to time own shares or units of the Underlyings or the securities or assets represented by the Underlyings, except to the extent that BAC's common stock may be included in the Underlyings, we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, do not control any company included in the Underlyings, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, 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 Notes. These transactions may
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-12
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present a conflict of interest between your interest in the Notes and the interests we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, 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 prices of the Underlyings in a manner that could be adverse to your investment in the Notes. On or before the pricing date, any purchases or sales by us, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including BofAS or others on our or their behalf (including those for the purpose of hedging some or all of our anticipated exposure in connection with the Notes), may have affected the prices of the Underlyings. Consequently, the prices of the Underlyings may change subsequent to the pricing date, which may adversely affect the market value of the Notes.
We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, also may have engaged in hedging activities that could have affected the prices of the Underlyings on the pricing date. In addition, these hedging activities, including the unwinding of a hedge, may decrease the market value of your Notes prior to maturity, and may affect the amounts to be paid on the Notes. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short position in the Notes and may hold or resell the Notes. 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 prices of the Underlyings, the market value of your Notes prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the Notes. |
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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 Notes and, as such, will make a variety of determinations relating to the Notes, including the amounts that will be paid on the Notes. Under some circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between its status as our affiliate and its responsibilities as calculation agent.
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There are risks associated with commodities trading on the London Bullion Market Association. The investment objective of each of the GLD and SLV is to reflect generally the price of gold and silver, respectively, before the payment of expenses and liabilities. The prices of silver and gold are determined by the London Bullion Market Association (the "LBMA") or an independent service provider appointed by the LBMA. The LBMA is a self-regulatory association of bullion market participants. Although all market-making members of the LBMA are supervised by the Bank of England and are required to satisfy a capital adequacy test, the LBMA itself is not a regulated entity. If the LBMA should cease operations, or if bullion trading should become subject to a value added tax or other tax or any other form of regulation currently not in place, the role of the LBMA gold and silver prices as a global benchmark for the value of gold and silver may be adversely affected. The LBMA is a principals' market that operates in a manner more closely analogous to an over-the-counter physical commodity market than a regulated futures market, and certain features of U.S. futures contracts are not present in the context of LBMA trading. For example, there are no daily price limits on the LBMA that would otherwise restrict fluctuations in the prices of LBMA contracts. In a declining market, it is possible that prices would continue to decline without limitation within a trading day or over a period of trading days. The LBMA may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the LBMA gold and silver prices or LBMA gold price, which could adversely affect the value of the Notes. The LBMA, or an independent service provider appointed by the LBMA, will have no obligation to consider your interests in calculating or revising the LBMA gold and silver price. All of these factors could adversely affect the price of the SLV or the GLD and, therefore, the return on the Notes.
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The performance of the GLD and the SLV may be influenced by gold and silver prices. To the extent the price of gold or silver has a limited effect, if any, on the performance of the GLD and the SLV, gold prices and silver prices are subject to volatile price movements over short periods of time, represent trading in commodities markets, which are substantially different from equities markets, and are affected by numerous factors. These include economic factors, including the structure of and confidence in the global monetary system, expectations of the future rate of inflation, the relative strength of, and confidence in, the U.S. dollar (the currency in which the prices of gold and silver are generally quoted), interest rates and gold and silver borrowing and lending rates, and global or regional economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial, or other events. Gold prices and silver prices may also be affected by industry factors such as industrial and jewelry demand, lending, sales and purchases of gold and silver by the official sector, including central banks and other governmental agencies and multilateral institutions which hold gold and silver, levels of gold and silver production and production costs, and short-term changes in supply and demand because of trading activities in the gold and silver markets. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effects of all or any combination of these factors. Any negative developments with respect to these factors may have an adverse effect on gold and silver prices and, as a result, on the prices of the GLD and the SLV and, therefore, the return on the Notes.
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There is no direct correlation between the value of the Notes or the price of the GLD or the SLV, on the one hand, and gold and silver prices, on the other hand. Although the price of gold or silver is one factor that may influence the performance of the GLD and the SLV, the Notes are not linked to the gold or silver spot prices or to gold or silver futures. There is no direct linkage between the price of the GLD and the SLV and the prices of gold and silver. While gold and silver prices may be one factor that could affect the underlying asset of the GLD and the underlying asset of the SLV and, consequently, the price of the GLD and the SLV, the amounts payable on the Notes are not directly linked to the movement of gold and silver prices and may be affected by factors unrelated to those movements. Investing in the Notes is not the same as investing in gold or silver, and you should not invest in the Notes if you wish to invest in a product that is linked directly to the price of gold or silver.
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Gold prices are characterized by high and unpredictable volatility, which could lead to high and unpredictable volatility in the GLD. The investment objective of the GLD is to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the GLD's expenses. The price of gold is primarily affected by the global demand for and supply of gold. The market for gold bullion is global, and gold prices are subject to
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-13
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volatile price movements over short periods of time and are affected by numerous factors, including macroeconomic factors, such as the structure of and confidence in the global monetary system, expectations regarding the future rate of inflation, the relative strength of, and confidence in, the U.S. dollar (the currency in which the price of gold is usually quoted), interest rates, gold borrowing and lending rates and global or regional economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events. Gold prices may be affected by industry factors, such as industrial and jewelry demand as well as lending, sales and purchases of gold by the official sector, including central banks and other governmental agencies and multilateral institutions that hold gold. Additionally, gold prices may be affected by levels of gold production, production costs and short-term changes in supply and demand due to trading activities in the gold market. From time to time, above-ground inventories of gold may also influence the market. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effect of all or any combination of these factors. The price of gold has recently been, and may continue to be, extremely volatile. Consequently, the performance of the GLD and the return on the Notes could be adversely affected.
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The value of the GLD may not fully replicate the price of gold. The performance of the GLD may not fully replicate the price of gold due to the fees and expenses charged by the GLD, restrictions on access to gold or other circumstances. The GLD does not generate any income and as the GLD regularly sells gold to pay for its ongoing expenses, the amount of gold represented by the GLD has gradually declined over time. The GLD sells gold to pay expenses on an ongoing basis irrespective of whether the trading price of the GLD rises or falls in response to changes in the price of gold. The sale of the GLD's gold to pay expenses at a time of low gold prices could adversely affect the value of the GLD. Additionally, there is a risk that part or all of the GLD's gold could be lost, damaged or stolen due to war, terrorism, theft, natural disaster or otherwise.
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The Notes are subject to risks associated with silver. The SLV seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of silver, less the SLV's expenses and liabilities. The price of silver is primarily affected by global demand for and supply of silver. Silver prices can fluctuate widely and may be affected by numerous factors. These include general economic trends, increases in silver hedging activity by silver producers, significant changes in attitude by speculators and investors in silver, technical developments, substitution issues and regulation, as well as specific factors including industrial and jewelry demand, expectations with respect to the rate of inflation, the relative strength of the U.S. dollar (the currency in which the price of silver is generally quoted) and other currencies, interest rates, central bank sales, forward sales by producers, global or regional political or economic events and production costs and disruptions in major silver-producing countries, such as Mexico, China and Peru. The demand for and supply of silver affect silver prices, but not necessarily in the same manner as supply and demand affect the prices of other commodities. The supply of silver consists of a combination of new mine production and existing stocks of bullion and fabricated silver held by governments, public and private financial institutions, industrial organizations and private individuals. In addition, the price of silver has on occasion been subject to very rapid short-term changes due to speculative activities. From time to time, above-ground inventories of silver may also influence the market. The major end uses for silver include industrial applications, jewelry and silverware. It is not possible to predict the aggregate effect of all or any combination of these factors.
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Single commodity prices tend to be more volatile than, and may not correlate with, the prices of commodities generally. Each of the GLD and the SLV is linked to a single commodity and not to a diverse basket of commodities or a broad-based commodity index. The GLD's or the SLV's underlying commodity may not correlate to the price of commodities generally and may diverge significantly from the prices of commodities generally. As a result, the Notes carry greater risk and may be more volatile than securities linked to the prices of more commodities or a broad-based commodity index.
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The GLD and the SLV are not investment companies or commodity pools and will not be subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended. Accordingly, you will not benefit from any regulatory protections afforded to persons who invest in regulated investment companies or commodity pools.
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The performance of the GLD or the SLV may not correlate with the performance of its respective underlying commodity as well as its respective net asset value ("NAV"), especially during periods of market volatility. Neither the GLD nor the SLV fully replicates the performance of its underlying commodity, which is gold and silver, respectively, due to the fees and expenses charged by the SLV or by restrictions on access to its underlying commodity due to other circumstances. The SLV and the GLD do not generate any income, and as each of the SLV and the GLD regularly sells its underlying commodity to pay for ongoing expenses, the amount of its underlying commodity represented by each share gradually declines over time. Each of the SLV and the GLD sells its underlying commodity to pay expenses on an ongoing basis irrespective of whether the trading price of the shares rises or falls in response to changes in the price of its underlying commodity. The sale by the SLV or the GLD of its underlying commodity to pay expenses at a time of low prices for its underlying commodity could adversely affect the value of the Notes. Additionally, there is a risk that part or all of the SLV's or the GLD's holdings in its underlying commodity could be lost, damaged or stolen. Access to the SLV's or the GLD's underlying commodity could also be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake) or human actions (such as a terrorist attack). All of these factors may lead to a lack of correlation between the performance of the SLV and its underlying commodity. In addition, because the shares of each of the SLV and the GLD are traded on a securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of the SLV or the GLD may differ from the NAV per share of the SLV or the GLD, as applicable. During periods of market volatility, each of the SLV's and the GLD's underlying commodity may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the NAV per share of the SLV or the GLD and the liquidity of the SLV or the GLD may be adversely affected. This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares of the SLV or the GLD. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the SLV or the GLD. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the SLV or the GLD may vary substantially from its respective NAV per share. For all of the foregoing reasons, the performance of the SLV or the GLD may
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-14
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not correlate with the performance of its underlying commodity as well as its respective NAV per share, which could materially and adversely affect the value of the Notes in the secondary market and/or reduce any payment on the Notes.
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Adverse conditions in the biotechnology sector may reduce your return on the Notes. All of the stocks held by the XBI are issued by companies whose primary lines of business are directly associated with the biotechnology sector. The profitability of these companies is largely dependent on, among other things, demand for the companies' products, regulatory influences on the biotechnology market (including healthcare reform and receipt of regulatory approvals and compliance with complex regulatory requirements), pricing and reimbursement from third party payors, continued innovation and successful development of new products, talent attraction and retention, maintaining intellectual property rights and industry competition. Any adverse developments affecting the biotechnology sector could adversely affect the price of the XBI and, in turn, the value of the Notes.
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The stocks held by the XBI are concentrated in one sector. The XBI holds securities issued by companies in the biotechnology sector. As a result, the stocks that will determine in part the performance of the Notes are concentrated in one sector. Although an investment in the Notes will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the securities held by the XBI, the return on an investment in the Notes will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in this sector. Accordingly, by investing in the Notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.
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The performance of the XBI may not correlate with the performance of its underlying index as well as the NAV per share of the XBI, especially during periods of market volatility. The performance of the XBI and that of its underlying index generally will vary due to, for example, transaction costs, management fees, certain corporate actions, and timing variances. Moreover, it is also possible that the performance of the XBI may not fully replicate or may, in certain circumstances, diverge significantly from the performance of its underlying index. This could be due to, for example, the XBI not holding all or substantially all of the underlying assets included in its underlying index and/or holding assets that are not included in its underlying index, the temporary unavailability of certain securities in the secondary market, the performance of any derivative instruments held by the XBI, differences in trading hours between the XBI (or the underlying assets held by the XBI) and its underlying index, or other circumstances. This variation in performance is called the "tracking error," and, at times, the tracking error may be significant. In addition, because the shares of the XBI are traded on a securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market price of one share of the XBI may differ from its NAV per share; shares of the XBI may trade at, above, or below its NAV per share. During periods of market volatility, securities held by the XBI may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the NAV per share of the XBI and the liquidity of the XBI may be adversely affected. Market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to trade shares of the XBI. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the XBI. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the XBI may vary substantially from the NAV per share of the XBI.
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The anti-dilution adjustments will be limited. The calculation agent may adjust the Price Multiplier of an Underlying and other terms of the Notes to reflect certain actions by an Underlying, as described in the section "Description of the Notes-Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs" in the accompanying product supplement. The calculation agent will not be required to make an adjustment for every event that may affect an Underlying and will have broad discretion to determine whether and to what extent an adjustment is required.
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The publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor of an Underlying may adjust that Underlying in a way that affects its prices, and the publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor has no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor of an Underlying can add, delete, or substitute the components included in that Underlying or make other methodological changes that could change its price. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your Notes.
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The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the Notes. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of the Notes or securities similar to the Notes 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 Notes are not certain. Under the terms of the Notes, you will have agreed with us to treat the Notes as contingent income-bearing 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 Notes, the timing and character of income, gain or loss with respect to the Notes may differ. No ruling will be requested from the IRS with respect to the Notes 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 Notes.
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-15
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-16
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-17
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float-adjusted market capitalization above US$500 million and float-adjusted liquidity ratio above 90%; or
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float-adjusted market capitalization above US$400 million and float-adjusted liquidity ratio above 150%.
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Market Capitalization: Float-adjusted market capitalization should be at least US$400 million for inclusion in the underlying index. Existing index components must have a float-adjusted market capitalization of US$300 million to remain in the Underlying Index at each rebalancing.
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Liquidity: The liquidity measurement used is a liquidity ratio, defined as dollar value traded over the previous 12-months divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization as of the Underlying Index rebalancing reference date. Stocks having a float-adjusted market capitalization above US$500 million must have a liquidity ratio greater than 90% to be eligible for addition to the Underlying Index. Stocks having a float-adjusted market capitalization between US$400 and US$500 million must have a liquidity ratio greater than 150% to be eligible for addition to the Underlying Index. Existing index constituents must have a liquidity ratio greater than 50% to remain in the Underlying Index at the quarterly rebalancing. The length of time to evaluate liquidity is reduced to the available trading period for IPOs or spin-offs that do not have 12 months of trading history.
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Takeover Restrictions: At the discretion of S&P, constituents with shareholder ownership restrictions defined in company bylaws may be deemed ineligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. Ownership restrictions preventing entities from replicating the index weight of a company may be excluded from the eligible universe or removed from the Underlying Index.
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Turnover: S&P believes turnover in index membership should be avoided when possible. At times, a company may appear to temporarily violate one or more of the addition criteria. However, the addition criteria are for addition to the Underlying Index, not for continued membership. As a result, an index constituent that appears to violate the criteria for addition to the Underlying Index will not be deleted unless ongoing conditions warrant a change in the composition of the Underlying Index.
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-18
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-19
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-20
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-21
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-22
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-23
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-24
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-25
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-26
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-27
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CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-28
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Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated December 30, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1682472/000119312522315473/d429684d424b2.htm |
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Series A MTN prospectus supplement dated December 30, 2022 and prospectus dated December 30, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1682472/000119312522315195/d409418d424b3.htm |
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD NOTES | PS-29
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