09/05/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/05/2025 14:09
This pricing supplement, which is not complete and may be changed, relates to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933. This pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer to sell these Notes in any country or jurisdiction where such an offer would not be permitted.
•
|
The Auto-Callable Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the TOPIX® Index, the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and the iShares® Russell 2000® Value ETF, due September 12, 2030 (the "Notes") are expected to price on September 9, 2025 and expected to issue on September 12, 2025.
|
•
|
Approximate 5 year term if not called prior to maturity.
|
•
|
Payment on the Notes will depend on the individual performance of the TOPIX® Index, the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and the iShares® Russell 2000® Value ETF (each an "Underlying").
|
•
|
Beginning with the September 14, 2026 Call Observation Date, automatically callable annually for an amount equal to the applicable Call Amount if, on the applicable Call Observation Date, the Observation Value of each Underlying is equal to or greater than its Call Value. The Call Observation Dates and Call Amounts are indicated on page PS-4.
|
•
|
Assuming the Notes are not called prior to maturity, if the Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to 80% of its Starting Value, at maturity, you will receive $1,700.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of your Notes.
|
•
|
However, assuming the Notes are not called prior to maturity, if any Underlying declines by more than 20% 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.
|
•
|
Any payment on the Notes is 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.
|
•
|
No periodic interest payments.
|
•
|
The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
|
•
|
CUSIP No. 09711MGE6.
|
Public Offering Price(1)
|
Underwriting Discount(1)(2)
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance(2)
|
|
Per Note
|
$1,000.00
|
$4.00
|
$996.00
|
Total
|
(1)
|
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 $996.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
|
(2)
|
The underwriting discount per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes may be as high as $4.00, resulting in proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance of as low as $996.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
|
Are Not FDIC Insured
|
Are not Bank Guaranteed
|
May Lose Value
|
Selling Agent
|
Issuer:
|
BofA Finance
|
Guarantor:
|
BAC
|
Denominations:
|
The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000.00 and whole multiples of $1,000.00 in excess thereof.
|
Term:
|
Approximately 5 years, unless previously automatically called.
|
Underlyings:
|
The TOPIX® Index (Bloomberg symbol: "TPX"), a price return index, the iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (Bloomberg symbol: "EEM") and the iShares® Russell 2000® Value ETF (Bloomberg symbol: "IWN").
|
Pricing Date*:
|
September 9, 2025
|
Issue Date*:
|
September 12, 2025
|
Valuation Date*:
|
September 9, 2030, 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.
|
Maturity Date*:
|
September 12, 2030
|
Starting Value:
|
With respect to the TPX, its closing level on the pricing date.
With respect to the EEM, its Closing Market Price on the pricing date.
With respect to the IWN, its Closing Market Price on the pricing date.
|
Observation Value:
|
With respect to the TPX, its closing level on the applicable Call Observation Date.
With respect to the EEM, its Closing Market Price on the applicable Call Observation Date, multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
With respect to the IWN, its Closing Market Price on the applicable Call Observation Date, multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
|
Ending Value:
|
With respect to the TPX, its closing level on the Valuation Date.
With respect to the EEM, its Closing Market Price on the Valuation Date, multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
With respect to the IWN, its Closing Market Price on the Valuation Date, multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
|
Call Value:
|
With respect to each Underlying, 100.00% of its Starting Value.
|
Price Multiplier:
|
With respect to each of the EEM and the IWN, 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.
|
Redemption Barrier:
|
With respect to each Underlying, 80.00% of its Starting Value.
|
Automatic Call:
|
Beginning with the September 14, 2026 Call Observation Date, all (but not less than all) of the Notes will be automatically called at an amount equal to the applicable Call Amount if the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Call Value on any Call Observation Date. If the Notes are automatically called, the applicable Call Amount will be paid on the applicable Call Payment Date. No further amounts will be payable following an Automatic Call.
|
Redemption Amount:
|
If the Notes have not been automatically 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 Redemption Barrier:
b) If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Redemption Barrier:
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-2
|
In this case, the Redemption Amount will be less than 80.00% of the principal amount and you could lose up to 100.00% of your investment in the Notes.
|
|
Call Observation Dates*:
|
As set forth beginning on page PS-4
|
Call Payment Dates*:
|
As set forth beginning on page PS-4
|
Call Amounts (per $1,000.00 in principal amount):
|
As set forth beginning on page PS-4
|
Calculation Agent:
|
BofA Securities, Inc. ("BofAS"), an affiliate of BofA Finance.
|
Selling Agent:
|
BofAS
|
CUSIP:
|
09711MGE6
|
Underlying Return:
|
With respect to each Underlying,
|
Least Performing Underlying:
|
The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return.
|
Events of Default and Acceleration:
|
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; provided that, if the event of default occurs on or prior to the Valuation Date (i.e., not during the period from after that Valuation Date to the original maturity date of the Notes), then the payment on the Notes will be determined as described above under the caption "-Automatic Call," calculated as if the next scheduled Call Observation Date were three Trading Days prior to the date of acceleration, and in such a case, the calculation agent shall pro-rate the applicable Call Amount according to the period of time elapsed between the issue date of the notes and the date of acceleration. 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.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-3
|
Call Observation Dates*
|
Call Payment Dates
|
Call Amounts (per $1,000.00 in principal amount)
|
September 14, 2026
|
September 17, 2026
|
$1,140.00
|
September 9, 2027
|
September 14, 2027
|
$1,280.00
|
September 11, 2028
|
September 14, 2028
|
$1,420.00
|
September 10, 2029
|
September 13, 2029
|
$1,560.00
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-4
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-5
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-6
|
Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying
|
Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying
|
Redemption Amount per Note
|
Return on the Notes(1)
|
160.00
|
60.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
150.00
|
50.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
140.00
|
40.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
130.00
|
30.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
120.00
|
20.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
110.00
|
10.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
105.00
|
5.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
102.00
|
2.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
100.00(2)
|
0.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
90.00
|
-10.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
80.00(3)
|
-20.00%
|
$1,700.00
|
70.00%
|
79.99
|
-20.01%
|
$799.90
|
-20.01%
|
70.00
|
-30.00%
|
$700.00
|
-30.00%
|
60.00
|
-40.00%
|
$600.00
|
-40.00%
|
50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$500.00
|
-50.00%
|
0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$0.00
|
-100.00%
|
(1)
|
The "Return on the Notes" is calculated based on the Redemption Amount.
|
(2)
|
The hypothetical Starting Value of 100 used in the table above has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and does not represent a likely Starting Value of any Underlying.
|
(3)
|
This is the hypothetical Redemption Barrier of the Least Performing Underlying.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-7
|
•
|
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 automatically called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of any Underlying is less than its Redemption Barrier, 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.
|
•
|
Any positive investment return on the Notes is limited. You will not participate in any increase in the level of any Underlying. Any positive investment return is limited to the applicable Call Amount or the maximum Redemption Amount of $1,700.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes, as applicable, if the Observation Value or Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Call Value or Redemption Barrier, as applicable, on any Call Observation Date or the Valuation Date, as applicable. In contrast, a direct investment in an Underlying or in the securities held by or included in an Underlying, as applicable, 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. The return on the Notes may be less than a comparable investment directly in the securities held by or included in the Underlyings. There is no guarantee that the Notes will be called or, if not called, redeemed at maturity for more than the principal amount, and it is possible that you will not receive any positive return on the Notes.
|
•
|
The Notes do not bear interest. Unlike a conventional debt security, no interest payments will be paid over the term of the Notes, regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value or Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying exceeds its Starting Value, Redemption Barrier or Call Value.
|
•
|
The Notes are subject to a potential Automatic Call, which would limit your ability to receive further payment on the Notes. The Notes are subject to a potential Automatic Call. The Notes will be automatically called if, on any Call Observation Date, the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Call Value. If the Notes are automatically called prior to the Maturity Date, you will be entitled to receive the applicable Call Amount with respect to the applicable Call Observation Date and no further amounts will be payable following the Automatic Call. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to receive payment of any higher Call Amount or Redemption Amount that otherwise would be payable after the date of the Automatic Call. 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.
|
•
|
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.
|
•
|
The Call Amount or Redemption Amount, as applicable, will not reflect changes in the values of the Underlyings other than on the Call Observation Dates or Valuation Date, as applicable. The values of the Underlyings during the term of the Notes other than on the Call Observation Dates or Valuation Date, as applicable, 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 the Notes will be automatically called and will calculate the Call Amount or the Redemption Amount, as applicable, by comparing only the Starting Value, the Call Value or the Redemption Barrier, as applicable, to the Observation Value or the Ending Value for each Underlying. No other values of the Underlyings will be taken into account. As a result, if the Notes are not automatically called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Redemption Barrier, you will receive less than the principal amount at maturity even if the value of each Underlying was always above its Redemption Barrier prior to the Valuation Date.
|
•
|
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 Call Value or Redemption Barrier, as applicable. Your Notes are linked to the least performing of the Underlyings, and a change in the value of one Underlying may not correlate with changes in the values of the other Underlyings. The Notes are not linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings, where the depreciation in the value of one Underlying could be offset to some extent by the appreciation in the values 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 value of one Underlying would not be offset by any appreciation in the values of the other Underlyings. Even if the Observation Value of an Underlying is at or above its Call Value on a Call Observation Date, your Notes will not be automatically called if the Observation Value of another Underlying is below
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-8
|
its Call Value on that day. In addition, even if the Ending Value of an Underlying is at or above its Redemption Barrier, 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 Redemption Barrier.
|
•
|
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. |
•
|
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.
|
•
|
The public offering price you pay for the Notes will exceed their initial estimated value. The range of initial estimated values of the Notes 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 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 values 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.
|
•
|
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.
|
•
|
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.
|
•
|
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 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. 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 securities 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 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 values of the Underlyings in a manner that could be adverse to your
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-9
|
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 affect the values of the Underlyings. Consequently, the values 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 expect to engage in hedging activities that could affect the values 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 values of the Underlyings, the market value of your Notes prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the Notes. |
•
|
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.
|
•
|
The Notes are subject to foreign currency exchange rate risk. The TPX and the EEM each include or hold securities traded outside of the United States. The values of the TPX and the EEM will depend upon the values of these securities, which will in turn depend in part upon changes in the value of the currencies in which the securities tracked or held by the TPX and the EEM are traded. Accordingly, investors in the Notes will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which the securities tracked or held by the TPX and the EEM are traded. An investor's net exposure will depend on the extent to which these currencies strengthen or weaken against the U.S. dollar. If the dollar strengthens against these currencies, the values of the TPX and the EEM will be adversely affected and the value of the TPX and the EEM may decrease.
|
•
|
The Notes are subject to risks associated with small-size capitalization companies. The equity securities held by the IWN are issued by companies with small-sized market capitalization. The stock prices of small-size companies may be more volatile than stock prices of large capitalization companies. Small-size capitalization companies may be less able to withstand adverse economic market trade and competitive conditions relative to larger companies. Small-size capitalization companies may also be more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products or services.
|
•
|
The Notes are subject to risks associated with foreign securities markets. The TPX and the EEM each include or hold certain foreign equity securities. You should be aware that investments in securities linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. The foreign securities markets comprising the TPX and the EEM may have less liquidity and may be more volatile than U.S. or other securities markets and market developments may affect foreign markets differently from U.S. or other securities markets. Direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize these foreign securities markets, as well as cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in these markets. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC, and foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
|
•
|
There are risks associated with emerging markets. An investment in the Notes will involve risks not generally associated with investments which have no emerging market component. In particular, many emerging nations are undergoing rapid change, involving the restructuring of economic, political, financial and legal systems. Regulatory and tax environments may be subject to change without review or appeal. Many emerging markets suffer from underdevelopment of capital markets and tax regulation. The risk of expropriation and nationalization remains a threat. Guarding against such risks is made more difficult by low levels of corporate disclosure and unreliability of economic and financial data.
|
•
|
The performance of the EEM or the IWN may not correlate with the performance of its respective underlying index (each an "underlying index") as well as its respective net asset value per share or unit, especially during periods of market volatility. The performance of the EEM or the IWN and that of its respective 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 EEM or the IWN 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 EEM or the IWN not holding all or substantially all of the underlying assets included in its underlying index
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-10
|
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 EEM or the IWN, differences in trading hours between the EEM or the IWN (or its respective underlying assets) and its respective 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 or units of each of the EEM and the IWN are traded on a securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market price of one share or unit of the EEM or the IWN may differ from its respective net asset value per share or unit; shares or units of the EEM or the IWN may trade at, above, or below its respective net asset value per share or unit. During periods of market volatility, securities held by the EEM or the IWN may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the respective net asset value per share or unit of the EEM or the IWN and the liquidity of the EEM or the IWN may be adversely affected. Market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to trade shares or units of the EEM or the IWN. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares or units of the EEM or the IWN. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares or units of the EEM or the IWN may vary substantially from its respective net asset value per share or unit.
|
•
|
The anti-dilution adjustments will be limited. The calculation agent may adjust the Price Multiplier of each of the EEM or the IWN and other terms of the Notes to reflect certain actions by that 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 the EEM or the IWN and will have broad discretion to determine whether and to what extent an adjustment is required.
|
•
|
The publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor of an Underlying may adjust that Underlying in a way that affects its values, 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 value. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your Notes.
|
•
|
Governmental regulatory actions could result in material changes to the composition of the EEM and could negatively affect your return on the Notes. Governmental regulatory actions, including but not limited to sanctions-related actions by the U.S. or foreign governments, could make it necessary or advisable for there to be material changes to the composition of the EEM, depending on the nature of such governmental regulatory actions and the constituent stocks that are affected. For instance, pursuant to recent executive orders, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions in publicly traded securities of certain companies that are determined to be linked to the People's Republic of China (the "PRC") military, intelligence and security apparatus, or securities that are derivative of, or are designed to provide investment exposure to such securities. If any governmental regulatory action results in the removal of constituent stocks that have (or historically have had) significant weights within the EEM, such removal, or even any uncertainty relating to a possible removal, could have a material and negative effect on the price of the EEM and, therefore, your return on the Notes.
|
•
|
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 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 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.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-11
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-12
|
i.
|
Designation of "phased weighting reduction constituents"
|
●
|
Of the constituents as of April 1, 2022, those that fall under both the following (a) and (b) will be designated as "phased weighting reduction constituents":
|
(a)
|
First decision: The constituent's tradable share market capitalization is less then JPY 10 billion as of the "Notice on Whether the Listed Company is Meeting the Continued Listing Criteria for New Market Segments", which has a base date of June 30, 2021, and
|
(b)
|
Second decision: The constituent's tradeable share market capitalization is less than JPY 10 billion at the end of the reporting period following the reporting period used in decision (a).
|
●
|
Any constituent applying for listing on the First Section through an initial listing (excluding technical listings) or section transfer after the "first set of revisions pertaining to cash equity market restructuring" were implemented on November 1, 2020 will not be subject to designation as a phased weighting reduction constituent based on tradable share market capitalization.
|
ii.
|
Adjustment to the weighting of phased weighting reduction constituents
|
●
|
The weighting of phased weighting reduction constituents will be reduced in 10 stages on the last business day of every quarter starting on the last business day of October 2022 (October 31, 2022), and these constituents will be removed from the index on the last business day of January 2025.
|
●
|
Said adjustments to the weighting of phased weighting reduction constituents will be calculated by multiplying the free-float weight by the transition factor (which will decrease from 1.0 to 0 in increments of 0.1)
|
●
|
In order to check whether there have been changes to the tradeable share market capitalization of each phased weighting reduction constituent, a re-evaluation will be conducted, using tradable share market capitalization as of the end of the reporting period following the reporting period used for the second decision in (i)(b). If the tradable share market capitalization of a constituent has reached JPY 10 billion or more but the annual traded value ratio of said constituent has not reached 0.2 at this point, the transition factor will no longer decrease as of the fifth stage (it will stay at 0.6, the same as the fourth stage). If the tradable share market capitalization and the annual traded value ratio of a constituent have reached JPY 10 billion or more and 0.2 or more respectively at this point, the transition factor shall be increased to 1 in increments of 0.1 from the fifth stage and said constituent will be removed from the list of phased weighting reduction constituents. The traded value ratio used for the re-evaluation in (ii) is calculated using the sum of monthly traded value ratios from September 2022 to August 2023. The monthly traded value ratio shall be calculated as follows: (Median of daily traded value in trading sessions at TSE multiplied by the number of business days in the month) divided by the free-float adjusted market capitalization as of the last business day of the month before the transition factor was applied.
|
Transition Stage
|
Index Revision Date
|
Transition Factor
|
1st
|
Last business day of October 2022
|
x0.9
|
2nd
|
Last business day of January 2023
|
x0.8
|
3rd
|
Last business day of April 2023
|
x0.7
|
4th
|
Last business day of July 2023
|
x0.6
|
Re-evaluation
|
||
5th
|
Last business day of October 2023
|
x0.5
|
6th
|
Last business day of January 2024
|
x0.4
|
7th
|
Last business day of April 2024
|
x0.3
|
8th
|
Last business day of July 2024
|
x0.2
|
9th
|
Last business day of October 2024
|
x0.1
|
10th (removed from the TPX)
|
Last business day of January 2025
|
x0
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-13
|
•
|
Constituents which are delisted (excluding cases where the stock lists on another TSE market immediately), designated as securities to be delisted or designated as securities on alert shall be removed.
|
•
|
If a constituent is designated as a security on alert as of the day of transition to the new market structure (April 4, 2022), said constituent will be removed from the TPX on the last business day of April 2022.
|
•
|
Stocks which carry out initial listings (excluding technical listings) on or transfer to the Prime Market will be included in the TPX on the last business day of the month following the month containing the listing date or transfer date.
|
•
|
In the event a constituent of the TPX is delisted due to a stock transfer, stock swap, merger for creating a new company or demerger, and the newly created, surviving or succeeding company is listed without delay, JPXI will add the new company to the index.
|
•
|
In the event a constituent of the TPX is delisted due to a stock swap or absorption-type merger, in which the surviving company or the parent company holding all shares of the constituent company is not a constituent of the TPX, then JPXI will add the surviving company or the parent company to the index.
|
Event
|
Adjustment Date
|
Stock Price Used for Adjustment
|
|
Addition
|
A company is to be newly listed on the Prime Market
|
Last business day of the month after such listing
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Addition
|
New listing of a newly formed company resulting from a corporate consolidation, stock transfer, stock swap, merger for creating a new company or demerger that results in a TPX constituent being delisted and the new company being included in the TPX.
|
New listing date. If the initial listing date falls on a holiday, it will be the following business day
|
Base price
|
Addition
|
Delisting of a TPX constituent due to a stock swap or an absorption-type merger with a surviving stock that is not a TPX constituent, and the surviving stock is included in the TPX
|
Delisting date
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Addition
|
A company is to be transferred to the Prime Market
|
Last business day of the month after such change
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Deletion
|
New listing of a newly formed company resulting from a corporate consolidation, stock transfer, stock swap, merger for creating a new company or demerger that results in a TPX constituent being delisted and the new company being included in the TPX.
|
Listing date of the newly formed company (normally two business days following delisting date)
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before the delisting date. The stock price at the end of trading on the business day before the delisting date is used to calculate the TPX for the period from the delisting date to the removal date.
|
Deletion
|
A constituent is to be delisted due to a reason other than as described in the preceding scenario
|
Delisting date
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Deletion
|
A constituent's securities are designated to be delisted or designated as a security on alert
|
Four business days after designation. If the designation date falls on a holiday, it will be the next business day.
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Event
|
Adjustment Date
|
Stock Price Used for Adjustment
|
Change of free-float weight
|
Date of change
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Public offering
|
Additional listing date (day after payment date). If listing date falls on a holiday, it will be the next business day
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Allocation of new shares to a third party
|
Five business days after additional listing date (two business days after payment date)
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Capital increase through allotment to shareholders
|
Ex-rights date
|
Payment price per share
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-14
|
Exercise of subscription warrants
|
Last business day of the month following exercise
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Conversion of preferred shares
|
Last business day of the month following conversion
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Cancellation of treasury stock
|
Last business day of the month following cancellation
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Merger or stock swaps between a non-surviving constituent and another constituent
|
Delisting date of the non-surviving constituent
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Merger or stock swaps other than that described above
|
Listing change date (effective date)
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Rights offering (limited to case where the allotted subscription warrant securities are listed; the case where the allotted subscription warrant securities are not listed is treated as "Exercise of subscription warrants")
|
Ex-rights date
|
Payment price per share
|
Offering for sale of shares held by the Japanese government (Nippon Telegraph, Telephone and Japan Tobacco and Japan Post Holdings only)
|
Date determined by JPXI (generally the delivery date)
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Demerger (absorption-type)
|
Listing change date (the effective date)
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
Other adjustments
|
Last business day of the month in which the information appears in "Sho-ho" (TSE Notice) or the last business day of the following month
|
Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-15
|
(i)
|
The TOPIX® Index Value and the TOPIX® Index Marks are subject to the rights owned by the TSE and the TSE owns all rights relating to the TPX, such as calculation, publication and use of the TOPIX® Index Value and relating to the TOPIX® Index Marks.
|
(ii)
|
The TSE shall reserve the rights to change the methods of calculation or publication, to cease the calculation or publication of the TOPIX® Index Value or to change the TOPIX® Index Marks or cease the use thereof.
|
(iii)
|
The TSE makes no warranty or representation whatsoever, either as to the results stemmed from the use of the TOPIX® Index Value and the TOPIX® Index Marks or as to the figure at which the TOPIX® Index Value stands on any particular day.
|
(iv)
|
The TSE gives no assurance regarding accuracy or completeness of the TOPIX® Index Value and data contained therein. Further, the TSE shall not be liable for the miscalculation, incorrect publication, delayed or interrupted publication of the TOPIX® Index Value.
|
(v)
|
No Notes are in any way sponsored, endorsed or promoted by the TSE.
|
(vi)
|
The TSE shall not bear any obligation to give an explanation of the Notes or an advice on investments to any purchaser of the Notes or to the public.
|
(vii)
|
The TSE neither selects specific stocks or groups thereof nor takes into account any needs of the issuing company or any purchaser of the Notes for calculation of the TOPIX® Index Value.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-16
|
(viii)
|
Including but not limited to the foregoing, the TSE shall not be responsible for any damage resulting from the issue and sale of the Notes.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-17
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-18
|
•
|
semi-annual reviews, which will occur each May and November and will involve a comprehensive reevaluation of the market, the universe of eligible securities and other factors involved in composing the indices;
|
•
|
quarterly reviews, which will occur each February, May, August and November and will focus on significant changes in the market since the last semi-annual review and on including significant new eligible securities (such as IPOs, which were not eligible for earlier inclusion in the indices); and
|
•
|
ongoing event-related changes, which will generally be reflected in the indices at the time of the event and will include changes resulting from mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, bankruptcies, reorganizations and other similar corporate events.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-19
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-20
|
•
|
The IWN is a tracking ETF that seeks investment results which correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell 2000® Value Index.
|
•
|
The IWN's shares trade on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol "IWN".
|
•
|
The iShares® Trust's SEC CIK Number is 0001100663.
|
•
|
IWN's inception date was July 24, 2000.
|
•
|
The IWN's shares are issued or redeemed only in creation units of 50,000 shares or multiples thereof.
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-21
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-22
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-23
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-24
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-25
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-26
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-27
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-28
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-29
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-30
|
•
|
Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated December 30, 2022: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1682472/000119312522315473/d429684d424b2.htm
|
•
|
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
|
AUTO-CALLABLE NOTES | PS-31
|