10/02/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/02/2025 12:00
Preliminary Pricing Supplement - Subject to Completion
(To Prospectus dated December 30, 2022,
Prospectus Supplement dated December 30, 2022 and
Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated December 30, 2022)
Dated October , 2025
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Series A Registration Statement Nos. 333-268718 and 333-268718-01 |
BofA Finance LLC $---- Trigger Autocallable GEARS
Linked to an Unequally Weighted Basket of Five Indices Due October 18, 2030
Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by Bank of America Corporation
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Investment Description
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The Trigger Autocallable GEARS (the "Notes") linked to an Unequally Weighted Basket of Five Indices due October 18, 2030 are senior unsecured obligations issued by BofA Finance LLC ("BofA Finance"), a consolidated finance subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BAC" or the "Guarantor"), which are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The return on the Notes is linked to the performance of an unequally weighted basket of five indices (the "Basket") comprised of the EURO STOXX 50® Index, the Nikkei 225® Index, the FTSE® 100 Index, the Swiss Market Index® and the S&P®/ASX 200 Index (each, a "Basket Component"). If on the Observation Date the value of the Basket is greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier, which is a value of the Basket equal to a percentage of the Initial Basket Value, as indicated below, then we will automatically call the Notes and pay you a Call Price equal to the Stated Principal Amount plus a Call Return based on the Call Return Rate, and no further amounts will be owed to you. If the Notes are not automatically called on the Observation Date, and the Basket Return is positive, BofA Finance will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity plus a return equal to the Basket Return multiplied by the Upside Gearing of between [1.40 and 1.60] (to be set on the Trade Date). If the Notes are not automatically called on the Observation Date, and both (i) the Basket Return is zero or negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is greater than or equal to the Downside Threshold of 75% of the Initial Basket Value, BofA Finance will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity. However, if the Notes are not automatically called on the Observation Date, and both (i) the Basket Return is negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, you will receive less than the Stated Principal Amount at maturity, resulting in a loss that is equal to the percentage decline in the value of the Basket from the Pricing Date to the Final Observation Date, up to 100% loss of your initial investment.
Investing in the Notes involves significant risks. You will not receive coupon payments during the approximate 5 year term of the Notes. You may lose all or a substantial portion of your initial investment. You will not receive dividends or other distributions paid on any stocks included in the Basket Components. The Contingent Repayment of Principal applies only if you hold the Notes to maturity. Any payment on the Notes, including any repayment of the Stated Principal Amount, is subject to the creditworthiness of BofA Finance and the Guarantor and is not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of any third party.
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Features
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Key Dates1
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❑ Automatic Call Feature- We will automatically call the Notes for a Call Price equal to the Stated Principal Amount plus a Call Return based on the Call Return Rate if the value of the Basket is greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier on the Observation Date (occurring approximately one year after issuance).
❑ Enhanced Growth Potential-If the Notes have not been automatically called and the Basket Return is positive, BofA Finance will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity plus a return equal to the Basket Return multiplied by the Upside Gearing. The Upside Gearing feature will provide leveraged exposure to the positive performance of the Basket.
❑ Downside Exposure with Contingent Repayment of Principal at Maturity- If the Notes have not been automatically called and both (i) the Basket Return is zero or negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is greater than or equal to the Downside Threshold, you will receive the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity. However, if the Basket Return is negative and the Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, you will receive less than the Stated Principal Amount at maturity, resulting in a loss that is equal to the percentage decline in the value of the Basket, up to a 100% loss of your investment.
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Trade Date2
Issue Date2
Observation Date3
Call Settlement Date
Valuation Date3
Maturity Date
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October 16, 2025
October 20, 2025
October 23, 2026
October 27, 2026
October 16, 2030
October 18, 2030
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1 Subject to change and will be set forth in the final pricing supplement relating to the Notes.
2 ;See "Supplement to the Plan of Distribution; Role of BofAS and Conflicts of Interest" in this pricing supplement for additional information.
3 See page PS-4 for additional details.
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Any payment on the Notes is subject to the creditworthiness of BofA Finance and the Guarantor.
NOTICE TO INVESTORS: THE NOTES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RISKIER THAN CONVENTIONAL DEBT INSTRUMENTS. BOFA FINANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY OBLIGATED TO REPAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE STATED PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AT MATURITY, AND THE NOTES CAN HAVE DOWNSIDE MARKET RISK SIMILAR TO THE BASKET, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF ALL OR A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF YOUR INVESTMENT. THIS MARKET RISK IS IN ADDITION TO THE CREDIT RISK INHERENT IN PURCHASING A DEBT OBLIGATION OF BOFA FINANCE THAT IS GUARANTEED BY BAC. YOU SHOULD NOT PURCHASE THE NOTES IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS INVOLVED IN INVESTING IN THE NOTES.
YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISKS DESCRIBED UNDER "RISK FACTORS'' BEGINNING ON PAGE PS-6 OF THIS PRICING SUPPLEMENT, PAGE PS-5 OF THE ACCOMPANYING PRODUCT SUPPLEMENT, PAGE S-6 OF THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND PAGE 7 OF THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS BEFORE PURCHASING ANY NOTES. EVENTS RELATING TO ANY OF THOSE RISKS, OR OTHER RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET VALUE OF, AND THE RETURN ON, YOUR NOTES. YOU MAY LOSE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OR ALL OF YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT IN THE NOTES. THE NOTES WILL NOT BE LISTED ON ANY SECURITIES EXCHANGE AND MAY HAVE LIMITED OR NO LIQUIDITY.
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Notes Offering
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We are offering Trigger Autocallable GEARS linked to an Unequally Weighted Basket of Five Indices due October 18, 2030. The Basket Components are listed below and described in more detail beginning on page PS-12 of this pricing supplement. Any payment on the Notes will be based on the performance of the Basket. The Upside Gearing and the Initial Index Value of each Basket Component will be determined on the Trade Date. The Notes are our senior unsecured obligations, guaranteed by BAC, and are offered for a minimum investment of 100 Notes (each Note corresponding to $10.00 in Stated Principal Amount) at the Public Offering Price described below.
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Basket Components
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Basket Weighting
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Upside Gearing
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Call Return Rate
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Initial Index Value
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Initial Basket Value
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Downside Threshold
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Autocall Barrier
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CUSIP / ISIN
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EURO STOXX 50® Index (Bloomberg ticker: SX5E)
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40.00%
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Between [1.40 and 1.60]
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14.00%
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100.00
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75.00, which is 75% of the Initial Basket Value
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100.00, which is 100.00% of the Initial Basket Value
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09711E639 / US09711E6398
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Nikkei 225® Index (Bloomberg ticker: NKY)
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25.00%
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FTSE® 100 Index (Bloomberg ticker: UKX)
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17.50%
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Swiss Market Index® (Bloomberg ticker: SMI)
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10.00%
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S&P®/ASX 200 Index (Bloomberg ticker: AS51)
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7.50%
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Public Offering Price
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Underwriting Discount(1)
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Proceeds (before expenses) to BofA Finance
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Per Note
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$10.00
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$0.25
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$9.75
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Total
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$
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$
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$
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UBS Financial Services Inc.
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BofA Securities
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Additional Information about BofA Finance LLC, Bank of America Corporation and the Notes
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You should read carefully this entire pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus to understand fully the terms of the Notes, as well as the tax and other considerations important to you in making a decision about whether to invest in the Notes. In particular, you should review carefully the section in this pricing supplement entitled "Risk Factors," which highlights a number of risks of an investment in the Notes, to determine whether an investment in the Notes is appropriate for you. If information in this pricing supplement is inconsistent with the product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus, this pricing supplement will supersede those documents. You are urged to consult with your own attorneys and business and tax advisors before making a decision to purchase any of the Notes.
The information in the "Summary" section is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed explanation set forth elsewhere in this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. You should rely only on the information contained in this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. None of us, the Guarantor, BofAS or UBS is making an offer to sell these Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement, and prospectus is accurate only as of the date on their respective front covers.
Certain terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings set forth in the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this pricing supplement to "we," "us," "our," or similar references are to BofA Finance, and not to BAC (or any other affiliate of BofA Finance).
The above-referenced accompanying documents may be accessed at the following links:
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Product supplement EQUITY-1 dated December 30, 2022:
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Series A MTN prospectus supplement dated December 30, 2022 and prospectus dated December 30, 2022:
The Notes are our senior debt securities. Any payments on the Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BAC. The Notes and the related guarantee are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The Notes will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations, except obligations that are subject to any priorities or preferences by law. The related guarantee will rank equally in right of payment with all of BAC's other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations, except obligations that are subject to any priorities or preferences by law, and senior to its subordinated obligations. Any payments due on the Notes, including any repayment of the principal amount, will be subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as guarantor.
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Investor Suitability
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The Notes may be suitable for you if, among other considerations:
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You fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Notes, including the risk of loss of your entire investment.
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You do not seek current income from your investment and are willing to forgo dividends or any other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Basket Components.
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You can tolerate a loss of all or a substantial portion of your investment and are willing to make an investment that will have the full downside market risk of an investment in the Basket.
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You understand and accept the risks associated with the Basket Components.
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You believe that the value of the Basket on the Observation Date will be greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier or that the Final Basket Value is likely to be above the Initial Basket Value.
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You understand and accept that your Notes will be automatically called if the value of the Basket on the Observation Date (occurring approximately one year after issuance) is greater than the Autocall Barrier and, if called, that your potential return is limited to the Call Return, regardless of the potential appreciation of the Basket, which could be significant.
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You are willing to invest in the Notes based on the Downside Threshold and Call Return Rate specified on the cover hereof and if the Upside Gearing was set equal to the bottom of the range indicated on the cover hereof (the actual Upside Gearing will be set on the Trade Date).
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You can tolerate fluctuations in the value of the Notes prior to maturity that may be similar to or exceed the downside fluctuations in the value of the Basket.
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You are willing to invest in Notes that may be subject to an automatic call and are otherwise able to hold the Notes to maturity, and accept that there may be little or no secondary market for the Notes.
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You are willing to assume the credit risk of BofA Finance and BAC for all payments under the Notes, and understand that if BofA Finance and BAC default on their obligations, you might not receive any amounts due to you, including any repayment of the Stated Principal Amount.
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The Notes may not be suitable for you if, among other considerations:
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You do not fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Notes, including the risk of loss of your entire investment.
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You seek current income from this investment or prefer to receive the dividends and any other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Basket Components.
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You cannot tolerate the loss of all or a substantial portion of your initial investment, or you are not willing to make an investment that will have the full downside market risk of an investment in the Basket.
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You require an investment designed to guarantee a full return of the Stated Principal Amount at maturity.
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You do not understand or are not willing to accept the risks associated with the Basket Components.
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You do not understand or accept that, if the Notes are automatically called, you will not participate in any appreciation in the value of the Basket and your potential return is limited to the Call Return.
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You believe the value of the Basket on the Observation Date will not be greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier or that the Final Basket Value is likely to be below the Downside Threshold on the Valuation Date, exposing you to downside performance of the Basket.
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You are not willing to invest in the Notes based on the Downside Threshold or Call Return Rate specified on the cover hereof or if the Upside Gearing was set equal to the bottom of the range indicated on the cover hereof (the actual Upside Gearing will be set on the Trade Date).
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You cannot tolerate fluctuations in the value of the Notes prior to maturity that may be similar to or exceed the downside fluctuations in the value of the Basket.
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You are unable or unwilling to invest in Notes that may be automatically called early, or you are otherwise unable or unwilling to hold the Notes to maturity, or you seek an investment for which there will be an active secondary market.
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You prefer the lower risk of conventional fixed income investments with comparable maturities and credit ratings.
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You are not willing to assume the credit risk of BofA Finance and BAC for all payments under the Notes, including any repayment of the Stated Principal Amount.
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The suitability considerations identified above are not exhaustive. Whether or not the Notes are a suitable investment for you will depend on your individual circumstances and you should reach an investment decision only after you and your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors have carefully considered the suitability of an investment in the Notes in light of your particular circumstances. You should review "The Basket and the Basket Components" herein for more information on the Basket and the Basket Components. You should also review carefully the "Risk Factors" section herein for risks related to an investment in the Notes.
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Summary
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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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Public Offering Price
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100% of the Stated Principal Amount
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Stated Principal Amount
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$10.00 per Note
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Minimum Investment
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$1,000 (100 Notes)
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Term
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Approximately 5 years, unless earlier automatically called.
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Trade Date1,2
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October 16, 2025
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Issue Date1,2
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October 20, 2025
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Valuation Date1
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October 16, 2030, subject to postponement as set forth in "Description of the Notes-Certain Terms of the Notes-Events Relating to Calculation Days" beginning on page PS-22 of the accompanying product supplement.
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Maturity Date1
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October 18, 2030
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Basket
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The Notes are linked to an unequally weighted basket consisting of the following indices and their respective weightings:
EURO STOXX 50® Index (Bloomberg ticker: SX5E)
40.00%
Nikkei 225® Index (Bloomberg ticker: NKY)
25.00%
FTSE® 100 Index (Bloomberg ticker: UKX)
17.50%
Swiss Market Index® (Bloomberg ticker: SMI)
10.00%
S&P®/ASX 200 Index (Bloomberg ticker: AS51)
7.50%
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Automatic Call Feature
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The Notes will be automatically called if the Current Basket Value is greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier on the Observation Date.
If the Notes are automatically called, we will pay you on the Call Settlement Date a cash payment per $10.00 Stated Principal Amount equal to the Call Price for the Observation Date.
If the Notes are automatically called, no further payments will be made on the Notes.
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Observation Date1
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October 23, 2026, subject to postponement as set forth in "Additional Terms Relating to the Observation Date" below.
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Call Settlement Date1
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October 27, 2026
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Call Price
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The Call Price will be $11.40 per $10.00 Stated Principal Amount, calculated based on the following formula:
$10.00 + Call Return
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Call Return/Call Return Rate
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The Call Return will be 14.00% of the Stated Principal Amount, based on the fixed Call Return Rate of 14.00% per annum.
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Payment At Maturity (per $10.00 Stated Principal Amount)
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If the Notes are not automatically called and the Basket Return is positive, we will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity plus a return equal to the Basket Return multiplied by the Upside Gearing, calculated as follows:
$10.00 × (1 + Basket Return x Upside Gearing)
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If the Notes are not automatically called and both (i) the Basket Return is zero or negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is greater than or equal to the Downside Threshold, we will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity.
If the Notes are not automatically called and both (i) the Basket Return is negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, we will repay less than the Stated Principal Amount of your Notes at maturity, resulting in a loss that is equal to the percentage decline in the value of the Basket, calculated as follows:
$10.00 + ($10.00 × Basket Return)
Accordingly, you may lose all or a substantial portion of your Stated Principal Amount at maturity, depending on how significantly the Basket declines.
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Basket Return
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Final Basket Value - Initial Basket Value
Initial Basket Value |
Downside Threshold
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75% of the Initial Basket Value, as specified on the cover page of this pricing supplement.
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Upside Gearing
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Between [1.40 and 1.60]. The actual Upside Gearing will be determined on the Trade Date.
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Initial Basket Value
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100.00
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Current Basket Value
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100.00 x (1 + the sum of the Weighted Basket Component Returns on the Observation Date)
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Final Basket Value
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100.00 × (1 + the sum of the Weighted Basket Component Returns on the Valuation Date)
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Weighted Basket Component Return
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For each Basket Component on the Observation Date, its weighting multiplied by its Basket Component Return on the Observation Date.
For each Basket Component on the Valuation Date, its weighting multiplied by its Basket Component Return on the Valuation Date.
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Basket Component Return
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For each Basket Component on the Observation Date,
Current Index Value - Initial Index Value
Initial Index Value
For each Basket Component on the Valuation Date,
Final Index Value - Initial Index Value
Initial Index Value |
Initial Index Value
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For each Basket Component, the closing level of that Basket Component on the Trade Date, as specified on the cover page of this pricing supplement.
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Current Index Value
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For each Basket Component, the closing level of that Basket Component on the Observation Date.
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Final Index Value
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For each Basket Component, the closing level of that Basket Component on the Valuation Date.
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Autocall Barrier
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100% of the Initial Basket Value, as specified on the cover page of this pricing supplement.
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Calculation Agent
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BofAS, an affiliate of BofA Finance.
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Selling Agents
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BofAS and UBS.
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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,
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1Subject to change and will be set forth in the final pricing supplement relating to the Notes.
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2See "Supplement to the Plan of Distribution; Role of BofAS and Conflicts of Interest" in this pricing supplement for additional information.
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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 "-Payment at Maturity" 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. 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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Additional Terms Relating to the Observation Date
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●
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The closing level of a Basket Component that is not so affected will be its closing level on that Non-Observation Date.
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●
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The closing level of a Basket Component that is affected by that Non-Observation Date will be deemed to be its closing level on the first scheduled Trading Day following that Non-Observation Date. However, if (i) a Market Disruption Event occurs on the first scheduled Trading Day following that Non-Observation Date or (ii) the first scheduled Trading Day following that Non-Observation Date is determined by the calculation agent not to be a Trading Day by reason of an extraordinary event, occurrence, declaration or otherwise, the closing level of the Basket Component for the Observation Date will be determined (or, if not determinable, estimated) by the calculation agent in a manner which the calculation agent considers commercially reasonable under the circumstances on such first scheduled Trading Day following that Non-Observation Date, regardless of the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event or non-Trading Day on that day.
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Investment Timeline
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Trade Date
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The closing level of each Basket Component (its Initial Index Value) is observed and the Upside Gearing is set.
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Observation Date (occurring approximately one year after issuance)
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The Current Basket Value will be determined on the Observation Date.
The Notes will be automatically called if the Current Basket Value on the Observation Date is greater than or equal to the Autocall Barrier.
If the Notes are automatically called on the Observation Date, on the Call Settlement Date we will pay you the Call Price, equal to the Stated Principal Amount plus the Call Return.
If the Notes are automatically called, no further payments will be made on the Notes.
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Maturity Date (if not previously automatically called)
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If the Notes have not been automatically called, the Final Basket Value and the Basket Return will be determined.
If the Notes are not automatically called and the Basket Return is positive, we will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity plus a return equal to the Basket Return multiplied by the Upside Gearing, calculated as follows:
$10.00 × (1 + Basket Return x Upside Gearing)
If the Notes are not automatically called and both (i) the Basket Return is zero or negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is greater than or equal to the Downside Threshold, we will repay the Stated Principal Amount of the Notes at maturity.
If the Notes are not automatically called and both (i) the Basket Return is negative and (ii) the Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, we will repay less than the Stated Principal Amount of your Notes at maturity, resulting in a loss that is equal to the percentage decline in value of the Basket from the Pricing Date to the Valuation Date, calculated as follows:
$10.00 + ($10.00 × Basket Return)
Accordingly, you may lose all or a substantial portion of your Stated Principal Amount at maturity, depending on how significantly the Basket declines.
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Risk Factors
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♦
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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 Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, at maturity, you will lose 1% of the Stated Principal Amount for each 1% that the Final Basket Value is less than the Initial Basket Value. In that case, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the Notes.
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♦
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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 Current Basket Value or Final Basket Value exceeds the Initial Basket Value.
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♦
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If your Notes are called, the appreciation potential of the Notes will be limited. If your Notes are called, your total return on the Notes will be limited to the Call Return, you will not receive the potentially higher return represented by the Payment at Maturity and you will not participate in any potential appreciation of the Basket. As a result, if your Notes are called the return on an investment in the Notes may be significantly less than the return on a hypothetical direct investment in the stocks included in the Basket Components. Furthermore, if the Notes are automatically called, 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. In addition, if the Securities are automatically called, you will not benefit from the Upside Gearing that applies to the Payment at Maturity if the Basket Return is positive. Because the Upside Gearing does not apply to the payment upon an automatic call, the payment upon an automatic call may be significantly less than the Payment at Maturity for the same level of appreciation in the Basket.
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♦
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The determination as to whether the Notes will be automatically called and the Payment at Maturity will not reflect the value of the Basket other than on the Observation Date or Valuation Date, as applicable. The value of the Basket during the term of the Notes other than on the Observation Date or Valuation Date, as applicable, will not affect the determination as to whether the Notes will be automatically called or payments on the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should generally be aware of the performance of the Basket while holding the Notes, as the performance of the Basket may influence the market value of the Notes. The calculation agent will determine whether the Notes are automatically called or will calculate the Payment at Maturity, as applicable, by comparing only the Autocall Barrier to the Current Basket Value on the Observation Date or by comparing only the Initial Basket Value or the Downside Threshold to the Final Basket Value, as applicable. No other values of the Basket will be taken into account. As a result, the Notes will not be automatically called if the Current Basket Value on the Observation Date is less than the Autocall Barrier, even if the value of the Basket was always above the Autocall Barrier on each other day during the term of the Notes. Similarly, if the Notes are not automatically called and the Final Basket Value is less than the Downside Threshold, you will receive less than the Stated Principal Amount at maturity, even if the value of the Basket was above the Downside Threshold prior to the Valuation Date.
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♦
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The limited downside protection provided by the Downside Threshold applies only at maturity. You should be willing to hold your Notes to maturity. If you are able to sell your Notes in the secondary market prior to maturity, you may have to sell them at a loss relative to your initial investment even if the value of the Basket at that time is equal to or greater than the Downside Threshold. Any payment on the Notes is subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as guarantor.
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♦
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The Upside Gearing applies only at maturity. You should be willing to hold your Notes to maturity. If you are able to sell your Notes in the secondary market prior to maturity, the price you receive will likely not reflect the full economic value of the Upside Gearing, and the return you realize may be less than the then-current basket return multiplied by the Upside Gearing, even if such return is positive. You can receive the full benefit of the Upside Gearing only if you hold your Notes to maturity. Any payment on the Notes is subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as Guarantor.
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♦
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Changes in the level of one of the Basket Components may be offset by changes in the levels of the other Basket Components. The Notes are linked to a Basket. Changes in the levels of one or more of the Basket Components may not correlate with changes in the levels of one or more of the other Basket Components. The levels of one or more Basket Components may increase, while the levels of one or more of the other Basket Components may decrease or not increase as much. Therefore, in calculating the value of the Basket, increases in the level of one Basket Component may be moderated or wholly offset by decreases or lesser increases in the level of one or more of the other Basket Components. Due to the different weightings of the Basket Components, adverse changes in the levels of the Basket Components that are more heavily weighted will have a greater impact upon the value of your Notes at any time or the Payment at Maturity than changes in the levels of lower weighted Basket Components.
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♦
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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
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value of money. In addition, if interest rates increase during the term of the Notes, the Call Return Rate may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.
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♦
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Any payment on the Notes is subject to our credit risk and the credit risk of the Guarantor, and actual or perceived changes in our or the Guarantor's creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the 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 payment 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 Call Settlement Date or the Maturity Date, regardless of the value of the Basket as compared to the Downside Threshold, Autocall Barrier or Initial Basket Value, as applicable. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition or the financial condition of the Guarantor will be on the Call Settlement Date or the Maturity Date. If we and the Guarantor become unable to meet our respective financial obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amount payable under the terms of the Notes and you could lose all of your initial investment.
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♦
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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 BAC, 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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♦
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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 Trade 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 levels of the Basket Components, 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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♦
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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 Basket Components, our and BAC's creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
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♦
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The price of the Notes that may be paid by BofAS in any secondary market (if BofAS makes a market, which it is not required to do), as well as the price which may be reflected on customer account statements, will be higher than the then-current estimated value of the Notes for a limited time period after the Trade Date. As agreed by BofAS and UBS, for approximately an eight-month period after the Trade Date, to the extent BofAS offers to buy the Notes in the secondary market, it will do so at a price that will exceed the estimated value of the Notes at that time. The amount of this excess, which represents a portion of the hedging-related charges expected to be realized by BofAS and UBS over the term of the Notes, will decline to zero on a straight line basis over that eight-month period. Accordingly, the estimated value of your Notes during this initial eight-month period may be lower than the value shown on your customer account statements. Thereafter, if BofAS buys or sells your Notes, it will do so at prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to its pricing models at that time. Any price at any time after the Trade Date will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Basket Components and the remaining term of the Notes. However, none of us, the Guarantor, BofAS or any other party is obligated to purchase your Notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that any party will purchase your Notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the Notes.
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♦
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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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♦
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Economic and market factors have affected the terms of the Notes and may affect the market value of the Notes prior to maturity or automatic call, as applicable. Because market-linked notes, including the Notes, can be thought of as having a debt component and a derivative component, factors that influence the values of debt instruments and options and other derivatives will also affect the terms and features of the Notes at issuance and the market price of the Notes prior to maturity or automatic call, as applicable. These factors include the levels of the Basket Components and the values of the securities included in the Basket Components; the volatility of the Basket Components and the securities included in the Basket Components; the dividend rate paid on the securities included in the Basket Components, if applicable; the time remaining to the maturity of the Notes; interest rates in the markets; geopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, force majeure and regulatory or judicial events; whether the value of the Basket is currently or has been less than the Initial Basket Value or Downside Threshold; the availability of comparable instruments; the creditworthiness of BofA Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as guarantor; and the then current bid-ask spread for the Notes and the factors discussed under "- Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates, may create conflicts of interest with you and may affect your return on the Notes and their market value" below. These factors are unpredictable and interrelated and may offset or magnify each other.
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♦
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Greater expected volatility generally indicates an increased risk of loss at maturity. Volatility is a measure of the degree of variation in the levels of the Basket Components over a period of time. The greater the expected volatility of the Basket Components at the time the terms of the Notes are set, the greater the expectation is at that time that the Notes will not be automatically called and that you may lose a significant portion or all of the Stated Principal Amount at maturity. In addition, the economic terms of the Notes, including the Call Return Rate, the Autocall Barrier and the Downside Threshold, are based, in part, on the expected volatility of the Basket Components at the time the terms of the Notes are set, where higher expected volatility will generally be reflected in a higher Call Return Rate than the fixed rate we would pay on conventional debt securities of the same maturity and/or on otherwise comparable securities and/or a lower Autocall Barrier or Downside Threshold as compared to otherwise comparable securities. However, the Basket Components' volatility can change significantly over the term of the Notes, and a relatively higher Call Return Rate and/or a lower Autocall Barrier or Downside Threshold may not necessarily indicate that the Notes have a greater likelihood of being automatically called or of a return of principal at maturity. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of each Basket Component and the potential to lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment.
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♦
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Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates, 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, and UBS and its affiliates, may buy or sell the securities held by or included in the Basket Components, or futures or options contracts on the Basket Components or those securities, or other listed or over-the-counter derivative instruments linked to the Basket Components or those securities. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates also may issue or underwrite other financial instruments with returns based upon the Basket Components and the securities held by or included in the Basket Components. We expect to enter into arrangements or adjust or close out existing transactions to hedge our obligations under the Notes. We, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates also may enter into hedging transactions relating to other notes or instruments, some of which may have returns calculated in a manner related to that of the Notes offered hereby. We or UBS may enter into such hedging arrangements with one of our or their affiliates. Our affiliates or their affiliates may enter into additional hedging transactions with other parties relating to the Notes and the Basket Components. This hedging activity is expected to result in a profit to those engaging in the hedging activity, which could be more or less than initially expected, or the hedging activity could also result in a loss. We and our affiliates and UBS and its affiliates will price these hedging transactions with the intent to realize a profit, regardless of whether the value of the Notes increases or decreases. Any profit in connection with such hedging activities will be in addition to any other compensation that we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates receive for the sale of the Notes, which creates an additional incentive to sell the Notes to you. While we, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates may from time to time own securities represented by the Basket Components, except to the extent that BAC's or UBS Group AG's (the parent company of UBS) common stock may be included in the Basket Components, as applicable, we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates do not control any company included in the Basket Components, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates may execute such purchases or sales for our own or their own accounts, for business reasons, or in connection with hedging our obligations under the Notes. The transactions described above may present a conflict of interest between your interest in the Notes and the interests we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, and UBS and its affiliates may have in our or their proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our or their management.
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♦
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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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♦
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The publisher of each Basket Component may adjust the applicable Basket Component in a way that affects its level, and the publisher has no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher of each Basket Component can add, delete, or substitute the components included in the applicable Basket Component or make other methodological changes that could change its level. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your Notes.
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♦
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The Notes are subject to the market risk of the Basket Components. The return on the Notes, which may be negative, is directly linked to the performance of the Basket Components and indirectly linked to the value of the securities included in the Basket Components. The levels of the Basket Components can rise or fall sharply due to factors specific to the Basket Components and the securities included in the Basket Components and the issuers of such securities, such as stock price volatility, earnings and financial conditions, corporate, industry and regulatory developments, management changes and decisions and other events, as well as general market factors, such as general stock market or commodity market volatility and levels, interest rates and economic and political conditions.
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♦
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Your return on the Notes and the value of the Notes may be affected by exchange rate movements and factors affecting the international securities markets, specifically changes in the countries represented by the Basket Components. The Basket Components include 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 Basket Components 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies. Prices of securities in foreign countries are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that apply in those geographical regions. These factors, which could negatively affect those securities markets, include the possibility of recent or future changes in a foreign government's economic and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility and political instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse public health developments in the region. Moreover, foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency. In addition, you will not obtain the benefit of any increase in the value of the currencies in which the securities included in the Basket Components trade against the U.S. dollar, which you would have received if you had owned the securities represented by the Basket Components during the term of your Notes, although the level of the Basket Components may be adversely affected by general exchange rate movements in the market.
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♦
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Governmental regulatory actions could result in material changes to the composition of the Basket Components 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 Basket Components, depending on the nature of such governmental regulatory actions and the Basket Component 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 Basket Component constituent stocks that have (or historically have had) significant weights within the applicable Basket Component, such removal, or even any uncertainty relating to a possible removal, could have a material and negative effect on the level of the applicable Basket Component and, therefore, your return on the Notes.
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♦
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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 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.
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Hypothetical Examples
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♦
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Stated Principal Amount: $10
|
♦
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Term: Approximately 5 years (unless earlier automatically called)
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♦
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Initial Basket Value: 100.00
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♦
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Autocall Barrier: 100.00
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♦
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Hypothetical Upside Gearing: 1.40 (the lower end of the range for Upside Gearing)
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♦
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Downside Threshold: 75.00
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♦
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Call Return Rate: 14.00%
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♦
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Call Return / Call Price: As set forth on page PS-4 of this pricing supplement.
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♦
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Observation Date: October 23, 2026
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Current Basket Value on the Observation Date:
|
150 (greater than the Autocall Barrier)
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Call Price per Note:
|
$10.00 + Call Return
$10.00 + $1.40
=$11.40
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Final Basket Value
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Basket Return
|
Payment at Maturity
|
Return on the Notes1
|
|
160.00
|
60.00%
|
$18.400
|
84.00%
|
|
150.00
|
50.00%
|
$17.000
|
70.00%
|
|
140.00
|
40.00%
|
$15.600
|
56.00%
|
|
130.00
|
30.00%
|
$14.200
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42.00%
|
|
120.00
|
20.00%
|
$12.800
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28.00%
|
|
110.00
|
10.00%
|
$11.400
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14.00%
|
|
105.00
|
5.00%
|
$10.700
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7.00%
|
|
102.00
|
2.00%
|
$10.280
|
2.80%
|
|
100.00(2)
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0.00%
|
$10.000
|
0.00%
|
|
95.00
|
-5.00%
|
$10.000
|
0.00%
|
|
90.00
|
-10.00%
|
$10.000
|
0.00%
|
|
80.00
|
-20.00%
|
$10.000
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0.00%
|
|
75.00(3)
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-25.00%
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$10.000
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0.00%
|
|
74.99
|
-25.01%
|
$7.499
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-25.01%
|
|
70.00
|
-30.00%
|
$7.000
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-30.00%
|
|
60.00
|
-40.00%
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$6.000
|
-40.00%
|
|
50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$5.000
|
-50.00%
|
|
0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$0.000
|
-100.00%
|
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(1) The "Return on the Notes" is calculated based on the Public Offering Price of $10 per Note.
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||||
(2) This is the Initial Basket Value.
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||||
(3) This is the Downside Threshold of the Basket.
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■
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sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote the notes;
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■
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recommend that any person invest in the notes offered hereby or any other securities;
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■
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have any responsibility or liability for or make any decisions about the timing, amount, or pricing of the notes;
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■
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have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management, or marketing of the notes; or
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■
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consider the needs of the notes or the holders of the notes in determining, composing, or calculating the SX5E, or have any obligation to do so.
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■
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STOXX and its Licensors do not make any warranty, express or implied, and disclaims any and all warranty concerning:
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■
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the results to be obtained by the notes, the holders of the notes or any other person in connection with the use of the SX5E and the data included in the SX5E;
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■
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the accuracy or completeness of the SX5E and its data;
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■
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the merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SX5E and its data;
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■
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STOXX and its Licensors will have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions in the SX5E or its data; and
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■
|
Under no circumstances will STOXX be liable for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages or losses, even if STOXX or its Licensors know that they might occur.
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●
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was first launched with a base level of 1,500 as of June 30, 1988; and
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●
|
is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by SIX Group Ltd., certain of its subsidiaries, and the Management Committee of the SIX Swiss Exchange.
|
●
|
average free-float market capitalization (compared to the capitalization of the entire SIX Swiss Exchange index family), and
|
●
|
cumulative on order book turnover (compared to the total turnover of the SIX Swiss Exchange index family).
|
Index =
|
Free Float Market Capitalization of the index
Divisor |
●
|
was first launched in 1979 by the Australian Securities Exchange and was acquired and re-launched by S&P on April 3, 2000; and
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●
|
is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial.
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1.
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Government and government agencies;
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2.
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Controlling and strategic shareholders/partners;
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3.
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Any other entities or individuals which hold more than 5%, excluding insurance companies, securities companies and investment funds; and
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●
|
changes in a company's float-adjusted shares of 5% or more due to market-wide shares issuance;
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●
|
rights issues, bonus issues and other major corporate actions; and
|
●
|
share issues resulting from index companies merging and major off-market buy-backs.
|
Supplement to the Plan of Distribution; Role of BofAS and Conflicts of Interest
|
●
|
Australia
|
●
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Barbados
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●
|
Belgium
|
●
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Crimea
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●
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Cuba
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●
|
Curacao Sint Maarten
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●
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Gibraltar
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●
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Indonesia
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●
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Iran
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●
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Italy
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●
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Kazakhstan
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●
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Malaysia
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●
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New Zealand
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●
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North Korea
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●
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Norway
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●
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Russia
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●
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Syria
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●
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Venezuela
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary
|