Key Risks
An investment in the Securities involves significant risks. Investing in the Securities is not equivalent to a hypothetical investment in the underlying asset. Some of the key risks that apply to the Securities are summarized below, but we urge you to read the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the Securities in the “Risk Factors” section of the accompanying product supplement. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors concerning an investment in the Securities.
Risks Relating to Return Characteristics
♦Risk of loss at maturity — The Securities differ from ordinary debt securities in that UBS will not necessarily repay the principal amount of the Securities. If the underlying return is negative and the final level is less than the downside threshold, you will lose a percentage of your principal amount equal to the percentage that the final level is less than the initial level in excess of the buffer and, in extreme situations, you could lose almost all of your initial investment.
♦The contingent repayment of principal applies only if you hold your Securities to maturity — You should be willing to hold your Securities to maturity. The stated payout by the issuer is available only if you hold your Securities to maturity. If you are able to sell your Securities prior to maturity in the secondary market, you may have to sell them at a loss relative to your initial investment even if the level of the underlying asset at such time is equal to or greater than the downside threshold.
♦The upside gearing applies only at maturity — You should be willing to hold your Securities to maturity. If you are able to sell your Securities prior to maturity in the secondary market, the price you receive will likely not reflect the full economic value of the upside gearing, subject to the maximum gain, and the percentage return you realize may be less than the then-current underlying return multiplied by the upside gearing, even if such return is positive and does not exceed the maximum gain. You can receive the full benefit of the upside gearing, subject to the maximum gain, only if you hold your Securities to maturity.
♦Your potential return on the Securities is limited to the maximum gain — The return potential of the Securities is limited to the maximum gain. Therefore, you will not benefit from any positive underlying return in excess of an amount that, when multiplied by the upside gearing, exceeds the maximum gain and your return on the Securities may be less than it would be in a hypothetical direct investment in the underlying asset.
♦No interest payments — UBS will not pay any interest with respect to the Securities.
♦Greater expected volatility generally indicates an increased risk of loss at maturity — “Volatility” refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the level of the underlying asset. The greater the expected volatility of the underlying asset as of the trade date, the greater the expectation is as of that date that the final level could be less than the downside threshold and, as a consequence, indicates an increased risk of loss. However, the underlying asset’s volatility can change significantly over the term of the Securities, and a relatively lower downside threshold may not necessarily indicate that the Securities have a greater likelihood of a return of principal at maturity. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of the underlying asset and the potential to lose some or almost all of your initial investment.
♦Owning the Securities is not the same as owning the underlying asset or underlying constituents — The return on your Securities may not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the underlying asset or underlying constituents. For instance, you will not benefit from any positive underlying return in excess of an amount that, when multiplied by the upside gearing, exceeds the maximum gain. Furthermore, as an owner of the Securities, you will not receive or be entitled to receive any distributions on the underlying asset during the term of the Securities, and any such distributions will not be factored into the calculation of the payment at maturity on your Securities. Similarly, you will not have voting rights of a holder of the underlying asset or any other rights of a holder of the underlying asset or the underlying constituents.
Risks Relating to Characteristics of the Underlying Asset
♦Market risk — The return on the Securities, which may be negative, is directly linked to the performance of the underlying asset and indirectly linked to the performance of the underlying constituents. The level of the underlying asset can rise or fall sharply due to factors specific to the underlying asset or the underlying constituents, such as stock or commodity price volatility, earnings, financial conditions, corporate, industry and regulatory developments, management changes and decisions and other events, such as supply and demand for gold, as well as general market factors, such as general stock and commodity market volatility and levels, interest rates and economic, political and other conditions. You, as an investor in the Securities, should conduct your own investigation into the investment adviser of the underlying asset (the “underlying asset issuer”) and the underlying asset for your Securities. For additional information regarding the underlying asset and the underlying asset issuer, please see “Information About the Underlying Asset” herein and the underlying asset issuer's SEC filings referred to in that section. We urge you to review financial and other information filed periodically by the underlying asset issuer with the SEC.
♦There can be no assurance that the investment view implicit in the Securities will be successful — It is impossible to predict whether and the extent to which the level of the underlying asset will rise or fall and there can be no assurance that the final level will be equal to or greater than the initial level or downside threshold. The level of the underlying asset will be influenced by complex and interrelated political, economic, financial and other factors that affect the underlying constituents. You should be willing to accept the downside risks of owning equities in general and the underlying asset in particular, and the risk of losing some or almost all of your initial investment.
♦There is no affiliation between the underlying asset issuer and UBS, and UBS is not responsible for any disclosure by such issuers — We are not affiliated with the underlying asset issuer. We and our affiliates may currently, or from time to time in the future engage in business with the underlying asset issuer. However, we are not affiliated with the underlying asset issuer and are not responsible for such issuers' public disclosure of information, whether contained in SEC filings or otherwise. You, as an investor in the Securities, should conduct your own investigation into the underlying asset, underlying constituents and the underlying asset issuer. The underlying asset issuer is not involved in the Securities offered hereby in any way and has no obligation of any sort with respect to your Securities. The underlying asset issuer has no obligation to take your interests into consideration for any reason, including when taking any corporate actions that might affect the value of, and return on, your Securities.
♦The value of the underlying asset may not completely track the value of the underlying constituents — Although the trading characteristics and valuations of an ETF will usually mirror the characteristics and valuations of the underlying constituents, the level of an ETF may not completely track the value of the underlying constituents. The level of the underlying asset will reflect transaction costs and fees that the underlying constituents in which an ETF invests do not have. In addition, although an ETF may be currently listed for trading on an exchange, there is no assurance that an active trading market will continue for an ETF or that there will be liquidity in the trading market.
♦Fluctuation of NAV — The net asset value (the “NAV”) of an ETF may fluctuate with changes in the market value of the underlying constituents. The market prices of an ETF may fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV and supply and demand on the applicable stock exchanges. In addition, the market price of an ETF may differ from its NAV per share; an ETF may trade at, above or below its NAV per share, meaning the level of the underlying asset may not reflect its NAV.