RYBPF Royal Bank (PK)

Subject to Completion Preliminary Pricing Supplement dated June 28, 2024

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) Registration Statement No. 333-275898 (To Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated December 20, 2023 and Product Supplement EQUITY ARN-1 dated December 27, 2023)

Units $10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No.		Pricing Date* Settlement Date* Maturity Date*		July , 2024 August , 2024 September , 2025
		*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the "pricing date")
Accelerated Return Notes® Linked to the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund   §   Maturity of approximately 14 months   §   3-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund (the “Market Measure”), subject to a capped return of [20.00% to 24.00%]   §   1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Market Measure, with 100% of your principal at risk   §   All payments occur at maturity and are subject to the credit risk of Royal Bank of Canada.   §   No periodic interest payments   §   In addition to the underwriting discount set forth below, the notes include a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit. See “Structuring the Notes.”   §   Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing   §   The notes are unsecured debt securities and are not savings accounts or insured deposits of a bank. The notes are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other governmental agency of Canada or the United States.

The notes are being issued by Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

 

The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is expected to be between $9.07 and $9.57 per unit, which is less than the public offering price listed below. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” below for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.

 

_________________________

 

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Note Prospectus (as defined below) is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

_________________________

 

	Per Unit	Total
Public offering price(1)	$  10.000	$
Underwriting discount(1)	$   0.175	$
Proceeds, before expenses, to RBC	$   9.825	$

 

(1)

For any purchase of 300,000 units or more in a single transaction by an individual investor or in combined transactions with the investor’s household in this offering, the public offering price and the underwriting discount will be $9.950 per unit and $0.125 per unit, respectively. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution” below.

 

The notes:

 

Are Not FDIC Insured

Are Not Bank Guaranteed

May Lose Value

 

 

BofA Securities

July , 2024

 

Accelerated Return Notes®

Linked to the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, due September  , 2025

 

Summary

 

The Accelerated Return Notes^® Linked to the Energy Select Sector SPDR^® Fund, due September , 2025 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of RBC.

 

The notes are not bail-inable notes (as defined in the prospectus supplement). The notes provide you a leveraged return, subject to a cap, if the Ending Value of the Market Measure, which is the Energy Select Sector SPDR^® Fund (the “Market Measure”), is greater than the Starting Value. If the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value, you will lose all or a portion of the principal amount of your notes. Any payments on the notes will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Market Measure, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.

 

The economic terms of the notes (including the Capped Value) are based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate we pay to borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements. Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging-related charge described below, will reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes will be greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.

 

On the cover page of this term sheet, we have provided the initial estimated value range for the notes. This initial estimated value range was determined based on our and our affiliates’ pricing models, which take into consideration our internal funding rate and the market prices for the hedging arrangements related to the notes. The initial estimated value of the notes calculated on the pricing date will be set forth in the final pricing supplement made available to investors in the notes. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Structuring the Notes” below.

 

Terms of the Notes			Redemption Amount Determination
Issuer:	Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”)		On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:
Principal Amount:	$10.00 per unit
Term:	Approximately 14 months
Market Measure:	The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund (Bloomberg symbol “XLE”)
Starting Value:	The Closing Market Price of the Market Measure on the pricing date
Ending Value:	The average of the Closing Market Prices of the Market Measure times the Price Multiplier on each calculation day occurring during the Maturity Valuation Period. The scheduled calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page PS-24 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.
Price Multiplier:	1, subject to adjustment for certain corporate events relating to the Market Measure described beginning on page PS-27 in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1
Participation Rate:	300%
Capped Value:	[$12.00 to $12.40] per unit, which represents a return of [20.00% to 24.00%] over the principal amount. The actual Capped Value will be determined on the pricing date.
Maturity Valuation Period:	Five scheduled calculation days shortly before the maturity date
Fees and Charges:	The underwriting discount of $0.175 per unit listed on the cover page and a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit described in “Structuring the Notes” below.
Calculation Agent:	BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”)

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:

 

§

Product supplement EQUITY ARN-1 dated December 27, 2023: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000114036123059840/ef20017521_424b5.htm

 

§

Series J MTN prospectus supplement dated December 20, 2023: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000119312523299523/d638227d424b3.htm

 

§

Prospectus dated December 20, 2023: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000119312523299520/d645671d424b3.htm

 

These documents (together, the “Note Prospectus”) have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated above or obtained from us, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) or BofAS by calling 1-800-294-1322. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC for information about us and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this term sheet to “Royal Bank of Canada,” the “Bank,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references mean only RBC.

 

“Accelerated Return Notes^®” and “ARNs^®” are the registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.

 

Investor Considerations

 

You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:		The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:
§  You anticipate that the Market Measure will increase moderately from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.   §  You are willing to risk a loss of principal and return if the Market Measure decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.   §  You accept that the return on the notes will be capped.   §  You are willing to forgo the interest payments that are paid on conventional interest bearing debt securities.   §  You are willing to forgo dividends and other benefits of directly owning shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure.   §  You are willing to accept a limited or no market for sales prior to maturity, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness, our internal funding rate and fees and charges on the notes.   §  You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Redemption Amount.		§  You believe that the Market Measure will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value or that it will not increase sufficiently over the term of the notes to provide you with your desired return.   §  You seek principal repayment or preservation of capital.   §  You seek an uncapped return on your investment.   §  You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment.   §  You want to receive dividends or have the other benefits of directly owning shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure.   §  You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market.   §  You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes.

 

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at Maturity

 

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

 

Accelerated Return Notes®

This graph reflects the returns on the notes, based on the Participation Rate of 300% and a hypothetical Capped Value of $12.20 per unit (the midpoint of the Capped Value range of [$12.00 to $12.40]). The green line reflects the returns on the notes, while the dotted gray line reflects the returns of a direct investment in the Market Measure, excluding dividends.   This graph has been prepared for purposes of illustration only.

The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. They illustrate the calculation of the Redemption Amount and total rate of return based on a hypothetical Starting Value of 100, the Participation Rate of 300%, a hypothetical Capped Value of $12.20 per unit and a range of hypothetical Ending Values. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Ending Value and Capped Value, and whether you hold the notes to maturity. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.

 

For recent actual levels of the Market Measure, see “The Market Measure” section below. The Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the Market Measure, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in the Market Measure directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.

 

Ending Value		Percentage Change from the Starting Value to the Ending Value		Redemption Amount per Unit		Total Rate of Return on the Notes
0.00		-100.00%		$0.00		-100.00%
50.00		-50.00%		$5.00		-50.00%
80.00		-20.00%		$8.00		-20.00%
90.00		-10.00%		$9.00		-10.00%
94.00		-6.00%		$9.40		-6.00%
97.00		-3.00%		$9.70		-3.00%
100.00(1)		0.00%		$10.00		0.00%
102.00		2.00%		$10.60		6.00%
103.00		3.00%		$10.90		9.00%
105.00		5.00%		$11.50		15.00%
107.34		7.34%		$12.20(2)		22.00%
110.00		10.00%		$12.20		22.00%
120.00		20.00%		$12.20		22.00%
130.00		30.00%		$12.20		22.00%
150.00		50.00%		$12.20		22.00%

 

(1)

The hypothetical Starting Value of 100 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent a likely actual Starting Value for the Market Measure.

 

(2)

The Redemption Amount per unit cannot exceed the hypothetical Capped Value.

 

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples:

 

Example 1
The Ending Value is 50.00, or 50.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value: 100.00
Ending Value: 50.00
	= $5.00  Redemption Amount per unit

 

Example 2
The Ending Value is 102.00, or 102.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value: 100.00
Ending Value: 102.00
	= $10.60  Redemption Amount per unit

 

Example 3
The Ending Value is 130.00, or 130.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value: 100.00
Ending Value: 130.00
	= $19.00, however, because the Redemption Amount for the notes cannot exceed the hypothetical Capped Value, the Redemption Amount will be $12.20 per unit

Risk Factors

 

There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security. An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1, page S-3 of the MTN prospectus supplement, and page 1 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

Structure-related Risks

 

§

Depending on the performance of the Market Measure as measured shortly before the maturity date, your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal.

 

§

Your return on the notes may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity.

 

§

Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment.

 

§

Your investment return is limited to the return represented by the Capped Value and may be less than a comparable investment directly in shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure.

 

Valuation- and Market-related Risks

 

§

The initial estimated value of the notes is only an estimate, 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, our internal funding rate, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on dividends, interest rates 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.

 

§

The public offering price you pay for the notes will exceed the initial estimated value. 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 the initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the value of the Market Measure, our internal funding rate and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and the hedging-related charge, 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, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our 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 Market Measure, our creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.

 

§

A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. None of us, MLPF&S or BofAS is obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market.

 

Conflict-related Risks

 

§

Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates (including trades in shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you.

 

§

There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent, which is BofAS. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent.

 

Market Measure-related Risks

 

§

The sponsor and advisor of the Market Measure may adjust the Market Measure in a way that could adversely affect the value of the notes and the amount payable on the notes, and these entities have no obligation to consider your interests.

 

§

You will have no rights of a holder of shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure, and you will not be entitled to receive securities or dividends or other distributions by the issuers of those securities.

 

§

While we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates may from time to time own shares of the Market Measure or the securities held by the Market Measure, we, MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates do not control the Market Measure or the issuers of those securities, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company.

 

§

There are liquidity and management risks associated with the Market Measure.

 

§

The performance of the Market Measure may not correlate with the performance of the securities held by the Market Measure as well as the net asset value per share of the Market Measure, especially during periods of market volatility when the liquidity and the market price of shares of the Market Measure and/or the securities held by the Market Measure may be adversely affected, sometimes materially.

 

§

The payments on the notes will not be adjusted for all corporate events that could affect the Market Measure. See “Description of ARNs—Anti Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to Underlying Funds” in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

 

Tax-related Risks

 

§

The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes are uncertain. There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, and significant aspects of the tax treatment of the notes are uncertain. Moreover, the notes may be subject to the “constructive ownership” regime, in which case certain adverse tax consequences may apply upon your disposition of a note. You should review carefully the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” herein, in combination with the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in the accompanying product supplement, and consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes.

 

Additional Risk Factors

 

The securities held by the Market Measure are concentrated in one sector. As a result, the securities that will determine the performance of the notes are concentrated in one sector. Although an investment in the notes will not give holders any ownership or other direct interests in the securities held by the Market Measure, the return on the notes will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct investment in the energy sector. Accordingly, by investing in the notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.

 

A limited number of stocks held by the Market Measure may affect its price, and the stocks held by the Market Measure are not necessarily representative of the energy sector. While the securities held by the Market Measure are common stocks of companies generally considered to be involved in various segments of the energy sector, the securities held by the Market Measure may not follow the price movements of the entire energy sector generally. As of the date of this document, less than five securities accounted for more than half of the Market Measure’s holdings. If these securities decline in value, the Market Measure will likely decline in value even if security prices in the energy sector generally increase in value.

 

Adverse conditions in the energy sector may reduce your return on the notes. The issuers of the stocks held by the Market Measure develop and produce, among other things, crude oil and natural gas, and provide, among other things, drilling services and other services related to energy resources production and distribution. Stock prices for these types of companies are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for energy products in general. The price of oil and gas, exploration and production spending, government regulation, world events and economic conditions will likewise affect the performance of these companies. Correspondingly, the stocks of companies in the energy sector are subject to swift price fluctuations caused by events relating to international politics, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects and tax and other governmental regulatory policies. Weak demand for the companies’ products or services or for energy products and services in general, as well as negative developments in these other areas, would adversely impact the value of the securities held by the Market Measure and, therefore, the price of the Market Measure and the value of the notes.

 

The Market Measure

 

All information contained in this term sheet regarding the Energy Select Sector SPDR^® Fund (the “XLE”) set forth below has been derived from publicly available information, without independent verification. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, the Select Sector SPDR^® Trust (the “Select Sector Trust”) and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSGA FM”). The consequences of any discontinuance of the XLE are discussed in the section entitled “Description of ARNs—Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to Underlying Funds” in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. None of us, the calculation agent, MLPF&S, or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the XLE or any successor. Neither we nor any agent has independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any information with respect to the XLE in connection with the offer and sale of securities. The XLE is an investment portfolio maintained and managed by SSGA FM, the investment adviser to the XLE. The XLE is an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that trades on the NYSE Arca, Inc. under the ticker symbol “XLE.”

 

The XLE seeks to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded equity securities of companies included in the Energy Select Sector Index. The companies included in the Energy Select Sector Index are selected on the basis of general industry classifications from a universe of companies defined by the S&P 500^® Index. For more information about the Energy Select Sector Index, please see “The S&P Select Sector Indices” below.

 

In seeking to track the performance of the Energy Select Sector Index, the XLE employs a replication strategy, which means that the XLE typically invests in substantially all of the securities represented in the Energy Select Sector Index in approximately the same proportions as the Energy Select Sector Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practical to purchase all of the securities in the Energy Select Sector Index, or amounts of those securities in proportion to their weighting in the Energy Select Sector Index. Under these circumstances, SSGA FM intends to employ a sampling strategy in managing the XLE. Sampling means that SSGA FM will use quantitative analysis to select securities, including securities in the Energy Select Sector Index, outside of the Energy Select Sector Index and derivatives that have a similar investment profile as the Energy Select Sector Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other economic characteristics. These include industry weightings, market capitalization and other financial characteristics of securities.

 

While SSGA FM seeks to track the performance of the Energy Select Sector Index (i.e., achieve a high degree of correlation with the Energy Select Sector Index), the XLE’s return may not match the return of the Energy Select Sector Index. The XLE incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Energy Select Sector Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities. In addition, the XLE may not be fully invested at times, generally as a result of cash flows into or out of the XLE or reserves of cash held by the XLE to meet redemptions.

 

The Select Sector Trust is a registered investment company that consists of a separate investment portfolio for each of the Select Sector SPDR^® Funds. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the Select Sector Trust pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 333-57791 and 811-08837, respectively, through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

The S&P Select Sector Indices

 

All information contained in this document regarding the Energy Select Sector Index (a “Select Sector Index” and along with other S&P Select Sector Indices not described here, the “Select Sector Indices”), including, without limitation, their make-up, method of calculation and changes in their components, has been derived from publicly available information, without independent verification. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P Dow Jones”). The Select Sector Indices are calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones. S&P Dow Jones has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, any of the Select Sector Indices.

 

The constituents included in each Select Sector Index at each moment in time are members of the S&P 500^® Index. For additional information about the S&P 500^® Index, please see “The S&P 500^® Index” below. S&P Dow Jones assigns constituents to a Select Sector Index based on the constituent’s classification under the Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS^®”).

 

The Energy Select Sector Index

 

The Energy Select Sector Index is a capped modified market capitalization-based index that measures the performance of the GICS^® energy sector, which currently includes companies in the following industries: oil, gas & consumable fuels; and energy equipment & services. The Energy Select Sector Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “IXE.”

 

Select Sector Index Capping Methodology

 

For capping purposes, the Select Sector Indices are rebalanced quarterly after the close of business on the third Friday of March, June, September and December using the following procedures:

 

1.

The rebalancing reference date is the second Friday of March, June, September and December.

 

2.

With prices reflected on the rebalancing reference date, adjusted for any applicable corporate actions, and membership, shares outstanding and investable weight factors (“IWFs”) as of the rebalancing effective date, each company is weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization (“FMC”). Modifications are made as defined below.

 

3.

If any company has an FMC weight greater than 24%, the company’s weight is capped at 23%, which allows for a 2% buffer. This buffer is meant to mitigate against any company exceeding 25% as of the quarter-end diversification requirement date.

 

4.

All excess weight is proportionally redistributed to all uncapped companies within the relevant Select Sector Index.

 

5.

After this redistribution, if the FMC weight of any other company breaches 23%, the process is repeated iteratively until no company breaches the 23% weight cap.

 

6.

The sum of the companies with weights greater than 4.8% cannot exceed 50% of the total index weight. These caps are set to allow for a buffer below the 5% limit.

 

7.

If the rule in paragraph 6 is breached, all companies are ranked in descending order by FMC weight, and the smallest company whose weight is greater than 4.8% that causes the paragraph 6 breach has its weight reduced to 4.5%.

 

8.

This process continues iteratively until paragraph 6 is satisfied.

 

9.

Index share amounts are assigned to each constituent to arrive at the weights calculated above. Since index shares are assigned based on prices one week prior to rebalancing, the actual weight of each constituent at the rebalancing differs somewhat from these weights due to market movements.

 

10.

If, on the second to last business day of March, June, September or December, a company has a weight greater than 24% or the sum of the companies with weights greater than 4.8% exceeds 50%, a secondary rebalancing will be triggered with the rebalancing effective date being after the close of the last business day of the month. This secondary rebalancing will use the closing prices as of the second to last business day of March, June, September or December, and membership, shares outstanding and IWFs as of the rebalancing effective date.

 

When companies represented in the Select Sector Indices are represented by multiple share classes, maximum weight capping is based on company FMC, with the weight of multiple-class companies allocated proportionally to each share class based on its FMC as of the rebalancing reference date. If no capping is required, both share classes remain in the relevant Select Sector Index at their natural FMC.

 

Calculation, Maintenance and Governance of the Select Sector Indices

 

The Select Sector Indices are calculated, maintained and governed using the same methodology as the S&P 500^® Index, subject to the capping methodology described above. For additional information about the calculation, maintenance and governance of the S&P 500^® Index, please see “The S&P 500^® Index” below.

 

The S&P 500^® Index

 

We obtained all information contained in this document regarding the S&P 500^® Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation and changes in its components, from publicly available information. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P Dow Jones”), the index sponsor. S&P Dow Jones has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the S&P 500^® Index at any time. Neither we nor any agent has independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any information with respect to the S&P 500^® Index in connection with the offer and sale of securities.

 

In addition, information about the S&P 500^® Index may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, the S&P 500^® Index sponsor’s website (including information regarding the S&P 500^® Index’s sector weightings). We are not incorporating by reference into this document the website or any material it includes. Neither we nor any agent makes any representation that such publicly available information regarding the S&P 500^® Index is accurate or complete.

 

The S&P 500^® Index is published by S&P Dow Jones and is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price movement in the large capitalization segment of the United States equity market. The S&P 500^® Index covers approximately 80% of the United States equity market. As of the date of this document, to be added to the S&P 500^® Index, a company must have a market capitalization of $18.0 billion or more. The S&P 500^® Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “SPX.”

 

The S&P 500^® Index, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index (each, an “S&P Index” and collectively, the “S&P Indices”) utilize the same methodology, which is detailed below.

 

Composition of the S&P Indices

 

Changes to the S&P Indices are made on an as needed basis, with no annual or semi-annual reconstitution. Constituent changes are typically announced with at least three business days’ advance notice. Less than three business days’ notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

For each S&P Index, additions to such S&P Index are evaluated based on the following eligibility criteria. These criteria are for additions to an S&P Index, not for continued membership. A stock may be removed from an S&P Index if it violates the eligibility criteria and if ongoing conditions warrant its removal as described below under “Maintenance of the S&P Indices—Deletion from an S&P Index.”

 

·

Domicile. The company must be a U.S.-domiciled company. The incorporation and/or registration, operational headquarters location, and primary stock exchange listing are the principal factors determining country of domicile. Other factors considered

 

include the geographic breakdown of revenue and assets, ownership information, location of officers, directors and employees, investor perception, and other factors deemed to be relevant by the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee.

 

·

Security Filing Type. The company issuing the security satisfies the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934’s periodic reporting obligations by filing certain required forms for domestic issuers, such as but not limited Form 10-K annual reports, Form 10-Q quarterly reports, and Form 8-K current reports.

 

·

Exchange Listing. A primary listing on one of the following U.S. exchanges is required: NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA or Cboe EDGX exchanges. Ineligible exchanges include the Over-the-counter (OTC) Markets, including the Pink Open Market.

 

·

Organizational Structure and Share Type. Eligible organizational structures and share types are corporations (including equity and mortgage real estate investment trusts) and common stock (i.e., shares). Ineligible organizational structures and share types include, but are not limited to, business development companies, limited partnerships, master limited partnerships, limited liability companies, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, exchange-traded notes, royalty trusts, special purpose acquisition companies, tracking stocks, preferred and convertible preferred stock, unit trusts, equity warrants, convertible bonds, investment trusts, rights and American depositary receipts. In addition, the securities of companies with multiple share class structures (including companies with listed and unlisted share classes) are no longer eligible to be added to an S&P Index, but securities already included in an S&P Index have been grandfathered and are not affected by this change.

 

·

Market Capitalization. The total company market capitalization should be within the specified range applicable to the S&P Index, as noted above. This range is reviewed at the beginning of each calendar quarter and updated as needed to ensure they reflect current market conditions. Companies passing the total company level market capitalization criteria are also required to have a security level float-adjusted market capitalization (“FMC”) that is at least 50% of the applicable S&P Index’s total company level minimum market capitalization threshold.

 

·

IWF. For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated, which is equal to the percentage of such stock’s shares that are freely available for trading in the public market. A stock must have a minimum IWF of 0.1 as of the rebalancing effective date to be eligible for inclusion in an S&P Index.

 

·

Liquidity. A float-adjusted liquidity ratio (“FALR”), defined as the annual dollar value traded divided by the FMC, is used to measure liquidity. Using composite pricing and consolidated volume (excluding dark pools), annual dollar value traded is defined as the average closing price multiplied by the historical volume over the 365 calendar days prior to the evaluation date. This is reduced to the available trading period for initial public offerings (“IPOs”), spin-offs or public companies considered to be U.S. domiciled for index purposes that do not have 365 calendar days of trading history on a U.S. exchange. In these cases, the dollar value traded available as of the evaluation date is annualized. The price, shares outstanding and IWF as of the evaluation date are used to calculate the FMC. The evaluation date is the open of trading on the day prior to the announcement date. The stock should trade a minimum of 250,000 shares in each of the six months leading up to the evaluation date. The FALR must be greater than or equal to 0.75 at the time of addition to an S&P U.S. Index. Current index constituents have no minimum requirement.

 

·

Financial Viability. The sum of the most recent four consecutive quarters’ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) earnings (net income excluding discontinued operations) should be positive as should the most recent quarter. For equity real estate investment trusts, financial viability is based on GAAP earnings and/or funds from operations, if reported.

 

·

Treatment of IPOs. IPOs should be traded on an eligible exchange for at least 12 months before being considered for addition to an S&P Index. For former special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”), S&P Dow Jones considers the de-SPAC transaction to be an event equivalent to an IPO, and 12 months of trading post the de-SPAC event are required before a former SPAC can be considered for inclusion in an S&P Index. Spin-offs or in-specie distributions from existing constituents do not need to be seasoned for 12 months prior to their inclusion in an S&P Index.

 

Companies that migrate from an ineligible exchange, emerge from bankruptcy, are newly designated to be domiciled in the U.S. for index purposes by S&P Dow Jones or convert from an ineligible share or organizational type to an eligible type do not need to trade on an eligible U.S. exchange for 12 months before being considered for addition.

 

·

Sector Classification. Sector balance, as measured by a comparison of each GICS® sector’s weight in the applicable S&P Index with its weight in the S&P Total Market Index, in the relevant market capitalization range, is also considered in the selection of companies for the S&P Indices. The S&P Total Market Index is a float-adjusted, market-capitalization weighted index designed to track the broad equity market, including large-, mid-, small- and micro-cap stocks.

 

Calculation of the S&P Indices

 

The S&P Indices are float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted indices. On any given day, the value of an S&P Index is the total FMC of that S&P Index’s constituents divided by that S&P Index’s divisor. The FMC reflects the price of each stock in an S&P Index multiplied by the number of shares used in such S&P Index’s value calculation.

 

Float Adjustment. A stock’s weight in an S&P Index is determined by the FMC of the stock. Under float adjustment, the share counts in calculating the S&P Indices reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company’s outstanding shares. Float

 

adjustment excludes shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly traded companies, government agencies or other long-term strategic holders given such shares are not available to investors in the public markets.

 

Divisor. Continuity in index values of an S&P Index is maintained by adjusting its divisor for all changes in its constituents’ share capital after its base date. This includes additions and deletions to the relevant S&P Index, rights issues, share buybacks and issuances and non-zero price spin-offs. The value of an S&P Index’s divisor over time is, in effect, a chronological summary of all changes affecting the base capital of such S&P Index. The divisor of an S&P Index is adjusted such that the index value of such S&P Index at an instant just prior to a change in base capital equals the index value of such S&P Index at an instant immediately following that change.

 

Maintenance of the S&P Indices

 

Changes to index composition are made on an as-needed basis. There is no scheduled reconstitution. Rather, changes in response to corporate actions and market developments can be made at any time. Index additions and deletions are typically announced with at least three business days’ advance notice. Less than three business days’ notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee.

 

Deletion from an S&P Index. For each S&P Index, deletions from such S&P Index occur as follows:

 

·

A company is deleted from an S&P Index if it is involved in a merger, acquisition or significant restructuring such that it no longer meets the eligibility criteria:

 

o

A company delisted as a result of a merger, acquisition or other corporate action is removed at a time announced by S&P Dow Jones, normally at the close of the last day of trading or expiration of a tender offer. Constituents that are halted from trading may be kept in the applicable S&P Index until trading resumes, at the discretion of S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee. If a stock is moved to the pink sheets or the bulletin board, the stock is removed.

 

o

A company that substantially violates one or more of the eligibility criteria may be deleted at the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee’s discretion.

 

Any company that is removed from an S&P Index (including discretionary and bankruptcy/exchange delistings) must wait a minimum of one year from its removal date before being screened for the eligibility criteria.

 

S&P Dow Jones believes turnover in S&P Index membership should be avoided when possible. At times a stock included in an S&P Index may appear to temporarily violate one or more of the addition criteria. However, the addition criteria are for addition to an S&P Index, not for continued membership. As a result, an S&P Index constituent that appears to violate criteria for addition to such S&P Index is not deleted unless ongoing conditions warrant an index change. When a stock is removed from an S&P Index, S&P Dow Jones explains the basis for the removal.

 

Migration. Current constituents of a S&P Composite 1500^® component index (which include each S&P Index) can be migrated from one S&P Composite 1500^® component index to another provided they meet the total company level market capitalization eligibility criteria for the new index. Migrations from one S&P Composite 1500^® index to another do not need to meet the financial viability, liquidity or 50% of the respective index’s total company level minimum market capitalization threshold criteria.

 

Companies that are spun-off from current index constituents do not need to meet the outside addition criteria, but they should be considered U.S. domiciled. For spin-offs, index membership eligibility is determined using when-issued prices, if available. At the discretion of the Index Committee, a spin-off company may be retained in the parent stock’s index if the Committee determines it has a total market capitalization representative of the parent index. If the spin-off company’s estimated market cap is below the minimum defined in the outside addition criteria but there are other constituent companies in the applicable S&P Index that have a significantly lower total market cap than the spin-off company, the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee may decide to retain the spin-off company in the applicable S&P Index.

 

Share Updates. Share counts are updated to the latest publicly available filings on a quarterly basis.

 

Investable Weight Factor (“IWF”) Updates. IWF changes are implemented either annually, quarterly or on an accelerated schedule following the relevant event depending on the nature of the change as explained below.

 

·

Annual Review. IWFs are reviewed annually based on the most recently available data filed with various regulators and exchanges.

 

·

Quarterly Review. IWF changes will only be made at the quarterly review if the change represents at least 5% of total current shares outstanding and is related to a single corporate action that did not qualify for the accelerated implementation rule (as described below). For quarterly reviews that coincide with the annual review, the annual review rules apply.

 

·

Mandatory Action. Certain mandatory actions, such as M&A driven share/IWF changes, stock splits, and mandatory distributions, are not subject to a minimum threshold for implementation. In order to minimize index turnover, any IWF changes resulting from such mandatory actions are implemented based on the pre-event IWFs of the securities involved.

 

·

Accelerated Implementation Rule. Material share/IWF changes resulting from certain non-mandatory corporate actions follow an accelerated implementation rule with sufficient advance notification. The accelerated implementation rule is intended to reduce turnover intra-quarter while also enhancing opportunities for index trackers to take advantage of non-mandatory material liquidity events.

 

o

For actions qualifying for accelerated implementation but less than $1 billion, an adjustment to the company’s IWF will only be made to the extent that such an IWF change helps the new float share total mimic the shares available in the offering.

 

o

For actions qualifying for accelerated implementation and at least $1 billion, IWF changes are implemented to reflect the shares made available in the offering plus the latest share and ownership information publicly available at the time of the announcement.

 

Share/IWF Reference Date and Freeze Period. A reference date, after the market close five weeks prior to the third Friday in March, June, September and December, is the cutoff for publicly available information used for quarterly shares outstanding and IWF changes. All shares outstanding and ownership information contained in public filings and/or official sources dated on or before the reference date are included in that quarter’s update. In addition, there is a freeze period on a quarterly basis for any changes that result from the accelerated implementation rule. The freeze period begins after the market close on the Tuesday prior to the second Friday of each rebalancing month (i.e., March, June, September and December) and ends after the market close on the third Friday of the rebalancing month.

 

Pro-forma files for float-adjusted market capitalization indices are generally released after the market close on the first Friday, two weeks prior to the rebalancing effective date. Pro-forma files for capped and alternatively weighted indices are generally released after the market close on the second Friday, one week prior to the rebalancing effective date. For illustration purposes, if rebalancing pro-forma files are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 5, the share/IWF freeze period will begin after the close of trading on Tuesday, March 9, and will end after the close of trading the following Friday, March 19 (i.e., the third Friday of the rebalancing month).

 

During the share/IWF freeze period, shares and IWFs are not changed and the accelerated implementation rule is suspended, except for mandatory corporate action events (such as merger activity, stock splits and rights offerings). The suspension includes all changes that qualify for accelerated implementation and would typically be announced or effective during the share/IWF freeze period. At the end of the freeze period, all suspended changes will be announced on the third Friday of the rebalancing month and implemented five business days after the quarterly rebalancing effective date.

 

Companies that are the target of cash M&A events, and publicly available guidance indicates the event is expected to close by quarter end, may have their share count frozen at their current level for rebalancing purposes.

 

Corporate Action Adjustments. The table below summarizes the types of index maintenance adjustments upon various corporate actions and indicates whether or not a divisor adjustment is required.

 

Type of Corporate Action	Index Treatment
Company addition/deletion	Addition   Companies are added at the float market capitalization weight. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.   Deletion   The weights of all stocks in the applicable S&P Index will proportionally change. Relative weights will stay the same. The index divisor will change due to the net change in the index market capitalization.
Changes in shares outstanding	Increasing the shares outstanding increases the market capitalization of the applicable S&P Index. Similarly, decreasing the shares outstanding decreases the market capitalization of the applicable S&P Index. The change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.
Split/reverse split	Shares outstanding are adjusted by split ratio. Stock price is adjusted by split ratio. There is no change to the index market capitalization and no divisor adjustment.
Spin-off	The spin-off is added to the applicable S&P Index on the ex-date at a price of zero. The spin-off index shares are based on the spin-off ratio. On the ex-date the spin-off will have the same attributes as its parent company, and will remain in the applicable S&P Index for at least one trading day. As a result, there will be no change to the index divisor on the ex-date.   If the spin-off is ineligible for continued inclusion, it will be removed after the ex-date. The weight of the spin-off being removed is reinvested across all the index components proportionately such that the relative weights of all index components are unchanged. The net change in index market capitalization will cause a divisor change.
Change in IWF	Increasing the IWF increases the market capitalization of the applicable S&P Index. Similarly, decreasing the IWF decreases the market capitalization of the applicable S&P Index. A net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.
Ordinary dividend	When an index component pays an ordinary cash dividend, also referred to as a regular cash dividend, the applicable S&P Index does not make any adjustments to the price or shares of the stock. As a result, there are no divisor adjustments to such index component.

Type of Corporate Action	Index Treatment
Special dividend	The stock price is adjusted by the amount of the dividend. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.
Rights offering	All rights offerings that are in the money on the ex-date are applied under the assumption the rights are fully subscribed. The stock price is adjusted by the value of the rights and the shares outstanding are increased by the rights ratio. The net change in market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

 

Other Adjustments. In cases where there is no achievable market price for a stock being deleted, it can be removed at a zero or minimal price at the S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee’s discretion.

 

Governance of the S&P Indices

 

Each S&P Index is maintained by S&P Dow Jones’ U.S. index committee. All index committee members are full-time professional members of S&P Dow Jones’ staff. The index committee meets monthly. At each meeting, the index committee reviews pending corporate actions that may affect constituents of the S&P Indices, statistics comparing the composition of the S&P Indices to the market, companies that are being considered as candidates for addition to the S&P Indices, and any significant market events. In addition, the index committee may revise an S&P Index’s policy covering rules for selecting companies, treatment of dividends, share counts or other matters.

 

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the XLE on its primary exchange in the period from January 1, 2014 through June 25, 2024. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. On June 25, 2024, the Closing Market Price of the XLE was $91.49. The graph below may have been adjusted to reflect certain corporate actions such as stock splits and reverse stock splits.

 

Historical Performance of the XLE

 

 

This historical data on the XLE is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the XLE or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the price per share of the XLE during any period set forth above is not an indication that the price per share of the XLE is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

 

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the prices of the XLE.

 

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

 

Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount.

 

MLPF&S will purchase the notes from BofAS for resale, and will receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the notes in an amount up to the full amount of underwriting discount set forth on the cover of this term sheet.

 

We will pay a fee to LFT Securities, LLC for providing certain electronic platform services with respect to this offering, which will reduce the economic terms of the notes to you. An affiliate of BofAS has an ownership interest in LFT Securities, LLC.

 

We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than one business day following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than one business day from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

 

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S and/or one of its affiliates acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

 

MLPF&S and BofAS may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, and these prices will include MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s trading commissions and mark-ups or mark-downs. MLPF&S and BofAS may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, neither is obligated to engage in any such transactions. At their discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S and BofAS may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S or BofAS for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Market Measure and the remaining term of the notes. However, none of us, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.

 

The value of the notes shown on your account statement will be based on BofAS’s estimate of the value of the notes if BofAS or another of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. That estimate will be based upon the price that BofAS may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.

 

The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding RBC or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.

 

An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:

 

·

the investor’s spouse (including a domestic partner), siblings, parents, grandparents, spouse’s parents, children and grandchildren, but excluding accounts held by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews or any other family relationship not directly above or below the individual investor;

 

·

a family investment vehicle, including foundations, limited partnerships and personal holding companies, but only if the beneficial owners of the vehicle consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; and

 

·

a trust where the grantors and/or beneficiaries of the trust consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; provided that, purchases of the notes by a trust generally cannot be aggregated together with any purchases made by a trustee’s personal account.

 

Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”), and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).

 

Please contact your Merrill financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.

 

Structuring the Notes

 

The notes are our debt securities. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness. In addition, because market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under market-linked notes at a rate that is lower than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity, which we refer to as our internal funding rate. The lower internal funding rate, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked notes, reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and result in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than their public offering price. Unlike the initial estimated value, any value of the notes determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction may be based on a secondary market rate, which may result in a lower value for the notes than if our initial internal funding rate were used.

 

At maturity, we are required to pay the Redemption Amount to holders of the notes, which will be calculated based on the $10 per unit principal amount and will depend on the performance of the Market Measure. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by seeking bids from market participants, including MLPF&S, BofAS and their affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Market Measure, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.

 

BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging-related charge of approximately $0.05 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to BofAS from these transactions. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by BofAS or any third party hedge providers.

 

For further information, see “Risk Factors—Valuation- and Market-related Risks” beginning on page PS-7 and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-20 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

 

Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

For a discussion of the material Canadian federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the notes, please see the section entitled “Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the prospectus dated December 20, 2023.

 

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

 

You should review carefully the section in the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary.” The following discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the notes.

 

Generally, this discussion assumes that you purchased the notes for cash in the original issuance at the stated issue price and does not address other circumstances specific to you, including consequences that may arise due to any other investments relating to the Market Measure. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect any such circumstances may have on the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your ownership of a note.

 

In the opinion of our counsel, which is based on current market conditions, it is reasonable to treat the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as pre-paid cash settled derivative contracts, as described in the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—U.S. Holders” in the accompanying product supplement. There is uncertainty regarding this treatment, and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court might not agree with it. Moreover, because this treatment of the notes and our counsel’s opinion are based on market conditions as of the date of this term sheet, each is subject to confirmation on the pricing date. A different tax treatment could be adverse to you. Generally, if this treatment is respected, subject to the potential application of the “constructive ownership” regime discussed below, (i) you should not recognize taxable income or loss prior to the taxable disposition of your notes (including upon maturity or an earlier redemption, if applicable) and (ii) the gain or loss on your notes should be treated as short-term capital gain or loss unless you have held the notes for more than one year, in which case your gain or loss should be treated as long-term capital gain or loss.

 

Even if the treatment of the notes as prepaid financial contracts is respected, purchasing a note could be treated as entering into a “constructive ownership transaction” within the meaning of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 1260”). In that case, all or a portion of any long-term capital gain you would otherwise recognize upon the taxable disposition of the note would be recharacterized as ordinary income to the extent such gain exceeded the “net underlying long-term capital gain” as defined in Section 1260. Any long-term capital gain recharacterized as ordinary income would be treated as accruing at a constant rate over the period you held the note, and you would be subject to a notional interest charge in respect of the deemed tax liability on the income treated as accruing in prior tax years. Due to the lack of direct legal authority, our counsel is unable to opine as to whether or how Section 1260 applies to the notes.

 

We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the notes. An alternative characterization of the notes could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the notes, including the timing and character of income recognized. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. Furthermore, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

 

Non-U.S. holders. As discussed under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—Non-U.S. Holders” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to non-U.S. holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities. The Treasury regulations, as modified by an IRS notice, exempt financial instruments issued prior to January 1, 2027 that do not have a “delta” of one. Based on certain determinations made by us, we expect that Section 871(m) will not apply to the notes with regard to non-U.S. holders. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. If necessary, further information regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) will be provided in the final pricing supplement for the notes.

 

We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to U.S. federal withholding taxes.

 

You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments and the potential application of the “constructive ownership” regime, as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

 

Supplemental Benefit Plan Investor Considerations

 

The notes are contractual financial instruments. The financial exposure provided by the notes is not a substitute or proxy for, and is not intended as a substitute or proxy for, individualized investment management or advice for the benefit of any purchaser or holder of the notes. The notes have not been designed and will not be administered in a manner intended to reflect the individualized needs and objectives of any purchaser or holder of the notes.

 

Each purchaser or holder of any notes acknowledges and agrees that:

 

·

the purchaser or holder or its fiduciary has made and shall make all investment decisions for the purchaser or holder and the purchaser or holder has not relied and shall not rely in any way upon us or any of our affiliates to act as a fiduciary or adviser of the purchaser or holder with respect to (i) the design and terms of the notes, (ii) the purchaser or holder’s investment in the notes, (iii) the holding of the notes or (iv) the exercise of or failure to exercise any rights we or any of our affiliates, or the purchaser or holder, has under or with respect to the notes;

 

·

we and our affiliates have acted and will act solely for our own account in connection with (i) all transactions relating to the notes and (ii) all hedging transactions in connection with our or our affiliates’ obligations under the notes;

 

·

any and all assets and positions relating to hedging transactions by us or any of our affiliates are assets and positions of those entities and are not assets and positions held for the benefit of the purchaser or holder;

 

·

our interests and the interests of our affiliates are adverse to the interests of the purchaser or holder; and

 

·

neither we nor any of our affiliates is a fiduciary or adviser of the purchaser or holder in connection with any such assets, positions or transactions, and any information that we or any of our affiliates may provide is not intended to be impartial investment advice.

 

See “Benefit Plan Investor Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

 

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