Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Statement No. 333-219206

The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

 

Subject to Completion. Dated September 10, 2019.

GS Finance Corp.

$

Leveraged Basket-Linked Notes due

guaranteed by  

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

The notes do not bear interest. The amount that you will be paid on your notes on the stated maturity date (expected to be September 29, 2022) is based on the performance, as measured from the trade date (expected to be September 26, 2019) to and including the determination date (expected to be September 26, 2022), of three baskets. Each basket is comprised of two equally-weighted indices.  Basket 1 is comprised of U.S. equity indices (the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index). Basket 2 is comprised of European equity indices (the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the FTSE® 100 Index). Basket 3 is comprised of Asia-Pacific equity indices (the S&P/ASX 200 Index and the Nikkei 225).

On the determination date, a weighted return will be calculated, which will be based on the basket return for each basket. The weighted return is the sum of the products of (i) the highest basket return times 50% plus (ii) the second highest basket return times 30% plus (iii) the lowest basket return times 20%.  Even though the weighted return allocates higher weights to the higher basket returns, a low basket return may offset other, higher basket returns. Further, with respect to each basket, declines in one index may offset increases in the other index.

The basket return is the percentage increase or decrease in the final basket level on the determination date from the initial basket level of 100. For each basket, the final basket level will equal the sum of the products, as calculated for each index included in such basket, of: (i) its final index level on the determination date divided by its initial index level (set on the trade date) multiplied by (ii) 50.

If the weighted return on the determination date is positive, the return on your notes will be positive and will equal 1.065 times the weighted return.  If the weighted return is zero or negative but not below -15%, you will receive the face amount of your notes.

If the weighted return is negative and is below -15%, the return on your notes will be negative and will equal the weighted return plus 15%. You could lose a significant portion of the face amount of your notes.

At maturity, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, you will receive an amount in cash equal to:

if the weighted return is positive, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) $1,000 times (b) 1.065 times (c) the weighted return;

if the weighted return is zero or negative but not below -15%, $1,000; or

if the weighted return is negative and is below -15%, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) the sum of the weighted return plus 15% times (b) $1,000. You will receive less than the face amount of your notes.

You should read the disclosure herein to better understand the terms and risks of your investment, including the credit risk of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. See page PS-14.

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date is expected to be between $950 and $980 per $1,000 face amount. For a discussion of the estimated value and the price at which Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC would initially buy or sell your notes, if it makes a market in the notes, see the following page.

Original issue date:

expected to be October 1, 2019

Original issue price:

100% of the face amount

Underwriting discount:

    % of the face amount*

Net proceeds to the issuer:

    % of the face amount

* This includes a fee of     % of the face amount that we have agreed to pay to the dealer’s affiliate in connection with certain services provided directly by such affiliate to the dealer.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

Pricing Supplement No.           dated         , 2019.



 

The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes after the date of this pricing supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.

GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale.  Unless GS Finance Corp. or its agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.

Estimated Value of Your Notes

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) and taking into account our credit spreads) is expected to be between $950 and $980 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price. The value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise is equal to approximately the estimated value of your notes at the time of pricing, plus an additional amount (initially equal to $       per $1,000 face amount).

Prior to              , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) will equal approximately the sum of (a) the then-current estimated value of your notes (as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models) plus (b) any remaining additional amount (the additional amount will decline to zero on a straight-line basis from the time of pricing through               ). On and after              , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market) will equal approximately the then-current estimated value of your notes determined by reference to such pricing models.

About Your Prospectus

The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series E program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This prospectus includes this pricing supplement and the accompanying documents listed below. This pricing supplement constitutes a supplement to the documents listed below, does not set forth all of the terms of your notes and therefore should be read in conjunction with such documents:

The information in this pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting information in the documents listed above. In addition, some of the terms or features described in the listed documents may not apply to your notes.

We refer to the notes we are offering by this pricing supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Each of the offered notes has the terms described below. Please note that in this pricing supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. The notes will be issued under the senior debt indenture, dated as of October 10, 2008, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2015, each among us, as issuer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. This indenture, as so supplemented and as further supplemented thereafter, is referred to as the “GSFC 2008 indenture” in the accompanying prospectus supplement. The notes will be issued in book-entry form and represented by a master global note.

PS-2


 

Terms AND CONDITIONS

(Terms From Pricing Supplement No.          Incorporated Into Master Note No. 2)

These terms and conditions relate to pricing supplement no.             dated              , 2019 of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. with respect to the issuance by GS Finance Corp. of its Leveraged Basket-Linked Notes due       and the guarantee thereof by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

The provisions below are hereby incorporated into master note no. 2, dated August 22, 2018. References herein to “this note” shall be deemed to refer to “this security” in such master note no. 2, dated August 22, 2018. Certain defined terms may not be capitalized in these terms and conditions even if they are capitalized in master note no. 2, dated August 22, 2018. Defined terms that are not defined in these terms and conditions shall have the meanings indicated in such master note no. 2, dated August 22, 2018, unless the context otherwise requires.

CUSIP / ISIN: 40056XCU8 / US40056XCU81

Company (Issuer):  GS Finance Corp.

Guarantor:  The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Baskets (each individually, a basket): the SPX/RTY basket, the SX5E/UKX basket and the AS51/NKY basket

Basket underliers (each individually, a basket underlier):

with respect to the SPX/RTY basket, the S&P 500® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “SPX Index”) and the Russell 2000® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “RTY Index”), or, in each case, any successor basket underlier, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein;

with respect to the SX5E/UKX basket, the EURO STOXX 50® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “SX5E Index”) and the FTSE® 100 Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “UKX Index”), or, in each case, any successor basket underlier, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein; and

with respect to the AS51/NKY basket, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “AS51 Index”) and the Nikkei 225 (current Bloomberg symbol: “NKY Index”), or, in each case, any successor basket underlier, as each may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein

Face amount: $             in the aggregate on the original issue date; the aggregate face amount may be increased if the company, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount on a date subsequent to the trade date.

Authorized denominations: $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof

Principal amount:  On the stated maturity date, the company will pay, for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount, an amount in cash equal to the cash settlement amount.

Cash settlement amount:

if the weighted return is positive, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) $1,000 times (b) the upside participation rate times (c) the weighted return;

if the weighted return is zero or negative but not below -15%, $1,000; or

if the weighted return is negative and is below -15%, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) $1,000 times (b) the sum of the weighted return plus 15%

Weighted return: the sum of the products of (i) the highest basket return times 50% plus (ii) the second highest basket return times 30% plus (iii) the lowest basket return times 20%

Basket return: with respect to a basket, the quotient of (i) the final basket level of such basket minus its initial basket level divided by (ii) its initial basket level, expressed as a percentage

Initial basket level: with respect to a basket, 100

PS-3


 

Final basket level: with respect to a basket, the sum of the products, as calculated for each basket underlier in such basket, of: (i) the final basket underlier level divided by the initial basket underlier level times (ii) its initial weighted value

Initial weighted value: for each basket underlier, its initial weight in the basket set forth below multiplied by the initial basket level, all as set forth below:

 

Basket Underlier

Initial Weight in the Basket

Initial Weighted Value

SPX/RTY basket:

 

 

S&P 500® Index

50%

50

Russell 2000® Index

50%

50

SX5E/UKX basket:

 

 

EURO STOXX 50® Index

50%

50

FTSE® 100 Index

50%

50

AS51/NKY basket:

 

 

S&P/ASX 200 Index

50%

50

Nikkei 225……………

50%

50

Initial basket underlier level (in each case, set on the trade date):

with respect to the S&P 500® Index,          ;

with respect to the Russell 2000® Index,          ;

with respect to the EURO STOXX 50® Index,          ;

with respect the FTSE® 100 Index,          ;

with respect to the S&P/ASX 200 Index,          ; and

with respect to the Nikkei 225

Final basket underlier level: with respect to a basket underlier, the closing level of such basket underlier on the determination date, subject to adjustment as provided in “— Consequences of a market disruption event or non-trading day” and “— Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier” below

Upside participation rate: 106.5%

Trade date: expected to be September 26, 2019

Original issue date (set on the trade date): expected to be October 1, 2019

Determination date (set on the trade date): expected to be September 26, 2022, unless the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event with respect to a basket underlier occurs or is continuing on such day or such day is not a trading day with respect to a basket underlier. In that event, the determination date will be the first following trading day on which the calculation agent determines that, on or subsequent to such originally scheduled determination date, each basket underlier has had at least one trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing and the closing level of each of the basket underliers will be determined on or prior to the postponed determination date as set forth under “— Consequences of a market disruption event or a non-trading day” below. (In such case, the determination date may differ from the dates on which the levels of one or more basket underliers are determined for the purpose of the calculations to be performed on the determination date.) In no event, however, will the determination date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled stated maturity date or, if the originally scheduled stated maturity date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled stated maturity date. On such last possible determination date, if a market disruption event occurs or is continuing with respect to a basket underlier that has not yet had such a trading day on which no market disruption event has occurred or is continuing or if such last possible day is not a trading day with respect to such basket underlier, that day will nevertheless be the determination date.

Stated maturity date (set on the trade date): expected to be September 29, 2022, unless that day is not a business day, in which case the stated maturity date will be postponed to the next following business day. The stated maturity date will also be postponed if the determination date is postponed as described

PS-4


 

under “— Determination date” above. In such a case, the stated maturity date will be postponed by the same number of business day(s) from but excluding the originally scheduled determination date to and including the actual determination date.

Closing level: on any trading day,

with respect to the S&P 500® Index, the EURO STOXX 50® Index, the FTSE® 100 Index, the S&P/ASX 200 Index or the Nikkei 225, the official closing level of such basket underlier or any successor basket underlier published by the basket underlier sponsor on such trading day for such basket underlier; and

with respect to the Russell 2000® Index, the closing level of such basket underlier or any successor basket underlier reported by Bloomberg Financial Services, or any successor reporting service the company may select, on such trading day for that basket underlier (as of the trade date, whereas the basket underlier sponsor publishes the official closing level of the Russell 2000® Index to six decimal places, Bloomberg Financial Services reports the closing level to fewer decimal places)

Trading day:

with respect to the S&P 500® Index, the Russell 2000® Index, the FTSE® 100 Index, the S&P/ASX 200 Index or the Nikkei 225, a day on which the respective principal securities markets for all of the basket underlier stocks are open for trading, the basket underlier sponsor is open for business and such basket underlier is calculated and published by the basket underlier sponsor; and

with respect to the EURO STOXX 50® Index, a day on which such basket underlier is calculated and published by the basket underlier sponsor

Successor basket underlier: with respect to a basket underlier, any substitute basket underlier approved by the calculation agent as a successor basket underlier as provided under “— Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier” below

Basket underlier sponsor: with respect to a basket underlier, at any time, the person or entity, including any successor sponsor, that determines and publishes such basket underlier as then in effect. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by any basket underlier sponsor or any affiliate thereof and no basket underlier sponsor or affiliate thereof makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes.

Basket underlier stocks: with respect to a basket underlier, at any time, the stocks that comprise such basket underlier as then in effect, after giving effect to any additions, deletions or substitutions

Market disruption event: With respect to any given trading day, any of the following will be a market disruption event with respect to a basket underlier:

a suspension, absence or material limitation of trading in basket underlier stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the basket underlier on their respective primary markets, in each case for more than two consecutive hours of trading or during the one-half hour before the close of trading in that market, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion,

a suspension, absence or material limitation of trading in option or futures contracts relating to the basket underlier or to basket underlier stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of such basket underlier in the respective primary markets for those contracts, in each case for more than two consecutive hours of trading or during the one-half hour before the close of trading in that market, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion, or

basket underlier stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the basket underlier, or option or futures contracts, if available, relating to a basket underlier or to basket underlier stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the basket underlier do not trade on what were the respective primary markets for those basket underlier stocks or contracts, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion,

PS-5


 

and, in the case of any of these events, the calculation agent determines in its sole discretion that such event could materially interfere with the ability of the company or any of its affiliates or a similarly situated person to unwind all or a material portion of a hedge that could be effected with respect to this note.

The following events will not be market disruption events:

a limitation on the hours or numbers of days of trading, but only if the limitation results from an announced change in the regular business hours of the relevant market, and

a decision to permanently discontinue trading in option or futures contracts relating to a basket underlier or to any basket underlier stock.

For this purpose, an “absence of trading” in the primary securities market on which a basket underlier stock is traded, or on which option or futures contracts relating to a basket underlier or a basket underlier stock are traded, will not include any time when that market is itself closed for trading under ordinary circumstances. In contrast, a suspension or limitation of trading in a basket underlier stock or in option or futures contracts, if available, relating to a basket underlier or a basket underlier stock in the primary market for that stock or those contracts, by reason of:

a price change exceeding limits set by that market,

an imbalance of orders relating to that basket underlier stock or those contracts, or

a disparity in bid and ask quotes relating to that basket underlier stock or those contracts,

will constitute a suspension or material limitation of trading in that stock or those contracts in that market.

A market disruption event with respect to one basket underlier will not, by itself, constitute a market disruption event for the other unaffected basket underliers.

Consequences of a market disruption event or a non-trading day: If a market disruption event with respect to any basket underlier occurs or is continuing on a day that would otherwise be the determination date or such day is not a trading day, then the determination date will be postponed as described under “— Determination date” above. If the determination date is postponed due to a market disruption event or non-trading day with respect to one or more of the basket underliers, the final basket level for the postponed determination date will be calculated based on (i) the closing level of each of the basket underliers that is not affected by the market disruption event or non-trading day, if any, on the originally scheduled determination date, (ii) the closing level of each of the basket underliers that is affected by the market disruption event or non-trading day on the first trading day following the originally scheduled determination date on which no market disruption event exists for that basket underlier, and (iii) the calculation agent’s assessment, in its sole discretion, of the closing level of each basket underlier on the last possible postponed determination date with respect to each basket underlier as to which a market disruption event or non-trading day continues through the last possible postponed determination date. As a result, this could result in the closing level of differing basket underliers being determined on different calendar dates. For the avoidance of doubt, once the closing level for one or more basket underliers is determined for the determination date, the occurrence of a later market disruption event or non-trading day will not alter such calculation.

Discontinuance or modification of a basket underlier: If a basket underlier sponsor discontinues publication of a basket underlier and such basket underlier sponsor or any other person or entity publishes a substitute basket underlier that the calculation agent determines is comparable to such basket underlier and approves as a successor basket underlier, or if the calculation agent designates a substitute basket underlier, then the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the stated maturity date by reference to such successor basket underlier.

If the calculation agent determines that the publication of a basket underlier is discontinued and there is no successor basket underlier, the calculation agent will determine the amount payable on the stated maturity date by a computation methodology that the calculation agent determines will as closely as reasonably possible replicate such basket underlier.

If the calculation agent determines that a basket underlier, the basket underlier stocks comprising that basket underlier or the method of calculating that basket underlier is changed at any time in any respect

PS-6


 

— including any split or reverse-split and any addition, deletion or substitution and any reweighting or rebalancing of the basket underlier stocks and whether the change is made by the basket underlier sponsor under its existing policies or following a modification of those policies, is due to the publication of a successor basket underlier, is due to events affecting one or more of the basket underlier stocks or their issuers or is due to any other reason — and is not otherwise reflected in the level of the basket underlier by the basket underlier sponsor pursuant to the then-current basket underlier methodology of the basket underlier, then the calculation agent will be permitted (but not required) to make such adjustments in such basket underlier or the method of its calculation as it believes are appropriate to ensure that the level of such basket underlier used to determine the amount payable on the stated maturity date is equitable.

All determinations and adjustments to be made by the calculation agent with respect to a basket underlier may be made by the calculation agent in its sole discretion. The calculation agent is not obligated to make any such adjustments.

Calculation agent: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”)

Tax characterization: The holder, on behalf of itself and any other person having a beneficial interest in this note, hereby agrees with the company (in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize this note for all U.S. federal income tax purposes as a pre-paid derivative contract in respect of the basket underliers.

Overdue principal rate: the effective Federal Funds rate

 

 


PS-7


 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES

 

The following examples are provided for purposes of illustration only. They should not be taken as an indication or prediction of future investment results and merely are intended to illustrate the impact that the various hypothetical weighted returns, hypothetical final basket levels or hypothetical closing levels of the basket underliers, as applicable, on the determination date could have on the cash settlement amount at maturity assuming all other variables remain constant.

The examples below are based on a range of weighted returns, final basket levels and closing levels of the basket underliers that are entirely hypothetical; no one can predict what the levels of the baskets will be on any day throughout the life of your notes, and no one can predict what the final basket levels will be on the determination date. The basket underliers have been highly volatile in the past — meaning that the levels of the basket underliers have changed considerably in relatively short periods — and their performances cannot be predicted for any future period.

The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming that they are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date. If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to the stated maturity date, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the examples below, such as interest rates, the volatility of the basket underliers, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, and the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor. In addition, the estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by GS&Co.) is less than the original issue price of your notes. For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes” on page PS-14 of this pricing supplement. The information in the examples also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.


Key Terms and Assumptions

Face amount

$1,000

Initial basket level of each basket

100

Upside participation rate

106.5%

Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs with respect to any basket underlier on the originally scheduled determination date

No change in or affecting any of the basket underlier stocks or the method by which any of the basket underlier sponsors calculates any basket underlier

Notes purchased on original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date

Moreover, we have not yet set the initial levels of the basket underliers that will serve as the baselines for determining the basket returns and the weighted return and the amount that we will pay on your notes at maturity. We will not do so until the trade date. As a result, the actual initial levels of the basket underliers may differ substantially from their levels prior to the trade date.

For these reasons, the actual performance of the baskets over the life of your notes, as well as the amount payable at maturity may bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical levels of each basket underlier shown elsewhere in this pricing supplement. For information about the historical levels of each basket underlier during recent periods, see “The Baskets and the Basket Underliers — Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers” below. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the levels of the basket underliers between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.

Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes. Because of the U.S. tax treatment applicable to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the basket underliers.

PS-8


 

The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical weighted returns. The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical weighted return, and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent). Thus, a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.000% of the face amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical weighted return and the assumptions noted above.

Hypothetical Weighted Return

Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount

 

(as Percentage of Face Amount)

75.000%

179.875%

50.000%

153.250%

25.000%

126.625%

10.000%

110.650%

0.000%

100.000%

-5.000%

100.000%

-10.000%

100.000%

-15.000%

100.000%

-25.000%

90.000%

-50.000%

65.000%

-75.000%

40.000%

-100.000%

15.000%

 

If, for example, the weighted return were determined to be -75.000%, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 40.000% of the face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes on the original issue date at the face amount and held them to the stated maturity date, you would lose 60.000% of your investment (if you purchased your notes at a premium to face amount you would lose a correspondingly higher percentage of your investment).

The following chart also shows a graphical illustration of the hypothetical cash settlement amounts that we would pay on your notes on the stated maturity date, if the weighted return were any of the hypothetical levels shown on the horizontal axis. The hypothetical cash settlement amounts in the chart are expressed as percentages of the face amount of your notes. The chart shows that any hypothetical weighted return of less than -15.000% (the section left of the -15.000% marker on the horizontal axis) would result in a hypothetical cash settlement amount of less than 100.000% of the face amount of your notes (the section below the 100.000% marker on the vertical axis) and, accordingly, in a loss of principal to the holder of the notes.

PS-9


 

The following examples illustrate the hypothetical cash settlement amount at maturity for each note based on hypothetical final levels of the basket underliers in each basket, calculated based on the key terms and assumptions above. The percentages in Column A represent hypothetical final levels for each basket underlier in each basket, in each case expressed as a percentage of its initial level. The amounts in Column B represent the final basket level for each basket, which in each case equals the sum of the products, as calculated for each basket underlier in such basket, of: (i) the final basket underlier level divided by the initial basket underlier level times (ii) its initial weighted value. The amounts in Column C represent the basket return for each basket, which in each case equals the quotient of (i) the final basket level for such basket minus its initial basket level divided by (ii) its initial basket level, expressed as a percentage. The weighted return for each example is shown beneath each example, and in each case equals the sum of the products of (i) the highest basket return times 50% plus (ii) the second highest basket return times 30% plus (iii) the lowest basket return times 20%. The values below have been rounded for ease of analysis.

 


PS-10


 

Example 1: The basket return of each basket is positive and the weighted return is positive.

 

 

Column A

Column B

Column C

Basket

Basket Underlier

Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level)

Final Basket Level

Basket Return

SPX/RTY Basket

S&P 500® Index

150.00%

130

30%

Russell 2000® Index

110.00%

SX5E/UKX Basket

EURO STOXX 50® Index

120.00%

120

20%

FTSE® 100 Index

120.00%

AS51/NKY Basket

S&P/ASX 200 Index

105.00%

105

5%

Nikkei 225

105.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers in each basket are greater than the applicable initial levels, which results in the basket returns for each basket being greater than zero. Since the SPX/RTY basket has the highest basket return of 30%, the SX5E/UKX basket has the second highest basket return of 20% and the AS51/NKY basket has the lowest basket return of 5%, the weighted return is equal to:

(30% × 50%) + (20% × 30%) + (5% × 20%) = 22%

Since the weighted return is 22%, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:

Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × 22% × 106.5%) = $1,234.3

Example 2: The basket return of each basket is negative and the weighted return is negative but not below -15%. The cash settlement amount equals the $1,000 face amount.

 

 

Column A

Column B

Column C

Basket

Basket Underlier

Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level)

Final Basket Level

Basket Return

SPX/RTY Basket

S&P 500® Index

80.00%

80

-20%

Russell 2000® Index

80.00%

SX5E/UKX Basket

EURO STOXX 50® Index

95.00%

95

-5%

FTSE® 100 Index

95.00%

AS51/NKY Basket

S&P/ASX 200 Index

65.00%

70

-30%

Nikkei 225

75.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers in each basket are less than the applicable initial levels, which results in the basket return for each basket being negative. Since the SX5E/UKX basket has the highest basket return of -5%, the SPX/RTY basket has the second highest basket return of -20% and the AS51/NKY basket has the lowest basket return of -30%, the weighted return is equal to:

(-5% × 50%) + (-20% × 30%) + (-30% × 20%) = -14.5%

Since the weighted return of -14.5% is not below -15%, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal the face amount of the note, or $1,000.

PS-11


 

Example 3: The basket returns are positive and negative and the weighted return is below -15%. The cash settlement amount is less than the $1,000 face amount.

 

 

Column A

Column B

Column C

Basket

Basket Underlier

Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level)

Final Basket Level

Basket Return

SPX/RTY Basket

S&P 500® Index

45.00%

40

-60%

Russell 2000® Index

35.00%

SX5E/UKX Basket

EURO STOXX 50® Index

30.00%

25

-75%

FTSE® 100 Index

20.00%

AS51/NKY Basket

S&P/ASX 200 Index

101.00%

101

1%

Nikkei 225

101.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, the basket returns of the SPX/RTY basket and SX5E/UKX basket are negative, while the basket return of the AS51/NKY basket is positive.

Even if the highest basket return (which is assigned the highest weighting in the weighted return calculation) is positive, a basket with a basket return of less than zero could offset a basket return of greater than zero. In this example, the large declines in the SX5E/UKX basket and SPX/RTY basket result in the weighted return being below -15%, even though the AS51/NKY basket increased.  Since the AS51/NKY basket has the highest basket return of 1%, the SPX/RTY basket has the second highest basket return of -60% and the SX5E/UKX basket has the lowest basket return of -75%, the weighted return is equal to:

(1% × 50%) + (-60% × 30%) + (-75% × 20%) = -32.5%

Since the weighted return of -32.5% is less than -15%, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:

Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × (-32.5% + 15%)) =  $825

Example 4: The basket return of each basket is negative and the weighted return is below -15%. The cash settlement amount is less than the $1,000 face amount.

 

 

Column A

Column B

Column C

Basket

Basket Underlier

Hypothetical Final Level (as Percentage of Initial Level)

Final Basket Level

Basket Return

SPX/RTY Basket

S&P 500® Index

50.00%

60

-40%

Russell 2000® Index

70.00%

SX5E/UKX Basket

EURO STOXX 50® Index

35.00%

50

-50%

FTSE® 100 Index

65.00%

AS51/NKY Basket

S&P/ASX 200 Index

65.00%

55

-45%

Nikkei 225

45.00%

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers in each basket are less than the applicable initial levels, which results in the basket returns for each basket being negative. Since the SPX/RTY basket has the highest basket return of -40%, the AS51/NKY basket has the second highest basket return of -45% and the SX5E/UKX basket has the lowest basket return of -50%, the weighted return is equal to:  

PS-12


 

(-40% × 50%) + (-45% × 30%) + (-50% × 20%) = -43.5%

Since the weighted return of -43.5% is less than -15%, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal:

 

Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × (-43.5% + 15%)) = $715

The cash settlement amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on market prices for the underlier stocks that may not be achieved on the determination date and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous. The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to sell your notes, may bear little relation to the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes. The hypothetical cash settlement amounts on notes held to the stated maturity date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes. The return on your investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be affected by the amount you pay for your notes. If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above examples. Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-3 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us (with one or more implicit option premiums paid over time). The discussion in this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement.

 

We cannot predict the actual final basket levels or weighted return or what the market value of your notes will be on any particular trading day, nor can we predict the relationship between the level of each basket underlier and the market value of your notes at any time prior to the stated maturity date. The actual amount that you will receive, if any, at maturity and the rate of return on the offered notes will depend on the actual initial level of each basket underlier, which we will set on the trade date, and the actual basket return of each basket underlier and the actual weighted return determined by the calculation agent as described above. Moreover, the assumptions on which the hypothetical returns are based may turn out to be inaccurate. Consequently, the amount of cash to be paid in respect of your notes, if any, on the stated maturity date may be very different from the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown in the examples above.

 

PS-13

 


 

ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus, in the accompanying prospectus supplement and under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. Your notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the basket underlier stocks, i.e., with respect to a basket underlier to which your notes are linked, the stocks comprising such basket underlier. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are suited to your particular circumstances.

The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes

The original issue price for your notes exceeds the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models and taking into account our credit spreads. Such estimated value on the trade date is set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes; after the trade date, the estimated value as determined by reference to these models will be affected by changes in market conditions, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and other relevant factors.  The price at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell your notes (if GS&Co. makes a market, which it is not obligated to do), and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise, also exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models. As agreed by GS&Co. and the distribution participants, this excess (i.e., the additional amount described under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”) will decline to zero on a straight line basis over the period from the date hereof through the applicable date set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”. Thereafter, if GS&Co. buys or sells your notes it will do so at prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to such pricing models at that time. The price at which GS&Co. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes.

In estimating the value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as disclosed above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes, GS&Co.’s pricing models consider certain variables, including principally our credit spreads, interest rates (forecasted, current and historical rates), volatility, price-sensitivity analysis and the time to maturity of the notes.  These pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market, if any, to others may differ, perhaps materially, from the estimated value of your notes determined by reference to our models due to, among other things, any differences in pricing models or assumptions used by others.  See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-3 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

The difference between the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date and the original issue price is a result of certain factors, including principally the underwriting discount and commissions, the expenses incurred in creating, documenting and marketing the notes, and an estimate of the difference between the amounts we pay to GS&Co. and the amounts GS&Co. pays to us in connection with your notes. We pay to GS&Co. amounts based on what we would pay to holders of a non-structured note with a similar maturity. In return for such payment, GS&Co. pays to us the amounts we owe under your notes.  

In addition to the factors discussed above, the value and quoted price of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted. If GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the price quoted by GS&Co. would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors, including any deterioration in our creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness or the creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. These changes may adversely affect the value of your notes, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. To the extent that GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the quoted price will reflect the estimated value determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models at that time, plus or minus its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes (and subject to the declining excess amount described above).  

Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions, or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount. This commission or discount will further reduce the proceeds you would receive for your notes in a secondary market sale.

PS-14

 


 

There is no assurance that GS&Co. or any other party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price and, in this regard, GS&Co. is not obligated to make a market in the notes. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes — Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market” on page S-7 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor

Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of the basket underliers in each basket, the payment of any amount due on the notes is subject to the credit risk of GS Finance Corp., as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. as guarantor of the notes. The notes are our unsecured obligations.  Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Similarly, investors are dependent on the ability of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of the notes, to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore are also subject to its credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of its creditworthiness. See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes, Series E Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Guarantee by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.” on page 42 of the accompanying prospectus.

The Amount Payable on Your Notes Is Not Linked to the Level of Each Basket Underlier at Any Time Other Than the Determination Date

The weighted return will be based on the final basket level for each basket. The final basket level for each basket will be based on the closing levels of the basket underliers in such basket on the determination date (subject to adjustment as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement). Therefore, if the closing levels of the basket underliers dropped precipitously on the determination date, the cash settlement amount for your notes may be significantly less than it would have been had the cash settlement amount been linked to the closing levels of the basket underliers prior to such drop in the levels of the basket underliers. Although the actual levels of the basket underliers on the stated maturity date or at other times during the life of your notes may be higher than the closing levels of the basket underliers on the determination date, you will not benefit from the closing levels of the basket underliers at any time other than on the determination date.

You May Lose a Substantial Portion of Your Investment in the Notes

You can lose a substantial portion of your investment in the notes. The cash payment on your notes on the stated maturity date will be based the weighted return. If the weighted return for your notes is below -15%, you will have a loss for each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes equal to the product of (i) $1,000 times (ii) the sum of the weighted return plus 15%. Thus, you may lose a substantial portion of your investment in the notes, which would include any premium to face amount you paid when you purchased the notes.

Also, the market price of your notes prior to the stated maturity date may be significantly lower than the purchase price you pay for your notes. Consequently, if you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, you may receive far less than the amount of your investment in the notes.

Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest

You will not receive any interest payments on your notes. As a result, even if the cash settlement amount payable for your notes on the stated maturity date exceeds the face amount of your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes may be less than you would have earned by investing in a non-indexed debt security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing market rate.

With Respect to Each Basket, the Lower Performance of One Basket Underlier May Offset an Increase in the Other Basket Underlier

 

With respect to each basket, declines in the level of one basket underlier may offset an increase in the level of the other basket underlier. As a result, the basket return of any basket may be reduced or eliminated, which will have the effect of reducing the weighted return and the amount payable in respect of your notes at maturity.

The Lower Performance of One Basket May Offset an Increase in the Other Baskets

Declines in the level of one basket may offset increases in the levels of the other baskets. As a result, the weighted return may be reduced or eliminated, which will have the effect of reducing the amount payable in respect of your notes at maturity. In addition, because the formula for the weighted return assigns unequal weights to the baskets, and even though the highest basket return will be the most heavily weighted basket return, that

PS-15

 


 

highest basket return may be negative. Further, even if the highest basket return is positive, a lower basket return of another basket could offset the positive return of the basket with the highest basket return.

You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Basket Underlier Stock

Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any of the basket underlier stocks. Neither you nor any other holder or owner of your notes will have any rights with respect to the basket underlier stocks, including any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, any rights to make a claim against the basket underlier stocks or any other rights of a holder of the basket underlier stocks. Your notes will be paid in cash and you will have no right to receive delivery of any basket underlier stocks.

We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price

At our sole option, we may decide to sell an additional aggregate face amount of the notes subsequent to the date of this pricing supplement. The issue price of the notes in the subsequent sale may differ substantially (higher or lower) from the original issue price you paid as provided on the cover of this pricing supplement.

If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected

The cash settlement amount will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for the notes. If you purchase notes at a price that differs from the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount. If you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount and hold them to the stated maturity date the return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount to face amount. In addition, the impact of the buffer level on the return on your investment will depend upon the price you pay for your notes relative to face amount. For example, if you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount, the buffer level, while still providing some protection for the return on the notes, will allow a greater percentage decrease in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at face amount or a discount to face amount.

An Investment in the Offered Notes Is Subject to Risks Associated with Foreign Securities

The value of your notes is linked to basket underliers that are comprised of stocks from one or more foreign securities markets. Investments linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Any foreign securities market may be less liquid, more volatile and affected by global or domestic market developments in a different way than are the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Both government intervention in a foreign securities market, either directly or indirectly, and cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in that market. 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. Further, foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies. 

The prices of securities in a foreign country are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that are unique to such foreign country's geographical region. These factors include: recent changes, or the possibility of future changes, in the applicable foreign government's economic and fiscal policies; the possible implementation of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities; fluctuations, or the possibility of fluctuations, in currency exchange rates; and the possibility of outbreaks of hostility, political instability, natural disaster or adverse public health developments. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union (popularly known as “Brexit”). The effect of Brexit is uncertain, and Brexit has and may continue to contribute to volatility in the prices of securities of companies located in Europe and currency exchange rates, including the valuation of the euro and British pound in particular. Any one of these factors, or the combination of more than one of these factors, could negatively affect such foreign securities market and the price of securities therein. Further, geographical regions may react to global factors in different ways, which may cause the prices of securities in a foreign securities market to fluctuate in a way that differs from those of securities in the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Foreign economies may also differ from the U.S. economy in important respects, including growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency, which may have a positive or negative effect on foreign securities prices.

PS-16

 


 

Your Notes May Be Subject to an Adverse Change in Tax Treatment in the Future

The tax consequences of an investment in your notes are uncertain, both as to the timing and character of any inclusion in income in respect of your notes.

The Internal Revenue Service announced on December 7, 2007 that it is considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as your notes, and any such guidance could adversely affect the tax treatment and the value of your notes. Among other things, the Internal Revenue Service may decide to require the holders to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and recognize ordinary income on payment at maturity, and could subject non-U.S. investors to withholding tax. Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes. We describe these developments in more detail under “Supplemental Discussion of Federal Income Tax Consequences – United States Holders – Possible Change in the Law” below. You should consult your tax advisor about this matter. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, GS Finance Corp. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described under “Supplemental Discussion of Federal Income Tax Consequences” on page PS-37 unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. Please also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding May Apply to Payments on Your Notes, Including as a Result of the Failure of the Bank or Broker Through Which You Hold the Notes to Provide Information to Tax Authorities

Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of FATCA to payments made on your notes. The discussion in that section is hereby modified to reflect the regulations proposed by the Treasury Department indicating its intent to eliminate the requirements under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, maturity or other disposition of relevant financial instruments. The Treasury Department has indicated that taxpayers may rely on these proposed regulations pending their finalization.


PS-17

 


 

THE BASKETS AND THE BASKET UNDERLIERS

The Baskets

Each basket is comprised of two equally-weighted indices. The SPX/RTY basket is comprised of the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index. The SX5E/UKX basket is comprised of the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the FTSE® 100 Index. The AS51/NKY basket is comprised of the S&P/ASX 200 Index and the Nikkei 225.

The S&P 500® Index

The S&P 500® Index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The S&P 500® Index is calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”).

As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the S&P 500® Index. Constituents of the S&P 500® Index prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the S&P 500® Index. If an S&P 500® Index constituent reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will be reviewed for continued inclusion in the S&P 500® Index at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee. Also as of July 31, 2017, the criteria employed by S&P for purposes of making additions to the S&P 500® Index were changed as follows:

with respect to the “U.S. company” criterion, (i) the IEX was added as an “eligible exchange” for the primary listing of the relevant company’s common stock and (ii) the former “corporate governance structure consistent with U.S. practice” requirement was removed; and

with respect to constituents of the S&P MidCap 400® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index that are being considered for addition to the S&P 500® Index, the financial viability, public float and/or liquidity eligibility criteria no longer need to be met if the S&P Index Committee decides that such an addition will enhance the representativeness of the S&P 500® Index as a market benchmark.

Effective February 20, 2019, company additions to the S&P 500® Index should have an unadjusted company market capitalization of $8.2 billion or more (an increase from the previous requirement of an unadjusted company market capitalization of $6.1 billion or more). A company meeting the unadjusted company market capitalization criteria is also required to have a security level float-adjusted market capitalization that is at least $4.1 billion.

As of August 27, 2019, the 500 companies included in the S&P 500® Index were divided into eleven Global Industry Classification Sectors. The Global Industry Classification Sectors include (with the approximate percentage currently included in such sectors indicated in parentheses): Communication Services (10.49%), Consumer Discretionary (10.16%), Consumer Staples (7.68%), Energy (4.37%), Financials (12.67%), Health Care (13.94%), Industrials (9.11%), Information Technology (22.09%), Materials (2.68%), Real Estate (3.28%) and Utilities (3.52%). (Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.) As of the close of business on September 21, 2018, S&P and MSCI, Inc. updated the Global Industry Classification Sector structure. Among other things, the update broadened the Telecommunications Services sector and renamed it the Communication Services sector. The renamed sector includes the previously existing Telecommunication Services Industry group, as well as the Media Industry group, which was moved from the Consumer Discretionary sector and renamed the Media & Entertainment Industry group. The Media & Entertainment Industry group contains three industries: Media, Entertainment and Interactive Media & Services. The Media industry continues to consist of the Advertising, Broadcasting, Cable & Satellite and Publishing sub-industries. The Entertainment industry contains the Movies & Entertainment sub-industry (which includes online entertainment streaming companies in addition to companies previously classified in such industry prior to September 21, 2018) and the Interactive Home Entertainment sub-industry (which includes companies previously classified in the Home Entertainment Software sub-industry prior to September 21, 2018 (when the Home Entertainment Software sub-industry was a sub-industry in the Information Technology sector)), as well as producers of interactive gaming products, including mobile gaming applications). The Interactive Media & Services industry and sub-industry includes companies engaged in content and information creation or distribution through proprietary platforms, where revenues are derived primarily through pay-per-click advertisements, and includes search engines, social media and networking platforms, online classifieds and online review companies. The Global Industry Classification Sector structure changes are effective for the S&P 500® Index as of the open of business on September 24, 2018 to coincide with the September 2018 quarterly rebalancing.

PS-18

 


 

The above information supplements the description of the S&P 500® Index found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the basket underlier sponsor’s website due to subsequent corporate actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the S&P 500® Index, the basket underlier sponsor and the license agreement between the basket underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — S&P 500® Index” on page S-40 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

The S&P 500® Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Goldman”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes by Goldman. Goldman’s notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates and neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such notes.

The Russell 2000® Index

The Russell 2000® Index measures the composite price performance of stocks of 2,000 companies incorporated in the U.S., its territories and certain “benefit-driven incorporation countries.”

As of August 27, 2019, the 2,000 companies included in the Russell 2000® Index were divided into nine Russell Global Sectors. The Russell Global Sectors include (with the approximate percentage currently included in such sectors indicated in parentheses): Consumer Discretionary (12.92%), Consumer Staples (2.59%), Financial Services (26.46%), Health Care (16.50%), Materials & Processing (6.20%), Other Energy (3.48%), Producer Durables (14.19%), Technology (12.52%) and Utilities (5.14%). (Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.)

In addition to the exclusions discussed under “Exclusions from the Russell 2000® Index” on page S-62 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, a company with 5% or less of its voting rights in the hands of unrestricted shareholders is no longer eligible for inclusion in the Russell 2000® Index. Existing constituents of the Russell 2000® Index that do not currently have more than 5% of the company’s voting rights in the hands of unrestricted shareholders have until the September 2022 review to meet this requirement.

The above information supplements the description of the underlier found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the underlier sponsor's website due to subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the underlier, the underlier sponsor and license agreement between the underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “Russell 2000® Index” on page S-61 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

The Russell 2000® Index is a trademark of Russell Investment Group (“Russell”) and has been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. The securities are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Russell, and Russell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the securities.

The EURO STOXX 50® Index

The EURO STOXX 50® Index is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index of 50 European blue-chip stocks and was created by and is sponsored and maintained by STOXX Limited. Publication of the EURO STOXX 50 Index began on February 26, 1998, based on an initial index value of 1,000 at December 31, 1991. The level of the EURO STOXX 50® Index is disseminated on the STOXX Limited website. STOXX Limited is under no obligation to continue to publish the index and may discontinue publication of it at any time. Additional information regarding the EURO STOXX 50® Index may be obtained from the STOXX Limited website: stoxx.com. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this pricing supplement.

The top ten constituent stocks of the EURO STOXX 50® Index as of August 20, 2019, by weight, are: SAP SE (4.83%), Total S.A. (4.83%), LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (3.96%), LINDE PLC (3.91%), Sanofi (3.63%), Allianz SE (3.54%), ASML Holding N.V. (3.44%), Unilever N.V. (3.30%), Airbus SE (3.01%) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (3.00%);

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constituent weights may be found at stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under “Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically.

As of August 20, 2019, the sixteen industry sectors which comprise the EURO STOXX 50® Index represent the following weights in the index: Automobiles & Parts (3.41%), Banks (8.89%), Chemicals (8.32%), Construction & Materials (3.26%), Food & Beverage (5.15%), Health Care (10.15%), Industrial Goods & Services (10.67%), Insurance (6.72%), Media (1.03%), Oil & Gas (6.22%), Personal & Household Goods (11.67%), Real Estate (0.70%), Retail (3.53%), Technology (10.59%), Telecommunications (4.33%), and Utilities (5.37%); industry weightings may be found at stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under “Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.

As of August 20, 2019, the eight countries which comprise the EURO STOXX 50® Index represent the following weights in the index: Belgium (3.00%), Finland (1.09%), France (39.44%), Germany (30.64%), Ireland (1.00%), Italy (4.70%), Netherlands (10.69%) and Spain (9.43%); country weightings may be found at stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under “Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically.

The above information supplements the description of the EURO STOXX 50® Index found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the basket underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the basket underlier sponsor's website due to subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the EURO STOXX 50® Index, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the basket underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — EURO STOXX 50® Index” on page S-75 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

The EURO STOXX 50® is the intellectual property of STOXX Limited, Zurich, Switzerland and/or its licensors (“Licensors“), which is used under license. The securities or other financial instruments based on the index are in no way sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by STOXX and its Licensors and neither STOXX nor its Licensors shall have any liability with respect thereto.

The FTSE® 100 Index

The FTSE® 100 Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of the 100 most highly capitalized U.K.-listed blue chip companies traded on the London Stock Exchange. The FTSE® 100 Index is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by FTSE Russell, a company owned by the London Stock Exchange Group companies that we refer to as FTSE. The FTSE® 100 Index was first launched with a base level of 1,000 as of December 30, 1983. Additional information on the FTSE® 100 Index is available from the following website: ftse.com/products/indices/uk. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this prospectus supplement.

FTSE divides the 100 companies included in the FTSE® 100 Index into 10 Industry Classification Benchmark industries: Oil & Gas, Basic Materials, Industrials, Consumer Goods, Health Care, Consumer Services, Telecommunications, Utilities, Financials and Technology.

FTSE® 100 Index

Index Stock Weighting by Sector as of September 6, 2019

Sector:*

Percentage (%)**

Oil & Gas

16.70%

Basic Materials

8.43%

Industrials

9.38%

Consumer Goods

17.04%

Health Care

10.22%

Consumer Services

11.01%

Telecommunications

3.07%

Utilities

3.07%

Financials

20.18%

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Sector:*

Percentage (%)**

Technology

0.76%

As provided by FTSE Russell. Although FTSE Russell has implemented changes to the ICB structure effective as of July 1, 2019, the industries structure above will remain in place for the FTSE® 100 Index until the semi-annual review in September 2020. The aforementioned changes (which are not reflected above) include the addition of an 11th industry, Real Estate, to the ICB, an expansion and reorganization of the current Telecommunications industry, a reorganization of the Consumer Goods and Consumer Services industries into Consumer Staples and Consumer Discretionary industries, respectively, and the renaming of the Oil & Gas industry to the Energy industry. The Real Estate industry contains the Real Estate Investment & Services sector and the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) sector. However, because Mortgage REITs derive revenue from real estate financing rather than from real estate itself, they remain in the Financials industry. The Telecommunications industry was expanded via the addition of companies from the Technology industry and the Media sector and reorganized by creating a new Telecommunications Equipment sector and new Telecommunications Services (which includes Fixed Line Telecommunications and Mobile Telecommunications companies) and Cable Television Services subsectors, which are grouped at the sector level as the Telecommunications Service Providers sector. The new Consumer Staples and Consumer Discretionary industries are a blend of the existing Consumer Goods and Consumer Services industries, with a majority of the weight in the existing Consumer Goods industry shifting to the new Consumer Staples industry and a majority of the weight in the existing Consumer Services industry shifting to the new Consumer Discretionary industry.

*Sector designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ.  As a result, sector comparisons between indices may reflect differences in sector designation methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.

**Information provided by FTSE. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

The top ten constituent stocks of the FTSE® 100 Index as of September 3, 2019, by weight, are: HSBC Holdings PLC (6.59%); BP PLC (5.49%); Royal Dutch Shell PLC (5.47%); AstraZeneca PLC (5.34%); GlaxoSmithKiline PLC (4.68%);  Royal Dutch Shell PLC Class B (4.66%); Diageo PLC (4.64%); British American Tobacco PLC (3.64%); Unilever (3.18%) and Rio Tinto PLC (2.49%).

In addition to the eligibility criteria discussed under “The Underliers — FTSE® 100 Index” on page S-69 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, in order to be included in the FTSE® 100 Index, a company is required to have greater than 5% of its voting rights (aggregated across all of its equity securities, including, where identifiable, those that are not listed or trading) in the hands of unrestricted shareholders. Current constituents of the FTSE® 100 Index who do not meet this requirement will have until the September 2022 review to meet the requirement or they will be removed from the FTSE® 100 Index.

The above information supplements the description of the basket underlier found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the basket underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the underlier sponsor's website due to subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the basket underlier, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — FTSE® 100 Index” on page S-69 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.

“FTSE®”, “FT-SE®”, “Footsie®”, “FTSE4Good®” and “techMARK” are trademarks owned by the Exchange and are used by FTSE under license. “All-World®”, “All-Share®” and “All-Small®” are trademarks of FTSE.

The FTSE® 100 Index is calculated by FTSE. FTSE does not sponsor, endorse or promote this product and is not in any way connected to it and does not accept any liability in relation to its issue, operation and trading.

All copyright and database rights in the index values and constituent list vest in FTSE. GS Finance Corp. has obtained full license from FTSE to use such copyrights and database rights in the creation of this product.

 

S&P/ASX 200

The S&P/ASX 200, which we also refer to in this description as the “index”:

 

was first launched in 1979 by the Australian Securities Exchange and was acquired and re-launched by its current index sponsor on April 3, 2000; and

 

is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial (“S&P”).

The index includes 200 of the largest and most liquid stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, which we refer to as the ASX, by float-adjusted market capitalization. As discussed below, the S&P/ASX 200 is not limited solely to companies having their primary operations or headquarters in Australia or to companies having their primary listing on the ASX. All ordinary and preferred shares (if such preferred shares are not of a fixed income

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nature) listed on the ASX, including secondary listings, are eligible for the index. Hybrid stocks such as convertible stocks, bonds, warrants, preferred stock that provides a guaranteed fixed return and listed investment companies are not eligible for inclusion. Stocks currently under consideration for merger or acquisition are not eligible for inclusion or promotion to the index.

As of September 3, 2019, the top 10 index stocks by weight were the following: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (7.94%), CSL Ltd. (6.22%), BHP Group Ltd. (6.14%), Westpac Banking Corp. (5.58%), ANZ Banking Group (4.42%), National Australia Bank Ltd. (4.27%), Woolworths Ltd. (2.76%), Wesfarmers Ltd. (2.49%), Telstra Corporation Ltd. (2.46%) and Macquarie Group Ltd. (2.24%).

As of September 3, 2019, the 11 GICS industry sectors represented by stocks in the index include: Financials (31.54%), Materials (17.57%), Health Care (9.48%), Industrials (8.38%), Real Estate (7.83%), Consumer Discretionary (6.21%), Consumer Staples (5.97%), Energy (4.98%), Communication Services (3.74%), Information Technology (2.48%) and Utilities (1.85%). Sector designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices. As of the close of business on September 21, 2018, S&P and MSCI, Inc. updated the Global Industry Classification Sector structure. Among other things, the update broadened the Telecommunications Services sector and renamed it the Communication Services sector. The renamed sector includes the previously existing Telecommunication Services Industry group, as well as the Media Industry group, which was moved from the Consumer Discretionary sector and renamed the Media & Entertainment Industry group. The Media & Entertainment Industry group contains three industries: Media, Entertainment and Interactive Media & Services. The Media industry continues to consist of the Advertising, Broadcasting, Cable & Satellite and Publishing sub-industries. The Entertainment industry contains the Movies & Entertainment sub-industry (which includes online entertainment streaming companies in addition to companies previously classified in such industry prior to September 21, 2018) and the Interactive Home Entertainment sub-industry (which includes companies previously classified in the Home Entertainment Software sub-industry prior to September 21, 2018 (when the Home Entertainment Software sub-industry was a sub-industry in the Information Technology sector)), as well as producers of interactive gaming products, including mobile gaming applications). The Interactive Media & Services industry and sub-industry includes companies engaged in content and information creation or distribution through proprietary platforms, where revenues are derived primarily through pay-per-click advertisements, and includes search engines, social media and networking platforms, online classifieds and online review companies. The Global Industry Classification Sector structure changes are effective for the S&P/ASX 200 Index as of the open of business on September 24, 2018 to coincide with the September 2018 quarterly rebalancing.

As of September 3, 2019, the countries of domicile included in the index and their relative weights were: Australia (97.07%), United Kingdom (1.81%), New Zealand (0.86%), Ireland (0.58), Netherlands (0.18), United States (0.11%) and Hong Kong (0.02).

The S&P/ASX 200 Index is intended to provide exposure to the largest 200 eligible securities that are listed on the ASX by float-adjusted market capitalization.  Constituent companies for the S&P/ASX 200 Index are chosen based on market capitalization, public float and liquidity. All index-eligible securities that have their primary or secondary listing on the ASX are included in the initial selection of stocks from which the 200 index stocks may be selected.

The float-adjusted market capitalization of companies is determined based on the daily average market capitalization over the last six months. The security’s price history over the last six months, the latest available shares on issue and the investable weight factor, which we refer to as the IWF, are the factors relevant to the calculation of daily average market capitalization. The IWF is a variable that is primarily used to determine the available float of a security for ASX listed securities.

Number of Shares

When considering the index eligibility of securities for inclusion or promotion into S&P/ASX indices, the number of index securities under consideration is based upon the latest available ASX quoted securities. For domestic securities (companies incorporated in Australia and traded on the ASX, companies incorporated overseas but exclusively listed on the ASX and companies incorporated overseas and traded on other markets but most of its trading activity is on the ASX), this figure is purely based upon the latest available data from the ASX.

Foreign-domiciled securities may quote the total number of securities on the ASX that is representative of their global equity capital; whereas other foreign-domiciled securities may quote securities on the ASX on a partial basis that represents their Australian equity capital. In order to overcome this inconsistency, S&P will quote the number of

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index securities that are represented by CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) for a foreign entity. When CDIs are not issued, S&P will use the total securities held on the Australian register (CHESS and, where supplied, the issuer sponsored register). This quoted number for a foreign entity is representative of the Australian equity capital, thereby allowing the index to be reflective of the Australian market.

The number of CDIs or shares of a foreign entity quoted on the ASX can experience more volatility than is typically the case for ordinary shares on issue. Therefore, an average number on issue will be applied over a six-month period.

Where CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital will be drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.

IWF

The index is float-adjusted, meaning that the share counts used in calculating the index reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company’s outstanding shares. S&P seeks to exclude shares held by certain shareholders concerned with the control of a company, a group that generally includes the following: officers and directors and related individuals whose holdings are publicly disclosed; private equity, venture capital and special equity firms; asset managers and insurance companies with board of directors representation; shares held by another publicly traded company; holders of restricted shares; company-sponsored employee share plans or trusts, defined contribution plans/savings and investment plans; foundations or family trusts associated with the company; government entities at all levels except government retirement or pension funds; sovereign wealth funds; and any individual person listed as a 5% or greater stakeholder in a company as reported in regulatory filings (collectively, “control holders”). To this end, S&P excludes all share-holdings (other than depositary banks; pension funds, including government pension and retirement funds; mutual funds, exchange traded fund providers, investment funds and asset managers, including hedge funds with no board of director representation; investment funds of insurance companies; and independent foundations not associated with the company) with a position greater than 5% of the outstanding shares of a company from the float-adjusted share count to be used in index calculations.

The exclusion is accomplished by calculating an investable weight factor (IWF) for each stock that is included in the index as follows:

IWF = (available float shares)/(total shares outstanding)

where available float shares is defined as total shares outstanding less shares held by strategic holders. In most cases, an IWF is reported to the nearest one percentage point. For companies with multiple share class lines, a separate IWF is calculated for each share class line.

A company must have a minimum IWF of 0.3 to be eligible for index inclusion, however an IWF at or above that level is not necessary for ongoing index membership.

IWFs are reviewed annually as part of the September quarterly review. However, any event that alters the float of a security in excess of 5% will be implemented as soon as practicable by an adjustment to the IWF.

Liquidity Test

Only stocks that are regularly traded are eligible for inclusion. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their stock median liquidity (median daily value traded divided by its average float-adjusted market capitalization for the last six months) relative to the market capitalization weighted average of the stock median liquidities of the 500 companies of the All Ordinaries index, another member of the S&P/ASX index family.

Index Maintenance

S&P rebalances the index constituents quarterly to ensure adequate market capitalization and liquidity based on the previous six months’ worth of data. The reference date used for the six months worth of trading data is the last Friday of the month prior to the rebalancing, except for the September rebalancing where the reference date for data used is the second to last Friday of August. Quarterly review changes take effect after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September and December. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their float-adjusted market capitalization rank relative to the stated quota of 200 securities. For example, a stock that is currently in the S&P/ASX 300 and is ranked at 175, based on float-adjusted market capitalization, within the universe of eligible securities may be considered for inclusion into the index, provided that liquidity hurdles are met. Stocks that fail the relative liquidation criteria are typically removed from the float-adjusted market capitalization rankings.

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In order to limit the level of index turnover, eligible non-constituent securities will generally only be considered for index inclusion once a current constituent stock is excluded due to a sufficiently low rank and/or liquidity, based on the float-adjusted market capitalization. Potential index inclusions and exclusions need to satisfy buffer requirements in terms of the rank of the stock relative to a given index. In order to be added to the index, a stock must be ranked 179th or higher, and in order to be deleted from the index, a stock must be ranked 221st or lower. The buffers are established to limit the level of index turnover that may take place at each quarterly rebalancing. The buffers serve as guidelines for arriving at any potential constituent changes to the index, however, these rules can be by-passed when circumstances warrant.

Between rebalancing dates, an index addition is generally made only if a vacancy is created by an index deletion. Index additions are made according to float-adjusted market capitalization and liquidity. An initial public offering is added to the index only when an appropriate vacancy occurs and is subject to proven liquidity for at least eight weeks. An exception may be made for extraordinary large offerings where sizeable trading volumes justify index inclusion.

Deletions can occur between index rebalancing dates due to acquisitions, mergers and spin-offs or due to suspension or bankruptcies. The decision to remove a stock from the index will be made once there is sufficient evidence that the transaction will be completed. Stocks that are removed due to mergers & acquisitions activity are removed from the index at the cash offer price for cash-only offers. Otherwise the best available price in the market is used.

Share numbers for all index constituents are updated quarterly and are rounded to the nearest thousand. The update to the number of issued shares will be considered if the change is at least 5% of the float adjusted shares, as at the quarterly rebalancing reference date.

Share updates for foreign-domiciled securities will take place annually at the March rebalancing. The update to the number of index shares will only take place when the 6-month average of CDIs or the total securities held in the Australian branch of the issuer sponsored register (where supplied) and in CHESS, as of the March rebalancing, differs from the current index shares by 5% or more. Where CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital will be drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.

Intra quarter share changes are implemented at the effective date or as soon as reliable information is available; however, they will only take place in the following circumstances:

 

Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5% or more due to market-wide shares issuance;

 

Rights issues, bonus issues and other major corporate actions; and

 

Share issues resulting from index companies merging and major off-market buy-backs.

Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same index and regardless of the size of the change.

IWFs are reviewed annually as part of the September quarterly review. However, any event that alters the float of a security in excess of 5% will be implemented as soon as practicable by an adjustment to the IWF.

Index Calculation

The index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The value of the index on any day for which an index value is published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum for all index stocks of the products of the price of each stock in the index times the number of shares of such stock included in the index times that stock’s IWF, and the denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below.  

In order to prevent the value of the index from changing due to corporate actions, all corporate actions may require S&P to make an index or divisor adjustment. This helps maintain the value of the index and ensures that the movement of the index does not reflect the corporate actions of the individual companies that comprise the index.

The table below summarizes the types of index adjustments and indicates whether the corporate action will require a divisor adjustment:

Corporate Action

Treatment

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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 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

Change in shares outstanding

Increasing (decreasing) the shares outstanding increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the 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 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 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 deleted is reinvested across all the index components proportionally 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 (decreasing) the IWF increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the index. A net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

Ordinary dividend

When a company pays an ordinary cash dividend, the index does not make any adjustments to the price or shares of the stock. As a result there are no divisor adjustments to the index.

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.

 

Recalculation Policy

S&P reserves the right to recalculate and republish the S&P/ASX 200 Index at its discretion in the event one of the following issues has occurred: (1) incorrect or revised closing price of one or more constituent securities; (2) missed corporate event; (3) incorrect application of corporate action or index methodology; (4) late announcement of a

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corporate event; or (5) incorrect calculation or data entry error. The decision to recalculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index is made at the discretion of the index manager and/or index committee, as further discussed below. The potential market impact or disruption resulting from the potential recalculation is considered when making any such decision. In the event of an incorrect closing price, a missed corporate event or a misapplied corporate action, a late announcement of a corporate event, or an incorrect calculation or data entry error that is discovered within two trading days of its occurrence, the index manager may, at his or her discretion, recalculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index without involving the index committee. In the event any such event is discovered beyond the two trading day period, the index committee shall decide whether the S&P/ASX 200 Index should be recalculated. In the event of an incorrect application of the methodology that results in the incorrect composition and/or weighting of index constituents, the index committee shall determine whether or not to recalculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index following specified guidelines. In the event that the S&P/ASX 200 Index is recalculated, it shall be done within a reasonable timeframe following the detection and review of the issue.

Calculations and Pricing Disruptions

Prices used to calculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index are obtained from IDC and Refinitv. If the relevant exchange suffers a failure or interruption, real-time calculations are halted until the exchange confirms that trading and price dissemination has resumed.

If the interruption is not resolved before the market close and the exchange publishes a list of closing prices, those prices are used to calculate the closing value of the S&P/ASX 200 Index. If no list is published, the last trade for each security before the interruption is used to calculate the closing value of the S&P/ASX 200 Index. If no trades were reported for a security, the previous close adjusted for corporate actions is used for index calculation.

In extreme circumstances, S&P may decide to delay index adjustments or not publish the S&P/ASX 200 Index.

Unexpected Exchange Closures

An unexpected market/exchange closure occurs when a market/exchange fully or partially fails to open or trading is temporarily halted. This can apply to a single exchange or to a market as a whole, when all of the primary exchanges are closed and/or not trading. Unexpected market/exchange closures are usually due to unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, inclement weather, outages, or other events.

In the event of an unexpected exchange closure, S&P uses the following guidelines:

 

(i)

If an unexpected exchange closure occurs prior to the open of trading and it is indicated that trading will not open for a given day, S&P will treat the day as an unscheduled market holiday.

 

(ii)

If a market disruption occurs intraday, S&P will wait for the impacted exchange to publish a list of closing prices, which will then be used to calculate the closing index values. If no list is published, the last trade for each security before the interruption is used to calculate the index closing value. If no trades were reported for a security, the previous closing price, adjusted for corporate actions, is used for index calculation.

License Agreement between S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and GS Finance Corp.

The “S&P/ASX 200” is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and ASX Operations Pty Ltd, and has been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Licensee”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). ASX 200 is a registered trademark of ASX Operations Pty Ltd. The trademarks have been licensed to SPDJI and have been sublicensed for use for certain purposes by Licensee. Licensee’s Product(s) are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or ASX Operations Pty Ltd. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor ASX Operations Pty Ltd make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Licensee’s Product(s) or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Licensee’s Product(s) particularly or the ability of the S&P/ASX 200 to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd only relationship to Licensee with respect to the S&P/ASX 200 is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P/ASX 200 is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices ASX Operations Pty Ltd. without regard to Licensee or the Licensee’s Product(s). S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd. have no obligation to take the needs of Licensee or the owners of Licensee’s Product(s) into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P/ASX 200. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor ASX Operations Pty Ltd. are responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Licensee’s Product(s) or the timing of the issuance or sale of Licensee’s Product(s) or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Licensee’s Product(s) is to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed,

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as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd. have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Licensee’s Product(s). There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P/ASX 200 will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.  

NEITHER S&P DOW JONES INDICES NOR THIRD PARTY LICENSOR GUARANTEES THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P/ASX 200 OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE LICENSEE’S PRODUCT(S), OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P/ASX 200 OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES OR ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND LICENSEE, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

The Nikkei 225

The Nikkei Stock Average, more commonly known as the Nikkei 225, is a price-weighted equity index calculated, published and disseminated daily by Nikkei Inc. The Nikkei 225 is comprised of 225 highly liquid stocks of the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section and aims to maintain long-term continuity and reflect changes in industry structure. The real-time price return Japanese yen value of the Nikkei 225 is reported by Bloomberg under the ticker symbol “NKY”. Publication of the Nikkei 225 began on September 7, 1950 and was originally calculated by the Tokyo Stock Exchange but has been calculated by Nikkei Inc. since 1970.  According to Nikkei Inc., the Nikkei 225 has been widely followed throughout its history as a barometer of the Japanese equity markets and the Japanese economy following World War II.  Additional information about the Nikkei 225 can be found on Nikkei Inc.’s website at: indexes.nikkei.co.jp/en/nkave. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this document.  Nikkei Inc. is under no obligation to continue to publish the Nikkei 225 and may discontinue the Nikkei 225 at any time as further described below.

Nikkei Inc. maintains an industry classification system of 36 industries, which it reclassifies into six industry sectors for purposes of the Nikkei 225.  The six industry sectors, and the underlying 36 industry classifications, are as follows:

 

Technology — Pharmaceuticals, Electric Machinery, Automobiles and Automobile Parts, Precision Instruments and Communications;

 

Financials — Banking, Other Financial Services, Securities and Insurance;

 

Consumer Goods — Fishery, Foods, Retail and Services;

 

Materials — Mining, Textiles and Apparel, Pulp and Paper, Chemicals, Petroleum, Rubber, Glass and Ceramics, Steel, Nonferrous Metals and Trading Companies;

 

Capital Goods/Others — Construction, Machinery, Shipbuilding, Transportation Equipment, Other Manufacturing and Real Estate; and

 

Transportation and Utilities — Railway and Bus, Land Transport, Marine Transport, Air Transport, Warehousing, Electric Power and Gas.

As of September 9, 2019, the following sectors had the following weights in the Nikkei 225: Technology (44.34%), Financials (2.17%), Consumer Goods (25.28%), Materials (14.52%), Capital Goods/Others (10.91%) and Transportation and Utilities (2.77%). Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.  (Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed.  Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations.  In addition, many companies operate in a number of

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sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ.  As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.)

As of September 9, 2019, the top ten constituents of the Nikkei 225 and their respective weights were:  

Company

Weight (%)

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

11.03%

Softbank Group Corp.

4.74%

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

3.48%

Fanuc Corp.

3.22%

KDDI Corp.

2.86%

Daikin Industries, Ltd.

2.40%

Kyocera Corp.

2.24%

Terumo Corp.

2.14%

Shin-ETsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

1.93%

FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co., Ltd.

1.77%

 

The information in the table and paragraph above was derived from sources we deem reputable but without independent verification by us. The other information regarding the index methodology described herein was derived from English language documents on Nikkei Inc.’s website but without independent verification.  Please note that in any case where differences arise between the English version of Nikkei Inc.’s index guide and the original Japanese version, the original Japanese document will prevail.

Construction of the Nikkei 225

In order to be eligible for the Nikkei 225, a stock must be an ordinary share of a domestic company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section.  Non-ordinary shares such as exchange-traded funds, real estate investment trusts, preferred stock, preferred securities and tracking stocks are not eligible.  The constituents of the Nikkei 225 are reviewed once each year at the beginning of October (the “annual review”) and changes are typically implemented on the first trading day of October.  There is no limit to the number of additions or deletions that may result from the annual review. The annual review focuses on 1) a stock’s liquidity in the market and 2) industry sector balance. The purpose of the annual review is to maintain market representativeness of the constituents.  

First, Nikkei Inc. assesses the liquidity of all eligible stocks by considering two factors: trading value of the preceding 5 years and magnitude of price fluctuation by volume of the preceding 5 years. Magnitude of price fluctuation by volume is calculated as the quotient of (1) the quotient of (i) the stock’s high price divided by (ii) such stock’s low price divided by (2) such stock’s trading volume. After performing the liquidity assessment, the stocks are then ranked in descending order of liquidity and the top 450 stocks constitute the “high liquidity group” and remain eligible for inclusion in the Nikkei 225. Any current constituents falling outside of the high liquidity group (ranked 451 or lower based on liquidity) are deleted from the Nikkei 225. Of those stocks in the high liquidity group, the top 75 with the highest liquidity and not already a constituent are added to the Nikkei 225.

Second, the 450 stocks within the high liquidity group are categorized into the six industrial sectors described above: technology, financials, consumer goods, industrial materials, capital goods/others and transportation/utilities. Once the number of stocks in each sector is determined, such number is divided in half to determine the target number of stocks from each sector that shall constitute the 225 constituents in the Nikkei 225. If any of the sectors are over-represented at that stage (i.e., there are a greater number of actual constituents in the Nikkei 225 for the sector relative to the target number of stocks for such sector), current constituents in the Nikkei 225 are deleted in order of ascending liquidity so those constituents with the lowest liquidity are removed from the Nikkei 225 until the overage is corrected. If any of the sectors are under-represented (i.e., there are a lesser number of actual constituents in the Nikkei 225 for the sector relative to the target number of stocks for such

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sector), non-constituent stocks within the high liquidity group are added in order of descending liquidity so those stocks with the highest liquidity are added to the Nikkei 225 until the shortage is corrected. This process is performed to achieve a group of 225 constituents that reflect the intended sector balance.

Calculation of the Nikkei 225

The Nikkei 225 is a weighted price average index in which the level of the Nikkei 225 is calculated as the quotient of (i) the sum of all constituents’ adjusted stock prices divided by (ii) the divisor (as described below). A constituent’s adjusted stock price is its stock price as adjusted by the presumed par value and such adjusted stock price is equal to the quotient of (i) the product of (a) the stock’s price times (b) 50 yen divided by (ii) the presumed par value of such stock (in yen). The Nikkei 225 level is rounded to the nearest hundredth and is calculated and published every 5 seconds beginning at 9 am (Tokyo time) daily.

The stock price used in the calculation is typically the last traded price of the constituent.  In some cases, however, the Tokyo Stock Exchange publishes a special quote for the constituent, and the special quote price will be used.  When this occurs, the special quote tends to be, but is not always, an intraday price.  If neither a special quote price nor a traded price is available, Nikkei Inc. will use the base price, which is usually the price used in calculating the Nikkei 225 on the prior day.  In the case of a stock that is trading ex-rights (e.g., after a stock split) for the first time on that day, however, Nikkei Inc. calculates an ex-rights theoretical price based on the price used for calculation on the preceding day and the appropriate adjustment to reflect the change in the stock.  Nikkei Inc. does not adjust for dividends in calculating the Nikkei 225.

The presumed par value of the constituent is intended to reflect the historical basis on which the stock is traded.  Japanese law abolished the concept of par value for stocks in 2001, but many stock prices reflect the former par value, such as 50, 500 or 50,000 yen. For example, stocks traded in units of 1 share (ex-par value of 50,000 yen) and stocks traded in units of 100 or 1000 shares have different price levels.  Therefore, in order to calculate the Nikkei 225 on a consistent basis, Nikkei Inc. adjusts the constituent prices, usually to a presumed par value of 50 yen.  Most of the constituents have a presumed par value of 50 yen, which means their original prices are simply used for purposes of calculating the Nikkei 225. However, not all constituents have a presumed par value of 50 yen – presumed par values of current constituents range from 25 yen to 500 yen. The presumed par value for each constituent is published on Nikkei Inc.’s website.

The presumed par value also may be adjusted to reflect large scale stock splits or reverse splits.  In these situations, Nikkei Inc. believes a divisor adjustment will not ensure continuity of the Nikkei 225.  Instead of adjusting the divisor, Nikkei Inc. adjusts the presumed par value or, in some cases, the constituent price.  For example, if a stock with a presumed par value of 50 yen splits 1 to 2, the presumed par value will be changed to 25 yen.  In calculating the Nikkei 225, the constituent price will be doubled to reflect the 50 par yen basis for calculating the Nikkei 225. In the case of a small scale split (such as a split of 1 to 1.1), the divisor will be adjusted instead of the presumed par value.

Divisor Adjustments

As noted above, the Nikkei 225 is calculated as an adjusted price average index, where the weight is based on the presumed par value. The divisor is intended to maintain continuity of the Nikkei 225 and is the denominator of the fraction used to calculate the average.  The divisor was initially the number of constituents, but has been changed over time to reflect stock splits, reverse splits, paid-in capital increases and other changes in the constituents.

When a stock splits or reverse splits, the level of paid-in capital increases, or there are other non-market corporate events affecting the constituents, the level of stock price changes. Also, when constituents are changed, the sum of stock prices (the numerator of the fraction prior to adjustment) changes based upon the prices of additions and deletions to the Nikkei 225. Therefore, the divisor is changed except in the case of large scale splits and reverse splits, in which the presumed par value is changed as discussed above.

The divisor for the next index day is calculated as the product of (i) the current day’s divisor times (ii) the quotient of (a) the sum of the base prices for the next day’s constituents divided by (b) the sum of the closing prices of the current day’s constituents used to calculate the Nikkei 225 level for the current day.  For purposes of calculating the divisor, the base prices for the next day’s constituents are calculated as follows:

 

The base price for stocks the prices of which are not changed based on non-market events will be the same as the current day’s price used in calculating the Nikkei 225.

 

The base price for stocks the presumed par value of which are changed will be the same as the current day’s price used in calculating the Nikkei 225 (and as a result of the presumed par value change, no change in the divisor will occur).

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The base price for stocks the prices of which will change for non-market corporate events will be a theoretical price calculated based on the current day’s prices and the ex-rights change in the stock.

 

The base price for stocks becoming new index constituents on the next day will be the prices calculated for those stocks as if they were current constituents as discussed above.

As of September 9, 2019, the divisor of the Nikkei 225 was 27.497.  The divisor is published on Nikkei Inc.’s website on each Tokyo Stock Exchange trading day and is rounded to the nearest one-thousandth.  For additional information about the divisor, as well as calculation examples of divisor changes, please see the index guide on Nikkei Inc.’s website.

Maintenance of the Nikkei 225

Extraordinary Replacement

In addition to additions and deletions of constituents resulting from the annual review, changes to index constituents may also be made as a result of certain extraordinary events. Stocks delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section as a result of bankruptcy, stocks designated by the Tokyo Stock Exchange as a “security to be delisted,” stocks of companies in bankruptcy, liquidation and similar events, stocks affected by corporate restructuring (including mergers, share exchanges and share transfers), stocks delisted due to excess debt, or stocks transferred to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section will be deleted from the Nikkei 225. Constituents that are designated by the Tokyo Stock Exchange as “securities under supervision” become deletion candidates, but deletion is not automatic and the sustainability and probability of delisting from the exchange will be considered in determining whether to delete the constituent from the Nikkei 225.

If a constituent has been deleted from the Nikkei 225 based on an event described above, a stock will be added to replace the deleted constituent by selecting the highest liquidity stock in the same sector as the deleted constituent from the high liquidity group determined during the last annual review. However, if a deletion is scheduled close to an annual review, additional stocks may be selected as part of the applicable annual review process.  Additionally, if there are multiple deletions in a short period of time not close to a scheduled annual review, the standard annual review process assessing liquidity and sector balance will be followed to select new constituents rather than referring to the last annual review list.

Special Rules for Additions Resulting from Other Corporate Actions

Notwithstanding the process above, the following procedures may be applied in certain cases of corporate restructuring. Application of these special rules is determined for each particular case. Where (i) a constituent is merged and delisted or (ii) a newly established listed parent company receives its shares by transfer or exchange from another constituent, the delisted stock may be replaced by the successor company’s stock if it is or will be listed within a short period on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section. In the case of spin-offs where multiple companies remain listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section, the stock of the company that succeeds to the major operations of the former company will become a constituent of the Nikkei 225.

Except for constituent changes resulting from the annual review and from the circumstances described above under “Extraordinary Replacement” and “Special Rules for Additions Resulting from Other Corporate Actions”, there is no process for adding new constituents to the Nikkei 225.  After consultation with academics and market professionals, Nikkei Inc. decides and announces the list of deletions and additions. As discussed above under “Calculation of the Nikkei 225”, the divisor is adjusted accordingly to maintain continuity when constituents are added or deleted from the Nikkei 225. Deletions and additions to the Nikkei 225 resulting from either the annual review or extraordinary events are generally effective on the same day in an effort to maintain the number of constituents at 225. However, when necessary, additions may be made after the deletions take effect and during the interim period, the Nikkei 225 may be calculated with less than 225 constituents. For example, in the case of sudden events, such as bankruptcy, there may be a short announcement period before the deletion is effective or if such constituent is promptly deleted, the new constituent may be added after a short period of notice.

Changes to the Nikkei 225 Methodology

Although the Nikkei 225 is calculated and maintained in accordance with the information provided in the methodology maintained on Nikkei Inc.’s website, Nikkei Inc. has discretion to take measures it deems appropriate upon the occurrence of events which are not covered in the methodology or in circumstances where it is difficult to continue to calculate the Nikkei 225 using the rules described in such methodology.

License Agreement between Nikkei Inc. and GS Finance Corp.

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Goldman Sachs has entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with Nikkei Inc. (“NKI”) whereby GS Finance Corp., in exchange for a fee, will be permitted to use the Nikkei 225 in connection with the offer and sale of your security.  Any intellectual property rights relating to the Nikkei 225 belong to NKI. Goldman Sachs is not affiliated with NKI; the only relationship between NKI and Goldman Sachs is the licensing of the use of the Nikkei 225 and trademarks relating to the Nikkei 225.

NKI is under no obligation to continue the calculation and dissemination of the Nikkei 225.  Your security is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or otherwise promoted by NKI.  No inference should be drawn from the information contained herein that NKI makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, to us or any holder of your security or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in your security in particular or the ability of the Nikkei 225 to track generally stock market performance.

NKI determines, composes and calculates the Nikkei 225 without regard to your security.  NKI has no obligation to take into account your interest, or that of anyone else having an interest, in your security in determining, composing or calculating the Nikkei 225 or any successor index.  NKI is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the terms, prices or amount of your security and will not be responsible for or participate in any determination or calculation regarding the principal amount of your security payable at the stated maturity date. NKI has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of your security.  

Neither NKI nor any of its affiliates accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Nikkei 225.  NKI disclaims all responsibility for any errors or omissions in the calculation and dissemination of the Nikkei 225 or the manner in which the Nikkei 225 is applied in determining the level of the Nikkei 225 or any amount payable upon maturity of your security.

NKI DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE NIKKEI 225 OR ANY DATA INCLUDED IN THE NIKKEI 225.  NKI ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS.

 

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Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers

The respective closing level of the basket underliers have fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of any of the basket underliers during the period shown below is not an indication that the basket underliers are more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the life of your notes.

You should not take the historical levels of any basket or the basket underliers as an indication of the future performances of the basket underliers. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of any basket, basket underliers or the basket underlier stocks will result in your receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date.

Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of any basket or the basket underliers. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the level of the basket underliers between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes. The actual performance of the baskets and the basket underliers over the life of the offered notes, as well as the cash settlement amount at maturity, may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.

The graphs below show the daily historical closing levels of each basket underlier from January 1, 2014 through September 6, 2019. As a result, the following graphs do not reflect the global financial crisis which began in 2008, which had a materially negative impact on the price of most equity securities and, as a result, the level of most equity indices. The graphs are for illustrative purposes only. We obtained the closing levels in the graphs below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification. Although the official closing levels of the Russell 2000® Index are published to six decimal places by its underlier sponsor, Bloomberg Financial Services reports the levels of the Russell 2000® Index to fewer decimal places.

 

Historical Performance of the S&P 500® Index


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Historical Performance of the Russell 2000® Index

Historical Performance of the EURO STOXX 50® Index


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Historical Performance of the FTSE® 100 Index

Historical Performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index


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Historical Performance of the Nikkei 225

 

 

 

 

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Historical Basket Levels

The following graph is based on the basket closing levels of each basket for the period from January 1, 2014 through September 6, 2019 assuming that the basket closing level for each basket was 100 on January 1, 2014. We derived the basket closing levels based on the method to calculate the basket closing level as described in this pricing supplement and on actual closing levels of the relevant basket underliers on the relevant date. For each basket, the basket closing level has been normalized such that its hypothetical level on January 1, 2014 was 100. As noted in this pricing supplement, with respect to each basket, the initial basket level will be set at 100 on the trade date. The basket closing level can increase or decrease due to changes in the levels of the basket underliers.

 

Historical Performance of the Baskets

 

 

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Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences

The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus.

The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. In addition, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that the characterization of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes that will be required under the terms of the notes, as discussed below, is a reasonable interpretation of current law.

This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:

a dealer in securities or currencies;

a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities holdings;

a bank;

a life insurance company;

a regulated investment company;

•   an accrual method taxpayer subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of its use of financial statements;

a tax exempt organization;

a partnership;

a person that owns a note as a hedge or that is hedged against interest rate risks;

a person that owns a note as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes; or

a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar.

Although this section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect, no statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in your notes are uncertain. Moreover, these laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences of your investments in the notes, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

United States Holders

This section applies to you only if you are a United States holder that holds your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of each of your notes and you are:

a citizen or resident of the United States;

a domestic corporation;

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust.

Tax Treatment. You will be obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes – in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary – to characterize each note for all tax purposes as a pre-paid derivative contract in respect of the basket underliers. Except as otherwise stated below, the discussion herein assumes that the notes will be so treated.

Upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time and your tax basis in your notes. Your tax basis in the notes will generally be equal to the amount that you paid for the notes. If you hold your notes for more than one year, the gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss. If you hold your notes for one year or less, the gain or loss generally will be short-term capital gain or loss. Short-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at the marginal tax rates applicable to ordinary income.

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No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and alternative characterizations are possible. Accordingly, we urge you to consult your tax advisor in determining the tax consequences of an investment in your notes in your particular circumstances, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

Alternative Treatments. There is no judicial or administrative authority discussing how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service might assert that a treatment other than that described above is more appropriate. For example, the Internal Revenue Service could treat your notes as a single debt instrument subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments. Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each accrual period would be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for the notes and applying rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment schedule. This method is applied by first determining the comparable yield – i.e., the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes – and then determining a payment schedule as of the issue date that would produce the comparable yield. These rules may have the effect of requiring you to include interest in income in respect of your notes prior to your receipt of cash attributable to that income.

If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, any gain you recognize upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes would be treated as ordinary interest income. Any loss you recognize at that time would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes, and, thereafter, as capital loss.

If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, special rules would apply to a person who purchases notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price as determined for tax purposes.

It is also possible that your notes could be treated in the manner described above, except that any gain or loss that you recognize at maturity would be treated as ordinary gain or loss. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

It is possible that the Internal Revenue Service could seek to characterize your notes in a manner that results in tax consequences to you different from those described above and you should consult your tax advisor with respect to the tax treatment of the notes.

Possible Change in Law

On December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released a notice stating that the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are actively considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as your notes, including whether the holder of an instrument such as your notes should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and whether gain or loss should be ordinary or capital. It is not possible to determine what guidance they will ultimately issue, if any. It is possible, however, that under such guidance, holders of the notes will ultimately be required to accrue income currently and this could be applied on a retroactive basis. The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are also considering other relevant issues, including whether foreign holders of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on any deemed income accruals, and whether the special “constructive ownership rules” of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code might be applied to such instruments. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, GS Finance Corp. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described above under “Tax Treatment” unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate.

Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes.

It is impossible to predict what any such legislation or administrative or regulatory guidance might provide, and whether the effective date of any legislation or guidance will affect notes that were issued before the date that such legislation or guidance is issued. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative action may adversely affect the tax treatment of your notes.

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Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting—United States Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting rules to payments made on your notes.

United States Alien Holders

This section applies to you only if you are a United States alien holder. You are a United States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of notes and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

a nonresident alien individual;

 

a foreign corporation; or

 

an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from the notes.

You will be subject to generally applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements as discussed in the accompanying prospectus under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting — United States Alien Holders” with respect to payments on your notes at maturity and, notwithstanding that we do not intend to treat the notes as debt for tax purposes, we intend to backup withhold on such payments with respect to your notes unless you comply with the requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding on debt instruments (in which case you will not be subject to such backup withholding) as set forth under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Alien Holders” in the accompanying prospectus.

As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization of the notes, by reason of a change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments at maturity with respect to the notes to become subject to withholding tax, we will withhold tax at the applicable statutory rate and we will not make payments of any additional amounts. Prospective United States alien holders of the notes should consult their tax advisor in this regard.

Furthermore, on December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released Notice 2008-2 soliciting comments from the public on various issues, including whether instruments such as your notes should be subject to withholding. It is therefore possible that rules will be issued in the future, possibly with retroactive effect, that would cause payments on your notes at maturity to be subject to withholding, even if you comply with certification requirements as to your foreign status.

In addition, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under which amounts paid or deemed paid on certain financial instruments (“871(m) financial instruments”) that are treated as attributable to U.S.-source dividends could be treated, in whole or in part depending on the circumstances, as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty), which in the case of any amounts you receive upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, could be collected via withholding. If these regulations were to apply to the notes, we may be required to withhold such taxes if any U.S.-source dividends are paid on the stocks included in the basket underliers during the term of the notes. We could also require you to make certifications (e.g., an applicable Internal Revenue Service Form W-8) prior to the maturity of the notes in order to avoid or minimize withholding obligations, and we could withhold accordingly (subject to your potential right to claim a refund from the Internal Revenue Service) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory. If withholding was required, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld. These regulations generally will apply to 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2021, but will also apply to certain 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) that have a delta (as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations) of one and are issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2017.  In addition, these regulations will not apply to financial instruments that reference a “qualified index” (as defined in the regulations).  We have determined that, as of the issue date of your notes, your notes will not be subject to withholding under these rules.  In certain limited circumstances, however, you should be aware that it is possible for United States alien holders to be liable for tax under these rules with respect to a combination of transactions treated as having been entered into in connection with each other even when no withholding is required.  You should consult your tax advisor concerning these regulations, subsequent official guidance and regarding any other possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

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Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding

Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt Securities—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to the FATCA withholding rules. Pursuant to recently proposed regulations, the Treasury Department has indicated its intent to eliminate the requirements under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, maturity or other disposition of relevant financial instruments. The Treasury Department has indicated that taxpayers may rely on these proposed regulations pending their finalization.

 


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Supplemental plan of distribution; conflicts of interest

See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” on page S-96 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and “Plan of Distribution — Conflicts of Interest” on page 94 of the accompanying prospectus. GS Finance Corp. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $         .

GS Finance Corp. will sell to GS&Co., and GS&Co. will purchase from GS Finance Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this pricing supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement. GS&Co. will pay a fee of       % of the face amount to an affiliate of the dealer in connection with certain services provided directly by such affiliate to the dealer. GS&Co. is an affiliate of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. GS&Co. will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

We expect to deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on October 1, 2019. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

We have been advised by GS&Co. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither GS&Co. nor any of our other affiliates that makes a market is obligated to do so and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system.


PS-41

 


 

We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is an offer to sell only the notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pricing Supplement

 

Page

Terms and Conditions

PS-3

Hypothetical Examples

PS-8

Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes

PS-14

The Baskets and the Basket Underliers

PS-18

Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

PS-37

Supplemental Plan of Distribution; Conflicts of Interest

PS-41

 

 

General Terms Supplement No. 1,734 dated July 10, 2017

Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes

S-1

Supplemental Terms of the Notes

S-16

The Underliers

S-36

     S&P 500® Index

S-40

     MSCI Indices

S-46

     Hang Seng China Enterprises Index

S-55

     Russell 2000® Index

S-61

     FTSE®100 Index

S-69

     EURO STOXX 50® Index

S-75

     TOPIX

S-82

     The Dow Jones Industrial Average®

S-87

     The iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

S-91

Use of Proceeds

S-94

Hedging

S-94

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

S-95

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

S-96

     Conflicts of Interest

S-98

 

Prospectus Supplement dated July 10, 2017

Use of Proceeds

S-2

Description of Notes We May Offer

S-3

Considerations Relating to Indexed Notes

S-15

United States Taxation

S-18

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

S-19

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

S-20

Validity of the Notes and Guarantees

S-21

 

Prospectus dated July 10, 2017

Available Information

2

Prospectus Summary

4

Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements

8

Use of Proceeds

11

Description of Debt Securities We May Offer 

12

Description of Warrants We May Offer

45

Description of Units We May Offer

60

GS Finance Corp.

65

Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance

67

Considerations Relating to Floating Rate Debt Securities

72

Considerations Relating to Indexed Securities

73

Considerations Relating to Securities Denominated or Payable in or Linked to a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency

74

United States Taxation

77

Plan of Distribution

92

     Conflicts of Interest

94

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

95

Validity of the Securities and Guarantees

95

Experts

96

Review of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

96

Cautionary Statement Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

96

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

GS Finance Corp.

 

 

 

Leveraged Basket-Linked Notes due

guaranteed by

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 


Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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