This pricing supplement, which is not complete and may be changed,
relates to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities
Act of 1933. This pricing supplement and the accompanying product
supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer
to sell these notes in any country or jurisdiction where such an
offer would not be permitted.

Linked to the Least Performing of the Energy Select Sector
SPDR® Fund, the Nasdaq-100® Index and the
Russell 2000® Index
|
● |
Approximate 2 year term if not called prior to maturity. |
|
● |
Payments on the Notes will depend on the
individual performance of the Energy Select Sector
SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and
the Russell 2000®
Index (each an “Underlying”). |
|
● |
Contingent coupon rate of 10.75% per annum (0.8958% per month) payable monthly if the Observation Value of each
Underlying on the applicable
Observation Date is greater than or equal to 70% of its Starting Value. |
|
● |
Beginning on January 2, 2024, callable
monthly at our option for an amount
equal to the principal amount plus the relevant contingent coupon
payment, if otherwise payable. |
|
● |
Assuming the Notes are not called prior to
maturity, if any Underlying declines by more than
40% from its Starting Value, at
maturity your investment will be subject to 1:1 downside exposure
to decreases in the value of the Least Performing
Underlying, with up to
100% of the principal at risk;
otherwise, at maturity you will receive the principal amount. At
maturity you will also receive the final contingent
coupon payment if the Observation
Value of each Underlying
on the final Observation Date is greater than or equal to
70% of its Starting Value. |
|
● |
All
payments on the Notes are subject to the credit risk of BofA
Finance LLC (“BofA Finance”), as issuer of the Notes, and Bank of
America Corporation (“BAC” or the “Guarantor”), as guarantor of the
Notes. |
|
● |
The Contingent Income Issuer
Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the Energy
Select Sector SPDR®
Fund, the Nasdaq-100®
Index and the Russell 2000® Index, due July 2, 2025 (the “Notes”) are expected to price on June 27, 2023 and
expected to issue on June 30,
2023. |
|
● |
The
Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
The initial estimated value of the Notes as of the pricing date
is expected to be between $910.00 and $960.00 per $1,000 in
principal amount of Notes, which is less than the public offering
price listed below. The actual value of your Notes at any time
will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.
See “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-8 of this pricing
supplement and “Structuring the Notes” on page PS-25 of this
pricing supplement for additional information.
There are important differences between the Notes and a
conventional debt security. Potential purchasers of the Notes
should consider the information in “Risk Factors” beginning on page
PS-8 of this pricing supplement, page PS-5 of the accompanying
product supplement, page S-6 of the accompanying prospectus
supplement, and page 7 of the accompanying prospectus.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any
state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has
approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
|
Public offering price(1) |
Underwriting discount(1)(2) |
Proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance(2) |
Per Note |
$1,000.00 |
$26.00 |
$974.00 |
Total |
|
|
|
(1) |
Certain dealers who purchase the Notes for sale to certain
fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their selling
concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for
investors purchasing the Notes in these fee-based advisory accounts
may be as low as $974.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of
Notes. |
(2) |
The underwriting discount per $1,000 in principal amount of Notes
may be as high as $26.00, resulting in proceeds, before expenses,
to BofA Finance of as low as $974.00 per $1,000 in principal amount
of Notes. |
The Notes and the related guarantee:
Are Not FDIC Insured |
Are Not Bank Guaranteed |
May Lose Value |
 |
Selling Agent |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Terms of the Notes
The Notes provide a monthly Contingent Coupon Payment of $8.958 per
$1,000 in principal amount of Notes on the applicable Contingent
Payment Date if, on the related monthly Observation Date, the
Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or
equal to its Coupon Barrier.
Prior to the maturity date, beginning on January 2, 2024 and on
each monthly Call Date thereafter, we have the right to call all,
but not less than all, of the Notes at 100% of the principal
amount, together with the relevant Contingent Coupon Payment, if
otherwise payable. No further amounts will be payable following an
Optional Early Redemption. If the Notes are not called prior to
maturity and the Least Performing Underlying declines by more than
40% from its Starting Value, there is full exposure to declines in
the Least Performing Underlying, and you will lose a significant
portion or all of your investment in the Notes. Otherwise, at
maturity you will receive the principal amount. At maturity you
will also receive the final Contingent Coupon Payment if the
Observation Value of each Underlying on the final
Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier. It
is possible that the Notes will not pay any Contingent Coupon
Payments, and you may lose a significant portion or all of your
investment in the Notes at maturity. Any payments on the Notes will
be calculated based on $1,000 in principal amount of Notes and will
depend on the performance of the Underlyings, subject to our and
BAC’s credit risk.
Issuer: |
BofA Finance |
Guarantor: |
BAC |
Denominations: |
The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and
whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. |
Term: |
Approximately 2 years, unless previously called. |
Underlyings: |
The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund (Bloomberg symbol: “XLE”),
the Nasdaq-100® Index
(Bloomberg symbol: “NDX”), a price return index, and the Russell
2000® Index (Bloomberg
symbol: “RTY”), a price return index. |
Pricing Date*: |
June 27, 2023 |
Issue Date*: |
June 30, 2023 |
Valuation Date*: |
June 27, 2025, subject to postponement as described under
“Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events
Relating to Observation Dates” in the accompanying product
supplement. |
Maturity Date*: |
July 2, 2025 |
Starting Value: |
With respect to the XLE, its Closing Market Price on the pricing
date. With respect to the NDX, its closing level on the pricing
date. With respect to the RTY, its closing level on the pricing
date. |
Observation Value: |
With respect to the XLE, its Closing Market Price on the applicable
Observation Date multiplied by its Price Multiplier.
With respect to the NDX, its closing level on the applicable
Observation Date.
With respect to the RTY, its closing level on the applicable
Observation Date. |
Ending Value: |
With respect to each Underlying, its Observation Value on the
Valuation Date. |
Price Multiplier: |
With respect to the XLE, 1, subject to adjustment for certain
events as described in “Description of the Notes — Anti-Dilution
and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs” beginning on page
PS-28 of the accompanying product supplement. |
Coupon Barrier: |
With respect to each Underlying, 70% of its Starting Value. |
Threshold Value: |
With respect to each Underlying, 60% of its Starting Value. |
Contingent Coupon
Payment:
|
If, on any monthly Observation Date, the Observation Value of
each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Coupon
Barrier, we will pay a Contingent Coupon Payment of $8.958 per
$1,000 in principal amount of Notes (equal to a rate of 0.8958% per
month or 10.75% per annum) on the applicable Contingent Payment
Date (including the Maturity Date). |
Optional Early
Redemption:
|
On any Call Date, we have the right to redeem all (but not less
than all) of the Notes at the Early Redemption Amount. No further
amounts will be payable following an Optional Early Redemption. We
will give notice to the trustee at least five business days but not
more than 60 calendar days before the applicable Call Date. |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-2 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Early Redemption
Amount:
|
For each $1,000 in principal amount of Notes, $1,000. The Early
Redemption Amount will also include the applicable Contingent
Coupon Payment if the Observation Value of each Underlying on the
corresponding Observation Date is greater than or equal to its
Coupon Barrier. |
Redemption Amount: |
If the Notes have not been called prior to maturity, the Redemption
Amount per $1,000 in principal amount of Notes will be: |
a) |
If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is greater
than or equal to its Threshold Value: |
|
|
$1,000; or |
b) |
If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than
its Threshold Value: |
|
|
 |
|
In this case, the Redemption Amount will be less than
60% of the principal amount and you could lose up to 100% of your
investment in the Notes. |
The Redemption Amount will also include the final Contingent Coupon
Payment if the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is
greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier. |
Observation Dates*: |
As set forth on page PS-4. |
Contingent Payment
Dates*:
|
As set forth on page PS-4. |
Call Dates*: |
The monthly Contingent Payment Dates beginning on January 2, 2024
and ending on May 30, 2025. |
Calculation Agent: |
BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”), an affiliate of BofA Finance. |
Selling Agent: |
BofAS |
CUSIP: |
09709VYN0 |
Underlying Return: |
With respect to each Underlying,

|
Least Performing
Underlying: |
The Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return. |
Events of Default and
Acceleration: |
If an Event of Default, as defined in the senior indenture relating
to the Notes and in the section entitled “Description of Debt
Securities of BofA Finance LLC—Events of Default and Rights of
Acceleration; Covenant Breaches” on page 54 of the accompanying
prospectus, with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, the
amount payable to a holder of the Notes upon any acceleration
permitted under the senior indenture will be equal to the amount
described under the caption “Redemption Amount” above, calculated
as though the date of acceleration were the Maturity Date of the
Notes and as though the Valuation Date were the third trading day
prior to the date of acceleration. We will also determine whether
the final Contingent Coupon Payment is payable based upon the
values of the Underlyings on the deemed Valuation Date; any such
final Contingent Coupon Payment will be prorated by the calculation
agent to reflect the length of the final contingent payment period.
In case of a default in the payment of the Notes, whether at their
maturity or upon acceleration, the Notes will not bear a default
interest rate. |
*Subject to change.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-3 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Observation Dates and Contingent Payment Dates
|
Observation Dates* |
|
Contingent Payment Dates |
|
|
July 27, 2023 |
|
August 1, 2023 |
|
|
August 28, 2023 |
|
August 31, 2023 |
|
|
September 27, 2023 |
|
October 2, 2023 |
|
|
October 27, 2023 |
|
November 1, 2023 |
|
|
November 27, 2023 |
|
November 30, 2023 |
|
|
December 27, 2023 |
|
January 2, 2024 |
|
|
January 29, 2024 |
|
February 1, 2024 |
|
|
February 27, 2024 |
|
March 1, 2024 |
|
|
March 27, 2024 |
|
April 2, 2024 |
|
|
April 29, 2024 |
|
May 2, 2024 |
|
|
May 28, 2024 |
|
May 31, 2024 |
|
|
June 27, 2024 |
|
July 2, 2024 |
|
|
July 29, 2024 |
|
August 1, 2024 |
|
|
August 27, 2024 |
|
August 30, 2024 |
|
|
September 27, 2024 |
|
October 2, 2024 |
|
|
October 28, 2024 |
|
October 31, 2024 |
|
|
November 27, 2024 |
|
December 3, 2024 |
|
|
December 27, 2024 |
|
January 2, 2025 |
|
|
January 27, 2025 |
|
January 30, 2025 |
|
|
February 27, 2025 |
|
March 4, 2025 |
|
|
March 27, 2025 |
|
April 1, 2025 |
|
|
April 28, 2025 |
|
May 1, 2025 |
|
|
May 27, 2025 |
|
May 30, 2025 |
|
|
June 27, 2025 (the “Valuation Date”) |
|
July 2, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”) |
|
* The Observation Dates are subject to postponement as set forth in
“Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events
Relating to Observation Dates” beginning on page PS-23 of the
accompanying product supplement.
Any payments on the Notes depend on the credit risk of BofA
Finance, as Issuer, and BAC, as Guarantor, and on the performance
of the Underlyings. The economic terms of the Notes are based on
BAC’s internal funding rate, which is the rate it would pay to
borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes, and the
economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements BAC’s
affiliates enter into. BAC’s internal funding rate is typically
lower than the rate it would pay when it issues conventional fixed
or floating rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate,
as well as the underwriting discount, if any, and the hedging
related charges described below (see “Risk Factors” beginning on
page PS-8), will reduce the economic terms of the Notes to you and
the initial estimated value of the Notes. Due to these factors, the
public offering price you pay to purchase the Notes will be greater
than the initial estimated value of the Notes as of the pricing
date.
The initial estimated value range of the Notes is set forth on the
cover page of this pricing supplement. The final pricing supplement
will set forth the initial estimated value of the Notes as of the
pricing date. For more information about the initial estimated
value and the structuring of the Notes, see “Risk Factors”
beginning on page PS-8 and “Structuring the Notes” on page
PS-25.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-4 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Contingent Coupon Payment and Redemption Amount Determination
On each Contingent Payment Date, you may receive a
Contingent Coupon Payment per $1,000 in principal amount of
Notes determined as follows:

Assuming the Notes have not been called,
on the Maturity Date, you will receive a cash payment per $1,000
in principal amount of Notes determined as follows:

All payments described above are subject to the credit risk of BofA
Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as guarantor.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-5 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Total Contingent Coupon Payment Examples
The table below illustrates the hypothetical total Contingent
Coupon Payments per $1,000 in principal amount of Notes over the
term of the Notes, based on the Contingent Coupon Payment of
$8.958, depending on how many Contingent Coupon Payments are
payable prior to an Optional Early Redemption or maturity.
Depending on the performance of the Underlyings, you may not
receive any Contingent Coupon Payments during the term of the
Notes.
|
Number of Contingent Coupon
Payments |
|
Total Contingent Coupon
Payments |
|
|
0 |
|
$0.000 |
|
|
4 |
|
$35.832 |
|
|
8 |
|
$71.664 |
|
|
12 |
|
$107.496 |
|
|
16 |
|
$143.328 |
|
|
20 |
|
$179.160 |
|
|
24 |
|
$214.992 |
|
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-6 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at
Maturity
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Table
The following table is for purposes of illustration only. It
assumes the Notes have not been called prior to maturity and is
based on hypothetical values and shows hypothetical
returns on the Notes. The table illustrates the calculation of the
Redemption Amount and the return on the Notes based on a
hypothetical Starting Value of 100 for the Least Performing
Underlying, a hypothetical Coupon Barrier of 70 for the Least
Performing Underlying, a hypothetical Threshold Value of 60 for the
Least Performing Underlying, the Contingent Coupon Payment of
$8.958 per $1,000 in principal amount of Notes and a range of
hypothetical Ending Values of the Least Performing Underlying.
The actual amount you receive and the resulting return will
depend on the actual Starting Values, Coupon Barriers, Threshold
Values, Observation Values and Ending Values of the Underlyings,
whether the Notes are called prior to maturity, and whether you
hold the Notes to maturity. The following examples do not take
into account any tax consequences from investing in the Notes.
For recent actual values of the Underlyings, see “The Underlyings”
section below. The Ending Value of each Underlying will not include
any income generated by dividends or other distributions paid with
respect to shares or units of that Underlying or on the securities
included in that Underlying, as applicable. In addition, all
payments on the Notes are subject to Issuer and Guarantor credit
risk.
Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying
|
Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying
|
Redemption Amount per Note (including any final Contingent
Coupon Payment)
|
Return on the Notes(1)
|
160.00 |
60.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
150.00 |
50.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
140.00 |
40.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
130.00 |
30.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
120.00 |
20.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
110.00 |
10.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
105.00 |
5.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
102.00 |
2.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
100.00(2) |
0.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
90.00 |
-10.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
80.00 |
-20.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
70.00(3) |
-30.00% |
$1,008.958 |
0.8958% |
69.99 |
-30.01% |
$1,000.000 |
0.0000% |
60.00(4) |
-40.00% |
$1,000.000 |
0.0000% |
59.99 |
-40.01% |
$599.900 |
-40.0100% |
50.00 |
-50.00% |
$500.000 |
-50.0000% |
0.00 |
-100.00% |
$0.000 |
-100.0000% |
(1) |
The “Return on the Notes” is
calculated based on the Redemption Amount and potential final
Contingent Coupon Payment, not including any Contingent Coupon
Payments paid prior to maturity. |
(2) |
The hypothetical Starting Value of 100
used in the table above has been chosen for illustrative purposes
only and does not represent a likely Starting Value of any
Underlying. |
(3) |
This is the hypothetical Coupon
Barrier of the Least Performing Underlying. |
(4) |
This is the hypothetical Threshold
Value of the Least Performing Underlying. |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-7 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Risk Factors
Your investment in the Notes entails significant risks, many of
which differ from those of a conventional debt security. Your
decision to purchase the Notes should be made only after carefully
considering the risks of an investment in the Notes, including
those discussed below, with your advisors in light of your
particular circumstances. The Notes are not an appropriate
investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about significant
elements of the Notes or financial matters in general. You should
carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to
the Notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-5 of
the accompanying product supplement, page S-6 of the accompanying
prospectus supplement and page 7 of the accompanying prospectus,
each as identified on page PS-30 below.
Structure-related Risks
|
● |
Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed
return of principal. There is no fixed principal repayment
amount on the Notes at maturity. If the Notes are not called prior
to maturity and the Ending Value of any Underlying is less
than its Threshold Value, at maturity, your investment will be
subject to 1:1 downside exposure to decreases in the value of the
Least Performing Underlying and you will lose 1% of the principal
amount for each 1% that the Ending Value of the Least Performing
Underlying is less than its Starting Value. In that case, you will
lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the
Notes. |
|
● |
Your return on the Notes is limited to the return
represented by the Contingent Coupon Payments, if any, over the
term of the Notes. Your return on the Notes is limited to the
Contingent Coupon Payments paid over the term of the Notes,
regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value or the
Ending Value of any Underlying exceeds its Coupon Barrier or
Starting Value, as applicable. Similarly, the amount payable at
maturity or upon an Optional Early Redemption will never exceed the
sum of the principal amount and the applicable Contingent Coupon
Payment, regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value or
the Ending Value of any Underlying exceeds its Starting Value. In
contrast, a direct investment in an Underlying or in the securities
included in one or more of the Underlyings, as applicable, would
allow you to receive the benefit of any appreciation in their
values. Any return on the Notes will not reflect the return you
would realize if you actually owned those securities and received
the dividends paid or distributions made on them. |
|
● |
The Notes are subject to Optional Early Redemption, which
would limit your ability to receive the Contingent Coupon Payments
over the full term of the Notes. On each Call Date, at our
option, we may call your Notes in whole, but not in part. If the
Notes are called prior to the Maturity Date, you will be entitled
to receive the Early Redemption Amount. In this case, you will lose
the opportunity to continue to receive Contingent Coupon Payments
after the date of the Optional Early Redemption. If the Notes are
called prior to the Maturity Date, you may be unable to invest in
other securities with a similar level of risk that could provide a
return that is similar to the Notes. Even if we do not exercise our
option to call your Notes, our ability to do so may adversely
affect the market value of your Notes. It is our sole option
whether to call your Notes prior to maturity on any such Call Date
and we may or may not exercise this option for any reason. Because
of this Optional Early Redemption potential, the term of your Notes
could be anywhere between six and twenty-four months. |
|
● |
You may not receive any Contingent Coupon Payments. The
Notes do not provide for any regular fixed coupon payments.
Investors in the Notes will not necessarily receive any Contingent
Coupon Payments on the Notes. If the Observation Value of any
Underlying is less than its Coupon Barrier on an Observation Date,
you will not receive the Contingent Coupon Payment applicable to
that Observation Date. If the Observation Value of any Underlying
is less than its Coupon Barrier on all the Observation Dates during
the term of the Notes, you will not receive any Contingent Coupon
Payments during the term of the Notes, and will not receive a
positive return on the Notes. |
|
● |
Your return on the Notes may be less than the yield on a
conventional debt security of comparable maturity. Any return
that you receive on the Notes may be less than the return you would
earn if you purchased a conventional debt security with the same
Maturity Date. As a result, your investment in the Notes may not
reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors,
such as inflation, that affect the time value of money. In
addition, if interest rates increase during the term of the Notes,
the Contingent Coupon Payment (if any) may be less than the yield
on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. |
|
● |
The Contingent Coupon Payment, Early Redemption Amount or
Redemption Amount, as applicable, will not reflect changes in the
values of the Underlyings other than on the Observation Dates.
The values of the Underlyings during the term of the Notes other
than on the Observation Dates will not affect payments on the
Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should generally be
aware of the performance of the Underlyings while holding the
Notes, as the performance of the Underlyings may influence the
market value of the Notes. The calculation agent will determine
whether each Contingent Coupon Payment is payable and will
calculate the Early Redemption Amount or the Redemption Amount, as
applicable, by comparing only the Starting Value, the Coupon
Barrier or the Threshold Value, as applicable, to the Observation
Value or the Ending Value for each Underlying. No other values of
the Underlyings will be taken into account. As a result, if the
Notes are not called prior to maturity and the Ending Value of the
Least Performing Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, you
will receive less than the principal amount at maturity even if the
value of each Underlying was always above its Threshold Value prior
to the Valuation Date. |
|
● |
Because the Notes are linked to the least performing (and
not the average performance) of the Underlyings, you may not
receive any return on the Notes and may lose a significant portion
or all of your investment in the Notes even if the Observation
Value or Ending Value of one Underlying is greater than or equal to
its Coupon Barrier or Threshold Value, as applicable. Your
Notes are linked to the least performing of the Underlyings, and a
change in the value of one Underlying may not correlate with
changes in the value of the other Underlyings. The Notes are not
linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings, where the
depreciation in the value of one Underlying could be offset to some
extent by the appreciation in the value of the other Underlyings.
In the case of the Notes, the individual performance of each
Underlying would not be combined, and the depreciation in the value
of one Underlying would not be offset by any appreciation in the
value of the other Underlyings. Even if the Observation Value of an
Underlying is at or above its Coupon Barrier on an Observation
Date, you will not receive the Contingent Coupon Payment with
respect to that Observation Date if the Observation Value of
another Underlying is below its Coupon Barrier on that day. In
addition, even if the Ending Value of an Underlying is at or above
its Threshold Value, you will lose a significant portion or all of
your investment in the Notes if the Ending Value of the Least
Performing Underlying is below its Threshold Value. |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-8 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
|
● |
Any payments on the Notes are subject to our credit risk and
the credit risk of the Guarantor, and any actual or perceived
changes in our or the Guarantor’s creditworthiness are expected to
affect the value of the Notes. The Notes are our senior
unsecured debt securities. Any payment on the Notes will be fully
and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The Notes are not
guaranteed by any entity other than the Guarantor. As a result,
your receipt of the Early Redemption Amount or the Redemption
Amount at maturity, as applicable, will be dependent upon our
ability and the ability of the Guarantor to repay our respective
obligations under the Notes on the applicable Contingent Payment
Date or Call Date or the Maturity Date, regardless of the Ending
Value of the Least Performing Underlying as compared to its
Starting Value. No assurance can be given as to what our financial
condition or the financial condition of the Guarantor will be at
any time after the pricing date of the Notes. If we and the
Guarantor become unable to meet our respective financial
obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amount(s)
payable under the terms of the Notes.
In addition, our credit ratings and the credit ratings of the
Guarantor are assessments by ratings agencies of our respective
abilities to pay our obligations. Consequently, our or the
Guarantor’s perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated
decreases in our or the Guarantor’s credit ratings or increases in
the spread between the yield on our respective securities and the
yield on U.S. Treasury securities (the “credit spread”) prior to
the Maturity Date may adversely affect the market value of the
Notes. However, because your return on the Notes depends upon
factors in addition to our ability and the ability of the Guarantor
to pay our respective obligations, such as the values of the
Underlyings, an improvement in our or the Guarantor’s credit
ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the
Notes. |
|
● |
We are a finance subsidiary and, as such, have no
independent assets, operations, or revenues. We are a finance
subsidiary of the Guarantor, have no operations other than those
related to the issuance, administration and repayment of our debt
securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor, and are dependent
upon the Guarantor and/or its other subsidiaries to meet our
obligations under the Notes in the ordinary course. Therefore, our
ability to make payments on the Notes may be limited. |
Valuation- and Market-related Risks
|
● |
The public offering price you pay for the Notes will exceed
their initial estimated value. The range of initial estimated
values of the Notes that is provided on the cover page of this
preliminary pricing supplement, and the initial estimated value as
of the pricing date that will be provided in the final pricing
supplement, are each estimates only, determined as of a particular
point in time by reference to our and our affiliates’ pricing
models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and
variables, including our credit spreads and those of the Guarantor,
the Guarantor’s internal funding rate, mid-market terms on hedging
transactions, expectations on interest rates, dividends and
volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of
the Notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain
forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. If
you attempt to sell the Notes prior to maturity, their market value
may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than their
initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things,
changes in the values of the Underlyings, changes in the
Guarantor’s internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public
offering price of the underwriting discount, if any, and the
hedging related charges, all as further described in “Structuring
the Notes” below. These factors, together with various credit,
market and economic factors over the term of the Notes, are
expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the
Notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the
Notes in complex and unpredictable ways. |
|
● |
The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or
maximum price at which we, BAC, BofAS or any of our other
affiliates would be willing to purchase your Notes in any secondary
market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your Notes at
any time after issuance will vary based on many factors that cannot
be predicted with accuracy, including the performance of the
Underlyings, our and BAC’s creditworthiness and changes in market
conditions. |
|
● |
We cannot assure you that a trading market for your Notes
will ever develop or be maintained. We will not list the Notes
on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the Notes will
trade in any secondary market or whether that market will be liquid
or illiquid. |
Conflict-related Risks
|
● |
Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any
of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may create conflicts of
interest with you and may affect your return on the Notes and their
market value. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other
affiliates, including BofAS, may buy or sell shares or units of the
Underlyings or the securities held by or included in the
Underlyings, as applicable, or futures or options contracts or
exchange traded instruments on the Underlyings or those securities,
or other instruments whose value is derived from the Underlyings or
those securities. While we, the Guarantor or one or more of our
other affiliates, including BofAS, may from time to time own shares
or units of the Underlyings or the securities represented by the
Underlyings, as applicable, except to the extent that BAC’s common
stock may be included in the Underlyings, we, the Guarantor and our
other affiliates, including BofAS, do not control any company
included in the Underlyings, and have not verified any disclosure
made by any other company. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our
other affiliates, including BofAS, may execute such purchases or
sales for our own or their own accounts, for business reasons, or
in connection with hedging our obligations under the Notes. These
transactions may present a conflict of interest between your
interest in the Notes and the interests we, the Guarantor and our
other affiliates, including BofAS, may have in our or their
proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block
trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our
or their management. These transactions may adversely affect the
values of the Underlyings in a manner that could be adverse to your
investment in the Notes. On or before the pricing date, any
purchases or sales by us, the Guarantor or our other affiliates,
including BofAS or others on our or their behalf (including those
for the purpose of hedging some or all of our anticipated exposure
in connection with the Notes), may affect the values of the
Underlyings. Consequently, the values of the Underlyings may change
subsequent to the pricing date, which may adversely affect the
market value of the Notes.
We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including
BofAS, also expect to engage in hedging activities that could
affect the values of the Underlyings on the pricing date. In
addition, these hedging activities, including the unwinding of a
hedge, may decrease the market value of your Notes prior to
maturity, and may affect the amounts to be paid on the Notes. We,
the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-9 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
including BofAS, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short
position in the Notes and may hold or resell the Notes. For
example, BofAS may enter into these transactions in connection with
any market making activities in which it engages. We cannot assure
you that these activities will not adversely affect the values of
the Underlyings, the market value of your Notes prior to maturity
or the amounts payable on the Notes.
|
● |
There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the
calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours. We have the
right to appoint and remove the calculation agent. One of our
affiliates will be the calculation agent for the Notes and, as
such, will make a variety of determinations relating to the Notes,
including the amounts that will be paid on the Notes. Under some
circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest
between its status as our affiliate and its responsibilities as
calculation agent. |
Underlying-related Risks
|
● |
The Notes are subject to risks associated with small-size
capitalization companies. The stocks comprising the RTY are
issued by companies with small-sized market capitalization. The
stock prices of small-size companies may be more volatile than
stock prices of large capitalization companies. Small-size
capitalization companies may be less able to withstand adverse
economic, market, trade and competitive conditions relative to
larger companies. Small-size capitalization companies may also be
more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products
or services. |
|
● |
The Notes are subject to risks associated with foreign
securities markets. The NDX includes certain foreign equity
securities. You should be aware that investments in securities
linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular
risks. The foreign securities markets comprising the NDX may have
less liquidity and may be more volatile than U.S. or other
securities markets and market developments may affect foreign
markets differently from U.S. or other securities markets. Direct
or indirect government intervention to stabilize these foreign
securities markets, as well as cross-shareholdings in foreign
companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in these markets.
Also, there is generally less publicly available information about
foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject
to the reporting requirements of the SEC, and foreign companies are
subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards
and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S.
reporting companies.
Prices of securities in foreign countries are subject to political,
economic, financial and social factors that apply in those
geographical regions. These factors, which could negatively affect
those securities markets, include the possibility of recent or
future changes in a foreign government’s economic and fiscal
policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency
exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign
companies or investments in foreign equity securities and the
possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between
currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility and political
instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse
public health developments in the region. Moreover, foreign
economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy
in important respects such as growth of gross national product,
rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and
self-sufficiency. |
|
● |
The stocks held by the XLE are concentrated in one
sector. The XLE holds securities issued by companies in the
energy sector. As a result, some of the stocks that will determine
the performance of the Notes are concentrated in one sector.
Although an investment in the Notes will not give holders any
ownership or other direct interests in the securities held by the
Underlyings, the return on an investment in the Notes will be
subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment
in companies in this sector. Accordingly, by investing in the
Notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could
result from an investment linked to companies that operate in
multiple sectors. |
|
● |
Adverse conditions in the energy sector may reduce your
return on the Notes. All of the stocks held by the XLE are
issued by companies whose primary lines of business are directly
associated with the energy sector. Issuers in energy-related
industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy
prices and supply and demand of energy fuels. Markets for various
energy-related commodities can have significant volatility, and are
subject to control or manipulation by large producers or
purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make
substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt,
in order to maintain or expand their reserves. Oil and gas
exploration and production can be significantly affected by natural
disasters as well as changes in exchange rates, interest rates,
government regulation, world events and economic conditions. These
companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims. As a
result of these factors, the value of the Notes may be subject to
greater volatility and be more adversely affected by economic,
political, or regulatory events relating to the energy sector. |
|
● |
The stocks of companies in the energy sector are subject to
swift price fluctuations. The issuers of the stocks held by the
XLE develop and produce, among other things, crude oil and natural
gas, and provide, among other things, drilling services and other
services related to energy resources production and distribution.
Stock prices for these types of companies are affected by supply
and demand both for their specific product or service and for
energy products in general. The price of oil and gas, exploration
and production spending, government regulation, world events and
economic conditions will likewise affect the performance of these
companies. Correspondingly, the stocks of companies in the energy
sector are subject to swift price fluctuations caused by events
relating to international politics, energy conservation, the
success of exploration projects and tax and other governmental
regulatory policies. Weak demand for the companies’ products or
services or for energy products and services in general, as well as
negative developments in these other areas, would adversely impact
the value of the stocks held by the XLE and, therefore, the price
of the XLE and the value of the Notes. |
|
● |
The performance of the XLE may not correlate with the
performance of its underlying index as well as the net asset value
per share or unit of the XLE, especially during periods of market
volatility. The performance of the XLE and that of its
underlying index generally will vary due to, for example,
transaction costs, management fees, certain corporate actions, and
timing variances. Moreover, it is also possible that the
performance of the XLE may not fully replicate or may, in certain
circumstances, diverge significantly from the performance of its
underlying index. This could be due to, for example, the XLE not
holding all or substantially all of the underlying assets included
in its underlying index and/or holding assets that are not included
in its underlying index, the temporary unavailability of certain
securities in the secondary market, the performance of any
derivative instruments held by the XLE, differences in trading
hours between the XLE (or the underlying assets held by the XLE)
and its underlying index, or other circumstances. This variation in
performance is called the “tracking error,” and, at times, the
tracking error may be significant. In addition, because the shares
or units of the XLE are traded on a securities exchange and are
subject to market supply and investor demand, the market price of
one share or unit of the XLE may differ from its net asset value
per share or unit; shares or units of the XLE |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-10 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
may trade at, above, or below its net asset value per share or
unit. During periods of market volatility, securities held by the
XLE may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants
may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share
or unit of the XLE and the liquidity of the XLE may be adversely
affected. Market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market
participants to trade shares or units of the XLE. Further, market
volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices
at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares or
units of the XLE. As a result, under these circumstances, the
market value of shares or units of the XLE may vary substantially
from the net asset value per share or unit of the XLE.
|
● |
The anti-dilution adjustments will be limited. The
calculation agent may adjust the Price Multiplier of the XLE and
other terms of the Notes to reflect certain actions by the XLE, as
described in the section “Description of the Notes—Anti-Dilution
and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs” in the
accompanying product supplement. The calculation agent will not be
required to make an adjustment for every event that may affect the
XLE and will have broad discretion to determine whether and to what
extent an adjustment is required. |
|
● |
The publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor of an
Underlying may adjust that Underlying in a way that affects its
values, and the publisher or the sponsor or investment advisor has
no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher or the
sponsor or investment advisor of an Underlying can add, delete, or
substitute the components included in that Underlying or make other
methodological changes that could change its value. Any of these
actions could adversely affect the value of your Notes. |
Tax-related Risks
|
● |
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in
the Notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the
Notes. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority
directly addresses the characterization of the Notes or securities
similar to the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a
result, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of an investment in the Notes are not certain. Under
the terms of the Notes, you will have agreed with us to treat the
Notes as contingent income-bearing single financial contracts, as
described below under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary—General.” If
the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) were successful in
asserting an alternative characterization for the Notes, the timing
and character of income, gain or loss with respect to the Notes may
differ. No ruling will be requested from the IRS with respect to
the Notes and no assurance can be given that the IRS will agree
with the statements made in the section entitled “U.S. Federal
Income Tax Summary.” You are urged to consult with your own tax
advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of investing in the Notes. |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-11 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
The
Underlyings
All disclosures contained in this pricing supplement regarding the
Underlyings, including, without limitation, their make-up, method
of calculation, and changes in their components, have been derived
from publicly available sources. The information reflects the
policies of, and is subject to change by, the investment advisor of
the XLE, the sponsor of the NDX, and the sponsor of the RTY
(collectively, the “Underlying Sponsors”). The Underlying Sponsors,
which license the copyright and all other rights to the respective
Underlyings, have no obligation to continue to publish, and may
discontinue publication of, the Underlyings. The consequences of
any Underlying Sponsor discontinuing publication of the applicable
Underlying are discussed in “Description of the Notes —
Discontinuance of an Index” and “Description of the Notes —
Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs —
Discontinuance of or Material Change to an ETF” in the accompanying
product supplement. None of us, the Guarantor, the calculation
agent, or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation,
maintenance or publication of any Underlying or any successor
underlying. None of us, the Guarantor, BofAS or any of our other
affiliates makes any representation to you as to the future
performance of the Underlyings. You should make your own
investigation into the Underlyings.
The Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund
The shares of the XLE are issued by Select Sector SPDR®
Trust, a registered investment company. The XLE seeks investment
results that correspond generally to the price and yield
performance, before fees and expenses, of the Energy Select Sector
Index, its underlying index. The Energy Select Sector Index
measures the performance of the energy sector of the U.S. equity
market. The XLE is composed of equity securities of companies in
the oil, gas and consumable fuel, energy equipment and services
industries. The XLE trades on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol
“XLE.”
Investment Approach
The XLE utilizes a “passive” or “indexing” investment approach in
attempting to track the performance of the Energy Select Sector
Index. The XLE will invest in substantially all of the securities
which comprise the Energy Select Sector Index. The XLE will
normally invest at least 95% of its total assets in common stocks
that comprise the Energy Select Sector Index.
Investment Objective and Strategy
The XLE seeks to provide investment results that correspond
generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and
expenses, of the Energy Select Sector Index. The investment manager
of the XLE uses a replication strategy to try to achieve the XLE’s
investment objective, which means that the XLE generally invests in
substantially all of the securities represented in the Energy
Select Sector Index in approximately the same proportions as the
Energy Select Sector Index. Under normal market conditions, the XLE
generally invests at least 95% of its total assets in the
securities comprising the Energy Select Sector Index. In certain
situations or market conditions, the XLE may temporarily depart
from its normal investment policies and strategies provided that
the alternative is consistent with the XLE’s investment objective
and is in the best interest of the XLE. For example, if the XLE is
unable to invest directly in a component security or if a
derivative investment may provide higher liquidity than other types
of investments, it may make larger than normal investments in
derivatives to maintain exposure to the Energy Select Sector Index
that it tracks. Consequently, under such circumstances, the XLE may
invest in a different mix of investments than it would under normal
circumstances. The XLE will provide shareholders with at least 60
days notice prior to any material change in its investment
policies. The XLE is managed with a passive investment strategy,
attempting to track the performance of an unmanaged index of
securities. This differs from an actively managed underlying, which
typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index.
Notwithstanding the XLE’s investment objective, the return on your
Notes will not reflect any dividends paid on shares of the XLE, on
the securities purchased by the XLE or on the securities that
comprise the Energy Select Sector Index.
The Select Sector Indices
The underlying index of the XLE is part of the Select Sector
Indices. The Select Sector Indices are sub-indices of the S&P
500® Index (“SPX”). Each stock in the SPX is allocated
to at least one Select Sector Index, and the combined companies of
the eleven Select Sector Indices represent all of the companies in
the SPX. The industry indices are sub-categories within each Select
Sector Index and represent a specific industry segment of the
overall Select Sector Index. The eleven Select Sector Indices seek
to represent the eleven SPX sectors. The index compilation agent
for these indices (the “Index Compilation Agent”) determines the
composition of the Select Sector Indices based on S&P’s sector
classification methodology. (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.
Each Select Sector Index was developed and is maintained in
accordance with the following criteria:
|
● |
Each of the component stocks in a
Select Sector Index (the “Component Stocks”) is a constituent
company of the SPX. |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-12 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
|
● |
The eleven Select Sector Indices
together will include all of the companies represented in the SPX
and each of the stocks in the SPX will be allocated to at least one
of the Select Sector Indices. |
|
● |
The Index Compilation Agent assigns
each constituent stock of the SPX to a Select Sector Index. The
Index Compilation Agent assigns a company’s stock to a particular
Select Sector Index based on S&P Dow Jones Indices’s sector
classification methodology as set forth in its Global Industry
Classification Standard. |
|
● |
Each Select Sector Index is
calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices using a modified “market
capitalization” methodology. This design ensures that each of the
component stocks within a Select Sector Index is represented in a
proportion consistent with its percentage with respect to the total
market capitalization of that Select Sector Index. |
|
● |
For reweighting purposes, each
Select Sector Index is rebalanced quarterly after the close of
business on the second to last calculation day of March, June,
September and December using the following procedures: (1) The
rebalancing reference date is two business days prior to the last
calculation day of each quarter; and (2) With prices reflected on
the rebalancing reference date, and membership, shares outstanding,
additional weight factor (capping factor) and investable weight
factors (as described in the section “Computation of the S&P
500 Index®” below) as of the rebalancing effective date,
each company is weighted using the modified market capitalization
methodology. Modifications are made as defined below. |
(i) |
The indices are first evaluated to ensure none of the indices
breach the maximum allowable limits defined in rules (ii) and (v)
below. If any of the allowable limits are breached, the component
stocks are reweighted based on their float-adjusted market
capitalization weights.
|
(ii) |
If any component stock has a weight greater than 24%, that
component stock has its float-adjusted market capitalization weight
capped at 23%. The 23% weight cap creates a 2% buffer to ensure
that no component stock exceeds 25% as of the quarter-end
diversification requirement date.
|
(iii) |
All excess weight is equally redistributed to all uncapped
component stocks within the relevant Select Sector Index.
|
(iv) |
After this redistribution, if the float-adjusted market
capitalization weight of any other component stock(s) then breaches
23%, the process is repeated iteratively until no component stock
breaches the 23% weight cap.
|
(v) |
The sum of the component stocks with weight greater than 4.8%
cannot exceed 50% of the total index weight. These caps are set to
allow for a buffer below the 5% limit.
|
(vi) |
If the rule in step (v) is breached, all the component stocks are
ranked in descending order of their float-adjusted market
capitalization weights and the first component stock that causes
the 50% limit to be breached has its weight reduced to 4.6%.
|
(vii) |
This excess weight is equally redistributed to all component stocks
with weights below 4.6%. This process is repeated iteratively until
step (v) is satisfied.
|
(viii) |
Index share amounts are assigned to each component stock to arrive
at the weights calculated above. Since index shares are assigned
based on prices one business day prior to rebalancing, the actual
weight of each component stock at the rebalancing differs somewhat
from these weights due to market movements.
|
(ix) |
If necessary, the reweighting process may take place more than once
prior to the close on the last business day of March, June,
September or December to ensure conformity with all diversification
requirements.
|
|
● |
Each Select Sector Index is
calculated using the same methodology utilized by S&P Dow Jones
Indices in calculating the SPX, using a base-weighted aggregate
methodology. The daily calculation of each Select Sector Index is
computed by dividing the total market value of the companies
in the Select Sector Index by a number called the index
divisor. |
|
● |
The Index Compilation Agent at any
time may determine that a Component Stock which has been assigned
to one Select Sector Index has undergone such a transformation in
the composition of its business, and should be removed from that
Select Sector Index and assigned to a different Select Sector
Index. In the event that the Index Compilation Agent notifies
S&P Dow Jones Indices that a Component Stock’s Select Sector
Index assignment should be changed, S&P Dow Jones Indices will
disseminate notice of the change following its standard procedure
for announcing index changes and will implement the change in the
affected Select Sector Indices on a date no less than one week
after the initial |
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-13 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
dissemination of information on the sector change to the maximum
extent practicable. It is not anticipated that Component Stocks
will change sectors frequently.
|
● |
Component Stocks removed from and
added to the SPX will be deleted from and added to the appropriate
Select Sector Index on the same schedule used by S&P Dow Jones
Indices for additions and deletions from the SPX insofar as
practicable. |
The S&P 500® Index
The SPX includes a representative sample of 500 companies in
leading industries of the U.S. economy. The SPX is intended to
provide an indication of the pattern of common stock price
movement. The calculation of the level of the SPX is based on the
relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks
of 500 companies as of a particular time compared to the aggregate
average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar companies
during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943.
The SPX includes companies from eleven main groups: Communication
Services; Consumer Discretionary; Consumer Staples; Energy;
Financials; Health Care; Industrials; Information Technology; Real
Estate; Materials; and Utilities. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC
(“SPDJI”), the sponsor of the SPX, may from time to time, in its
sole discretion, add companies to, or delete companies from, the
SPX to achieve the objectives stated above.
Company additions to the SPX must have an unadjusted company market
capitalization of $14.6 billion or more (an increase from the
previous requirement of an unadjusted company market capitalization
of $13.1 billion or more).
SPDJI calculates the SPX by reference to the prices of the
constituent stocks of the SPX without taking account of the value
of dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the
Notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually
owned the SPX constituent stocks and received the dividends paid on
those stocks.
Computation of the SPX
While SPDJI currently employs the following methodology to
calculate the SPX, no assurance can be given that SPDJI will not
modify or change this methodology in a manner that may affect
payments on the Notes.
Historically, the market value of any component stock of the SPX
was calculated as the product of the market price per share and the
number of then outstanding shares of such component stock. In March
2005, SPDJI began shifting the SPX halfway from a market
capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted formula, before
moving the SPX to full float adjustment on September 16, 2005.
SPDJI’s criteria for selecting stocks for the SPX did not change
with the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects
each company’s weight in the SPX.
Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the
SPX reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not
all of a company’s outstanding shares. Float adjustment excludes
shares that are closely held by control groups, other publicly
traded companies or government agencies.
In September 2012, all shareholdings representing more than 5% of a
stock’s outstanding shares, other than holdings by “block owners,”
were removed from the float for purposes of calculating the SPX.
Generally, these “control holders” will include officers and
directors, private equity, venture capital and special equity
firms, other publicly traded companies that hold shares for
control, strategic partners, holders of restricted shares, ESOPs,
employee and family trusts, foundations associated with the
company, holders of unlisted share classes of stock, government
entities at all levels (other than government retirement/pension
funds) and any individual person who controls a 5% or greater stake
in a company as reported in regulatory filings. However, holdings
by block owners, such as depositary banks, pension funds, mutual
funds and ETF providers, 401(k) plans of the company, government
retirement/pension funds, investment funds of insurance companies,
asset managers and investment funds, independent foundations and
savings and investment plans, will ordinarily be considered part of
the float.
Treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity
participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock,
and rights are not part of the float. Shares held in a trust to
allow investors in countries outside the country of domicile, such
as depositary shares and Canadian exchangeable shares, are normally
part of the float unless those shares form a control block. If a
company has multiple classes of stock outstanding, shares in an
unlisted or non-traded class are treated as a control block.
For each stock, an investable weight factor (“IWF”) is calculated
by dividing the available float shares by the total shares
outstanding. Available float shares are defined as the total shares
outstanding less shares held by control holders. This calculation
is subject to a 5% minimum threshold for control blocks. For
example, if a company’s officers and directors hold 3% of the
company’s shares, and no other control group holds 5% of the
company’s shares, SPDJI would assign that company an IWF of 1.00,
as no control group meets the 5% threshold. However, if a company’s
officers and directors hold 3% of the company’s shares and another
control group holds 20% of the company’s shares, SPDJI would assign
an IWF of 0.77, reflecting the fact that 23% of the company’s
outstanding shares are considered to be held for control. As of
July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no
longer eligible for inclusion in the SPX. Constituents of the SPX
prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be
grandfathered in and continue to be included in the SPX. If a
constituent company of the SPX reorganizes into a multiple share
class line structure, that company will remain in the SPX at the
discretion of the S&P Index Committee in order to minimize
turnover.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-14 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
The SPX is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology.
The level of the SPX reflects the total market value of all
component stocks relative to the base period of the years 1941
through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent the results of
this calculation in order to make the level easier to work with and
track over time. The actual total market value of the component
stocks during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943 has
been set to an indexed level of 10. This is often indicated by the
notation 1941- 43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the
SPX is computed by dividing the total market value of the component
stocks by the “index divisor.” By itself, the index divisor is an
arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the
SPX, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the
SPX. The index divisor keeps the SPX comparable over time and is
the manipulation point for all adjustments to the SPX, which is
index maintenance.
Index Maintenance
Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the
adjustments for company additions and deletions, share changes,
stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price adjustments due to
company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as
stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common
shares outstanding and the stock prices of the companies in the
SPX, and do not require index divisor adjustments.
To prevent the level of the SPX from changing due to corporate
actions, corporate actions which affect the total market value of
the SPX require an index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index
divisor for the change in market value, the level of the SPX
remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of
individual companies in the SPX. Index divisor adjustments are made
after the close of trading and after the calculation of the SPX
closing level.
Changes in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to
mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, tender offers, Dutch
auctions, or exchange offers are made as soon as reasonably
possible. Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions of publicly
held companies that trade on a major exchange are implemented when
the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in
the same headline index, and regardless of the size of the change.
All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company
stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of
options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt,
equity participation units, at-the-market offerings, or other
recapitalizations) are made weekly and are announced on Fridays for
implementation after the close of trading on the following Friday.
Changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on
the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, and are
usually announced two to five days prior.
If a change in a company’s shares outstanding of 5.00% or more
causes a company’s IWF to change by five percentage points or more,
the IWF is updated at the same time as the share change. IWF
changes resulting from partial tender offers are considered on a
case by case basis.
Historical Performance of the XLE
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of
the XLE in the period from January 2, 2018 through May 23, 2023. We
obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not
independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the
information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. The horizontal crimson
line in the graph represents the XLE’s hypothetical Coupon Barrier
of $56.11 (rounded to two decimal places), which is 70% of the
XLE’s hypothetical Starting Value of $80.16, which was its Closing
Market Price on May 23, 2023. The horizontal gray line in the graph
represents the XLE’s hypothetical Threshold Value of $48.10
(rounded to two decimal places), which is 60% of the XLE’s
hypothetical Starting Value. The actual Starting Value, Coupon
Barrier and Threshold Value will be determined on the pricing
date.

This historical data on the XLE is not necessarily indicative of
the future performance of the XLE or what the value of the Notes
may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the Closing
Market Price of the XLE during any period set forth above is not an
indication that the Closing Market Price of the XLE is more or less
likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the
Notes.
Before investing in the Notes, you should consult publicly
available sources for the Closing Market Prices and trading pattern
of the XLE.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-15 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
The Nasdaq-100®
Index
The NDX is intended to measure the performance of the 100 largest
domestic and international non-financial securities listed on The
Nasdaq Stock Market ("NASDAQ") based on market capitalization. The
NDX reflects companies across major industry groups including
computer hardware and software, telecommunications,
retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology. It does not contain
securities of financial companies including investment
companies.
The NDX began trading on January 31, 1985 at a base value of
125.00. The NDX is calculated and published by Nasdaq, Inc. In
administering the NDX, Nasdaq, Inc. will exercise reasonable
discretion as it deems appropriate.
Underlying Stock Eligibility Criteria
NDX eligibility is limited to specific security types only. The
security types eligible for the NDX include foreign or domestic
common stocks, ordinary shares, ADRs and tracking stocks. Security
types not included in the NDX are closed-end funds, convertible
debt securities, exchange traded funds, limited liability
companies, limited partnership interests, preferred stocks, rights,
shares or units of beneficial interest, warrants, units, and other
derivative securities. The NDX does not contain securities of
investment companies. For purposes of the NDX eligibility criteria,
if the security is a depositary receipt representing a security of
a non-U.S. issuer, then references to the “issuer” are references
to the issuer of the underlying security.
Initial Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for initial inclusion in the NDX, a security must be
listed on NASDAQ and meet the following criteria:
|
● |
the
security’s U.S. listing must be exclusively on the Nasdaq Global
Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market (unless the security was
dually listed on another U.S. market prior to January 1, 2004 and
has continuously maintained such listing); |
|
● |
the
security must be of a non-financial company; |
|
● |
the
security may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy
proceedings; |
|
● |
the
security must have a minimum three-month average daily trading
volume of at least 200,000 shares; |
|
● |
if the
issuer of the security is organized under the laws of a
jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such security must have listed
options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be eligible
for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the
U.S.; |
|
● |
the
issuer of the security may not have entered into a definitive
agreement or other arrangement which would likely result in the
security no longer being eligible for inclusion in the
NDX; |
|
● |
the
issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements
with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn; and |
|
● |
the
issuer of the security must have “seasoned” on NASDAQ, the New York
Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex. Generally, a company is considered to
be seasoned if it has been listed on a market for at least three
full months (excluding the first month of initial
listing). |
Continued Eligibility Criteria
In addition, to be eligible for continued inclusion in the NDX, the
following criteria apply:
|
● |
the
security’s U.S. listing must be exclusively on the Nasdaq Global
Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market; |
|
● |
the
security must be of a non-financial company; |
|
● |
the
security may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy
proceedings; |
|
● |
the
security must have a minimum three-month average daily trading
volume of at least 200,000 shares; |
|
● |
if the
issuer of the security is organized under the laws of a
jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such security must have listed
options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be eligible
for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the
U.S. (measured annually during the ranking review
process); |
|
● |
the
security must have an adjusted market capitalization equal to or
exceeding 0.10% of the aggregate adjusted market capitalization of
the NDX at each month-end. In the event a company does not meet
this criterion for two consecutive month-ends, it will be removed
from the NDX effective after the close of trading on the third
Friday of the following month; and |
|
● |
the
issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements
with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn. |
Computation of the NDX
The value of the NDX equals the aggregate value of the NDX share
weights (the “NDX Shares”) of each of the NDX securities multiplied
by each such security’s last sale price (last sale price refers to
the last sale price on NASDAQ), and divided by the divisor of the
NDX. If trading in an NDX security
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-16 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
is halted while the market is open, the last traded price for that
security is used for all NDX computations until trading resumes. If
trading is halted before the market is open, the previous day’s
last sale price is used. The formula for determining the NDX value
is as follows:

The NDX is ordinarily calculated without regard to cash dividends
on NDX securities. The NDX is calculated during the trading day and
is disseminated once per second from 09:30:01 to 17:16:00 ET. The
closing level of the NDX may change up until 17:15:00 ET due to
corrections to the last sale price of the NDX securities. The
official closing value of the NDX is ordinarily disseminated at
17:16:00 ET.
NDX Maintenance
Changes to NDX Constituents
Changes to the NDX constituents may be made during the annual
ranking review. In addition, if at any time during the year other
than the annual review, it is determined that an NDX security
issuer no longer meets the criteria for continued inclusion in the
NDX, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for
continued inclusion in the NDX, it is replaced with the largest
market capitalization issuer not currently in the NDX that meets
the applicable eligibility criteria for initial inclusion in the
NDX.
Ordinarily, a security will be removed from the NDX at its last
sale price. However, if at the time of its removal the NDX security
is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an
official closing price cannot readily be determined, the NDX
security may, in Nasdaq, Inc.’s discretion, be removed at a price
of $0.00000001 (“zero price”). This zero price will be applied to
the NDX security after the close of the market but prior to the
time the official closing value of the NDX is disseminated.
Divisor Adjustments
The divisor is adjusted to ensure that changes in the NDX
constituents either by corporate actions (that adjust either the
price or shares of an NDX security) or NDX participation outside of
trading hours do not affect the value of the NDX. All divisor
changes occur after the close of the applicable index security
markets.
Quarterly NDX Rebalancing
The NDX will be rebalanced on a quarterly basis if it is determined
that (1) the current weight of the single NDX security with the
largest market capitalization is greater than 24.0% of the NDX or
(2) the collective weight of those securities whose individual
current weights are in excess of 4.5% exceeds 48.0% of the NDX. In
addition, a “special rebalancing” of the NDX may be conducted at
any time if Nasdaq, Inc. determines it necessary to maintain the
integrity and continuity of the NDX. If either one or both of the
above weight distribution conditions are met upon quarterly review,
or Nasdaq, Inc. determines that a special rebalancing is necessary,
a weight rebalancing will be performed.
If the first weight distribution condition is met and the current
weight of the single NDX security with the largest market
capitalization is greater than 24.0%, then the weights of all
securities with current weights greater than 1.0% (“large
securities”) will be scaled down proportionately toward 1.0% until
the adjusted weight of the single largest NDX security reaches
20.0%.
If the second weight distribution condition is met and the
collective weight of those securities whose individual current
weights are in excess of 4.5% (or adjusted weights in accordance
with the previous step, if applicable) exceeds 48.0% of the NDX,
then the weights of all such large securities in that group will be
scaled down proportionately toward 1.0% until their collective
weight, so adjusted, is equal to 40.0%.
The aggregate weight reduction among the large securities resulting
from either or both of the rebalancing steps above will then be
redistributed to those securities with weightings of less than 1.0%
(“small securities”) in the following manner. In the first
iteration, the weight of the largest small security will be scaled
upwards by a factor which sets it equal to the average NDX weight
of 1.0%. The weights of each of the smaller remaining small
securities will be scaled up by the same factor reduced in relation
to each security’s relative ranking among the small securities such
that the smaller the NDX security in the ranking, the less its
weight will be scaled upward. This is intended to reduce the market
impact of the weight rebalancing on the smallest component
securities in the NDX.
In the second iteration of the small security rebalancing, the
weight of the second largest small security, already adjusted in
the first iteration, will be scaled upwards by a factor which sets
it equal to the average NDX weight of 1.0%. The weights of each of
the smaller remaining small securities will be scaled up by this
same factor reduced in relation to each security’s relative ranking
among the small securities such that, once again, the smaller the
security in the ranking, the less its weight will be scaled upward.
Additional iterations will be performed until the accumulated
increase in weight among the small securities equals the aggregate
weight reduction among the large securities that resulted from the
rebalancing in accordance with the two weight distribution
conditions discussed above.
Finally, to complete the rebalancing process, once the final
weighting percentages for each NDX security have been set, the NDX
Shares will be determined anew based upon the last sale prices and
aggregate capitalization of the NDX at the close of trading on the
last calendar day in February, May, August and November. Changes to
the NDX Shares will be made effective after the close of trading on
the third Friday in March, June,
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-17 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
September and December, and an adjustment to the divisor is made to
ensure continuity of the NDX. Ordinarily, new rebalanced NDX Shares
will be determined by applying the above procedures to the current
NDX Shares. However, Nasdaq, Inc. may, from time to time, determine
rebalanced weights, if necessary, by applying the above procedure
to the actual current market capitalization of the NDX components.
In such instances, Nasdaq, Inc. would announce the different basis
for rebalancing prior to its implementation.
During the quarterly rebalancing, data is cutoff as of the previous
month end and no changes are made to the NDX from that cutoff until
the quarterly index share change effective date, except in the case
of changes due to corporate actions with an ex-date.
Adjustments for Corporate Actions
Changes in the price and/or NDX Shares driven by corporate events
such as stock dividends, splits, and certain spin-offs and rights
issuances will be adjusted on the ex-date. If the change in total
shares outstanding arising from other corporate actions is greater
than or equal to 10.0%, the change will be made as soon as
practicable. Otherwise, if the change in total shares outstanding
is less than 10.0%, then all such changes are accumulated and made
effective at one time on a quarterly basis after the close of
trading on the third Friday in each of March, June, September, and
December. The NDX Shares are derived from the security’s total
shares outstanding. The NDX Shares are adjusted by the same
percentage amount by which the total shares outstanding have
changed.
Historical Performance of the NDX
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of
the NDX in the period from January 2, 2018 through May 23, 2023. We
obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not
independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the
information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. The horizontal crimson
line in the graph represents the NDX’s hypothetical Coupon Barrier
of 9,570.78 (rounded to two decimal places), which is 70% of the
NDX’s hypothetical Starting Value of 13,672.54, which was its
closing level on May 23, 2023. The horizontal gray line in the
graph represents the NDX’s hypothetical Threshold Value of 8,203.52
(rounded to two decimal places), which is 60% of the NDX’s
hypothetical Starting Value. The actual Starting Value, Coupon
Barrier and Threshold Value will be determined on the pricing
date.

This historical data on the NDX is not necessarily indicative of
the future performance of the NDX or what the value of the Notes
may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the closing
level of the NDX during any period set forth above is not an
indication that the closing level of the NDX is more or less likely
to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the Notes.
Before investing in the Notes, you should consult publicly
available sources for the closing levels of the NDX.
License Agreement
The Notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq,
Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, Inc., with its affiliates, are
referred to as the “Corporations”). The Corporations have not
passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or
adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the Notes.
The Corporations make no representation or warranty, express or
implied, to the owners of the Notes or any member of the public
regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or
in the Notes particularly, or the ability of the NDX to track
general stock market performance. The Corporations’ only
relationship to our affiliate, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated (“Licensee”) is in the licensing of the
NASDAQ®, OMX®, NASDAQ OMX®, and
NDX registered trademarks, and certain trade names of the
Corporations or their licensor and the use of the NDX which is
determined, composed and calculated by Nasdaq, Inc. without regard
to Licensee or the Notes. Nasdaq, Inc. has no obligation to take
the needs of the Licensee or the owners of the Notes into
consideration in determining, composing or calculating the NDX. The
Corporations are not responsible for and have not participated in
the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the
Notes to be issued or in the
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-18 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
determination or calculation of the equation by which the Notes are
to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no liability in
connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the
Notes.
THE CORPORATIONS DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR UNINTERRUPTED
CALCULATION OF THE NDX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE
CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO
BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON
OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE NDX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE
CORPORATIONS MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE NDX OR ANY DATA
INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO
EVENT SHALL THE CORPORATIONS HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST
PROFITS OR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-19 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
The Russell 2000®
Index
The RTY was developed by Russell Investments (“Russell”) before
FTSE International Limited and Russell combined in 2015 to create
FTSE Russell, which is wholly owned by London Stock Exchange Group.
Additional information on the RTY is available at the following
website: http://www.ftserussell.com. No information on that website
is deemed to be included or incorporated by reference in this
pricing supplement.
Russell began dissemination of the RTY (Bloomberg L.P. index symbol
“RTY”) on January 1, 1984. FTSE Russell calculates and publishes
the RTY. The RTY was set to 135 as of the close of business on
December 31, 1986. The RTY is designed to track the performance of
the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. As a
subset of the Russell 3000® Index, the RTY consists of
the smallest 2,000 companies included in the Russell
3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index measures
the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies, representing
approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. The RTY is
determined, comprised, and calculated by FTSE Russell without
regard to the Notes.
Selection of Stocks Comprising the RTY
Each company eligible for inclusion in the RTY must be classified
as a U.S. company under FTSE Russell’s country-assignment
methodology. If a company is incorporated, has a stated
headquarters location, and trades in the same country (American
Depositary Receipts and American Depositary Shares are not
eligible), then the company is assigned to its country of
incorporation. If any of the three factors are not the same, FTSE
Russell defines three Home Country Indicators (“HCIs”): country of
incorporation, country of headquarters, and country of the most
liquid exchange (as defined by a two-year average daily dollar
trading volume) from all exchanges within a country. Using the
HCIs, FTSE Russell compares the primary location of the company’s
assets with the three HCIs. If the primary location of its assets
matches any of the HCIs, then the company is assigned to the
primary location of its assets. If there is insufficient
information to determine the country in which the company’s assets
are primarily located, FTSE Russell will use the country from which
the company’s revenues are primarily derived for the comparison
with the three HCIs in a similar manner. FTSE Russell uses the
average of two years of assets or revenues data to reduce potential
turnover. If conclusive country details cannot be derived from
assets or revenues data, FTSE Russell will assign the company to
the country of its headquarters, which is defined as the address of
the company’s principal executive offices, unless that country is a
Benefit Driven Incorporation (“BDI”) country, in which case the
company will be assigned to the country of its most liquid stock
exchange. BDI countries include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda,
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao,
Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liberia,
Marshall Islands, Panama, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and
Turks and Caicos Islands. For any companies incorporated or
headquartered in a U.S. territory, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and
U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. HCI is assigned.
All securities eligible for inclusion in the RTY must trade on a
major U.S. exchange. Stocks must have a closing price at or above
$1.00 on their primary exchange on the last trading day in May to
be eligible for inclusion during annual reconstitution. However, in
order to reduce unnecessary turnover, if an existing member’s
closing price is less than $1.00 on the last day of May, it will be
considered eligible if the average of the daily closing prices
(from its primary exchange) during the month of May is equal to or
greater than $1.00. Initial public offerings are added each quarter
and must have a closing price at or above $1.00 on the last day of
their eligibility period in order to qualify for index inclusion.
If an existing stock does not trade on the “rank day” (typically
the last trading day in May but a confirmed timetable is announced
each spring) but does have a closing price at or above $1.00 on
another eligible U.S. exchange, that stock will be eligible for
inclusion.
An important criterion used to determine the list of securities
eligible for the RTY is total market capitalization, which is
defined as the market price as of the last trading day in May for
those securities being considered at annual reconstitution times
the total number of shares outstanding. Where applicable, common
stock, non-restricted exchangeable shares and partnership
units/membership interests are used to determine market
capitalization. Any other form of shares such as preferred stock,
convertible preferred stock, redeemable shares, participating
preferred stock, warrants and rights, installment receipts or trust
receipts, are excluded from the calculation. If multiple share
classes of common stock exist, they are combined. In cases where
the common stock share classes act independently of each other
(e.g., tracking stocks), each class is considered for inclusion
separately. If multiple share classes exist, the pricing vehicle
will be designated as the share class with the highest two-year
trading volume as of the rank day in May.
Companies with a total market capitalization of less than $30
million are not eligible for the RTY. Similarly, companies with
only 5% or less of their shares available in the marketplace are
not eligible for the RTY. Royalty trusts, limited liability
companies, closed-end investment companies (companies that are
required to report Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, as defined by
the SEC, including business development companies), blank check
companies, special purpose acquisition companies, and limited
partnerships are also ineligible for inclusion. Bulletin board,
pink sheets, and over-the-counter traded securities are not
eligible for inclusion. Exchange traded funds and mutual funds are
also excluded.
Annual reconstitution is a process by which the RTY is completely
rebuilt. Based on closing levels of the company’s common stock on
its primary exchange on the rank day of May of each year, FTSE
Russell reconstitutes the composition of the RTY using the then
existing market capitalizations of eligible companies.
Reconstitution of the RTY occurs on the last Friday in June or,
when the last Friday in June is the 29th or 30th, reconstitution
occurs on the prior Friday. In addition, FTSE Russell adds initial
public offerings to the RTY on a quarterly basis based on total
market capitalization ranking within the market-adjusted
capitalization breaks established during the most recent
reconstitution. After membership is determined, a security’s shares
are adjusted to include only those shares available to the public.
This is often referred to as “free float.” The purpose of the
adjustment is to exclude from market calculations the
capitalization that is not available for purchase and is not part
of the investable opportunity set.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-20 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Historical Performance of the RTY
The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of
the RTY in the period from January 2, 2018 through May 23, 2023. We
obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not
independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the
information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. The horizontal crimson
line in the graph represents the RTY’s hypothetical Coupon Barrier
of 1,251.401 (rounded to three decimal places), which is 70% of the
RTY’s hypothetical Starting Value of 1,787.715, which was its
closing level on May 23, 2023. The horizontal gray line in the
graph represents the RTY’s hypothetical Threshold Value of
1,072.629, which is 60% of the RTY’s hypothetical Starting Value.
The actual Starting Value, Coupon Barrier and Threshold Value will
be determined on the pricing date.

This historical data on the RTY is not necessarily indicative of
the future performance of the RTY or what the value of the Notes
may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the closing
level of the RTY during any period set forth above is not an
indication that the closing level of the RTY is more or less likely
to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the Notes.
Before investing in the Notes, you should consult publicly
available sources for the closing levels of the RTY.
License Agreement
“Russell 2000®” and “Russell 3000®” are
trademarks of FTSE Russell and have been licensed for use by our
affiliate, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.
The Notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by FTSE
Russell, and FTSE Russell makes no representation regarding the
advisability of investing in the Notes.
FTSE Russell and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement
providing for the license to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated and its affiliates, including us, in exchange
for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by FTSE
Russell in connection with some securities, including the Notes.
The license agreement provides that the following language must be
stated in this pricing supplement:
The Notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by FTSE
Russell. FTSE Russell makes no representation or warranty, express
or implied, to the holders of the Notes or any member of the public
regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or
in the Notes particularly or the ability of the RTY to track
general stock market performance or a segment of the same. FTSE
Russell’s publication of the RTY in no way suggests or implies an
opinion by FTSE Russell as to the advisability of investment in any
or all of the securities upon which the RTY is based. FTSE
Russell’s only relationship to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated and to us is the licensing of certain trademarks
and trade names of FTSE Russell and of the RTY, which is
determined, composed, and calculated by FTSE Russell without regard
to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, us, or
the Notes. FTSE Russell is not responsible for and has not reviewed
the Notes nor any associated literature or publications and FTSE
Russell makes no representation or warranty express or implied as
to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. FTSE Russell
reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter,
amend, terminate, or in any way change the RTY. FTSE Russell has no
obligation or liability in connection with the administration,
marketing, or trading of the Notes.
FTSE RUSSELL DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE
COMPLETENESS OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND FTSE
RUSSELL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR
INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE,
FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, US, BAC, BOFAS, HOLDERS OF THE
NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE RTY OR ANY
DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH
RESPECT TO THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING
ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL FTSE RUSSELL HAVE ANY
LIABILITY FOR ANY
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-21 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING
LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-22 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Supplement to the Plan of Distribution; Role of BofAS and Conflicts
of Interest
BofAS, a broker-dealer affiliate of ours, is a member of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and will
participate as selling agent in the distribution of the Notes.
Accordingly, the offering of the Notes will conform to the
requirements of FINRA Rule 5121. BofAS may not make sales in this
offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior
written approval of the account holder.
We expect to deliver the Notes against payment therefor in New
York, New York on a date that is greater than two business days
following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are
required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any
such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial
settlement of the Notes occurs more than two business days from the
pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes more than two
business days prior to the original issue date will be required to
specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed
settlement.
Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase
the Notes from us as principal at the public offering price
indicated on the cover of this pricing supplement, less the
indicated underwriting discount, if any. BofAS will sell the Notes
to other broker-dealers that will participate in the offering and
that are not affiliated with us, at an agreed discount to the
principal amount. Each of those broker-dealers may sell the Notes
to one or more additional broker-dealers. BofAS has informed us
that these discounts may vary from dealer to dealer and that not
all dealers will purchase or repurchase the Notes at the same
discount. Certain dealers who purchase the Notes for sale to
certain fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their
selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price
for investors purchasing the Notes in these fee-based advisory
accounts may be as low as $974.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of
Notes.
BofAS and any of our other broker-dealer affiliates may use this
pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus for offers and sales in
secondary market transactions and market-making transactions in the
Notes. However, they are not obligated to engage in such secondary
market transactions and/or market-making transactions. These
broker-dealer affiliates may act as principal or agent in these
transactions, and any such sales will be made at prices related to
prevailing market conditions at the time of the sale.
At BofAS’s discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period
after the issuance of the Notes, BofAS may offer to buy the Notes
in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial
estimated value of the Notes. Any price offered by BofAS for the
Notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other
considerations, including the performance of the Underlyings and
the remaining term of the Notes. However, none of us, the
Guarantor, BofAS or any of our other affiliates is obligated to
purchase your Notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot
assure you that any party will purchase your Notes at a price that
equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the Notes.
Any price that BofAS may pay to repurchase the Notes will depend
upon then prevailing market conditions, the creditworthiness of us
and the Guarantor, and transaction costs. At certain times, this
price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value
of the Notes.
European Economic Area and United Kingdom
None of this pricing supplement, the accompanying product
supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the accompanying
prospectus supplement is a prospectus for the purposes of the
Prospectus Regulation (as defined below). This pricing supplement,
the accompanying product supplement, the accompanying prospectus
and the accompanying prospectus supplement have been prepared on
the basis that any offer of Notes in any Member State of the
European Economic Area (the “EEA”) or in the United Kingdom (each,
a “Relevant State”) will only be made to a legal entity which is a
qualified investor under the Prospectus Regulation (“Qualified
Investors”). Accordingly any person making or intending to make an
offer in that Relevant State of Notes which are the subject of the
offering contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying
product supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the
accompanying prospectus supplement may only do so with respect to
Qualified Investors. Neither BofA Finance nor BAC has authorized,
nor does it authorize, the making of any offer of Notes other than
to Qualified Investors. The expression “Prospectus Regulation”
means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
PROHIBITION OF SALES TO EEA AND UNITED KINGDOM RETAIL
INVESTORS – The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA or in
the United Kingdom. For these purposes: (a) a retail investor means
a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in
point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended
(“MiFID II”); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive
(EU) 2016/97 (the Insurance Distribution Directive) where that
customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in
point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified
investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; and (b) the
expression “offer” includes the communication in any form and by
any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and
the Notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to
purchase or subscribe for the Notes. Consequently no key
information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014, as
amended (the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Notes
or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA
or in the United Kingdom has been prepared and therefore offering
or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any
retail investor in the EEA or in the United Kingdom may be unlawful
under the PRIIPs Regulation.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-23 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
United Kingdom
The communication of this pricing supplement, the accompanying
product supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the
accompanying prospectus and any other document or materials
relating to the issue of the Notes offered hereby is not being
made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved,
by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the
United Kingdom’s Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as
amended (the “FSMA”). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials
are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the
general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such
documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being
made to those persons in the United Kingdom who have professional
experience in matters relating to investments and who fall within
the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article
19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial
Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Financial Promotion
Order”)), or who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the
Financial Promotion Order, or who are any other persons to whom it
may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order
(all such persons together being referred to as “relevant
persons”). In the United Kingdom, the Notes offered hereby are only
available to, and any investment or investment activity to which
this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement, the
accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
relates will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person
in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act
or rely on this pricing supplement, the accompanying product
supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus or any of their contents.
Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with
the issue or sale of the Notes may only be communicated or caused
to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the
FSMA does not apply to BofA Finance, as issuer, or BAC, as
guarantor.
All applicable provisions of the FSMA must be complied with in
respect to anything done by any person in relation to the Notes in,
from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-24 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Structuring the Notes
The Notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to
the performance of the Underlyings. The related guarantee is BAC’s
obligation. As is the case for all of our and BAC’s respective debt
securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms
of the Notes reflect our and BAC’s actual or perceived
creditworthiness at the time of pricing. In addition, because
market-linked notes result in increased operational, funding and
liability management costs to us and BAC, BAC typically borrows the
funds under these types of notes at a rate, which we refer to in
this pricing supplement as BAC’s internal funding rate, that is
more favorable to BAC than the rate that it might pay for a
conventional fixed or floating rate debt security. This generally
relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the
economic terms of the Notes, along with the fees and charges
associated with market-linked notes, typically results in the
initial estimated value of the Notes on the pricing date being less
than their public offering price.
In order to meet our payment obligations on the Notes, at the time
we issue the Notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging
arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other
derivatives) with BofAS or one of our other affiliates. The terms
of these hedging arrangements are determined based upon terms
provided by BofAS and its affiliates, and take into account a
number of factors, including our and BAC’s creditworthiness,
interest rate movements, the volatility of the Underlyings, the
tenor of the Notes and the hedging arrangements. The economic terms
of the Notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on
the terms of these hedging arrangements.
BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include
hedging related charges, reflecting the costs associated with, and
our affiliates’ profit earned from, these hedging arrangements.
Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable
market forces, actual profits or losses from these hedging
transactions may be more or less than any expected amounts.
For further information, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-8
above and “Supplemental Use of Proceeds” on page PS-20 of the
accompanying product supplement.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-25 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary
The following summary of the material U.S. federal income and
estate tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership, and
disposition of the Notes supplements, and to the extent
inconsistent supersedes, the discussion under “U.S. Federal Income
Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus and is not
exhaustive of all possible tax considerations. This summary is
based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”), regulations promulgated under the Code by the U.S.
Treasury Department (“Treasury”) (including proposed and temporary
regulations), rulings, current administrative interpretations and
official pronouncements of the IRS, and judicial decisions, all as
currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing
interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No
assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a
court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax
consequences described below. This summary does not include any
description of the tax laws of any state or local governments, or
of any foreign government, that may be applicable to a particular
holder.
Although the Notes are issued by us, they will be treated as if
they were issued by BAC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Accordingly throughout this tax discussion, references to “we,”
“our” or “us” are generally to BAC unless the context requires
otherwise.
This summary is directed solely to U.S. Holders and Non-U.S.
Holders that, except as otherwise specifically noted, will purchase
the Notes upon original issuance and will hold the Notes as capital
assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, which
generally means property held for investment, and that are not
excluded from the discussion under “U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.
You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal
income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing
of the Notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the
laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and
the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax
laws.
General
Although there is no statutory, judicial, or administrative
authority directly addressing the characterization of the Notes, we
intend to treat the Notes for all tax purposes as contingent
income-bearing single financial contracts with respect to the
Underlyings and under the terms of the Notes, we and every investor
in the Notes agree, in the absence of an administrative
determination or judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat the
Notes in accordance with such characterization. In the opinion of
our counsel, Sidley Austin LLP, it is reasonable to treat the Notes
as contingent income-bearing single financial contracts with
respect to the Underlyings. However, Sidley Austin LLP has advised
us that it is unable to conclude that it is more likely than not
that this treatment will be upheld. This discussion assumes that
the Notes constitute contingent income-bearing single financial
contracts with respect to the Underlyings for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. If the Notes did not constitute contingent
income-bearing single financial contracts, the tax consequences
described below would be materially different.
This characterization of the Notes is not binding on the IRS or
the courts. No statutory, judicial, or administrative authority
directly addresses the characterization of the Notes or any similar
instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no ruling is
being requested from the IRS with respect to their proper
characterization and treatment. Due to the absence of authorities
on point, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of an investment in the Notes are not certain, and no
assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with
the characterization and tax treatment described in this pricing
supplement. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your tax advisor
regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences
of an investment in the Notes, including possible alternative
characterizations.
Unless otherwise stated, the following discussion is based on the
characterization described above. The discussion in this section
assumes that there is a significant possibility of a significant
loss of principal on an investment in the Notes.
We will not attempt to ascertain whether the issuer of an
Underlying or the issuer of any component stock included in an
Underlying that is an index would be treated as a “passive foreign
investment company” (“PFIC”), within the meaning of Section 1297 of
the Code, or a United States real property holding corporation,
within the meaning of Section 897(c) of the Code. If the issuer of
an Underlying or the issuer of one or more stocks included in an
Underlying that is an index were so treated, certain adverse U.S.
federal income tax consequences could possibly apply to a holder of
the Notes. You should refer to information filed with the SEC by
the issuer of an Underlying or the issuers of the component stocks
included in an Underlying that is an index and consult your tax
advisor regarding the possible consequences to you, if any, if the
issuer of an Underlying or the issuer of any component stock
included in an Underlying that is an index is or becomes a PFIC or
is or becomes a United States real property holding
corporation.
U.S. Holders
Although the U.S. federal income tax treatment of any Contingent
Coupon Payment on the Notes is uncertain, we intend to take the
position, and the following discussion assumes, that any Contingent
Coupon Payment constitutes taxable ordinary income to a U.S. Holder
at the time received or accrued in accordance with the U.S.
Holder’s regular method of accounting. By purchasing the Notes you
agree, in the absence of an administrative determination or
judicial ruling to the contrary, to treat any Contingent Coupon
Payment as described in the preceding sentence.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-26 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Upon receipt of a cash payment at maturity or upon a sale,
exchange, or redemption of the Notes prior to maturity, a U.S.
Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the
difference between the amount realized (other than amounts
representing any Contingent Coupon Payment, which would be taxed as
described above) and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Notes. A
U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Notes will equal the amount paid by
that holder to acquire them. Subject to the discussion below
concerning the possible application of the “constructive ownership”
rules of Section 1260 of the Code, this capital gain or loss
generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder
held the Notes for more than one year. The deductibility of capital
losses is subject to limitations.
Possible Application of Section 1260 of the Code. Since one
Underlying is the type of financial asset described under Section
1260 of the Code (including, among others, any equity interest in
pass-through entities such as exchange traded funds, regulated
investment companies, real estate investment trusts, partnerships,
and passive foreign investment companies, each a “Section 1260
Financial Asset”), while the matter is not entirely clear, there
may exist a risk that an investment in the Notes will be treated,
in whole or in part, as a “constructive ownership transaction” to
which Section 1260 of the Code applies. If Section 1260 of the Code
applies, all or a portion of any long-term capital gain recognized
by a U.S. Holder in respect of the Notes will be recharacterized as
ordinary income (the “Excess Gain”). In addition, an interest
charge will also apply to any deemed underpayment of tax in respect
of any Excess Gain to the extent such gain would have resulted in
gross income inclusion for the U.S. Holder in taxable years prior
to the taxable year of the sale, exchange, redemption, or
settlement (assuming such income accrued at a constant rate equal
to the applicable federal rate as of the date of sale, exchange,
redemption, or settlement).
If an investment in the Notes is treated as a constructive
ownership transaction, it is not clear to what extent any long-term
capital gain of a U.S. Holder in respect of the Notes will be
recharacterized as ordinary income. It is possible, for example,
that the amount of the Excess Gain (if any) that would be
recharacterized as ordinary income in respect of the Notes will
equal the excess of (i) any long-term capital gain recognized by
the U.S. Holder in respect of the Notes and attributable to Section
1260 Financial Assets, over (ii) the “net underlying long-term
capital gain” (as defined in Section 1260 of the Code) such U.S.
Holder would have had if such U.S. Holder had acquired an amount of
the corresponding Section 1260 Financial Assets at fair market
value on the original issue date for an amount equal to the portion
of the issue price of the Notes attributable to the corresponding
Section 1260 Financial Assets and sold such amount of Section 1260
Financial Assets at maturity or upon sale, exchange or redemption
of the Notes at fair market value. Unless otherwise established by
clear and convincing evidence, the net underlying long-term capital
gain is treated as zero and therefore it is possible that all
long-term capital gain recognized by a U.S. Holder in respect of
the Notes will be recharacterized as ordinary income if Section
1260 of the Code applies to an investment in the Notes. U.S.
Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential
application of Section 1260 of the Code to an investment in the
Notes.
As described below, the IRS, as indicated in Notice 2008-2 (the
“Notice”), is considering whether Section 1260 of the Code
generally applies or should apply to the Notes, including in
situations where the Underlyings are not the type of financial
asset described under Section 1260 of the Code.
Alternative Tax Treatments. Due to the absence of
authorities that directly address the proper tax treatment of the
Notes, prospective investors are urged to consult their tax
advisors regarding all possible alternative tax treatments of an
investment in the Notes. In particular, the IRS could seek to
subject the Notes to the Treasury regulations governing contingent
payment debt instruments. If the IRS were successful in that
regard, the timing and character of income on the Notes would be
affected significantly. Among other things, a U.S. Holder would be
required to accrue original issue discount every year at a
“comparable yield” determined at the time of issuance. In addition,
any gain realized by a U.S. Holder at maturity or upon a sale,
exchange, or redemption of the Notes generally would be treated as
ordinary income, and any loss realized at maturity or upon a sale,
exchange, or redemption of the Notes generally would be treated as
ordinary loss to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s prior accruals of
original issue discount, and as capital loss thereafter.
In addition, it is possible that the Notes could be treated as a
unit consisting of a deposit and a put option written by the Note
holder, in which case the timing and character of income on the
Notes would be affected significantly.
The Notice sought comments from the public on the taxation of
financial instruments currently taxed as “prepaid forward
contracts.” This Notice addresses instruments such as the Notes.
According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering
whether a holder of an instrument such as the Notes should be
required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis, regardless
of whether any payments are made prior to maturity. It is not
possible to determine what guidance the IRS and Treasury will
ultimately issue, if any. Any such future guidance may affect the
amount, timing and character of income, gain, or loss in respect of
the Notes, possibly with retroactive effect.
The IRS and Treasury are also considering additional issues,
including whether additional gain or loss from such instruments
should be treated as ordinary or capital, whether foreign holders
of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on any
deemed income accruals, whether Section 1260 of the Code,
concerning certain “constructive ownership transactions,” generally
applies or should generally apply to such instruments, and whether
any of these determinations depend on the nature of the underlying
asset.
In addition, proposed Treasury regulations require the accrual of
income on a current basis for contingent payments made under
certain notional principal contracts. The preamble to the
regulations states that the “wait and see” method of accounting
does not properly reflect the economic accrual of income on those
contracts, and requires current accrual of income for some
contracts already in existence. While the proposed regulations do
not apply to prepaid forward contracts, the preamble to the
proposed regulations expresses the view that similar timing issues
exist in the case of prepaid
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-27 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
forward contracts. If the IRS or Treasury publishes future guidance
requiring current economic accrual for contingent payments on
prepaid forward contracts, it is possible that you could be
required to accrue income over the term of the Notes.
Because of the absence of authority regarding the appropriate tax
characterization of the Notes, it is also possible that the IRS
could seek to characterize the Notes in a manner that results in
tax consequences that are different from those described above. For
example, the IRS could possibly assert that any gain or loss that a
holder may recognize at maturity or upon the sale, exchange, or
redemption of the Notes should be treated as ordinary gain or
loss.
Because some of the Underlyings are indices that periodically
rebalance, it is possible that the Notes could be treated as a
series of contingent income-bearing single financial contracts,
each of which matures on the next rebalancing date. If the Notes
were properly characterized in such a manner, a U.S. Holder would
be treated as disposing of the Notes on each rebalancing date in
return for new Notes that mature on the next rebalancing date, and
a U.S. Holder would accordingly likely recognize capital gain or
loss on each rebalancing date equal to the difference between the
holder’s tax basis in the Notes (which would be adjusted to take
into account any prior recognition of gain or loss) and the fair
market value of the Notes on such date.
Non-U.S. Holders
Because the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Notes
(including any Contingent Coupon Payment) is uncertain, we (or the
applicable paying agent) will withhold U.S. federal income tax at a
30% rate (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty)
on the entire amount of any Contingent Coupon Payment made unless
such payments are effectively connected with the conduct by the
Non-U.S. Holder of a trade or business in the U.S. (in which case,
to avoid withholding, the Non-U.S. Holder will be required to
provide a Form W-8ECI). We (or the applicable paying agent) will
not pay any additional amounts in respect of such withholding. To
claim benefits under an income tax treaty, a Non-U.S. Holder must
obtain a taxpayer identification number and certify as to its
eligibility under the appropriate treaty’s limitations on benefits
article, if applicable. In addition, special rules may apply to
claims for treaty benefits made by Non-U.S. Holders that are
entities rather than individuals. The availability of a lower rate
of withholding under an applicable income tax treaty will depend on
whether such rate applies to the characterization of the payments
under U.S. federal income tax laws. A Non-U.S. Holder that is
eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax
pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess
amounts withheld by filing an appropriate claim for refund with the
IRS.
Except as discussed below, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be
subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax for amounts paid
in respect of the Notes (not including, for the avoidance of doubt,
amounts representing any Contingent Coupon Payment which would be
subject to the rules discussed in the previous paragraph) upon the
sale, exchange, or redemption of the Notes or their settlement at
maturity, provided that the Non-U.S. Holder complies with
applicable certification requirements and that the payment is not
effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-U.S. Holder of a
U.S. trade or business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from
the sale, exchange, or redemption of the Notes or their settlement
at maturity may be subject to U.S. federal income tax if that
Non-U.S. Holder is a non-resident alien individual and is present
in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the
sale, exchange, redemption, or settlement and certain other
conditions are satisfied.
If a Non-U.S. Holder of the Notes is engaged in the conduct of a
trade or business within the U.S. and if any Contingent Coupon
Payment and gain realized on the settlement at maturity, or upon
sale, exchange, or redemption of the Notes, is effectively
connected with the conduct of such trade or business (and, if
certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a permanent
establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the U.S.), the
Non-U.S. Holder, although exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax,
generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such
Contingent Coupon Payment and gain on a net income basis in the
same manner as if it were a U.S. Holder. Such Non-U.S. Holders
should read the material under the heading “—U.S. Holders,” for a
description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of
acquiring, owning, and disposing of the Notes. In addition, if such
Non-U.S. Holder is a foreign corporation, it may also be subject to
a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate provided by
any applicable tax treaty) of a portion of its earnings and profits
for the taxable year that are effectively connected with its
conduct of a trade or business in the U.S., subject to certain
adjustments.
A “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from
sources within the United States and such payments generally would
be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a Non-U.S.
Holder. Under Treasury regulations, payments (including deemed
payments) with respect to equity-linked instruments (“ELIs”) that
are “specified ELIs” may be treated as dividend equivalents if such
specified ELIs reference an interest in an “underlying security,”
which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a
corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with
respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend.
However, IRS guidance provides that withholding on dividend
equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not
delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2025.
Based on our determination that the Notes are not delta-one
instruments, Non-U.S. Holders should not be subject to withholding
on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the Notes. However,
it is possible that the Notes could be treated as deemed reissued
for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain
events affecting the Underlyings or the Notes, and following such
occurrence the Notes could be treated as subject to withholding on
dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. Holders that enter, or have
entered, into other transactions in respect of the Underlyings or
the Notes should consult their tax advisors as to the application
of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the
Notes and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as
dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable
paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being
required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so
withheld.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-28 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the Notes for
U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an
alternative characterization, by reason of change or clarification
of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments as to the
Notes to become subject to withholding tax in addition to the
withholding tax described above, tax will be withheld at the
applicable statutory rate. Prospective Non-U.S. Holders should
consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of
such alternative characterizations.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax. Under current law, while the matter
is not entirely clear, individual Non-U.S. Holders, and entities
whose property is potentially includible in those individuals’
gross estates for U.S. federal estate tax purposes (for example, a
trust funded by such an individual and with respect to which the
individual has retained certain interests or powers), should note
that, absent an applicable treaty benefit, a Note is likely to be
treated as U.S. situs property, subject to U.S. federal estate tax.
These individuals and entities should consult their own tax
advisors regarding the U.S. federal estate tax consequences of
investing in a Note.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Please see the discussion under “U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations — General — Backup Withholding and Information
Reporting” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the
applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting
rules to payments made on the Notes.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-29 |
Contingent Income Issuer Callable Yield Notes Linked to the Least
Performing of the Energy Select Sector SPDR® Fund, the
Nasdaq-100® Index and the Russell 2000®
Index
Where You Can Find More Information
The terms and risks of the Notes are contained in this pricing
supplement and in the following related product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus, which can be accessed at the
following links:
This pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus have been filed as part of a
registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be
accessed on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or obtained from BofAS
by calling 1-800-294-1322. Before you invest, you should read this
pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus for information about us, BAC
and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and
any other written materials you may have received are superseded by
this pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement,
prospectus supplement and prospectus. Certain terms used but not
defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings set forth in
the accompanying product supplement or prospectus supplement.
Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires
otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or
similar references are to BofA Finance, and not to BAC.
The Notes are our senior debt securities. Any payments on the Notes
are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BAC. The Notes and the
related guarantee are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or secured by collateral. The Notes will rank equally
in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations, except obligations that are subject to
any priorities or preferences by law. The related guarantee will
rank equally in right of payment with all of BAC’s other unsecured
and unsubordinated obligations, except obligations that are subject
to any priorities or preferences by law, and senior to its
subordinated obligations. Any payments due on the Notes, including
any repayment of the principal amount, will be subject to the
credit risk of BofA Finance, as issuer, and BAC, as guarantor.
|
CONTINGENT INCOME ISSUER CALLABLE YIELD
NOTES | PS-30 |
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