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.

 

Preliminary Pricing Supplement - Subject to Completion

(To Prospectus dated November 4, 2016,	Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Series A Prospectus Supplement dated November 4, 2016 and	Registration Statement No. 333-213265

Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated January 24, 2017)

Dated September 24, 2018

BofA Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the Nasdaq-100® Index, the Russell 2000^® Index and the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial Average ETF, due October 2, 2020

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by Bank of America Corporation

·

The CUSIP number for the notes is 09709TJW2.

·

The notes are senior unsecured obligations issued by BofA Finance LLC (“BofA Finance”), a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BAC” or the “Guarantor”), which are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance, as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of BAC, as guarantor of the notes.

·

The notes do not guarantee a full return of your principal at maturity, and you could lose up to 100% of the principal amount at maturity.

·

The notes are expected to price on September 27, 2018 (the “pricing date”). The notes are expected to mature on October 2, 2020, unless previously called.

·

Payments on the notes will depend on the individual performance of the Nasdaq-100® Index (the “NDX”), the Russell 2000® Index (the “RTY”) and the SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial Average ETF (the “DIA”) (each, an “Underlying,” and collectively, the “Underlyings”).

·

If, on any quarterly Observation Date, the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Threshold Value, we will pay a Contingent Coupon Payment of $25.875 per $1,000 in principal amount (a rate of 2.5875% per quarter, or 10.35% per annum) on the applicable Contingent Payment Date (each as defined below).

·

Prior to the maturity date, if the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Starting Value on any Observation Date on or after December 27, 2018 but before the final Observation Date, the notes will be automatically redeemed, in whole but not in part, at 100% of the principal amount, together with the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to that Observation Date. No further amounts will be payable following an early redemption.

·

At maturity, the amount you will be entitled to receive per $1,000 in principal amount of the notes (the “Redemption Amount”) will depend on the performance of the Least Performing Underlying (as defined below). If the notes are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the Redemption Amount will be determined as follows:

a)

If the Ending Value (as defined below) of the Least Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount will equal the principal amount plus the final Contingent Coupon Payment.

b)

If the Ending Value of the Least Performing Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, you will be subject to 1-1 downside exposure to any decrease in the level of the Least Performing Underlying from its Starting Value. In that case, the Redemption Amount will be less than 80% of the principal amount and could be zero.

·

The “Threshold Value” with respect to each Underlying will be 80% of its Starting Value.

·

The “Least Performing Underlying” will be the Underlying with the lowest Underlying Return (as defined below).

·

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.

·

The notes will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000.

·

The initial estimated value of the notes will be less than the public offering price. The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is expected to be between $970 and $980 per $1,000 in principal amount. See “Summary” beginning on page PS-3 of this pricing supplement, “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-8 of this pricing supplement and “Structuring the Notes” on page PS-28 of this pricing supplement for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.

·

The notes and the related guarantee:

Are Not FDIC Insured

Are Not Bank Guaranteed

May Lose Value

			Per Note			Total
	Public Offering Price		$1,000.00			$
	Underwriting Discount		$17.50			$
	Proceeds (before expenses) to BofA Finance		$982.50			$

 

The notes and the related guarantee of the notes by the Guarantor are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. The notes are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency and involve investment risks. 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-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement, and page 7 of the accompanying prospectus. You may lose some or all of your principal amount in the notes.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these notes or the guarantee, or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement, or the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We will deliver the notes in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company on or about October 2, 2018 against payment in immediately available funds.

BofA Merrill Lynch

Selling Agent

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

	Page
SUMMARY	pS-3
RISK FACTORS	pS-8
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES	pS-13
THE UNDERLYINGS	pS-15
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION; rOLE OF MLPF&s AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST	pS-26
STRUCTURING THE NOTES	pS-27
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX SUMMARY	pS-28

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.

Your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal. The notes are not principal protected. There is no fixed principal repayment amount on the notes at maturity. If the notes are not called and the Ending Value of any Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, 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 all or a substantial portion of your principal.

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 Ending Value of any Underlying exceeds its Starting Value. Similarly, the amount payable at maturity or upon a call will never exceed the sum of the principal amount and the applicable Contingent Coupon Payment, regardless of the extent to which the Observation Value of any Underlying exceeds its Starting Value.

In contrast, a direct investment in the securities included in one or more of the Underlyings would allow you to receive the benefit of any appreciation in their values. Thus, 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 a potential automatic early redemption, which would limit your ability to receive the Contingent Coupon Payments over the full term of the notes. The notes are subject to a potential automatic early redemption. Prior to maturity, the notes will be automatically called on any Observation Date on or after December 27, 2018 (other than the final Observation Date) if the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Starting Value. If the notes are redeemed prior to the maturity date, you will be entitled to receive the principal amount and the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to the applicable Observation Date. In this case, you will lose the opportunity to continue to receive Contingent Coupon Payments after the date of early redemption. If the notes are redeemed 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.

You may not receive any Contingent Coupon Payments. Investors in the notes will not necessarily receive Contingent Coupon Payments on the notes. If the Observation Value of any Underlying is less than its Threshold Value 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 Threshold Value on all the Observation Dates during the term of the notes, you will not receive any Contingent Coupon Payment 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, which could be negative, 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.

Any payment on the notes is subject to our credit risk and the credit risk of the Guarantor, and actual or perceived changes in our or the Guarantor’s creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. The notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. Any payment on the notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The notes are not guaranteed by any entity other than the Guarantor. As a result, your receipt of all payments on the notes will be dependent upon our ability and the ability of the Guarantor, to repay our obligations under the notes on the applicable payment date, regardless of the Observation Value of any Underlying as compared to its Threshold Value or 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 during the term 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 amounts 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, will have limited assets and operations. We are a finance subsidiary of BAC and will have no assets, operations or revenues other than those related to the issuance, administration and repayment of our debt securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor. As a finance subsidiary, to meet our obligations under the notes, we are dependent upon payment or contribution of funds and/or repayment of outstanding loans from the Guarantor and/or its other subsidiaries. Therefore, our ability to make payments on the notes may be limited. In addition, we will have no independent assets available for distributions to holders of the notes if they make claims in respect of the notes in a bankruptcy, resolution or similar proceeding. Accordingly, any recoveries by such holders may be limited to those available under the related guarantee by the Guarantor, and that guarantee will rank equally with all other senior unsecured obligations of the Guarantor.

The public offering price you pay for the notes will exceed the initial estimated value. The range of estimated values that is provided on the cover page of this preliminary pricing supplement, and the 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.

The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, the Guarantor, MLPF&S 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 the pricing date will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including our and the Guarantor’s creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.

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, the Guarantor’s internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount 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.

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.

The development of a trading market for the notes will depend on the Guarantor’s financial performance and other factors, including changes in the values of the Underlyings. The number of potential buyers of your notes in any secondary market may be limited. We anticipate that MLPF&S will act as a market-maker for the notes, but none of us, the Guarantor or MLPF&S is required to do so. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market. MLPF&S may discontinue its market-making activities as to the notes at any time. To the extent that MLPF&S engages in any market-making activities, it may bid for or offer the notes. Any price at which MLPF&S may bid for, offer, purchase, or sell any notes may differ from the values determined by pricing models that it may use, whether as a result of dealer discounts, mark-ups, or other transaction costs. These bids, offers, or completed transactions may affect the prices, if any, at which the notes might otherwise trade in the market.

In addition, if at any time MLPF&S were to cease acting as a market-maker as to the notes, it is likely that there would be significantly less liquidity in the secondary market. In such a case, the price at which the notes could be sold likely would be lower than if an active market existed.

The payments on the notes will not reflect changes in the values of the Underlyings other than on the Observation Dates. Changes in the values of the Underlyings during the term of the notes other than on the Observation Dates will not affect payments on the notes. The calculation agent will determine whether each Contingent Coupon Payment is payable, and calculate the Redemption Amount,

by comparing only the Starting Value 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, you will receive less than the principal amount at maturity even if the value of each Underlying has increased at certain times during the term of the notes before the Least Performing Underlying decreases to a value that is less than its Threshold Value as of the final Observation Date.

The notes are subject to risks associated with small-size capitalization companies. The stocks composing 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.

Because the notes are linked to the least performing (and not the average performance) of the three Underlyings, you may not receive any return on the notes and may lose some or all of your principal amount even if the Observation Value of one or more Underlyings is always greater than or equal to its Threshold Value. Your notes are linked to the least performing of three Underlyings, and a change in the value of one Underlying may not correlate with changes in the value of the other two 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 one or both of the other Underlyings. In the case of the notes that we are offering, 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 values of the other Underlyings. Even if the Observation Values of two Underlyings are at or above their respective Threshold Values on an Observation Date, you will not receive the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to that Observation Date if the Observation Value of the other Underlying is below its Threshold Value on that day. In addition, even if the Ending Values of two Underlyings are at or above their respective Threshold Values, you will lose at least 20% of your principal if the Ending Value of the other Underlying is below its Threshold Value.

The sponsor or investment advisor of the DIA may adjust the DIA in a way that affects its price, and the sponsor or investment advisor has no obligation to consider your interests. The sponsor or investment advisor of the DIA can add, delete, or substitute the components included in that Underlying or make other methodological changes that could change its price. A new security included in an Underlying may perform significantly better or worse than the replaced security, and the performance will impact the price of that Underlying. Additionally, the sponsor or investment advisor of the DIA may alter, discontinue, or suspend calculation or dissemination of that Underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your notes. The sponsor or investment advisor of any Underlying will have no obligation to consider your interests when making any changes to the applicable Underlying.

The performance of the DIA may not correlate with the performance of its underlying index (an “Underlying Index”) as well as the net asset value per share of the DIA, especially during periods of market volatility. The performance of the DIA 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 DIA 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 DIA not holding all or substantially all of the underlying assets included in the Underlying Index and/or holding assets that are not included in the Underlying Index, the temporary unavailability of certain securities in the secondary market, the performance of any derivative instruments held by the DIA, differences in trading hours between the DIA (or the underlying assets held by the DIA) and the Underlying Index, or due to 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 of the DIA are traded on a securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market price of one share of the DIA may differ from its net asset value per share; shares of the DIA may trade at, above, or below its net asset value per share. During periods of market volatility, securities held by the DIA may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share of the DIA and the liquidity of the DIA may be adversely affected. Market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to trade shares of the DIA. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the DIA. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the DIA may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of the DIA.

For the foregoing reasons, the performance of the DIA may not match the performance of its Underlying Index or the net asset value per share of the DIA over the same period. Because of this variance, the return on the notes to the extent dependent on the performance of the DIA may not be the

same as an investment directly in the securities included in the Underlying Index or the same as a debt security with a return linked to the performance of the Underlying Index.

Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates may affect your return on the notes and their market value. We, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, may buy or sell shares of the DIA or the securities held by or included in an Underlying, or futures or options contracts on an Underlying or those securities, or other listed or over-the-counter derivative instruments linked to an Underlying or those securities. We, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, 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 could affect the value of an Underlying 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 MLPF&S or others on its behalf (including for the purpose of hedging anticipated exposures), may affect the value of an Underlying. Consequently, the value of an Underlying may change subsequent to the pricing date, adversely affecting the market value of the notes.

We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, may also engage in hedging activities that could affect the value of an Underlying on the pricing date. In addition, these activities 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, including MLPF&S, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short position in the notes and may hold or resell the notes. For example, MLPF&S 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 value of an Underlying, the market value of your notes prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the notes.

The anti-dilution adjustments will be limited. The calculation agent may adjust the Price Multiplier and other terms of the notes to reflect certain corporate actions by the DIA, 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 DIA and will have broad discretion to determine whether and to what extent an adjustment is required.

Our trading, hedging and other business activities may create conflicts of interest with you. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, may engage in trading activities related to the Underlyings or the securities represented by the Underlyings that are not for your account or on your behalf. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, also may issue or underwrite other financial instruments with returns based upon the Underlyings. These trading and other business activities may present a conflict of interest between your interest in the notes and the interests we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, may have in our proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our or their management. These trading and other business activities, if they influence the values of the Underlyings or secondary trading in your notes, could be adverse to your interests as a beneficial owner of the notes.

We expect to enter into arrangements or adjust or close out existing transactions to hedge our obligations under the notes. We, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, also may enter into hedging transactions relating to other notes or instruments, some of which may have returns calculated in a manner related to that of the notes offered hereby. We may enter into such hedging arrangements with one of our affiliates. Our affiliates may enter into additional hedging transactions with other parties relating to the notes and the Underlyings. This hedging activity is expected to result in a profit to those engaging in the hedging activity, which could be more or less than initially expected, or the hedging activity could also result in a loss. We and our affiliates will price these hedging transactions with the intent to realize a profit, regardless of whether the value of the notes increases or decreases. Any profit in connection with such hedging activities will be in addition to any other compensation that we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including MLPF&S, receive for the sale of the notes, which creates an additional incentive to sell the notes to you.

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. These conflicts could occur, for instance, in connection with the calculation agent’s determination as to whether a Market Disruption Event (as defined in the product supplement) has occurred, or in connection with judgments that it would be required to make if certain corporate events occur as to the DIA. The calculation agent will be required to carry out its duties in good faith and use its

reasonable judgment. However, because we expect that the Guarantor will control the calculation agent, potential conflicts of interest could arise.

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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.

Prices of securities in foreign countries are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that apply in those geographical regions. These factors, which could negatively affect those securities markets, include the possibility of recent or future changes in a foreign government’s economic and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility and political instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse public health developments in the region. Moreover, foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency.

An investment in the notes is subject to foreign currency exchange risk. The value of the NDX will fluctuate based in part upon changes in the value of the currencies in which the securities held by the NDX are traded. Accordingly, investors in the notes will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which the securities held by the NDX are traded. An investor’s net exposure will depend on the extent to which these currencies strengthen or weaken against the U.S. dollar. If the dollar strengthens against these currencies, the level of the NDX may decrease.

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 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.

*   *   *

Investors in the notes should review the additional risk factors set forth beginning on page PS-5 of the product supplement, page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement, and page 7 of the accompanying prospectus prior to making an investment decision.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

General

The notes will be part of a series of medium-term notes entitled “Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series A” issued under the senior indenture, as amended and supplemented from time to time, among us, the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N.A., as trustee. The senior indenture is more fully described in the prospectus supplement and prospectus. The following description of the notes supplements the description of the general terms and provisions of the notes and debt securities set forth under the headings “Description of the Notes” in the product supplement and prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities” in the prospectus. These documents should be read in connection with this pricing supplement.

Our payment obligations on the notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The notes will rank equally with all of our other senior unsecured debt from time to time outstanding. The guarantee of the notes will rank equally with all other senior unsecured obligations of the Guarantor. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, are subject to our credit risk, as issuer, and the credit risk of BAC, as guarantor.

The notes will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000. You may transfer the notes only in whole multiples of $1,000.

Unless automatically called prior to the maturity date, the notes will mature on October 2, 2020. Prior to maturity, the notes are not repayable at our option or at your option.

If any scheduled Contingent Payment Date, including the maturity date, is not a business day, the payment will be postponed to the next business day, and no interest will be payable as a result of that postponement.

Contingent Coupon Payment

If, on any quarterly Observation Date, the Observation Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Threshold Value, we will pay the Contingent Coupon Payment on the applicable Contingent Payment Date.

The “Contingent Coupon Payment” will be $25.875 per $1,000 in principal amount (a rate of 2.5875% per quarter or 10.35% per annum).

The “Threshold Value” for each Underlying will be 80% of its Starting Value.

For so long as the notes are held in book-entry only form, we will pay the Contingent Coupon Payment to the persons in whose names the notes are registered at the close of business one business day prior to each Contingent Payment Date. If the notes are not held in book-entry only form, the record dates will be the fifteenth calendar day preceding the applicable payment date, whether or not that date is a business day.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Redemption Amount, including the final Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to the final Observation Date, if payable, will be paid to the persons in whose names the notes are registered on the maturity date.

Automatic Early Redemption

The notes will be automatically called in whole, but not in part, prior to maturity if the Observation Value of each Underlying on any Observation Date on or after December 27, 2018 (other than the final Observation Date) is greater than or equal to its Starting Value. Upon an early redemption, you will receive the Early Redemption Payment on the applicable Contingent Payment Date. You will not receive any additional payments on the notes after the early redemption date.

The “Early Redemption Payment” will be the principal amount of your notes, plus the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to the applicable Observation Date.

Redemption Amount

If your notes are not called prior to maturity, then at maturity, subject to our credit risk as issuer

of the notes and the credit risk of the Guarantor as guarantor of the notes, you will receive the Redemption Amount per note that you hold, denominated in U.S. dollars. The Redemption Amount per note will be calculated as follows:

·

If the Ending Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount will equal the principal amount plus the Contingent Coupon Payment with respect to the final Observation Date.

·

If the Ending Value of any Underlying is less than its Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount per note will equal:

$1,000 + ($1,000 x the Underlying Return of the Least Performing Underlying)

In this case, the Redemption Amount will be less than or equal to 80% of the principal amount of the notes, and you will lose 20% to 100% of your principal.

With respect to each Underlying, its “Underlying Return” will equal:

Ending Value – Starting Value

Starting Value

 

For each Underlying, the Threshold Value is 80% of the Starting Value.

 

Determining the Starting Value, the Observation Value and the Ending Value of Each Underlying

With respect to the NDX and the RTY, the “Starting Value” will be its closing level on the pricing date. With respect to the DIA, the “Starting Value” will be its Closing Market Price on the pricing date.

With respect to the NDX and the RTY, the “Observation Value” will be its closing level on the applicable Observation Date. With respect to the DIA, the “Observation Value” will be its Closing Market Price on the applicable Observation Date multiplied by its Price Multiplier on that day.

The “Price Multiplier” of the DIA will be 1, subject to adjustment by the calculation agent in its sole discretion and as it deems reasonable for certain corporate events relating to that Underlying described in the product supplement under “Description of the Notes—Anti-Dilution and Discontinuance Adjustments Relating to ETFs—Anti-Dilution Adjustments for an ETF.”

With respect to each Underlying, the “Ending Value” will be its Observation Value on the final Observation Date.

The Observation Dates are subject to postponement as set forth in the product supplement, in the section “Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events Relating to Observation Dates.” If a quarterly Observation Date is postponed as set forth in “Description of the Notes—Certain Terms of the Notes—Events Relating to Observation Dates” on page PS-19 of product supplement EQUITY-1, the Contingent Payment Date relating to such Observation Date will not be postponed.

Events of Default and Acceleration

If an Event of Default, as defined in the senior indenture and in the section entitled “Events of Default and Rights of Acceleration” beginning on page 35 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,” calculated as though the date of acceleration were the maturity date of the notes and as though the final Observation 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 prices of the Underlyings on the deemed final Observation 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.

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 each of Nasdaq, Inc., the sponsor of the NDX, FTSE Russell, the sponsor of the RTY and PDR Services LLC, the sponsor of the DIA and State Street Global Advisors Trust Company, the trustee of the DIA (the "Trustee"). We refer to Nasdaq, Inc., FTSE Russell, PDR Services LLC and the Trustee as the “Underlying Sponsors.”

The Nasdaq-100® Index

General

The NDX is intended to measure the performance of the 100 largest domestic and international non-financial securities listed on 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.

As of September 20, 2018, the major industry groups covered in the NDX (listed according to their respective capitalization in the NDX) were as follows: Information Technology (55.08%); Consumer Discretionary (24.58%); Health Care (9.19%); Consumer Staples (5.82%); Industrials (4.54%) and Telecommunication Services (0.79%).

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, NYSE 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 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:

Aggregated Adjusted Market Value

Divisor

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, 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.

The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the NDX in the period from January 1, 2008 through September 20, 2018. This historical data on the NDX is not necessarily indicative of its future performance or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the NDX during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the NDX is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes. The horizontal red line in the graph represents the hypothetical Threshold Value of 6,055.228, assuming a Starting Value of 7,569.035, which was the closing level of the NDX on September 20, 2018 (the actual Starting Value and Threshold Value (80% of its Starting Value) will be determined on the pricing date).

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the NDX.

 

License Agreement

The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq, Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, 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 MLPF&S (“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 without regard to Licensee or the notes. Nasdaq 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 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.

 

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

All companies 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) (“ADDTV”) 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 primary 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 countries such as 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 (“OTC”) 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 in 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.

The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the RTY in the period from January 1, 2008 through September 20, 2018. This historical data on the RTY is not necessarily indicative of its future performance or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the RTY during any period set forth below is not an indication that the level of the RTY is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes. The horizontal red line in the graph represents the hypothetical Threshold Value of 1,376.147, assuming a Starting Value of 1,720.184, which was the closing level of the RTY on September 20, 2018 (the actual Starting Value and Threshold Value (80% of its Starting Value) will be determined on the pricing date).

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the 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, MLPF&S. 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 MLPF&S have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement providing for the license to MLPF&S 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 MLPF&S 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 MLPF&S, 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 MLPF&S, US, 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 SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

The SPDR® Dow Jones® Industrial Average ETF

The DIA is a unit investment trust that issues securities called "Trust Units" or "Units" of the DIA, each of which represents a fractional undivided ownership interest in the DIA. The DIA seeks to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM (the "underlying index"). The Trustee on a nondiscretionary basis adjusts the composition of the portfolio of stocks held by the DIA to conform to changes in the composition and/or weighting structure of the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM. Although the DIA may at any time fail to own certain securities included within the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM, the DIA will be substantially invested in the constituent stocks of the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM. As of June 30, 2018, ordinary operating expenses of the DIA are expected to accrue at an annual rate of 0.17% of the DIA’s daily net asset value. Expenses of the DIA reduce the net value of the assets held by the DIA and, therefore, reduce the value of each unit of the DIA.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM

Unless otherwise stated, all information on the Dow Jones Industrial Average^SM (the “INDU”) provided in this pricing supplement is derived from Dow Jones Indexes, the marketing name and a licensed trademark of CME Indexes. The INDU is a price-weighted index, which means an underlying stock’s weight in the INDU is based on its price per share rather than the total market capitalization of the issuer. The INDU is designed to provide an indication of the composite performance of 30 common stocks of corporations representing a broad cross-section of U.S. industry. The corporations represented in the INDU tend to be market leaders in their respective industries and their stocks are typically widely held by individuals and institutional investors.

The INDU is maintained by an Averages Committee comprised of the Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal (“WSJ”), the head of Dow Jones Indexes research and the head of CME Group Inc. research. The Averages Committee was created in March 2010, when Dow Jones Indexes became part of CME Group Index Services, LLC, a joint venture company owned 90% by CME Group Inc. and 10% by Dow Jones & Company. Generally, composition changes occur only after mergers, corporate acquisitions or other dramatic shifts in a component's core business. When such an event necessitates that one component be replaced, the entire INDU is reviewed. As a result, when changes are made they typically involve more than one component. While there are no rules for component selection, a stock typically is added only if it has an excellent reputation, demonstrates sustained growth, is of interest to a large number of investors and accurately represents the sector(s) covered by the average.

Changes in the composition of the INDU are made entirely by the Averages Committee without consultation with the corporations represented in the INDU, any stock exchange, any official agency or us. Unlike most other indices, which are reconstituted according to a fixed review schedule, constituents of the INDU are reviewed on an as-needed basis. Changes to the common stocks included in the INDU tend to be made infrequently, and the underlying stocks of the INDU may be changed at any time for any reason. The companies currently represented in the INDU are incorporated in the United States and its territories and their stocks are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and The Nasdaq Stock Market (“NASDAQ”).

The INDU initially consisted of 12 common stocks and was first published in the WSJ in 1896. The INDU was increased to include 20 common stocks in 1916 and to 30 common stocks in 1928. The number of common stocks in the INDU has remained at 30 since 1928, and, in an effort to maintain continuity, the constituent corporations represented in the INDU have been changed on a relatively infrequent basis. Nine main groups of companies constitute the INDU, with the approximate sector weights of the INDU as of August 31, 2018 indicated in parentheses: Industrials (21.5%); Financials (19.2%); Consumer Services (16.7%); Technology (15.2%); Healthcare (13.4%); Consumer Goods (5.5%); Oil & Gas (5.2%); Basic Materials (1.8%); and Telecommunications (1.4%).

Computation of the INDU

The level of the INDU is the sum of the primary exchange prices of each of the 30 component stocks included in the INDU, divided by a divisor that is designed to provide a meaningful continuity in the level of the INDU. Because the INDU is price-weighted, stock splits or changes in the component stocks could result in distortions in the INDU level. In order to prevent these distortions related to extrinsic factors, the divisor is periodically changed in accordance with a mathematical formula that reflects adjusted proportions within the INDU. The current divisor of the INDU is published daily in the WSJ and other publications. In addition, other statistics based on the INDU may be found in a variety of publicly available sources.

The following table presents the listing symbol, industry group, price per share, and component stock weight for each of the top 10 component stocks in the INDU based on publicly available information on August 31, 2018.

Issuer of Component Stock	Symbol	Industry	Component Stock Weight
The Boeing Company	BA	Aerospace	8.95%
Unitedhealth Group Incorporated	UNH	Health Care Providers	7.01%
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.	GS	Investment Services	6.21%
Apple Inc.	AAPL	Computer Hardware	5.94%
3M Company	MMM	Diversified Industrials	5.51%
The Home Depot, Inc.	HD	Home Improvement Retailers	5.24%
McDonald's Corporation	MCD	Restaurants & Bars	4.24%
Visa Inc.	V	Consumer Finance	3.84%
International Business Machines Corporation	IBM	Computer Services	3.83%
Caterpillar Inc.	CAT	Commercial Vehicles & Trucks	3.63%

The following graph sets forth the daily historical performance of the DIA in the period from January 1, 2008 through September 20, 2018. This historical data on the DIA is not necessarily indicative of its future performance or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the price of the DIA during any period set forth below is not an indication that the price of the DIA is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes. The horizontal red line in the graph represents the hypothetical Threshold Value of $213.63, assuming a Starting Value of $267.04, which was the closing price of the DIA on September 20, 2018 (the actual Starting Value and Threshold Value (80% of its Starting Value) will be determined on the pricing date).

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the prices and trading pattern of the DIA.

SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION; ROLE OF MLPF&S AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

MLPF&S, 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. MLPF&S may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the account holder.

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

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.

MLPF&S, 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. The selling agent 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 MLPF&S’s discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S 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, MLPF&S 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 MLPF&S 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.

No Prospectus (as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (the “Prospectus Directive”)) will be prepared in connection with these notes. Accordingly, these notes may not be offered to the public in any member state of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), and any purchaser of these notes who subsequently sells any of these notes in any EEA member state must do so only in accordance with the requirements of the Prospectus Directive, as implemented in that member state.

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. For these purposes, 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 the notes, and a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (a) a retail client, as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended (“MiFID II”); or (b) a customer, within the meaning of Insurance Distribution Directive 2016/97/EU, as amended, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (c) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive. 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 has been prepared, and therefore, offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

STRUCTURING THE NOTES

The notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Underlyings. The related guarantees are BAC’s obligations. 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 MLPF&S or one of our other affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined based upon terms provided by MLP&S 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.

MLPF&S 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-16 of product supplement EQUITY-1.

 

U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX SUMMARY

The following summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the notes supplements, and to the extent inconsistent supersedes, the discussions under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus and under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and is not exhaustive of all possible tax considerations. In addition, any reference to “Morrison & Foerster LLP” in the aforementioned tax discussions in the accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement should be read as a reference to “Sidley Austin LLP.” 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 Bank of America Corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly throughout this tax discussion, references to “we,” “our” or “us” are generally to Bank of America Corporation 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 any component stocks 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 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 issuers of the component stocks included in the NDX and RTY and consult your tax advisor regarding the possible consequences to you, if any, if any issuer of a component stock included in the NDX and RTY 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.

 

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, 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 (“Notice”), is considering whether Section 1260 of the Code generally applies or should apply to the notes, including in situations where the Underlying is 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 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.” The scope of the Notice may extend to instruments similar to the notes. According to the Notice, the IRS and Treasury are considering whether a holder of such instruments 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 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 two 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 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 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.

 

A Non-U.S. Holder will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on any gain (not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any amounts representing accrued Contingent Coupon Payments which would be subject to the rules discussed in the previous paragraph) from 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, or redemption 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 sale, exchange, redemption, or settlement 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 U.S. Treasury Department 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, Internal Revenue Service 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, 2021. 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.

 

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. 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 — Taxation of Debt Securities — 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.