This section describes the material risks relating to the securities. For further discussion of these and other risks, you should read the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product supplement for principal at risk securities and prospectus. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers in connection with your investment in the securities.
Risks Relating to an Investment in the Securities
■The securities do not pay interest or guarantee the return of the face amount of your securities at maturity. The terms of the securities differ from those of ordinary debt securities in that they do not pay interest or guarantee the return of the face amount of your securities at maturity. If the securities have not been automatically called and if the ending price of either underlying stock is less than its threshold price, the contingent absolute return feature will no longer be available and you will lose more than 45%, and possibly all, of your investment.
■Any positive return based on the depreciation of the lowest performing underlying stock is effectively capped. Any positive return based on the depreciation of the lowest performing underlying stock will be capped at 45% because the contingent absolute return feature is operative only if the ending price of the lowest performing underlying stock is greater than or equal to its threshold price. Any depreciation of the lowest performing underlying stock beyond its threshold price will result in a loss of more than 45%, and possibly all, of your investment.
■If the securities are automatically called prior to maturity, the appreciation potential of the securities is limited by the fixed call payment specified for the call date. If the stock closing price of each underlying stock is greater than or equal to its starting price on the call date, the securities will be automatically called. In this scenario, the appreciation potential of the securities is limited to the fixed call payment specified on the call date, and no further payments will be made on the securities once they have been called. In addition, if the securities are automatically called prior to maturity, you will not participate in any appreciation of either underlying stock, which could be significant. Moreover, the fixed call payment may be less than the maturity payment amount you would receive for the same level of appreciation of the lowest performing underlying stock had the securities not been automatically called and instead remained outstanding until maturity.
■The market price will be influenced by many unpredictable factors. Several factors, many of which are beyond our control, will influence the value of the securities in the secondary market and the price at which MS & Co. may be willing to purchase or sell the securities in the secondary market. We expect that generally the level of interest rates available in the market and the value of each underlying stock on any day, including in relation to its starting price and threshold price, will affect the value of the securities more than any other factors. Other factors that may influence the value of the securities include:
othe trading price and volatility (frequency and magnitude of changes in value) of the underlying stocks,
ogeopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the underlying stocks or securities markets generally and which may affect the price of each underlying stock,
odividend rates on the underlying stocks,
othe time remaining until the securities mature,
ointerest and yield rates in the market,
othe availability of comparable instruments,
othe occurrence of certain events affecting the underlying stocks that may or may not require an adjustment to the adjustment factors, and
oany actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings or credit spreads.
Generally, the longer the time remaining to maturity, the more the market price of the securities will be affected by the other factors described above. Some or all of these factors will influence the price that you will receive if you sell your securities prior to maturity. For example, you may have to sell your securities at a substantial discount from the face amount of $1,000 per security if the stock closing price of either underlying stock at the time of sale is near or below its threshold price or if market interest rates rise.
You cannot predict the future performance of either underlying stock based on historical performance. If the securities are not automatically called prior to maturity and the ending price of either underlying stock is less than its threshold price, you will be exposed to any decline in the stock closing price of the lowest performing underlying stock in excess of 45%. See “Microsoft Corporation Overview” and “NVIDIA Corporation Overview” below.