If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected
The cash settlement amount will not be adjusted based on the original issue price you pay for the notes. If you purchase notes at a price that differs from the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount. If you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount and hold them to the stated maturity date, the return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount to face amount.
In addition, the impact of the buffer level on the return on your investment, and the extent to which the buffer level will diminish your exposure to any negative underlier return will depend upon the price you pay for your notes relative to face amount. For example, if you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount, the buffer level, while still providing some protection against exposure to any negative underlier return, will allow a greater percentage decrease in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at face amount or a discount to face amount.
Lastly, the impact of the cap level on the return on your investment, and the extent to which the cap level will diminish your exposure to any positive underlier return (as leveraged by the upside participation rate), will also depend on the price you pay for your notes relative to face amount. For example, if you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount, the cap level will only permit a lower percentage increase in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at face amount or a discount to face amount.
Risks Relating to Characteristics of the Underlier
Market Risk
The return on the notes is directly linked to the performance of the underlier and indirectly linked to the value of the underlier stocks, and the extent to which the underlier return is positive or negative. The level of the underlier can rise or fall sharply due to factors specific to the underlier stocks, as well as general market factors, such as general market volatility and levels, interest rates and economic and political conditions. You may lose some or all of your initial investment.
The Underlier Reflects Price Return, Not Total Return
The return on your notes is based on the performance of the underlier, which reflects the changes in the market prices of the underlier stocks. It is not, however, linked to a “total return” index or strategy, which, in addition to reflecting those price returns, would also reflect dividends paid on the underlier stocks. The return on your notes will not include such a total return feature or dividend component.
Changes Affecting the Underlier, Including Regulatory Changes, Could Have An Adverse Effect On the Value of the Notes and the Amount You Will Receive at Maturity of Your Notes
The policies of the underlier sponsor concerning the underlier, additions, deletions or substitutions of the underlier stocks and the manner in which changes affecting the underlier stocks or the issuers of any underlier stocks (such as stock dividends, reorganizations or mergers) are reflected in the underlier, could affect the level of the underlier, and, therefore, could affect the amount payable on your notes at maturity, if any, and the market value of your notes prior to maturity. The amount payable on the notes and their market value could also be affected if the underlier sponsor changes these policies, for example by changing the manner in which it calculates the underlier, or if the underlier sponsor discontinues or suspends calculation or publication of the underlier, in which case it may become difficult to determine the market value of the notes.
Further, indices like the underlier have been, and continue to be, the subject of regulatory guidance and proposal for reform. including the European Union’s Regulation (EU) 2016/1011. The occurrence of a benchmark event (as defined in the accompanying product supplement under “General Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance of, Adjustments to or Benchmark Event Affecting an Index Underlier or an Index Basket Underlier; Alteration of Method of Calculation”), such as the failure of a benchmark (the underlier) or the administrator (the underlier sponsor) or user of a benchmark (such as UBS) to comply with the authorization, equivalence or other requirements of the benchmarks regulation, may result in the discontinuation of the relevant benchmark or a prohibition on its use.
If events such as these occur, or if the final underlier level is not available because of a market disruption event, non-trading day or for any other reason, and no successor underlier is selected, the calculation agent — which initially will be UBS Securities LLC, an affiliate of UBS — may determine the final underlier level — and thus any amount payable at maturity —in a manner it considers appropriate as described further in the accompanying product supplement under “General Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance of, Adjustments to or Benchmark Event Affecting an Index Underlier or an Index Basket Underlier; Alteration of Method of Calculation”.
UBS Cannot Control Actions By the Underlier Sponsor and the Underlier Sponsor Has No Obligation To Consider Your Interests
UBS and its affiliates are not affiliated with the underlier sponsor and have no ability to control or predict its actions, including any errors in or discontinuation of public disclosure regarding methods or policies relating to the calculation of the underlier. The underlier sponsor is not involved in the notes offering in any way and has no obligation to consider your interest as an owner of the notes in taking any actions that might affect the market value of, and any amount payable at maturity on, your notes.