April 2021

Preliminary Terms No. 1,332

Registration Statement Nos. 333-250103; 333-250103-01

Dated April 14, 2021

Filed pursuant to Rule 433

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Structured Investments

Opportunities in U.S. Equities

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by Morgan Stanley

Principal at Risk Securities

The securities offered are unsecured obligations of Morgan Stanley Finance LLC (“MSFL”) and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Morgan Stanley. The securities have the terms described in the accompanying product supplement, index supplement and prospectus, as supplemented or modified by this document. The securities do not guarantee the repayment of principal and do not provide for the regular payment of interest. Instead, the securities will pay a contingent quarterly coupon but only if the closing level of each of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF is at or above 75% of its respective initial level, which we refer to as the respective coupon threshold level, on the related observation date. However, if the closing level of any underlying is less than its coupon threshold level on any observation date, we will pay no interest for the related quarterly period. In addition, the securities will be automatically redeemed if the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective initial level on any quarterly redemption determination date, for the early redemption payment equal to the sum of the stated principal amount plus the related contingent quarterly coupon. No further payments will be made on the securities once they have been redeemed. At maturity, if the securities have not previously been redeemed and the final level of each underlying is greater than or equal to 75% of its respective initial level, which we refer to as the respective downside threshold level, the payment at maturity will be the stated principal amount and the related contingent quarterly coupon. If, however, the final level of any underlying is less than its respective downside threshold level, investors will be fully exposed to the decline in the worst performing underlying on a 1-to-1 basis and will receive a payment at maturity that is less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and could be zero. Accordingly, investors in the securities must be willing to accept the risk of losing their entire initial investment and also the risk of not receiving any contingent quarterly coupons throughout the 2-year term of the securities. Because all payments on the securities are based on the worst performing of the underlyings, a decline beyond the respective coupon threshold level or respective downside threshold level, as applicable, of any underlying will result in few or no contingent coupon payments or a significant loss of your investment, even if one or both of the other underlyings have appreciated or have not declined as much. The securities are for investors who are willing to risk their principal based on the worst performing of three underlyings and who seek an opportunity to earn interest at a potentially above-market rate in exchange for the risk of receiving no quarterly coupons over the entire 2-year term. Investors will not participate in any appreciation of any underlying. The securities are notes issued as part of MSFL’s Series A Global Medium-Term Notes program.

All payments are subject to our credit risk. If we default on our obligations, you could lose some or all of your investment. These securities are not secured obligations and you will not have any security interest in, or otherwise have any access to, any underlying reference asset or assets.

SUMMARY TERMS

Issuer:

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Guarantor:

Morgan Stanley

Underlyings:

Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM (the “INDU Index”), NASDAQ-100 Index® (the “NDX Index”) and SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF (the “KRE Shares”)

Aggregate principal amount:

$

Stated principal amount:

$1,000 per security

Issue price:

$1,000 per security (see “Commissions and issue price” below)

Pricing date:

April 23, 2021

Original issue date:

April 29, 2021 (4 business days after the pricing date)

Maturity date:

April 27, 2023

Contingent quarterly coupon:

A contingent coupon will be paid on the securities on each coupon payment date but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. If payable, the contingent quarterly coupon will be an amount in cash per stated principal amount corresponding to a return of at least 10.00% per annum (to be determined on the pricing date) for each interest payment period for each applicable observation date.

If, on any observation date, the closing level of any underlying is less than its respective coupon threshold level, we will pay no coupon for the applicable quarterly period.  It is possible that any underlying will remain below its respective coupon threshold level for extended periods of time or even throughout the entire 2-year term of the securities so that you will receive few or no contingent quarterly coupons.

Payment at maturity:

If the securities have not been automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the payment at maturity will be determined as follows:

If the final level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective downside threshold level, investors will receive the stated principal amount and the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date.

If the final level of any underlying is less than its respective downside threshold level, investors will receive (i) the stated principal amount multiplied by (ii) the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. Under these circumstances, the payment at maturity will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and could be zero.

 

Terms continued on the following page

Agent:

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“MS & Co.”), an affiliate of MSFL and a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. See “Supplemental information regarding plan of distribution; conflicts of interest.”

Estimated value on the pricing date:

Approximately $951.90 per security, or within $35.00 of that estimate. See “Investment Summary” beginning on page 3.

Commissions and issue price:

Price to public

Agent’s commissions(1)

Proceeds to us(2)

Per security

$1,000

$17.50

$982.50

Total

$

$

$

(1)Selected dealers and their financial advisors will collectively receive from the agent, MS & Co., a fixed sales commission of $17.50 for each security they sell. See “Supplemental information regarding plan of distribution; conflicts of interest.” For additional information, see “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying product supplement.

(2)See “Use of proceeds and hedging” on page 32.

The securities involve risks not associated with an investment in ordinary debt securities. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities regulators have not approved or disapproved these securities, or determined if this document or the accompanying product supplement, index supplement and prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The securities are not deposits or savings accounts and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

You should read this document together with the related product supplement, index supplement and prospectus, each of which can be accessed via the hyperlinks below. Please also see “Additional Terms of the Securities” and “Additional Information About the Securities” at the end of this document.

As used in this document, “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Morgan Stanley or MSFL, or Morgan Stanley and MSFL collectively, as the context requires.

Product Supplement for Auto-Callable Securities dated November 16, 2020  Index Supplement dated November 16, 2020

Prospectus dated November 16, 2020

 

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Terms continued from previous page:

Early redemption:

If, on any redemption determination date, beginning on July 23, 2021, the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective initial level, the securities will be automatically redeemed for an early redemption payment on the related early redemption date. No further payments will be made on the securities once they have been redeemed.

The securities will not be redeemed early on any early redemption date if the closing level of any underlying is below the respective initial level for such underlying on the related redemption determination date.

Early redemption payment:

The early redemption payment will be an amount equal to the stated principal amount for each security you hold plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the related observation date.

Redemption determination dates:

Quarterly, as set forth under “Observation Dates, Redemption Determination Dates, Coupon Payment Dates and Early Redemption Dates” below, subject to postponement for non-index business days and non-trading days, as applicable, and certain market disruption events.

Early redemption dates:

Quarterly. See “Observation Dates, Redemption Determination Dates, Coupon Payment Dates and Early Redemption Dates” below. If any such day is not a business day, that early redemption payment will be made on the next succeeding business day and no adjustment will be made to any early redemption payment made on that succeeding business day.

Downside threshold level:

With respect to the INDU Index: , which is 75% of its initial level

With respect to the NDX Index: , which is 75% of its initial level

With respect to the KRE Shares: $ , which is 75% of its initial level

Coupon threshold level:

With respect to the INDU Index: , which is 75% of its initial level

With respect to the NDX Index: , which is 75% of its initial level

With respect to the KRE Shares: $ , which is 75% of its initial level

Initial level:

With respect to the INDU Index: , which is its closing level on the pricing date

With respect to the NDX Index: , which is its closing level on the pricing date

With respect to the KRE Shares: $ , which is its closing level on the pricing date

Final level:

With respect to each underlying, the respective closing level on the final observation date

Closing level:

With respect to each of the INDU Index and the NDX Index, on any index business day, the respective index closing value on such day

With respect to the KRE Shares, on any trading day, the closing price of one KRE Share on such day times the adjustment factor on such day

Worst performing underlying:

The underlying with the largest percentage decrease from the respective initial level to the respective final level

Performance factor:

Final level divided by the initial level

Coupon payment dates:

Quarterly, as set forth under “Observation Dates, Redemption Determination Dates, Coupon Payment Dates and Early Redemption Dates” below; provided that if any such day is not a business day, that coupon payment will be made on the next succeeding business day and no adjustment will be made to any coupon payment made on that succeeding business day. The contingent quarterly coupon, if any, with respect to the final observation date will be paid on the maturity date.

Observation dates:

Quarterly, as set forth under “Observation Dates, Redemption Determination Dates, Coupon Payment Dates and Early Redemption Dates” below, subject to postponement for non-index business days and non-trading days, as applicable, and certain market disruption events. We also refer to the observation date immediately prior to the scheduled maturity date as the final observation date.

Adjustment factor:

With respect to the KRE Shares, 1.0, subject to adjustment in the event of certain events affecting the KRE Shares

CUSIP / ISIN:

61771VVB3 / US61771VVB34

Listing:

The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.

 

Observation Dates, Redemption Determination Dates, Coupon Payment Dates and Early Redemption Dates

Observation Dates / Redemption Determination Dates

Coupon Payment Dates / Early Redemption Dates

July 23, 2021

July 28, 2021

October 25, 2021

October 28, 2021

January 24, 2022

January 27, 2022

April 25, 2022

April 28, 2022

July 25, 2022

July 28, 2022

October 24, 2022

October 27, 2022

January 23, 2023

January 26, 2023

April 24, 2023 (final observation date)

April 27, 2023 (maturity date)

 

April 2021 Page 2

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Investment Summary

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities

Principal at Risk Securities

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023 All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF (the “securities”) do not provide for the regular payment of interest. Instead, the securities will pay a contingent quarterly coupon but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. However, if the closing level of any underlying is less than its respective coupon threshold level on any observation date, we will pay no interest for the related quarterly period. If the closing level of any underlying is less than its respective coupon threshold level on each observation date, you will not receive any contingent quarterly coupon for the entire 2-year term of the securities. We refer to these coupons as contingent, because there is no guarantee that you will receive a coupon payment on any coupon payment date. Even if each underlying were to be at or above its respective coupon threshold level on some quarterly observation dates, they may not all close at or above their respective coupon threshold levels on other observation dates, in which case you will not receive some contingent quarterly coupon payments. In addition, if the securities have not been automatically called prior to maturity and the final level of any underlying is less than its respective downside threshold level, investors will be fully exposed to the decline in the worst performing underlying on a 1-to-1 basis, and will receive a payment at maturity that is less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and could be zero. Accordingly, investors in the securities must be willing to accept the risk of losing their entire initial investment and also the risk of not receiving any contingent quarterly coupons throughout the entire 2-year term of the securities.

Maturity:

Approximately 2 years

Contingent quarterly coupon:

A contingent quarterly coupon will be paid on the securities on each coupon payment date but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. If payable, the contingent quarterly coupon will be an amount in cash per stated principal amount corresponding to a return of at least 10.00% per annum (to be determined on the pricing date) for each interest payment period for each applicable observation date. If, on any observation date, the closing level of any underlying is less than the respective coupon threshold level, we will pay no coupon for the applicable quarterly period.

Automatic early redemption:

If the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its initial level on any quarterly redemption determination date, beginning on July 23, 2021, the securities will be automatically redeemed for an early redemption payment equal to the stated principal amount plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the related observation date. No further payments will be made on the securities once they have been redeemed.

Payment at maturity:

If the securities have not been automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the payment at maturity will be determined as follows:

If the final level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective downside threshold level, investors will receive the stated principal amount and the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date.

If the final level of any underlying is less than its downside threshold level, investors will receive a payment at maturity equal to the stated principal amount times the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. Under these circumstances, the payment at maturity will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and could be zero. No quarterly coupon will be payable at maturity. Accordingly, investors in the securities must be willing to accept the risk of losing their entire initial investment.

April 2021 Page 3

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

The original issue price of each security is $1,000. This price includes costs associated with issuing, selling, structuring and hedging the securities, which are borne by you, and, consequently, the estimated value of the securities on the pricing date will be less than $1,000. We estimate that the value of each security on the pricing date will be approximately $951.90, or within $35.00 of that estimate. Our estimate of the value of the securities as determined on the pricing date will be set forth in the final pricing supplement.

What goes into the estimated value on the pricing date?

In valuing the securities on the pricing date, we take into account that the securities comprise both a debt component and a performance-based component linked to the underlyings. The estimated value of the securities is determined using our own pricing and valuation models, market inputs and assumptions relating to the underlyings, instruments based on the underlyings, volatility and other factors including current and expected interest rates, as well as an interest rate related to our secondary market credit spread, which is the implied interest rate at which our conventional fixed rate debt trades in the secondary market.

What determines the economic terms of the securities?

In determining the economic terms of the securities, including the contingent quarterly coupon rate, the coupon threshold levels and the downside threshold levels, we use an internal funding rate, which is likely to be lower than our secondary market credit spreads and therefore advantageous to us. If the issuing, selling, structuring and hedging costs borne by you were lower or if the internal funding rate were higher, one or more of the economic terms of the securities would be more favorable to you.

What is the relationship between the estimated value on the pricing date and the secondary market price of the securities?

The price at which MS & Co. purchases the securities in the secondary market, absent changes in market conditions, including those related to the underlyings, may vary from, and be lower than, the estimated value on the pricing date, because the secondary market price takes into account our secondary market credit spread as well as the bid-offer spread that MS & Co. would charge in a secondary market transaction of this type and other factors. However, because the costs associated with issuing, selling, structuring and hedging the securities are not fully deducted upon issuance, for a period of up to 6 months following the issue date, to the extent that MS & Co. may buy or sell the securities in the secondary market, absent changes in market conditions, including those related to the underlyings, and to our secondary market credit spreads, it would do so based on values higher than the estimated value. We expect that those higher values will also be reflected in your brokerage account statements.

MS & Co. may, but is not obligated to, make a market in the securities, and, if it once chooses to make a market, may cease doing so at any time.

 

April 2021 Page 4

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Key Investment Rationale

The securities do not provide for the regular payment of interest. Instead, the securities will pay a contingent quarterly coupon but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. However, if the closing level of any underlying is less than its respective coupon threshold level on any observation date, we will pay no interest for the related quarterly period. The securities have been designed for investors who are willing to forgo market floating interest rates and accept the risk of receiving no coupon payments for the entire 2-year term of the securities in exchange for an opportunity to earn interest at a potentially above-market rate if each underlying closes at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the quarterly observation dates until the securities are redeemed early or reach maturity.

The following scenarios are for illustrative purposes only to demonstrate how the coupon and the payment at maturity (if the securities have not previously been redeemed) are calculated, and do not attempt to demonstrate every situation that may occur. Accordingly, the securities may or may not be redeemed, the contingent quarterly coupon may be payable in none of, or some but not all of, the quarterly periods during the 2-year term of the securities and the payment at maturity may be less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and may be zero.

Scenario 1: The securities are redeemed prior to maturity

This scenario assumes that, prior to early redemption, each underlying closes at or above its coupon threshold level on some quarterly observation dates, but one or more underlyings close below the respective coupon threshold level(s) on the others. Investors receive the contingent quarterly coupon, corresponding to a return of at least 10.00% per annum (to be determined on the pricing date), for the quarterly periods for which each closing level is at or above the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date, but not for the quarterly periods for which any closing level is below the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date.

When each underlying closes at or above its respective initial level on a quarterly redemption determination date, the securities will be automatically redeemed for the stated principal amount plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the related observation date.

Scenario 2: The securities are not redeemed prior to maturity, and investors receive principal back at maturity

This scenario assumes that each underlying closes at or above the respective coupon threshold level on some quarterly observation dates, but one or more underlyings close below the respective coupon threshold level(s) on the others, and each underlying closes below its respective initial level on every quarterly redemption determination date. Consequently, the securities are not automatically redeemed, and investors receive the contingent quarterly coupon, corresponding to a return of at least 10.00% per annum (to be determined on the pricing date), for the quarterly periods for which each closing level is at or above the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date, but not for the quarterly periods for which any closing level is below the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date.

On the final observation date, each underlying closes at or above its downside threshold level. At maturity, investors will receive the stated principal amount and the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date.

April 2021 Page 5

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Scenario 3: The securities are not redeemed prior to maturity, and investors suffer a substantial loss of principal at maturity

This scenario assumes that each underlying closes at or above its respective coupon threshold level on some quarterly observation dates, but one or more underlyings close below the respective coupon threshold level(s) on the others, and each underlying closes below its respective initial level on every quarterly redemption determination date. Consequently, the securities are not automatically redeemed, and investors receive the contingent quarterly coupon, corresponding to a return of at least 10.00% per annum (to be determined on the pricing date), for the quarterly periods for which each closing level is at or above the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date, but not for the quarterly periods for which any closing level is below the respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date.

On the final observation date, one or more underlyings close below the respective downside threshold level(s). At maturity, investors will receive an amount equal to the stated principal amount multiplied by the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. Under these circumstances, the payment at maturity will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount and could be zero. No coupon will be paid at maturity in this scenario.

April 2021 Page 6

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

How the Securities Work

The following diagrams illustrate the potential outcomes for the securities depending on (1) the closing levels on each quarterly observation date, (2) the closing levels on each quarterly redemption determination date and (3) the final levels. Please see “Hypothetical Examples” beginning on page 9 for illustration of hypothetical payouts on the securities.

Diagram #1: Contingent Quarterly Coupons (Beginning on the First Coupon Payment Date until Early Redemption or Maturity)

Diagram #2: Automatic Early Redemption

April 2021 Page 7

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Diagram #3: Payment at Maturity if No Automatic Early Redemption Occurs

 

For more information about the payout upon an early redemption or at maturity in different hypothetical scenarios, see “Hypothetical Examples” starting on page 9.

April 2021 Page 8

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Hypothetical Examples

The following hypothetical examples illustrate how to determine whether a contingent quarterly coupon is paid with respect to an observation date and how to calculate the payment at maturity, if any, if the securities have not been automatically redeemed early. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only. Whether you receive a contingent quarterly coupon will be determined by reference to the closing level of each underlying on each quarterly observation date, and the amount you will receive at maturity, if any, will be determined by reference to the final level of each underlying on the final observation date. The actual initial level, coupon threshold level and downside threshold level for each underlying will be determined on the pricing date. All payments on the securities, if any, are subject to our credit risk. The numbers in the hypothetical examples below may have been rounded for the ease of analysis. The below examples are based on the following terms:

Hypothetical Contingent Quarterly Coupon:

A contingent quarterly coupon will be paid on the securities on each coupon payment date but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. If payable, the contingent quarterly coupon will be an amount in cash per stated principal amount corresponding to a return of 10.00% per annum for each interest payment period for each applicable observation date. These hypothetical examples reflect a hypothetical contingent quarterly coupon rate of 10.00% per annum (corresponding to approximately $25.00 per quarter per security*).

Automatic Early Redemption:

If the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective initial level on any quarterly redemption determination date, the securities will be automatically redeemed for an early redemption payment equal to the stated principal amount plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the related observation date.

Payment at Maturity (if the securities have not been automatically redeemed early):

If the final level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective downside threshold level, investors will receive the stated principal amount and the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date.

If the final level of any underlying is less than its respective downside threshold level, investors will receive a payment at maturity equal to the stated principal amount multiplied by the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. Under these circumstances, the payment at maturity will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount of the securities and could be zero.

Stated Principal Amount:

$1,000

Hypothetical Initial Level:

With respect to the INDU Index: 30,000

With respect to the NDX Index: 14,000

With respect to the KRE Shares: $60.00

Hypothetical Coupon Threshold Level:

With respect to the INDU Index: 22,500, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

With respect to the NDX Index: 10,500, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

With respect to the KRE Shares: $45.00, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

Hypothetical Downside Threshold Level:

With respect to the INDU Index: 22,500, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

With respect to the NDX Index: 10,500, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

With respect to the KRE Shares: $45.00, which is 75% of the hypothetical initial level for such underlying

* The actual contingent quarterly coupon will be an amount determined by the calculation agent based on the actual contingent quarterly coupon rate and the number of days in the applicable payment period, calculated on a 30/360 day-count basis. The hypothetical contingent quarterly coupon of $25.00 is used in these examples for ease of analysis.

April 2021 Page 9

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

How to determine whether a contingent quarterly coupon is payable with respect to an observation date:

 

Closing Level

Contingent Quarterly Coupon

INDU Index

NDX Index

KRE Shares

 

Hypothetical Observation Date 1

25,000 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

12,000 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

$50.00 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

$25.00

Hypothetical Observation Date 2

20,000 (below the coupon threshold level)

11,000 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

$55.00 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

$0

Hypothetical Observation Date 3

26,000 (at or above the coupon threshold level)

9,000 (below the coupon threshold level)

$40.00 (below the coupon threshold level)

$0

Hypothetical Observation Date 4

15,000 (below the coupon threshold level)

8,000 (below the coupon threshold level)

$35.00 (below the coupon threshold level)

$0

 

On hypothetical observation date 1, each underlying closes at or above its respective coupon threshold level. Therefore, a contingent quarterly coupon of $25.00 is paid on the relevant coupon payment date.

On each of hypothetical observation dates 2 and 3, at least one underlying closes at or above its respective coupon threshold level, but one or both of the other underlyings close below their respective coupon threshold levels. Therefore, no contingent quarterly coupon is paid on the relevant coupon payment date.

On hypothetical observation date 4, each underlying closes below its respective coupon threshold level, and, accordingly, no contingent quarterly coupon is paid on the relevant coupon payment date.

If the closing level of any underlying is less than its respective coupon threshold level on each observation date, you will not receive any contingent quarterly coupons for the entire 2-year term of the securities.

April 2021 Page 10

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

How to calculate the payment at maturity (if the securities have not been automatically redeemed):

If the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its initial level on any quarterly redemption determination date, the securities will be automatically redeemed for an early redemption payment equal to the stated principal amount for each security you hold plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the related observation date.

The examples below illustrate how to calculate the payment at maturity if the securities have not been automatically redeemed prior to maturity.

 

Final Level

Payment at Maturity

 

INDU Index

NDX Index

KRE Shares

 

Example 1:

13,500 (below the downside threshold level)

9,500 (below the downside threshold level)

$50.00 (at or above the downside threshold level)

$1,000 × performance factor of the worst performing underlying =
$1,000 × (13,500 / 30,000) = $450

Example 2:

25,000 (at or above the downside threshold level)

12,000 (at or above the downside threshold level)

$24.00 (below the downside threshold level)

$1,000 × ($24.00 / $60.00) = $400

Example 3:

13,500 (below the downside threshold level)

8,400 (below the downside threshold level)

$18.00 (below the downside threshold level)

$1,000 × ($18.00 / $60.00) = $300

Example 4:

9,000 (below the threshold level)

5,600 (below the threshold level)

$24.00 (below the downside threshold level)

$1,000 × (9,000 / 30,000) = $300

Example 5:

32,000 (at or above the downside threshold level)

15,000 (at or above the downside threshold level)

$65.00 (at or above the downside threshold level)

The stated principal amount + the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date.

For more information, please see above under “How to determine whether a contingent quarterly coupon is payable with respect to an observation date.”

In examples 1 and 2, the final level(s) of one or two of the underlyings are at or above the respective downside threshold level(s), but the final level(s) of one or both of the other underlyings are below the respective downside threshold level(s). Therefore, investors are exposed to the downside performance of the worst performing underlying at maturity and receive at maturity an amount equal to the stated principal amount multiplied by the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. Moreover, investors do not receive any contingent quarterly coupon for the final quarterly period.

Similarly, in examples 3 and 4, the final level of each underlying is below its respective downside threshold level, and investors receive at maturity an amount equal to the stated principal amount times the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. In example 3, the INDU Index has declined 55% from its initial level to its final level, the NDX Index has declined 40% from its initial level to its final level and the KRE Shares have declined 70% from their initial level to their final level. Therefore, the payment at maturity equals the stated principal amount multiplied by the performance factor of the KRE Shares, which represent the worst performing underlying in this example. In example 4, the INDU Index has declined 70% from its initial level to its final level, the NDX Index has declined 60% from its initial level to its final level and the KRE Shares have declined 60% from their initial level to their final level. Therefore, the payment at maturity equals the stated principal amount times the performance factor of the INDU Index, which is the worst performing underlying in this example. Moreover, investors do not receive the contingent quarterly coupon for the final quarterly period.

In example 5, the final level of each underlying is at or above its respective downside threshold level. Therefore, investors receive at maturity the stated principal amount of the securities plus the contingent quarterly coupon with respect to the final observation date. However, investors do not participate in any appreciation of the underlyings.

If the final level of ANY underlying is below its respective downside threshold level, you will be exposed to the downside performance of the worst performing underlying at maturity, and your payment at maturity will be less than $750 per security and could be zero.

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Risk Factors

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, index supplement and prospectus. We also urge you to consult with 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 guarantee the return of any principal. The terms of the securities differ from those of ordinary debt securities in that they do not guarantee the repayment of any principal. If the securities have not been automatically redeemed prior to maturity, and if the final level of any underlying is less than its downside threshold level of 75% of its initial level, you will be exposed to the decline in the final level of the worst performing underlying, as compared to its initial level, on a 1-to-1 basis, and you will receive for each security that you hold at maturity an amount equal to the stated principal amount multiplied by the performance factor of the worst performing underlying. In this case, the payment at maturity will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount and could be zero.

The securities do not provide for the regular payment of interest. The terms of the securities differ from those of ordinary debt securities in that they do not provide for the regular payment of interest. Instead, the securities will pay a contingent quarterly coupon but only if the closing level of each underlying is at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the related observation date. If the closing level of any underlying is lower than its coupon threshold level on the relevant observation date for any interest period, we will pay no coupon on the applicable coupon payment date. It is possible that the closing level of any underlying will be less than its respective coupon threshold level for extended periods of time or even throughout the entire term of the securities so that you will receive few or no contingent quarterly coupons. If you do not earn sufficient contingent quarterly coupons over the term of the securities, the overall return on the securities may be less than the amount that would be paid on a conventional debt security of ours of comparable maturity.

The contingent quarterly coupon, if any, is based on the value of each underlying on only the related quarterly observation date at the end of the related interest period. Whether the contingent quarterly coupon will be paid on any coupon payment date will be determined at the end of the relevant interest period based on the closing level of each underlying on the relevant quarterly observation date. As a result, you will not know whether you will receive the contingent quarterly coupon on any coupon payment date until near the end of the relevant interest period. Moreover, because the contingent quarterly coupon is based solely on the value of each underlying on quarterly observation dates, if the closing level of any underlying on any observation date is below the coupon threshold level for such underlying, you will not receive the contingent quarterly coupon for the related interest period, even if the level of such underlying was at or above its respective coupon threshold level on other days during that interest period, and even if the closing level(s) of one or both of the other underlyings are at or above their respective coupon threshold level(s).

Investors will not participate in any appreciation in any underlying. Investors will not participate in any appreciation in any underlying from the initial level for such underlying, and the return on the securities will be limited to the contingent quarterly coupons, if any, that are paid with respect to each observation date on which the closing level of each underlying is greater than or equal to its respective coupon threshold level, if any.

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 on any day, including in relation to its respective coupon threshold level, downside threshold level and initial level, will affect the value of the securities more than any other factors. Other factors that may influence the value of the securities include:

othe volatility (frequency and magnitude of changes in value) of each underlying and of the stocks composing the INDU Index, the NDX Index and the share underlying index,

owhether the closing level of any underlying has been below its respective coupon threshold level on any observation date,

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Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

ogeopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the component stocks of the INDU Index, the NDX Index and the share underlying index or securities markets generally and which may affect the value of each underlying,

odividend rates on the securities underlying the INDU Index, the NDX Index and the share underlying index,

othe time remaining until the securities mature,

ointerest and yield rates in the market,

othe availability of comparable instruments,

othe composition of the underlyings and changes in the constituent stocks of the INDU Index, the NDX Index and the share underlying index,

othe occurrence of certain events affecting the KRE Shares that may or may not require an adjustment to the adjustment factor, and

oany actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings or credit spreads.

Some or all of these factors will influence the price that you will receive if you sell your securities prior to maturity. In particular, if any underlying has closed near or below its coupon threshold level and downside threshold level, the market value of the securities is expected to decrease substantially, and you may have to sell your securities at a substantial discount from the stated principal amount of $1,000 per security.

You cannot predict the future performance of any underlying based on its historical performance. The value of any underlying may decrease and be below the respective coupon threshold level for such underlying on each observation date so that you will receive no return on your investment, and any or all of the underlyings may close below the respective downside threshold level(s) on the final observation date so that you will lose more than 25% or all of your initial investment in the securities. There can be no assurance that the closing level of each underlying will be at or above the respective coupon threshold level on any observation date so that you will receive a coupon payment on the securities for the applicable interest period, or that it will be at or above its respective downside threshold level on the final observation date so that you do not suffer a significant loss on your initial investment in the securities. See “Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM Overview,” “NASDAQ-100 Index® Overview” and “SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF Overview” below.

The securities are subject to our credit risk, and any actual or anticipated changes to our credit ratings or credit spreads may adversely affect the market value of the securities. You are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the securities at maturity, upon early redemption or on any coupon payment date, and therefore you are subject to our credit risk. The securities are not guaranteed by any other entity. If we default on our obligations under the securities, your investment would be at risk and you could lose some or all of your investment. As a result, the market value of the securities prior to maturity will be affected by changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Any actual or anticipated decline in our credit ratings or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking our credit risk is likely to adversely affect the market value of the securities.

As a finance subsidiary, MSFL has no independent operations and will have no independent assets. As a finance subsidiary, MSFL has no independent operations beyond the issuance and administration of its securities and will have no independent assets available for distributions to holders of MSFL securities if they make claims in respect of such securities in a bankruptcy, resolution or similar proceeding. Accordingly, any recoveries by such holders will be limited to those available under the related guarantee by Morgan Stanley and that guarantee will rank pari passu with all other unsecured, unsubordinated obligations of Morgan Stanley. Holders will have recourse only to a single claim against Morgan Stanley and its assets under the guarantee. Holders of securities issued by MSFL should accordingly assume that in any such proceedings they would not have any priority over and should be treated pari passu with the claims of other unsecured, unsubordinated creditors of Morgan Stanley, including holders of Morgan Stanley-issued securities.

Investing in the securities is not equivalent to investing in the underlyings or the stocks composing the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index. Investing in the securities is not equivalent to investing in any

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

of the underlyings or the component stocks of the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index. Investors in the securities will not participate in any positive performance of any underlying, and will not have voting rights or rights to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to stocks that constitute the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index.

Reinvestment risk. The term of your investment in the securities may be shortened due to the automatic early redemption feature of the securities. If the securities are redeemed prior to maturity, you will receive no more contingent quarterly coupons and may be forced to invest in a lower interest rate environment and may not be able to reinvest at comparable terms or returns.

The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange and secondary trading may be limited. Accordingly, you should be willing to hold your securities for the entire 2-year term of the securities. The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Therefore, there may be little or no secondary market for the securities. MS & Co. may, but is not obligated to, make a market in the securities and, if it once chooses to make a market, may cease doing so at any time. When it does make a market, it will generally do so for transactions of routine secondary market size at prices based on its estimate of the current value of the securities, taking into account its bid/offer spread, our credit spreads, market volatility, the notional size of the proposed sale, the cost of unwinding any related hedging positions, the time remaining to maturity and the likelihood that it will be able to resell the securities. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the securities easily. Since other broker-dealers may not participate significantly in the secondary market for the securities, the price at which you may be able to trade your securities is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which MS & Co. is willing to transact. If, at any time, MS & Co. were to cease making a market in the securities, it is likely that there would be no secondary market for the securities. Accordingly, you should be willing to hold your securities to maturity.

The rate we are willing to pay for securities of this type, maturity and issuance size is likely to be lower than the rate implied by our secondary market credit spreads and advantageous to us. Both the lower rate and the inclusion of costs associated with issuing, selling, structuring and hedging the securities in the original issue price reduce the economic terms of the securities, cause the estimated value of the securities to be less than the original issue price and will adversely affect secondary market prices. Assuming no change in market conditions or any other relevant factors, the prices, if any, at which dealers, including MS & Co., may be willing to purchase the securities in secondary market transactions will likely be significantly lower than the original issue price, because secondary market prices will exclude the issuing, selling, structuring and hedging-related costs that are included in the original issue price and borne by you and because the secondary market prices will reflect our secondary market credit spreads and the bid-offer spread that any dealer would charge in a secondary market transaction of this type as well as other factors.

The inclusion of the costs of issuing, selling, structuring and hedging the securities in the original issue price and the lower rate we are willing to pay as issuer make the economic terms of the securities less favorable to you than they otherwise would be.

However, because the costs associated with issuing, selling, structuring and hedging the securities are not fully deducted upon issuance, for a period of up to 6 months following the issue date, to the extent that MS & Co. may buy or sell the securities in the secondary market, absent changes in market conditions, including those related to the underlyings, and to our secondary market credit spreads, it would do so based on values higher than the estimated value, and we expect that those higher values will also be reflected in your brokerage account statements.

 

The estimated value of the securities is determined by reference to our pricing and valuation models, which may differ from those of other dealers and is not a maximum or minimum secondary market price. These pricing and valuation models are proprietary and rely in part on subjective views of certain market inputs and certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. As a result, because there is no market-standard way to value these types of securities, our models may yield a higher estimated value of the securities than those generated by others, including other dealers in the market, if they attempted to value the securities. In addition, the estimated value on the pricing date does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which dealers, including MS & Co., would be willing to purchase your securities in the secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your securities at any time after the date of this document will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with

April 2021 Page 14

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

accuracy, including our creditworthiness and changes in market conditions. See also “The market price will be influenced by many unpredictable factors” above.

Hedging and trading activity by our affiliates could potentially affect the value of the securities. One or more of our affiliates and/or third-party dealers expect to carry out hedging activities related to the securities (and to other instruments linked to the underlyings and the share underlying index), including trading in the KRE Shares, the stocks that constitute the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index as well as in other instruments related to the underlyings. As a result, these entities may be unwinding or adjusting hedge positions during the term of the securities, and the hedging strategy may involve greater and more frequent dynamic adjustments to the hedge as the final observation date approaches. Some of our affiliates also trade the underlyings and other financial instruments related to the underlyings and the share underlying index on a regular basis as part of their general broker-dealer and other businesses. Any of these hedging or trading activities on or prior to the pricing date could potentially increase the initial level of an underlying, and, therefore, could increase (i) the level at or above which such underlying must close on any redemption determination date so that the securities are redeemed prior to maturity for the early redemption payment (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings), (ii) the level at or above which such underlying must close on each observation date in order for you to earn a contingent quarterly coupon (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings) and (iii) the level at or above which such underlying must close on the final observation date so that you are not exposed to the negative performance of the worst performing underlying at maturity (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings). Additionally, such hedging or trading activities during the term of the securities could affect the value of an underlying on the redemption determination dates and the observation dates, and, accordingly, whether we redeem the securities prior to maturity, whether we pay a contingent quarterly coupon on the securities and the amount of cash you receive at maturity, if any (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings).

The calculation agent, which is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley and an affiliate of MSFL, will make determinations with respect to the securities. As calculation agent, MS & Co. will determine the initial level, coupon threshold level and downside threshold level for each underlying, whether you receive a contingent quarterly coupon on each coupon payment date and/or at maturity, whether the securities will be redeemed on any early redemption date and the payment at maturity, if any. Moreover, certain determinations made by MS & Co., in its capacity as calculation agent, may require it to exercise discretion and make subjective judgments, such as with respect to the occurrence or non-occurrence of market disruption events, any adjustments to the adjustment factor and the selection of a successor index or calculation of the closing level of any underlying in the event of a market disruption event or discontinuance of the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index. These potentially subjective determinations may adversely affect the payout to you at maturity, if any. For further information regarding these types of determinations, see "Description of Auto-Callable Securities—Postponement of Determination Dates," "—Alternate Exchange Calculation in Case of an Event of Default,” "—Discontinuance of Any Underlying Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation,” “Discontinuance of the Underlying Shares of an Exchange-Traded Fund and/or Share Underlying Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation,” “—Antidilution Adjustments” and "—Calculation Agent and Calculations" in the accompanying product supplement. In addition, MS & Co. has determined the estimated value of the securities on the pricing date.

The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities are uncertain. There is no direct legal authority as to the proper treatment of the securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and, therefore, significant aspects of the tax treatment of the securities are uncertain.

Please read the discussion under “Additional Information—Tax considerations” in this document concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities. We intend to treat a security for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a single financial contract that provides for a coupon that will be treated as gross income to you at the time received or accrued, in accordance with your regular method of tax accounting. Under this treatment, the ordinary income treatment of the coupon payments, in conjunction with the capital loss treatment of any loss recognized upon the sale, exchange or settlement of the securities, could result in adverse tax consequences to holders of the securities because the deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. We do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding the tax treatment of the securities, and the IRS or a court may not agree with the tax treatment described herein. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment for the

April 2021 Page 15

Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

securities, the timing and character of income or loss on the securities might differ significantly from the tax treatment described herein. For example, under one possible treatment, the IRS could seek to recharacterize the securities as debt instruments. In that event, U.S. Holders (as defined below) would be required to accrue into income original issue discount on the securities every year at a “comparable yield” determined at the time of issuance (as adjusted based on the difference, if any, between the actual and the projected amount of any contingent payments on the securities) and recognize all income and gain in respect of the securities as ordinary income. The risk that financial instruments providing for buffers, triggers or similar downside protection features, such as the securities, would be recharacterized as debt is greater than the risk of recharacterization for comparable financial instruments that do not have such features.

Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) should note that we currently intend to withhold on any coupon paid to Non-U.S. Holders generally at a rate of 30%, or at a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty under an “other income” or similar provision, and will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.

In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. While it is not clear whether the securities would be viewed as similar to the prepaid forward contracts described in the notice, it is possible that any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly with retroactive effect. The notice focuses on a number of issues, the most relevant of which for holders of the securities are the character and timing of income or loss and the degree, if any, to which income realized by non-U.S. investors should be subject to withholding tax. Both U.S. and Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities, including possible alternative treatments, the issues presented by this notice and any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

Risks Relating to the Underlyings

You are exposed to the price risk of each underlying, with respect to both the contingent quarterly coupons, if any, and the payment at maturity, if any. Your return on the securities is not linked to a basket consisting of the underlyings. Rather, it will be contingent upon the independent performance of each underlying. Unlike an instrument with a return linked to a basket of underlying assets, in which risk is mitigated and diversified among all the components of the basket, you will be exposed to the risks related to each underlying. Poor performance by any underlying over the term of the securities will negatively affect your return and will not be offset or mitigated by any positive performance by the other underlyings. To receive any contingent quarterly coupons, each underlying must close at or above its respective coupon threshold level on the applicable observation date. In addition, if the securities have not been automatically redeemed early and any underlying has declined to below its respective downside threshold level as of the final observation date, you will be fully exposed to the decline in the worst performing underlying over the term of the securities on a 1-to-1 basis, even if one or both of the other underlyings have appreciated or have not declined as much. Under this scenario, the value of any such payment will be less than 75% of the stated principal amount and could be zero. Accordingly, your investment is subject to the price risk of each underlying.

Because the securities are linked to the performance of the worst performing underlying, you are exposed to greater risks of receiving no contingent quarterly coupons and sustaining a significant loss on your investment than if the securities were linked to just one underlying. The risk that you will not receive any contingent quarterly coupons, or that you will suffer a significant loss on your investment, is greater if you invest in the securities as opposed to substantially similar securities that are linked to the performance of just one underlying. With three underlyings, it is more likely that any underlying will close below its coupon threshold level on any observation date, and below its downside threshold level on the final observation date, than if the securities were linked to only one underlying. Therefore, it is more likely that you will not receive any contingent quarterly coupons and that you will suffer a significant loss on your investment. In addition, because each underlying must close above its initial level on a quarterly redemption determination date in order for the securities to be called prior to maturity, the securities are less likely to be called on any early redemption date than if the securities were linked to just one underlying.

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

There are risks associated with investments in securities with a concentration in the regional banking sector. The stocks included in the S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index and that are generally tracked by the KRE Shares are issued by companies whose primary lines of business are directly associated with the regional banking sector. The performance of bank stocks may be affected by governmental regulation that may limit the amount and types of loans and other financial commitments that banks can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively impact the banking sector. Banks may also be subject to severe price competition. The regional banking industry is highly competitive, and thus, failure to maintain or increase market share may adversely affect profitability.

The antidilution adjustments the calculation agent is required to make do not cover every event that could affect the KRE Shares. MS & Co., as calculation agent, will adjust the adjustment factor for certain events affecting the KRE Shares. However, the calculation agent will not make an adjustment for every event that could affect the KRE Shares. If an event occurs that does not require the calculation agent to adjust the adjustment factor, the market price of the securities may be materially and adversely affected.

Adjustments to the KRE Shares or the share underlying index could adversely affect the value of the securities. The investment adviser to the KRE Shares, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index (the “share underlying index”). Pursuant to its investment strategy or otherwise, the Investment Adviser may add, delete or substitute the stocks composing the KRE Shares. Any of these actions could adversely affect the price of the KRE Shares and, consequently, the value of the securities. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”) is responsible for calculating and maintaining the share underlying index. S&P may add, delete or substitute the stocks constituting the share underlying index or make other methodological changes that could change the value of the share underlying index. S&P may discontinue or suspend calculation or publication of the share underlying index at any time. If trading in the underlying shares is permanently discontinued and/or the KRE Shares is liquidated or otherwise terminated, and S&P subsequently discontinues publication of the share underlying index, the calculation agent will have the sole discretion to substitute a successor index that is comparable to the discontinued share underlying index and is permitted to consider indices that are calculated and published by the calculation agent or any of its affiliates. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of the share underlying index, and, consequently, the price of the KRE Shares and the value of the securities.

The performance and market price of the KRE Shares, particularly during periods of market volatility, may not correlate with the performance of the share underlying index, the performance of the component securities of the share underlying index or the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares. The KRE Shares do not fully replicate the share underlying index and may hold securities that are different than those included in the share underlying index. In addition, the performance of the KRE Shares will reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of the share underlying index. All of these factors may lead to a lack of correlation between the performance of KRE Shares and the share underlying index. In addition, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs) with respect to the equity securities underlying the KRE Shares may impact the variance between the performances of KRE Shares and the share underlying index. Finally, because the shares of the KRE Shares are traded on an exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market price of one share of the KRE Shares may differ from the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares.

In particular, during periods of market volatility, or unusual trading activity, trading in the securities underlying the KRE Shares may be disrupted or limited, or such securities may be unavailable in the secondary market. Under these circumstances, the liquidity of the KRE Shares may be adversely affected, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares, and their ability to create and redeem shares of the KRE Shares may be disrupted. Under these circumstances, the market price of shares of the KRE Shares may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares or the level of the share underlying index.

For all of the foregoing reasons, the performance of the KRE Shares may not correlate with the performance of the share underlying index, the performance of the component securities of the share underlying index or the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares. Any of these events could materially and adversely affect the price of the shares of

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

the KRE Shares and, therefore, the value of the securities. Additionally, if market volatility or these events were to occur on the final observation date, the calculation agent would maintain discretion to determine whether such market volatility or events have caused a market disruption event to occur, and such determination may affect the payment at maturity of the securities. If the calculation agent determines that no market disruption event has taken place, the payment at maturity would be based on the published closing price per share of the KRE Shares on the final observation date, even if the KRE Shares’ shares are underperforming the share underlying index or the component securities of the share underlying index and/or trading below the net asset value per share of the KRE Shares.

Adjustments to the INDU Index or the NDX Index could adversely affect the value of the securities. The publisher of each of the INDU Index or the NDX Index may add, delete or substitute the component stocks of such underlying or make other methodological changes that could change the value of such underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of the securities. The publisher of each of the INDU Index or the NDX Index may also discontinue or suspend calculation or publication of such underlying at any time. In these circumstances, MS & Co., as the calculation agent, will have the sole discretion to substitute a successor index that is comparable to the discontinued index. MS & Co. could have an economic interest that is different than that of investors in the securities insofar as, for example, MS & Co. is permitted to consider indices that are calculated and published by MS & Co. or any of its affiliates. If MS & Co. determines that there is no appropriate successor index on any observation date, the determination of whether a contingent quarterly coupon will be payable on the securities on the applicable coupon payment date, whether the securities will be redeemed and/or the amount payable at maturity, if any, will be based on the value of such underlying, based on the closing prices of the stocks constituting such underlying at the time of such discontinuance, without rebalancing or substitution, computed by MS & Co. as calculation agent in accordance with the formula for calculating such underlying last in effect prior to such discontinuance, as compared to the relevant initial level, coupon threshold level or downside threshold level, as applicable (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings).

 

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM Overview

The Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM is a price-weighted index composed of 30 common stocks that is published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, the marketing name and a licensed trademark of CME Group Inc., as representative of the broad market of U.S. industry. For additional information about the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, see the information set forth under “Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM” in the accompanying index supplement.

Information as of market close on April 13, 2021:

Bloomberg Ticker Symbol:

INDU

52 Week High (on 4/9/2021):

33,800.60

Current Index Value:

33,677.27

52 Week Low (on 4/21/2020):

23,018.88

52 Weeks Ago:

23,390.77

 

 

The following graph sets forth the daily index closing values of the INDU Index for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The related table sets forth the published high and low index closing values, as well as end-of-quarter index closing values, of the INDU Index for each quarter for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The index closing value of the INDU Index on April 13, 2021 was 33,677.27. We obtained the information in the graph and table below from Bloomberg Financial Markets, without independent verification. The INDU Index has experienced periods of high volatility, and you should not take the historical values of the INDU Index as an indication of its future performance.

INDU Index Daily Index Closing Values

January 1, 2016 to April 13, 2021

 

* The red line in the graph indicates the hypothetical downside threshold level and the hypothetical coupon threshold level, in each case assuming the index closing value on April 13, 2021 were the initial level.

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

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All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM

High

Low

Period End

2016

 

 

 

First Quarter

17,716.66

15,660.18

17,685.09

Second Quarter

18,096.27

17,140.24

17,929.99

Third Quarter

18,636.05

17,840.62

18,308.15

Fourth Quarter

19,974.62

17,888.28

19,762.60

2017

 

 

 

First Quarter

21,115.55

19,732.40

20,663.22

Second Quarter

21,528.99

20,404.49

21,349.63

Third Quarter

22,412.59

21,320.04

22,405.09

Fourth Quarter

24,837.51

22,557.60

24,719.22

2018

 

 

 

First Quarter

26,616.71

23,533.20

24,103.11

Second Quarter

25,322.31

23,644.19

24,271.41

Third Quarter

26,743.50

24,174.82

26,458.31

Fourth Quarter

26,828.39

21,792.20

23,327.46

2019

 

 

 

First Quarter

26,091.95

22,686.22

25,928.68

Second Quarter

26,753.17

24,815.04

26,599.96

Third Quarter

27,359.16

25,479.42

26,916.83

Fourth Quarter

28,645.26

26,078.62

28,538.44

2020

 

 

 

First Quarter

29,551.42

18,591.93

21,917.16

Second Quarter

27,572.44

20,943.51

25,812.88

Third Quarter

29,100.50

25,706.09

27,781.70

Fourth Quarter

30,606.48

26,501.60

30,606.48

2021

 

 

 

First Quarter

33,171.37

29,982.62

32,981.55

Second Quarter (through April 13, 2021)

33,800.60

33,153.21

33,677.27

 

“Dow Jones,” “Dow Jones Industrial Average,” “Dow Jones Indexes” and “DJIA” are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. See “Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM” in the accompanying index supplement.

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NASDAQ-100 Index® Overview

The NASDAQ-100 Index®, which is calculated, maintained and published by Nasdaq, Inc., is a modified capitalization-weighted index of 100 of the largest and most actively traded equity securities of non-financial companies listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. The NASDAQ-100 Index® includes companies across a variety of major industry groups. At any moment in time, the value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® equals the aggregate value of the then-current NASDAQ-100 Index® share weights of each of the NASDAQ-100 Index® component securities, which are based on the total shares outstanding of each such NASDAQ-100 Index® component security, multiplied by each such security’s respective last sale price on NASDAQ (which may be the official closing price published by NASDAQ), and divided by a scaling factor, which becomes the basis for the reported NASDAQ-100 Index® value. For additional information about the NASDAQ-100 Index®, see the information set forth under “NASDAQ-100 Index®” in the accompanying index supplement.

Information as of market close on April 13, 2021:

Bloomberg Ticker Symbol:

NDX

52 Week High (on 4/13/2021):

13,986.49

Current Index Value:

13,986.49

52 Week Low (on 4/13/2020):

8,332.74

52 Weeks Ago:

8,332.74

 

 

The following graph sets forth the daily index closing values of the NDX Index for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The related table sets forth the published high and low index closing values, as well as end-of-quarter index closing values, of the NDX Index for each quarter for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The index closing value of the NDX Index on April 13, 2021 was 13,986.49. We obtained the information in the graph and table below from Bloomberg Financial Markets, without independent verification. The NDX Index has experienced periods of high volatility, and you should not take the historical values of the NDX Index as an indication of its future performance.

NDX Index Daily Index Closing Values

January 1, 2016 to April 13, 2021

 

* The red line in the graph indicates the hypothetical downside threshold level and the hypothetical coupon threshold level, in each case assuming the index closing value on April 13, 2021 were the initial level.

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NASDAQ-100 Index®

High

Low

Period End

2016

 

 

 

First Quarter

4,497.86

3,947.80

4,483.66

Second Quarter

4,565.42

4,201.06

4,417.70

Third Quarter

4,891.36

4,410.75

4,875.70

Fourth Quarter

4,965.81

4,660.46

4,863.62

2017

 

 

 

First Quarter

5,439.74

4,911.33

5,436.23

Second Quarter

5,885.30

5,353.59

5,646.92

Third Quarter

6,004.38

5,596.96

5,979.30

Fourth Quarter

6,513.27

5,981.92

6,396.42

2018

 

 

 

First Quarter

7,131.12

6,306.10

6,581.13

Second Quarter

7,280.71

6,390.84

7,040.80

Third Quarter

7,660.18

7,014.55

7,627.65

Fourth Quarter

7,645.45

5,899.35

6,329.96

2019

 

 

 

First Quarter

7,493.27

6,147.13

7,378.77

Second Quarter

7,845.73

6,978.02

7,671.08

Third Quarter

8,016.95

7,415.69

7,749.45

Fourth Quarter

8,778.31

7,550.79

8,733.07

2020

 

 

 

First Quarter

9,718.73

6,994.29

7,813.50

Second Quarter

10,209.82

7,486.29

10,156.85

Third Quarter

12,420.54

10,279.25

11,418.06

Fourth Quarter

12,888.28

11,052.95

12,888.28

2021

 

 

 

First Quarter

13,807.70

12,299.08

13,091.44

Second Quarter (through April 13, 2021)

13,986.49

13,329.51

13,986.49

 

“Nasdaq®,” “NASDAQ-100®” and “NASDAQ-100 Index®” are trademarks of Nasdaq, Inc. For more information, see “NASDAQ-100 Index®” in the accompanying index supplement.

 

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SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF Overview

The SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF is an exchange-traded fund managed by SSGA Funds Management, Inc., which seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index. SPDR® Series Trust (the “Trust”) is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF. Information provided to or filed with the Commission by the Trust pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 can be located by reference to Commission file numbers 333-57793 and 811-08839, respectively, through the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, information may be obtained from other publicly available sources. Neither the issuer nor the agent makes any representation that any such publicly available information regarding the KRE Shares is accurate or complete.

Information as of market close on April 13, 2021:

Bloomberg Ticker Symbol:

KRE UP

52 Week High (on 3/12/2021):

$71.10

Current Share Price:

$66.59

52 Week Low (on 4/16/2020):

$31.17

52 Weeks Ago:

$35.27

 

 

The following graph sets forth the daily closing prices of the KRE Shares for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The related table sets forth the published high and low closing prices, as well as end-of-quarter closing prices, of the KRE Shares for each quarter for the period from January 1, 2016 through April 13, 2021. The closing price of the KRE Shares on April 13, 2021 was $66.59. We obtained the information in the graph and table below from Bloomberg Financial Markets, without independent verification. The KRE Shares have experienced periods of high volatility, and you should not take the historical prices of the KRE Shares as an indication of their future performance.

KRE Shares Daily Closing Prices

January 1, 2016 to April 13, 2021

 

* The red line in the graph indicates the hypothetical downside threshold level and the hypothetical coupon threshold level, in each case assuming the closing level on April 13, 2021 were the initial level.

 

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SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF (CUSIP: 78464A698)

High ($)

Low ($)

Period End ($)

2016

 

 

 

First Quarter

40.89

32.89

37.64

Second Quarter

41.98

35.51

38.35

Third Quarter

43.09

36.85

42.27

Fourth Quarter

56.46

41.71

55.57

2017

 

 

 

First Quarter

59.36

52.59

54.61

Second Quarter

55.75

51.71

54.95

Third Quarter

56.76

49.59

56.76

Fourth Quarter

60.35

54.35

58.85

2018

 

 

 

First Quarter

65.03

58.91

60.39

Second Quarter

65.74

59.21

61.00

Third Quarter

64.28

59.42

59.42

Fourth Quarter

60.15

44.22

46.79

2019

 

 

 

First Quarter

57.21

47.38

51.34

Second Quarter

56.64

50.22

53.43

Third Quarter

55.41

48.23

52.79

Fourth Quarter

59.22

50.18

58.25

2020

 

 

 

First Quarter

58.41

28.13

32.59

Second Quarter

46.02

29.52

38.39

Third Quarter

41.18

33.90

35.68

Fourth Quarter

51.95

35.92

51.95

2021

 

 

 

First Quarter

71.10

51.71

66.34

Second Quarter (through April 13, 2021)

67.99

66.52

66.59

 

This document relates only to the securities offered hereby and does not relate to the KRE Shares. We have derived all disclosures contained in this document regarding the Trust from the publicly available documents described above. In connection with the offering of the securities, neither we nor the agent has participated in the preparation of such documents or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Trust. Neither we nor the agent makes any representation that such publicly available documents or any other publicly available information regarding the Trust is accurate or complete. Furthermore, we cannot give any assurance that all events occurring prior to the date hereof (including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents described above) that would affect the trading price of the KRE Shares (and therefore the price of the KRE Shares at the time we price the securities) have been publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any such events or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the Trust could affect the value received with respect to the securities and therefore the value of the securities.

 

Neither we nor any of our affiliates makes any representation to you as to the performance of the KRE Shares.

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We and/or our affiliates may presently or from time to time engage in business with the Trust. In the course of such business, we and/or our affiliates may acquire non-public information with respect to the Trust, and neither we nor any of our affiliates undertakes to disclose any such information to you. In addition, one or more of our affiliates may publish research reports with respect to the KRE Shares. The statements in the preceding two sentences are not intended to affect the rights of investors in the securities under the securities laws. As a prospective purchaser of the securities, you should undertake an independent investigation of the Trust as in your judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision with respect to an investment linked to the KRE Shares.

“Standard & Poor’s®”, “S&P®”, “S&P 500®”, “SPDR®” and “SPDR® Series Trust” are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”), an affiliate of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“MGH”). The securities are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P, MGH or the Trust. S&P, MGH and the Trust make no representations or warranties to the owners of the securities or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in the securities. S&P, MGH and the Trust have no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of the securities.

 

The S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index. The S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index is a modified equal-weighted index designed to measure the performance of the regional banks sub-industry group of the S&P® Total Market Index, a benchmark that measures the performance of the U.S. equity market.

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Additional Terms of the Securities

Please read this information in conjunction with the summary terms on the front cover of this document.

Additional Terms:

If the terms described herein are inconsistent with those described in the accompanying product supplement, index supplement or prospectus, the terms described herein shall control.

Underlying index publisher:

With respect to the INDU Index, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, or any successor thereof.

With respect to the NDX Index, Nasdaq, Inc., or any successor thereof.

Share underlying index:

The S&P® Regional Banks Select Industry Index

Share underlying index publisher:

S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or any successor thereof

Interest period:

The quarterly period from and including the original issue date (in the case of the first interest period) or the previous scheduled coupon payment date, as applicable, to but excluding the following scheduled coupon payment date, with no adjustment for any postponement thereof.

Record date:

The record date for each coupon payment date shall be the date one business day prior to such scheduled coupon payment date; provided, however, that any coupon payable at maturity (or upon early redemption) shall be payable to the person to whom the payment at maturity or early redemption payment, as the case may be, shall be payable.

Threshold level:

The accompanying product supplement refers to the threshold level as the “trigger level.”

Day-count convention:

Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Postponement of coupon payment dates (including the maturity date) and early redemption dates:

If any observation date or redemption determination date is postponed due to a non-index business day or non-trading day, as applicable, or certain market disruption events so that it falls less than two business days prior to the relevant scheduled coupon payment date (including the maturity date) or early redemption date, as applicable, the coupon payment date (or the maturity date) or the early redemption date will be postponed to the second business day following that observation date or redemption determination date as postponed, and no adjustment will be made to any coupon payment or early redemption payment made on that postponed date.

Denominations:

$1,000 per security and integral multiples thereof

Trustee:

The Bank of New York Mellon

Calculation agent:

MS & Co.

Issuer notices to registered security holders, the trustee and the depositary:

In the event that the maturity date is postponed due to postponement of the final observation date, the issuer shall give notice of such postponement and, once it has been determined, of the date to which the maturity date has been rescheduled (i) to each registered holder of the securities by mailing notice of such postponement by first class mail, postage prepaid, to such registered holder’s last address as it shall appear upon the registry books, (ii) to the trustee by facsimile, confirmed by mailing such notice to the trustee by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its New York office and (iii) to The Depository Trust Company (the “depositary”) by telephone or facsimile confirmed by mailing such notice to the depositary by first class mail, postage prepaid. Any notice that is mailed to a registered holder of the securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given to such registered holder, whether or not such registered holder receives the notice. The issuer shall give such notice as promptly as possible, and in no case later than (i) with respect to notice of postponement of the maturity date, the business day immediately preceding the scheduled maturity date, and (ii) with respect to notice of the date to which the maturity date has been rescheduled, the business day immediately following the final observation date as postponed.

 

In the event that the securities are subject to early redemption, the issuer shall, (i) on the business day following the applicable redemption determination date, give notice of the early redemption and the early redemption payment, including specifying the payment date of the amount due upon the early redemption, (x) to each registered holder of the securities by mailing notice of such early redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, to such registered holder’s last address as it shall appear upon the registry books, (y) to the trustee by facsimile confirmed by mailing such notice to the trustee by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its New

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York office and (z) to the depositary by telephone or facsimile confirmed by mailing such notice to the depositary by first class mail, postage prepaid, and (ii) on or prior to the early redemption date, deliver the aggregate cash amount due with respect to the securities to the trustee for delivery to the depositary, as holder of the securities. Any notice that is mailed to a registered holder of the securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given to such registered holder, whether or not such registered holder receives the notice. This notice shall be given by the issuer or, at the issuer’s request, by the trustee in the name and at the expense of the issuer, with any such request to be accompanied by a copy of the notice to be given.

 

The issuer shall, or shall cause the calculation agent to, (i) provide written notice to the trustee, on which notice the trustee may conclusively rely, and to the depositary of the amount of cash to be delivered as contingent quarterly coupon, if any, with respect to each security on or prior to 10:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the business day preceding each coupon payment date, and (ii) deliver the aggregate cash amount due, if any, with respect to the contingent quarterly coupon to the trustee for delivery to the depositary, as holder of the securities, on the applicable coupon payment date.

 

The issuer shall, or shall cause the calculation agent to, (i) provide written notice to the trustee, on which notice the trustee may conclusively rely, and to the depositary of the amount of cash, if any, to be delivered with respect to each stated principal amount of the securities, on or prior to 10:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the business day preceding the maturity date, and (ii) deliver the aggregate cash amount due with respect to the securities to the trustee for delivery to the depositary, if any, as holder of the securities, on the maturity date.

 

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Additional Information About the Securities

Additional Information:

Minimum ticketing size:

$1,000 / 1 security

Tax considerations:

Prospective investors should note that the discussion under the section called “United States Federal Taxation” in the accompanying product supplement does not apply to the securities issued under this document and is superseded by the following discussion.

The following is a general discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences and certain estate tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the securities. This discussion applies only to investors in the securities who:

 

purchase the securities in the original offering; and

hold the securities as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

This discussion does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to a holder in light of the holder’s particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, such as:

 

certain financial institutions;

insurance companies;

certain dealers and traders in securities or commodities;

investors holding the securities as part of a “straddle,” wash sale, conversion transaction, integrated transaction or constructive sale transaction;

U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

regulated investment companies;

real estate investment trusts; or

tax-exempt entities, including “individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs” as defined in Section 408 or 408A of the Code, respectively.

 

If an entity that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partnership holding the securities or a partner in such a partnership, you should consult your tax adviser as to the particular U.S. federal tax consequences of holding and disposing of the securities to you.

As the law applicable to the U.S. federal income taxation of instruments such as the securities is technical and complex, the discussion below necessarily represents only a general summary. The effect of any applicable state, local or non-U.S. tax laws is not discussed, nor are any alternative minimum tax consequences or consequences resulting from the Medicare tax on investment income. Moreover, the discussion below does not address the consequences to taxpayers subject to special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code.

This discussion is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, all as of the date hereof, changes to any of which subsequent to the date hereof may affect the tax consequences described herein. Persons considering the purchase of the securities should consult their tax advisers with regard to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

General

Due to the absence of statutory, judicial or administrative authorities that directly address the treatment of the securities or instruments that are similar to the securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, no assurance can be given that the IRS or a court will agree with the tax

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treatment described herein. We intend to treat a security for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a single financial contract that provides for a coupon that will be treated as gross income to you at the time received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of tax accounting. In the opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, this treatment of the securities is reasonable under current law; however, our counsel has advised us that it is unable to conclude affirmatively that this treatment is more likely than not to be upheld, and that alternative treatments are possible. Moreover, our counsel’s opinion is based on market conditions as of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement and is subject to confirmation on the pricing date.

You should consult your tax adviser regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities (including possible alternative treatments of the securities). Unless otherwise stated, the following discussion is based on the treatment of each security as described in the previous paragraph.

Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders

This section applies to you only if you are a U.S. Holder. As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a security that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

a citizen or individual resident of the United States;

a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; or

an estate or trust the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

 

Tax Treatment of the Securities

Assuming the treatment of the securities as set forth above is respected, the following U.S. federal income tax consequences should result.

 

 Tax Basis. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the securities should equal the amount paid by the U.S. Holder to acquire the securities.

 

 Tax Treatment of Coupon Payments. Any coupon payment on the securities should be taxable as 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 for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

 Sale, Exchange or Settlement of the Securities. Upon a sale, exchange or settlement of the securities, a U.S. Holder should recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or settlement and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the securities sold, exchanged or settled. For this purpose, the amount realized does not include any coupon paid at settlement and may not include sale proceeds attributable to an accrued coupon, which may be treated as a coupon payment. Any such gain or loss recognized should be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder has held the securities for more than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or settlement, and should be short-term capital gain or loss otherwise. The ordinary income treatment of the coupon payments, in conjunction with the capital loss treatment of any loss recognized upon the sale, exchange or settlement of the securities, could result in adverse tax consequences to holders of the securities because the deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Possible Alternative Tax Treatments of an Investment in the Securities

Due to the absence of authorities that directly address the proper tax treatment of the securities, no assurance can be given that the IRS will accept, or that a court will uphold, the treatment described above. In particular, the IRS could seek to analyze the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning the securities under Treasury regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments (the “Contingent Debt Regulations”). If the IRS were successful in asserting that the Contingent Debt Regulations applied to the securities, the timing and character of income thereon would be significantly affected. Among other things, a U.S. Holder would be required to accrue into income original issue discount on the securities every year at a “comparable yield” determined at the time of their issuance, adjusted upward

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or downward to reflect the difference, if any, between the actual and the projected amount of any contingent payments on the securities. Furthermore, any gain realized by a U.S. Holder at maturity or upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of the securities would be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized 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. The risk that financial instruments providing for buffers, triggers or similar downside protection features, such as the securities, would be recharacterized as debt is greater than the risk of recharacterization for comparable financial instruments that do not have such features.

Other alternative federal income tax treatments of the securities are possible, which, if applied, could significantly affect the timing and character of the income or loss with respect to the securities. In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. The notice focuses on whether to require holders of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; whether short-term instruments should be subject to any such accrual regime; the relevance of factors such as the exchange–traded status of the instruments and the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; whether these instruments are or should be subject to the “constructive ownership” rule, which very generally can operate to recharacterize certain long-term capital gain as ordinary income and impose an interest charge; and appropriate transition rules and effective dates. While it is not clear whether instruments such as the securities would be viewed as similar to the prepaid forward contracts described in the notice, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly with retroactive effect. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities, including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by this notice.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Backup withholding may apply in respect of payments on the securities and the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition of the securities, unless a U.S. Holder provides proof of an applicable exemption or a correct taxpayer identification number and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. The amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules are not an additional tax and may be refunded, or credited against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. In addition, information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments on the securities and the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition of the securities, unless the U.S. Holder provides proof of an applicable exemption from the information reporting rules.

Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

This section applies to you only if you are a Non-U.S. Holder. As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a security that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

an individual who is classified as a nonresident alien;

a foreign corporation; or

a foreign estate or trust.

The term “Non-U.S. Holder” does not include any of the following holders:

a holder who is an individual present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and who is not otherwise a resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

certain former citizens or residents of the United States; or

a holder for whom income or gain in respect of the securities is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States.

 

Such holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax

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All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

consequences of an investment in the securities.

Although significant aspects of the tax treatment of each security are uncertain, we intend to withhold on any coupon paid to a Non-U.S. Holder generally at a rate of 30% or at a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty under an “other income” or similar provision. We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. In order to claim an exemption from, or a reduction in, the 30% withholding tax, a Non-U.S. Holder of the securities must comply with certification requirements to establish that it is not a U.S. person and is eligible for such an exemption or reduction under an applicable tax treaty. If you are a Non-U.S. Holder, you should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax treatment of the securities, including the possibility of obtaining a refund of any withholding tax and the certification requirement described above.

Section 871(m) Withholding Tax on Dividend Equivalents

Section 871(m) of the Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% (or a lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities (each, an “Underlying Security”). Subject to certain exceptions, Section 871(m) generally applies to securities that substantially replicate the economic performance of one or more Underlying Securities, as determined based on tests set forth in the applicable Treasury regulations (a “Specified Security”). However, pursuant to an IRS notice, Section 871(m) will not apply to securities issued before January 1, 2023 that do not have a delta of one with respect to any Underlying Security. Based on the terms of the securities and current market conditions, we expect that the securities will not have a delta of one with respect to any Underlying Security on the pricing date. However, we will provide an updated determination in the pricing supplement. Assuming that the securities do not have a delta of one with respect to any Underlying Security, our counsel is of the opinion that the securities should not be Specified Securities and, therefore, should not be subject to Section 871(m).

Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. Section 871(m) is complex and its application may depend on your particular circumstances, including whether you enter into other transactions with respect to an Underlying Security. If Section 871(m) withholding is required, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to the amounts so withheld. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the securities.

U.S. Federal Estate Tax

Individual Non-U.S. Holders and entities the property of which is potentially includible in such an individual’s gross estate 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 exemption, the securities may be treated as U.S.-situs property subject to U.S. federal estate tax. Prospective investors that are non-U.S. individuals, or are entities of the type described above, should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal estate tax consequences of an investment in the securities.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with any coupon payment and may be filed with the IRS in connection with the payment at maturity on the securities and the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition. A Non-U.S. Holder may be subject to backup withholding in respect of amounts paid to the Non-U.S. Holder, unless such Non-U.S. Holder complies with certification procedures to establish that it is not a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise establishes an exemption. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Non-U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the Non-U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

FATCA

Legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA” generally imposes a withholding tax of 30% on payments to certain non-U.S. entities (including financial intermediaries) with respect to certain

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

financial instruments, unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements have been satisfied. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and the non-U.S. entity’s jurisdiction may modify these requirements. FATCA generally applies to certain financial instruments that are treated as paying U.S.-source interest or other U.S.-source “fixed or determinable annual or periodical” income (“FDAP income”). Withholding (if applicable) applies to payments of U.S.-source FDAP income and to payments of gross proceeds of the disposition (including upon retirement) of certain financial instruments treated as providing for U.S.-source interest or dividends. Under recently proposed regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are permitted to rely on them pending finalization), no withholding will apply on payments of gross proceeds (other than amounts treated as FDAP income). While the treatment of the securities is unclear, you should assume that any coupon payment with respect to the securities will be subject to the FATCA rules. If withholding applies to the securities, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. Both U.S. and Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the potential application of FATCA to the securities.

The discussion in the preceding paragraphs, insofar as it purports to describe provisions of U.S. federal income tax laws or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitutes the full opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP regarding the material U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities.

Use of proceeds and hedging:

The proceeds from the sale of the securities will be used by us for general corporate purposes. We will receive, in aggregate, $1,000 per security issued, because, when we enter into hedging transactions in order to meet our obligations under the securities, our hedging counterparty will reimburse the cost of the agent’s commissions. The costs of the securities borne by you and described beginning on page 4 above comprise the agent’s commissions and the cost of issuing, structuring and hedging the securities.

On or prior to the pricing date, we expect to hedge our anticipated exposure in connection with the securities by entering into hedging transactions with our affiliates and/or third-party dealers. We expect our hedging counterparties to take positions in the KRE Shares, in stocks constituting the INDU Index, the NDX Index or the share underlying index, in futures and/or options contracts on the KRE Shares, the INDU Index, the NDX Index, the share underlying index or their component stocks listed on major securities markets, or positions in any other available securities or instruments that they may wish to use in connection with such hedging. Such purchase activity could potentially increase the initial level of an underlying, and, as a result, could increase (i) the level at or above which such underlying must close on any redemption determination date so that the securities are redeemed prior to maturity for the early redemption payment (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings), (ii) the level at or above which such underlying must close on each observation date in order for you to earn a contingent quarterly coupon (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings) and (iii) the level at or above which such underlying must close on the final observation date so that you are not exposed to the negative performance of the worst performing underlying at maturity (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings). These entities may be unwinding or adjusting hedge positions during the term of the securities, and the hedging strategy may involve greater and more frequent dynamic adjustments to the hedge as the final observation date approaches. Additionally, our hedging activities, as well as our other trading activities, during the term of the securities could potentially affect the value of an underlying on the redemption determination dates and observation dates, and, accordingly, whether we redeem the securities prior to maturity, whether we pay a contingent quarterly coupon on the securities and the amount of cash you receive at maturity, if any (depending also on the performance of the other underlyings).

Additional considerations:

Client accounts over which Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management or any of their respective subsidiaries have investment discretion are not permitted to purchase the securities, either directly or indirectly.

Supplemental information regarding plan of distribution; conflicts of interest:

Selected dealers, which may include our affiliates, and their financial advisors will collectively receive from the agent a fixed sales commission of $17.50 for each security they sell.

MS & Co. is an affiliate of MSFL and a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, and it and other affiliates of ours expect to make a profit by selling, structuring and, when applicable, hedging the securities. When MS & Co. prices this offering of securities, it will determine the economic terms of the securities, including the contingent quarterly coupon rate, such that for each security the estimated value on the pricing date will be no lower than the minimum level

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Morgan Stanley Finance LLC

Contingent Income Auto-Callable Securities due April 27, 2023

All Payments on the Securities Based on the Worst Performing of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM, the NASDAQ-100 Index® and the SPDR® S&P® Regional Banking ETF

Principal at Risk Securities

 

described in “Investment Summary” beginning on page 3.

MS & Co. will conduct this offering in compliance with the requirements of FINRA Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., which is commonly referred to as FINRA, regarding a FINRA member firm’s distribution of the securities of an affiliate and related conflicts of interest. MS & Co. or any of our other affiliates may not make sales in this offering to any discretionary account. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying product supplement for auto-callable securities.

Where you can find more information:

Morgan Stanley and MSFL have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by the product supplement for auto-callable securities and the index supplement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering to which this communication relates. You should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the product supplement for auto-callable securities, the index supplement and any other documents relating to this offering that Morgan Stanley and MSFL have filed with the SEC for more complete information about Morgan Stanley, MSFL and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Morgan Stanley, MSFL, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus, the product supplement for auto-callable securities and the index supplement if you so request by calling toll-free 1-(800)-584-6837.

You may access these documents on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov as follows:

Product Supplement for Auto-Callable Securities dated November 16, 2020

Index Supplement dated November 16, 2020

Prospectus dated November 16, 2020

Terms used but not defined in this document are defined in the product supplement for auto-callable securities, in the index supplement or in the prospectus.

 

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