RY Royal Bank of Canada

 

The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Registration Statement No. 333-275898

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Subject to Completion. Dated July 23, 2024.

Pricing Supplement to the Prospectus dated December 20, 2023, the Series J Prospectus Supplement dated December 20, 2023, the Underlying Supplement No. 1A dated May 16, 2024 and the Product Supplement No. 1A dated May 16, 2024

 

Royal Bank of Canada $ Digital S&P 500® Index-Linked Notes, due

 

The notes will not bear interest. The amount that you will be paid on your notes on the stated maturity date (expected to be the second scheduled business day after the determination date) is based on the performance of the S&P 500^® Index (which we refer to as the “underlier”) as measured from the trade date to and including the determination date (expected to be between 21 and 24 months after the trade date). If the final underlier level (defined below) on the determination date is greater than or equal to the threshold level of 87.50% of the initial underlier level (set on the trade date and expected to be the closing level of the underlier on the trade date), you will receive the threshold settlement amount (expected to be between $1,127.20 and $1,149.60 for each $1,000 principal amount of notes). However, if the final underlier level is less than the threshold level, the return on your notes will be negative. You could lose your entire investment in the notes.

 

To determine your payment at maturity, we will calculate the underlier return, which is the percentage increase or decrease in the final underlier level from the initial underlier level. On the stated maturity date, for each $1,000 principal amount of notes, you will receive an amount in cash equal to:

 

·

if the underlier return is greater than or equal to -12.50% (the final underlier level is greater than or equal to 87.50% of the initial underlier level), the threshold settlement amount; or

 

·

if the underlier return is negative and is below -12.50% (the final underlier level is less than 87.50% of the initial underlier level), the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) $1,000 times (b) approximately 1.1429 times (c) the sum of the underlier return plus 12.50%. This amount will be less than $1,000 and could be zero.

 

The foregoing is only a brief summary of the terms of your notes. You should read the additional disclosure provided in this pricing supplement so that you may better understand the terms and risks of your investment.

 

The initial estimated value of the notes determined by us as of the trade date, which we refer to as the initial estimated value, is expected to be between $964.80 and $994.80 per $1,000 principal amount of notes and will be less than the original issue price. The final pricing supplement relating to the notes will set forth the initial estimated value. The market value of the notes at any time will reflect many factors, cannot be predicted with accuracy and may be less than this amount. We describe the determination of the initial estimated value in more detail below.

 

Your investment in the notes involves certain risks, including, among other things, our credit risk. See the section “Selected Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-8 of this pricing supplement.

 

Original issue date:	, 2024	Original issue price:	100.00% of the principal amount
Underwriting discount:	0.00% of the principal amount	Net proceeds to the issuer:	100.00% of the principal amount

 

See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on page PS-12 of this pricing supplement.

 

The original issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds to the issuer listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes after the date of this pricing supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in the notes will depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.

 

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes will not constitute deposits insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other Canadian or U.S. governmental agency or instrumentality. The notes are not bail-inable notes and are not subject to conversion into our common shares under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act.

 

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Pricing Supplement dated July     , 2024

 

 

 

 

Hypothetical Examples

 

The following table and chart are provided only for purposes of illustration. They should not be taken as an indication or prediction of future investment results and are intended merely to illustrate the impact that various hypothetical final underlier levels on the determination date could have on the cash settlement amount at maturity, assuming all other variables remain constant.

 

The examples below are based on a range of final underlier levels that are entirely hypothetical. No one can predict what the underlier level will be on any day during the term of your notes, and no one can predict what the final underlier level will be. The underlier has been highly volatile in the past—meaning that the underlier level has changed considerably in relatively short periods—and its performance cannot be predicted for any future period.

 

The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the notes assuming that they are purchased on the original issue date with a $1,000 principal amount and are held to maturity. If you sell your notes in any secondary market prior to maturity, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the table below, such as interest rates and the volatility of the underlier. In addition, assuming no changes in market conditions or our creditworthiness and any other relevant factors, the value of your notes on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by RBCCM and taking into account our credit spreads) will be, and the price you may receive for your notes may be, significantly less than the principal amount. For more information on the value of your notes in the secondary market, see “Selected Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Initial Estimated Value of the Notes—The Initial Estimated Value of the Notes Will Be Less Than the Original Issue Price” below. The information in the table also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.

 

Key Terms and Assumptions
Principal amount	$1,000
Hypothetical threshold settlement amount	$1,127.20
Threshold level	87.50% of the initial underlier level
Buffer rate	approximately 114.29%
Threshold amount	12.50%
Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs on the originally scheduled determination date   No change affecting the method by which the underlier sponsor calculates the underlier   Notes purchased on original issue date at a price equal to the principal amount and held to the stated maturity date

 

Moreover, we have not yet set the initial underlier level that will serve as the baseline for determining the underlier return and the amount that we will pay on your notes, if any, at maturity. We will not do so until the trade date. As a result, the actual initial underlier level may differ substantially from the underlier level prior to the trade date and may be higher or lower than the actual closing level of the underlier on the trade date.

 

For these reasons, the actual performance of the underlier over the term of your notes, as well as the cash settlement amount, if any, may bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical underlier levels shown elsewhere in this pricing supplement. For information about the historical levels of the underlier during recent periods, see “The Underlier—Historical Performance of the Underlier” below. Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the levels of the underlier between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the notes.

 

Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes. Because of the U.S. tax treatment applicable to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the stocks included in the underlier (the “underlier stocks”).

 

The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final underlier levels and are expressed as percentages of the initial underlier level. The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final underlier level (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level), and are expressed as percentages of the principal amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent). Thus, a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 principal amount of notes at maturity would equal the principal amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final underlier level (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level) and the assumptions noted above.

 

Hypothetical Final Underlier Level (as a Percentage of the Initial Underlier Level)	Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount (as a Percentage of the Principal Amount)
150.000%	112.720%
140.000%	112.720%
130.000%	112.720%
120.000%	112.720%
112.720%	112.720%
110.000%	112.720%
105.000%	112.720%
102.500%	112.720%
100.000%	112.720%
95.000%	112.720%
90.000%	112.720%
87.500%	112.720%
87.499%	99.999%
80.000%	91.429%
75.000%	85.714%
50.000%	57.143%
25.000%	28.571%
0.000%	0.000%

 

If, for example, the final underlier level were determined to be 25.000% of the initial underlier level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be approximately 28.571% of the principal amount of your notes, as shown in the hypothetical cash settlement amount column of the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes at the principal amount on the settlement date and held them to maturity, you would lose approximately 71.429% of your investment.

 

If the final underlier level were determined to be 87.500% or more of the initial underlier level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be capped at the threshold settlement amount (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount), or 112.720% of the principal amount of your notes, as shown in the hypothetical cash settlement amount column of the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes at the principal amount on the settlement date and held them to maturity, you would not benefit from any final underlier level greater than 87.500% of the initial underlier level, regardless of the extent to which the final underlier level may be greater than 87.500% of the initial underlier level.

 

The following chart also illustrates the hypothetical cash settlement amounts (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of your notes) that we would pay on your notes on the stated maturity date, if the final underlier level (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level) were any of the hypothetical levels shown on the horizontal axis. The chart shows that any hypothetical final underlier level (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level) of less than the threshold level would result in a hypothetical cash settlement amount of less than 100.00% of the principal amount of your notes (the section below the 100.00% marker on the vertical axis) and, accordingly, in a loss of principal to the holder of the notes. The chart also shows that any hypothetical final underlier level that is greater than or equal to the threshold level (the section right of the 87.500% marker on the horizontal axis) would result in a capped return on your investment.

 

n The Note Performance                            n The Underlier Performance

 

No one can predict what the final underlier level will be. The actual amount that a holder of the notes will receive at maturity and the actual return on your investment in the notes, if any, will depend on the initial underlier level, the stated maturity date and the threshold settlement amount that will be set on the trade date and the actual final underlier level determined by the calculation agent. In addition, the actual return on your notes will further depend on the original issue price. Moreover, the assumptions on which the hypothetical table and chart are based may turn out to be inaccurate. Consequently, the return on your investment in the notes, if any, and the actual cash settlement amount to be paid in respect of the notes at maturity may be very different from the information reflected in the table and chart above.

 

selected Risk Factors

 

An investment in the notes involves significant risks. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the notes. Some of the risks that apply to an investment in the notes are summarized below, but we urge you to read also the “Risk Factors” sections of the accompanying prospectus, prospectus supplement and product supplement. You should not purchase the notes unless you understand and can bear the risks of investing in the notes. Your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the underlier stocks, i.e., the stocks included in the underlier.

 

Risks Relating to the Terms of the Notes

 

You May Lose Your Entire Investment in the Notes

 

The principal amount of your investment is not protected and you may lose a significant amount, or even all, of your investment in the notes. The cash settlement amount, if any, will depend on the performance of the underlier and the change in the level of the underlier from the trade date to the determination date, and you may receive significantly less than the principal amount of the notes. You will receive at least the principal amount of the notes at maturity, subject to our credit risk, only if the final underlier level is greater than or equal to the threshold level. If the final underlier level is less than the threshold level, then you will lose approximately 1.1429% of the principal amount of your notes for every 1% that the final underlier level is less than the threshold level. Accordingly, you could lose a substantial portion, and perhaps all, of your investment in the notes, including any premium to the principal amount you may have paid when you purchased the notes.

 

In addition, the market price of your notes prior to the stated maturity date may be significantly lower than the purchase price you pay for your notes. Consequently, if you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, the price you receive for the notes may be significantly less than the price that you paid for them.

 

The Return on the Notes Is Limited to the Return Represented by the Threshold Settlement Amount

 

You will not participate in any appreciation in the level of the underlier. Instead, you will receive a fixed threshold settlement amount if the final underlier level is greater than or equal to the threshold level. You will not receive a return on the notes greater than the return represented by the threshold settlement amount. Accordingly, the amount payable for each of your notes may be significantly less than it would have been had you invested directly in the underlier stocks.

 

Payments on the Notes Are Subject to Our Credit Risk, and Market Perceptions about Our Creditworthiness May Adversely Affect the Market Value of the Notes

 

The notes are our senior unsecured debt securities, and your receipt of any amounts due on the notes is dependent upon our ability to pay our obligations as they come due. If we were to default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the notes and you could lose your entire investment. In addition, any negative changes in market perceptions about our creditworthiness may adversely affect the market value of the notes.

 

The Notes Do Not Pay Interest, and Your Return on the Notes May Be Lower Than the Return on a Conventional Debt Security of Comparable Maturity

 

There will be no periodic interest payments on the notes as there would be on a conventional fixed-rate or floating-rate debt security having the same maturity. The return that you will receive on the notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. Even if your return is positive, your return may be less than the return you would earn if you purchased one of our conventional senior interest-bearing debt securities.

 

Any Payment on the Notes Will Be Determined Based on the Closing Levels of the Underlier on the Dates Specified

 

Any payment on the notes will be determined based on the closing levels of the underlier on the dates specified. You will not benefit from any more favorable value of the underlier determined at any other time.

 

The Stated Maturity Date of the Notes Is a Pricing Term and Will Be Determined By Us on the Trade Date

 

We will not fix the stated maturity date until the trade date. The term of the notes could be as short as the low end of the range and as long as the high end of the range set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement. You should be willing and able to hold your notes for up to the high end of the range set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement. The stated maturity date selected by us could have an impact on the value of the notes.

 

If the Original Issue Price for Your Notes Represents a Premium to the Principal Amount, the Return on Your Notes Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes for Which the Original Issue Price Is Equal to the Principal Amount or Represents a Discount to the Principal Amount

 

The cash settlement amount will not be adjusted based on the original issue price. If the original issue price for your notes differs from the principal amount, the return on your notes held to maturity will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes for which the original issue price is equal to the principal amount. If the original issue price for your notes represents a premium to the principal amount and you hold them to maturity, the return on your notes will be lower than the return on notes for which the original issue price is equal to the principal amount or represents a discount to the principal amount.

 

In addition, the impact of the threshold level and the threshold settlement amount on the return on your investment will depend upon the price you pay for your notes relative to the principal amount. For example, if the final underlier level is less than the threshold level, you will incur a greater percentage decrease in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at the principal amount or a discount to the principal amount. Similarly, if you purchase your notes at a premium to the principal amount, the threshold settlement amount will correspond to a lower percentage increase in your investment in the notes than would have been the case for notes purchased at the principal amount or a discount to the principal amount.

 

The U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of an Investment in the Notes Are Uncertain

 

There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, and significant aspects of the tax treatment of the notes are uncertain. You should review carefully the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” herein, in combination with the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying product supplement, and consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes.

 

Risks Relating to the Initial Estimated Value of the Notes and the Secondary Market for the Notes

 

There May Not Be an Active Trading Market for the Notes; Sales in the Secondary Market May Result in Significant Losses

 

There may be little or no secondary market for the notes. The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. RBCCM and our other affiliates may make a market for the notes; however, they are not required to do so and, if they choose to do so, may stop any market-making activities at any time. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the notes, the price at which you may be able to trade your notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which RBCCM or any of our other affiliates is willing to buy the notes. Even if a secondary market for the notes develops, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to easily trade or sell the notes. We expect that transaction costs in any secondary market would be high. As a result, the difference between bid and ask prices for your notes in any secondary market could be substantial. If you sell your notes before maturity, you may have to do so at a substantial discount from the price that you paid for them, and as a result, you may suffer significant losses. The notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your notes to maturity.

 

The Initial Estimated Value of the Notes Will Be Less Than the Original Issue Price

 

The initial estimated value of the notes will be less than the original issue price of the notes and does not represent a minimum price at which we, RBCCM or any of our other affiliates would be willing to purchase the notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and the initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the value of the underlier, the internal funding rate we pay to issue securities of this kind (which is lower than the rate at which we borrow funds by issuing conventional fixed rate debt) and the inclusion in the original issue price of our estimated profit and the estimated costs relating to our hedging of the notes. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways. Assuming no change in market conditions or any other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which you may be able to sell your notes prior to maturity may be less than the original issue price and the initial estimated value, as any such sale price would not be expected to include our estimated profit or the hedging costs relating to the notes. In addition, any price at which you may sell the notes is likely to reflect customary bid-ask spreads for similar trades. In addition to bid-ask spreads, the value of the notes determined for any secondary market price is expected to be based on a secondary market rate rather than the internal funding rate used to price the notes and determine the initial estimated value. As a result, the secondary market price will be less than if the internal funding rate were used.

 

As set forth below in the section “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below, for a limited period of time after the trade date, your broker may repurchase the notes at a price that is greater than the estimated value of the notes at that time. However, assuming no changes in any other relevant factors, the price you may receive if you sell your notes is expected to decline gradually during that period.

 

The Initial Estimated Value of the Notes Is Only an Estimate, Calculated as of the Trade Date

 

The initial estimated value of the notes is based on the value of our obligation to make the payments on the notes, together with the mid-market value of the derivative embedded in the terms of the notes. See “Structuring the Notes” below. Our estimate is based on a variety of assumptions, including our internal funding rate (which represents a discount from our credit spreads), expectations as to dividends, interest rates and volatility and the expected term of the notes. These assumptions are based on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. Other entities may value the notes or similar securities at a price that is significantly different than we do.

 

The value of the notes at any time after the trade date will vary based on many factors, including changes in market conditions, and cannot be predicted with accuracy. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold the notes in any secondary market, if any, should be expected to differ materially from the initial estimated value of the notes.

 

Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest and Our Trading Activities

 

Our and Our Affiliates’ Business and Trading Activities May Create Conflicts of Interest

 

You should make your own independent investigation of the merits of investing in the notes. Our and our affiliates’ economic interests are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes due to our and our affiliates’ business and trading activities, and we and our affiliates have no obligation to consider your interests in taking any actions that might affect the value of the notes. Trading by us and our affiliates may adversely affect the value of the underlier and the market value of the notes. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

RBCCM’s Role as Calculation Agent May Create Conflicts of Interest

 

As calculation agent, our affiliate, RBCCM, will determine any values of the underlier and make any other determinations necessary to calculate any payments on the notes. In making these determinations, the calculation agent may be required to make discretionary judgments, including those described under “— Risks Relating to the Underlier” below. In making these discretionary judgments, the economic interests of the calculation agent are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes, and any of these determinations may adversely affect any payments on the notes. The calculation agent will have no obligation to consider your interests as an investor in the notes in making any determinations with respect to the notes.

 

Risks Relating to the Underlier

 

You Will Not Have Any Rights to the Securities Included in the Underlier

 

As an investor in the notes, you will not have voting rights or rights to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the securities included in the underlier. The underlier is a price return index and its return does not reflect regular cash dividends paid by its components.

 

Any Payment on the Notes May Be Postponed and Adversely Affected by the Occurrence of a Market Disruption Event

 

The timing and amount of any payment on the notes is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of a market disruption event affecting the underlier. If a market disruption event persists for a sustained period, the calculation agent may make a determination of the closing level of the underlier. See “General Terms of the Notes—Indices—Market Disruption Events,” “General Terms of the Notes—Postponement of a Determination Date” and “General Terms of the Notes—Postponement of a Payment Date” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

Adjustments to the Underlier Could Adversely Affect Any Payments on the Notes

 

The underlier sponsor may add, delete, substitute or adjust the securities composing the underlier or make other methodological changes to the underlier that could affect its performance. The calculation agent will calculate the value to be used as the closing level of the underlier in the event of certain material changes in, or modifications to, the underlier. In addition, the underlier sponsor may also discontinue or suspend calculation or publication of the underlier at any time. Under these circumstances, the calculation agent may select a successor index that the calculation agent determines to be comparable to the underlier or, if no successor index is available, the calculation agent will determine the value to be used as the closing level of the underlier. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of the underlier and, consequently, the value of the notes. See “General Terms of the Notes—Indices—Discontinuation of, or Adjustments to, an Index” in the accompanying product supplement.

 

THE UNDERLIER

 

The underlier consists of stocks of 500 companies selected to provide a performance benchmark for the U.S. equity markets. For more information about the underlier, see “Indices—The S&P U.S. Indices” in the accompanying underlying supplement.

 

Historical Performance of the Underlier

 

The closing levels of the underlier have fluctuated in the past and may experience significant fluctuations in the future. Any historical upward or downward trend in the closing levels of the underlier during any period shown below is not an indication that the underlier is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the term of the notes.

 

The historical levels of the underlier are provided only for informational purposes. You should not take the historical levels of the underlier as an indication of its future performance. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of the underlier or the underlier stocks will result in your receiving an amount greater than the original issue price at maturity. Neither we nor any of our affiliates makes any representation to you as to the performance of the underlier. Moreover, in light of current market conditions, the trends reflected in the historical performance of the underlier may be less likely to be indicative of the performance of the underlier over the term of the notes than would otherwise have been the case. The actual performance of the underlier over the term of the notes, as well as the cash settlement amount, may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.

 

The graph below shows the daily historical closing levels of the underlier from July 21, 2014 through July 19, 2024. We obtained the closing levels of the underlier listed in the graph below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification.

 

Historical Performance of the S&P 500^® Index

 

 

United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

 

You should review carefully the section in the accompanying product supplement entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.” The following discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the notes.

 

Generally, this discussion assumes that you purchased the notes for cash in the original issuance at the stated issue price and does not address other circumstances specific to you, including consequences that may arise due to any other investments relating to the underlier. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect any such circumstances may have on the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your ownership of a note.

 

In the opinion of our counsel, which is based on current market conditions, it is reasonable to treat the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid financial contracts that are “open transactions,” as described in the section entitled “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders—Notes Treated as Prepaid Financial Contracts that are Open Transactions” in the accompanying product supplement. There is uncertainty regarding this treatment, and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court might not agree with it. Moreover, because this treatment of the notes and our counsel’s opinion are based on market conditions as of the date of this preliminary pricing supplement, each is subject to confirmation on the trade date. A different tax treatment could be adverse to you. Generally, if this treatment is respected, (i) you should not recognize taxable income or loss prior to the taxable disposition of your notes (including upon maturity or an earlier redemption, if applicable) and (ii) the gain or loss on your notes should be treated as short-term capital gain or loss unless you have held the notes for more than one year, in which case your gain or loss should be treated as long-term capital gain or loss.

 

We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the treatment of the notes. An alternative characterization of the notes could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the notes, including the timing and character of income recognized. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar financial instruments and have indicated that such transactions may be the subject of future regulations or other guidance. Furthermore, members of Congress have proposed legislative changes to the tax treatment of derivative contracts. Any legislation, Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.

 

Non-U.S. Holders. As discussed under “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Dividend Equivalents under Section 871(m) of the Code” in the accompanying product supplement, Section 871(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% 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. The Treasury regulations, as modified by an IRS notice, exempt financial instruments issued prior to January 1, 2027 that do not have a “delta” of one. Based on certain determinations made by us, we expect that Section 871(m) will not apply to the notes with regard to Non-U.S. Holders. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. If necessary, further information regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) will be provided in the final pricing supplement for the notes.

 

We will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to U.S. federal withholding taxes.

 

You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments, as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)

 

We will sell to RBCCM, and RBCCM will purchase from us, the principal amount of the notes specified, at the price specified, on the cover page of this pricing supplement. RBCCM, acting as our agent, will not receive an underwriting discount in connection with the sale of the notes. RBCCM has informed us that, as part of its distribution of the notes, it will reoffer them at a purchase price equal to 100.00% of the principal amount to one or more other dealers who will sell them to their customers. A fee will be paid to iCapital Markets LLC, a broker-dealer with no affiliation with us, for services it is providing in connection with this offering. An affiliate of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, which is acting as a dealer in connection with the distribution of the notes, holds an indirect minority equity interest in iCapital Markets, LLC. In the future, RBCCM or one of its affiliates, may repurchase and resell the notes in market-making transactions, with resales being made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of resale or at negotiated prices. For more information about the plan of distribution, the distribution agreement and possible market-making activities, see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

RBCCM or another of our affiliates may make a market in the notes after the trade date; however, it is not obligated to do so. The price that it makes available from time to time after the issue date at which it would be willing to repurchase the notes will generally reflect its estimate of their value. That estimated value will be based on a variety of factors, including then-prevailing market conditions, our creditworthiness and transaction costs. However, for a period of approximately three months after the trade date, the price at which RBCCM may repurchase the notes may be higher than their estimated value at that time. This is because the estimated value of the notes will not include our hedging costs and profits; however, the price at which RBCCM may repurchase the notes during that period may initially be a higher amount, reflecting the addition of a portion of our estimated costs and profits from hedging the notes. This excess is expected to decrease over time until the end of this period. After this period, if RBCCM continues to make a market in the notes, the prices that it would pay for them are expected to reflect its estimated value, as well as customary bid-ask spreads for similar trades. In addition, the value of the notes shown on your account statement may not be identical to the price at which RBCCM would be willing to purchase the notes at that time, and could be lower than RBCCM’s price.

 

RBCCM or another of its affiliates or agents may use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, RBCCM or any other affiliate of Royal Bank of Canada may use this pricing supplement in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless RBCCM or its agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.

 

For additional information about the settlement cycle of the notes, see “Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus. For additional information as to the relationship between us and RBCCM, see the section “Plan of Distribution—Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Structuring the Notes

 

The notes are our debt securities. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our structured notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness. In addition, because structured notes result in increased operational, funding and liability management costs to us, we typically borrow the funds under structured notes at a rate that is lower than the rate that we might pay for a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity. The lower internal funding rate and the hedging-related costs relating to the notes reduce the economic terms of the notes to you and result in the initial estimated value for the notes being less than their original issue price. Unlike the initial estimated value, any value of the notes determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction may be based on a secondary market rate, which may result in a lower value for the notes than if our initial internal funding rate were used.

 

In order to satisfy our payment obligations under the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with RBCCM and/or one of our other affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, volatility and the tenor of the notes. The economic terms of the notes and the initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements. Our cost of hedging will include the projected profit that such counterparties expect to realize in consideration for assuming the risks inherent in hedging our obligations under the notes. Because hedging our obligations entails risks and may be influenced by market forces beyond the counterparties’ control, such hedging may result in a profit that is more or less than expected, or could result in a loss. See “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-17 of the accompanying product supplement.

 

See “Selected Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Initial Estimated Value of the Notes and the Secondary Market for the Notes—The Initial Estimated Value of the Notes Will Be Less Than the Original Issue Price” above.

 

 

 

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