NRSCF Nomura Holdings Inc (PK)

 

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.

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Statement Nos. 333-273353

333-273353-01

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. DATED AUGUST 6, 2024

 

PRICING SUPPLEMENT TO THE PROSPECTUS DATED JULY 20, 2023 AND THE PRODUCT PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 29, 2024

 

 

US$

Nomura America Finance, LLC

Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by Nomura Holdings, Inc.

 

Issuer Redeemable Contingent Coupon Barrier Notes Linked to the Least Performing of the S&P 500^® Index, the Russell 2000^® Index and the EURO STOXX^® Banks Index due August 11, 2026

 

·

Nomura America Finance, LLC is offering the issuer redeemable contingent coupon barrier notes linked to the least performing of the S&P 500® Index, the Russell 2000® Index and the EURO STOXX® Banks Index (each, a “reference asset” and together, the “reference assets”) due August 11, 2026 (the “notes”) described below. The notes are unsecured securities. All payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk and that of the guarantor of the notes, Nomura Holdings, Inc.

 

·

Quarterly contingent coupon payments at a rate of at least 2.75% (equivalent to at least 11.00% per annum) (to be determined on the trade date), payable if the closing value of each reference asset on the applicable coupon observation date is greater than or equal to 65.00% of its initial value.

 

·

The notes will be redeemable by us, at our option, in whole but not in part, at the principal amount plus the applicable contingent coupon, if payable, on any optional redemption date on or after February 11, 2025, regardless of the performance of any reference asset.

 

·

If the notes are not redeemed and the least performing reference asset declines by more than 35.00%, there is full exposure to declines in the least performing reference asset, and you will lose all or a portion of your principal amount at maturity. The reference asset with the lowest reference asset performance is the “least performing reference asset.”

 

·

Approximately a two year maturity, if not redeemed.

 

·

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.

 

·

The notes are not ordinary debt securities, and you should carefully consider whether the notes are suited to your particular circumstances.

 

Investing in the notes involves significant risks, including our and Nomura’s credit risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes” beginning on page PS-6 of this pricing supplement, under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 in the accompanying prospectus, under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” beginning on page PS-18 of the accompanying product prospectus supplement, and any risk factors incorporated by reference into the accompanying prospectus before you invest in the notes.

 

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Nomura Securities International, Inc.) is expected to be between $928.20 and $968.20 per $1,000 principal amount, which is expected to be less than the price to public.

 

We expect delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about the original issue date specified below.

 

The notes will be our unsecured obligations. We are not a bank, and the notes will not constitute deposits insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

 

	Price to Public	Agent’s Commission	Proceeds to Issuer
Per Note	100.00%	Up to 1.35%	At least 98.65%
Total	$	$	$

 

Nomura Securities International, Inc., acting as the distribution agent, will purchase the notes from us at the price to the public less the agent’s commission. The price to public, agent’s commission and proceeds to issuer listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes after the trade date but prior to the original issue date, at a price to public, agent’s commission and proceeds to issuer that differ from the amounts set forth above, but the agent’s commission will not exceed the amount set forth above and the proceeds to issuer will not be less than the amount set forth above. Certain dealers who purchase the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions.

 

We will use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Nomura Securities International, Inc. or another of our affiliates may use the final pricing supplement in market-making transactions in the notes after their initial sale. Unless we or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, the final pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this pricing supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Nomura

 

August     , 2024

 

 

TERMS OF THE NOTES
Issuer:	Nomura America Finance, LLC (“we” or “us”)
Guarantor:	Nomura Holdings, Inc. (“Nomura”)
Principal Amount:	US$
Reference Assets:	The least performing of the S&P 500® Index (Ticker: SPX) (the “SPX”), the Russell 2000® Index (Ticker: RTY) (the “RTY”) and the EURO STOXX® Banks Index (Ticker: SX7E) (the “SX7E”) (each, a “reference asset” and together, the “reference assets”)
Strike Date:	August 2, 2024
Trade Date:	August 6, 2024
Original Issue Date:	August 9, 2024 (expected to be the third scheduled business day after the trade date)
Stated Maturity Date:	August 11, 2026, unless that date is not a business day, in which case the maturity date will be the next following business day. The actual maturity date for the notes may be different if postponed as described under “General Terms of the Notes—Market Disruption Events” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement.
Final Valuation Date:	August 6, 2026, subject to postponement as described under “General Terms of the Notes—Market Disruption Events” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement.

Coupon Observation Dates and Coupon Payment Dates:	Coupon Observation Dates		Coupon Payment Dates
	November 6, 2024		November 12, 2024
	February 6, 2025		February 11, 2025	*
	May 6, 2025		May 9, 2025	*
	August 6, 2025		August 11, 2025	*
	November 6, 2025		November 12, 2025	*
	February 6, 2026		February 11, 2026	*
	May 6, 2026		May 11, 2026	*
	August 6, 2026 (the Final Valuation Date)		August 11, 2026 (the Stated Maturity Date)
	* These coupon payment dates are also optional redemption dates Each subject to postponement as described under “General Terms of the Notes—Market Disruption Events” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement.

Contingent Coupon:

If the closing value of each reference asset is greater than or equal to its contingent coupon barrier on a coupon observation date, you will receive the contingent coupon of at least $27.50 (to be determined on the trade date) per $1,000 principal amount on the applicable coupon payment date.   If the closing value of any reference asset is less than its contingent coupon barrier on a coupon observation date, the contingent coupon applicable to such coupon observation date will not be payable.   You may not receive any contingent coupon payments over the term of the notes.

Contingent Coupon Rate:

At least 2.75% quarterly (equivalent to at least 11.00% per annum) (to be determined on the trade date).

 

 

Early Redemption at the Option of the Issuer:	We may, at our election, redeem the notes on any optional redemption date on or after February 11, 2025. In that case, you will receive a redemption payment amount, per $1,000 principal amount of notes, equal to the principal amount plus the contingent coupon, if payable, on the corresponding optional redemption date.  If we elect to redeem the notes, we will send a notice to DTC through the trustee at least 5 days and no more than 45 days before the applicable optional redemption date. We will have no independent obligation to notify you directly.
Payment at Maturity:	Unless the notes are redeemed by us at our election, on the maturity date, for each $1,000 principal amount of notes, we will pay you the cash settlement amount.
Cash Settlement Amount:	Unless the notes are redeemed by us at our election, for each $1,000 principal amount, you will receive a cash payment on the maturity date, calculated as follows:   If the final value of the least performing reference asset is greater than or equal to its barrier value:   $1,000 + final contingent coupon   If the final value of the least performing reference asset is less than its barrier value:   $1,000 + ($1,000 × reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset).   If the notes are not redeemed and the final value of the least performing reference asset is less than its barrier value, you will lose up to 100% of the principal amount. Even with any contingent coupons, your return on the notes may be negative in this case.
Least Performing Reference Asset:	The reference asset with the lowest reference asset performance.
Reference Asset Performance:	With respect to each reference asset, the quotient, expressed as a percentage, calculated as follows: final value - initial value initial value
Initial Value:	5,346.56 with respect to the SPX, 2,109.310 with respect to the RTY and 132.75 with respect to the SX7E, each of which was its closing value on the strike date.
Final Value:	For each reference asset, its closing value on the final valuation date.
Contingent Coupon Barrier:	3,475.26 with respect to the SPX, 1,371.052 with respect to the RTY and 86.29 with respect to the SX7E, each of which is 65.00% of its initial value (rounded to two decimal places for the SPX and the SX7E, and rounded to three decimal places for the RTY).
Barrier Value:	3,475.26 with respect to the SPX, 1,371.052 with respect to the RTY and 86.29 with respect to the SX7E, each of which is 65.00% of its initial value (rounded to two decimal places for the SPX and the SX7E, and rounded to three decimal places for the RTY).
Denominations:	$1,000 and integral multiples thereof
Defeasance:	Not applicable
Program:	Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A
CUSIP No.:	65541KAH7
ISIN No.:	US65541KAH77

 

 

Currency:	U.S. dollars
Calculation Agent:	Nomura Securities International, Inc.
Trustee, Paying Agent and Transfer Agent:	Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas
Clearance and Settlement:	The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (including through its indirect participants Euroclear and Clearstream, as described under “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the accompanying prospectus)
Minimum Initial Investment Amount:	$1,000
Original Issue Price (Price to Public):	100.00%
Listing:	The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange
Distribution Agent:	Nomura Securities International, Inc.

 

The trade date and the other dates set forth above are subject to change, and will be set forth in the final pricing supplement relating to the notes.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

You should read this pricing supplement together with the prospectus, dated July 20, 2023 (the “prospectus”), and the product prospectus supplement, dated February 29, 2024 (the “product prospectus supplement”), relating to our Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A, of which these notes are a part. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this pricing supplement and the terms of the prospectus or the product prospectus supplement, the terms of this pricing supplement will control.

 

This pricing supplement, together with the prospectus and the product prospectus supplement, contains the terms of the notes. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus, under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement, and under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes” beginning on page PS-6 of this pricing supplement. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

 

We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide. This pricing supplement is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this pricing supplement is current only as of its date.

 

You may access the prospectus and the product prospectus supplement on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows:

 

·

Prospectus dated July 20, 2023:

 

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1383951/000110465923082805/tm2320650-3_424b3.htm

 

·

Product Prospectus Supplement dated February 29, 2024:

 

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1163653/000110465924029404/tm247408-1_424b3.htm

 

 

ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

 

An investment in the notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement. You should carefully consider whether the notes are suited to your particular circumstances. The notes are not secured debt.

Please note that in this section entitled “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes,” references to “holders” mean those who own notes registered in their own names, on the books that we, Nomura or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in notes registered in street name or in notes issued in book-entry form through DTC or another depositary. Owners of beneficial interests in the notes should read the section entitled “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the accompanying prospectus.

We urge you to read all of the following information about some of the risks associated with the notes, together with the other information in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying product prospectus supplement before investing in the notes .

 

Risks Relating to the Structure or Features of the Notes

 

The Notes Do Not Guarantee Any Return of Principal and You May Lose All of Your Principal Amount.

 

The notes do not guarantee any return of principal. The notes differ from ordinary debt securities in that we will not pay you 100% of the principal amount of your notes if the notes are not redeemed and the final value of any reference asset is less than its barrier value. In this case, the payment at maturity you will be entitled to receive will be less than the principal amount and you will lose 1% for each 1% that the reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset is less than 0.00%. You may lose up to 100% of your investment at maturity. Even with any contingent coupons received prior to maturity, your return on the notes may be negative in this case.

 

The Amount Payable on the Notes Is Not Linked to the Values of the Reference Assets at Any Time Other Than the Coupon Observation Dates, Including the Final Valuation Date.

 

The payments on the notes will be based on the closing value of each reference asset on the coupon observation dates, including the final valuation date, subject to postponement for non-trading days and certain market disruption events. Even if the value of the least performing reference asset is greater than or equal to its contingent coupon barrier during the term of the notes other than on a coupon observation date but then decreases on a coupon observation date to a value that is less than its contingent coupon barrier, the contingent coupon will not be payable for the relevant quarterly period. Similarly, if the notes are not redeemed, even if the value of the least performing reference asset is greater than or equal to its barrier value during the term of the notes other than on the final valuation date but then decreases on the final valuation date to a value that is less than its barrier value, the payment at maturity will be less, possibly significantly less, than it would have been had the payment at maturity been linked to the value of the least performing reference asset prior to such decrease. Although the actual value of the least performing reference asset on the maturity date or at other times during the term of the notes may be higher than its value on the coupon observation dates, whether each contingent coupon will be payable and the payment at maturity will be based solely on the closing value of the least performing reference asset on the applicable coupon observation dates.

 

You May Not Receive Any Contingent Coupons.

 

We will not necessarily make periodic coupon payments on the notes. If the closing value of any reference asset on a coupon observation date is less than its contingent coupon barrier, we will not pay you the contingent coupon applicable to that coupon observation date. If on each of the coupon observation dates, the closing value of any reference asset is less than its contingent coupon barrier, we will not pay you any contingent coupons during the term of, and you will not receive a positive return on, the notes. Generally, this non-payment of the contingent coupon coincides with a period of greater risk of principal loss on the notes.

 

Your Return on the Notes Is Limited to the Principal Amount Plus the Contingent Coupons, If Any, Regardless of Any Appreciation in the Value of Any Reference Asset.

 

You will not participate in any appreciation of the reference assets. In addition to any contingent coupon payments received prior to maturity or early redemption, for each $1,000 principal amount, at maturity or upon early redemption, you

 

 

will receive $1,000 plus the final contingent coupon if the closing value of the least performing reference asset on the relevant coupon observation date is equal to or greater than its contingent coupon barrier, regardless of any appreciation in the value of any reference asset, which may be significant. Accordingly, the return on the notes may be significantly less than the return on a security, the return of which was directly linked to the performance of any reference asset during the term of the notes.

 

The Notes May Be Redeemed Prior to the Maturity Date.

 

If the notes are redeemed early, the holding period over which you may receive contingent coupon payments could be as little as approximately six months. It is more likely that we will redeem the notes prior to maturity if we expect that the contingent coupon payments are likely to be payable on most or all of the coupon payment dates during the term of the notes, resulting in a return on the notes which is greater than the interest that would be payable on other instruments issued by us of comparable maturity, terms and credit rating trading in the market. There is no guarantee that you would be able to reinvest the proceeds from an investment in the notes at a comparable return for a similar level of risk in the event the notes are redeemed prior to the maturity date.

 

Since the Notes Are Linked to the Performance of More Than One Reference Asset, You Will Be Fully Exposed to the Risk of Fluctuations in the Value of Each Reference Asset.

 

Since the notes are linked to the performance of more than one reference asset, the notes will be linked to the individual performance of each reference asset. Because such notes are not linked to a basket, in which the risk is mitigated and diversified among all of the components of a basket, you will be exposed to the risk of fluctuations in the value of each reference asset. For example, in the case of notes linked to a basket, the return would depend on the aggregate performance of the basket components reflected as the basket return. Thus, the depreciation of any basket component could be mitigated by the appreciation of another basket component. However, in the case of notes linked to the performance of more than one reference asset, the individual performance of each of the reference assets would not be combined to calculate your return and the depreciation of any reference asset would not be mitigated by the appreciation of the other reference assets. Instead, your return would depend on the least performing reference asset.

 

Because the Notes Are Linked to the Performance of the Least Performing Reference Asset, You are Exposed to Greater Risks of Sustaining a Significant Loss on Your Investment Than if the Notes Were Linked to Just One Reference Asset.

 

The risk that you will suffer a significant loss on your investment is greater if you invest in such notes as opposed to substantially similar securities that are linked to the performance of just one reference asset. With multiple reference assets, it is more likely that the value of one of the reference assets will be below its barrier value on the final valuation date, than if the notes were linked to only one reference asset. Therefore, it is more likely that you will suffer a significant loss on your investment.

 

Higher Contingent Coupon Rates or Lower Barrier Values Are Generally Associated With a Reference Asset With Greater Expected Volatility and Therefore Can Indicate a Greater Risk of Loss.

 

"Volatility" refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the value of a reference asset. The greater the expected volatility with respect to a reference asset on the trade date, the higher the expectation as of the trade date that the value of the reference asset could close below its contingent coupon barrier on a coupon observation date or its barrier value on the final valuation date, indicating a higher expected risk of non-payment of contingent coupons or loss on the notes. This greater expected risk will generally be reflected in a higher contingent coupon rate than the yield payable on our conventional debt securities with a similar maturity, or in more favorable terms (such as a lower barrier value, a lower contingent coupon barrier or a higher contingent coupon rate) than for similar securities linked to the performance of a reference asset with a lower expected volatility as of the trade date. You should therefore understand that a relatively higher contingent coupon rate may indicate an increased risk of loss. Further, a relatively lower barrier value may not necessarily indicate that the notes have a greater likelihood of a repayment of principal at maturity. The volatility of a reference asset can change significantly over the term of the notes. The value of the reference asset for your notes could fall sharply, which could result in a significant loss of principal. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of the reference asset and the potential to lose some or all of your principal at maturity and to not receive any contingent coupons.

 

 

Risks Relating to the Reference Assets

 

Changes That Affect the Reference Assets May Affect the Value of the Reference Assets and the Market Value of the Notes and the Amount You Will Receive on the Notes and the Amount You Will Receive at Maturity.

 

The policies of the reference asset sponsors of the reference assets concerning additions, deletions and substitutions of the stocks included in the reference assets, and the manner in which the reference sponsor takes account of certain changes affecting those stocks, may affect the value of the reference assets. The policies of the reference asset sponsors with respect to the calculation of the reference assets could also affect the value of the reference assets. The reference asset sponsors may discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the reference assets. Any such actions could affect the value of the reference assets and the value of and the return on the notes.

 

An Investment In the Notes Is Subject to Small-capitalization Risks.

 

The RTY tracks companies that are considered small-capitalization. These companies often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies and therefore the level of the RTY may be more volatile than an investment in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments, and the stocks of small-capitalization companies may be thinly traded, making it difficult for the RTY to track them. In addition, small-capitalization companies are typically less stable financially than large-capitalization companies and may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Small-capitalization companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early, and less predictable, periods of their corporate existences. Such companies tend to have smaller revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products or services. Any of these factors may adversely affect the performance of the RTY and consequently, the return on the notes.

 

An Investment In the Notes Is Subject to Risks Associated With Foreign Securities Markets.

 

The SX7E includes the stocks of foreign companies and you should be aware that investments in securities linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Foreign securities markets may have less liquidity and may be more volatile than the U.S. securities markets, and market developments may affect foreign markets differently than U.S. securities markets. Direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize a foreign securities market, as well as cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in those markets. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about non-U.S. companies that are not subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and non-U.S. companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.

 

The prices and performance of securities of non-U.S. companies are subject to political, economic, financial, military and social factors which could negatively affect foreign securities markets, including the possibility of recent or future changes in a foreign government’s economic, monetary and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities, the possibility of imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility or political instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse public health developments. Moreover, the relevant non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects, such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, trade surpluses or deficits, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency. In addition, the United Kingdom ceased to be a member of the European Union on January 31, 2020 (popularly known as “Brexit”). The effect of Brexit is uncertain, and Brexit has contributed and may continue to contribute to volatility in the prices of securities of companies located in Europe and currency exchange rates, including the valuation of the euro and British pound in particular.

 

The stocks included in the SX7E are listed on foreign stock exchanges. A foreign stock exchange may impose trading limitations intended to prevent extreme fluctuations in individual security prices and may suspend trading in certain circumstances. These actions could limit variations in the closing value of the SX7E which could, in turn, adversely affect the value of the notes.

 

 

The Notes Will Not Be Adjusted for Changes in Exchange Rates.

 

Although the equity securities that are included in the SX7E are traded in the foreign currencies, and your notes are denominated in U.S. dollars, the SX7E and the amount payable on the notes will not be adjusted for changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the foreign currencies. Changes in exchange rates, however, may also reflect changes in the foreign economies that in turn may affect the level of the SX7E, and therefore the return on your notes. The amount we will pay in respect of your notes will be determined solely in accordance with the procedures described in this pricing supplement.

 

The Notes Are Subject to Risks Associated With the Banking Industry.

 

All or substantially all of the equity securities included in the SX7E are issued by companies whose primary line of business is directly associated with the banking industry. As a result, the value of the notes may be subject to greater volatility and be more adversely affected by a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting this industry than a different investment linked to securities of a more broadly diversified group of issuers. The performance of bank stocks may be affected by extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they 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 sector. Banks may also be subject to severe price competition. Competition among banking companies is high and failure to maintain or increase market share may result in lost market share. These factors could affect the banking industry and could affect the value of the equity securities included in the SX7E and the level of the SX7E during the term of the notes, which may adversely affect the value of your notes.

 

The SX7E May Be Disproportionately Affected By the Performance of a Small Number of Stocks, and the SX7E Is Not Necessarily Representative of the Banking Industry.

 

The number of securities included in the SX7E is limited. In addition, a few top securities included in the SX7E may constitute a substantial weight of the SX7E. Any reduction in the market price of those securities is likely to have a substantial adverse impact on the level of the SX7E and the return on the notes.

 

While the securities included in the SX7E are equity securities of companies in the banking industry, the securities included in the SX7E may not follow the price movements of the entire banking industry generally. If the securities included in the SX7E decline in value, the level of the SX7E will decline even if security prices in the banking industry generally increase in value.

 

General Risk Factors

 

You Are Subject to Nomura’s Credit Risk, and the Value of Your Notes May Be Adversely Affected by Negative Changes in the Market’s Perception of Nomura’s Creditworthiness.

 

By purchasing the notes, you are making, in part, a decision about Nomura’s ability to pay you the amounts you are owed pursuant to the terms of your notes. Substantially all of our assets consist of loans to and other receivables from Nomura and its subsidiaries. Our obligations under your notes are guaranteed by Nomura. Therefore, as a practical matter, our ability to pay you amounts we owe on the notes is directly or indirectly linked solely to Nomura’s creditworthiness. In addition, the market’s perception of Nomura’s creditworthiness generally will directly impact the value of your notes. If Nomura becomes or is perceived as becoming less creditworthy following your purchase of notes, you should expect that the notes will decline in value in the secondary market, perhaps substantially. If you sell your notes in the secondary market in such an environment, you may incur a substantial loss.

 

The Estimated Value of Your Notes at the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set on the Trade Date (as Determined by Reference to Our Pricing Models) Will Be Less Than the Original Issue Price of Your Notes.

 

The original issue price for your notes will exceed the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as determined by reference to our pricing models. Such estimated value will be set forth on the front cover of the final pricing supplement. After the trade date, the estimated value, as determined by reference to these pricing models, may be affected by changes in market conditions, our and Nomura’s creditworthiness and other relevant factors. If Nomura Securities International, Inc. buys or sells your notes, it will do so at prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to such pricing models at that time. The price at which Nomura Securities International, Inc. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect, among other things, its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes.

 

 

In estimating the value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as will be disclosed on the front cover of the final pricing supplement, our pricing models consider certain variables, including principally Nomura’s internal funding rates, interest rates (forecasted, current and historical rates), volatility, price-sensitivity analysis and the time to maturity of the notes. These pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. In addition, our internal funding rate used in our models generally results in a higher estimated value of your notes than would result if we estimated the value using our credit spreads for our conventional fixed rate debt. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market may differ, possibly even materially, from the estimated value of your notes that we will determine by reference to our pricing models as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date due to, among other things, any differences in pricing models, third-parties’ use of our credit spreads in their models, or assumptions used by other market participants.

 

The difference between the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date and the original issue price is a result of certain factors, including principally the underwriting discount and commissions, the expenses incurred in creating, documenting and marketing the notes, and an estimate of the difference between the amounts we pay to our affiliates and the amounts our affiliates pay to us in connection with their agreement to hedge our obligations on your notes.

 

If We Were to Repurchase Your Notes Immediately After the Original Issue Date, the Price You Receive May Be Higher Than the Estimated Value of The Notes.

 

Assuming that all relevant factors remain constant after the original issue date, the price at which we may initially buy or sell the notes in the secondary market, if any, and the value that may initially be used for customer account statements, if any, may exceed the estimated value on the trade date for a temporary period expected to be approximately 1 month after the original issue date. This temporary price difference may exist because, in our discretion, we may elect to effectively reimburse to investors a portion of the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes and other costs in connection with the notes that we will no longer expect to incur over the term of the notes. We will make such discretionary election and determine this temporary reimbursement period on the basis of a number of factors, including the tenor of the notes and any agreement we may have with the distributors of the notes. The amount of our estimated costs which we effectively reimburse to investors in this way may not be allocated ratably throughout the reimbursement period, and we may discontinue such reimbursement at any time or revise the duration of the reimbursement period after the original issue date of the notes based on changes in market conditions and other factors that cannot be predicted.

 

Because Nomura Is a Holding Company, Your Right to Receive Payments on Nomura’s Guarantee of the Notes Is Subordinated to the Liabilities of Nomura’s Other Subsidiaries.

 

The ability of Nomura to make payments, as guarantor, on the notes, depends upon Nomura’s receipt of dividends, loan payments and other funds from subsidiaries. In addition, if any of Nomura’s subsidiaries becomes insolvent, the direct creditors of that subsidiary will have a prior claim on its assets, and Nomura’s rights and the rights of Nomura’s creditors, including your rights as an owner of the notes, will be subject to that prior claim.

 

Nomura’s subsidiaries are subject to various laws and regulations that may restrict Nomura’s ability to receive dividends, loan payments and other funds from subsidiaries. In particular, many of Nomura’s subsidiaries, including its broker-dealer subsidiaries, are subject to laws and regulations, including regulatory capital requirements, that authorize regulatory bodies to block or reduce the flow of funds to the parent holding company, or that prohibit such transfers altogether in certain circumstances. For example, Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., Nomura Securities International, Inc., Nomura International plc and Nomura International (Hong Kong) Limited, Nomura’s main broker-dealer subsidiaries, are subject to regulatory capital requirements that could limit the transfer of funds to Nomura. These laws and regulations may hinder Nomura’s ability to access funds needed to make payments on Nomura’s obligations.

 

You Must Rely on Your Own Evaluation of the Merits of an Investment Linked to the Reference Assets.

 

In the ordinary course of business, Nomura or any of its affiliates may have expressed views on expected movements in the reference assets, and may do so in the future. These views or reports may be communicated to Nomura’s clients and clients of its affiliates. However, any such views are and will be subject to change from time to time. Moreover, other professionals who deal in markets relating to the reference assets may at any time have significantly different views from those of Nomura or its affiliates. For these reasons, you are encouraged to derive information concerning the reference assets from multiple sources, and you should not rely on any of the views that may have been expressed or that may be expressed in the future by Nomura or any of its affiliates. Neither the offering of the notes nor any view which Nomura or

 

 

any of its affiliates from time to time may express in the ordinary course of business constitutes a recommendation as to the merits of an investment in the notes or any of the component securities.

 

Your Return May Be Lower Than the Return on Other Debt Securities of Comparable Maturity.

 

Any contingent coupons payable on your notes may represent a return that is below the prevailing market rate for other debt securities of comparable maturity that are not linked to a reference asset. Consequently, unless the cash settlement amount you receive on the maturity date substantially exceeds the amount you paid for your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes could be less than what you would have earned by investing in non–underlier-linked debt securities that bear interest at prevailing market rates. For example, your return may be less than the return you would earn if you bought a traditional interest-bearing debt security with the same maturity date. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you take into account factors that affect the time value of money.

 

The Historical Performance of the Reference Assets Should Not Be Taken as an Indication of Its Future Performance.

 

The historical levels of the reference assets included in this pricing supplement should not be taken as an indication of its future performance. Changes in the levels of the reference assets will affect the market value of the notes, but it is impossible to predict whether the levels of the reference assets will rise or fall during the term of the notes. The levels of the reference assets will be influenced by complex and interrelated political, economic, financial and other factors.

 

Our or Our Affiliates’ Hedging and Trading Activities May Adversely Affect the Market Value of the Notes.

 

As described under “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement, we or one or more of our affiliates may hedge our obligations under the notes by entering into transactions involving purchases of futures and/or other derivative instruments linked to the reference assets. We also expect that we or one or more of our affiliates will adjust these hedges by, among other things, purchasing or selling any of the foregoing, and perhaps other instruments linked to any of the foregoing, at any time and from time to time, and unwind the hedge by selling any of the foregoing on or before the final valuation date for the notes or in connection with the redemption of the notes. Our or our affiliates’ hedging activities may result in our or our affiliates’ receiving a substantial return on these hedging activities even if your investment in the notes results in a loss to you. These hedging activities could adversely affect the levels of the reference assets and, therefore, the market value of the notes and the cash settlement amount payable on the notes.

 

We or one or more of our affiliates may also issue or underwrite other securities or financial or derivative instruments with returns linked or related to changes in the performance of the reference assets. By introducing competing products into the marketplace in this manner, we or one or more of our affiliates could adversely affect the market value of the notes and the cash settlement amount payable on the notes.

 

We or one or more of our affiliates may also engage in business with the component securities issuers or trading activities related to the component securities, which may present a conflict of interest between us (or our affiliates) and you.

 

There Are Potential Conflicts of Interest between You and the Calculation Agent and between You and Our Other Affiliates.

 

The calculation agent will make important determinations as to the notes. Among other things, the calculation agent will determine the applicable closing values of the reference assets. We have initially appointed our affiliate, Nomura Securities International, Inc., to act as the calculation agent. We may change the calculation agent after the original issue date without notice to you. For a fuller description of the calculation agent’s role, see “General Terms of the Notes— Role of Calculation Agent” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement. The calculation agent will exercise its judgment when performing its functions and will make any determination required or permitted of it in its sole discretion. For example, the calculation agent may have to determine whether a market disruption event affecting a reference asset has occurred and may also have to determine its closing value in such case. This determination may, in turn, depend on the calculation agent’s judgment whether the event has materially interfered with our ability or the ability of one of our affiliates to unwind our hedge positions. The calculation agent may also have to select a substitute index if a reference asset is discontinued. All determinations by the calculation agent are final and binding on you absent manifest error. Since this determination by the calculation agent will affect the cash settlement amount payable on the notes, the calculation agent may have a conflict of interest if it needs to make a determination of this kind, and the cash settlement amount payable on your notes may be adversely affected. In addition, if the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event has occurred, it can postpone any relevant valuation date, which may have the effect of postponing the maturity date. If this occurs, you will receive the cash settlement amount, if any, after the originally scheduled stated maturity date but will not receive any additional payment or any interest on such postponed cash settlement amount.

 

 

We or our affiliates may have other conflicts of interest with holders of the notes. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes—Our or Our Affiliates’ Business Activities May Create Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying product prospectus supplement.

 

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

 

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange, and there may be little or no secondary market for the notes. Nomura Securities International, Inc. and other affiliates of ours currently intend to make a market for the notes, although they are not required to do so. Nomura Securities International, Inc. or any other affiliate of ours may stop any such market-making activities at any time. Even if a secondary market for the notes develops, it may not provide significant liquidity and the notes may not trade at prices advantageous to you. 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.

 

Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions, or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount.

 

If you sell your notes before the maturity date, you may have to do so at a substantial discount from the issue price and as a result you may suffer substantial losses.

 

 

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES

 

The following table and examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are hypothetical. They do not purport to be representative of every possible scenario concerning increases or decreases in the value of the reference assets relative to its initial value. We cannot predict the closing value of the reference assets on any coupon observation date, including the final valuation date. The assumptions we have made in connection with the illustrations set forth below may not reflect actual events. You should not take this illustration or these examples as an indication or assurance of the expected performance of the reference assets or the return on the notes.   The table and examples below illustrate how the cash settlement amount would be calculated with respect to a $1,000 investment in the notes, given a range of hypothetical performances of the least performing reference asset. The hypothetical returns on the notes below are numbers, expressed as percentages, that result from comparing the cash settlement amount per $1,000 principal amount to $1,000. The potential returns described below assume that the notes have not been redeemed by us prior to maturity and are held to maturity, and are calculated excluding any contingent coupon payments paid prior to maturity. The numbers appearing in the following table and examples may have been rounded for ease of analysis. The following table and examples assume the following. These are not the actual terms of the notes and the notes’ terms may be more or less favorable than those shown in the following table and examples:

 

🞂	Principal amount:	$1,000
🞂	Hypothetical initial value of the least performing reference asset:	1,000.00
🞂	Hypothetical barrier value of the least performing reference asset:	650.00 (65.00% of its hypothetical initial value)
🞂	Hypothetical contingent coupon barrier of the least performing reference asset:	650.00 (65.00% of its hypothetical initial value)
🞂	Hypothetical contingent coupon rate:	2.75% quarterly (equivalent to 11.00 per annum)

 

Hypothetical Final Value of the Least Performing Reference Asset	Hypothetical Reference Asset Performance of the Least Performing Reference Asset	Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount	Hypothetical Return on the Notes (Excluding Any Contingent Coupons Paid Prior to Maturity)
2,000.00	100.00%	$1,027.50(1)	2.75%
1,500.00	50.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
1,250.00	25.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
1,000.00(2)	0.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
800.00	-20.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
700.00	-30.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
650.00(3)	-35.00%	$1,027.50	2.75%
640.00	-36.00%	$640.00	-36.00%
400.00	-60.00%	$400.00	-60.00%
300.00	-70.00%	$300.00	-70.00%
250.00	-75.00%	$250.00	-75.00%
0.00	-100.00%	$0.00	-100.00%

 

(1)

The cash settlement amount will not exceed the principal amount plus the final contingent coupon.

(2)

The hypothetical initial value of 1,000 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only. The actual initial value of each reference asset is set forth on page PS-3 of this pricing supplement.

(3)

This is the hypothetical barrier value of the least performing reference asset.

 

 

The following examples indicate how the cash settlement amount would be calculated with respect to a hypothetical $1,000 investment in the notes assuming that the notes have not been automatically called prior to maturity and are held to maturity.

 

Example 1: The reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset is 50.00%.

 

Because the final value of the least performing reference asset is greater than or equal to its barrier value, the cash settlement amount would be $1,027.50 per $1,000 principal amount, calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + final contingent coupon

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × 2.75%)

 

= $1,027.50

 

Example 1 shows that the cash settlement amount will be fixed at the principal amount plus the final contingent coupon when the final value of the least performing reference asset is at or above its barrier value, regardless of the extent to which the price of the least performing reference asset increases.

 

Example 2: The reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset is -20.00%.

 

Because the final value of the least performing reference asset is greater than or equal to its barrier value, the cash settlement amount would be $1,027.50 per $1,000 principal amount, calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + final contingent coupon

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × 2.75%)

 

= $1,027.50

 

Example 2 shows that the cash settlement amount will equal the principal amount plus the final contingent coupon when the final value of the least performing reference asset is at or above its barrier value, although the price of the least performing reference asset has decreased moderately.

 

Example 3: The reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset is -75.00%.

 

Because the final value of the least performing reference asset is less than its barrier value, the cash settlement amount would be $250.00 per $1,000 principal amount, calculated as follows:

 

$1,000 + ($1,000 × reference asset performance of the least performing reference asset)

 

= $1,000 + ($1,000 × -75.00%)

 

= $250.00

 

Example 3 shows that you are exposed on a 1-to-1 basis to any decrease in the price of the least performing reference asset from its initial value if its final value is less than its barrier value. You may lose up to 100% of your principal amount at maturity. Even with any contingent coupons, the return on the notes could be negative.

 

These examples illustrate that you will not participate in any appreciation of any reference asset, but will be fully exposed to a decrease in the least performing reference asset if the notes are not called and the final value of the least performing reference asset is less than its barrier value, even if the final values of the other reference assets have appreciated or have not declined below their respective barrier values.

 

 

THE REFERENCE ASSETS

 

Description of the SPX

 

S&P Publishes the SPX

 

The SPX, which we also refer to in this description as the “index,” was first launched on March 4, 1957 based on an initial value of 10 from 1941-1943, and it is sponsored by S&P. The SPX includes a representative sample of 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The 500 companies are not the 500 largest companies listed on the NYSE and not all 500 companies are listed on the NYSE. S&P chooses companies for inclusion in the SPX with an aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of the U.S. domiciled equity market. Although the SPX contains 500 constituent companies, at any one time it may contain greater than 500 constituent trading lines since some companies included in the SPX prior to July 31, 2017 may be represented by multiple share class lines in the SPX. The SPX is calculated, maintained and published by S&P and is part of the S&P Dow Jones Indices family of indices. Additional information is available on the following websites: spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500 and spglobal.com.

 

S&P intends for the SPX to provide a performance benchmark for the large-cap U.S. domiciled equity markets. Constituent changes are made on an as-needed basis and there is no schedule for constituent reviews. Index additions and deletions are announced with at least three business days advance notice. Less than three business days’ notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee. Relevant criteria for additions to the SPX that are employed by S&P include: the company proposed for addition should have an unadjusted company market capitalization of $14.6 billion or more and a security level float-adjusted market capitalization of at least 50% of such threshold (for spin-offs, eligibility is determined using when-issued prices, if available); the float-adjusted liquidity ratio of annual dollar value traded divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization) should be greater than or equal to 1.0 at the time of the addition to the S&P 500^® Index and the stock should trade a minimum of 250,000 shares in each of the six months leading up to the evaluation date (current constituents have no minimum requirement), where the annual dollar value traded is calculated as the average closing price multiplied by the historical volume over the 365 calendar days prior to the evaluation date (reduced to the available trading period for IPOs or spinoffs that do not have 365 calendar days of trading history); the company must be a U.S. company (characterized as a Form 10-K filer with its U.S. portion of fixed assets and revenues constituting a plurality of the total and with a primary listing of the common stock on the NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA or Cboe EDGX (each, an “eligible exchange”)); the proposed constituent has an investable weight factor (“IWF”) of 10% or more; the inclusion of the company will contribute to sector balance in the SPX relative to sector balance in the market in the relevant market capitalization range; financial viability (the sum of the most recent four consecutive quarters’ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) earnings (net income excluding discontinued operations) should be positive as should the most recent quarter); and, for IPOs, the company must be traded on an eligible exchange for at least twelve months (for former SPACs, S&P considers the de-SPAC transaction to be an event equivalent to an IPO, and 12 months of trading post the de-SPAC event are required before a former SPAC can be considered for inclusion in the S&P 500^® Index; spin-offs or in-specie distributions from existing constituents do not need to be traded on an eligible exchange for twelve months prior to their inclusion in the SPX). In addition, constituents of the S&P MidCap 400^® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index can be added to the SPX provided they meet the unadjusted company level market capitalization eligibility criteria for the SPX. Migrations from the S&P MidCap 400^® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index do not need to meet the financial viability, liquidity, or 50% of the SPX’s unadjusted company level minimum market capitalization threshold criteria. Further, constituents of the S&P Total Market Index Ex S&P Composite 1500 (which includes all eligible U.S. common equities except for those included in the SPX, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index) that acquire a constituent of the SPX, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index that do not fully meet the financial viability or IWF criteria may still be added to the SPX at the discretion of the Index Committee if the Index Committee determines that the addition could minimize turnover and enhance the representativeness of the SPX as a market benchmark. Certain types of organizational structures and securities are always excluded, including, but not limited to, business development companies (BDCs), limited partnerships, master limited partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), OTC bulletin board issues, closed-end funds, ETFs, ETNs, royalty trusts, tracking stocks, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), preferred stock and convertible preferred stock, unit trusts, equity warrants, convertible bonds, investment trusts, rights and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Stocks are deleted from the SPX when they are involved in mergers, acquisitions or significant restructurings such that they no longer meet the inclusion criteria, and when they substantially violate one or more of the addition criteria. Stocks that are delisted or moved to the pink sheets or the

 

 

bulletin board are removed, and those that experience a trading halt may be retained or removed in S&P’s discretion. S&P evaluates additions and deletions with a view to maintaining SPX continuity.

 

For constituents included in the SPX prior to July 31, 2017, all publicly listed multiple share class lines are included separately in the SPX, subject to, in the case of any such share class line, that share class line satisfying the liquidity and float criteria discussed above and subject to certain exceptions. It is possible that one listed share class line of a company may be included in the SPX while a second listed share class line of the same company is excluded. For companies that issue a second publicly traded share class to index share class holders, the newly issued share class line is considered for inclusion if the event is mandatory and the market capitalization of the distributed class is not considered to be de minimis.

 

As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the SPX. Only common shares are considered when determining whether a company has a multiple share class structure. Constituents of the SPX prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the SPX. If an SPX constituent reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will be reviewed for continued inclusion in the SPX at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee.

 

Calculation of the SPX

 

The SPX is calculated using a base-weighted aggregative methodology. This discussion describes the “price return” calculation of the SPX. The applicable Terms and Conditions will describe the calculation if the underlier for your securities is not the price return calculation. The value of the SPX on any day for which an index value is published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate of the market price of each stock in the SPX times the number of shares of such stock included in the SPX, and the denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below. The “market value” of any index stock is the product of the market price per share of that stock times the number of the then-outstanding shares of such index stock that are then included in the SPX.

 

The SPX is also sometimes called a “base-weighted aggregative index” because of its use of a divisor. The “divisor” is a value calculated by S&P that is intended to maintain conformity in index values over time and is adjusted for all changes in the index stocks’ share capital after the “base date” as described below. The level of the SPX reflects the total market value of all index stocks relative to the index’s base period of 1941-1943.

 

In addition, the SPX is float-adjusted, meaning that the share counts used in calculating the SPX reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company’s outstanding shares. S&P seeks to exclude shares held by long-term, strategic shareholders concerned with the control of a company, a group that generally includes the following: officers and directors and related individuals whose holdings are publicly disclosed, private equity, venture capital, special equity firms, asset managers and insurance companies with board of director representation, publicly traded companies that hold shares in another company, holders of restricted shares (except for shares held as part of a lock-up agreement), company-sponsored employee share plans/trusts, defined contribution plans/savings, investment plans, foundations or family trusts associated with the company, government entities at all levels (except government retirement or pension funds), sovereign wealth funds and any individual person listed as a 5% or greater stakeholder in a company as reported in regulatory filings (collectively, “strategic holders”). To this end, S&P excludes all share-holdings (other than depositary banks, pension funds (including government pension and retirement funds), mutual funds, exchange traded fund providers, investment funds, asset managers (including hedge funds with no board of director representation), investment funds of insurance companies and independent foundations not associated with the company) with a position greater than 5% of the outstanding shares of a company from the float-adjusted share count to be used in SPX calculations.

 

The exclusion is accomplished by calculating an IWF for each stock that is part of the numerator of the float-adjusted index fraction described above:

 

IWF = (available float shares)/(total shares outstanding)

 

where available float shares is defined as total shares outstanding less shares held by strategic holders. In most cases, an IWF is reported to the nearest one percentage point. For companies with multiple share class lines, a separate IWF is calculated for each share class line.

 

 

Maintenance of the SPX

 

In order to keep the SPX comparable over time S&P engages in an index maintenance process. The SPX maintenance process involves changing the constituents as discussed above, and also involves maintaining quality assurance processes and procedures, adjusting the number of shares used to calculate the SPX, monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, adjusting for stock splits and stock dividends and adjusting for other corporate actions. In addition to its daily governance of indices and maintenance of the SPX methodology, at least once within any 12 month period, the S&P Index Committee reviews the SPX methodology to ensure the SPX continues to achieve the stated objective, and that the data and methodology remain effective. The S&P Index Committee may at times consult with investors, market participants, security issuers included in or potentially included in the SPX, or investment and financial experts.

 

Divisor Adjustments

 

The two types of adjustments primarily used by S&P are divisor adjustments and adjustments to the number of shares (including float adjustments) used to calculate the SPX. Set forth below is a table of certain corporate events and their resulting effect on the divisor and the share count. If a corporate event requires an adjustment to the divisor, that event has the effect of altering the market value of the affected index stock and consequently of altering the aggregate market value of the index stocks following the event. In order that the level of the SPX not be affected by the altered market value (which could be an increase or decrease) of the affected index stock, S&P generally derives a new divisor by dividing the post-event market value of the index stocks by the pre-event index value, which has the effect of reducing the SPX’s post-event value to the pre-event level.

 

Changes to the Number of Shares of a Constituent

 

The index maintenance process also involves tracking the changes in the number of shares included for each of the index companies. Changes as a result of mandatory events, such as mergers or acquisition driven share/IWF changes, stock splits and mandatory distributions are not subject to a minimum threshold for implementation and are implemented when the transaction occurs. At S&P’s discretion, however, de minimis merger and acquisition changes may be accumulated and implemented with the updates made with the quarterly share updates as described below. Material share/IWF changes resulting from certain non-mandatory corporate actions follow the accelerated implementation rule. Non-material share/IWF changes are implemented quarterly.

 

Accelerated Implementation Rule

 

1. Public offerings. Public offerings of new company-issued shares and/or existing shares offered by selling shareholders, including block sales and spot secondaries, will be eligible for accelerated implementation treatment if the size of the event meets the materiality threshold criteria:

 

	(a)	at least $150 million, and
	(b)	at least 5% of the pre-event total shares.

 

In addition to the materiality threshold, public offerings must satisfy the following conditions:

 

	•	be underwritten.
	•	have a publicly available prospectus, offering document, or prospectus summary filed with the relevant authorities.
	•	have a publicly available confirmation from an official source that the offering has been completed.

 

For public offerings that involve a concurrent combination of new company shares and existing shares offered by selling shareholders, both events are implemented if either of the public offerings represent at least 5% of total shares and $150 million. Any concurrent share repurchase by the affected company will also be included in the implementation.

 

2. Dutch Auctions, self-tender offer buybacks, and split-off exchange offers. These nonmandatory corporate action types will be eligible for accelerated implementation treatment regardless of size once their results are publicly announced and verified by S&P.

 

 

Exception to the Accelerated Implementation Rule

 

For non-mandatory corporate actions subject to the accelerated implementation rule with a size of at least $1 billion, S&P will apply the share change, and any resulting IWF change, using the latest share and ownership information publicly available at the time of the announcement, even if the offering size is below the 5% threshold. This exception ensures that very large events are recognized in a timely manner using the latest available information.

 

All non-mandatory events not covered by the accelerated implementation rule (including but not limited to private placements, acquisition of private companies, and conversion of non-index share lines) will be implemented quarterly coinciding with the third Friday of the third month in each calendar quarter. In addition, events that were not implemented under the accelerated implementation rule but were found to have been eligible, (e.g., due to lack of publicly available information at the time of the event) are implemented as part of a quarterly rebalancing.

 

Announcement Policy

 

For accelerated implementation, S&P will provide two (2) business days’ notice for all non-U.S. domiciled stocks and U.S. listed depositary receipts, and one (1) business days’ notice for all U.S. domiciled stocks.

 

IWF Updates

 

Accelerated implementation for events less than $1 billion will include an adjustment to the company’s IWF only to the extent that such an IWF change helps the new float share total mimic the shares available in the offering. To minimize unnecessary turnover, these IWF changes do not need to meet any minimum threshold requirement for implementation. Any IWF change resulting in an IWF of 0.96 or greater is rounded up to 1.00 at the next annual IWF review.

 

For accelerated implementation of events of at least US $1 billion, any change in a company’s IWF will include the latest share and ownership information publicly available at the time of the announcement. Any IWF change resulting in an IWF of 0.96 or greater is rounded up to 1.00.

 

IWF changes will only be made at the quarterly review if the change represents at least 5% of total current shares outstanding and is related to a single corporate action that did not qualify for the accelerated implementation rule.

 

Quarterly share change events resulting from the conversion of derivative securities, acquisitions of private companies, or acquisitions of non-index companies that do not trade on a major exchange are considered to be available to investors unless there is explicit information stating that the new owner is a strategic holder.

 

Other than the situations described above, please note that IWF changes are only made at the annual IWF review.

 

Share Updates

 

For companies with multiple share class lines, the criteria specified under the heading “Accelerated Implementation Rule” above apply to each individual multiple share class line rather than total company shares.

 

Exceptions:

 

Any non- fully paid or non-fully settled offering such as forward sales agreements are not eligible for accelerated implementation. Share updates resulting from completion of subscription receipts terms or the settlement of forward sale agreements are updated at a future quarterly share rebalance.

 

Rebalancing Guidelines – Share/IWF Freeze

 

A reference date, after the market close five weeks prior to the third Friday in March, June, September, and December, is the cutoff for publicly available information used for quarterly shares outstanding and IWF changes. All shares outstanding and ownership information contained in public filings and/or official sources dated on or before the reference date are included in that quarter’s update. In addition, there is a freeze period on a quarterly basis for any changes that result from the accelerated implementation rules. The freeze period begins after the market close on the Tuesday prior to the second Friday of each rebalancing month (i.e. March, June, September, and December) and ends after the market close on the third Friday of the rebalancing month.

 

Pro-forma files for float-adjusted market capitalization indices are generally released after the market close on the first Friday, two weeks prior to the rebalancing effective date. Pro-forma files for capped and alternatively weighted indices are generally

 

 

released after the market close on the second Friday, one week prior to the rebalancing effective date. For illustration purposes, if rebalancing pro-forma files are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 5, the share/IWF freeze period will begin after the close of trading on Tuesday, March 9 and will end after the close of trading the following Friday, March 19 (i.e., the third Friday of the rebalancing month).

 

During the share/IWF freeze period, shares and IWFs are not changed except for mandatory corporate action events (such as merger activity, stock splits, and rights offerings), and the accelerated implementation rule is suspended. The suspension includes all changes that qualify for accelerated implementation and would typically be announced or effective during the share/IWF freeze period. At the end of the freeze period all suspended changes will be announced on the third Friday of the rebalancing month and implemented five business days after the quarterly rebalancing effective date.

 

Adjustments for Corporate Actions

 

There is a large range of corporate actions that may affect companies included in the SPX. Certain corporate actions require S&P to recalculate the share count or the float adjustment or to make an adjustment to the divisor to prevent the value of the SPX from changing as a result of the corporate action. This helps ensure that the movement of the SPX does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the SPX.

 

Spin-Offs

 

As a general policy, a spin-off security is added to the SPX on the ex-date at a price of zero (with no divisor adjustment) and will remain in the SPX for at least one trading day. The spin-off security will remain in the SPX if it meets all eligibility criteria. If the spin-off security is determined ineligible to remain in the SPX, it will generally be removed after at least one day of regular way trading (with a divisor adjustment). The weight of the spin-off being deleted is reinvested across all the index components proportionately such that the relative weights of all index components are unchanged. The net change in index market capitalization will cause a divisor change.

 

Companies that are spun off from a constituent of the SPX do not need to meet the eligibility criteria for new constituents, but they should be considered U.S. domiciled for index purposes. At the discretion of the Index Committee, a spin-off company may be retained in the SPX if the Index Committee determines it has a total market capitalization representative of the SPX. If the spin-off company’s estimated market capitalization is below the minimum unadjusted company market capitalization for the SPX but there are other constituent companies in the SPX that have a significantly lower total market capitalization than the spin-off company, the Index Committee may decide to retain the spin-off company in the SPX.

 

Several additional types of corporate actions, and their related treatment, are listed in the table below.

 

Corporate Action	Treatment
Company addition/deletion	Addition   Companies are added at the float market capitalization weight. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.   Deletion   The weights of all stocks in the index will proportionally change. Relative weights will stay the same. The index divisor will change due to the net change in the index market capitalization
Change in shares outstanding	Increasing (decreasing) the shares outstanding increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the index. The change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.
Split/reverse split	Shares outstanding are adjusted by split ratio. Stock price is adjusted by split ratio. There is no change to the index market capitalization and no divisor adjustment.
Change in IWF	Increasing (decreasing) the IWF increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the index. A net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.
Ordinary dividend	When a company pays an ordinary cash dividend, the index does not make any adjustments to the price or shares of the stock. As a result there are no divisor adjustments to the index.

 

 

Special dividend	The stock price is adjusted by the amount of the dividend. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment
Rights offering	All rights offerings that are in the money on the ex-date are applied under the assumption the rights are fully subscribed. The stock price is adjusted by the value of the rights and the shares outstanding are increased by the rights ratio. The net change in market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

 

Any company that is removed from the SPX, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index must wait a minimum of one year from its removal date before being reconsidered as a replacement candidate for the SPX.

 

Recalculation Policy

 

S&P reserves the right to recalculate and republish the SPX at its discretion in the event one of the following issues has occurred: (1) incorrect or revised closing price of one or more constituent securities; (2) missed or misapplied corporate action; (3) incorrect application of an index methodology; (4) late announcement of a corporate action; or (5) incorrect calculation or data entry error. The decision to recalculate the SPX is made at the discretion of the index manager and/or index committee, as further discussed below. The potential market impact or disruption resulting from a recalculation is considered when making any such decision. In the event of an incorrect closing price, a missed or misapplied corporate action, a late announcement of a corporate action, or an incorrect calculation or data entry error that is discovered within two trading days of its occurrence, generally the SPX is recalculated. In the event any such event is discovered beyond the two trading day period, the index committee shall decide whether the SPX should be recalculated. In the event of an incorrect application of the methodology that results in the incorrect composition and/or weighting of index constituents, the index committee shall determine whether or not to recalculate the SPX following specified guidelines. In the event that the SPX is recalculated, it shall be done within a reasonable timeframe following the detection and review of the issue.

 

Calculations and Pricing Disruptions

 

Closing levels for the SPX are calculated by S&P based on the closing price of the individual constituents of the SPX as set by their primary exchange. Closing prices are received by S&P from one of its third party vendors and verified by comparing them with prices from an alternative vendor. The vendors receive the closing price from the primary exchanges. Real-time intraday prices are calculated similarly without a second verification. Official end-of-day calculations are based on each stock’s primary market closing price. Prices used for the calculation of real time index values are based on the “Consolidated Tape.” The Consolidated Tape is an aggregation of trades for each constituent over all regional exchanges and trading venues and includes the primary exchange. If there is a failure or interruption on one or more exchanges, real-time calculations will continue as long as the “Consolidated Tape” is operational.

 

If an interruption is not resolved prior to the market close, official closing prices will be determined by following the hierarchy set out in NYSE Rule 123C. A notice is published on the S&P website at spglobal.com indicating any changes to the prices used in SPX calculations. In extreme circumstances, S&P may decide to delay index adjustments or not publish the SPX. Real-time indices are not restated.

 

Unexpected Exchange Closures

 

An unexpected market/exchange closure occurs when a market/exchange fully or partially fails to open or trading is temporarily halted. This can apply to a single exchange or to a market as a whole, when all of the primary exchanges are closed and/or not trading. Unexpected market/exchange closures are usually due to unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, inclement weather, outages, or other events.

 

To a large degree, S&P is dependent on the exchanges to provide guidance in the event of an unexpected exchange closure. S&P’s decision making is dependent on exchange guidance regarding pricing and mandatory corporate actions.

 

NYSE Rule 123C provides closing contingency procedures for determining an official closing price for listed securities if the exchange is unable to conduct a closing transaction in one or more securities due to a system or technical issue.

 

3:00 PM ET is the deadline for an exchange to determine its plan of action regarding an outage scenario. As such, S&P also uses 3:00 PM ET as the cutoff.

 

 

If all major exchanges fail to open or unexpectedly halt trading intraday due to unforeseen circumstances, S&P will take the following actions:

 

Market Disruption Prior to Open of Trading:

 

(i)	If all exchanges indicate that trading will not open for a given day, S&P will treat the day as an unscheduled market holiday. The decision will be communicated to clients as soon as possible through the normal channels. Indices containing multiple markets will be calculated as normal, provided that at least one market is open that day. Indices which only contain closed markets will not be calculated.
(ii)	If exchanges indicate that trading, although delayed, will open for a given day, S&P will begin index calculation when the exchanges open.

 

Market Disruption Intraday:

 

(i)

If exchanges indicate that trading will not resume for a given day, the SPX level will be calculated using prices determined by the exchanges based on NYSE Rule 123C. Intraday SPX values will continue to use the last traded composite price until the primary exchange publishes official closing prices.

 

License Agreement with S&P

 

Nomura or one of its affiliates has entered into a nonexclusive license agreement providing for the license to it, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by S&P in connection with some products, including the notes.

 

Standard & Poor’s^® and S&P^® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s. “Standard & Poor’s^®,” “S&P 100^®,” “S&P 500^®” and “S&P^®” are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s and have been licensed for use by S&P and its affiliates and sublicensed for certain purposes by us. The SPX is a product of S&P, and has been licensed for use by us.

 

The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the SPX to track general market performance. S&P’s only relationship to us is the licensing of the SPX and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P. The SPX is determined, composed and calculated by S&P without regard to us or the notes. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of us or the owners of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the SPX. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the SPX will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within the SPX is not a recommendation by S&P to buy, sell or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.

 

S&P DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE SPX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE SPX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P AND US, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P.

 

 

Historical Performance of the SPX

 

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the SPX based on the daily historical closing values from January 1, 2019 through August 2, 2024. We obtained the closing values below from Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”). We have not undertaken any independent review of, or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to, the information obtained from Bloomberg.

 

 

 

The historical values of the SPX should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing value of the SPX on any coupon observation date, including the final valuation date.

 

 

Description of the RTY

 

FTSE Russell Publishes the RTY

 

The RTY is an index calculated, published, and disseminated by FTSE Russell, and measures the composite price performance of stocks of 2,000 companies determined by FTSE Russell to be part of the U.S. equity market. All 2,000 stocks are traded on a major U.S. exchange, and form a part of the Russell 3000^® Index. The Russell 3000^® Index is composed of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies as determined by market capitalization.

 

The RTY consists of the smallest 2,000 companies, by market capitalization, included in the Russell 3000^® Index. The RTY is designed to track the performance of the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. The inception date of the RTY is January 1, 1984. Members of the RTY are determined each year during annual reconstitution and enhanced quarterly with the addition of initial public offerings (IPOs). The RTY is a subset of the Russell U.S. indices.

 

Defining Eligible Securities

 

All companies that are determined to be part of the U.S. equity market under FTSE Russell’s country-assignment methodology are included in the Russell U.S. indices. If a company is incorporated in, has a stated headquarters location in, and also trades in the same country (American Depositary Receipts and American Depositary Shares are not eligible), the company is assigned to the equity market of its country of incorporation. If any of the three do not match, FTSE Russell then defines three Home Country Indicators (“HCI”): country of incorporation, country of headquarters, and country of the most liquid exchange as defined by two-year average daily dollar trading volume from all exchanges within a country. Using the HCIs, FTSE Russell cross-compares the primary location of the company’s assets with the three HCIs. If the primary location of the company’s assets matches any of the HCIs, then the company is assigned to its primary asset location. If there is insufficient information to determine the country in which the company’s assets are primarily located, FTSE Russell will use the primary location of the company’s revenues for the same cross-comparison and will assign the company to the appropriate country in a similar fashion. FTSE Russell uses an average of two years of assets or revenue data for analysis to reduce potential turnover. If conclusive country details cannot be derived from assets or revenue, FTSE Russell assigns the company to the country where its headquarters are located unless the country is a Benefit Driven Incorporation (“BDI”) country; in which case, the company will be assigned to the country of its most liquid stock exchange. Russell lists the following countries as BDIs: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos Islands. For any companies incorporated or headquartered in a U.S. territory, including countries such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. HCI is assigned. If a company is designated as a Chinese “N Share,” it will not be considered for inclusion within the Russell U.S. indices. An “N Share” is a company is incorporated outside of mainland China that trades on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq exchange or the NYSE American. An N Share will have its headquarters or establishment in mainland China, with a majority of its revenues or assets derived from the People’s Republic of China.

 

All securities eligible for inclusion in Russell U.S. indices must trade on an eligible U.S. exchange. The eligible U.S. exchanges are: CBOE, NYSE, NYSE American, NASDAQ and ARCA. Bulletin board, pink-sheets, and OTC-traded securities are not eligible for inclusion, including securities for which prices are displayed on the FINRA ADF.

 

Preferred and convertible preferred stock, redeemable shares, participating preferred stock, warrants, rights, installment receipts and trust receipts are not eligible for inclusion in the Russell U.S. indices. Royalty trusts, U.S. limited liability companies, closed-end investment companies, blank-check companies, special-purpose acquisition companies, and limited partnerships are also not eligible for inclusion in the Russell U.S. indices. Business development companies, exchange traded funds and mutual funds are also excluded.

 

If an eligible company trades under multiple share classes, FTSE Russell will review each share class independently for U.S. index inclusion. Stocks must trade at or above $1.00 (on its primary exchange) on the rank day in May of each year to be eligible for inclusion during annual reconstitution. However, in order to reduce unnecessary turnover, if an existing index member’s closing price is less than $1.00 on rank day in May, it will be considered eligible if the average of the daily closing prices (from its primary exchange) during the 30 days prior to the rank date is equal to or greater than $1.00. If an existing index member does not trade on the rank day in May, it must price at $1.00 or above on another eligible U.S. exchange to remain eligible. A stock added during the quarterly IPO process is considered a new index addition and therefore must have a closing price on its primary exchange at or above $1.00 on the last day of the IPOs eligibility period in order to qualify for index

 

 

inclusion. Companies with a total market capitalization of less than $30 million are not eligible for inclusion in the Russell U.S. indices. Similarly, companies with only 5% or less of their shares available in the marketplace are not eligible for the Russell U.S. indices.

 

Annual Reconstitution

 

Annual reconstitution is the process by which all Russell indices are completely rebuilt. Reconstitution is a vital part of the creation of a benchmark which accurately represents a particular market segment. Companies may get bigger or smaller over time, or periodically undergo changes in their style characteristics. Reconstitution ensures that the companies continue to be correctly represented in the appropriate Russell indices.

 

On the rank day in May each year, all eligible securities are ranked by their total market capitalization. Total market capitalization is determined by multiplying total outstanding shares by the last price traded on the primary exchange on the rank day in May. All share classes for a company, including unlisted shares, are aggregated and considered total shares outstanding.

 

Reconstitution occurs on the fourth Friday in June. A full calendar for reconstitution is published each spring.

 

Eligible IPOs are added to the Russell U.S. indices quarterly to ensure that new additions to the institutional investing opportunity set are reflected in the representative indices. FTSE Russell focuses on IPOs each quarter because it is important to reflect market additions between reconstitution periods. Companies filing an initial public offering registration statement (or the local equivalent when outside the United States) and listing with the same quarter on an eligible U.S. exchange are reviewed for eligibility regardless of previous trading activity (exceptional or unique events may induce extraordinary treatment which will be communicated appropriately); a one month window is used to ensure that companies submitting the requisite filings just outside of the quarter are not excluded from eligibility. Companies currently trading on foreign exchanges or OTC markets will be reviewed for eligibility if: (1) the company files an initial public offering statement for an eligible U.S. exchange; (2) the offering is announced to the market and confirmed by FTSE Russell’s vendors as an IPO; and (3) the security is not currently a member of the Russell Global Index (eligibility and country assignment are reviewed at reconstitution).

 

Capitalization Adjustments

 

After membership is determined, a security’s shares are adjusted to include only those shares available to the public, which is often referred to as “free float.” The purpose of this adjustment is to exclude from market calculations the capitalization that is not available for purchase and is not part of the investable opportunity set. Stocks are weighted in the Russell U.S. indices by their available (also called “float-adjusted”) market capitalization, which is calculated by multiplying the primary closing price by the available shares. Adjustments to shares are reviewed at reconstitution, during quarterly update cycles and for corporate actions such as mergers.

 

Certain types of shares are considered restricted and removed from total market capitalization to arrive at free float or available market capitalization, such as shares directly owned by State, Regional, Municipal and Local governments (excluding shares held by independently managed pension schemes for governments), shares held by directors, senior executives and managers of the company, and by their family and direct relations, and by companies with which they are affiliated, and shares with high shareholding concentration, etc.

 

Corporate Action-Driven Changes

 

FTSE Russell adjusts the RTY on a daily basis in response to certain corporate actions and events, both to reflect the evolution of securities and to ensure that the indexes remain highly representative of the U.S. equity market. A company’s membership and its weight in the RTY can be impacted by these corporate actions. FTSE Russell uses a variety of reliable public sources to determine when an action is final, including a company’s press releases and regulatory filings; local exchange notifications; and official updates from other data providers FTSE Russell deems trustworthy. Prior to the completion of a corporate action or event, FTSE Russell estimates the effective date. FTSE Russell will then adjust the anticipated effective date based on public information until the date is considered final.

 

Depending upon the time an action is determined to be final, FTSE Russell either (1) applies the action before the open on the ex-date or (2) applies the action providing appropriate notice, referred to as a “delayed action.” If FTSE Russell has confirmed the completion of a corporate action, scheduled to become effective subsequent to a rebalance, the event may be implemented in conjunction with the rebalance to limit turnover, provided appropriate notice can be given.

 

 

For merger and spin-off transactions that are effective between rank day in May and the business day immediately before the index lock down takes effect prior to annual reconstitution in June, the market capitalizations of the impacted securities are recalculated and membership is reevaluated as of the effective date of the corporate action. For corporate events that occur during the reconstitution lock down period (which take effect from the open on the first day of the lock-down period onwards), market capitalizations and memberships will not be reevaluated. Non index members that have been considered ineligible as of rank day will not be reevaluated in the event of a subsequent corporate action that occurs between rank day and the reconstitution effective date.

 

If a company distributes shares of an additional share class to its existing shareholders through a mandatory corporate action, FTSE Russell evaluates the additional share class for separate index membership. The new share class will be deemed eligible if the market capitalization of the distributed shares meets minimum size requirement (above the minimum market capitalization breakpoint defined as the smallest member of the Russell 3000E Index from previous rebalance, adjusted for performance to date.) Index membership of additional share classes that are added due to corporate actions will mirror that of the pricing vehicle, as will style and stability probabilities. If the distributed shares of an additional share class do not meet eligibility requirements, they will not be added to the index (the distributed shares may be added to the index temporarily until they are settled and listed to enable index replication).

 

“No Replacement” Rule: Securities that leave a Russell U.S. index for any reason (e.g., mergers, acquisitions or other similar corporate activity) are not replaced. Thus, the number of securities in a Russell U.S. index over the year will fluctuate according to corporate activity

 

To maintain representativeness and maximize the available investment opportunity for index managers, the Russell U.S. indices are reviewed quarterly for updates to shares outstanding and to free floats used within the index calculation. The changes are implemented quarterly, on the third Friday of the month (after the close). The June reconstitution will continue to be implemented on the last Friday of June (unless the last Friday occurs on the 29th or 30th, when reconstitution will occur on the Friday prior).

 

License Agreement with FTSE Russell

 

Nomura or one of its affiliates has entered into a nonexclusive license agreement providing for the license to it, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use the RTY in connection with some products, including the notes.

 

The Russell 2000^® Index is a trademark of FTSE Russell. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by FTSE Russell. FTSE Russell makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the RTY to track general stock market performance or a segment of the same. FTSE Russell’s publication of the RTY in no way suggests or implies an opinion by Russell as to the advisability of investment in any or all of the securities upon which the RTY is based. FTSE Russell’s only relationship to us is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of FTSE Russell and of the RTY which is determined, composed and calculated by FTSE Russell without regard to us or the notes. FTSE Russell is not responsible for and has not reviewed the notes nor any associated literature or publications and FTSE Russell makes no representation or warranty express or implied as to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. FTSE Russell reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter, amend, terminate or in any way change the notes. FTSE Russell has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes:

 

FTSE RUSSELL DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND FTSE RUSSELL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, INVESTORS, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL FTSE RUSSELL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

 

Historical Performance of the RTY

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the RTY based on the daily historical closing values from January 1, 2019 through August 2, 2024. We obtained the closing values below from Bloomberg. We have not undertaken any independent review of, or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to, the information obtained from Bloomberg.

 

 

 

The historical values of the RTY should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing value of the RTY on any coupon observation date, including the final valuation date.

 

 

Description of the SX7E

 

The EURO STOXX^® Banks Index (the “SX7E”) was created by STOXX, which is owned by Deutsche Börse AG. Publication of the SX7E began on June 15, 1998, based on an initial index value of 100 at December 31, 1991. The SX7E is reported daily on the Bloomberg under the symbol “SX7E” and on the STOXX website.

 

Index Composition and Maintenance

 

The SX7E is one of the 20 EURO STOXX^® Supersector indices that compose the STOXX^® Europe 600 Index. The STOXX^® Europe 600 Index contains the 600 largest stocks traded on the major exchanges of 17 European countries and is organized into the following 20 supersectors: technology, telecommunications, health care, banks, financial services, insurance, real estate, automobiles and parts, consumer products and services, media, retail, travel and leisure, food, beverage and tobacco, personal care, drug and grocery stores, construction and materials, industrial goods and services, basic resources, chemicals, energy, and utilities. The SX7E includes companies in the banks supersector, which tracks companies providing a broad range of financial services, including retail banking, loans and money transmissions.

 

The SX7E is weighted by free float market capitalization. All components are subject to a 30% capping for the largest company and a 15% capping for the second-largest company. Free float weights are reviewed quarterly.

 

The composition of each of the EURO STOXX^® Supersector indices is reviewed quarterly. Changes to the component stocks are implemented on the third Friday in each of March, June, September and December and are effective the following trading day. All index components will be adjusted for corporate actions.

 

Index Calculation

 

The SX7E is calculated with the Laspeyres formula. The formula for calculating the index value can be expressed as follows:

 

Index =

Free float market capitalization of the SX7E Divisor of the SX7E

 

The “free float market capitalization of the SX7E” is equal to the sum of the product of the price, number of shares, free float factor and weighting cap factor for each component stock as of the time the SX7E is being calculated.

 

The SX7E is also subject to a divisor, which is adjusted to maintain the continuity of SX7E values despite changes due to corporate actions.

 

License Agreement with STOXX

 

Nomura or one of its affiliates has entered into an agreement with STOXX providing us and certain of our affiliates or subsidiaries identified in that agreement with a non-exclusive license and, for a fee, with the right to use the SX7E, which is owned and published by STOXX, in connection with certain securities, including the notes.

 

STOXX and its Licensors have no relationship to us, other than the licensing of the SX7E and the related trademarks for use in connection with the notes.

 

STOXX and its Licensors do not sponsor, endorse, sell or promote the notes; recommend that any person invest in the notes; have any responsibility or liability for or make any decisions about the timing, amount or pricing of the notes; have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management or marketing of the notes; or consider the needs of the notes or the owners of the notes in determining, composing or calculating the SX7E or have any obligation to do so.

 

STOXX and its Licensors will not have any liability in connection with the notes. Specifically, STOXX and its Licensors do not make any warranty, express or implied and disclaim any and all warranty about: the results to be obtained by the notes, the owners of the notes or any other person in connection with the use of the SX7E and the data included in the SX7E; the accuracy or completeness of the SX7E and its data; and the merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SX7E and its data. STOXX and its Licensors will have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions in the SX7E or its data. Under no circumstances will STOXX or its Licensors be liable for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages or losses, even if STOXX or its Licensors knows that they might occur. The licensing agreement between us and STOXX is solely for our benefit and the benefit of STOXX and not for the benefit of the owners of the notes or any other third parties.

 

Historical Performance of the SX7E

 

 

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the SX7E based on the daily historical closing values from January 1, 2019 through August 2, 2024. We obtained the closing values below from Bloomberg. We have not undertaken any independent review of, or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to, the information obtained from Bloomberg.

 

 

 

The historical values of the SX7E should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing value of the SX7E on any coupon observation date, including the final valuation date.

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

You should carefully consider the matters set forth in “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus. The following discussion summarizes the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, beneficial ownership, and disposition of the notes. This summary supplements the section “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus and supersedes it to the extent inconsistent therewith.

 

There is no direct legal authority as to the proper tax treatment of the notes, and therefore significant aspects of the tax treatment of the notes are uncertain as to both the timing and character of any inclusion in income in respect of the notes. Under one approach, a note should be treated as a contingent income-bearing pre-paid derivative contract with respect to the reference assets. We intend to treat the notes consistent with this approach. Pursuant to the terms of the notes, you agree to treat the notes under this approach for all U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to the limitations described therein, and based on certain factual representations received from us, in the opinion of our special U.S. tax counsel, Mayer Brown LLP, it is reasonable to treat a note as a contingent income-bearing pre-paid derivative contract with respect to the reference assets. Because there are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions addressing the characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes of securities with terms that are substantially the same as those of the notes, other characterizations and treatments are possible and the timing and character of income in respect of the notes might differ from the treatment described herein.

 

U.S. Holders. Please see the discussion under the heading “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Tax Treatment of U.S. Holders — Certain Notes Treated as a Put Option and a Deposit or a Derivative Contract — Certain Notes Treated as Prepaid Derivative Contracts” in the accompanying prospectus for a further discussion of U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to U.S. holders (as defined in the accompanying prospectus). Pursuant to the approach discussed above, we intend to treat any gain or loss upon maturity or an earlier sale, exchange, or redeem as capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount you receive at such time (other than with respect to any contingent coupon) and your tax basis in the note. Any such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held the note for more than one year at such time for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Your tax basis in a note generally will equal your cost of the note. In addition, the tax treatment of the contingent coupons is unclear. Although the tax treatment of the contingent coupons is unclear, we intend to treat any contingent coupon, including on the maturity date, as ordinary income includible in income by you at the time it accrues or is received in accordance with your normal method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Non-U.S. Holders. Please see the discussion under the heading “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for further discussion of U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined in the accompanying prospectus). Because the U.S. federal income tax treatment (including the applicability of withholding) of the contingent coupons is uncertain, to the extent we have a withholding obligation, we intend to withhold U.S. federal income tax on the entire amount of any contingent coupons at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty). Even if we do not have a withholding obligation, another withholding agent in the chain of payments may effectuate withholding to the same extent. Any U.S. federal withholding tax should generally be imposed once. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any such withholding.

 

A “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the United States and such payments generally would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a non-U.S. holder. Under U.S. Treasury Department regulations, payments (including deemed payments) with respect to equity-linked instruments (“ELIs”) that are “specified ELIs” may be treated as dividend equivalents if such specified ELIs reference an interest in an “underlying security,” which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. However, Internal Revenue Service guidance provides that withholding on dividend equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2027. Based on the Issuer’s determination that the notes are not “delta-one” instruments, non-U.S. holders should not be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the notes. However, it is possible that the notes could be treated as deemed reissued for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the reference assets or the notes, and following such occurrence the notes could be treated as subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. holders that enter, or have entered, into other transactions in respect of the reference assets or the notes should consult their tax advisors as to the application of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the notes and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.

 

 

PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF NOTES SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF NOTES.

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We will agree to sell to Nomura Securities International, Inc. (the “distribution agent”), and the distribution agent will agree to purchase from us, the aggregate principal amount of the notes specified on the front cover of the final pricing supplement. The distribution agent will agree to purchase the notes from us at least 98.65% of the principal amount. The distribution agent’s commission will be up to 1.35%. The distribution agent will offer the notes to which this pricing supplement relates to the public at the price to public set forth on the front cover of the final pricing supplement and to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of 1.35% of the principal amount of the notes. If all of the notes are not sold at the original issue price, the distribution agent may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Certain dealers who purchase the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions.

 

To the extent the distribution agent resells notes to a broker or dealer less a concession equal to the entire underwriting discount, such broker or dealer may be deemed to be an “underwriter” of the notes as such term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If the distribution agent is unable to sell all the notes at the public offering price, the distribution agent proposes to offer the notes from time to time for sale in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at prices to be determined at the time of sale.

 

In the future, the distribution agent may repurchase and resell the notes in market-making transactions. For more information about the plan of distribution, the distribution agreement and possible market-making activities, see “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We expect that delivery of the notes will be made against payment for the notes on or about the original issue date set forth on the cover page of this document, which is more than one business day following the trade date. Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to that trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the original issue date will be required to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement, and should consult their own advisors.

 

The distribution agent is our affiliate and, as such, has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121. The distribution agent is not permitted to sell notes in this offering to any account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

 

The distribution agent and/or its affiliates have performed, and in the future may provide, investment banking and advisory services for us from time to time for which they have received, and expect to receive, customary fees and commissions. The distribution agent and its affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with, and perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

 

 

 

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