Registration Statement No.333-264388
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Subject to Completion, dated November 14, 2024
Pricing Supplement to the Prospectus dated May 26, 2022,
the Prospectus Supplement dated May 26, 2022 and the Product Supplement dated September 22, 2022
US$ [ ]
Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series I
Autocallable Buffer Enhanced Return Notes due December 02, 2026
Linked to the shares of SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF
●The notes are designed for investors who are seeking 125.00% leveraged positive return based on any appreciation in the level of the shares of SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF (the “Reference Asset”) if the notes are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity. Investors should be willing to have their notes automatically redeemed prior to maturity, be willing to forego any potential to participate in any increase in the level of the Reference Asset if the notes are automatically redeemed, be willing to forego any interest payments, and be willing to lose some or all of their principal at maturity if the notes are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity.
●On December 03, 2025, if the closing level of the Reference Asset is greater than or equal to 100.00% of its Initial Level (its “Call Level”), the notes will be automatically redeemed. On the corresponding settlement date (the “Call Settlement Date"), investors will receive their principal amount plus the applicable Call Amount (which represents a return of approximately 18.10% per annum). After the notes are redeemed, investors will not receive any additional payments in respect of the notes and will not participate in any positive performance of the Reference Asset.
●If the notes are not automatically redeemed and the Reference Asset decreases by more than 10.00% from its Initial Level, investors will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% decrease in the level of the Reference Asset from its Initial Level to its Final Level in excess of 10.00%. In such a case, you will receive a cash amount at maturity that is less than the principal amount, and may lose up to 90.00% of your principal amount at maturity.
●Investing in the notes is not equivalent to a direct investment in the Reference Asset.
●The notes do not bear interest. The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
●All payments on the notes are subject to the credit risk of Bank of Montreal.
●The notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.
●The CUSIP number of the notes is 06376CBD7.
●Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citigroup”), is the agent for this offering. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below.
●The notes will not be subject to conversion into our common shares or the common shares of any of our affiliates under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (the “CDIC Act”).
Terms of the Notes:1
Pricing Date: |
November 26, 2024 |
|
Valuation Date: |
November 27, 2026 |
Settlement Date: |
December 02, 2024 |
|
Maturity Date: |
December 02, 2026 |
1Expected. See “Key Terms of the Notes” below for additional details.
|
Price to Public1 |
Agent’s Commission1 |
Proceeds to Bank of Montreal1 |
Per Note Total |
100% [ ] |
1.75% [ ] |
98.25% [ ] |
1 The total “Agent’s Commission” and “Proceeds to Bank of Montreal” to be specified above will reflect the aggregate amounts at the time Bank of Montreal establishes its hedge positions on or prior to the Pricing Date, which may be variable and fluctuate depending on market conditions at such times. Certain dealers who purchased the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forego some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the notes in these accounts may be between $982.50 and $1,000 per $1,000 in principal amount. We or one of our affiliates may also pay a referral fee to certain dealers in connection with the distribution of the notes.
Investing in the notes involves risks, including those described in the “Selected Risk Considerations” section beginning on page P-5 hereof, the “Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes” section beginning on page PS-5 of the product supplement, and the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-1 of the prospectus supplement and on page 8 of the prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these notes or passed upon the accuracy of this document, the product supplement, the prospectus supplement or the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes will be our unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality or other entity.
On the date hereof, based on the terms set forth above, the estimated initial value of the notes is $971.80 per $1,000 in principal amount. The estimated initial value of the notes on the Pricing Date may differ from this value but will not be less than $925.00 per $1,000 in principal amount. However, as discussed in more detail below, the actual value of the notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
Key Terms of the Notes:
Reference Asset: |
The shares of SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF (ticker symbol "KBE") . See "The Reference Asset" below for additional information. |
Underlying Index: |
The S&P® Banks Select Industry Index. |
Automatic Redemption: |
On December 03, 2025, if the closing level of the Reference Asset is greater than or equal to its Call Level, the notes will be automatically redeemed. No further amounts will be owed to you under the notes and you will not participate in any positive performance of the Reference Asset. |
Payment upon Automatic Redemption: |
If the notes are automatically redeemed, then, on the corresponding Call Settlement Date, investors will receive their principal amount plus the applicable Call Amount. |
Observation Date, Call Settlement Date and Call Amounts:1,2 |
Observation Date Call Amounts (per Note) Potential Call Settlement Date December 03, 2025 $181.00 December 08, 2025
The Call Amounts represent a return of approximately 18.10% per annum. |
Payment at Maturity: |
If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the payment at maturity for the notes is based on the performance of the Reference Asset: If the Final Level of the Reference Asset is greater than or equal to its Initial Level, then the amount that investors will receive at maturity for each $1,000 in principal amount of the notes will equal: $1,000 + [$1,000 x (Percentage Change of the Reference Asset x Upside Leverage Factor)] If the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than its Initial Level, but is not less than its Buffer Level, then investors will, for each $1,000 in principal amount of the notes, receive the principal amount of $1,000 and no additional return. If the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than its Buffer Level, then the amount that investors will receive at maturity for each $1,000 in principal amount of the notes will equal: $1,000 + [$1,000 x (Percentage Change of the Reference Asset + Buffer Percentage)] In this case, investors will lose 1% of their principal for each 1% that the Final Level of the Reference Asset declines from its Initial Level in excess of 10.00%. You may lose up to 90.00% of the principal amount of your notes. |
Upside Leverage Factor: |
125.00% |
Percentage Change: |
The quotient, expressed as a percentage, of the following formula: (Final Level - Initial Level ) |
Initial Level:2 |
The closing level of the Reference Asset on the Pricing Date. |
Call Level:2 |
100.00% of the Initial Level. |
Buffer Level:2 |
90.00% of the Initial Level. |
Buffer Percentage:2 |
10.00% Accordingly, you will receive the principal amount of your notes at maturity only if the level of the Reference Asset does not decrease by more than 10.00% over the term of the notes. If the Final Level of the Reference Asset is less than its Buffer Level, you will receive less than the principal amount of your notes at maturity and you could lose up to 90.00% of the principal amount of your notes. |
Final Level: |
The closing level of the Reference Asset on the Valuation Date. |
Pricing Date:1 |
November 26, 2024 |
Settlement Date:1 |
December 02, 2024 |
Valuation Date:1 |
November 27, 2026 |
Maturity Date:1 |
December 02, 2026 |
2
Calculation Agent: |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
Selling Agent: |
Citigroup |
1 Expected and subject to the occurrence of a market disruption event, as described in the accompanying product supplement. If we make any change to the expected Pricing Date and Settlement Date, the Valuation Date and Maturity Date will be changed so that the stated term of the notes remains approximately the same.
2As determined by the calculation agent and subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. See “General Terms of the Notes — Anti-dilution Adjustments to a Reference Asset that Is an Equity Security (Including Any ETF)” and “— Adjustments to Reference Asset that Is an ETF” in the product supplement for additional information.
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Payoff Example
The following table shows the hypothetical payout profile of an investment in the notes assuming the notes are not automatically redeemed, based on various hypothetical Final Levels (and the corresponding Percentage Change) of the Reference Asset, reflecting the 125.00% Upside Leverage Factor, and Buffer Level of 90.00% of the Initial Level. Please see “Examples of the Hypothetical Payment at Maturity for a $1,000 Investment in the Notes” below for more detailed examples. If the notes are automatically redeemed, investors will receive their principal amount plus the applicable Call Amount. After the notes are redeemed, investors will not receive any additional payments in respect of the notes and will not participate in any positive performance of the Reference Asset.
Hypothetical Percentage Change of the Reference Asset |
Participation in Percentage Change |
Hypothetical Return of the Notes |
20%
10% |
125.00% Upside Exposure
|
25.00%
12.50% |
-5%
-10% |
Buffer Level of 90.00% of Initial Level
|
0%
0% |
-20%
-30% |
1x Loss Beyond Buffer Level
|
-10%
-20% |
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Additional Terms of the Notes
You should read this document together with the product supplement dated September 22, 2022, the prospectus supplement dated May 26, 2022 and the prospectus dated May 26, 2022. This document, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the notes and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, fact sheets, brochures or other educational materials of ours or the agent. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes in the product supplement, as the notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the notes.
You may access these documents on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):
Product supplement dated September 22, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/927971/000121465922011396/j922220424b2.htm
Prospectus supplement dated May 26, 2022 and prospectus dated May 26, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000927971/000119312522160519/d269549d424b5.htm
Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 927971. As used in this document, "we", "us" or "our" refers to Bank of Montreal.
We have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this document relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering. You may obtain these documents free of charge by visiting the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we will arrange to send to you the prospectus (as supplemented by the prospectus supplement and product supplement) if you request it by calling our agent toll-free at 1-877-369-5412.
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Selected Risk Considerations
An investment in the notes involves significant risks. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Reference Asset. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes” section of the product supplement.
Risks Related to the Structure or Features of the Notes
●Your investment in the notes may result in a loss. — The notes do not guarantee any return of principal. If the notes are not automatically redeemed and the Final Level is less than its Buffer Level, you will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% that the Final Level is less than the Initial Level in excess of the Buffer Percentage. In such a case, you will receive at maturity a cash payment that is less than the principal amount of the notes and may be significantly less than the principal amount of your notes. Accordingly, you could lose up to 90.00% of the principal amount of your notes.
●Your notes are subject to automatic early redemption. — We will redeem the notes if the closing level of the Reference Asset on any Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Call Level. Following an automatic redemption, you may not be able to reinvest your proceeds in an investment with returns that are comparable to the notes. Furthermore, to the extent you are able to reinvest such proceeds in an investment with a comparable return for a similar level of risk, you may incur transaction costs such as dealer discounts and hedging costs built into the price of the new notes.
●If the notes are automatically redeemed, your return on the notes is limited to the potential Call Amount regardless of any increase in the level of the Reference Asset. — If the notes are automatically redeemed, you will not receive a payment with a value greater than your principal amount plus the applicable Call Amount, even if the Final Level of the Reference Asset exceeds its Call Level by a substantial amount. Accordingly, your maximum return on the applicable notes is limited to the potential return represented by the Call Amount if the notes are automatically redeemed.
●If the notes are not automatically redeemed, your return may be less than if the notes were automatically redeemed and may be negative. — If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the payment at maturity for the notes is based on the performance of the Reference Asset over the term of the notes, which may be negative. If the level of the Reference Asset has performed positively over the term of the notes, your return may still be less than the return represented by the Call Amount. Furthermore, even if the return you receive is greater than the return represented by the Call Amount, such return may reflect a lower return on a per annum basis. If the notes are not automatically redeemed and the Final Level is less than its Buffer Level, your return on the notes will be negative. Depending on the Final level of the Reference Asset, the return you receive at maturity may be less than, and potentially significantly less than, the return represented by the Call Amount.
●Your return on the notes may be lower than the return on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. — The return that you will receive on your notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. The notes do not provide for interest payments and the payment you receive at maturity, if any, may be less than the principal amount of the notes. Even if your return on the notes is positive, your return may be less than the return you would earn if you bought a conventional senior interest bearing debt security of ours with the same maturity or if you invested directly in the Reference Asset. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you take into account factors that affect the time value of money.
Risks Related to the Reference Asset
●Owning the notes is not the same as owning shares of the Reference Asset or a security directly linked to the Reference Asset. — The return on your notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned shares of the Reference Asset or a security directly linked to the performance of the Reference Asset and held that investment for a similar period. Your notes may trade quite differently from the Reference Asset. Changes in the level of the Reference Asset may not result in comparable changes in the market value of your notes. Even if the level of the Reference Asset increases during the term of the notes, the market value of the notes prior to maturity may not increase to the same extent. It is also possible for the market value of the notes to decrease while the level of the Reference Asset increases. In addition, any dividends or other distributions paid on the Reference Asset will not be reflected in the amount payable on the notes.
●You will not have any shareholder rights and will have no right to receive any shares of the Reference Asset (or any company included in the Reference Asset) at maturity. — Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any shares of the Reference Asset or any securities held by the Reference Asset. Neither you nor any other holder or owner of the notes will have any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, or any other rights with respect to the Reference Asset or such underlying securities.
●No delivery of shares of the Reference Asset. — The notes will be payable only in cash. You should not invest in the notes if you seek to have the shares of the Reference Asset delivered to you at maturity.
●Changes that affect the applicable Underlying Index will affect the market value of the notes and the amount you will receive at maturity. — The policies of the applicable index sponsor concerning the calculation of the applicable Underlying Index, additions, deletions or substitutions of the components of the applicable Underlying Index and the manner in which changes affecting those components, such as stock dividends, reorganizations or mergers, may be reflected in the applicable Reference Asset and, therefore, could affect the share price of the Reference Asset, the amounts payable on the notes, and the market value of the notes prior to maturity. The amount payable on the notes and their market value could also be affected if the applicable index sponsor changes these policies, for example, by changing the manner in which it calculates the applicable Underlying Index, or if the applicable index sponsor discontinues or suspends the calculation or publication of the applicable Underlying Index.
●We have no affiliation with the index sponsor of the applicable Underlying Index and will not be responsible for its actions. — The sponsor of the applicable Underlying Index is not our affiliate and will not be involved in the offering of the notes in any way. Consequently, we have no control over the actions of the index sponsor of the applicable Underlying Index, including any actions of the type that would require the calculation agent to adjust the payment to you at maturity. The index sponsors have no obligation of any sort with respect to the notes. Thus, the applicable index sponsor has no obligation to take your interests into consideration for any reason, including in taking any actions that might affect the value of the notes. None of our proceeds from the issuance of the notes will be delivered to the index sponsor of the applicable Underlying Index.
●Adjustments to the Reference Asset could adversely affect the notes. — The sponsor and advisor of the Reference Asset is responsible for calculating and maintaining the Reference Asset. The sponsor and advisor of the Reference Asset can add, delete or substitute the stocks
6
comprising the Reference Asset or make other methodological changes that could change the share price of the Reference Asset at any time. If one or more of these events occurs, the calculation of the amount payable at maturity may be adjusted to reflect such event or events. Consequently, any of these actions could adversely affect the amount payable at maturity and/or the market value of the notes.
●We and our affiliates do not have any affiliation with the applicable investment advisor or the Reference Asset Issuer and are not responsible for their public disclosure of information. — The investment advisor of the Reference Asset advises the issuer of the Reference Asset (the “Reference Asset Issuer” ) on various matters, including matters relating to the policies, maintenance and calculation of the Reference Asset. We and our affiliates are not affiliated with the applicable investment advisor or the Reference Asset Issuer in any way and have no ability to control or predict its actions, including any errors in or discontinuance of disclosure regarding the methods or policies relating to the Reference Asset. Neither the applicable investment advisor nor the Reference Asset Issuer is involved in the offerings of the notes in any way and has no obligation to consider your interests as an owner of the notes in taking any actions relating to the Reference Asset that might affect the value of the notes. Neither we nor any of our affiliates has independently verified the adequacy or accuracy of the information about the applicable investment advisor or the Reference Asset contained in any public disclosure of information. You, as an investor in the notes, should make your own investigation into the Reference Asset Issuer.
●The correlation between the performance of the Reference Asset and the performance of the applicable Underlying Index may be imperfect. — The performance of the Reference Asset is linked principally to the performance of the applicable Underlying Index. However, because of the potential discrepancies identified in more detail in the product supplement, the return on the Reference Asset may correlate imperfectly with the return on the applicable Underlying Index.
●The Reference Asset is subject to management risks. — The Reference Asset is subject to management risk, which is the risk that the applicable investment advisor’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. For example, the applicable investment advisor may invest a portion of the Reference Asset Issuer’s assets in securities not included in the relevant industry or sector but which the applicable investment advisor believes will help the Reference Asset track the relevant industry or sector.
●You must rely on your own evaluation of the merits of an investment linked to the Reference Asset. — In the ordinary course of their businesses, we, Citigroup, and our or their affiliates from time to time may express views on expected movements in the prices of the Reference Asset or the prices of the securities held by the Reference Asset. One or more of us, Citigroup, and our or their affiliates have published, and in the future may publish, research reports that express views on the Reference Asset or these securities. However, these views are subject to change from time to time. Moreover, other professionals who deal in the markets relating to the Reference Asset at any time may have significantly different views from those of us, Citigroup, and our or their affiliates. You are encouraged to derive information concerning the Reference Asset from multiple sources, and you should not rely on the views expressed by us, Citigroup, and our or their affiliates.
Neither the offering of the notes nor any views which our affiliates from time to time may express in the ordinary course of their businesses constitutes a recommendation as to the merits of an investment in the notes.
Risks Relating to SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF
●The SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF, and therefore an investment in the notes, is subject to risks associated with concentration in the banking sector. — All or substantially all of the equity securities held by the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF are issued by companies whose primary lines of business are directly associated with the banking sector. As a result, the stocks that will determine the performance of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF are concentrated in one sector, and an investment in the notes will be subject to certain risks associated with a direct equity investment in companies in the banking sector. Accordingly, by investing in the notes, you will not benefit from the diversification which could result from an investment linked to companies that operate in multiple sectors.
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, and 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. These factors could affect the banking industry and could affect the value of the equity securities held by the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF and the price of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF during the term of the notes, which may adversely affect the value of your notes.
General Risk Factors
●Your investment is subject to the credit risk of Bank of Montreal. — Our credit ratings and credit spreads may adversely affect the market value of the notes. Investors are dependent on our ability to pay any amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Any decline in our credit ratings or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking our credit risk is likely to adversely affect the value of the notes.
●Potential conflicts. — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the notes, including acting as calculation agent. In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of ours and Citigroup and any of its affiliates are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes. We, Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates may also engage in trading of shares of the Reference Asset or the securities held by the Reference Asset on a regular basis as part of our general broker-dealer and other businesses, for proprietary accounts, for other accounts under management or to facilitate transactions for our customers. Any of these activities could adversely affect the level of the Reference Asset and, therefore, the market value of, and the payments on, the notes. We, Citigroup or one or more of our or their 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 Asset. By introducing competing products into the marketplace in this manner, we, Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates could adversely affect the market value of the notes.
●Our initial estimated value of the notes will be lower than the price to public. — Our initial estimated value of the notes is only an estimate, and is based on a number of factors. The price to public of the notes will exceed our initial estimated value, because costs associated with offering, structuring and hedging the notes are included in the price to public, but are not included in the estimated value. These costs include any underwriting discount and selling concessions, the profits that we and our affiliates expect to realize for assuming the risks in hedging our
7
obligations under the notes and the estimated cost of hedging these obligations. The initial estimated value of the notes may be as low as the amount indicated on the cover page hereof.
●Our initial estimated value does not represent any future value of the notes, and may also differ from the estimated value of any other party. — Our initial estimated value of the notes as of the date hereof is, and our estimated value as determined on the Pricing Date will be, derived using our internal pricing models. This value is based on market conditions and other relevant factors, which include volatility of the Reference Asset, dividend rates and interest rates. Different pricing models and assumptions could provide values for the notes that are greater than or less than our initial estimated value. In addition, market conditions and other relevant factors after the Pricing Date are expected to change, possibly rapidly, and our assumptions may prove to be incorrect. After the Pricing Date, the value of the notes could change dramatically due to changes in market conditions, our creditworthiness, and the other factors set forth herein and in the product supplement. These changes are likely to impact the price, if any, at which we, Citigroup or any of our or their affiliates would be willing to purchase the notes from you in any secondary market transactions. Our initial estimated value does not represent a minimum price at which we, Citigroup or our or their affiliates would be willing to buy your notes in any secondary market at any time.
●The terms of the notes are not determined by reference to the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. — To determine the terms of the notes, we will use an internal funding rate that represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. As a result, the terms of the notes are less favorable to you than if we had used a higher funding rate.
●Certain costs are likely to adversely affect the value of the notes. — Absent any changes in market conditions, any secondary market prices of the notes will likely be lower than the price to public. This is because any secondary market prices will likely take into account our then-current market credit spreads, and because any secondary market prices are likely to exclude all or a portion of any underwriting discount and selling concessions, and the hedging profits and estimated hedging costs that are included in the price to public of the notes and that may be reflected on your account statements. In addition, any such price is also likely to reflect a discount to account for costs associated with establishing or unwinding any related hedge transaction, such as dealer discounts, mark-ups and other transaction costs. As a result, the price, if any, at which we, Citigroup or any of our or their affiliates or any other party may be willing to purchase the notes from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, will likely be lower than the price to public. Any sale that you make prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you.
●Lack of liquidity. — The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates may offer to purchase the notes in the secondary market, but none of us, Citigroup or any of our or their affiliates is required to do so. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the notes easily. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the notes, the price at which you may be able to trade the notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which we, Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates is willing to buy the notes.
●Hedging and trading activities. — We, Citigroup or any of our or their affiliates have carried out or may carry out hedging activities related to the notes, including purchasing or selling shares of the Reference Asset pr securities held by the Reference Asset, futures or options relating to the Reference Asset or securities held by the Reference Asset or other derivative instruments with returns linked or related to changes in the performance on the Reference Asset or securities held by the Reference Asset. We, Citigroup or any of our or their affiliates may also trade in the Reference Asset, such securities, or instruments related to the Reference Asset or such securities from time to time. Any of these hedging or trading activities on or prior to the Pricing Date and during the term of the notes could adversely affect the payments on the notes.
●Many economic and market factors will influence the value of the notes. — In addition to the level of the Reference Asset and interest rates on any trading day, the value of the notes will be affected by a number of economic and market factors that may either offset or magnify each other, and which are described in more detail in the product supplement.
●Significant aspects of the tax treatment of the notes are uncertain. — The tax treatment of the notes is uncertain. We do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or from any Canadian authorities regarding the tax treatment of the notes, and the Internal Revenue Service or a court may not agree with the tax treatment described herein.
The Internal Revenue Service has released a notice that may affect the taxation of holders of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. According to the notice, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury are actively considering whether the holder of such instruments should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis. While it is not clear whether the notes would be viewed as similar to such instruments, it is possible that any future guidance could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.
Please read carefully the section entitled "U.S. Federal Tax Information" herein, the section entitled "Supplemental Tax Considerations–Supplemental U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" in the accompanying product supplement, the section entitled "United States Federal Income Taxation" in the accompanying prospectus and the section entitled "Certain Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus supplement. You should consult your tax advisor about your own tax situation.
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Examples of the Hypothetical Payment at Maturity for a $1,000 Investment in the Notes
The following table illustrates the hypothetical payments on a note at maturity. The hypothetical payments are based on a $1,000 investment in the note, a hypothetical Initial Level of $100.00, a hypothetical Upside Leverage Factor of 125.00%, a hypothetical Buffer Level of $90.00 (90.00% of the hypothetical Initial Level), a range of hypothetical Final Levels and the effect on the payment at maturity.
The hypothetical examples shown below are intended to help you understand the terms of the notes. If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the actual cash amount that you will receive at maturity will depend upon the Final Level of the Reference Asset. If the notes are automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the hypothetical examples below will not be relevant, and you will receive on the applicable Call Settlement Date, for each $1,000 principal amount, the principal amount plus the Call Amount. You may lose some or a significant portion of the principal amount at maturity.
Hypothetical Final Level |
Hypothetical Final Level Expressed as a Percentage of the Initial Level |
Hypothetical Payment at Maturity |
Hypothetical Return on the Notes |
$200.00 |
200.00% |
$2,250.00 |
125.00% |
$180.00 |
180.00% |
$2,000.00 |
100.00% |
$160.00 |
160.00% |
$1,750.00 |
75.00% |
$140.00 |
140.00% |
$1,500.00 |
50.00% |
$120.00 |
120.00% |
$1,250.00 |
25.00% |
$100.00 |
100.00% |
$1,000.00 |
0.00% |
$95.00 |
95.00% |
$1,000.00 |
0.00% |
$90.00 |
90.00% |
$1,000.00 |
0.00% |
$89.99 |
89.99% |
$999.90 |
-0.01% |
$80.00 |
80.00% |
$900.00 |
-10.00% |
$60.00 |
60.00% |
$700.00 |
-30.00% |
$40.00 |
40.00% |
$500.00 |
-50.00% |
$20.00 |
20.00% |
$300.00 |
-70.00% |
$0.00 |
0.00% |
$100.00 |
-90.00% |
The following examples illustrate how the returns set forth in the table above are calculated.
Example 1: The level of the Reference Asset decreases from the hypothetical Initial Level of $100.00 to a hypothetical Final Level of $80.00, representing a Percentage Change of –20.00%. Because the Percentage Change of the Reference Asset is negative and its hypothetical Final Level is less than its Buffer Level, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $900.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of the notes, calculated as follows:
$1,000 + [$1,000 x (–20.00% + 10.00%)] = $900.00
Example 2: The level of the Reference Asset decreases from the hypothetical Initial Level of $100.00 to a hypothetical Final Level of $95.00, representing a Percentage Change of -5.00%. Although the Percentage Change of the Reference Asset is negative, because its hypothetical Final Level is greater than its Buffer Level, the investor receives a payment at maturity equal to the principal amount of the notes.
Example 3: The level of the Reference Asset increases from the hypothetical Initial Level of $100.00 to a hypothetical Final Level of $120.00, representing a Percentage Change of 20.00%. Because the hypothetical Final Level of the Reference Asset is greater than its hypothetical Initial Level, the investor receives a payment at maturity of $1,250.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of the notes, calculated as follows:
$1,000 + $1,000 x (20.00% x 125.00%) = $1,250.00
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U.S. Federal Tax Information
By purchasing the notes, each holder agrees (in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary) to treat each note as a pre-paid derivative contract for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the opinion of our counsel, Mayer Brown LLP, it would generally be reasonable to treat the notes as pre-paid derivative contracts in respect of the Reference Asset for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and the Internal Revenue Service could assert that the notes should be taxed in a manner that is different from that described in the preceding sentence. Please see the discussion in the product supplement dated September 22, 2022 under “Supplemental Tax Considerations—Supplemental U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Notes Treated as Pre-Paid Derivative Contracts,” which applies to the notes.
Under current Internal Revenue Service guidance, withholding on "dividend equivalent" payments (as discussed in the product supplement), if any, will not apply to notes that are issued as of the date of this pricing supplement unless such notes are "delta-one" instruments. Based on our determination that the notes are not delta-one instruments, non-United States holders (as defined in the product supplement) should not generally be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the notes.
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)
Citigroup will purchase the notes from us at a purchase price reflecting the commission set forth on the cover hereof. Citigroup has informed us that, as part of its distribution of the notes, it may reoffer the notes to other dealers who will sell them. Each such dealer, or each additional dealer engaged by a dealer to whom Citigroup reoffers the notes, will receive a commission from Citigroup, which will not exceed the commission set forth on the cover page. We or one of our affiliates may also pay a referral fee to certain dealers in connection with the distribution of the notes.
Certain dealers who purchase the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forego some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the notes in these accounts may be less than 100% of the principal amount, as set forth on the cover page of this document. Investors that hold their notes in these accounts may be charged fees by the investment advisor or manager of that account based on the amount of assets held in those accounts, including the notes.
We will deliver the notes on a date that is greater than one business day following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
We reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify the offering of the notes and to reject orders in whole or in part. You may cancel any order for the notes prior to its acceptance.
You should not construe the offering of the notes as a recommendation of the merits of acquiring an investment linked to the Reference Asset or as to the suitability of an investment in the notes.
We, Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates may, but is not obligated to, make a market in the notes. We, Citigroup and/or any of our or their affiliates will determine any secondary market prices that it is prepared to offer in its sole discretion.
We, Citigroup or one or more of our or their affiliates may use the final pricing supplement relating to the notes in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, we, Citigroup or one of our or their affiliates may use the final pricing supplement in market-making transactions in any notes after their initial sale. Unless Citigroup or we or one of our or their affiliates inform you otherwise in the confirmation of sale, the final pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.
For a period of approximately three months following issuance of the notes, the price, if any, at which we or Citigroup or one of our or their affiliates would be willing to buy the notes from investors, and the value that we, Citigroup or one of our or their affiliates may also publish for the notes through one or more financial information vendors and which could be indicated for the notes on any brokerage account statements, will reflect a temporary upward adjustment from our estimated value of the notes that would otherwise be determined and applicable at that time. This temporary upward adjustment represents a portion of (a) the hedging profit that we or our affiliates expect to realize over the term of the notes and (b) any underwriting discount and the selling concessions paid in connection with this offering. The amount of this temporary upward adjustment will decline to zero on a straight-line basis over the three-month period.
The notes and the related offer to purchase notes and sale of notes under the terms and conditions provided herein do not constitute a public offering in any non-U.S. jurisdiction, and are being made available only to individually identified investors pursuant to a private offering as permitted in the relevant jurisdiction. The notes are not, and will not be, registered with any securities exchange or registry located outside of the United States and have not been registered with any non-U.S. securities or banking regulatory authority. The contents of this document have not been reviewed or approved by any non-U.S. securities or banking regulatory authority. Any person who wishes to acquire the notes from outside the United States should seek the advice or legal counsel as to the relevant requirements to acquire these notes.
British Virgin Islands. The notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the laws and regulations of the British Virgin Islands, nor has any regulatory authority in the British Virgin Islands passed comment upon or approved the accuracy or adequacy of this document. This pricing supplement and the related documents shall not constitute an offer, invitation or solicitation to any member of the public in the British Virgin Islands for the purposes of the Securities and Investment Business Act, 2010, of the British Virgin Islands.
Cayman Islands. Pursuant to the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands, no invitation may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for the notes by or on behalf of the issuer unless at the time of such invitation the issuer is listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. The issuer is not presently listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and, accordingly, no invitation to the public in the Cayman Islands is to be made by the issuer (or by any dealer on its behalf). No such invitation is made to the public in the Cayman Islands hereby.
Dominican Republic. Nothing in this pricing supplement constitutes an offer of securities for sale in the Dominican Republic. The notes have not been, and will not be, registered with the Superintendence of Securities Market of the Dominican Republic (Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores), under Dominican Securities Market Law No. 249-17 (“Securities Law 249-17”), and the notes may not be offered or sold within the Dominican Republic or to, or for the account or benefit of, Dominican persons (as defined under Securities Law 249-17 and its regulations). Failure to comply with these directives may result in a violation of Securities Law 249-17 and its regulations.
Israel. This pricing supplement is intended solely for investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended. A prospectus has not been prepared or filed, and will not be prepared or filed, in Israel relating to the notes offered hereunder. The notes cannot be resold in Israel other than to investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended.
No action will be taken in Israel that would permit an offering of the notes or the distribution of any offering document or any other material to the public in Israel. In particular, no offering document or other material has been reviewed or approved by the Israel Securities
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Authority. Any material provided to an offeree in Israel may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose, nor be furnished to any other person other than those to whom copies have been provided directly by us or the selling agents.
Nothing in this pricing supplement or any other offering material relating to the notes, should be considered as the rendering of a recommendation or advice, including investment advice or investment marketing under the Law For Regulation of Investment Advice, Investment Marketing and Investment Portfolio Management, 1995, to purchase any note. The purchase of any note will be based on an investor’s own understanding, for the investor’s own benefit and for the investor’s own account and not with the aim or intention of distributing or offering to other parties. In purchasing the notes, each investor declares that it has the knowledge, expertise and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the risks and merits of an investment in the notes, without relying on any of the materials provided.
Mexico. The notes have not been registered with the National Registry of Securities maintained by the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission and may not be offered or sold publicly in Mexico. This pricing supplement and the related documents may not be publicly distributed in Mexico. The notes may only be offered in a private offering pursuant to Article 8 of the Securities Market Law.
Switzerland. This pricing supplement is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in any notes. Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes constitutes a prospectus compliant with the requirements of articles 35 et seq. of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("FinSA")) for a public offering of the notes in Switzerland and no such prospectus has been or will be prepared for or in connection with the offering of the notes in Switzerland.
Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes has been or will be filed with or approved by a Swiss review body (Prüfstelle). No application has been or is intended to be made to admit the notes to trading on any trading venue (SIX Swiss Exchange or on any other exchange or any multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
The notes may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of FinSA except (i) in any circumstances falling within the exemptions to prepare a prospectus listed in article 36 para. 1 FinSA or (ii) where such offer does not qualify as a public offer in Switzerland, provided always that no offer of notes shall require the Issuer or any offeror to publish a prospectus pursuant to article 35 FinSA in respect to such offer and that such offer shall comply with the additional restrictions set out below (if applicable). The Issuer has not authorised and does not authorise any offer of notes which would require the Issuer or any offeror to publish a prospectus pursuant to article 35 FinSA in respect of such offer. For purposes of this provision "public offer" shall have the meaning as such term is understood pursuant to article 3 lit. g and h FinSA and the Swiss Financial Services Ordinance ("FinSO").
The notes do not constitute participations in a collective investment scheme within the meaning of the Swiss Collective Investment Schemes Act. They are not subject to the approval of, or supervision by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority ("FINMA"), and investors in the notes will not benefit from protection under CISA or supervision by FINMA.
Prohibition of Offer to Private Clients in Switzerland - No Key Information Document pursuant to article 58 FinSA (Basisinformationsblatt für Finanzinstrumente) or equivalent document under foreign law pursuant to article 59 para. 2 FinSA has been or will be prepared in relation to the notes. Therefore, the following additional restriction applies: Notes qualifying as "debt securities with a derivative character" pursuant to article 86 para. 2 FinSO may not be offered within the meaning of article 58 para. 1 FinSA, and neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to such notes may be made available, to any retail client (Privatkunde) within the meaning of FinSA in Switzerland.
The notes may also be sold in the following jurisdictions, provided, in each case, any sales are made in accordance with all applicable laws in such jurisdiction:
●Barbados
●Bermuda
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Additional Information Relating to the Estimated Initial Value of the Notes
Our estimated initial value of the notes on the date hereof, and that will be set forth on the cover page of the final pricing supplement relating to the notes, equals the sum of the values of the following hypothetical components:
●a fixed-income debt component with the same tenor as the notes, valued using our internal funding rate for structured notes; and
●one or more derivative transactions relating to the economic terms of the notes.
The internal funding rate used in the determination of the initial estimated value generally represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. The value of these derivative transactions is derived from our internal pricing models. These models are based on factors such as the traded market prices of comparable derivative instruments and on other inputs, which include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors. As a result, the estimated initial value of the notes on the Pricing Date will be determined based on the market conditions on the Pricing Date.
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The Reference Asset
We have derived the following information from publicly available documents. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the following information. We are not affiliated with the Reference Asset Issuer and the Reference Asset Issuer will have no obligations with respect to the notes. This document relates only to the notes and does not relate to the shares of the Reference Asset or any securities included in the Underlying Index. Neither we nor any of our affiliates participates in the preparation of the publicly available documents described below. Neither we, Citigroup, nor any of our or their affiliates has made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Reference Asset in connection with the offering of the notes. There can be no assurance that all events occurring prior to the date hereof, including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents described below and that would affect the trading price of the shares of the Reference Asset, have been or will be publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any events or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the Reference Asset could affect the price of the shares of the Reference Asset on each Observation Date and on the Valuation Date, and therefore could affect the payments on the notes.
The selection of the Reference Asset is not a recommendation to buy or sell the shares of the Reference Asset. Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the shares of the Reference Asset. Information provided to or filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940 relating to the Reference Asset may be obtained through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
We encourage you to review recent levels of the Reference Assets prior to making an investment decision with respect to the notes.
SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF
The shares of the SPDR® S&P® Bank ETF (the “KBE”) are issued by the SPDR® Series Trust, a registered investment company. SSGA currently serves as the investment advisor to the KBE. The KBE trades on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “KBE.”
Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the SPDR® Series Trust pursuant to the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 333-57793 and 811-08839, respectively, through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Investment Objective and Strategy
The KBE seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P Banks Select Industry Index ( the “SPSIBK”). S&P Select Industry Indices are designed to measure the performance of GICS sub-industries. The SPSIBK comprises stocks in the S&P Total Market Index (“S&P TMI”) that are classified in the GICS asset management & custody banks, diversified banks, regional banks, other diversified financial services and thrifts & mortgage finance sub-industries. The returns of the KBE may be affected by certain management fees and other expenses, which are detailed in its prospectus.
Investment Strategy
The KBE employs a sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, which means that the KBE is not required to purchase all of the securities represented in the SPSIBK. Instead, the KBE may purchase a subset of the securities in the Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of securities with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Index. The quantity of holdings in the KBE will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the KBE. Based on its analysis of these factors, SSGA, either may invest the KBE’s assets in a subset of securities in the Index or may invest the KBE’s assets in substantially all of the securities represented in the Index in approximately the same proportions as the Index, as determined by SSGA to be in the best interest of the KBE in pursuing its objective.
Under normal market conditions, the KBE generally invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the SPSIBK. In addition, in seeking to track the Index, the KBE may invest in equity securities that are not included in the SPSIBK, cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). In seeking to track the SPSIBK, the KBE’s assets will generally be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the S SPSIBK concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. Futures contracts (a type of derivative instrument) may be used by the KBE in seeking performance that corresponds to the SPSIBK and in managing cash flows.
Correlation
The KBE is a theoretical financial calculation, while the SPSIBK is an actual investment portfolio. While the KBE seeks to track the performance of the SPSIBK (i.e., achieve a high degree of correlation with the SPSIBK), the KBE’s return may not match the return of the SPSIBK due to operating expenses, transaction costs, cash flows, regulatory requirements and operational inefficiencies.
Description of the S&P Banks Select Industry Index
The SPSIBK is one of twenty-one of the S&P Select Industry Indices (the “Select Industry Indices”), each designed to measure the performance of a narrow sub-industry or group of sub-industries determined based on the GICS. Membership in the Select Industry Indices is based on the GICS classification, as well as liquidity and market cap requirements. Companies in the Select Industry Indices are classified according to GICS which determines classifications primarily based on revenues; however, earnings and market perception are also considered.
The SPSIBK consists of the S&P TMI constituents belonging to the Asset Management & Custody Banks, Diversified Banks, Regional Banks, Diversified Financial Services, and Commercial & Residential Mortgage Finance sub-industries that satisfy the following criteria: (i) have a float-adjusted market capitalization above $2 billion with a float-adjusted liquidity ratio (defined by dollar value traded over the previous 12 months divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization as of the index rebalancing reference date) above 100%; and (ii) are U.S. based companies. The length of time to evaluate liquidity is reduced to the available trading period for initial public offerings or spin-offs that do not have 12 months of trading history. The market capitalization threshold may be relaxed to ensure that there are at least 22 stocks in the SPSIBK as of the rebalancing effective date. Existing SPSIBK constituents are removed at the quarterly rebalancing effective date if either their float-adjusted market
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capitalization falls below $1 billion or their float-adjusted liquidity ratio falls below 50%. The market capitalization threshold and the liquidity threshold are each reviewed from time to time based on market conditions. Rebalancing occurs on the third Friday of the quarter ending month. The S&P TMI tracks all eligible U.S. common equities listed on the NYSE, NYSE Arca NYSE American, NASDAQ Global Select Market, NASDAQ Select Market, Investors Exchange (IEX), NASDAQ Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA, or Cboe EDGX exchanges. The SPSIBK is modified equal weighted.
The SPSIBK represents the banks segment of the S&P TMI, which is designed to track the broad U.S. equity market. The banks segment of the S&P TMI comprises the following GICS sub-industries: asset management & custody banks, diversified banks, regional banks, other diversified financial services, and thrifts & mortgage finance. The SPSIBK is part of the S&P Select Industry Indices family. For more information about the S&P Select Industry Indices, please see “The S&P Select Industry Indices” below.
The S&P Select Industry Indices
Eligibility Criteria
Index Eligibility. To be eligible for inclusion in the applicable Select Industry Index, companies must be in the S&P TMI and must be included in the relevant GICS industry. In addition to the above, companies must satisfy one of the following size and liquidity criteria:
1.Be a current constituent, have an float-adjusted market capitalization greater than or equal to US$ 300 million, and have an float-adjusted liquidity ratio greater than or equal to 50%;
2.Have a float-adjusted market capitalization greater than or equal to US$ 500 million and an float-adjusted liquidity ratio greater than or equal to 90%;
3.Have a float-adjusted market capitalization greater than or equal to US$ 400 million and an float-adjusted liquidity ratio greater than or equal to 150%; or
4.Some of the S&P Select Industry Indices have different market capitalization and float-adjusted liquidity ratio requirements. Bank Select Industry Indices have a float-adjusted market cap above US $2 billion and float-adjusted liquidity ratio above 100%.
All U.S. companies satisfying these requirements are included in the underlying index. The total number of companies in the underlying index should be at least 35. In the event that fewer than 35 stocks are selected for each index using the eligible primary stocks, certain indices will select stocks for inclusion from a supplementary list of highly correlated sub-industries (supplementary stocks). Supplementary stocks are selected by the following process:
1.All eligible primary stocks are added to the index.
2.If there are 35 or more eligible primary stocks, then any supplementary stocks currently in the index are deleted.
3.If after step 1 there are less than 35 eligible primary stocks, then supplementary stocks meeting the relevant market capitalization and liquidity thresholds are added in order of their float-adjusted market capitalization from largest to smallest until the minimum constituent count of 35 stocks is met.
4.A buffer is applied in step 3 such that a supplementary stock being added must have an float-adjusted market capitalization greater than 1.2 times (or 20% higher than) the supplementary stock it is replacing. This buffer is evaluated on each supplementary stock addition relative to the current supplementary stock it is replacing. For example, the largest non-index supplementary stock by float-adjusted market capitalization is evaluated against the smallest supplementary index constituent, the second largest non-index supplementary stock is evaluated against the second smallest supplementary index constituent, etc. This process is repeated until no supplementary additions exceed the buffer.
Additionally, minimum float-adjusted market capitalization requirements may be relaxed for all indices to ensure that there are at least 22 stocks in each index as of each rebalancing effective date.
Liquidity. The liquidity measurement used is float-adjusted liquidity ratio, defined as dollar value traded over the previous 12-months divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization as of the rebalancing reference date.
The length of time to evaluate liquidity is reduced to the available trading period for IPOs or spin-offs that do not have 12 months of trading history. In these cases, the dollar value traded available as of the rebalancing reference date is annualized.
Takeover Restrictions. At the discretion of S&P, constituents with shareholder ownership restrictions defined in company bylaws may be deemed ineligible for inclusion in the index. Ownership restrictions preventing entities from replicating the index weight of a stock may be excluded from the eligible universe or removed from the index. S&P Dow Jones Indices will provide up to five days advance notification of a deletion between rebalancings due to ownership restrictions.
Index Maintenance
Rebalancing. Index membership is reviewed quarterly. Rebalancings occur after the closing on the third Friday of the quarter ending month. The reference date for additions and deletions is after the closing of the last trading date of the previous month. Closing prices as of the second Friday of the last month of the quarter are used for setting index weights.
Additions. Stocks are added between rebalancings only if a deletion in the index causes the stock count to fall below 22. In those cases, each stock deletion is accompanied with a stock addition. The new stock will be added to the index at the weight of the deleted stock. In the case of spin-offs, the S&P Select Industry Indices will follow the S&P TMI’s treatment of the action.
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Deletions. A stock is deleted from an S&P Select Industry Index if the S&P TMI drops the stock. If a stock deletion causes the number of stocks in the relevant index to fall below 22, each stock deletion is accompanied with a corresponding stock addition. In the case of mergers involving two index constituents, the merged entity will remain in the index provided that it meets all general eligibility requirements. The merged entity will be added to the index at the weight of the stock deemed to be the surviving stock in the transaction (i.e. the surviving stock will not experience a weight change and its subsequent weight will not be equal to that of the pre-merger weight of the merged entities).
In case of GICS changes, where a stock does not belong to a qualifying sub-industry after the classification change, it is removed from the relevant index at the next rebalancing.
Index Adjustments
The table below summarizes the types of index maintenance adjustments:
S&P TMI Action |
Adjustment Made to Index |
Divisor Adjustment Required |
Constituent Deletion |
If the constituent is a member of the index, it is dropped. |
Yes
|
Constituent Addition |
Only in cases where the deletion causes the stock count to fall below 22 stocks, then the deletion is accompanied by an addition assuming the weight of the dropped stock. If a stock is removed from an index at a price of $0.00, the stock’s replacement will be added to the index at the weight using the previous day's closing value, or the most immediate prior business day that the deleted stock was not valued at $0.00. In the case of additions due to spin-offs, the S&P Select Industry Indices follow the S&P TMI’s treatment of the action. |
No, except in the case of stocks removed at $0.00.
|
GICS Change |
None. If, after the GICS change, a stock no longer qualifies to belong to the relevant Select Industry index, it is removed at the next rebalancing. |
No
|
Corporate Actions
Type of Corporate Action |
Adjustment Made to Index |
Divisor Adjustment Required |
Spin-Off |
In general, both the parent stock and spin-off stocks will remain in the index until the next index rebalancing, regardless of whether they conform to the theme of the index. |
No |
Rights Offering |
The price is adjusted to the price of the parent company minus (the Price of the Rights Subscription/Rights Ratio). Index Shares change so that the company’s weight remains the same as its weight before the rights offering. |
No |
Stock Dividend, Stock Split, Reverse Stock Split |
Index shares are multiplied by and price is divided by the split factor |
No |
Share issuance or share repurchase |
None |
No |
Special dividends |
Price of the stock making the special dividend payment is reduced by the per share special dividend amount after the close of trading on the day before the dividend ex-date. |
Yes |
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