The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell
additional notes after the date of this pricing supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will
depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.
GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of GS
Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless GS Finance Corp. or its agent informs the
purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.
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Estimated Value of Your 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 Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) and taking into account our credit spreads) is expected to be between $960 and $990 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price. The value of your notes at any time will reflect
many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements
and otherwise is equal to approximately the estimated value of your notes at the time of pricing, plus an additional amount (initially equal to $ per $1,000 face amount).
Prior to , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which
GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) will equal approximately the sum of (a) the then-current estimated value of your notes (as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing
models) plus (b) any remaining additional amount (the additional amount will decline to zero on a straight-line basis from the time of pricing through ). On and after , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and
ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market) will equal approximately the then-current estimated value of your notes determined by reference to such pricing models.
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About Your Prospectus
The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series E program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman
Sachs Group, Inc. This prospectus includes this pricing supplement and the accompanying documents listed below. This pricing supplement constitutes a supplement to the documents listed below and should be read in conjunction with such
documents:
The information in this pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting information in the documents listed above. In addition, some of the
terms or features described in the listed documents may not apply to your notes.
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|
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We refer to the notes we are offering by this pricing supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Each of the offered
notes has the terms described below. Please note that in this pricing supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates, references to “The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. together with its consolidated
subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated July 10, 2017, references to the “accompanying prospectus supplement” mean the accompanying prospectus
supplement, dated July 10, 2017, for Medium-Term Notes, Series E, references to the “accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734” mean the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, dated July 10, 2017, and references to the
“accompanying product supplement no. 1,743” mean the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743, dated July 10, 2017, in each case of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The notes will be issued under the senior debt
indenture, dated as of October 10, 2008, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2015, each among us, as issuer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee.
This indenture, as so supplemented and as further supplemented thereafter, is referred to as the “GSFC 2008 indenture” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
This section is meant as a summary and should be read in conjunction with the section entitled “General Terms of the
Underlier-Linked Notes” on page S-35 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743 and “Supplemental Terms of the Notes” on page S-16 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. Please note that certain features, as noted
below, described in the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743 and general terms supplement no. 1,734 are not applicable to the notes. This pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting provisions of the accompanying product supplement
no. 1,743 or the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
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Key Terms
Issuer: GS Finance Corp.
Guarantor: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Basket underliers: the EURO STOXX 50® Index
(Bloomberg symbol, “SX5E Index”), as published by STOXX Limited (“STOXX”); TOPIX (Bloomberg symbol, “TPX Index”), as published by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. (“TSE”); the FTSE® 100 Index (Bloomberg symbol, “UKX Index”), as published
by FTSE Russell (“FTSE”); the Swiss Market Index (Bloomberg symbol, “SMI Index”), as published by SIX Group Ltd. (“SIX Group”); and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Bloomberg symbol, “AS51 Index”), as published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC
(“S&P”); see “The Basket and the Basket Underliers” on page PS-15
Specified currency: U.S. dollars (“$”)
Terms to be specified in accordance with the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743:
● |
type of notes: notes linked to basket of underliers
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● |
exchange rates: not applicable
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● |
downside participation percentage: not applicable
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● |
cap level: not applicable
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● |
averaging dates: not applicable
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● |
interest: not applicable
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● |
redemption right or price dependent redemption right: not applicable
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Face amount: each note will have a face amount of
$1,000; $ in the aggregate for all the offered notes; the aggregate face amount of the offered notes may be increased if the issuer, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount of the offered notes on a date subsequent to
the date of this pricing supplement
Purchase at amount other than face amount: the amount we will pay you
at the stated maturity date for your notes will not be adjusted based on the issue price you
pay for your notes, so if you acquire notes at a premium (or discount) to face amount and hold
them to the stated maturity date, it could affect your investment in a number of ways. The
return on your investment in such notes will be lower (or higher) than it would have been had
you purchased the notes at face amount. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes —
If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected” on page PS-13 of this pricing supplement.
Supplemental discussion of federal income tax consequences:
the notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to the special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under this treatment, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that if you are a U.S. individual or taxable entity, you generally should be required to pay taxes on ordinary income from the notes over their term based on the comparable yield for
the notes. In addition, any gain you may recognize on the sale, exchange or maturity of the notes will be taxed as ordinary interest income.
Cash settlement amount: for each $1,000 face amount of
your notes, we will pay you on the stated maturity date an amount in cash equal to:
● |
if the final basket level is greater than the initial basket level, the sum of (1) $1,000 plus (2) the product
of (i) $1,000 times (ii) the upside participation rate times (iii) the basket
return; or
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● |
if the final basket level is equal to or less than the initial basket level, $1,000
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Initial basket level: 100
Initial weighted value: the initial weighted value for
each of the basket underliers is expected to equal the product of the initial weight of such basket underlier times the initial basket level. The initial weight of each basket underlier is shown in the table below:
Basket Underlier
|
Initial Weight in Basket
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EURO STOXX 50® Index
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36%
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TOPIX
|
27%
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FTSE® 100 Index
|
20%
|
Swiss Market Index
|
9%
|
S&P/ASX 200 Index
|
8%
|
Initial EURO STOXX 50® Index level (to be set on the trade date):
Initial TOPIX level (to be set on the trade date):
Initial FTSE® 100 Index level (to be set on the trade date):
Initial Swiss Market Index level (to be set on the trade date):
Initial S&P/ASX 200 Index level (to be set on the trade date):
Final EURO STOXX 50® Index level: the closing level of such basket underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a Market
Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on page S-27
of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Final TOPIX level: the closing level of such basket
underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms supplement
no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on page S-27 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Final FTSE® 100 Index level: the closing level of such basket underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a Market
Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on page S-27
of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Final Swiss Market Index level: the closing level of
such basket underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms
supplement no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on page S-27 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Final S&P/ASX 200 Index level: the closing level of such basket
underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms supplement
no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on page S-27 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Final basket level: the sum of the following: (1) the final EURO STOXX 50® Index level divided by the initial EURO STOXX 50® Index level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the EURO STOXX 50® Index plus (2) the final TOPIX level divided by the initial TOPIX level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of TOPIX plus (3) the final FTSE® 100 Index level divided by the initial FTSE® 100 Index level, multiplied by
the initial weighted value of the FTSE® 100 Index plus (4) the final Swiss Market Index level
divided by the initial Swiss Market Index level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the Swiss Market Index plus (5) the final S&P/ASX 200 Index level divided by the initial S&P/ASX 200 Index level, multiplied by the initial weighted value of the S&P/ASX 200 Index
Basket return: the quotient of (1) the final basket level minus the initial basket level divided by (2) the initial basket level, expressed as a percentage
Upside participation rate: 140%
Trade date: expected to be January 24, 2019
Original issue date (settlement date) (to be set on the trade
date): expected to be January 29, 2019
Stated maturity date (to be set on the trade date): expected
to be January 27, 2022, subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Stated Maturity Date” on page S-16 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Determination date (to be set on the trade date): expected
to be January 24, 2022, subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Determination Date” on page S-17 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
No interest: the offered notes will not bear interest
No listing: the offered notes will not be listed on any
securities exchange or interdealer quotation system
No redemption: the offered notes will not be subject to
redemption right or price dependent redemption right
Closing level: as described under “Supplemental Terms
of the Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Closing Level” on page S-31 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Business day: as described under “Supplemental Terms of
the Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Business Day” on page S-30 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Trading day: (i) with respect to each of the EURO STOXX
50® Index, TOPIX and the FTSE® 100 Index, as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Trading Day” on page S-31 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and (ii) with
respect to each of the Swiss Market Index and the S&P/ASX 200 Index, a day on which the respective principal securities markets for all of such basket underlier stocks are open for trading, such basket underlier sponsor is open for business and
such basket underlier is calculated and published by such underlier sponsor. Although an underlier sponsor may publish an underlier level with respect to a basket underlier on a day when one or more of the principal securities markets for such
basket underlier stocks are closed, that day would not be a trading day for purposes of such basket underlier.
Use of proceeds and hedging: as described under “Use of
Proceeds” and “Hedging” on page S-31 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743
ERISA: as described under “Employee Retirement Income
Security Act” on page S-43 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743
Supplemental plan of distribution; conflicts of interest: as described under “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” on page S-44 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743 and “Plan of Distribution — Conflicts of Interest” on
page 94 of the accompanying prospectus; GS Finance Corp. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $ .
GS Finance Corp. expects to agree to sell to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”), and GS&Co. expects to agree to purchase from GS Finance
Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this pricing supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this pricing
supplement, and to certain securities dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of % of the face amount. GS&Co. will pay a fee of % from the concession Axio Financial LLC in connection with its marketing efforts related
to the offered notes. GS&Co. is an affiliate of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
(FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. GS&Co. will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary
authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.
We expect to deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on January 29, 2019. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior
to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
We have been advised by GS&Co. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither GS&Co. nor any of our other
affiliates that makes a market is obligated to do so and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.
Calculation agent: GS&Co.
CUSIP no.: 40056EU22
ISIN no.: US40056EU228
FDIC: the notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank
The following examples are provided for purposes of illustration only. They should not be taken as an indication or prediction of
future investment results and are intended merely to illustrate the impact that the various hypothetical basket closing levels or hypothetical closing levels of the basket underliers, as applicable, on the determination date could have on the cash
settlement amount at maturity assuming all other variables remain constant.
The examples below are based on a range of final basket levels and closing levels of the basket underliers that are entirely
hypothetical; no one can predict what the level of the basket will be on any day throughout the life of your notes, and no one can predict what the final basket level will be on the determination date. The basket underliers have been highly
volatile in the past — meaning that the levels of the basket underliers have changed considerably in relatively short periods — and their performances cannot be predicted for any future period.
The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming that they are purchased
on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date. If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to the stated maturity date, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale,
which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the examples below such as interest rates, the volatility of the basket underliers, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, and the creditworthiness of The Goldman
Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor. In addition, 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 GS&Co.) is less than the original issue price of
your notes. For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your 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 GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes” on page PS-12 of this pricing supplement. The information in the examples also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.
Key Terms and Assumptions
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Face amount
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$1,000
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Upside participation rate
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140%
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Initial basket level
|
100
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Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs with respect to any basket underlier on the originally scheduled determination date
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No change in or affecting any of the basket underlier indices or the methods by which any of the basket underlier sponsors calculates the EURO STOXX 50® Index, TOPIX, the FTSE® 100 Index, the Swiss Market Index or the S&P/ASX 200 Index, respectively
|
Notes purchased on original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date
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Moreover, we have not yet set the initial EURO STOXX 50® Index level, the initial TOPIX level, the initial FTSE®
100 Index level, the initial Swiss Market Index level or the initial S&P/ASX 200 Index level that will serve as the baselines for determining the basket return and the amount that we will pay on your notes at maturity. We will not do so until
the trade date. As a result, the actual initial EURO STOXX 50® Index level, the initial TOPIX level, the initial FTSE® 100 Index level, the initial Swiss Market Index level and the initial S&P/ASX 200 Index level may
differ substantially from the current level of such basket underlier prior to the trade date. They may also differ substantially from the level of such basket underlier at the time you purchase your notes.
For these reasons, the actual performance of the basket over the life of your notes, as well as the amount payable at maturity may
bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical level of each basket underlier shown elsewhere in this pricing supplement. For information about the historical level of each basket underlier during recent periods,
see “The Basket and the Basket Underliers — Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers” below. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the level of the basket underliers between
the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.
Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes. Because of the U.S. tax
treatment applicable to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the basket underliers.
The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final basket levels and are expressed as percentages of the initial basket
level. The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final basket level (expressed as a percentage of the initial
basket level), and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent).
Thus, a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.000% of the face
amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final basket level (expressed as a percentage of the initial basket level) and the assumptions noted above.
Hypothetical Final Basket Level
(as Percentage of Initial Basket Level)
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Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount
(as Percentage of Face Amount)
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150.000%
|
170.000%
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125.000%
|
135.000%
|
110.000%
|
114.000%
|
101.000%
|
101.400%
|
100.000%
|
100.000%
|
75.000%
|
100.000%
|
50.000%
|
100.000%
|
25.000%
|
100.000%
|
0.000%
|
100.000%
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If, for example, the final basket level were determined to be 25.000% of the initial basket level, the cash settlement amount that we
would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 100.000% of the face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes on the original issue date at the face amount and held them to the stated maturity
date, you would receive no return on your investment.
The following chart also shows a graphical illustration of the hypothetical cash settlement amounts (expressed as a percentage of the face amount of
your notes) that we would pay on your notes on the stated maturity date, if the final basket level (expressed as a percentage of the initial basket level) were any of the hypothetical levels shown on the horizontal axis. The chart shows that any
hypothetical final basket level (expressed as a percentage of the initial basket level) of less than 100.000% (the section left of the 100.000% marker on the horizontal axis) would result in a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% of the
face amount of your notes.
The following examples illustrate the hypothetical cash settlement amount at maturity for each note based on hypothetical final levels of the basket
underliers, calculated based on the key terms and assumptions above. The levels in Column A represent hypothetical initial levels for each basket underlier, and the levels in Column B represent hypothetical final levels for each basket underlier.
The percentages in Column C represent hypothetical final levels for each basket underlier in Column B expressed as percentages of the corresponding hypothetical initial levels in Column A. The amounts in Column D represent the applicable initial
weighted value for each basket underlier, and the amounts in Column E represent the products of the percentages in Column C times the corresponding amounts in Column D. The final basket level for each example is shown beneath each example, and will equal the sum of
the products shown in Column E. The basket return for each example is shown beneath the final basket level for such example, and will equal the quotient of (i) the
final basket level for such example minus the initial basket level divided by (ii) the
initial basket level, expressed as a percentage. The values below have been rounded for ease of analysis.
Example 1: The final basket level is greater than the initial basket level.
|
Column A
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Column B
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Column C
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Column D
|
Column E
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Basket Underlier
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Hypothetical Initial
Level
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Hypothetical Final
Level
|
Column B/Column
A
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Initial Weighted
Value
|
Column C x
Column D
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EURO STOXX 50® Index
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3,100.00
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3,131.00
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101.00%
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36.00
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36.36
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TOPIX
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1,600.00
|
1,616.00
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101.00%
|
27.00
|
27.27
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FTSE® 100 Index
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6,900.00
|
6,969.00
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101.00%
|
20.00
|
20.20
|
Swiss Market Index
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9,000.00
|
9,090.00
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101.00%
|
9.00
|
9.09
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S&P/ASX 200 Index
|
5,900.000
|
5,959.000
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101.00%
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8.00
|
8.08
|
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Final Basket Level:
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101.00
|
|
|
|
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Basket Return:
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1.00%
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In this example, all of the hypothetical final levels for the basket underliers are greater than the applicable hypothetical initial
levels, which results in the hypothetical final basket level being greater than the initial basket level of 100. Since the hypothetical final basket level was determined to be 101.00, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for each $1,000 face
amount of your notes will equal:
Cash settlement amount = $1,000 + ($1,000 × 140% × 1.00%) = $1,014.00
Example 2: The final basket level is less than the initial basket level.
|
Column A
|
Column B
|
Column C
|
Column D
|
Column E
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basket Underlier
|
Hypothetical Initial
Level
|
Hypothetical Final
Level
|
Column B/Column
A
|
Initial Weighted
Value
|
Column C x
Column D
|
EURO STOXX 50® Index
|
3,100.00
|
1,550.00
|
50.00%
|
36.00
|
18.00
|
TOPIX
|
1,600.00
|
1,600.00
|
100.00%
|
27.00
|
27.00
|
FTSE® 100 Index
|
6,900.00
|
6,900.00
|
100.00%
|
20.00
|
20.00
|
Swiss Market Index
|
9,000.00
|
9,900.00
|
110.00%
|
9.00
|
9.90
|
S&P/ASX 200 Index
|
5,900.000
|
6,490.000
|
110.00%
|
8.00
|
8.80
|
|
|
|
|
Final Basket Level:
|
83.70
|
|
|
|
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Basket Return:
|
-16.30%
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In this example, the hypothetical final level of the EURO STOXX 50® Index is less than its hypothetical initial level,
while the hypothetical final levels of TOPIX and the FTSE® 100 Index are equal to their applicable hypothetical initial levels and the hypothetical final levels of the Swiss Market Index and S&P/ASX 200 Index are greater than their
applicable initial levels.
Because the basket is unequally weighted, increases in the lower weighted basket underliers will be offset by decreases in the more
heavily weighted basket underliers. In this example, the large decline in the EURO STOXX 50® Index results in the hypothetical final basket level being less than 100.00 even though TOPIX and the FTSE® 100 Index remained flat
and the Swiss Market Index and the S&P/ASX 200 Index increased.
Since the hypothetical final basket level of 83.70 is less than the initial basket level, the hypothetical cash settlement amount for
each $1,000 face amount of your notes will equal $1,000.
The cash settlement amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on levels of the basket underliers that may not be achieved on the
determination date and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous. The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to sell your notes, may bear little relation to the
hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes. The hypothetical cash settlement amounts on notes held to the stated maturity
date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes. The return on your investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be
affected by the amount you pay for your notes. If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above
examples. Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Underlier-Linked Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-25 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743.
Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on
the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us (with one or more implicit option premiums paid over time). The discussion in
this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement.
|
We cannot predict the actual final basket level on the determination date, nor can we predict the relationship between the
level of each basket underlier and the market value of your notes at any time prior to the stated maturity date. The actual amount that a holder of the offered notes will receive on the stated maturity date and the rate of return on the
offered notes will depend on the initial level of each basket underlier, which we will set on the trade date, and the actual basket return determined by the calculation agent as described above. Moreover, the assumptions on which the
hypothetical returns are based may turn out to be inaccurate. Consequently, the amount of cash to be paid in respect of your notes on the stated maturity date may be very different from the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown in the
examples above.
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ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES
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An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as
well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus, in the accompanying prospectus supplement, under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and under “Additional Risk
Factors Specific to the Underlier-Linked Notes” in the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743. You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying
prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743. Your
notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the basket underlier stocks, i.e., with respect to a basket underlier to which your notes are linked, the stocks
comprising such basket underlier. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are suited to your particular circumstances.
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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 GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes
The original issue price for your notes exceeds 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 GS&Co.’s pricing models and taking into account our credit spreads. Such estimated value on the trade date is set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”; after the trade date, the estimated value as determined by reference to these models will be affected by changes in market conditions, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, the
creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and other relevant factors. The price at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell your notes (if
GS&Co. makes a market, which it is not obligated to do), and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise, also exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models. As agreed
by GS&Co. and the distribution participants, this excess (i.e., the additional amount described under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”) will decline to zero on a straight line basis over the period from the date hereof through the applicable
date set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”. Thereafter, if GS&Co. 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
GS&Co. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect 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 disclosed above under
“Estimated Value of Your Notes”, GS&Co.’s pricing models consider certain variables, including principally our credit spreads, 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. As a result, the
actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market, if any, to others may differ, perhaps materially, from the estimated value of your notes determined by reference to our models due to, among other things, any
differences in pricing models or assumptions used by others. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Underlier-Linked Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-25 of the accompanying
product supplement no. 1,743.
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 GS&Co. and the amounts GS&Co. pays to us in connection with your notes. We pay to GS&Co. amounts based on what we would pay to holders of a non-structured note with a similar maturity. In return for such payment, GS&Co. pays
to us the amounts we owe under your notes.
In addition to the factors discussed above, the value and quoted price of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot
be predicted. If GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the price quoted by GS&Co. would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors, including any deterioration in our creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness or
the creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. These changes may adversely affect the value of your notes, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. To the extent that
GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the quoted price will reflect the estimated value determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models at that time, plus or minus its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured
notes (and subject to the declining excess amount described above).
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. This commission or discount will further reduce the proceeds you would receive for your notes in a secondary market sale.
There is no assurance that GS&Co. or any other party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price and, in this regard,
GS&Co. is not obligated to make a market in the notes. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Underlier-Linked Notes — Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market” on page S-24 of the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743.
The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor
Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of the basket underliers, the payment of any amount due on the
notes is subject to the credit risk of GS Finance Corp., as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. as guarantor of the notes. The notes are our unsecured obligations. Investors are dependent on our ability to pay
all 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. Similarly, investors are dependent on the ability of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of
the notes, to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore are also subject to its credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of its creditworthiness. See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes,
Series E Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Guarantee by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.” on page 42 of the accompanying
prospectus.
The Amount Payable on Your Notes Is Not Linked to the Level of Each Basket Underlier at Any Time Other than the Determination
Date
The final basket level will be based on the closing levels of the basket underliers on the determination date (subject to adjustment
as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement). Therefore, if the closing levels of the basket underliers dropped precipitously on the determination date, the cash settlement amount for your notes may be significantly less than it would have
been had the cash settlement amount been linked to the closing levels of the basket underliers prior to such drop in the levels of the basket underliers. Although the actual levels of the basket underliers on the stated maturity date or at other
times during the life of your notes may be higher than the closing levels of the basket underliers on the determination date, you will not benefit from the closing levels of the basket underliers at any time other than on the determination date.
Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest
You will not receive any interest payments on your notes. As a result, even if the cash settlement amount payable for your notes on
the stated maturity date exceeds the face amount of your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes may be less than you would have earned by investing in a non-indexed debt security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing
market rate.
The Lower Performance of One Basket Underlier May Offset an Increase in the Other Basket Underliers
Declines in the level of one basket underlier may offset increases in the levels of the other basket underliers. As a result, any
return on the basket — and thus on your notes — may be reduced or eliminated, which will have the effect of reducing the amount payable in respect of your notes at maturity. In addition, because the basket underliers are not equally weighted,
increases in the lower weighted basket underliers may be offset by even small decreases in the more heavily weighted basket underliers.
You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Basket Underlier Stock
Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any of the basket underlier stocks. Neither you nor any other holder or owner
of your notes will have any rights with respect to the basket underlier stocks, including any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, any rights to make a claim against the basket underlier stocks or any other rights
of a holder of the basket underlier stocks. Your notes will be paid in cash and you will have no right to receive delivery of any basket underlier stocks.
We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price
At our sole option, we may decide to sell an additional aggregate face amount of the notes subsequent to the date of this pricing
supplement. The issue price of the notes in the subsequent sale may differ substantially (higher or lower) from the issue price you paid as provided on the cover of this pricing supplement.
If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes
Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected
The cash settlement amount will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for the notes. If you purchase notes at a price that differs from
the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount. If you purchase your notes at a
premium to face amount and hold them to the stated maturity date, the
return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount
to face amount.
An Investment in the Offered Notes Is Subject to Risks Associated with Foreign Securities
The value of your notes is linked to basket underliers that are comprised of stocks from one or more foreign securities markets.
Investments linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Any foreign securities market may be less liquid, more volatile and affected by global or domestic market developments in a different way than are the U.S.
securities market or other foreign securities markets. Both government intervention in a foreign securities market, either directly or indirectly, and cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in that market.
Also, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further, foreign companies are
subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
The prices of securities in a foreign country are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that are unique to
such foreign country’s geographical region. These factors include: recent changes, or the possibility of future changes, in the applicable foreign government’s economic and fiscal policies; the possible implementation of, or changes in, currency
exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities; fluctuations, or the possibility of fluctuations, in currency exchange rates; and the possibility of outbreaks of hostility,
political instability, natural disaster or adverse public health developments. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union (popularly known as “Brexit”). The effect of Brexit is uncertain, and Brexit has 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. Any one of these factors, or the combination of more than one of these
factors, could negatively affect such foreign securities market and the price of securities therein. Further, geographical regions may react to global factors in different ways, which may cause the prices of securities in a foreign securities
market to fluctuate in a way that differs from those of securities in the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Foreign economies may also differ from the U.S. economy in important respects, including growth of gross national
product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency, which may have a positive or negative effect on foreign securities prices.
Your Notes Will Be Treated as Debt Instruments Subject to Special Rules Governing Contingent Payment Debt
Instruments for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes
The notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. If you are a U.S. individual or taxable entity, you generally will be required to pay taxes on ordinary income from the notes over their term based on the comparable yield for the notes, even though you will not receive any
payments from us until maturity. This comparable yield is determined solely to calculate the amount on which you will be taxed prior to maturity and is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of what the actual yield will be. In addition, any gain you
may recognize on the sale, exchange or maturity of the notes will be taxed as ordinary interest income. If you are a secondary purchaser of the notes, the tax consequences to you may be different. Please see “Supplemental Discussion of Federal
Income Tax Consequences” below for a more detailed discussion. Please also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding May Apply to Payments on Your Notes, Including as a
Result of the Failure of the Bank or Broker Through Which You Hold the Notes to Provide Information to Tax Authorities
Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in
the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of FATCA to payments made on your notes.
THE BASKET AND THE BASKET UNDERLIERS
The Basket
The basket is comprised of five basket underliers with the following initial weights within the basket: the EURO STOXX 50®
Index (36% weighting), TOPIX (27% weighting), the FTSE® 100 Index (20% weighting), the Swiss Market Index (9% weighting) and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (8% weighting).
The EURO STOXX 50® Index
The EURO STOXX 50® Index is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index of 50 European blue-chip stocks and was
created by and is sponsored and maintained by STOXX Limited. Publication of the EURO STOXX 50® Index began on February 26, 1998, based on an initial index value of 1,000 at December 31, 1991. The level of the EURO STOXX 50®
Index is disseminated on the STOXX Limited website. STOXX Limited is under no obligation to continue to publish the index and may discontinue publication of it at any time. Additional information regarding the EURO STOXX 50® Index may be
obtained from the STOXX Limited website: stoxx.com. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this pricing supplement.
The top ten constituent stocks of the EURO STOXX 50® Index as of January 8, 2019, by weight, are: Total S.A. (5.76%), SAP
SE (4.33%), Sanofi (3.84%), Siemens AG (3.80%), LINDE PLC (3.40%), Allianz SE (3.40%), Unilever N.V. (3.20%), LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (3.14%), Banco Santander S.A. (3.12%) and Bayer AG (2.78%); constituent weights may be found at
stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under “Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically.
As of January 8, 2019, the sixteen industry sectors which comprise the EURO STOXX 50® Index represent the following
weights in the index: Automobiles & Parts (4.17%), Banks (11.04%), Chemicals (4.72%), Construction & Materials (2.77%), Food & Beverage (4.18%), Health Care (10.17%), Industrial Goods & Services (10.42%), Insurance (6.49%), Media
(0.96%), Oil & Gas (7.40%), Personal & Household Goods (10.05%), Real Estate (0.89%), Retail (3.80%), Technology (9.59%), Telecommunications (5.11%) and Utilities (4.83%); industry weightings may be found at
stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under “Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has
selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected
may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.
As of January 8, 2019, the eight countries which comprise the EURO STOXX 50® Index represent the following weights in the
index: Belgium (2.38%), Finland (1.35%), France (38.30%), Germany (27.99%), Ireland (4.32%), Italy (4.95%), Netherlands (10.15%) and Spain (10.55%); country weightings may be found at stoxx.com/download/indices/factsheets/SX5GT.pdf under
“Factsheets and Methodologies” and are updated periodically.
The above information supplements the description of the EURO STOXX 50® Index found in the accompanying general terms
supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the basket underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the basket underlier
sponsor’s website due to subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the EURO STOXX 50® Index, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the basket underlier
sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — EURO STOXX 50® Index” on page S-75 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
The EURO STOXX 50® is the intellectual property of STOXX Limited, Zurich, Switzerland and/or its licensors (“Licensors”),
which is used under license. The securities or other financial instruments based on the index are in no way sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by STOXX and its Licensors and neither STOXX nor its Licensors shall have any liability with respect
thereto.
TOPIX
TOPIX, also known as the Tokyo Price Index, is a capitalization weighted index of all the domestic common stocks listed on the First
Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc., which we refer to as the TSE. Domestic stocks admitted to the TSE are assigned either to the TSE First Section, the TSE Second Section or the TSE Mothers. Stocks listed in the First Section, which number
approximately 1,700, are among the most actively traded stocks on the TSE. TOPIX is supplemented by the sub-basket components of the 33 industry sectors and was developed with a base index value of 100 as of January 4, 1968. TOPIX is calculated and
published by TSE. Additional information about TOPIX is available on the following website: tse.or.jp/english/market/topix/index.html. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this pricing supplement.
TOPIX
Basket Underlier Stock Weighting by Sector as of December 28, 2018
Sector:*
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Percentage (%)**
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Air Transportation
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0.64%
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Banks
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6.51%
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Chemicals
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7.50%
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Communication
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3.10%
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Construction
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12.68%
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Electric Appliances
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2.03%
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Electric Power & Gas
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0.12%
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Fishery, Agriculture & Forestry
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4.54%
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Foods
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0.89%
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Glass & Ceramics Products
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7.50%
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Insurance
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2.35%
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Iron & Steel
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1.00%
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Land Transportation
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4.94%
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Machinery
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4.83%
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Marine Transportation
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0.17%
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Metal Products
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0.59%
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Mining
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0.29%
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Nonferrous Metals
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0.80%
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Oil & Coal Products
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0.71%
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Other Financing Business
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1.17%
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Other Products
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2.08%
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Pharmaceutical
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4.90%
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Precision Instruments
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1.90%
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Pulp & Paper
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0.28%
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Real Estate
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2.41%
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Retail Trade
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5.27%
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Rubber Products
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0.83%
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Securities & Commodity Futures
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0.88%
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Services
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4.80%
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Textiles & Apparels
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0.66%
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Transportation Equipment
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8.31%
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Warehousing & Harbor Transportation Services
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0.19%
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Wholesale Trade
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5.11%
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* Sector designations are determined by the basket underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors
may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector
comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.
** Information provided by TSE. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
The above information supplements the description of TOPIX found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. For more
details about TOPIX, the basket underlier sponsor and the license agreement between the basket underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — TOPIX” on page S-82 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
TOPIX Value and TOPIX Marks are subject to the proprietary rights owned by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. owns all
rights and know-how relating to TOPIX such as calculation, publication and use of TOPIX Value and relating to TOPIX Marks. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. shall reserve the rights to
change the methods of calculation or publication, to cease the calculation or publication of TOPIX Value or to change TOPIX Marks or
cease the use thereof. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. makes no warranty or representation whatsoever, either as to the results stemmed from the use of TOPIX Value and TOPIX Marks or as to the figure at which TOPIX Value stands on any particular
day. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. gives no assurance regarding accuracy or completeness of TOPIX Value and data contained therein. Further, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. shall not be liable for the miscalculation, incorrect publication, delayed
or interrupted publication of TOPIX Value. No securities are in any way sponsored, endorsed or promoted by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. shall not bear any obligation to give an explanation of the securities or an
advice on investments to any purchaser of the securities or to the public. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. neither selects specific stocks or groups thereof nor takes into account any needs of the issuing company or any purchaser of the securities,
for calculation of TOPIX Value. Including but not limited to the foregoing, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. shall not be responsible for any damage resulting from the issue and sale of the securities.
The FTSE® 100 Index
The FTSE® 100 Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of the 100 most highly capitalized U.K.-listed blue chip
companies traded on the London Stock Exchange. The FTSE® 100 Index is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by FTSE Russell, a company owned by the London Stock Exchange Group companies that we refer to as FTSE. The FTSE®
100 Index was first launched with a base level of 1,000 as of December 30, 1983. Additional information on the FTSE® 100 Index is available from the following website: ftse.com/products/indices/uk. We are not incorporating by reference
the website or any material it includes in this prospectus supplement.
FTSE divides the 100 companies included in the FTSE® 100 Index into the 10 Industry Classification Benchmark industries:
Oil & Gas, Basic Materials, Industrials, Consumer Goods, Health Care, Consumer Services, Telecommunications, Utilities, Financials and Technology. FTSE Russell announced that it expects to add an 11th industry, Real Estate, to the Industry
Classification Benchmark after the market close on December 31, 2018.
FTSE® 100 Index
Index Stock Weighting by Sector as of January 18, 2019
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Sector:*
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Percentage (%)**
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Oil & Gas
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17.23%
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Basic Materials
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8.85%
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Industrials
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8.63%
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Consumer Goods
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15.55%
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Health Care
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9.16%
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Consumer Services
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11.31%
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Telecommunications
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3.40%
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Utilities
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3.24%
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Financials
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21.84%
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Technology
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0.75%
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* Sector designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use
very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector
comparisons between indices may reflect differences in sector designation methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.
** Information provided by FTSE. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
The top ten constituent stocks of the FTSE® 100 Index as of January 18, 2019, by weight, are: HSBC Holdings PLC (7.45%);
Royal Dutch Shell PLC (6.10%); BP PLC (5.81%); Royal Dutch Shell PLC Class B (5.10%); GlaxoSmithKiline PLC (4.16%); AstraZeneca PLC (4.02%); Diageo PLC (3.78 %); British American Tobacco PLC (3.30%); Unilever (2.52%) and Rio Tinto PLC (2.52%).
In addition to the eligibility criteria discussed under “The Underliers — FTSE® 100 Index” on page S-69 of the accompanying general terms
supplement no. 1,734, in order to be included in the FTSE® 100 Index, a company is required to have greater than 5% of its voting rights (aggregated across all of its equity securities, including, where identifiable, those that are not
listed or trading) in the hands of unrestricted shareholders. Current constituents of the FTSE® 100 Index who do not meet this requirement will have until the September 2022 review to meet the requirement or they will be removed from the
FTSE® 100 Index.
The above information supplements the description of the basket underlier found in the accompanying general terms supplement no.
1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the basket underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the underlier sponsor’s website due to
subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the basket underlier, the basket underlier sponsor and license agreement between the underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers —
FTSE® 100 Index” on page S-69 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
“FTSE®”, “FT-SE®”, “Footsie®”, “FTSE4Good®” and “techMARK” are trademarks owned by the
Exchange and are used by FTSE under license. “All-World®”, “All-Share®” and “All-Small®” are trademarks of FTSE.
The FTSE® 100 Index is calculated by FTSE. FTSE does not sponsor, endorse or promote this product and is not in any way
connected to it and does not accept any liability in relation to its issue, operation and trading.
All copyright and database rights in the index values and constituent list vest in FTSE. GS Finance Corp. has obtained full license
from FTSE to use such copyrights and database rights in the creation of this product.
Swiss Market Index (SMI®)
The SMI®, which we also refer to in this description as the “index”:
● |
was first launched with a base level of 1,500 as of June 30, 1988; and
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● |
is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by SIX Group Ltd., certain of its subsidiaries, and the Management Committee of the SIX Swiss Exchange (the “Exchange”).
|
The index is a price return float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the 20 largest stocks traded on the Swiss Stock
Exchange. The Exchange has outsourced the calculation and determination of index constituents as described below, to a specialized third-party financial service provider. All matters regarding the index that require a decision, including regarding
processes outsourced to a specialized third-party financial service provider, are submitted to the Management Committee. The Management Committee of SIX Swiss Exchange is supported by an Index Commission (advisory board) in all index-related
matters, notably in connection with changes to the index rules and adjustments, additions and exclusions outside of the established review and acceptance period. The Index Commission meets at least twice annually.
As of January 18, 2019, the top ten constituents of the index (and their respective weightings in the index) were: Roche Holding AG
(17.98%); Novartis AG (17.74%); Nestle SA (17.50%); UBS Group AG (6.25%); Zurich Insurance Group AG (5.71%); Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA (4.31%); ABB Ltd (4.21%); Credit Suisse Group AG (3.56%); Swiss Re AG (3.47%); and LafargeHolcim Ltd
(2.74%).
As of January 18, 2019, the ICB industry sectors in the index (and their respective weights) were: Basic Materials (2.33%), Consumer
Goods (22.95%), Financials (21.81%), Health Care (38.20%), Industrials (13.22%) and Telecommunications (1.49%) (may not sum to 100% due to rounding). Sector designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or
developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also
differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.
SMI® Composition and Selection Criteria
The index is comprised of the 20 highest ranked stocks traded on the Swiss Stock Exchange that have a free float of 20% or more and
that are not investment companies. The equity universe is largely Swiss domestic companies, although in some cases foreign issuers with a primary listing on the Swiss Stock Exchange that submit to certain reporting requirements or investment
companies that do not hold any shares of any other eligible company and that have a primary listing on the Swiss Stock Exchange may be included.
The ranking of each security is determined by a combination of the following criteria:
● |
average free-float market capitalization over the last 12 months (compared to the capitalization of the entire Swiss Stock Exchange index family), and
|
● |
cumulative on order book turnover over the last 12 months (compared to the total turnover of the Swiss Stock Exchange index family).
|
Each of these two factors is assigned a 50% weighting in ranking the stocks eligible for the index.
The index is reconstituted annually after prior notice of at least two months on the third Friday in September after the close of
trading. For companies that were listed during the last 12 months, the cumulated on order book turnover generally excludes the first 5 trading days in the calculation. The ordinary index reconstitution is based on data from the previous July 1
through June 30. Provisional interim selection (ranking) lists based on the average free-float market capitalization and cumulative on order book turnover over the last 12 months are also published at the cut off dates March 31, September 30 and
December 31.
In order to reduce turnover, an index constituent will not be replaced unless it is ranked below 23 or, if it is ranked 21 or 22, if
another share ranks 18 or higher. If a company has primary listings on several exchanges and less than 50% of that company’s total turnover is generated on the Swiss Stock Exchange, it will not be included in the index unless it ranks at least 18
or better on the selection list solely on the basis of its turnover on those exchanges on which it has a primary listing (i.e., without considering its free float).
Maintenance of the Index
Constituent Changes. In the case of major market changes as a result of capital events such as mergers or new listings, the Management Committee of SIX Swiss Exchange can decide at the request of the Index Commission that a
security should be admitted to the index outside the annual review period as long as it clearly fulfills the criteria for inclusion. For the same reasons, a security can also be excluded if the requirements for admission to the index are no longer
fulfilled. As a general rule, extraordinary acceptances into the index take place after a three-month period on a quarterly basis after the close of trading on the third Friday of March, June, September and December (for example, a security listed
on or before the 5th trading day prior to the end of November cannot be included until the following March). If a delisting has been confirmed, it will be removed from the index at the next upcoming ordinary quarterly adjustment date (March, June,
September and December) with a notice period of at least five days. An announced insolvency is deemed to be an extraordinary event and the security will be removed from the index five trading days’ prior notice if the circumstances permit such
notice.
Capped Weightings and Intra-Quarter Breaches. The weight of any index constituent that exceeds a weight of 18% within the index is reduced to that value at each ordinary quarterly adjustment date by applying a capping
factor to the calculation of such constituent’s free float market capitalization. A constituent’s number of shares and free float figure are used to determine its capping factor. The excess weight (the difference of the original weight minus the
capped weight) is distributed proportionally across the other index constituents. The constituents are also capped to 18% as soon as two index constituents exceed a weight of 20% (an “intra-quarter breach”). If an intra-quarter breach is observed
after the close of the markets, the new capping factors are implemented after the close of the following trading day. The weights of the largest components are therefore set again to be around 18% at the subsequent market open. In order to achieve
a capped weighting while attempting to not cause market distortion, a stepwise reduction is conducted based on the ordinary quarterly index adjustment reviews to ensure that no change in the weight (as a result of capping) from one review to the
next exceeds 3%. The transition period is in effect until no component has a weight larger than 18%. In the case of an intra-quarter breach where two index constituents exceed 20%, the weights are limited to the last defined weights as of the prior review.
Number of Shares and Free Float. The securities included in the index are weighted according to their free float. This means that shares deemed to be in firm hands are subtracted from the total market capitalization of
that company. The free float is calculated on the basis of outstanding shares. Issued and outstanding equity capital is, as a rule, the total amount of equity capital that has been fully subscribed and wholly or partially paid in and documented in
the Commercial Register. Not counting as issued and outstanding equity capital are the approved capital and the conditional capital of a company. The free float is calculated on the basis of listed shares only. If a company offers several different
categories of listed participation rights, each is treated separately for the purposes of index calculation.
Fundamentally deemed to be shares held in firm hands are shareholdings that have been acquired by one person or a group of persons in
companies domiciled in Switzerland and which, upon exceeding 5%, have been reported to the Exchange. Shares of persons and groups of persons who are subject to a shareholder agreement which is binding for more than 5% of the listed shares or who,
according to publicly known facts, have a long-term interest in a company are also deemed to be in firm hands.
For the calculation of the number of shares in firm hands, the Exchange may also use other sources than the reports submitted to it.
In particular, the Exchange may use data gained from issuer surveys that it conducts itself.
In general, shares held by custodian nominees, trustee companies, investment funds, pension funds and investment companies are deemed free-floating
regardless of whether a report has been made to the Exchange. The Exchange classifies at its own discretion persons and groups of persons who, because of their area of activity or the absence of important information, cannot be clearly assigned.
The free-float rule applies only to bearer shares and registered shares. Capital issued in the form of participation certificates
(”Partizipationsscheine”) and bonus certificates (”Genussscheine”) is taken into full account in calculating the index because it does not confer voting rights.
The number of securities in the index and the free-float factors are adjusted after the close of trading on four adjustment dates per
year, the third Friday of March, June, September and December. Such changes are provisionally pre-announced at least one month before the adjustment date, although the index sponsor reserves the right to take account of recent changes up to five
trading days before the adjustment date in the actual adjustment.
In order to avoid frequent slight changes to the weighting and to maintain the stability of the index, any extraordinary change of
the total number of outstanding securities or the free float will only result in an extraordinary adjustment if it exceeds 10% and 5% respectively, occurs from one trading to the next and is in conjunction with a corporate action.
After a takeover, the index sponsor may, in exceptional cases, adjust the free float of the company in question upon publication of
the end results after a five-day notification period or may exclude the security from the relevant index family. When an insolvency has been announced, an extraordinary adjustment will be made and the affected security will be removed from the
index after five trading days’ notice, and a replacement will be determined based on the current selection list.
The index sponsor reserves the right to make an extraordinary adjustment, in exceptional cases, without observing the notification
period.
Calculation of the Index
The index sponsor calculates the index using the “Laspeyres formula,” with a weighted arithmetic mean of a defined number of
securities issues. The formula for calculating the index value can be expressed as follows:
Swiss Market Index = Free Float Market Capitalization of the
SMI® / Divisor
The “free float market capitalization of the SMI®” is equal to the sum of the product of the last-paid price, the number
of shares, the free float factor, the capping factor and, if a foreign stock is included, the current CHF exchange rate as of the time the index value is being calculated. (As of October 3, 2014, all stocks in the index are denominated in Swiss
Francs, known as CHF). The index value is calculated in real time and is updated whenever a trade is made in a component stock. Where any index component stock price is unavailable on any trading day, the index sponsor will use the last reported
price for such component stock. Only prices from the Exchange’s electronic order book are used in calculating the index.
Divisor Value and Adjustments
The divisor is a technical number used to calculate the index and is adjusted to reflect changes in market capitalization due to
corporate events. The divisor value as of October 29, 2018 is 101,340,435.
Below are common corporate events and their impact on the divisor of the index.
Event
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Divisor Change?
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Regular cash dividend
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No
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Repayments of capital through reduction of a share’s par value
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No
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Special dividends, anniversary bonds and other extraordinary payments that, contrary to the company’s usual dividend
policy, are paid out or declared extraordinary.
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Yes
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Share dividends (company’s own shares)
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No
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Share dividend (shares of another company)
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Yes
|
The index sponsor reserves the right to respond to any other corporate events with divisor adjustments or, in extraordinary circumstances, to depart
from the provisions set forth above.
License Agreement between SIX Swiss Exchange and GS Finance Corp.
SIX Swiss Exchange AG (“SIX Swiss Exchange”) and its licensors (“Licensors”) have no relationship to GS Finance Corp., other than the
licensing of the SMI® and the related trademarks for use in connection with the offered notes.
SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors do not:
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sponsor, endorse, sell or promote the offered notes.
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recommend that any person invest in the offered notes or any other securities.
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have any responsibility or liability for or make any decisions about the timing, amount or pricing of the offered notes.
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have any responsibility or liability for the administration, management or marketing of the offered notes.
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consider the needs of the offered notes or the owners of the offered notes in determining, composing or calculating the SMI® or have any obligation to do so.
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SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors give no warranty, and exclude any liability (whether in negligence or otherwise), in connection
with the offered notes or their performance.
SIX Swiss Exchange does not assume any contractual relationship with the purchasers of the offered notes or any other third parties.
Specifically, SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors do not give any warranty, express or implied, and exclude any liability for:
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The results to be obtained by the offered notes, the owner of the offered notes or any other person in connection with the use of the SMI® and the data included in the SMI®;
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The accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the SMI® and its data;
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The merchantability and the fitness for a particular purpose or use of the SMI® and its data;
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The performance of the offered notes generally.
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SIX Swiss Exchange and its Licensors give no warranty and exclude any liability, for any errors, omissions or interruptions in the
SMI® or its data;
Under no circumstances will SIX Swiss Exchange or its Licensors be liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) for any lost profits
or indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages or losses, arising as a result of such errors, omissions or interruptions in the SMI® or its data or generally in relation to the offered notes, even in circumstances where SIX
Swiss Exchange or its Licensors are aware that such loss or damage may occur.
The licensing Agreement between GS Finance Corp. and SIX Swiss Exchange is solely for their benefit and not for the benefit of the
owners of the offered notes or any other third parties.
S&P/ASX 200
The S&P/ASX 200, which we also refer to in this description as the “index”:
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was first launched in 1979 by the Australian Securities Exchange and was acquired and re-launched by its current index sponsor on April 3, 2000; and
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is sponsored, calculated, published and disseminated by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial (“S&P”).
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The index includes 200 of the largest and most liquid stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, which we refer to as the
ASX, by float-adjusted market capitalization. As discussed below, the S&P/ASX 200 is not limited solely to companies having their primary operations or headquarters in Australia or to companies having their primary listing on the ASX. All
ordinary and preferred shares (if such preferred shares are not of a fixed income nature) listed on the ASX, including secondary listings, are eligible for the index. Hybrid stocks such as convertible stocks, bonds, warrants, preferred stock that
provides a guaranteed fixed return and listed investment companies are not eligible for inclusion. Stocks currently under consideration for merger or acquisition are not eligible for inclusion or promotion to the index.
As of January 18, 2019, the top 10 index stocks by weight were the following: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (8.24 %), BHP Group Ltd. (6.23%), Westpac
Banking Corp. (5.74%), CSL Ltd. (5.68%), ANZ Banking Group (4.83%), National Australia Bank Ltd. (4.34%), Woolworths Ltd. (2.52%), Macquarie Group Ltd. (2.39%), Wesfarmers Ltd. (2.36%), and Telstra Corporation Ltd. (2.22%).
As of January 18, 2019, the 11 GICS industry sectors represented by stocks in the index include: Financials (32.69%), Materials (17.79%), Health Care
(8.88%), Industrials (7.88%), Real Estate (7.40%), Consumer Discretionary (6.29%), Consumer Staples (5.61%), Energy (5.69%), Communication Services (3.49%), Information
Technology (2.20%) and Utilities (2.02%). Sector
designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are
listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the
sector composition of the indices. As of the close of business on September 21, 2018, S&P and MSCI, Inc. updated the Global Industry Classification Sector structure. Among other things, the update broadened the Telecommunications Services
sector and renamed it the Communication Services sector. The renamed sector includes the previously existing Telecommunication Services Industry group, as well as the Media Industry group, which was moved from the Consumer Discretionary sector and
renamed the Media & Entertainment Industry group. The Media & Entertainment Industry group contains three industries: Media, Entertainment and Interactive Media & Services. The Media industry continues to consist of the Advertising,
Broadcasting, Cable & Satellite and Publishing sub-industries. The Entertainment industry contains the Movies & Entertainment sub-industry (which includes online entertainment streaming companies in addition to companies previously
classified in such industry prior to September 21, 2018) and the Interactive Home Entertainment sub-industry (which includes companies previously classified in the Home Entertainment Software sub-industry prior to September 21, 2018 (when the Home
Entertainment Software sub-industry was a sub-industry in the Information Technology sector)), as well as producers of interactive gaming products, including mobile gaming applications). The Interactive Media & Services industry and
sub-industry includes companies engaged in content and information creation or distribution through proprietary platforms, where revenues are derived primarily through pay-per-click advertisements, and includes search engines, social media and
networking platforms, online classifieds and online review companies. The Global Industry Classification Sector structure changes are effective for the S&P/ASX 200 Index as of the open of business on September 24, 2018 to coincide with the
September 2018 quarterly rebalancing.
As of January 18, 2019, the countries of domicile included in the index and their relative weights were: Australia (97.44%), New
Zealand (1.32%), United States (0.77%), France (0.32%) and United Kingdom (0.16%).
The S&P/ASX 200 Index is intended to provide exposure to the largest 200 eligible securities that are listed on the ASX by
float-adjusted market capitalization. Constituent companies for the S&P/ASX 200 Index are chosen based on market capitalization, public float and liquidity. All index-eligible securities that have their primary or secondary listing on the ASX
are included in the initial selection of stocks from which the 200 index stocks may be selected.
The float-adjusted market capitalization of companies is determined based on the daily average market capitalization over the last
six months. The security’s price history over the last six months, the latest available shares on issue and the investable weight factor, which we refer to as the IWF, are the factors relevant to the calculation of daily average market
capitalization. The IWF is a variable that is primarily used to determine the available float of a security for ASX listed securities.
Number of Shares
When considering the index eligibility of securities for inclusion or promotion into S&P/ASX indices, the number of index
securities under consideration is based upon the latest available ASX quoted securities. For domestic securities (companies incorporated in Australia and traded on the ASX, companies incorporated overseas but exclusively listed on the ASX and
companies incorporated overseas and traded on other markets but most of its trading activity is on the ASX), this figure is purely based upon the latest available data from the ASX.
Foreign-domiciled securities may quote the total number of securities on the ASX that is representative of their global equity
capital; whereas other foreign-domiciled securities may quote securities on the ASX on a partial basis that represents their Australian equity capital. In order to overcome this inconsistency, S&P will quote the number of index securities that
are represented by CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) for a foreign entity. When CDIs are not issued, S&P will use the total securities held on the Australian register (CHESS and, where supplied, the issuer sponsored register). This quoted
number for a foreign entity is representative of the Australian equity capital, thereby allowing the index to be reflective of the Australian market.
The number of CDIs or shares of a foreign entity quoted on the ASX can experience more volatility than is typically the case for
ordinary shares on issue. Therefore, an average number on issue will be applied over a six-month period.
Where CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital will be
drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.
IWF
All stocks in the index are assigned an IWF, which is an adjustment factor that accounts for the publicly available shares of a
company. The IWF ranges between 0 and 1 and is calculated as 1 minus the percentage of shares held by strategic shareholders who possess 5% or more of issued shares. A
company must have a minimum IWF of 0.3 to be eligible for index inclusion.
S&P Dow Jones Indices identifies the following shareholders whose holdings are considered to be control blocks and are subject to
float adjustment:
1. Government and government agencies;
2. Controlling and strategic shareholders/partners;
3. Any other entities or individuals which hold more than 5%; excluding insurance companies, securities companies and investment
funds;
4. Other restricted portions such as treasury stocks.
Liquidity Test
Only stocks that are regularly traded are eligible for inclusion. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their
stock median liquidity (median daily value traded divided by its average float-adjusted market capitalization for the last six months) relative to the market capitalization weighted average of the stock median liquidities of the 500 companies of
the All Ordinaries index, another member of the S&P/ASX index family.
Index Maintenance
S&P rebalances the index constituents quarterly to ensure adequate market capitalization and liquidity based on the previous six
months’ worth of data. The reference date used for the six months worth of trading data is the last Friday of the month prior to the rebalancing, except for the September rebalancing where the reference date for data used is the second to last
Friday of August. Quarterly review changes take effect after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September and December. Eligible stocks are considered for index inclusion based on their float-adjusted market capitalization rank
relative to the stated quota of 200 securities. For example, a stock that is currently in the S&P/ASX 300 and is ranked at 175, based on float-adjusted market capitalization, within the universe of eligible securities may be considered for
inclusion into the index, provided that liquidity hurdles are met. Stocks that fail the relative liquidation criteria are typically removed from the float-adjusted market capitalization rankings.
In order to limit the level of index turnover, eligible non-constituent securities will generally only be considered for index
inclusion once a current constituent stock is excluded due to a sufficiently low rank and/or liquidity, based on the float-adjusted market capitalization. Potential index inclusions and exclusions need to satisfy buffer requirements in terms of the
rank of the stock relative to a given index. In order to be added to the index, a stock must be ranked 179th or higher, and in order to be deleted from the index, a stock must be ranked 221st or lower. The buffers are established to limit the level
of index turnover that may take place at each quarterly rebalancing. The buffers serve as guidelines for arriving at any potential constituent changes to the index, however, these rules can be by-passed when circumstances warrant.
Between rebalancing dates, an index addition is generally made only if a vacancy is created by an index deletion. Index additions are
made according to float-adjusted market capitalization and liquidity. An initial public offering is added to the index only when an appropriate vacancy occurs and is subject to proven liquidity for at least eight weeks. An exception may be made for
extraordinary large offerings where sizeable trading volumes justify index inclusion.
Deletions can occur between index rebalancing dates due to acquisitions, mergers and spin-offs or due to suspension or bankruptcies.
The decision to remove a stock from the index will be made once there is sufficient evidence that the transaction will be completed. Stocks that are removed due to mergers & acquisitions activity are removed from the index at the cash offer
price for cash-only offers. Otherwise the best available price in the market is used.
Share numbers for all index constituents are updated quarterly and are rounded to the nearest thousand. The update to the number of
issued shares will be considered if the change is at least 5% of the float adjusted shares or A$ 100 million in value.
Share updates for foreign-domiciled securities will take place annually at the March rebalancing. The update to the number of index shares will only
take place when the 6-month average of CDIs or the total securities held in the Australian branch of the issuer sponsored register (where supplied) and in CHESS, as of the March rebalancing, differs from the current index shares by either 5% or a
market-cap dollar amount greater than A$ 100 million. Where
CDI information is not supplied to the ASX by the company or the company’s share register, estimates for Australian equity capital
will be drawn from CHESS data and, ultimately, registry-sourced data.
Intra quarter share changes are implemented at the effective date or as soon as reliable information is available; however, they will
only take place in the following circumstances:
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Changes in a company’s float-adjusted shares of 5% or more due to market-wide shares issuance;
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Rights issues, bonus issues and other major corporate actions;
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Dividend Reinvestment Plan share issuances of more than A$100 million in value; and
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Share issues resulting from index companies merging and major off-market buy-backs.
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Share changes due to mergers or acquisitions are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in
the same index and regardless of the size of the change.
IWFs are reviewed annually as part of the September quarterly review. However, any event that alters the float of a security in
excess of 5% will be implemented as soon as practicable by an adjustment to the IWF.
The function of the IWF is also to manage the index weight of foreign-domiciled securities that quote shares on the basis of CDIs.
Due to the volatility that is displayed by CDIs, unusually large changes in the number of CDIs on issue could result. Where this is the case, the IWF may be used to limit the effect of unusually large changes in the average number of CDIs (and,
thereby, limit the potential to manipulate this figure). Where the Australian Index Committee sees fit to apply the IWF in this manner, the rationale for the decision will be announced to the market. This will be reviewed annually at the
March-quarter index rebalancing date.
Index Calculation
The index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology. The value of the index on any day for which an index value is
published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum for all index stocks of the products of the price of each stock in the index times the number of shares of such stock included in the index times that stock’s IWF, and the
denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below.
In order to prevent the value of the index from changing due to corporate actions, all corporate actions may require S&P to make an index or
divisor adjustment. This helps maintain the value of the index and ensures that the movement of the index does not reflect the corporate actions of the individual companies that comprise the index.
The table below summarizes the types of index adjustments and indicates whether the corporate action will require a divisor
adjustment:
Type of Corporate Action
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Index Treatment
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Divisor Adjustment Required
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Cash dividend
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None
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No
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Special Cash Dividend
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Price adjustment needed
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Yes
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Stock dividend and/or split
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Shares are multiplied by and price is divided by the split factor
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No
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Stock dividend from class A shares into existing class B shares, both of which are included in the index
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Adjustment for price of A; adjustment for shares in B
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Yes
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Stock dividend of different class, same company and is not included in the index
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Price adjustment
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Yes
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Reverse Split
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Adjustment for price and shares
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No
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Rights Offering
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Adjustment for price and shares
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Yes
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Rights offering for a new line
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Adjustment for price
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Yes
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New share issuance
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Adjustment for shares
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Yes
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Reduction of capital
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Share adjustment
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Yes
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New addition to index
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Share adjustment
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Yes
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Deletion from index
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Share adjustment
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Yes
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Merger (acquisition by index company for stock)
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Share increase
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Yes
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A company that is spun-off from an index constituent will be added to the index at a zero price on the ex-date. If the spun-off
company is not eligible to be included in the index based on its float adjusted market capitalization, then it will be removed from the index at least after one day of trading regular way.
In situations where an exchange is forced to close early due to unforeseen events, such as computer or electric power failures,
weather conditions or other events, S&P will calculate the closing price of the indices based on (1) the closing prices published by the exchange, or (2) if no closing price is available, the last regular trade reported for each security before
the exchange closed. If the exchange fails to open due to unforeseen circumstances, S&P treats this closure as a standard market holiday. The index will use the prior day’s closing prices and shifts any corporate actions to the following
business day. If all exchanges fail to open or in other extreme circumstances, S&P may determine not to publish the index for that day.
Recalculation Policy
S&P reserves the right to recalculate and republish the S&P/ASX 200 Index 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 corporate event; (3) incorrect application of corporate action or index methodology; (4) late announcement of a corporate event; or (5) incorrect calculation or data entry
error. The decision to recalculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index 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 the potential recalculation is
considered when making any such decision. In the event of an incorrect closing price, a missed corporate event or a misapplied corporate action, a late announcement of a corporate event, or an incorrect calculation or data entry error that is
discovered within two trading days of its occurrence, the index manager may, at his or her discretion, recalculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index without involving the index committee. In the event any such event is discovered beyond the two trading
day period, the index committee shall decide whether the S&P/ASX 200 Index 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index following specified guidelines. In the event that the S&P/ASX 200 Index is recalculated, it shall be done within a reasonable timeframe following the
detection and review of the issue.
Calculations and Pricing Disruptions
Prices used to calculate the S&P/ASX 200 Index are obtained from IDC and Thomson Reuters. If the relevant exchange suffers a
failure or interruption, real-time calculations are halted until the exchange confirms that trading and price dissemination has resumed.
If the interruption is not resolved before the market close and the exchange publishes a list of closing prices, those prices
are used to calculate the closing value of the S&P/ASX 200 Index. If no list is published, the last trade for each security before the interruption is used to calculate the closing value of the S&P/ASX 200 Index. If no trades were reported
for a security, the previous close adjusted for corporate actions is used for index calculation.
In extreme circumstances, S&P may decide to delay index adjustments or not publish the S&P/ASX 200 Index.
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.
In the event of an unexpected exchange closure, S&P uses the following guidelines:
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(i) |
If an unexpected exchange closure occurs prior to the open of trading and it is indicated that trading will not open for a given day, S&P Dow Jones Indices will treat the day as an
unscheduled market holiday.
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(ii) |
If a market disruption occurs intraday, S&P will wait for the impacted exchange to publish a list of closing prices, which will then be used to calculate the closing index values.
If no list is published, the last trade for each security before the interruption is used to calculate the index closing value. If no trades were reported for a security, the previous closing price, adjusted for corporate actions, is
used for index calculation.
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License Agreement between S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and GS Finance Corp.
The “S&P/ASX 200” is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and ASX Operations Pty Ltd, and has
been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Licensee”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and Dow Jones® is a registered
trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). ASX 200 is a registered trademark of ASX Operations Pty Ltd. The trademarks have been licensed to SPDJI and have been sublicensed for use for certain purposes by Licensee. Licensee’s
Product(s) are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or ASX Operations Pty Ltd. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor ASX Operations
Pty Ltd make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Licensee’s Product(s) or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Licensee’s Product(s) particularly or the
ability of the S&P/ASX 200 to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd only relationship to Licensee with respect to the S&P/ASX 200 is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service
marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P/ASX 200 is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices ASX Operations Pty Ltd. without regard to Licensee or the Licensee’s Product(s).
S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd. have no obligation to take the needs of Licensee or the owners of Licensee’s Product(s) into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P/ASX 200. Neither S&P Dow Jones
Indices nor ASX Operations Pty Ltd. are responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Licensee’s Product(s) or the timing of the issuance or sale of Licensee’s Product(s) or in the determination or
calculation of the equation by which Licensee’s Product(s) is to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices and ASX Operations Pty Ltd. have no obligation or liability in connection with the
administration, marketing or trading of Licensee’s Product(s). There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P/ASX 200 will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC
is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
NEITHER S&P DOW JONES INDICES NOR THIRD PARTY LICENSOR GUARANTEES THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P/ASX
200 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 DOW JONES INDICES AND ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT
TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. 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 LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE LICENSEE’S PRODUCT(S), OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P/ASX 200 OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE
FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES OR ASX OPERATIONS PTY LTD. 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 DOW JONES
INDICES AND LICENSEE, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
Historical Closing Levels of the Basket Underliers
The respective closing level of the basket underliers have fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant
fluctuations. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of any of the basket underliers during the period shown below is not an indication that the basket underliers are more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the
life of your notes.
You should not take the historical levels of the basket or the
basket underliers as an indication of the future performances of the basket underliers. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of the basket, basket underliers or the basket underlier stocks will result in your
receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the basket or the basket underliers.
Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the level of the basket underliers between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes. The actual
performance of the basket and the basket underliers over the life of the offered notes, as well as the cash settlement amount at maturity, may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.
The graphs below show the daily historical closing levels of the EURO STOXX 50® Index, TOPIX, the FTSE® 100
Index, the Swiss Market Index and the S&P/ASX 200 Index from January 18, 2009 through January 18, 2019. The graphs are for illustrative purposes only. We obtained the closing levels in the graphs below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without
independent verification.
Historical Basket Levels
The following graph is based on the basket closing level for the period from January 19, 2009 through January 19, 2019 assuming that
the basket closing level was 100 on January 19, 2009. We derived the basket closing levels based on the method to calculate the basket closing level as described in this pricing supplement and on actual closing levels of the relevant basket
underliers on the relevant date. The basket closing level has been normalized such that its hypothetical level on January 19, 2009 was 100. As noted in this pricing supplement, the initial basket level will be set at 100 on the trade date. The
basket closing level can increase or decrease due to changes in the levels of the basket underliers.
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCUSSION OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus.
The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. It applies to you only if you hold your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a
class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
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a dealer in securities or currencies;
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a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities holdings;
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a regulated investment company;
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a life insurance company;
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a tax-exempt organization;
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a person that owns the notes as a hedge or that is hedged against interest rate risks;
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a person that owns the notes as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes; or
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a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar.
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This section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and
proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.
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You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and other tax consequences of your investment in
the notes, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
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United States Holders
This subsection describes the tax consequences to a United States holder. You are a United States holder if you
are a beneficial owner of notes and you are:
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a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a domestic corporation;
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or
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a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial
decisions of the trust.
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If you are not a United States holder, this section does not apply to you and you should refer to “— United States
Alien Holders” below.
Your notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt
instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each accrual period will be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for your notes and applying
rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment schedule. This method is applied by first determining the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed
rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes (the “comparable yield”) and then determining as of the issue date a payment schedule that would produce the comparable yield. These rules will generally have the effect of
requiring you to include amounts in income in respect of your notes, even though you will not receive any payments from us until maturity.
We have determined that the comparable yield for the notes is equal to % per annum, compounded
semi-annually with a projected payment at maturity of $ based on an investment of $1,000.
Based on this comparable yield, if you are an initial holder that holds a note until maturity and you pay your taxes on a calendar
year basis, we have determined that you would be required to report the following amounts as ordinary income, not taking into account any positive or negative adjustments you may be required to take into account based on the actual payments on the
notes, from the note each year:
Accrual Period
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Interest Deemed to
Accrue During Accrual
Period (per $1,000
note)
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Total Interest Deemed to
Have Accrued from
Original Issue Date (per
$1,000 note) as of End of
Accrual Period
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through December 31, 2019
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January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020
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January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021
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January 1, 2022 through
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You are required to use the comparable yield and projected payment schedule that we compute in determining your
interest accruals in respect of your notes, unless you timely disclose and justify on your U.S. federal income tax return the use of a different comparable yield and projected payment schedule.
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The comparable yield and projected payment schedule are not provided to you for any purpose other than the determination of
your interest accruals in respect of your notes, and we make no representation regarding the amount of contingent payments with respect to your notes.
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If you purchase your notes at a price other than their adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes, you must
determine the extent to which the difference between the price you paid for your notes and their adjusted issue price is attributable to a change in expectations as to the projected payment schedule, a change in interest rates, or both, and
reasonably allocate the difference accordingly. The adjusted issue price of your notes will equal your notes’ original issue price plus any interest deemed to be accrued on your notes (under the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments)
as of the time you purchase your notes. The original issue price of your notes will be the first price at which a substantial amount of the notes is sold to persons other than bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the
capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers. Therefore, you may be required to make the adjustments described above even if you purchase your notes in the initial offering if you purchase your notes at a price other than the issue
price.
If the adjusted issue price of your notes is greater than the price you paid for your notes, you must make
positive adjustments increasing (i) the amount of interest that you would otherwise accrue and include in income each year, and (ii) the amount of ordinary income (or decreasing the amount of ordinary loss) recognized upon maturity by the amounts
allocated under the previous paragraph to each of interest and the projected payment schedule; if the adjusted issue price of your notes is less than the price you paid for your notes, you must make negative adjustments, decreasing (i) the amount
of interest that you must include in income each year, and (ii) the amount of ordinary income (or increasing the amount of ordinary loss) recognized upon maturity by the amounts allocated under the previous paragraph to each of interest and the
projected payment schedule. Adjustments allocated to the interest amount are not made until the date the daily portion of interest accrues.
Because any Form 1099-OID that you receive will not reflect the effects of positive or negative adjustments
resulting from your purchase of notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes, you are urged to consult with your tax advisor as to whether and how adjustments should be made to the amounts reported on any Form
1099-OID.
You will recognize income or loss upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes in an amount equal to the
difference, if any, between the cash amount you receive at such time and your adjusted basis in your notes. In general, your adjusted basis in your notes will equal the amount you paid for your notes, increased by the amount of interest you
previously accrued with respect to your notes (in accordance with the comparable yield and the projected payment schedule for your notes), and increased or decreased by the amount of any positive or negative adjustment, respectively, that you are
required to make if you purchase your notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes.
Any income you recognize upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes will be ordinary interest income. Any loss you
recognize at such time will be ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes, and, thereafter, capital loss. If you are a noncorporate holder, you would generally be
able to use such ordinary loss to offset your income only in the taxable year in which you recognize the ordinary loss and would generally not be able to carry such ordinary loss forward or back to offset income in other taxable years.
Pursuant to recently enacted legislation, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018, with respect to a
debt instrument issued with original issue discount, such as the notes, an accrual method taxpayer that reports revenues on an applicable financial statement generally must recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the
taxable year in which such income is taken into account as revenue in an applicable financial statement of the taxpayer. For this purpose, an “applicable financial statement” generally means a financial statement certified as having been prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or that is made on the basis of international financial reporting standards and which is used by the taxpayer for various specified purposes. This rule could potentially require such a
taxpayer to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes with respect to the notes prior to the time such income would be recognized pursuant to the rules described above. Potential investors in the notes should consult their tax advisors
regarding the potential applicability of these rules to their investment in the notes.
United States Alien Holders
If you are a United States alien holder, please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of
Debt Securities — United States Alien Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the tax consequences relevant to you. You are a United States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of the notes and are, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes:
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a nonresident alien individual;
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a foreign corporation; or
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an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from the notes.
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In addition, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under which amounts paid or deemed paid on certain
financial instruments (“871(m) financial instruments”) that are treated as attributable to U.S.-source dividends could be treated, in whole or in part depending on the circumstances, as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to tax at a
rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty), which in the case of amounts you receive upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, could be collected via withholding. If these regulations were to apply to the notes, we may be
required to withhold such taxes if any U.S.-source dividends are paid on the stocks included in the basket underliers during the term of the notes. We could also require you to make certifications (e.g., an applicable Internal Revenue Service Form
W-8) prior to the maturity of the notes in order to avoid or minimize withholding obligations, and we could withhold accordingly (subject to your potential right to claim
a refund from the Internal Revenue Service) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory. If withholding was required, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld. These
regulations generally will apply to 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on
or after January 1, 2021, but will also apply to certain 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) that have a delta (as defined in the applicable
Treasury regulations) of one and are issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2017. In addition, these regulations will not apply to financial instruments that reference a “qualified index” (as
defined in the regulations). We have determined that, as of the issue date of your notes, your notes will not be subject to withholding under these rules. In certain limited circumstances, however, you should be aware that it is possible for
United States alien holders to be liable for tax under these rules with respect to a combination of transactions treated as having been entered into in connection with each other even when no withholding is required. You should consult your tax
advisor concerning these regulations, subsequent official guidance and regarding any other possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding
Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt Securities—Foreign
Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to the FATCA withholding rules.
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,
the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the
reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus is an offer to sell only the notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying product supplement no. 1,743, the
accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.
Pricing Supplement
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Page
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PS-3
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PS-7
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PS-12
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PS-15
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PS-34
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Product Supplement No. 1,743 dated July 10, 2017
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Summary Information
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S-1
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Hypothetical Returns on the Underlier-Linked Notes
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S-8
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Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Underlier-Linked Notes
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S-23
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General Terms of the Underlier-Linked Notes
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S-27
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Use of Proceeds
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S-31
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Hedging
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S-31
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Supplemental Discussion of Federal Income Tax Consequences
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S-33
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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S-43
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
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S-44
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Conflicts of Interest
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S-47
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General Terms Supplement No. 1,734 dated July 10, 2017
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Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes
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S-1
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Supplemental Terms of the Notes
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S-16
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The Underliers
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S-36
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S&P 500® Index
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S-40
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MSCI Indices
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S-46
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Hang Seng China Enterprises Index
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S-55
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Russell 2000® Index
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S-61
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FTSE®100 Index
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S-69
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EURO STOXX 50® Index
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S-75
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TOPIX
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S-82
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average®
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S-87
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The iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
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S-91
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Use of Proceeds
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S-94
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Hedging
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S-94
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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S-95
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
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S-96
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Conflicts of Interest
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S-98
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Prospectus Supplement dated July 10, 2017
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Use of Proceeds
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S-2
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Description of Notes We May Offer
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S-3
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Considerations Relating to Indexed Notes
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S-15
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United States Taxation
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S-18
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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S-19
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
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S-20
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Validity of the Notes and Guarantees
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S-21
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Prospectus dated July 10, 2017
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Available Information
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2
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Prospectus Summary
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4
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Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements
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8
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Use of Proceeds
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11
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Description of Debt Securities We May Offer
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12
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Description of Warrants We May Offer
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45
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Description of Units We May Offer
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60
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GS Finance Corp.
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65
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Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance
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67
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Considerations Relating to Floating Rate Debt Securities
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72
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Considerations Relating to Indexed Securities
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73
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Considerations Relating to Securities Denominated or Payable in or Linked to a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency
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74
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United States Taxation
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77
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Plan of Distribution
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92
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Conflicts of Interest
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94
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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95
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Validity of the Securities and Guarantees
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95
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Experts
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96
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Review of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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96
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Cautionary Statement Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
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96
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$
GS Finance Corp.
Leveraged Basket-Linked Notes due
guaranteed by
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC