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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-202354

 

Product Supplement No. STOCK-1 (To Prospectus dated May 1, 2015 and Series L Prospectus Supplement dated January 20, 2016) February 9, 2016

Notes Linked to One or More Common Equity Securities

 

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The notes are unsecured senior notes issued by Bank of America Corporation. Any payments due on notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of Bank of America Corporation.

 

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The return on notes will be based on the performance of an underlying “Market Measure,” which will be the common equity securities of a company other than us and our affiliates (the “Underlying Stock”), or a basket of Underlying Stocks. We may also issue notes linked to the worst performing of two or more Underlying Stocks.

 

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This product supplement describes the general terms of the notes, risk factors to consider before investing, the general manner in which they may be offered and sold, and other relevant information.

 

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For each offering of the notes, we will provide you with a pricing supplement that will describe the specific terms of that offering, including the specific Market Measure, and certain additional risk factors. The pricing supplement will identify, if applicable, any additions or changes to the terms specified in this product supplement.

 

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The notes may or may not bear interest. Depending on the terms of the notes, the amount payable at maturity may be less than, equal to or greater than the principal amount. The notes may or not be called or redeemed prior to maturity.

 

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The notes will be issued in denominations as will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.

 

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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable pricing supplement, notes will not be listed on a securities exchange or quotation system.

 

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One or more of our affiliates, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), may act as our selling agents to offer the notes.

 

The notes are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. The notes are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) or any other governmental agency and involve investment risks. Potential purchasers of the notes should consider the information in “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-5 of this product supplement, page S-5 of the accompanying Series L prospectus supplement, and page 9 of the accompanying prospectus.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this product supplement, the prospectus supplement, or the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

BofA Merrill Lynch

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SUMMARY			PS-3
RISK FACTORS			PS-5
USE OF PROCEEDS			PS-14
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES			PS-15
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			PS-26
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS			PS-27
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS			PS-28

 

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RISK FACTORS

Your investment in the notes is subject to investment risks, many of which differ from those of a conventional debt security. Your decision to purchase the notes should be made only after carefully considering the risks, including those discussed below, in light of your particular circumstances. The notes are not an appropriate investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about the material terms of the notes or investments in equity or equity-based securities in general.

General Risks Relating to the Notes

Your investment may result in a loss; there may be no guaranteed return of principal. To the extent set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, there may not be a fixed principal repayment amount on the notes at maturity. The return on the notes will be based on the performance of a Market Measure and therefore, you may lose all or a significant portion of your investment if the value of the Market Measure decreases after the applicable pricing date. You should read the applicable pricing supplement to determine the extent to which your investment in the notes may result in the loss of your principal amount due to changes in the value of the Market Measure.

You may not receive interest payments on the notes. If so specified in the applicable pricing supplement, your notes may not pay interest. If your notes are interest bearing, they may pay interest only at rate that will be less than the rate that we would pay on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. As a result, your investment in the notes may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors, such as inflation, that affect the time value of money.

The payments on the notes may be limited to a maximum return. If so specified in the applicable pricing supplement, the notes that we issue may have a fixed maximum return. In such a case, your return on the notes may be less than the return that you could have realized if you invested directly in the securities represented by the applicable Market Measure.

In addition, unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement and under the limited circumstances described below, the payments on the notes will not reflect the value of dividends paid on the securities represented by the Market Measure or any other rights associated with those securities. Thus, any return on the notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned those securities.

Your notes may be called prior to maturity. If so specified in the applicable pricing supplement, your notes may be called at our option, or may be automatically called upon the occurrence of certain specified events. If the notes are called, the period over which you hold the notes, and receive any applicable interest payments, may be limited. If the notes are called, you may not be able to reinvest the proceeds in an investment with a comparable return.

Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. The notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. As a result, your receipt of all payments on the notes will be dependent upon our ability to repay our obligations on the applicable payment date, regardless of how the applicable Market Measure performs. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition will be at any time after the pricing date of your notes. If we become unable to meet our financial obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amounts payable under the terms of the notes.

 

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In addition, our credit ratings are an assessment by ratings agencies of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, our perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated decreases in our credit ratings or increases in the spread between the yield on our securities and the yield on U.S. Treasury securities (the “credit spread”) prior to the maturity date may adversely affect the market value of the notes. However, because your return on notes depends upon factors in addition to our ability to pay our obligations, such as the value of the Market Measure, an improvement in our credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the notes.

The initial estimated value of the notes considers certain assumptions and variables and relies in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. The initial estimated value of the notes, which will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, will be an estimate only, determined as of a particular point in time by reference to our and our affiliates’ pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, including our credit spreads, our internal funding rate on the pricing date, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on interest rates, dividends and volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of the notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect.

The public offering price you pay for the notes will exceed the initial estimated value. If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than their initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the value of the applicable Market Measure, the implied borrowing rate we pay to issue market-linked notes, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount and expected hedging related charges. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the notes in complex and unpredictable ways.

The initial estimated value will not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, MLPF&S or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your notes at any time after the applicable pricing date will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including our creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.

We cannot assure you that there will be a trading market for your notes. If a secondary market exists, we cannot predict how the notes will trade, or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid. The development of a trading market for the notes will depend on various factors, including our financial performance and changes in the value of the Market Measure. The number of potential buyers of your notes in any secondary market may be limited. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market.

We anticipate that one or more of the selling agents will act as a market-maker for the notes that it offers, but none of them is required to do so and may cease to do so at any time. Any price at which a selling agent may bid for, offer, purchase, or sell any of the notes may be higher or lower than the applicable public offering price, and that price may differ from the values determined by pricing models that it may use, whether as a result of dealer discounts, mark-ups, or other transaction costs. These bids, offers, or transactions may affect the prices, if any, at which those notes might otherwise trade in the market. In addition, if at any time any selling agent were to cease acting as a market-maker for any issue of the notes, it is likely

 

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that there would be significantly less liquidity in that secondary market. In such a case, the price at which those notes could be sold likely would be lower than if an active market existed.

Unless otherwise stated in the pricing supplement, we will not list the notes on any securities exchange. Even if an application were made to list your notes, we cannot assure you that the application will be approved or that your notes will be listed and, if listed, that they will remain listed for their entire term. The listing of the notes on any securities exchange will not necessarily ensure that a trading market will develop, and if a trading market does develop, that there will be liquidity in the trading market.

If your notes are linked to a Basket, changes in the values of one or more of the Basket Stocks may be offset by changes in the values of one or more of the other Basket Stocks. The Market Measure of your notes may be a Basket. In such a case, changes in the values of one or more of the Basket Stocks may not correlate with changes in the values of one or more of the other Basket Stocks. The values of one or more Basket Stocks may increase, while the values of one or more of the other Basket Stocks may decrease or not increase as much. Therefore, in calculating the value of the Market Measure at any time, increases in the value of one Basket Stock may be moderated or wholly offset by decreases or lesser increases in the values of one or more of the other Basket Stocks. If the weightings of the applicable Basket Stocks are not equal, adverse changes in the values of the Basket Stocks which are more heavily weighted could have a greater impact upon your notes.

If you attempt to sell notes prior to maturity, their market value, if any, will be affected by various factors that interrelate in complex ways, and their market value may be less than the principal amount. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, if you wish to liquidate your investment in notes prior to maturity, your only option would be to sell them. At that time, there may be an illiquid market for your notes or no market at all. Even if you were able to sell your notes, there are many factors outside of our control that may affect their market value, some of which, but not all, are stated below. The impact of any one factor may be offset or magnified by the effect of another factor. The following paragraphs describe a specific factor’s expected impact on the market value of the notes, assuming all other conditions remain constant.

 

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Value of the Market Measure. We anticipate that the market value of the notes prior to maturity generally will depend to a significant extent on the value of the Market Measure. In general, it is expected that the market value of the notes will decrease as the value of the Market Measure decreases, and increase as the value of the Market Measure increases. However, as the value of the Market Measure increases or decreases, the market value of the notes is not expected to increase or decrease at the same rate. If you sell your notes when the value of the Market Measure is less than, or not sufficiently above its value on the applicable pricing date, then you may receive less than the principal amount of your notes.

 

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Volatility of the Market Measure. Volatility is the term used to describe the size and frequency of market fluctuations. Increases or decreases in the volatility of the Market Measure may have an adverse impact on the market value of the notes. Even if the value of the Market Measure increases after the applicable pricing date, if you are able to sell your notes before their maturity date, you may receive substantially less than the amount that would be payable at maturity based on that value because of the anticipation that the value of the Market Measure will continue to fluctuate prior to the maturity date of the notes.

 

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Economic and Other Conditions Generally. The general economic conditions of the capital markets in the United States, as well as geopolitical conditions and other financial, political, regulatory, and judicial events and related uncertainties that affect stock markets generally, may affect the value of the Market Measure and the market value of the notes.

 

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Interest Rates. We expect that changes in interest rates will affect the market value of the notes. In general, if U.S. interest rates increase, we expect that the market value of the notes will decrease, and conversely, if U.S. interest rates decrease, we expect that the market value of the notes will increase. In general, we expect that the longer the amount of time that remains until maturity, the more significant the impact of these changes will be on the value of the notes. In the case of non-U.S. Underlying Stocks, the level of interest rates in the relevant foreign countries may also affect their economies and in turn the value of the non-U.S. Underlying Stock, and, thus, the market value of the notes may be adversely affected.

 

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Dividend Yields. In general, if cumulative dividend yields on the securities represented by the Market Measure increase, we anticipate that the market value of the notes will decrease; conversely, if those dividend yields decrease, we anticipate that the market value of your notes will increase.

 

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Exchange Rate Movements and Volatility. If the Market Measure of your notes includes any non-U.S. Market Underlying Stock, changes in, and the volatility of, the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the relevant non-U.S. currency or currencies could have a negative impact on the value of your notes, and the payments on the notes may depend in part on the relevant exchange rates. In addition, the correlation between the relevant exchange rate and any applicable non-U.S. Underlying Stock reflects the extent to which a percentage change in that exchange rate corresponds to a percentage change in the applicable non-U.S. Market Measure, and changes in these correlations may have a negative impact on the value of your notes.

 

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Our Financial Condition and Creditworthiness. Our perceived creditworthiness, including any increases in our credit spreads and any actual or anticipated decreases in our credit ratings, may adversely affect the market value of the notes. In general, we expect the longer the amount of time that remains until maturity, the more significant the impact will be on the value of the notes. However, a decrease in our credit spreads or an improvement in our credit ratings will not necessarily increase the market value of the notes.

 

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Time to Maturity. There may be a disparity between the market value of the notes prior to maturity and their value at maturity. This disparity is often called a time “value,” “premium,” or “discount,” and reflects expectations concerning the value of the Market Measure prior to the maturity date. As the time to maturity decreases, this disparity may decrease, such that the value of the notes will approach the expected amount to be paid at maturity.

Trading and hedging activities by us and our affiliates may affect your return on the notes and their market value. We and our affiliates, including the selling agents, may buy or sell the securities represented by the Market Measure, or futures or options contracts on those securities. We may execute such purchases or sales for our own accounts, for business reasons, or in connection with hedging our obligations under notes. These transactions could affect the value of a Market Measure in a manner that could be adverse to your investment in notes. On or before the applicable pricing date, any purchases or sales by

 

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us, our affiliates or others on our behalf may increase the value of the securities represented by the Market Measure. Consequently, the values of the securities represented by that Market Measure may decrease subsequent to the pricing date of an issue of the notes, adversely affecting the market value of the notes.

We, or one or more of our affiliates, including the selling agents, may also engage in hedging activities that could increase the value of the Market Measure on the applicable pricing date. In addition, these activities may decrease the market value of your notes prior to maturity, and may affect the amounts to be paid on the notes. We or one or more of our affiliates, including the selling agents, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short position in notes and may hold or resell notes. For example, the selling agents may enter into these transactions in connection with any market making activities in which they engage. We cannot assure you that these activities will not adversely affect the value of the Market Measure, the market value of your notes prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the notes.

Our trading, hedging and other business activities may create conflicts of interest with you. We or one or more of our affiliates, including the selling agents, may engage in trading activities related to the securities represented by the Market Measure that are not for your account or on your behalf. We or one or more of our affiliates, including the selling agents, also may issue or underwrite other financial instruments with returns based upon the applicable Market Measure. These trading and other business activities may present a conflict of interest between your interest in notes and the interests we and our affiliates, including the selling agents, may have in our proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our or their management. These trading and other business activities, if they influence the value of the Market Measure or secondary trading in your notes, could be adverse to your interests as a beneficial owner of the notes.

We expect to enter into arrangements or adjust or close out existing transactions to hedge our obligations under the notes. We or our affiliates also may enter into hedging transactions relating to other notes or instruments that we issue, some of which may have returns calculated in a manner related to that of a particular issue of the notes. We may enter into such hedging arrangements with one of our subsidiaries or affiliates. Such a party may enter into additional hedging transactions with other parties relating to notes and the applicable Market Measure. This hedging activity is expected to result in a profit to those engaging in the hedging activity, which could be more or less than initially expected, or the hedging activity could also result in a loss. We or our affiliates will price these hedging transactions with the intent to realize a profit, regardless of whether the value of the notes increases or decreases. Any profit in connection with such hedging activities will be in addition to any other compensation that we and our affiliates, including the selling agents, receive for the sale of the notes, which creates an additional incentive to sell the notes to you.

There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent. One of our affiliates will be the calculation agent for notes and, as such, will make a variety of determinations relating to the notes, including the amounts that will paid on the notes. Under some circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between its status as our affiliate and its responsibilities as calculation agent. These conflicts could occur, for instance, in connection with the calculation agent’s determination as to whether a Market Disruption Event (as defined below) has occurred, or in connection with judgments that it would be required to make if certain corporate events occur as to any Underlying Stock. The calculation agent will be

 

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required to carry out its duties in good faith and use its reasonable judgment. However, because we expect to control the calculation agent, potential conflicts of interest could arise.

Risks Relating to an Underlying Stock

You must rely on your own evaluation of the merits of an investment linked to any applicable Underlying Stock. In the ordinary course of business, our affiliates may have expressed views on expected movements in an Underlying Stock, and may do so in the future. These views or reports may be communicated to our clients and clients of our affiliates. However, these views are subject to change from time to time. Moreover, other professionals who deal in markets relating to an Underlying Stock may at any time have significantly different views from those of our affiliates. For these reasons, you are encouraged to derive information concerning an Underlying Stock from multiple sources, and you should not rely on the views expressed by our affiliates.

You will have no rights as a security holder, you will have no rights to receive any shares of any Underlying Stock, and you will not be entitled to dividends or other distributions by any Underlying Company. The notes are our debt securities. They are not equity instruments, shares of stock, or securities of any other issuer. Investing in the notes will not make you a holder of any Underlying Stock. You will not have any voting rights, any rights to receive dividends or other distributions, or any other rights with respect to any Underlying Stock. As a result, the return on your notes may not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned shares of any Underlying Stock and received the dividends paid or other distributions made in connection with them. Your notes will be paid in cash and you have no right to receive delivery of shares of any Underlying Stock.

If shares of an Underlying Company are also listed on a foreign exchange, your return may be affected by factors affecting international securities markets. The value of securities traded outside of the U.S. may be adversely affected by a variety of factors relating to the relevant securities markets. Factors which could affect those markets, and therefore the return on your notes, include:

 

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Market Volatility. The relevant foreign securities markets may be more volatile than U.S. or other securities markets and may be affected by market developments in different ways than U.S. or other securities markets.

 

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Political, Economic, and Other Factors. The prices and performance of securities of companies in foreign countries may be affected by political, economic, financial, and social factors in those regions. Direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize a particular securities market and cross-shareholdings in companies in the relevant foreign markets may affect prices and the volume of trading in those markets. In addition, recent or future changes in government, economic, and fiscal policies in the relevant jurisdictions, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws, or other laws or restrictions, and possible fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, are factors that could negatively affect the relevant securities markets. The relevant foreign economies may differ from the U.S. economy in economic factors such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, and self-sufficiency.

In particular, many emerging nations are undergoing rapid change involving the restructuring of economic, political, financial and legal systems. Regulatory and tax environments may be subject to change without review or appeal, and many

 

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emerging markets suffer from underdevelopment of capital markets and tax systems. In addition, in some of these nations, issuers of the relevant securities face the threat of expropriation of their assets and/or nationalization of their businesses. The economic and financial data about some of these countries may be unreliable.

We do not control any Underlying Company and have not verified any disclosure made by any Underlying Company. We currently, or in the future, may engage in business with any Underlying Company, and we or our affiliates may from time to time own securities of any Underlying Company. However, neither we nor any of our affiliates, including the selling agents, have the ability to control any actions of any Underlying Company or have undertaken any independent review of, or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to, any Underlying Company. You should make your own investigation into any Underlying Stock.

Our business activities relating to any Underlying Company may create conflicts of interest with you. We and our affiliates, including the selling agents, at the time of any offering of the notes or in the future, may engage in business with any Underlying Company, including making loans to, equity investments in, or providing investment banking, asset management, or other services to that company, its affiliates, and its competitors.

In connection with these activities, we or our affiliates may receive information about those companies that we will not divulge to you or other third parties. One or more of our affiliates have published, and in the future may publish, research reports on one or more of these companies. This research is modified from time to time without notice and may express opinions or provide recommendations that are inconsistent with purchasing or holding your notes. Any of these activities may affect the value of the Market Measure and, consequently, the market value of your notes. We, or any of our affiliates, do not make any representation to any purchasers of the notes regarding any matters whatsoever relating to any Underlying Company. Any prospective purchaser of the notes should undertake an independent investigation of any Underlying Company to a level that, in its judgment, is appropriate to make an informed decision regarding an investment in the notes. The selection of an Underlying Stock does not reflect any investment recommendations from us or our affiliates.

An Underlying Company will have no obligations relating to the notes and we will not perform any due diligence procedures with respect to any Underlying Company. An Underlying Company will not have any financial or legal obligation with respect to the notes or the amounts to be paid to you, including any obligation to take our needs or the needs of noteholders into consideration for any reason, including taking any corporate actions that might affect the value of an Underlying Stock or the value of the notes. An Underlying Company will not receive any of the proceeds from any offering of the notes, and will not be responsible for, or participate in, the offering of the notes. No Underlying Company will be responsible for, or participate in, the determination or calculation of the amount receivable by holders of the notes.

Neither we nor any selling agent will conduct any due diligence inquiry with respect to any Underlying Stock in connection with an offering of the notes. Neither we nor any selling agent has made any independent investigation as to the completeness or accuracy of publicly available information regarding any Underlying Company or as to the future performance of any Underlying Stock. Any prospective purchaser of the notes should undertake such independent investigation of any Underlying Company as in its judgment is appropriate to make an informed decision with respect to an investment in the notes.

The terms of the notes will not be adjusted for all corporate events that could affect an Underlying Company. The Price Multiplier (as defined below), the determination of

 

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the payments on the notes, and other terms of the notes may be adjusted for the specified corporate events affecting any Underlying Stock, as described in the section entitled “Description of the Notes—Anti-Dilution Adjustments.” However, these adjustments do not cover all corporate events that could affect the market price of an Underlying Stock, such as offerings of common shares for cash or in connection with certain acquisition transactions. The occurrence of any event that does not require the calculation agent to adjust the applicable Price Multiplier or the amounts that may be paid on the notes at maturity may adversely affect the Closing Market Price of an Underlying Stock, and, as a result, the market value of the notes.

Risks Relating to Underlying Stocks that Are ADRs

The value of an ADR may not accurately track the value of the common shares of the related Underlying Company. If an Underlying Stock is an ADR, each ADR will represent shares of the relevant Underlying Company. Generally, the ADRs are issued under a deposit agreement that sets forth the rights and responsibilities of the depositary, the Underlying Company and the holders of the ADRs. The trading patterns of the ADRs will generally reflect the characteristics and valuations of the underlying common shares; however, the value of the ADRs may not completely track the value of those shares. There are important differences between the rights of holders of ADRs and the rights of holders of the underlying common shares. In addition, trading volume and pricing on the applicable non-U.S. exchange may, but will not necessarily, have similar characteristics as the ADRs. For example, certain factors may increase or decrease the public float of the ADRs and, as a result, the ADRs may have less liquidity or lower market value than the underlying common shares.

Exchange rate movements may adversely impact the value of an Underlying Stock that is an ADR. If an Underlying Stock is an ADR, the market price of the Underlying Stock will generally track the U.S. dollar value of the market price of the underlying common shares. Therefore, if the value of the related foreign currency in which the underlying common shares are traded decreases relative to the U.S. dollar, the market price of the Underlying Stock may decrease while the market price of the underlying common shares remains stable or increases, or does not decrease to the same extent. As a result, changes in, and the volatility of, the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the relevant non-U.S. currency could have a negative impact on the value of the Underlying Stock and consequently, the value of your notes and the amount payable on the notes.

Adverse trading conditions in the applicable non-U.S. market may negatively affect the value of an Underlying Stock that is an ADR. Holders of an Underlying Company’s ADRs may usually surrender the ADRs in order to receive and trade the underlying common shares. This provision permits investors in the ADRs to take advantage of price differentials between markets. However, this provision may also cause the market prices of the applicable Underlying Stock to more closely correspond with the values of the common shares in the applicable non-U.S. markets. As a result, a market outside of the United States for the underlying common shares that is not liquid may also result in an illiquid market for the ADRs, which may negatively impact the value of such ADRs and, consequently, the value of your notes.

Delisting of an Underlying Stock that is an ADR may adversely affect the value of the notes. If an Underlying Stock that is an ADR is no longer listed or admitted to trading on a U.S. securities exchange registered under the Exchange Act or included in the OTC Bulletin Board Service operated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), or if the ADR facility between the Underlying Company and the ADR depositary is terminated for any reason, the Market Measure for the notes will be deemed to be the Underlying Company’s

 

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common equity securities rather than the ADRs, and the calculation agent will determine the price of the Market Measure by reference to those common shares, as described below under “Description of the Notes—Delisting of ADRs or Termination of ADR Facility.” Replacing the original ADRs with the underlying common shares may adversely affect the value of the notes and the amounts payable on the notes.

Other Risk Factors Relating to the Notes and the Applicable Market Measure

The applicable pricing supplement will set forth additional risk factors as to the notes and the applicable Market Measure that you should review prior to purchasing notes.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will use the net proceeds we receive from each sale of the notes for the purposes described in the accompanying prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.” In addition, we expect that we or our affiliates may use a portion of the net proceeds to hedge our obligations under notes.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

General

Each issue of the notes will be part of a series of medium-term notes entitled “Medium-Term Notes, Series L” that will be issued under the Senior Indenture, as amended and supplemented from time to time. The Senior Indenture is described more fully in the prospectus and prospectus supplement. The following description of the notes supplements and, to the extent it is inconsistent with, supersedes the description of the general terms and provisions of the notes and debt securities set forth under the headings “Description of the Notes” in the prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities” in the prospectus. These documents should be read in connection with the applicable pricing supplement.

The maturity date of the notes and the aggregate principal amount of each issue of the notes will be stated in the pricing supplement. If any scheduled payment date on the notes is not a business day, we will make the required payment on the next business day, and no interest will accrue as a result of such delay.

The notes will be payable only in U.S. dollars.

Except as set forth in the applicable pricing supplement and as discussed below, the notes are not redeemable by us or repayable at the option of any holder. The notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

We will issue the notes in the denominations set forth in the applicable pricing supplement. The CUSIP number for each issue of the notes will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.

Certain Terms of the Notes

Interest. We may issue notes that are interest-bearing, or that do not bear interest. We may issue notes in which the payment of interest for one or more periods is contingent upon the occurrence of one or more specified events. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, for interest-bearing notes, each interest payment on an interest payment date will include interest accrued from, and including, the issue date or the most recent interest payment date for which interest has been paid or provided for, as the case may be, to, but excluding, that interest payment date. For so long as the notes are held in book-entry only form, we will pay interest to the persons in whose names the notes are registered at the close of business one business day prior to each interest payment date. If the notes are not held in book-entry only form, the record dates will be the first day of the month in which the applicable interest payment is due.

Payments on the Notes. The payment at maturity may be determined according to one or more calculation days occurring shortly before the maturity date of the notes. We may also issue notes in which payments at maturity, or in connection with redemption of the notes, are determined according to one or more “Observation Dates” during the term of the notes. (If so specified in the applicable pricing supplement, we may use a different term to refer to calculation days or Observation Dates.)

Redemption Prior to Maturity. If so specified in the applicable pricing supplement, your notes may be called at our option, or may be automatically called upon the occurrence of certain specified events.

 

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Business Days. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, a “business day” means any day other than a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to close or a day on which transactions in U.S. dollars are not conducted.

Trading Days. A “trading day” means a day on which trading is generally conducted (or was scheduled to have been generally conducted, but for the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event) on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NASDAQ Stock Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and in the over-the-counter market for equity securities in the United States, or any successor exchange or market, or in the case of a security traded on one or more non-U.S. securities exchanges or markets, on the principal non-U.S. securities exchange or market for such security.

Events Relating to Calculation Days. If, as to any Underlying Stock, (i) a Market Disruption Event occurs on a scheduled calculation day or (ii) any scheduled calculation day is determined by the calculation agent not to be a trading day by reason of an extraordinary event, occurrence, declaration, or otherwise (any such day in either (i) or (ii) being a “non-calculation day”), the Closing Market Price of the applicable Underlying Stock for the applicable non-calculation day will be its Closing Market Price on the next applicable scheduled calculation day. For example, if there are five calculation days for your notes, and if the first and second scheduled calculation days are non-calculation days, then the Closing Market Price of the applicable Underlying Stock on the next calculation day will also be its Closing Market Price on the first and second scheduled calculation days. If no further calculation days occur after a non-calculation day, or if every scheduled calculation day is a non-calculation day (for example, if there is only one calculation day), then the Closing Market Price of the applicable Underlying Stock for each following non-calculation day (or for all the scheduled calculation days, if applicable) will be determined (or, if not determinable, estimated) by the calculation agent in a commercially reasonable manner on the last scheduled calculation day, regardless of the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event on that last scheduled calculation day. For example, if the final (or only) calculation day is a non-calculation day as to any Underlying Stock, the calculation agent may elect to postpone that calculation day for up to five scheduled trading days. If the calculation agent elects to do so, the applicable payment date on the notes may be postponed for the same number of business days.

For the avoidance of doubt, if your notes are linked to more than one Underlying Stock, the occurrence of a non-calculation day as to any Underlying Stock will not affect the determination of the Closing Market Price of any other Underlying Stock that is not so affected.

Events Relating to Observation Dates. If, for any Underlying Stock, (i) a Market Disruption Event occurs on a scheduled Observation Date or (ii) the calculation agent determines that any scheduled Observation Date is not a trading day for any Underlying Stock (any such day in either (i) or (ii) being a “non-Observation Date”), the calculation agent will determine the Closing Market Price of the applicable Underlying Stock for that day as follows:

 

•

the Closing Market Price of an Underlying Stock that is not so affected will be its Closing Market Price on that non-Observation Date.

 

•

the Closing Market Price of an Underlying Stock that is affected by that non-Observation Date will be deemed to be its Closing Market Price on the first trading day following that non-Observation Date on which no Market Disruption Event occurs with respect to that Underlying Stock; provided that the Closing Market Price will be determined (or, if not determinable, estimated) by the

 

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calculation agent in a manner which the calculation agent considers commercially reasonable under the circumstances on a date no later than the second scheduled trading day following that non-Observation Date, or, in the case of an Observation Date occurring shortly before the maturity date of the notes (a “Valuation Date”), no later than the second scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date, regardless of the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event on that day.

The applicable Observation Date will be deemed to occur after the calculation agent has determined the Closing Market Prices of the applicable Underlying Stocks as provided above. If, due to a Market Disruption Event or otherwise, an Observation Date (other than a Valuation Date) is postponed, any applicable payment date relating to that Observation Date will be the third business day following the Observation Date as so postponed. However, unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, if the Valuation Date is postponed, under no circumstances will the maturity date be postponed.

Closing Market Price

As set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, the price of an Underlying Stock on any applicable Observation Date or calculation day will be determined by multiplying its Closing Market Price on that day by its Price Multiplier.

The “Closing Market Price” for one share of any Underlying Stock (or one unit of any other security for which a Closing Market Price must be determined) on any trading day means any of the following:

 

•

if the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, the last reported sale price, regular way (or, in the case of The NASDAQ Stock Market, the official closing price), of the principal trading session on that day on the principal U.S. securities exchange registered under the Exchange Act on which the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is listed or admitted to trading;

 

•

if the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but is included in the OTC Bulletin Board, the last reported sale price of the principal trading session on the OTC Bulletin Board on that day;

 

•

if the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is issued by a foreign issuer and its closing price cannot be determined as set forth in the two bullet points above, and the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is listed or admitted to trading on a non-U.S. securities exchange or market, the last reported sale price, regular way, of the principal trading session on that day on the primary non-U.S. securities exchange or market on which the Underlying Stock (or such other security) is listed or admitted to trading (converted to U.S. dollars using such exchange rate as the calculation agent, in its sole discretion, determines to be commercially reasonable); or

 

•

if the Closing Market Price cannot be determined as set forth in the prior bullets, the mean, as determined by the calculation agent, of the bid prices for the Underlying Stock (or such other security) obtained from as many dealers in that security (which may include us, MLPF&S and/or any of our other affiliates), but not exceeding three, as will make the bid prices available to the calculation agent. If no such bid price can be obtained, the Closing Market Price will be determined (or, if not determinable, estimated) by the calculation agent in its sole discretion in a commercially reasonable manner.

 

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Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable pricing supplement, the “Price Multiplier” for each Underlying Stock will be 1, and will be subject to adjustment for certain corporate events relating to an Underlying Stock as described below.

Market Disruption Events

As to any Underlying Stock, a “Market Disruption Event” means any of the following events, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion:

 

(A)

the suspension of or material limitation of trading, in each case, for more than two consecutive hours of trading, or during the one-half hour period preceding the close of trading, of the shares of the Underlying Stock (or the successor to the Underlying Stock) on the primary exchange where such shares trade, as determined by the calculation agent (without taking into account any extended or after-hours trading session);

 

(B)

the suspension of or material limitation of trading, in each case, for more than two consecutive hours of trading, or during the one-half hour period preceding the close of trading, on the primary exchange that trades options contracts or futures contracts related to the shares of the Underlying Stock (or successor to the Underlying Stock) as determined by the calculation agent (without taking into account any extended or after-hours trading session), in options contracts or futures contracts related to the shares of the Underlying Stock; or

 

(C)

the determination that the scheduled calculation day is not a trading day by reason of an extraordinary event, occurrence, declaration, or otherwise.

For the purpose of determining whether a Market Disruption Event has occurred:

 

(1)

a limitation on the hours in a trading day and/or number of days of trading will not constitute a Market Disruption Event if it results from an announced change in the regular business hours of the relevant exchange;

 

(2)

a decision to permanently discontinue trading in the shares of the Underlying Stock (or successor Underlying Stock) or the relevant futures or options contracts relating to such shares will not constitute a Market Disruption Event;

 

(3)

a suspension in trading in a futures or options contract on the shares of the Underlying Stock (or successor Underlying Stock), by a major securities market by reason of (a) a price change violating limits set by that securities market, (b) an imbalance of orders relating to those contracts, or (c) a disparity in bid and ask quotes relating to those contracts, will each constitute a suspension of or material limitation on trading in futures or options contracts relating to the Underlying Stock;

 

(4)

subject to paragraph (3) above, a suspension of or material limitation on trading on the relevant exchange will not include any time when that exchange is closed for trading under ordinary circumstances; and

 

(5)

for the purpose of clause (A) above, any limitations on trading during significant market fluctuations under NYSE Rule 80B, or any applicable rule or regulation enacted or promulgated by the NYSE or any other self-regulatory organization or the SEC of similar scope as determined by the calculation agent, will be considered “material.”

 

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Anti-Dilution Adjustments

As to any Underlying Stock, the calculation agent, in its sole discretion, may adjust the Price Multiplier, and any other terms of the notes, if an event described below occurs after the pricing date and on or before the maturity date of the notes and if the calculation agent determines that such an event has a diluting or concentrative effect on the theoretical value of the shares of the Underlying Stock or successor Underlying Stock.

The Price Multiplier resulting from any of the adjustments specified below will be rounded to the eighth decimal place with five one-billionths being rounded upward. No adjustments to the Price Multiplier will be required unless the adjustment would require a change of at least 0.1% in the Price Multiplier then in effect. Any adjustment that would require a change of less than 0.1% in the Price Multiplier which is not applied at the time of the event may be reflected at the time of any subsequent adjustment that would require a change of the Price Multiplier. The required adjustments specified below do not cover all events that could affect the Underlying Stock.

No adjustments to the Price Multiplier or any other terms of the notes will be required other than those specified below. However, the calculation agent may, at its sole discretion, make additional adjustments to the Price Multiplier or any other terms of the notes to reflect changes to the Underlying Stock if the calculation agent determines that the adjustment is appropriate to ensure an equitable result.

The calculation agent will be solely responsible for the determination of any adjustments to the Price Multiplier or any other terms of the notes and of any related determinations with respect to any distributions of stock, other securities or other property or assets, including cash, in connection with any corporate event described below; its determinations and calculations will be conclusive absent a determination of a manifest error.

No adjustments are required to be made for certain other events, such as offerings of common equity securities by the Underlying Company for cash or in connection with the occurrence of a partial tender or exchange offer for the Underlying Stock by the Underlying Company.

Following an event that results in an adjustment to the Price Multiplier or any of the other terms of the notes, the calculation agent may (but is not required to) provide holders of the notes with information about that adjustment as it deems appropriate, depending on the nature of the adjustment. Upon written request by any holder of the notes, the calculation agent will provide that holder with information about such adjustment.

Anti-Dilution Adjustments to Underlying Stocks that Are Common Equity

The calculation agent, in its sole discretion and as it deems reasonable, may adjust the Price Multiplier and other terms of the notes, as a result of certain events related to an Underlying Stock, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Stock Splits and Reverse Stock Splits. If an Underlying Stock is subject to a stock split or reverse stock split, then once such split has become effective, the Price Multiplier will be adjusted such that the new Price Multiplier will equal the product of:

 

•

the prior Price Multiplier; and

 

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•

the number of shares that a holder of one share of the Underlying Stock before the effective date of the stock split or reverse stock split would have owned immediately following the applicable effective date.

For example, a two-for-one stock split would ordinarily change a Price Multiplier of one into a Price Multiplier of two. In contrast, a one-for-two reverse stock split would ordinarily change a Price Multiplier of one into a Price Multiplier of one-half.

Stock Dividends. If an Underlying Stock is subject to (i) a stock dividend (i.e., an issuance of additional shares of Underlying Stock) that is given ratably to all holders of the Underlying Stock or (ii) a distribution of additional shares of the Underlying Stock as a result of the triggering of any provision of the organizational documents of the Underlying Company, then, once the dividend has become effective and the Underlying Stock is trading ex-dividend, the Price Multiplier will be adjusted on the ex-dividend date such that the new Price Multiplier will equal the prior Price Multiplier plus the product of:

 

•

the prior Price Multiplier; and

 

•

the number of additional shares issued in the stock dividend with respect to one share of the Underlying Stock;

provided that no adjustment will be made for a stock dividend for which the number of shares of the Underlying Stock paid or distributed is based on a fixed cash equivalent value, unless such distribution is an Extraordinary Dividend (as defined below).

For example, a stock dividend of one new share for each share held would ordinarily change a Price Multiplier of one into a Price multiplier of two.

Extraordinary Dividends. There will be no adjustments to the Price Multiplier to reflect any cash dividends or cash distributions paid with respect to an Underlying Stock other than Extraordinary Dividends, as described below, and distributions described under the section entitled “—Reorganization Events” below.

An “Extraordinary Dividend” means, with respect to a cash dividend or other distribution with respect to an Underlying Stock, a dividend or other distribution that the calculation agent determines, in its sole discretion, is not declared or otherwise made according to the Underlying Company’s then existing policy or practice of paying such dividends on a quarterly or other regular basis. If an Extraordinary Dividend occurs, the Price Multiplier will be adjusted on the ex-dividend date so that the new Price Multiplier will equal the product of:

 

•

the prior Price Multiplier; and

 

•

a fraction, the numerator of which is the Closing Market Price per share of the Underlying Stock on the trading day preceding the ex-dividend date and the denominator of which is the amount by which the Closing Market Price per share of the Underlying Stock on that preceding trading day exceeds the Extraordinary Dividend Amount.

The “Extraordinary Dividend Amount” with respect to an Extraordinary Dividend will equal:

 

•

in the case of cash dividends or other distributions that constitute regular dividends, the amount per share of the Underlying Stock of that Extraordinary

 

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Dividend minus the amount per share of the immediately preceding non-Extraordinary Dividend for that share; or

 

•

in the case of cash dividends or other distributions that do not constitute regular dividends, the amount per share of the Underlying Stock of that Extraordinary Dividend.

To the extent an Extraordinary Dividend is not paid in cash, the value of the non-cash component will be determined by the calculation agent, whose determination will be conclusive. A distribution on the Underlying Stock described in the section “—Issuance of Transferable Rights or Warrants” or clause (a), (d) or (e) of the section entitled “—Reorganization Events” below that also constitutes an Extraordinary Dividend will only cause an adjustment under those respective sections.

Issuance of Transferable Rights or Warrants. If an Underlying Company issues transferable rights or warrants to all holders of record of the Underlying Stock to subscribe for or purchase the Underlying Stock, including new or existing rights to purchase the Underlying Stock under a shareholder rights plan or arrangement, then the Price Multiplier will be adjusted on the trading day immediately following the issuance of those transferable rights or warrants so that the new Price Multiplier will equal the prior Price Multiplier plus the product of:

 

•

the prior Price Multiplier; and

 

•

the number of shares of the Underlying Stock that can be purchased with the cash value of those warrants or rights distributed on one share of the Underlying Stock.

The number of shares that can be purchased will be based on the Closing Market Price of the Underlying Stock on the date the new Price Multiplier is determined. The cash value of those warrants or rights, if the warrants or rights are traded on a registered national securities exchange, will equal the closing price of that warrant or right. If the warrants or rights are not traded on a registered national securities exchange, the cash value will be determined by the calculation agent and will equal the average of the bid prices obtained from three dealers at 3:00 p.m., New York time on the date the new Price Multiplier is determined, provided that if only two of those bid prices are available, then the cash value of those warrants or rights will equal the average of those bids and if only one of those bids is available, then the cash value of those warrants or rights will equal that bid.

Reorganization Events

If after the pricing date and on or prior to the Valuation Date, as to any Underlying Stock:

 

(a)

there occurs any reclassification or change of the Underlying Stock, including, without limitation, as a result of the issuance of tracking stock by the Underlying Company;

 

(b)

the Underlying Company, or any surviving entity or subsequent surviving entity of the Underlying Company (a “Successor Entity”), has been subject to a merger, combination, or consolidation and is not the surviving entity;

 

(c)

any statutory exchange of securities of the Underlying Company or any Successor

 

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Entity with another corporation occurs, other than under clause (b) above;

 

(d)

the Underlying Company is liquidated or is subject to a proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or other similar law;

 

(e)

the Underlying Company issues to all of its shareholders securities of an issuer other than the Underlying Company, including equity securities of an affiliate of the Underlying Company, other than in a transaction described in clauses (b), (c), or (d) above;

 

(f)

a tender or exchange offer or going-private transaction is consummated for all the outstanding shares of the Underlying Company;

 

(g)

there occurs any reclassification or change of the Underlying Stock that results in a transfer or an irrevocable commitment to transfer all such outstanding shares of the Underlying Stock to another entity or person;

 

(h)

the Underlying Company or any Successor Entity is the surviving entity of a merger, combination, or consolidation, that results in the outstanding Underlying Stock (other than Underlying Stock owned or controlled by the other party to such transaction) immediately prior to such event collectively representing less than 50% of the outstanding Underlying Stock immediately following such event; or

 

(i)

the Underlying Company ceases to file the financial and other information with the SEC in accordance with Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act (an event in clauses (a) through (i), a “Reorganization Event”),

then, on or after the date of the occurrence of a Reorganization Event, the calculation agent shall, in its sole discretion, make an adjustment to the Price Multiplier or any other terms of the notes as the calculation agent, in its sole discretion, determines appropriate to account for the economic effect on the notes of that Reorganization Event (including adjustments to account for changes in volatility, expected dividends, stock loan rate, or liquidity relevant to the Underlying Stock or to the notes), which may, but need not, be determined by reference to the adjustment(s) made in respect of such Reorganization Event by an options exchange to options on the relevant Underlying Stock traded on that options exchange and determine the effective date of that adjustment. If the calculation agent determines that no adjustment that it could make will produce a commercially reasonable result, then the calculation agent may cause the maturity date of the notes to be accelerated to the fifth business day following the date of that determination and the amount payable to you will be calculated as though the date of early repayment were the stated maturity date of the notes and as though the Valuation Date were the fifth trading day prior to the date of acceleration.

If the Underlying Company ceases to file the financial and other information with the SEC in accordance with Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act, as contemplated by clause (i) above, and the calculation agent determines in its sole discretion that sufficiently similar information is not otherwise available to you, then the calculation agent may cause the maturity date of the notes to be accelerated to the fifth business day following the date of that determination and the amount payable to you will be calculated as though the date of early repayment were the stated maturity date of the notes, and as though the Valuation Date were the fifth trading day prior to the date of acceleration. If the calculation agent determines that sufficiently similar information is available to you, the Reorganization Event will be deemed to have not occurred.

 

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Alternative Anti-Dilution and Reorganization Adjustments

The calculation agent may elect at its discretion to not make any of the adjustments to the Price Multiplier or to the other terms of the notes described in this section, but may instead make adjustments, in its discretion, to the Price Multiplier or any other terms of the notes that will reflect the adjustments to the extent practicable made by the Options Clearing Corporation on options contracts on an Underlying Stock or any successor common stock. For example, if the Underlying Stock is subject to a two-for-one stock split, and the Options Clearing Corporation adjusts the strike prices of the options contract on the Underlying Stock by dividing the strike price by two, then the calculation agent may also elect to divide any applicable “starting value” of the Underlying Stock by two. In this case, the Price Multiplier will remain one. This adjustment would have the same economic effect on holders of the notes as if the Price Multiplier had been adjusted.

Anti-Dilution Adjustments to Underlying Stocks that Are ADRs

For purposes of the anti-dilution adjustments set forth above, if an Underlying Stock is an ADR (an “Underlying ADR”), the calculation agent will consider the effect of any of the relevant events on the Underlying ADR, and adjustments will be made as if the Underlying ADR was the Underlying Stock described above. For example, if the stock represented by the Underlying ADR is subject to a two-for-one stock split, and assuming an initial Price Multiplier of 1, the Price Multiplier for the Underlying ADR would be adjusted so that it equals two. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable term sheet, with respect to notes linked to an Underlying ADR (or an Underlying Stock issued by a non-U.S. Underlying Company), the term “dividend” means the dividends paid to holders of the Underlying ADR (or the Underlying Stock issued by the non-U.S. Underlying Company), and such dividends may reflect the netting of any applicable foreign withholding or similar taxes that may be due on dividends paid to a U.S. person.

The calculation agent may determine not to make an adjustment if:

 

(A)

holders of the Underlying ADR are not eligible to participate in any of the events that would otherwise require anti-dilution adjustments as set forth above if the notes had been linked directly to the common shares of the Underlying Company represented by the Underlying ADR; or

 

(B)

to the extent that the calculation agent determines that the Underlying Company or the depositary for the ADRs has adjusted the number of common shares of the Underlying Company represented by each share of the Underlying ADR, so that the market price of the Underlying ADR would not be affected by the corporate event.

If the Underlying Company or the depositary for the ADRs, in the absence of any of the events described above, elects to adjust the number of common shares of the Underlying Company represented by each share of the Underlying ADR, then the calculation agent may make the appropriate anti-dilution adjustments to reflect such change. The depositary for the ADRs may also make adjustments in respect of the ADRs for share distributions, rights distributions, cash distributions and distributions other than shares, rights, and cash. Upon any such adjustment by the depositary, the calculation agent may adjust the Price Multiplier or other terms of the notes as the calculation agent determines commercially reasonable to account for that event.

 

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Delisting of ADRs or Termination of ADR Facility

If an Underlying ADR is no longer listed or admitted to trading on a U.S. securities exchange registered under the Exchange Act or included in the OTC Bulletin Board Service operated by FINRA, or if the ADR facility between the Underlying Company and the ADR depositary is terminated for any reason, then, on and after the date that the Underlying ADR is no longer so listed or admitted to trading or the date of such termination, as applicable (the “termination date”), the Market Measure for the notes will be deemed to be the Underlying Company’s common equity securities rather than the Underlying ADR. The calculation agent will determine the price of the Market Measure by reference to those common shares. Under such circumstances, the calculation agent may modify any terms of the notes as it deems necessary, in its sole discretion, to ensure an equitable result. On and after the termination date, for all purposes, the Closing Market Price of the Underlying Company’s common shares on their primary exchange will be converted to U.S. dollars using such exchange rate as the calculation agent, in its sole discretion, determines to be commercially reasonable.

Underlying Stock

Any information regarding any Underlying Stock or any Underlying Company will be derived from publicly available documents. Any Underlying Stock will be registered under the Exchange Act. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by any Underlying Company can be located at the SEC’s facilities or through the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. None of us, the agents, or our respective affiliates will have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or reports of an Underlying Company.

The selection of an Underlying Stock is not a recommendation to buy or sell the Underlying Stock. Neither we nor any of our subsidiaries or affiliates makes any representation to any purchaser of the notes as to the performance of any Underlying Stock.

Role of the Calculation Agent

The calculation agent has the sole discretion to make all determinations regarding the notes as described in this product supplement, including determinations regarding the payments on the notes, the Market Measure, any Market Disruption Events, trading days, business days, calculation days, non-calculation days, and determinations relating to changes to any Underlying Stock, as described above. Absent manifest error, all determinations of the calculation agent will be conclusive for all purposes and final and binding on you and us, without any liability on the part of the calculation agent.

We expect to appoint MLPF&S or one of our other affiliates as the calculation agent for each issue of the notes. However, we may change the calculation agent at any time without notifying you. The identity of the calculation agent will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.

Same-Day Settlement and Payment

The notes will be delivered in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company against payment by purchasers of the notes in immediately available funds. We will pay the amounts due on the notes in immediately available funds so long as the notes are maintained in book-entry form.

Events of Default and Acceleration

Events of default are defined in the Senior Indenture. If a bankruptcy proceeding is commenced in respect of us, your claim may be limited under applicable bankruptcy law. In

 

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case of a default in payment of the notes, whether at their maturity or upon acceleration, they will not bear a default interest rate.

Listing

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable pricing supplement, the notes will not be listed on a securities exchange or quotation system.

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

One or more of our affiliates may act as our selling agent for any offering of the notes. Each selling agent will be a party to a distribution agreement described in the “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on page S-15 of the accompanying prospectus supplement.

Each selling agent will receive an underwriting discount or commission that is a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the notes sold through its efforts, which will be set forth in the applicable pricing supplement.

None of the selling agents is acting as your fiduciary or advisor solely as a result of the making of any offering of the notes, and you should not rely upon this product supplement, the pricing supplement, or the accompanying prospectus or prospectus supplement as investment advice or a recommendation to purchase any notes. You should make your own investment decision regarding notes after consulting with your legal, tax, and other advisors.

MLPF&S and any of our other affiliates may use this product supplement, the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus, together with the applicable pricing supplement, in a market-making transaction for any notes after their initial sale.

 

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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The applicable pricing supplement will set forth a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the notes.

You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws.

 

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ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

Each fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing, or other employee benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) (a “Plan”), should consider the fiduciary standards of ERISA in the context of the Plan’s particular circumstances before authorizing an investment in the notes. Accordingly, among other factors, the fiduciary should consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification requirements of ERISA and would be consistent with the documents and instruments governing the Plan.

The fiduciary investment considerations summarized above generally apply to employee benefit plans maintained by private-sector employers and to individual retirement accounts and other arrangements subject to Section 4975 of the Code, but generally do not apply to governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA), and foreign plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA). However, these other plans may be subject to similar provisions under applicable federal, state, local, foreign, or other regulations, rules, or laws (“similar laws”). The fiduciaries of plans subject to similar laws should also consider the foregoing issues in general terms as well as any further issues arising under the applicable similar laws.

In addition, we and certain of our subsidiaries and affiliates may be each considered a party in interest within the meaning of ERISA, or a disqualified person (within the meaning of the Code), with respect to many Plans, as well as many individual retirement accounts and Keogh plans (also “Plans”). Prohibited transactions within the meaning of ERISA or the Code would likely arise, for example, if the notes are acquired by or with the assets of a Plan with respect to which we or any of our affiliates is a party in interest, unless the notes are acquired under an exemption from the prohibited transaction rules. A violation of these prohibited transaction rules could result in an excise tax or other liabilities under ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code for such persons, unless exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory or administrative exemption.

Under ERISA and various prohibited transaction class exemptions (“PTCEs”) issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, exemptive relief may be available for direct or indirect prohibited transactions resulting from the purchase, holding, or disposition of the notes. Those exemptions are PTCE 96-23 (for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), PTCE 95-60 (for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTCE 91-38 (for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds), PTCE 90-1 (for certain transactions involving insurance company separate accounts), PTCE 84-14 (for certain transactions determined by independent qualified asset managers), and the exemption under Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code for certain arm’s-length transactions with a person that is a party in interest solely by reason of providing services to Plans or being an affiliate of such a service provider (the “Service Provider Exemption”).

Because we may be considered a party in interest with respect to many Plans, the notes may not be purchased, held, or disposed of by any Plan, any entity whose underlying assets include plan assets by reason of any Plan’s investment in the entity (a “Plan Asset Entity”) or any person investing plan assets of any Plan, unless such purchase, holding, or disposition is eligible for exemptive relief, including relief available under PTCE 96-23, 95-60, 91-38, 90-1, or 84-14 or the Service Provider Exemption, or such purchase, holding, or disposition is otherwise not prohibited. Any purchaser, including any fiduciary purchasing on behalf of a Plan, transferee or holder of the notes will be deemed to have represented, in its corporate and its fiduciary capacity, by its purchase and holding of the notes that either (a) it is not a Plan or a Plan Asset Entity and is not purchasing such notes on behalf of or with plan assets of any Plan or any plan subject to similar laws or (b) its purchase, holding, and disposition are eligible for

 

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exemptive relief or such purchase, holding, and disposition are not prohibited by ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or similar laws.

Further, any person acquiring or holding the notes on behalf of any plan or with any plan assets shall be deemed to represent on behalf of itself and such plan that (x) the plan is paying no more than, and is receiving no less than, adequate consideration within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA in connection with the transaction or any redemption of the notes, (y) none of us, MLPF&S, or any other selling agent directly or indirectly exercises any discretionary authority or control or renders investment advice or otherwise acts in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the assets of the plan within the meaning of ERISA and (z) in making the foregoing representations and warranties, such person has applied sound business principles in determining whether fair market value will be paid, and has made such determination acting in good faith.

In addition, any purchaser, that is a Plan or a Plan Asset Entity or that is acquiring the notes on behalf of a Plan or a Plan Asset Entity, including any fiduciary purchasing on behalf of a Plan or Plan Asset entity, will be deemed to have represented, in its corporate and its fiduciary capacity, by its purchase and holding of the notes that (a) none of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates is a “fiduciary” (under Section 3(21) of ERISA, or under any final or proposed regulations thereunder, or with respect to a governmental, church, or foreign plan under any similar laws) with respect to the acquisition, holding or disposition of the notes, or as a result of any exercise by us or our affiliates of any rights in connection with the notes, (b) no advice provided by us or any of our affiliates has formed a primary basis for any investment decision by or on behalf of such purchaser in connection with the notes and the transactions contemplated with respect to the notes, and (c) such purchaser recognizes and agrees that any communication from us or any of our affiliates to the purchaser with respect to the notes is not intended by us or any of our affiliates to be impartial investment advice and is rendered in its capacity as a seller of such notes and not a fiduciary to such purchaser. Purchasers of the notes have exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their purchase, holding, and disposition of the notes do not violate the prohibited transaction rules of ERISA or the Code or any similar regulations applicable to governmental or church plans, as described above.

This discussion is a general summary of some of the rules which apply to benefit plans and their related investment vehicles. This summary does not include all of the investment considerations relevant to Plans and other benefit plan investors such as governmental, church, and foreign plans and should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the notes on behalf of or with “plan assets” of any Plan or other benefit plan investor consult with their legal counsel prior to directing any such purchase.

 

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