securities are not called prior to maturity, in order for you to avoid being exposed to the negative price performance of the underlying stock at maturity. Additionally, such hedging or trading activities during the term of the securities could affect the price of the underlying stock on the observation dates, and, accordingly, whether we pay a contingent monthly coupon on the securities and the amount of cash you receive at maturity, if any.
￭The calculation agent, which is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley and an affiliate of MSFL, will make determinations with respect to the securities. As calculation agent, MS & Co. will determine the initial share price, the downside threshold level, the final share price, whether the contingent monthly coupon will be paid on each coupon payment date, whether you receive any previously unpaid contingent monthly coupons, whether a market disruption event has occurred, whether to make any adjustments to the adjustment factor and the payment that you will receive at maturity, if any. Moreover, certain determinations made by MS & Co., in its capacity as calculation agent, may require it to exercise discretion and make subjective judgments, such as with respect to the occurrence or nonoccurrence of market disruption events and certain adjustments to the adjustment factor. These potentially subjective determinations may affect the payout to you upon an early redemption or at maturity, if any. For further information regarding these types of determinations, see “Additional Terms of the Securities—Additional Terms—Calculation agent,” “—Market disruption event,” “—Postponement of observation dates,” “—Antidilution adjustments,” and “—Alternate exchange calculation in case of an event of default,” below. In addition, MS & Co. has determined the estimated value of the securities on the pricing date.
￭The U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities are uncertain. There is no direct legal authority as to the proper treatment of the securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and, therefore, significant aspects of the tax treatment of the securities are uncertain.
Please read the discussion under “Additional Information—Tax considerations” in this document concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities. We intend to treat a security for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a single financial contract that provides for a coupon that will be treated as gross income to you at the time received or accrued, in accordance with your regular method of tax accounting. Under this treatment, the ordinary income treatment of the coupon payments, in conjunction with the capital loss treatment of any loss recognized upon the sale, exchange or settlement of the securities, could result in adverse tax consequences to holders of the securities because the deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. We do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding the tax treatment of the securities, and the IRS or a court may not agree with the tax treatment described herein. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment for the securities, the timing and character of income or loss on the securities might differ significantly from the tax treatment described herein. For example, under one possible treatment, the IRS could seek to recharacterize the securities as debt instruments. In that event, U.S. Holders (as defined below) would be required to accrue into income original issue discount on the securities every year at a “comparable yield” determined at the time of issuance (as adjusted based on the difference, if any, between the actual and the projected amount of any contingent payments on the securities) and recognize all income and gain in respect of the securities as ordinary income. The risk that financial instruments providing for buffers, triggers or similar downside protection features, such as the securities, would be recharacterized as debt is greater than the risk of recharacterization for comparable financial instruments that do not have such features. Moreover, future legislation, Treasury regulations or IRS guidance could adversely affect the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly retroactively.
Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) should note that we currently intend to withhold on any coupon paid to Non-U.S. Holders generally at a rate of 30%, or at a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty under an “other income” or similar provision, and will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld.
Both U.S. and Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities, including possible alternative treatments, as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
Risks Relating to the Underlying Stock
￭No affiliation with Tesla, Inc. Tesla, Inc. is not an affiliate of ours, is not involved with this offering in any way, and has no obligation to consider your interests in taking any corporate actions that might affect the value of the securities. We have not made any due diligence inquiry with respect to Tesla, Inc. in connection with this offering.
￭We may engage in business with or involving Tesla, Inc. without regard to your interests. We or our affiliates may presently or from time to time engage in business with Tesla, Inc. without regard to your interests and thus may acquire non-public information about Tesla, Inc. Neither we nor any of our affiliates undertakes to disclose any such information to you. In addition, we or our affiliates from time to time have published and in the future may publish research reports with respect to Tesla, Inc., which may or may not recommend that investors buy or hold the underlying stock.
