ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING OUR ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES
Our internal pricing models take into account a number of variables and are based on a number of subjective assumptions, which may or may not materialize, typically including volatility, interest rates
,
and our internal funding rates. Our internal funding rates (which are our internally published borrowing rates based on variables such as market benchmarks, our appetite for borrowing, and our existing obligations coming to maturity) may vary from the levels at which our benchmark debt securities trade in the secondary market. Our estimated value on the Initial Valuation Date is based on our internal funding rates. Our estimated value of the Notes may be lower if such valuation were based on the levels at which our benchmark debt securities trade in the secondary market.
Our estimated value of the Notes on the Initial Valuation Date is less than the initial issue price of the Notes. The difference between the initial issue price of the Notes and our estimated value of the Notes results from several factors, including any sales commissions to be paid to Barclays Capital Inc. or another affiliate of ours, any selling concessions, discounts, commissions or fees to be allowed or paid to non-affiliated intermediaries, the estimated profit that we or any of our affiliates expect to earn in connection with structuring the Notes, the estimated cost which we may incur in hedging our obligations under the Notes, and estimated development and other costs which we may incur in connection with the Notes.
Our estimated value on the Initial Valuation Date is not a prediction of the price at which the Notes may trade in the secondary market, nor will it be the price at which Barclays Capital Inc. may buy or sell the Notes in the secondary market. Subject to normal market and funding conditions, Barclays Capital Inc. or another affiliate of ours intends to offer to purchase the Notes in the secondary market but it is not obligated to do so.
Assuming that all relevant factors remain constant after the Initial Valuation Date, the price at which Barclays Capital Inc. may initially buy or sell the Notes in the secondary market, if any, and the value that we may initially use for customer account statements, if we provide any customer account statements at all, may exceed our estimated value on the Initial Valuation Date for a temporary period expected to be approximately three months after the Issue Date because, in our discretion, we may elect to effectively reimburse to investors a portion of the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the Notes and other costs in connection with the Notes which we will no longer expect to incur over the term of the Notes. We made such discretionary election and determined this temporary reimbursement period on the basis of a number of factors, which may include the tenor of the Notes and/or any agreement we may have with the distributors of the Notes. The amount of our estimated costs which we effectively reimburse to investors in this way may not be allocated ratably throughout the reimbursement period, and we may discontinue such reimbursement at any time or revise the duration of the reimbursement period after the initial issue date of the Notes based on changes in market conditions and other factors that cannot be predicted.
We urge you to read the
Selected Risk Considerations
beginning on page PS
7 of this pricing supplement
.
PS-
3
SELECTED PURCHASE CONSIDERATIONS
The Notes are not suitable for all investors. The Notes may be a suitable investment for you if all of the following statements are true.
·
You do not seek an investment that produces periodic interest or coupon payments or other sources of current income.
·
You anticipate that the Reference Asset Return will be greater than 0.00% and you are willing to accept the risk that your return on investment will not exceed the Maximum Return.
·
You can tolerate a loss of up to 90.00% of the principal amount of your Notes.
·
You understand and are willing and able to accept the risks associated with an investment linked to the performance of the Reference Asset.
·
You do not seek an investment for which there will be an active secondary market, and you are willing and able to hold the Notes to maturity.
·
You are willing to assume our credit risk for all payments on the Notes.
·
You are willing to consent to the exercise of any U.K. Bail-in Power by any relevant U.K. resolution authority.
The Notes may
not
be a suitable investment for you if
any
of the following statements are true:
·
You seek an investment that produces periodic interest or coupon payments or other sources of current income.
·
You do not anticipate that the Reference Asset Return will be greater than 0.00%.
·
You seek an investment that provides for the full repayment of principal at maturity, and/or you are unwilling or unable to accept the risk that you may lose up to 90.00% of the principal amount of your Notes.
·
You seek uncapped exposure to any positive performance of the Reference Asset.
·
You do not understand and/or are unwilling or unable to accept the risks associated with an investment linked to the performance of the Reference Asset.
·
You seek an investment for which there will be an active secondary market and/or you are unwilling or unable to hold the Notes to maturity.
·
You are unwilling or unable to assume our credit risk for all payments on the Notes.
·
You are unwilling or unable to consent to the exercise of any U.K. Bail-in Power by any relevant U.K. resolution authority.
You must rely on your own evaluation of the merits of an investment in the Notes
. You should reach a decision whether to invest in the Notes after carefully considering, with your advisors, the suitability of the Notes in light of your investment objectives and the specific information set out in this pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement, the prospectus and the index supplement. Neither the Issuer nor Barclays Capital Inc. makes any recommendation as to the suitability of the Notes for investment.
ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE NOTES
The Final Valuation Date and the Maturity Date are subject to postponement in certain circumstances, as described under Reference AssetsExchange-Traded FundsMarket Disruption Events for Securities with an Exchange-Traded Fund That Holds Securities Equity Securities as a Reference Asset and Terms of the NotesPayment Dates in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
In addition, the Reference Asset and the Notes are subject to adjustment by the Calculation Agent under certain circumstances, as described under Reference AssetsExchange-Traded FundsAdjustments Relating to Securities with an Exchange-Traded Fund as a Reference Asset in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
PS-
4
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES OF AMOUNTS PAYABLE AT MATURITY
The following table illustrates the hypothetical total return at maturity on the Notes under various circumstances. The total return as used in this pricing supplement is the number, expressed as a percentage, that results from comparing the payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount Note to $1,000. The hypothetical total returns set forth below are for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual total returns applicable to a purchaser of the Notes. The numbers appearing in the following table and examples have been rounded for ease of analysis. The hypothetical examples below do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the Notes and make the following key assumption:
§
Hypothetical
Initial Value: 100.00*
*
The
hypothetical
Initial Value of 100.00 has been chosen for illustrative purposes only. The actual Initial Value is as set forth on the cover of this pricing supplement.
Final Value
|
Reference Asset Return
|
Payment at Maturity
**
|
Total Return on Notes
|
160.00
|
60.00%
|
$1,460.00
|
46.00%
|
150.00
|
50.00%
|
$1,460.00
|
46.00%
|
146.00
|
46.00%
|
$1,460.00
|
46.00%
|
140.00
|
40.00%
|
$1,400.00
|
40.00%
|
130.00
|
30.00%
|
$1,300.00
|
30.00%
|
120.00
|
20.00%
|
$1,200.00
|
20.00%
|
110.00
|
10.00%
|
$1,100.00
|
10.00%
|
105.00
|
5.00%
|
$1,050.00
|
5.00%
|
100.00
|
0.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
95.00
|
-5.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
90.00
|
-10.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
80.00
|
-20.00%
|
$900.00
|
-10.00%
|
70.00
|
-30.00%
|
$800.00
|
-20.00%
|
60.00
|
-40.00%
|
$700.00
|
-30.00%
|
50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$600.00
|
-40.00%
|
40.00
|
-60.00%
|
$500.00
|
-50.00%
|
30.00
|
-70.00%
|
$400.00
|
-60.00%
|
20.00
|
-80.00%
|
$300.00
|
-70.00%
|
10.00
|
-90.00%
|
$200.00
|
-80.00%
|
0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$100.00
|
-90.00%
|
** per $1,000 principal amount Note
|
The following examples illustrate how the total returns set forth in the table above are calculated:
Example 1
:
The value of the Reference Asset increases from an Initial Value of 100
.
00 to a Final Value of 105
.
00
.
Because the Reference Asset Return is greater than 0.00%, and because the Reference Asset Return is less than the Maximum Return, you will receive a payment at maturity of $1,050.00 per $1,000.00 principal amount Note that you hold, calculated as follows
:
$1,000 + [$1,000 × Reference Asset Return]
$1,000 + [$1,000 × 5.00%] = $1,050.00
The total return on investment of the Notes is 5.00%.
Example 2
:
The value of the Reference Asset increases from an Initial Value of 100
.
00 to a Final Value of 160
.
00
.
Because the Reference Asset Return is greater than the Maximum Return, you will receive a payment at maturity of $1,460.00 per $1,000.00 principal amount Note that you hold
, the maximum possible payment on the Notes.
The total return on investment of the Notes is 46.00%.
Example 3
:
The value of the Reference Asset increases from an Initial Value of 100
.
00 to a Final Value of 150
.
00
.
Because the Reference Asset Return is greater than the Maximum Return, you will receive a payment at maturity of $1,460.00 per $1,000.00 principal amount Note that you hold
, the maximum possible payment on the Notes.
The total return on investment of the Notes is 46.00%.
Example 4
:
The value of the Reference Asset decreases from an Initial Value of 100
.
00 to a Final Value of 95
.
00
.
Because the Reference Asset Return is less than 0.00% but not less than -10.00%, you will receive a payment at maturity of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount Note that you hold.
The total return on investment of the Notes is 0.00%.
PS-
5
Example 5
:
The value of the Reference Asset decreases from an Initial Value of 100
.
00 to a Final Value of 50
.
00
.
Because the Reference Asset Return is less than -10.00%, you will receive a payment at maturity of
$600.00 per $1,000 principal amount Note that you hold, calculated as follows:
$1,000 + [$1,000 × (Reference Asset Return + Buffer Percentage)]
$1,000 + [$1,000 × (-
50.00
% + 10.00%)] = $600.00
The total return on investment of the Notes is
-40.00%.
PS-
6
SELECTED RISK CONSIDERATIONS
An investment in the Notes involves significant risks. Investing in the Notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Reference Asset or its components. These risks are explained in more detail in the Risk Factors section of the prospectus supplement, including the risk factors discussed under the following headings of the prospectus supplement:
·
Risk FactorsRisks Relating to the Securities Generally; and
·
Risk FactorsAdditional Risks Relating to Securities with Reference Assets That Are Equity Securities, Indices of Equity Securities or Exchange-Traded Funds that Hold Equity Securities.
In addition to the risks described above, you should consider the following:
·
Your Investment in the Notes May Result in a Significant Loss
The Notes differ from ordinary debt securities in that the Issuer will not necessarily repay the full principal amount of the Notes at maturity. If the Reference Asset Return is less than -10.00%, you will lose 1.00% of the principal amount of your Notes for every 1.00% that the Reference Asset Return falls below -10.00%.
You may lose up to 90
.
00% of the principal amount of your Notes
. Any payment on the Notes, including the repayment of principal, is subject to the credit risk of Barclays Bank PLC.
·
Potential Return Limited to the Maximum Return
If the Reference Asset Return is greater than 0.00%, you will receive a payment at maturity of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount Note that you hold
plus
an additional payment that will not exceed $1,000 times the Maximum Return. Assuming a Maximum Return of 46.00%, the maximum payment that you may receive at maturity is $1,460.00 per $1,000 principal amount Note that you hold, and you will not benefit from any appreciation of the Reference Asset beyond a Reference Asset Return of 46.00%, which may be significant.
·
The Payment at Maturity of the Notes is Based Solely on the Closing Value on the Final Valuation Date
The Final Value (and resulting Reference Asset Return) will be based
solely
on the Closing Value of the Reference Asset on the Final Valuation Date. Accordingly, if the value of the Reference Asset drops on the Final Valuation Date, the payment at maturity on the Notes may be significantly less than it would have been had it been linked to the value of the Reference Asset at any time prior to such drop.
·
Credit of Issuer
The Notes are senior unsecured debt obligations of the issuer, Barclays Bank PLC, and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of any third party. Any payment to be made on the Notes is subject to the ability of Barclays Bank PLC to satisfy its obligations as they come due and is not guaranteed by any third party. As a result, the actual and perceived creditworthiness of Barclays Bank PLC may affect the market value of the Notes, and in the event Barclays Bank PLC were to default on its obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the terms of the Notes.
·
You May Lose Some or All of Your Investment If Any U
.
K
.
Bail
-
in Power Is Exercised by the Relevant U
.
K
.
Resolution Authority
Notwithstanding any other agreements, arrangements or understandings between Barclays Bank PLC and any holder of the Notes, by acquiring the Notes, each holder of the Notes acknowledges, accepts, agrees to be bound by, and consents to the exercise of, any U.K. Bail-in Power by the relevant U.K. resolution authority as set forth under Consent to U.K. Bail-in Power in this pricing supplement. Accordingly, any U.K. Bail-in Power may be exercised in such a manner as to result in you and other holders of the Notes losing all or a part of the value of your investment in the Notes or receiving a different security from the Notes, which may be worth significantly less than the Notes and which may have significantly fewer protections than those typically afforded to debt securities. Moreover, the relevant U.K. resolution authority may exercise the U.K. Bail-in Power without providing any advance notice to, or requiring the consent of, the holders of the Notes. The exercise of any U.K. Bail-in Power by the relevant U.K. resolution authority with respect to the Notes will not be a Default or an Event of Default (as each term is defined in the indenture) and the trustee will not be liable for any action that the trustee takes, or abstains from taking, in either case, in accordance with the exercise of the U.K. Bail-in Power by the relevant U.K. resolution authority with respect to the Notes. See Consent to U.K. Bail-in Power in this pricing supplement as well as U.K. Bail-in Power, Risk FactorsRisks Relating to the Securities GenerallyRegulatory action in the event a bank or investment firm in the Group is failing or likely to fail could materially adversely affect the value of the securities and Risk FactorsRisks Relating to the Securities GenerallyUnder the terms of the securities, you have agreed to be bound by the exercise of any U.K. Bail-in Power by the relevant U.K. resolution authority in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
·
Owning the Notes is Not the Same as Owning the Reference Asset, the Component Securities Held by the Reference Asset or the Securities Composing the Underlying Index
The return on the Notes may not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the Reference Asset, the component securities held by the Reference Asset or the securities composing the underlying index which the Reference Asset is designed to track (Underlying Index). As a holder of the Notes, you will not have voting rights or rights to receive dividends or other distributions or other rights that holders of the Reference Asset, the component securities held by the Reference Asset or the securities composing the Underlying Index would have.
·
Historical Performance of the Reference Asset Should Not Be Taken as Any Indication of the Future Performance of the Reference Asset Over the Term of the Notes
The value of the Reference Asset has fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations. The historical performance of the Reference Asset is not an indication of the future performance of the Reference Asset over the term of the Notes. Therefore, the performance of the Reference Asset over the term of the Notes may bear no relation or resemblance to the historical performance of the Reference Asset.
PS-
7
·
Certain Features of Exchange-Traded Funds Will Impact the Value of the Reference Asset and the Value of the Notes
:
o
Management Risk
. This is the risk that the investment strategy for the Reference Asset, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. An investment in an exchange-traded fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund of equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. Because, however, the Reference Asset is not actively managed, they generally do not take defensive positions in declining markets and generally will not sell a security if the issuer of such security was in financial trouble. Accordingly, the performance of the Reference Asset could be lower than other types of mutual funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline.
o
Derivatives Risk
. The Reference Asset may invest in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, other types of options and swaps and other derivatives. A derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset such as a security or an index. Compared to conventional securities, derivatives can be more sensitive to changes in interest rates or to sudden fluctuations in market prices, and thus the Reference Assets losses, and, as a consequence, the losses on your Notes, may be greater than if the Reference Asset invested only in conventional securities.
o
Tracking and Underperformance Risk
(
Particularly in Periods of Market Volatility
). The performance of the Reference Asset may not replicate the performance of, and may underperform, its Underlying Index. The Reference Asset will reflect transaction costs and fees that will reduce its relative performance.
Moreover, it is also possible that the Reference Asset may not fully replicate or may, in certain circumstances, diverge significantly from the performance of the Underlying Index due to differences in trading hours between the Reference Asset and the Underlying Index or due to other circumstances. During periods of market volatility, securities underlying the Reference Asset may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the intraday net asset value per share of the Reference Asset and the liquidity of the Reference Asset may be adversely affected. This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares in the Reference Asset. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the Reference Asset. As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of the Reference Asset may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of the Reference Asset. This variation in performance is called tracking error and, at times, the tracking error may be significant.
·
The Notes Are Subject to Risks Associated with Non
-
U
.
S
.
Securities Markets
The equity securities held by the Reference Asset are issued by non-U.S. companies in non-U.S. securities markets. Investments in securities linked to the value of such non-U.S. equity securities, such as the Notes, involve risks associated with the securities markets in the home countries of the issuers of those non-U.S. equity securities, including risks of volatility in those markets, governmental intervention in those markets and cross shareholdings in companies in certain countries. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about companies in some of these jurisdictions than there is about U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC, and generally non-U.S. companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements and securities trading rules different from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies. The prices of securities in non-U.S. markets may be affected by political, economic, financial and social factors in those countries, or global regions, including changes in government, economic and fiscal policies and currency exchange laws.
·
The Notes Are Subject to Currency Exchange Risk
Because the prices of the Reference Asset are related to the U.S. dollar value of the component securities held by the Reference Asset, the prices of the Reference Asset will be exposed to the currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which the component securities held by the Reference Asset trade. An investors net exposure will depend on the extent to which each of those non-U.S. currencies strengthens or weakens against the U.S. dollar and the relative weight of the component securities denominated in those non-U.S. currencies. If, taking into account the relevant weighting, the U.S. dollar strengthens against those non-U.S. currencies, the prices of the Reference Asset will be adversely affected and any payments on the Notes may be reduced.
Exchange rate movements for a particular currency are volatile and are the result of numerous factors, including the supply of, and the demand for, those currencies, as well as government policy, intervention or actions, but are also influenced significantly from time to time by political or economic developments, and by macroeconomic factors and speculative actions related to the relevant region. Of particular importance to potential currency exchange risk are:
·
existing and expected rates of inflation;
·
existing and expected interest rate levels;
·
the balance of payments between the countries represented in the Reference Asset and the United States; and
·
the extent of governmental surpluses or deficits in the countries represented in the Reference Asset and the United States.
All of these factors are in turn sensitive to the monetary, fiscal and trade policies pursued by the governments of the countries represented in the
Reference Asset, the United States and other countries important to international trade and finance.
PS-
8
·
The Notes Are Subject to Risks Associated with Emerging Markets
The component securities held by the Reference Asset have been issued by non-U.S. companies located in emerging market countries. Emerging markets pose further risks in addition to the risks associated with investing in foreign equity markets generally, as described in the previous risk factor. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times. Moreover, the economies in such countries may differ unfavorably from the economy in the United States in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions.
Beginning in June 2018, the component securities held by the Reference Asset include equity securities that are traded on mainland Chinese exchanges (as distinct from exchanges in Hong Kong). Shares traded on mainland Chinese exchanges, referred to as A-shares, are subject to regulation by Chinese authorities, including regulations that limit the amount of shares of equity securities that may be held by foreign investors. These regulations may adversely affect the price of A-shares. Trading in A-shares may be less liquid and subject to greater volatility, including as a result of actions by the Chinese government, than trading on international exchanges outside of mainland China.
·
The Estimated Value of Your Notes is Lower Than the Initial Issue Price of Your Notes
The estimated value of your Notes on the Initial Valuation Date is lower than the initial issue price of your Notes. The difference between the initial issue price of your Notes and the estimated value of the Notes is expected as a result of certain factors, such as any sales commissions to be paid to Barclays Capital Inc. or another affiliate of ours, any selling concessions, discounts, commissions or fees to be allowed or paid to non-affiliated intermediaries, the estimated profit that we or any of our affiliates expect to earn in connection with structuring the Notes, the estimated cost which we may incur in hedging our obligations under the Notes, and estimated development and other costs which we may incur in connection with the Notes.
·
The Estimated Value of Your Notes Might be Lower if Such Estimated Value Were Based on the Levels at Which Our Debt Securities Trade in the Secondary Market
The estimated value of your Notes on the Initial Valuation Date is based on a number of variables, including our internal funding rates. Our internal funding rates may vary from the levels at which our benchmark debt securities trade in the secondary market. As a result of this difference, the estimated value referenced above might be lower if such estimated value was based on the levels at which our benchmark debt securities trade in the secondary market.
·
The Estimated Value of the Notes is Based on Our Internal Pricing Models
,
Which May Prove to be Inaccurate and May be Different from the Pricing Models of Other Financial Institutions
The estimated value of your Notes on the Initial Valuation Date is based on our internal pricing models, which take into account a number of variables and are based on a number of subjective assumptions, which may or may not materialize. These variables and assumptions are not evaluated or verified on an independent basis. Further, our pricing models may be different from other financial institutions pricing models and the methodologies used by us to estimate the value of the Notes may not be consistent with those of other financial institutions which may be purchasers or sellers of Notes in the secondary market. As a result, the secondary market price of your Notes may be materially different from the estimated value of the Notes determined by reference to our internal pricing models.
·
The Estimated Value of Your Notes Is Not a Prediction of the Prices at Which You May Sell Your Notes in the Secondary Market
,
if any
,
and Such Secondary Market Prices
,
If Any
,
Will Likely be Lower Than the Initial Issue Price of Your Notes and May be Lower Than the Estimated Value of Your Notes
The estimated value of the Notes will not be a prediction of the prices at which Barclays Capital Inc., other affiliates of ours or third parties may be willing to purchase the Notes from you in secondary market transactions (if they are willing to purchase, which they are not obligated to do). The price at which you may be able to sell your Notes in the secondary market at any time will be influenced by many factors that cannot be predicted, such as market conditions, and any bid and ask spread for similar sized trades, and may be substantially less than our estimated value of the Notes. Further, as secondary market prices of your Notes take into account the levels at which our debt securities trade in the secondary market, and do not take into account our various costs related to the Notes such as fees, commissions, discounts, and the costs of hedging our obligations under the Notes, secondary market prices of your Notes will likely be lower than the initial issue price of your Notes. As a result, the price at which Barclays Capital Inc., other affiliates of ours or third parties may be willing to purchase the Notes from you in secondary market transactions, if any, will likely be lower than the price you paid for your Notes, and any sale prior to the maturity date could result in a substantial loss to you.
·
The Temporary Price at Which We May Initially Buy The Notes in the Secondary Market And the Value We May Initially Use for Customer Account Statements
,
If We Provide Any Customer Account Statements At All
,
May Not Be Indicative of Future Prices of Your Notes
Assuming that all relevant factors remain constant after the Initial Valuation Date, the price at which Barclays Capital Inc. may initially buy or sell the Notes in the secondary market (if Barclays Capital Inc. makes a market in the Notes, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that we may initially use for customer account statements, if we provide any customer account statements at all, may exceed our estimated value of the Notes on the Initial Valuation Date, as well as the secondary market value of the Notes, for a temporary period after the initial issue date of the Notes. The price at which Barclays Capital Inc. may initially buy or sell the Notes in the secondary market and the value that we may initially use for customer account statements may not be indicative of future prices of your Notes.
PS-
9
·
We and Our Affiliates May Engage in Various Activities or Make Determinations That Could Materially Affect the Notes in Various Ways and Create Conflicts of Interest
We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the Notes, as described below. In performing these roles, our and our affiliates economic interests are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the Notes.
In connection with our normal business activities and in connection with hedging our obligations under the Notes, we and our affiliates make markets in and trade various financial instruments or products for our accounts and for the account of our clients and otherwise provide investment banking and other financial services with respect to these financial instruments and products. These financial instruments and products may include securities, derivative instruments or assets that may relate to the Reference Asset or its components. In any such market making, trading and hedging activity, and other services, we or our affiliates may take positions or take actions that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the investment objectives of holders of the Notes. We and our affiliates have no obligation to take the needs of any buyer, seller or holder of the Notes into account in conducting these activities. Such market making, trading and hedging activity, investment banking and other financial services may negatively impact the value of the Notes.
In addition, the role played by Barclays Capital Inc., as the agent for the Notes, could present significant conflicts of interest with the role of Barclays Bank PLC, as issuer of the Notes. For example, Barclays Capital Inc. or its representatives may derive compensation or financial benefit from the distribution of the Notes. Furthermore, we and our affiliates establish the offering price of the Notes for initial sale to the public, and the offering price is not based upon any independent verification or valuation.
In addition to the activities described above, we will also act as the Calculation Agent for the Notes. As Calculation Agent, we will determine any values of the Reference Asset and make any other determinations necessary to calculate any payments on the Notes. In making these determinations, we may be required to make certain discretionary judgments relating to the Reference Asset and the Notes. In making these discretionary judgments, our economic interests are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the Notes, and any of these determinations may adversely affect any payments on the Notes.
·
Lack of Liquidity
The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Barclays Capital Inc. and other affiliates of Barclays Bank PLC intend to make a secondary market for the Notes but are not required to do so, and may discontinue any such secondary market making at any time, without notice. Barclays Capital Inc. may at any time hold unsold inventory, which may inhibit the development of a secondary market for the Notes. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the Notes easily. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the Notes, the price at which you may be able to trade your Notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which Barclays Capital Inc. and other affiliates of Barclays Bank PLC are willing to buy the Notes. The Notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your Notes to maturity.
·
The U
.
S
.
Federal
Income Tax Consequences of an Investment in the Notes Are Uncertain
There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Notes, and we do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS). Consequently, significant aspects of the tax treatment of the Notes are uncertain, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment of the Notes as prepaid forward contracts, as described below under Tax Considerations. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment for the Notes, the tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Notes could be materially and adversely affected.
Even if the treatment of the Notes is respected, the IRS may assert that the Notes constitute constructive ownership transactions within the meaning of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), in which case gain recognized in respect of the Notes that would otherwise be long-term capital gain and that was in excess of the net underlying long-term capital gain (as defined in Section 1260) would be treated as ordinary income, and a notional interest charge would apply as if that income had accrued for tax purposes at a constant yield over the term of the Notes. Our special tax counsel has not expressed an opinion with respect to whether the constructive ownership rules apply to the Notes.
In addition, in 2007 the Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of prepaid forward contracts and similar instruments. Any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the Notes, possibly with retroactive effect. You should review carefully the sections of the accompanying prospectus supplement entitled Material U.S. Federal Income Tax ConsequencesTax Consequences to U.S. HoldersNotes Treated as Prepaid Forward or Derivative Contracts and, if you are a non-U.S. holder, Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders, and consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the Notes (including the potential application of the constructive ownership rules, possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by the 2007 notice), as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
·
Many Economic and Market Factors Will Impact the Value of the Notes
The value of the Notes will be affected by a number of economic and market factors that interact in complex and unpredictable ways and that may either offset or magnify each other, including:
o
the value of the Reference Asset and the market price of the Reference Asset components;
o
the expected volatility of the Reference Asset and the Reference Asset components;
o
the time to maturity of the Notes;
o
the dividend rate on the Reference Asset components;
o
interest and yield rates in the market generally;
o
a variety of economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events;
o
supply and demand for the Notes;
o
the exchange rate relative to the U.S. dollar with respect to each of the currencies in which the component securities held by the Reference Asset; and
o
our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.
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INFORMATION REGARDING THE REFERENCE ASSET
iShares
®
MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
We have derived all information contained in this pricing supplement regarding the Reference Asset from publicly available information, without independent verification. This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, iShares
®
, Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (BTC) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). The Reference Asset is an investment portfolio maintained and managed by iShares
®
, Inc. BFA is currently the investment adviser to the Reference Asset. The Reference Asset is an exchange-traded fund that trades on the NYSE Arca, Inc. under the ticker symbol EEM.
The Reference Asset seeks to track investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (the MXEF Index). The MXEF Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of global emerging markets. The MXEF Index currently consists of the following 24 emerging market country indices: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. For more information about the MXEF Index, see IndicesThe MSCI Indices in the accompanying index supplement, as supplemented by the following updated information. Beginning in June 2018, the MXEF Index includes shares traded on mainland Chinese exchanges, referred to as A-shares.
BFA pursues a representative sampling indexing strategy in attempting to track the performance of the MXEF Index, and may not hold all of the equity securities composing the MXEF Index. The Reference Asset invests in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the MXEF Index. Securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the MXEF Index.
The MXEF Index is a financial calculation, based on a grouping of financial instruments, and is not an investment product, while the Reference Asset is an actual investment portfolio. The performance of the Reference Asset and the MXEF Index may vary for a number of reasons, including transaction costs, non-U.S. currency valuations, asset valuations, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs), timing variances and differences between the Reference Assets portfolio and the MXEF Index resulting from the Reference Assets use of representative sampling or from legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Reference Asset but not to the MXEF Index. Tracking error is the divergence of the performance (return) of a funds portfolio from that of its underlying index. BFA expects that, over time, the Reference Assets tracking error will not exceed 5%. Because the Reference Asset uses a representative sampling indexing strategy, it can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if it used a replication indexing strategy. Replication is an indexing strategy in which a fund invests in substantially all of the securities in its underlying index in approximately the same proportions as in the underlying index.
iShares
®
, Inc. is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the Reference Asset. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by iShares
®
, Inc. pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 033-97598 and 811-09102, respectively, through the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. For additional information regarding iShares
®
, Inc., BFA and the Reference Asset, please see the Reference Assets prospectus. In addition, information about iShares
®
, Inc. and the Reference Asset may be obtained from other sources including, but not limited to, press releases, newspaper articles and other publicly disseminated documents and the iShares
®
website at www.ishares.com. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of such information. Information contained in the iShares
®
website and other publicly available information is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered a part of, this pricing supplement.
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Historical Performance of the Reference Asset
The table below shows the high, low and final Closing Prices of the Reference Asset for each of the periods noted below. The graph below
sets forth the historical performance of the Reference Asset based on the daily Closing Prices from January 1, 2013 through August 17, 2018. We obtained the Closing Prices listed in the table below and shown in the graph below from Bloomberg Professional
®
service (Bloomberg). We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg.
Period
/
Quarter Ended
|
Quarterly High
($)
|
Quarterly Low
($)
|
Quarterly Close
($)
|
March 31, 2013
|
45.20
|
41.80
|
42.78
|
June 30, 2013
|
44.23
|
36.63
|
38.57
|
September 30, 2013
|
43.29
|
37.34
|
40.77
|
December 31, 2013
|
43.66
|
40.44
|
41.77
|
March 31, 2014
|
40.99
|
37.09
|
40.99
|
June 30, 2014
|
43.95
|
40.82
|
43.23
|
September 30, 2014
|
45.85
|
41.56
|
41.56
|
December 31, 2014
|
42.44
|
37.73
|
39.29
|
March 31, 2015
|
41.07
|
37.92
|
40.13
|
June 30, 2015
|
44.09
|
39.04
|
39.62
|
September 30, 2015
|
39.78
|
31.32
|
32.78
|
December 31, 2015
|
36.29
|
31.55
|
32.19
|
March 31, 2016
|
34.28
|
28.25
|
34.25
|
June 30, 2016
|
35.26
|
31.87
|
34.36
|
September 30, 2016
|
38.20
|
33.77
|
37.45
|
December 31, 2016
|
38.10
|
34.08
|
35.01
|
March 31, 2017
|
39.99
|
35.43
|
39.39
|
June 30, 2017
|
41.93
|
38.81
|
41.39
|
September 30, 2017
|
45.85
|
41.05
|
44.81
|
December 31, 2017
|
47.81
|
44.82
|
47.12
|
March 31, 2018
|
52.08
|
45.69
|
47.29
|
June 30, 2018
|
48.14
|
42.33
|
43.33
|
August 17, 2018*
|
45.03
|
41.51
|
42.21
|
*
For the period beginning July 1, 2018 and ending August 17, 2018
|
Historical Performance of the iShares
®
MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
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TAX CONSIDERATIONS
You should review carefully the sections entitled Material U.S. Federal Income Tax ConsequencesTax Consequences to U.S. HoldersNotes Treated as Prepaid Forward or Derivative Contracts and, if you are a non-U.S. holder, Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders, in the accompanying prospectus supplement. The following discussion, when read in combination with those sections, constitutes the full opinion of our special tax counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the Notes. The following discussion supersedes the discussion in the accompanying prospectus supplement to the extent it is inconsistent therewith.
Based on current market conditions, in the opinion of our special tax counsel, it is reasonable to treat the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid forward contracts with respect to the Reference Asset. Assuming this treatment is respected, upon a sale or exchange of the Notes (including redemption at maturity), you should recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or exchange and your tax basis in the Notes, which should equal the amount you paid to acquire the Notes. Subject to the application of the constructive ownership rules, any gain or loss recognized on your Notes should be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if you hold your Notes for more than a year, whether or not you are an initial purchaser of Notes at the original issue price. The Notes could be treated as constructive ownership transactions within the meaning of Section 1260 of the Code, in which case any gain recognized in respect of the Notes that would otherwise be long-term capital gain and that was in excess of the net underlying long-term capital gain (as defined in Section 1260) would be treated as ordinary income, and a notional interest charge would apply as if that income had accrued for tax purposes at a constant yield over the term of the Notes. Our special tax counsel has not expressed an opinion with respect to whether the constructive ownership rules apply to the Notes. Accordingly, U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of the constructive ownership rules.
The IRS or a court may not respect the treatment of the Notes described above, in which case the timing and character of any income or loss on the Notes could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, in 2007 the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of prepaid forward contracts and similar instruments. The notice focuses in particular on whether to require investors in these instruments to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; the relevance of factors such as the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; the degree, if any, to which income (including any mandated accruals) realized by non-U.S. investors should be subject to withholding tax; and whether these instruments are or should be subject to the constructive ownership regime described above. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the Notes, possibly with retroactive effect. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes, including the potential application of the constructive ownership rules, possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by this notice.
Treasury regulations under Section 871(m) generally impose a withholding tax on certain dividend equivalents under certain equity linked instruments. A recent IRS notice excludes from the scope of Section 871(m) instruments issued prior to January 1, 2019 that do not have a delta of one with respect to underlying securities that could pay U.S.-source dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes (each an Underlying Security). Based on our determination that the Notes do not have a delta of one within the meaning of the regulations, our special tax counsel is of the opinion that these regulations should not apply to the Notes with regard to non-U.S. holders. Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination. Section 871(m) is complex and its application may depend on your particular circumstances, including whether you enter into other transactions with respect to an Underlying Security. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the Notes.
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13